Why Can't We (Women) Just Take a Complement?!

While on the treadmill last week I was watching my daily dose of the Today Show and there was a brief segment about how women struggle to take a compliment.  It was interesting to me because I often struggle with taking a compliment and will deflect the attention back onto the person (looking at you teaching partner ;)) or give a reason (i.e.: "I've had this dress forever" or "it's from XYZ").

The segment was all of 3-4 minutes but in that short time the hosts were having general conversation when compliments came out and they too were challenged to accept them graciously.  Why is this? Is it because social pressures to look good, to always be at the top of your game or are we just too humble to accept praise?

I was reminded again of this segment as #TeamA was sitting at the kitchen table tonight colouring and I complimented her on her colouring and her response was "Thanks, mom!".  How can my 3 year old graciously accept the complements thrown her way, yet us gown adults (most often women) can't? I have been teaching her when someone is speaking to her and they compliment her on her hair, clothes, behaviour, whatever to turn and say thank you as an appreciation.

Where do I lack in this? Am I just too humble? Am I just too self-conscious?

Here's an article from Today.com from back in 2013 that is still relevant today.

Do you take compliments graciously and humbly?

Sunshine & happiness, today and always!

Stephanie :)

My (Nagging for 24+ hrs) Wish

Now I want to preface with that I don't usually ever wake up wishing my life away or that things would be different, but today I have had a nagging thought in my head.

Today I can't stop thinking about how I wish my children could have a summer home of sorts that we could spend all day and night lounging and relaxing at.  This and this summer home I would love for it to be on a sandy waterfront so that my kids can continue to do what they absolutely love to do: play in the sand and get wet.  I want somewhere that I am confident taking the kids alone while DH works and everyone is safe and comfortable.  I want somewhere I don't have to pack up every weekend and that we can entertain family and friends who visit.

I don't know why this thought just won't leave my head or why all of a sudden I am aching for such reality, but I am trying to figure out how I can fix it.  It is not that we cannot afford a summer home, but more that we are so busy that beyond the summer months we would be pressed to make good use of it. DH is admittedly not a handyman, so he's not into tending to landscaping and projects more than he has too.

This weekend we are going to visit a cottage/second home of a former coworker of DH, so it will either calm this nagging thought or make it even worse!  In the meantime, the kids and I have retreated to our backyard where we will continue to make amazing memories of Summer 2016.

Sunshine & happiness today and for always!

Stephanie :)

Accountability Check: Getting Back on the Bandwagon

Now that summer is here so is the dreaded bathing suit season. I am not one to usually get hung up on what I physically look like, but I do like to feel comfortable in my clothes.  Like anyone else, the winter brought on lots of hardy soups and breads plus the results of having two little ones literally just over 2 years apart.  I made a commitment to DH that I would focus on getting my body back into an appropriate shape over the summer, and he is on the bandwagon with me.

So far, both of us have been up and at 'em before our days start working out in the basement, him on his stationary bike & me on my treadmill. It is a love/hate relationship I have with my treadmill because as everyone has, there are good runs and ones that you'd much rather be somewhere else.  This time around, I have to also time my workouts to #TeamA & #TeamO's schedules so that I can actually work at working out instead of constantly being interrupted.

One of my biggest challenges is going to be the accountability to myself.  I can't start cutting corners, taking time off my run, not doing my weights etc. I find it very easy to finish my run and then sit down on the floor with the kids and start playing instead of finishing off with the weights.  I need someone more to check in on me & hold me accountable.

I am loving my time at home and can't let a day go by without working out so that it becomes second nature to jump on the treadmill before starting my day.  I have a weight goal in mind, but I also have a routine goal in mind once we head back to school in just over 8 weeks.  I want to still be able to workout before school so that I don't fall into the winter slump again.

Please keep checking in with/on me over the summer to see how the routine is going.  Don't be afraid to ask me if I got through my whole workout or if I cheated. I won't be offended!

Do you have fitness goals? If, yes, what are they? How to you keep yourself accountable and motivated?

Hello Summer Vacation!

Today was the first official day of summer vacation and if it is the one that sets the tone, I'm looking forward to the rest of the 9 weeks.

We had been away for the long weekend watching baseball and daily routine was totally mixed up. Nap time was almost non-existent and we were certainly not eating our normal diet.

