Making Strides

It's amazing to experience how setting goals can really motivate someone to do, well, most anything!  All I had to do for myself was create a little Summer Bucket List and it's all I can think about!  I want to cross off those items!!  The bad part is, every time I think about crossing one off, I can think of at least two more to add.  I guess that's the thing with "personal" to-do lists; they really are never ending. 

That's how it is for me in the classroom too.  Everyday I feel like there are endless amounts of things that I could be doing.  I could stay in my classroom until 9:00pm each night and STILL not get it all done!  It's those nagging feelings of "If I could just get ahead" and "I know there is a way to do this lesson better."  But, at some point, we all just have to say, "I've got to find some kind of stopping point because in truth, it will all be here waiting on me tomorrow!"

I made a quick trip up to school yesterday to see how my new neighbor was coming along in her classroom and to see the disaster that is my closet.  We got to chat for a while and I actually filled up an entire bag of trash to be taken out. I got a few things reorganized in my room and ended up just sitting and looking at it for a while.  I was envisioning and reminiscing all the fun and learning that took place last year and hopeful for the same in years to come.  I'm also thinking about rearranging things.  I love being at school and in my classroom.  It just makes me happy.

So, while I can't cross off anything else officially yet, I am making some strides on the Summer Bucket List:

1. Trip to the beach
2. Read a book, or two, or three (half way through my first one...Book Club is July 2)
3. Start a new tradition at home
4. Give a heartfelt surprise to someone
5. Give a good report to a manager about an employee (kind of went backwards here as I had to call and actually complain about someone yesterday)
6. Extreme Makeover: Kindergarten Closet Edition (took out one bag of trash)
7. Begin writing a children's book
8. Clean out all 4 closets (in-laws coming soon...better start with that closet!)
9. Try Yoga again (my friend Kristy invited me to go to a class with her next Tuesday)
10. Write a letter to the editor
11. Write a letter to a friend
12. Go on a picnic
13. Start a blog
14. Learn about Guided Math Groups (professional book ordered!)
15. Go to a concert (looked up ticket prices, thinking about Rascal Flatts)
16. Finally beat my husband at a game of Clue: The Office edition
17. Complete and mail in Foundation Grant
18. Complete and mail in STAR Teacher Application (I haven't picked up either of these items since beginning them a few weeks ago.  Somehow, putting them on this list WILL keep me accountable for them, I hope!)