Waiting to Celebrate Spring’s Arrival

Spring officially started this week, but no one could tell, given the recent temperatures and snow. I.am. so. ready… I plan to officially welcome spring and kick off the brighter days to come with my annual purchase of a frappuccino just as soon as I encounter a warmer morning. No such luck yet. Even when I check the forecast which occasionally promises a warmer day in the middle or end of the week, the temperatures usually end up being colder.

But no matter! I intend to stay optimistic and have even begun watching movies that will usually cheer me up and get me looking forward to the end of school year and nicer weather.  Currently, I’m watching The Sound of Music.  Nothing can put me in a better mood than Maria and her charges belting out “Do-re-mi”  in the Austrian mountains. I will snuggle down under my favorite blanket and watch my movies.  I’ll be enjoying my first frappuccino of the year and sporting my sunglasses before I know it!

Back to School

My love for my college alma mater lives on even twelve years after I graduated.  Its natural beauty is what drew me to the school to begin with. The main entrance to my school is lined with trees on both sides. Fall is the best time because of the yellow and orange hues that embrace you as you drive in almost like you’ve become part of a painting.

In the center of campus there is a lake and benches where you can sit and reflect or relish in the warm sunlight in the spring. I always choose a spot where I can sit and watch the branches of a weeping willow dip down into the lake water. During my time in college, spending time in nature brought me peace and comfort, replenished me in the midst of chaotic college life. Somehow, spending time by the lake on a warm afternoon always made me feel better.

In colder weather, I always sought refuge in our library. That is where I found myself recently when I decided to spend my Teacher Record Day catching up on grading at one of my favorite places. Upon arriving, I quickly headed to the back of the library to look for a cozy spot close to a window, so I could occasionally admire the snowy view as I graded. Nestled in this quiet haven while working away and admiring the view outside brought back so many fond memories of my time as an actual student. Many times, I drive by my college and wish I could return to simpler times.

At least, living so close to my beloved alma mater, I know I can come back and do my work there as a teacher. The most amazing thing about this part of my life? Now, when I go back to my college for some grading session and a quick lunch in the student dining hall, I bump into former students who are now college students themselves.  Those are always sweet reunions and affirm that I have come full circle.

 

A Call Back To Writing

It has been about two years since I last participated in the Slice of Life Challenge.  For the past few years, I have felt this nagging feeling that I should be writing.  My writer’s notebook sits on the floor, wedged between my bed and nightstand, and the last time I wrote in it was November. Here and there I add a little to my notebook- short snippets. I’m reminded of that song from Moana …“See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me…”  when I think of writing. My eyes move to the last place I left my notebook, and I think of my favorite pen.

 

Why this call? What is it for? I still don’t know. That is why I’m here, though, trying to tend to that call again. I’m starting the challenge a week late.  But  I’m here.  “See the page where pen meets the line? It calls me.”

Summer Fun: A Hop, Skip, and a Jump Away

Every summer since I’ve moved to the midwest, I’ve wanted to venture out  and explore nearby beaches in my area.  I grew up in the East Coast and spent a lot of my summer days at the Jersey shore.  It took me a while, but I finally got around to discovering some amazing beaches in Chicago.  There’s so much to do in Chicago, and I love that I can even get a beach day in right downtown!  Alas, it’s a bit trickier to get ready and head off to the beach these days.  Gone are the days when I could just pack a beach bag, some sunglasses, and be on my way. With my little tot around, there’s so much more to pack and plan for.

That’s why this summer, I’ve really been more appreciative of what is available to us right outside our patio door!  Since DJ’s been born, we’ve upgraded our yard and added a playground and swimming pool. This particular summer our yard has become a complete lifesaver. No packing up and scurrying to look presentable hours before heading out somewhere.  These days we eat breakfast and head right out to the yard to play.  There are days my son has wanted to rush back in and play inside, but it’s so great to be outside when the weather is beautiful, so I move my son from activity to activity to get him to stay out and play; we’ll dump cars and other toys in our splash table, jump in the pool to play with a beach ball, draw pictures with sidewalk chalk, or blow bubbles. They’ll be plenty of time to play indoors when our frigid winter returns.