I was not sure how this summer vacation would work out since it is our first with two very mobile children. Questions that kept creeping into my head included: what are we going to do all day, how am I going to entertain both at the same time with likely two different activities, what am I going to make for lunch that they will actually eat, how can I make sure that I'm able to workout each day?  Today all questions were answered! It was like a picture perfect day. I woke up just after DH left for work and waited for #TeamO to rise so that I could jump on the treadmill. In hindsight, I would have had time to workout before he woke up, but I needed to play it safe to not be interrupted. #TeamO and I headed for the basement for a long run on the treadmill to the tunes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and #TeamA joined us part way through. We spent the better part of the rest of the morning playing outside in the backyard with a mix of blowing bubbles, sandbox and climbing on the structure.  Lunch brought me some stress, but the kids seemed to enjoy a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  (I'm not sure why I keep thinking I need to make a whole meal for lunch time when this and that work just as well, if not better).  Then came the coveted nap time!  This has to be a highlight of our days at home as it sets the tone for the rest of the day and into the evening.

After dinner we headed back outside for more bubble blowing, sand boxing and a new feature...a dish pan of water! #TeamO is a stereotypical little boy that loves mud, trucks, tractors and more mud. I was thinking how I could help fuel his curiosity in all things dirty and remembered I had brought home a white dishpan/bin from school. It would be perfect for outdoor play!  I filled it up with water and watched the excitement explode.  He came out dirtier, happier and certainly more tired than usual.  Once we headed inside, he chose 3 different stories to read before bed and at the end of the third one, he headed straight for his bed.  No fight to sleep tonight!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow and the rest of the week has in store.  I've got a plan to go for a walk to the grocery store in the morning after my workout to pick up a few fresh snacks. It's supposed to be beautiful out, so a walk should be perfect.

Keep checking back in to see what adventures we get up to over the next several weeks.

Sunshine & happiness, today and for always!

Stephanie :)

Hockey. Is. OVER!

Hockey. Is. OVER.  Yes, you heard it right...hockey is over. Over. Over. Over!  Yesterday marked the end of DH's hockey school for the season.  We DH has been in full hockey mode since about November and to put this in perspective, #TeamA & #TeamO are just learning how to skate so he is running a hockey school for other people's children.  DH spent much of his paternity leave organizing the behind the scenes aspects of the school in between parenting our two amigos.

This was the first time that balancing home and work life has really been a challenge as now we were both back to our full time jobs and we had two amigos.  There were many days that although I was putting up a brave & positive face, I was crumbling and melting down on the inside because I just could do it anymore.  I couldn't parent and I couldn't teach; both were demanding so much more of me than I was able to offer.

Throughout all this, our home looked much like a sports store with equipment & apparel strewn all over.  Throw in a curious little monkey in #TeamO and you've got yourself a part-time job trying to keep a lid on things.

It was 4 months of single parenting on nights and weekends when DH was out running practices, convening tournaments and coaching games when he had a chance.  I will admit that on more than one occasion I hit up the McD's drive-thru just so that my children would actually eat the meal I put in front of them without coaxing and bribes.

All in all, I hope that the players and parents that participated in some and any capacity this year understand the sacrifice and dedication that not only DH puts into the hockey school but as well as our entire family.  While he was out coaching other people's children he was missing many "firsts" of his own children, quirky comments around the dinner table and the endless cuddles on weekend mornings while we all watched cartoons in the big bed.

Over the next 5 months we will all settle in and enjoy being a family of 4 again so that come November, we will be prepared to lose DH again for another hockey season.

Until then, it will be sunshine & happiness in our house!

Stephanie :)

2016: One Word Resolution

As many of you know and am assuming have found me via Twitter, I am a self-confessed Twitter addict.  I check several times a day and addmittingly have it open on the second tab on my school computer all day long.  Over the past week or so I have been seeing numerous posts about a one word resolution and how people are resolving to stick to this one word.  It got me thinking...what would be my word.

While studies show about only 8% of people stick with their new year's resolution, some years I have been in that 8% while many other years I have fallen out of it. (Check out this post here as a prime example!)  I am proud to say that I am nearly finished last year's resolution (was preempted due to being pregnant with #TeamOlivier), so I'm considering myself back in the 8%.  Back to this year though...thinking of one word that I could stick to being better at or changing throughout the year and all I could think of was ME.  My resolution is going to be all about ME.

