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 :)

New Year's Resolution 2014 - Take 2!

Roll back the clock to January 2014…the annual time of the year that we all talk about and set New Year's resolutions.  I have rarely set a resolution before because I think that change can always start and happen whatever the time of year, and we all know what happened to my blogging resolution. Somehow January 2014 was going to be different! Not sure about what we were chatting over or with in our hands, but good family friend Trish & I decided that our 2014 resolution was going to be to run a race a month together so that it kept us motivated to workout & committed to each other to actually do it.

We started off great in February running the Winterman 10 km race (yes, I had icicles on my eyelashes when I finished!) followed up by the St. Patrick's Day 10 km in March.  Each month we would show up, grumble at who's brilliant idea this was and then proceed to race.  Everything was great for the first 6 months of our resolution & then I was too sick to even think of putting my running shoes on (aka pregnant) for our next race.  I kept training when I could stomach the treadmill in hopes that I could do the next month's race, but my resolution was halted after just 4 months.

Fast forward to April 2015 and the resolution was not dead! Trish & I resurrected our unfinished business and (dragged ourselves to the finish) ran the 8km Manotick Miler to kick our race season off.  It was a MISERABLE result for me, but I have to think that 3 months prior I was delivering #TeamOlivier.  It's not an excuse I'm making, but something I have to consider when looking at the big picture.

Strike off April…but now what was I going to do for a May race? I have said since I started road races that I would never participate in the Ottawa Race Weekend simply because of the seer number of people.  I am not a lover of crowds at the best of time let alone when I have to run a race or have just finished one. Yet, enter co-worker, classroom neighbour & amazing friend Kim who texts me to say she just signed up for the 5km race weekend race & to let her know when I did so that we're in the same starting coral….Ummmmmm, haven't I said a million times over that I would never run in that race because of my anxiety over the crowd size?! OK, I guess I'm signing up!

Here's to another run and facing a fear at the same time. Can I bring my favourite blanket for comfort with me?!

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 :)

New Year’s Resolution- Broken as soon as I posted it!

Ok…I’d like to think that I have everything under control and organized most of the time, but I just can’t get myself to keep up with this blogging bit! It must be that I’ve been busy living life and finishing school for the millionth time!!! School is officially done and summer has settled in well…I’ve been enjoying my time at home getting things back in order, clean out and re-organized before the fall comes around the corner and mayhem starts all over again. I’ve been busy these past couple of days jamming up some strawberry & strawberry-banana jam to put in the freezer for the winter. I don’t like to buy jam in the store because I find it tastes stale and processed and I love being in the kitchen so making my own jam isn’t so bad.

Since my last post (ekkk, in January!) I’ve successfully completed 2 student teaching placements in two very different teaching environments. I started with a great split grade class that was in a portable that felt like miles from the school and we existed in our own little world at times. The kids were absolutely fantastic to work with and I really felt like I connected to them in the 8 short weeks I was there. My second placement was right here in my own neighbourhood in two different classrooms, teaching math & English exclusively. These classes were students in the French immersion stream so their academic abilities were higher than my first placement, but they required different needs filled. I certainly had to be on my toes with both these classes and no “winging it” was possible. I had three fabulous mentor teachers that all help form me as a new teacher and I took away so many different ideas, approaches and skills that I will certainly be using in my future.

As I sit back and look at the last year and all that has gone on, a lot has changed and a lot of optimism has returned. I would have never thought that I would quit my job, return to school to earn my BA, and then head south of the border to earn my teaching degree. It has been a whorl wind time and I’ve met some of my closest friends in the past few years. Here’s to many many more years of overcoming challenges, long nights working on assignments and long lasting friendships!

New Year’s Resolution...not to let this blog slide as long as I have!!!

WOW...I’m ashamed to admit it, but the proof is right online!! It has been a REAL long time since I’ve taken the time to post something...anything...for that matter. I guess that just goes to tell you how busy life has really been since September 2009...OH MY! You all missed the last year of my undergrad at Ottawa U...let me tell you that it was better you missed it...it was a long 8 months full of reading, reading and paper writing...I have to say that it was the longest year of my life in school and at times I didn’t know if I was going to be able to finish it. I had some tough courses along with some very time consuming assignments that followed that I didn’t really ‘get’ at the time. Look back at it, I could do it all over again with my eyes closed, but at the time it was a different story. My undergrad was finally over and I didn’t waste any time starting my teaching certification at SUNY Potsdam. I didn’t get into any universities in Ontario for the “lack of life experience” (not sure what constitutes life experience! ;)), so I applied to Potsdam and was accepted right away. In the end it was the best thing that could have happened because I have had the time of my life there. Again, times were trying with the never ending, totally time consuming amounts of homework and assignments, but somehow I made it through! Every waking moment was spent writing lesson plans, unit outlines and studying for tests and so far it has paid off! I have a perfect 4.0 GPA going into my last term which only consists of student teaching (and again endless amounts of lesson plan writing and portfolios). The hard work is hopefully going to pay off come summer when it’s time to apply for jobs. I have learnt so much since starting at Potsdam, even though I’m nervous to start the practicum part. This brings me back to my online revival...seeing I won’t be with my teacher-to-be friends in Potsdam on a daily basis, I’m going to document as frequently as I can my trails, tribulations and achievements of student teaching here so that everyone can keep track of what’s happening. I’m not promising to post every day or every week, but I have made a commitment to myself (and to you!) that I will post as frequently as possible between everything else. Sooooo, welcome back and feel free to leave comments or questions on anything that I post! Chat soon! Stephanie :)