             

Travel Meets Mommyhood

Nothing thrills me more than a trip to somewhere.  Different country to explore?  I’m there! New culture to immerse myself in?  Absolutely! Another bag to pack?  I’ll get started! Fortunately, my husband shares my love for traveling to and discovering new places, so we’ve shared many adventures together.  What I always found funny, however, was that I’d get the same advice every time I’d talk about my latest trip with friends or co-workers…”Enjoy it now before you have kids,” many would say.  At first, I sort of took the advice seriously and certainly did make sure  to travel as much as I could and enjoy the time I spent with my husband.

Then, my little guy was born, and the more I thought about it, the more I figured, I WANT to travel with both my boys [husband and son] as soon as we can get started.  Heck, I’ll throw caution to the wind and ignore that advice  I’d heard again and again. “Just go for it,”  I thought to myself.  Granted, I feel I have it easier than other moms with more than one kiddo.  However, I’m pretty proud of myself for venturing out with my little one; I’ve learned some lessons along the way and figured out how to travel with as little stress as possible.

1.  Pack comfort items for the trip- I pack some comforting essentials for our trips, so that my little guy encounters his favorite familiars, no matter where we go.  These items include his favorite stuffed toy and blankie he loves to sleep with; his nighttime playlist saved on my phone, which I play for him at bedtime; and his favorite reads (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Ten Little Ladybugs are musts)

2. Pack extra [healthy] snacks- often the unexpected can happen during a trip, like getting stuck on the tarmac for an hour,  waiting to deplane. In such instances, I’ve learned it’s important to make room for the unexpected and be prepared.  I try to prepare by having enough food and drink for my little guy to have in case we’re stuck somewhere and my son needs to eat.  I try to make sure I have fruit and flavored water [or juice]. Though I have other snacks packed, I always try to start with the fruit, just to make sure my little guy fills up on the healthy choices first before moving on to granola bars, crackers, etc.

3. Have  plenty of entertainment available- we’re not fans of our son constantly using electronic devices, so we limit his use to trips.  During take-offs and particularly long plane rides, we play movies on our mini iPad. Often we use, flashcard apps, drawing apps, and interactive e-books as back up just to be sure we have multiple ways to keep our son busy. Being two years old, his attention span can be shorter, so he is often ready to move on to something new and quickly.

4. Have traditional non-electronic items available for entertainment- stickers, colored pens, crayons and drawing pads can be amazing lifesavers during long waits at an airport or a restaurant. I scour the Dollar Store and stock up on sticker pads before trips, so I can keep my son busy with them anywhere we go.  Best of all, these items don’t take up much room in my bags.

5.  Be prepared for accidents- during my first plane trips ALONE with my son and some accidents, I discovered that it was best to change him right before the next flight during layovers to ensure he wouldn’t have an accident.  However, as he’s gotten older, even a quick diaper change doesn’t always do the trick or our layover is just too short and we have to rush off to our next flight and I end up dreading a diaper accident and wet lap. I’ve started using nighttime diapers instead of his regular diapers.  Huggies Overnites work like a charm, and I can breathe easy knowing my son can stay accident-free until we reach our destination. Extra clothes are also useful to have on hand.  In my PB [pre-baby] days, I once had a flight cancellation and ended up having to spend the night at a hotel.  I had packed enough in my carry-on to work with and survive the unexpected, so now I just make sure to do the same for my little guy.

Every moment watching my son grow has been so precious and it’s just another level of amazing when I get to see him experiencing something new when we’re on a trip.  I hope to keep learning to be a more travel-savvy mom as the years continue.  Adventure is out there!

Treat Yo Self, Teachers!

Summer has finally arrived…and not a moment too soon. The last month of the school year often feels like I’m caught in a whirlwind, just trying to keep up and finish the year off strong. More and more I’m starting to doubt I’m the only teacher who feels this way since so many teacher memes cropped up on social media the last month of school. I decided to include my favorite one below…

Sleep-deprived and exhausted, I struggle to find time for anything other than work and my son as the school year draws to a close; between lesson planning, creating final exams, spending time after school with my little guy, and trying [trying being the operative word] to make home-cooked meals, I barely have the energy to brush my teeth at night. That’s why I like catch up on some much-needed me time during the first week of summer vacation…Here are some ways I recoup and refresh the end of a school year:

Massage

We have a  Massage Envy in town, and I’ve finally started using the annual membership my husband got me for Christmas. Since they have various locations in different states, I can even use my membership if I travel. I certainly have stress built up by the end of the year, and a good massage helps me relax and reenergize as my summer break begins.