It sounds selfish of sorts I'm sure, but this year I am going to start putting me first more often.  Ever since becoming a mother almost 3 years ago, I haven't been the number one person I worry about.  I moved farther down the list last year when #TeamOlivier was born and now I think I'm in a position to be number 1 again.  I watch as DH has been off with the little ones for almost 7 months now and how he has managed to still put his needs out there while the kids are still fed and played with, the house gets tidied and he manages to get out to do the things he loves.  I figure, why can't I?!

In many of my brain whirls over the last few days I've been thinking what I want to happen by focusing on me.  I want to get back into the pre-baby shape I was in (best shape of my life by the way!); I want to make time to go out with my friends on a regular basis (drinking wine in a trendy restaurant sans kids was amazing!); I want to go for a massage more often (that's why we have benefits right?!); I want to do things with my kids my DH thinks are silly or unimportant, but that will make me feel like a good parent.

All of this to say, I have started the first 3 days off well.  I have been able to workout everyday so far and have taken #TeamAmelie out just the two of us to play in the snow.  Although, I have been unable to put myself first in terms of just letting the kids play so I could get some school work done, I don't regret playing Mr. Potato Head or watching Finding Nemo with them.

Also as a part of my resolution, I want to find me time to do more writing.  There are always a 1000 +1 things swirling in my head, yet I don't get any of them out.  (Thought in my head right now: "Wow, you're ambitious...when per say are you finding all this time?!)

So, here's to 2016 and more of ME. If you had to have a one-word resolution what would it be? Why?

Sunshine & happiness, today & forever!

Stephanie :)

#TeamAmelie's Reading…sort of!

Just a quick post that I've been wanting to write but haven't had enough words to do a post, but too many to do in a Tweet!  When #TeamAmelie was born (and even before that) I was addimit that any gift she was going to receive from anyone it was to be a book.  I wanted her from a very young age to love looking at books, listening to stories and to be surrounded by literature.  And today I think it's paying off.

I was sitting in our loft this morning trying to balance #TeamOlivier in one hand and check my email in the other when behind me is a little voice reciting her current favourite book: Colours vs Shapes by Mike Boldt.  

We have read this book multiple times a day for the last couple of months and today #TeamAmelie was recounting her own version partially from memory and from looking at the pictures.  She was SOOOO proud of herself when she noticed that I had turned to listen to her.  She immediately wanted me to read her the story so that she could finish the sentences before I could and add in her own expressions.  She makes me laugh every. single. time. we read it.

What book gets read the most often in your house?

Sunshine & happiness today & forever.

Stephanie :)

Career vs Home Woman

When I was 8 years old if someone asked me if I was going to be a career woman or a stay at home mom I would have replied stay at home mom without a doubt.  I was always toting around my Baby Shivers doll that looked like (and smelt like) a real baby, dressing her and taking care of her as if she was real.  As I grew older, around the age of 15-17 if you had asked me the same question again I would have switched to career woman.  I had a vision in sight and I wasn't going to let anyone or anything get between it and me. It cost and/or didn't allow me to pursue personal relationships for so long because I was going to be a career woman and didn't have time for those distractions.

Fast-forward to 2013 and #TeamAmelie was born.  At the time I had just landed my first permanent teaching gig when I first found out I was pregnant.  I can remember sitting in the parking lot of the school before going into the interview and calling DH crying because I didn't think I could go in because I was afraid I'd throw up everywhere.  Morning, afternoon, night…ok ALL DAY & NIGHT sickness had me rethinking what I had just done a few weeks earlier.  I digress…Here I am pregnant with our first child, land my first permanent teaching position and I have to decide which I want more!? I was determined to work as long as I physically could because I'm not very good at sitting & waiting for something that doesn't have a definite arrival time.  I was also determined that I was going to get back in the classroom just six months after she was born.

See, I have heard of the horror stories of starting back into a classroom part way through the year because you can't make it your own.  The students refer back to their previous teacher (your replacement, but as far as their concerned their teacher), they are set in their routines, rolling with the replacement's expectations.  How could I break this in February? Also, how was I going to stay home and live the pace of a newborn/toddler after living the pace of a 10,000 person per game hockey career & the life of a university student for the last 10 years?  Thus it donned on me…I'm going to go back to the classroom after 6 months off and DH can stay home with #TeamAmelie.  I'm not leaving her with a stranger at daycare, I know DH will text me throughout the day, and worse case scenario they both end up at my inlaws and my mother in law saves the day.

