Day 17: LUCKY-#SOL17

What's your favorite "lucky" word?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

(For the record, my favorite "lucky" word is BLESSED.)

Day 16: Grateful List-#sol17

I'm just sitting down to write and yes, I know, it's late.  It's been a long work day, but for all good reasons.  This evening, our district had its annual Learning Showcase where students across our district shared and showcased various learning experiences.  Anything from technology, STEM, and PLTW, to literacy, math, and visual arts were visible tonight. Educators, parents, students, and community members were able to see all of the great things happening across our district. It's a great way to bring our district and community together as well as walk away with some new ideas for instruction.

With that, I leave you with a grateful list from today...

• Morning coffee
• Goodbye hugs and kisses
• Singing in the car with my kids
• Collaboration with colleagues
• Student jokes that make me giggle
• Laughing with colleagues
• A piece of chocolate
• My "village" that helps with so much
• Hearing a stranger tell me to have a great day just because
• Teamwork
• Kindness
• Learning from students
• Smiles
• March Madness starting
• Phone calls to long-distance friends with no interruptions

Day 15: Seeing Blue...Literally-#SOL17

Walking toward our school gym, I could already hear the thumping of music and loud laughter.  As I walked through the gym doors, I suddenly found myself in the midst of a 700+ dance party taking the form of our students and staff.  You didn't have to tell me twice to join in on the fun.  I love interacting with our students-they bring out such a youthful and infectious energy.

You see, our school community was visited today by none other than...BLUE! Blue is the mascot for the Indianapolis Colts.  The dance party I found myself in was all about getting students and staff hyped up for Blue's arrival.  Blue's program centered around the message of, "Be The Best You Can Be"-great motto! It was light-hearted, entertaining, and even some of our students and staff became live participants.  These are the opportunities we are so fortunate to provide for our students.  Seeing all the smiling and laughter was good for the soul and just what was needed to end a Wednesday afternoon.

Day 14: Tired Tuesday-#SOL17

Keeping it simple tonight.

I was actually looking forward to a run this evening, but after a busy day at work, driving carpool, and spending the evening with the kids,  I was having a debate with myself. To run or not to run? Sweats or no sweats?  I knew once I got moving, I'd be fine, but then again, it was cold, kind of snowy, and the treadmill sounded more like the dreadmill.

After some internal deliberation, I was honest with myself and admitted this debate was due to the fact I was tired.  I was simply too tired on this Tuesday to rally and muster the energy to run. Instead, I put on my favorite pair of sweats (IU sweats, of course-GO HOOSIERS!), grabbed a cozy blanket, and curled up on the couch with a bowl of ice cream.  I embraced my "tired Tuesday" mindset as a cue to relax and recharge...sweats and all.

Day 13: Snowflake Beauty-#SOL17

Haiku poems in honor of today's March snowfall

Snowflakes falling fast

Swirling, twirling around me

Taking in beauty

March thirteenth is here

No blooming flowers in sight

Snow covers the ground

Longing for spring now

Basking in the warm sunshine

Summer inching close

Day 12: Tick Tock: Time to Change the Clock-#SOL17

A little DST (Daylight Savings Time) humor slice tonight.  Ah yes, the joys of "spring forward" by setting the clocks ahead one hour before heading to bed, knowing that you are hypothetically losing an hour of sleep.  The best line of spring forward starts like this..."Mommy, what do you mean it's bedtime? It is not even dark out!" Sigh. Yes, I know there are parents out there who are hearing this exact statement in their own households tonight.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that it will be lighter longer in the evening as the weather warms up, but it definitely takes longer than one would probably think to adjust. All day today, I would hear the time (like 12:00), followed by, "Oh, but really it's like 11:00 (insert an hour earlier than the current hour)."  I am certain my children will continue to remind me of this throughout the week at bedtime as I try to convince them each time that I am really not lying about what the time says on the clock.  All jokes aside,  we will prevail and look forward to enjoying those warm and bright spring evenings soon enough.

Tick, tock, tick, tock...time to change the clock. 

Day 11: Saturday Sprinkles-#SOL17

The sun had barely risen over the horizon this morning and the patter of little feet came running to my bedside.  Before I even opened my eyes, I heard little voices asking about breakfast.  More importantly, a breakfast involving donuts.  You see, I had promised my littles that we could get Jack's Donuts for Saturday breakfast and you know they weren't about to let me forget about it.  Even the twins had their request on repeat. OK, OK, I was up and after a few sips of coffee to get moving, I was off to fulfill their impending sugar rush from these tasty treats.

Via Yelp

We don't get donuts very often, but when we do, you know they won't last long.  Of course, even though this mom knows everyone's favorite donut order already, you know as I was walking out the door I heard, "Sprinkles, sprinkles, get sprinkles!"  Saturday sprinkles x's 4...I got it! One short trip later to Jack's Donuts and back, I had four happy children sitting at our kitchen island with their sprinkle donuts in hand and a semi-warm cup of coffee still waiting for me.  Let's do this, Saturday...we can do anything once we have our Saturday sprinkles. :)