Mani/Pedi

Love getting summer-ready by picking out some bright colors for a mani/pedi. I was definitely thinking about one of my fave summer foods, watermelon, with my latest choices- pink and mint green.

Summer Reading

I’m definitely a book lover and there are so many books I have on my “To Read” list during the school year that I can’t wait for the summer to begin so I can dive into them.  I recently finished Wild by Cheryl Strayed and was completely inspired by author’s brave journey on the PCT trail after struggling to cope with the loss of her mother. Next, I’ll be working on some young adult books, since I’d like to try lit circles with coming of age books in the fall; I have some great titles and authors on my list: Deadline and Whale Talk, both by Chris Crutcher; Sources of Light by Margaret McMullan; and Slam by Nick Hornby, who happens to be the screenwriter for the film adaptation of Wild.

This year, I’ve signed my little one and myself up for the summer reading challenge at our local library.  It’ll be fun to keep track of all the fun things he and I will be reading this summer.

Best of all…Quality Time with Family and Friends

One of the greatest joys of summer is spending time outdoors with DJ and my husband!  We now have a pool and swingset in our backyard, so we try to be out running, swimming and playing as much as we can.

Also, just because school is over doesn’t mean good times with great co-workers have to come to an end. The first week of our summer vacation, my fellow English teachers and I got together to unwind with some drinks and painting.  Our subject, a starfish on the shore, was just right for kicking off the summer season!

Start of a New School Year

A new school year is here again, and I don’t know where my summer went.  This year it’s especially difficult to get back to work because I won’t get to spend entire days with my little boy- no more reading times at the library or lazy afternoons in the pool. Therefore, I decided to cheer myself up and get excited about a new school year by stocking up on  some great back-to-school items…

1) My Erin Condren lesson planner- though quite pricey, I love the plastic sheet protectors, extra notes pages, and monthly calendar pages.

2) I have always been a sucker for fun writing tools- this year I found scented highlighters and scented pencil erasers- I feel like a kid again 🙂

3) While we were visiting Disney World this summer, my husband bought me Alice in Wonderland souvenirs- a tin of tea and matching mug.  I’ll definitely be decompressing with my new favorite tea and mug at the end of some hectic school days.

Though it’s hard ending another amazing summer with my little guy, we have lots of after-school fun we can look forward to. Got my school bag packed and ready for the first day tomorrow. A nice cup of tea will be calling my name at night when I’m exhausted.

 

Mixed Feelings about Back-to-School

I have love-hate feelings about any back-to-school topics at this point in summer break. On the one hand, any back-to-school ad or commercial signals the nearing of the end of all the quality time I get to spend with my little boy.

On the other hand, there are some things that do get me the teensiest bit excited about back-to-school. Case-in-point… Getting my Erin Condren teacher planner. For a year now, I’ve seen posts by different teachers about this custom-designed planner. I even watched a teacher unwrap & look through her planner online to see if I’d like it myself. Though pricey, it certainly feels like Christmas come early. I have a new bag to keep it in, and like a little kid, I’m storing up my new school supplies and looking forward to using them for a new school year. Just not anytime too soon…

Summertime Happiness

This morning I started off on the wrong foot. I woke up way too late to make it to my exercise class and then got poured on during some rain showers. I looked on the bright side, though. I had a pedicure appointment later in the morning. Nothing cures a yucky day like a great pedicure. I picked out some fun colors- mint green and gold for statement nails. As the warm weather and sun returned, I finished up some chores and spent the afternoon reading by the pool, occasionally admiring my colorful toes B)

Bittersweet Goodbyes

My trip back home was eventful & memorable. Family & friends never disappoint; my son & I have such lovely memories to return home with. Beach days & ice cream with Grandma & Great Grandma, a trip to the zoo with a favorite aunt & summer parties with good friends.

My hometown in New Jersey always has a special place in my heart. It’s always wonderful knowing I can come back to the place where I grew up- now I get to share it with my little guy.