So many people told me I was crazy, that I'd change my mind once I had the baby, why would I want to get back to work- there's only misery there.  You name it, I heard it.  I didn't let that sway me though.  I loved my job, my sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and I needed to feel like I did something each day.  Don't get me wrong, I did A LOT with #TeamAmelie and I wouldn't have traded that time for the world, but I also knew where I belonged and that was in the classroom.  I ran into who at the time I would call an acquaintance at the mall one day and we got chatting about being off on leave and the adjustment blah blah blah and then she asked me "so you'll go back to work in a year and then what?" I stopped her right there in her tracks and announced that I would be going back to work in the fall and DH was going to try his hand at parenting.  For the first time ever, she was the first person who agreed and applauded me for my decision.  I could have hugged her right there in the mall!  She too confessed to me that she didn't think she could stay home for the full year because so too is a busy body and is passionate for her career.  I instantly felt a connection: someone who understood my desire for a career and for being a parent.  I don't think I could have a full appreciation for either one without the other, but I had to be honest with myself and the world if I was going to make it work.

Fast-forward again- #TeamOlivier is born two years and four days after #TeamAmelie and I still had the same feeling as I did the first time.  I worked right up to the bitter end, but this time I decided that I was going to get back into the classroom before the end of the school year.  Yes, just 4 months after #TeamOlivier was born, I will be heading back to my place of passion & comfort.  Like a script written two years ago, people questioned my decision, my sanity and at times if I was a real person. Although our intentions are a little bit different this time (ie. we will get the whole summer off together in what otherwise would have only been 2 non-consecutive weeks), I still feel as determined and passionate about my job.

Having two kids is a whole new ball game, especially at the ages they are, so balancing the home/work scale is going to take some adjustment for everyone.  When I go back in just under two weeks I will be returning just half days, to try & meet a healthy balance of career vs home woman.

I understand there are financial constraints to sharing the parental leave, and that not every father is given the opportunity to stay at home with his children; however, I think we need to be honest with ourselves and our partners to find the right balance between all of our desires whether they be at home or at work.

What would you or did you do with having children and your career? Were you as definitive as I was in knowing where your passion lied and what you wanted?  I'd love to hear from you.

Sunshine & happiness today and forever.

Stephanie :)

My Brother is All Grown Up!

It is the eve of my little brother is officially growing up! Tomorrow Matt will marry his beautiful girlfriend Erin on what is surely going to be the hottest day in May.  I can't believe it, my brother is getting MARRIED!  While I knew this day would come someday, I just can't full grasp that it is here.  I still see my brother as the skinny, blonde-haired kid who would drag me out to the garage in the late fall to be the stand in goalie for his one-on-one road hockey games or the kid that would call me up and invite me down to visit him just so that his hockey-buddy-filled apartment could be cleaned/sanitized. This can't be happening already!

Life is passing us all so fast, but I am not sure that it needed to go so fast that my LITTLE BROTHER is getting MARRIED!!  I can remember the first time I met Erin it was after one of Matt's games that he was coaching in Brockville.  We were in his (dungeon) apartment and at this he wasn't admitting to us that they were dating. Strangely enough, Erin knew what cupboard Matt kept the tea bags (which is strange in itself because Matt doesn't drink tea!) and there were two tooth brushes in the bathroom (which I discovered after doing my cleaning inspection!).  That night Erin was quiet as Matt & Marc rehashed the game and conversed like no one else was there. I didn't know anything about her so I was hard for me to strike up a conversation...I can't remember if I even did strike one up...

Fast forward about 6 months or so and I get a message from said brother asking me what I think of the house he & Erin bought...but wait a second I thought she wasn't your girlfriend but just a friend?!  And since when were you looking to buy a house, and when did you go to the bank and why didn't you ask me what I thought of the house BEFORE the sold sign went up?! This IS my brother though!

Matt & Erin have grown to be such a complete couple.  They brought Neumann into their lives (and coincidently ours) and they just make each other tick.  They find a way to be independent yet come together to spend quality time together (which makes me jealous!) and they are supportive of each other's passions.  I can totally sympathize with Erin what it's like to be all but officially single during hockey season, yet she seems so patient with Matt. (I on the other hand am not as patient with a never ending hockey schedule.)  They are both very hard working and determined to reach their goals.  This will lead them to amazing heights.

So as I go to bed tonight, I still can't believe that my brother is growing up and that I will have a new sister!

Erin, welcome to the family and we are so excited for you an Matt.  We are excited to see your relationship with Matt continue to blossom.  Thank you for making Matt so happy.  He has become so grounded and focused since meeting you.  Remember, take a deep breath and take it all in; tomorrow will pass by so fast that before you know it you'll be dying to get your dress off and into something lazy.  We love you and can't wait to see what's next for the both of you.

Sunshine & happiness today & forever.

Stephanie, Marc, #TeamAmelie & #TeamOlivier :)

Do we have a professional responsibility outside the classroom?

In all professions, members are held up to professional standards while practicing in their domain, but the question always is, what professional responsibility do we have away from our domains that we should be expected to maintain?  As a teacher, for years our profession has not been seen as an equal "profession" or as professional as say a doctor or lawyer, but that does not mean we should not have a professional responsibility outside of our classroom.

I believe that we have a professional responsibility outside the classroom in a few capacities.  First, I think it is our responsibility to maintain current teaching practices and trends in student learning.  This means using our own time to research, read, participate and follow in professional development in the multitude of forms that are presented to us.  Too often I see fellow professionals out of current practices or reject an opportunity to further their learning because it is not presented to them during their paid work day.  How can we expect students to review work, complete homework or projects etc. outside of school hours if we ourselves are not willing to put in hours outside our designated "professional time"?

Secondly, I think we have a professional responsibility outside the classroom when it comes to socialization & relaxation.  Now I am not saying our employers or professional college designation should dictate what we can and cannot partake in outside of school hours, but I am saying that we have one of the most influential responsibilities in our communities.  I have seen a few fellow colleagues forget or disregard that members of our school community (parents and students), and have been less than professional.  I believe that this is a factor as to why we are not regarded sometimes as professionals in our domain.  Anytime the public can knock us for something (and we all know they love to do that), they will.  It takes just one colleague to paint us all with the same brush, but that colour is not representative of the teaching/teachers as a whole.  Thus, I think that we should have to uphold the standards of practice that are regulated upon us in the classroom outside of the classroom.  This might help our public image and the influence we have within our community.

Personally, I take my professional responsibility outside of the classroom as a privilege. I have been privileged enough to be granted an opportunity to engage as a professional within the classroom and I believe that without this same responsibility outside the classroom, it would seem redundant.  I thrive on taking professional development sessions at any opportunity even if it means #TeamAmelie gets a few more minutes if iPad time so that I can participate in a webinar or take an online course.  Staying current with trends and learning styles of our students (essentially our clients) is our responsibility no matter when or how it occurs.  We are letting our profession, our "clients" and essentially our futures down if we garnish our professional responsibility outside of the classroom.

What do you believe our professional responsibility outside the classroom is or should be?

Time to reflect with sunshine & happiness today & forever.

Stephanie :)

Boy vs Girl Toys. Does that still exist?

Today I experienced something for the first time that I wasn't quite prepared for that has left me with a few reactions.  It was a rainy, messy day out today so I packed the kids and some snacks up and headed off to the closest Chapters Indigo bookstore.  I have had a handful of gift cards from students sitting in the every trusty top drawer of my bedside table that I thought today was a good day to put them to good investment.  I have been taking note of the newest and trendiest books that have come out and making notes from what other teachers are doing as they post on their Twitter feeds or blogs.
With my list in hand, and two kids in tow we set off for a book adventure.  We were greeted by a few cheerful Chapters employees, who engaged #TeamAmelie in a one way conversation and found our way to the kids section.  #TeamAmelie wasn't short of excitement pointing out her favourite characters on the banners that welcomed us to the kids section, knowing pretty much all of them and turning the few heads of customers in ear shot.  We walked aisle by aisle picking up books, talking about the covers and what we thought and shortly were joined by a young employee who was helping what appeared to be a grandmother and her grandson find the Robert Munch section.  She eagerly pointed out the customer favourites, the newest stories and asked if there was one in particular they were looking for.  The grandmother responded that they had a few already and prompted her grandson to choose a book that he'd like.  This is where things went off the rails.

I am not sure exactly what book the little boy pulled off the shelf after a minute or so of looking, but the grandmother certainly didn't approve when she said, "that book is for girls, not for you." I was shocked...stunned...and just as heartbroken as the little boy was who now didn't have the book he carefully picked out.  The young employee fell silent and slowly slipped away from the grandmother and little boy.  I couldn't believe my ears.  My first reaction was to post on Twitter what I had just heard to see what kind of reaction others would have had. How could someone say this to a young child? She prompted him to choose a book from that section? How can there be a "boy book" and a "girl book" and why can't the opposite gender read them?

As a parent, I am of the firm belief that my children can play with and read anything they want, regardless of what gender it is marketed towards.  #TeamAmelie LOVES playing with her Hotwheel cards and trucks and tractors as much as she loves her Minnie Mouse and baby dolls.  We read any book that she grabs for off the bookshelf whether it is about princesses or hockey players.  Don't get me wrong, #TeamAmelie also loves the colours pink and purple, but she will not grow up with the understanding that she can't do or read something because she is a girl and it may be for a boy.

As a teacher, I am reflecting on how I present materials that I use to teach with.  Do I show a gender specificity or target? I chatted with a few colleagues tonight over my experience (they were appalled as well!), and asked how I/we could do a better job at changing the thinking or stereotype of gender specific toys/books.  I am also hurt that this young boy was engaged in a bookstore, excited to get to choose a book (that he may or may not know how to read on his own), and engage in literature to better himself going forward for it to be snatched away from him because of what may be tagged as "the old way of thinking".  As a teacher, I see the struggle we all face as educators to get boys to read and to enjoy engaging with the material.  Could this be the reason why? It certainly doesn't help.

So my questions to you are: does there still exist a gender division in toys/books on behalf of the consumer? How can we as educators help erase this figment of our imagination so that everyone can enjoy toys/books without thinking if they are for them or not? How do we present materials in order for our students and their parents to understand that there is no gender division?

I leave you with those thoughts and reflections & would love to hear your responses.  Until then, I'm off to tidy up Hotwheel cars and Minnie Mouse's clothes that #TeamAmelie blasted around the living room tonight.

Sunshine & happiness today & forever.

Stephanie :)

Homecoming of Sorts

Yesterday was a typical Saturday with DH gone running the roads to the multitude of hockey tournaments and #TeamOlivier up at the crack of dawn.  The weather has FINALLY turned nice out so going to the park is more than just something to do in a few months.  This morning we were going to the park! As crazy as it might sound, I found the perfect moment to jump in the shower to get ready for the big outing, got everything & everyone lined up to walk out the door and it star to rain.  It's a good thing I didn't pre-warn #TeamAmelie that we were going to the park when I got her dressed because there would have been water falling from more than the sky. Let's pretend the plan is going as it should & pack everyone up in the truck for a road trip.  I knew that my mom was at a trade show of sorts so why not go check it out. #TeamOlivier slept the whole way there while #TeamAmelie sang me endless renditions of The Wheels on the Bus...this is going not too bad so far!

The trade show being in my hometown of which is fairly small I was prepared to know a few people, but I wasn't prepared for it to be like old homecoming week.  I felt like I knew every second person (good and bad)! It was great to see people that I haven't seen in YEARS and some decades ago.  I ran into an old elementary school classmate that I haven't seen in almost 20 years and we picked up like it had been mere months.  He has got two beautiful children himself (two girls) and a very energetic wife.  We chatted as long as our little people would let us and vowed to take care.  As I continued around the show I chatted with people from when I was younger, friends of my parents and anyone who gave compliments to #TeamAmelie and #TeamOlivier.  These encounters made me feel a little nostalgic and miss my hometown and wonder what people from my childhood were up too.  On my drive home (both kids sleeping because it was our normal nap time), I could help but think how cool it would be to have a class reunion soon since it would be 20 years next June that we all went to school together.  I don't know how we could pull it off...I'm not friends on Facebook with any of my classmates from elementary school and maybe I'm the only one curious about what everyone else is up to.

Until I can decide if it's something I want to try and coordinate, I am so happy I took the drive yesterday and ran into an old classmate.  Wish our children could have grown up together just like we did all those years ago!

Sunshine & happiness today & forever.

Stephanie :)

New Year, New Commitment

WOW...I never knew I was so neglectful of my writing and reflection.  Life has certainly been taking a hold of my time and creating wonderful moments and memories, and now that I look back at them I wish I had taken the time to sit and write about them.  None the less, it's a new year so a new opportunity to make a commitment to take some time and write about life.

Over the past few years of my online absence I have established a wonderful teaching career and started a beautiful family.  Neither are in a stage of completeness, as I strive to improve my teaching each and every day, and I am in the final weeks of adding baby number 2 to the mix at home.

As 2015 is now here, I am making the world known of my "resolution" to make an effort to document our crazy, zoo like life a few times a week and to reflect on my teaching.

Now to gather my thoughts to know where to start writing & reflecting.

Stephanie :)