nine celebrations for the month of september

Balance, serenity, and focus…that describes my September. Overall it was a quiet month for me, but I have much to celebrate. In no particular order, here’s why I’m throwing some confetti as I say good-bye to September.

• This Is Us is back on NBC on Tuesday evenings! I don’t watch much television, or should I say television series, but I do completely enjoy this series. I was like a child anxiously awaiting for 9:00 PM to arrive so I could catch episode #1. It did not disappoint!
• K-cups! I purchased some K-cups just for me. I don’t drink coffee, but I do enjoy Cafe Escapes Chai Latte. It’s oh-so delicious! It’s my guilty pleasure in the morning as I begin my day at school.
• Books! There are some new books on my radar for the month of September: The Little Book of Hygge (hoo-ga) and Braving the Wilderness. Both books speak to me on different levels. That’s the thing about books, when they connect to you, you just devour them!
• My Fitbit! I continue to be just a wee bit obsessed with my Fitbit. It’s a good obsession though! I’ve gained control of my hydration and my overall sleep has improved. The sleep issue is HUGE! I’m so happy that more times than not I am finally gaining control of my sleep patterns and the amount of hours I rest each night. There are other perks to my Fitbit, but I’ll spare you the details for now. Truthfully, I could do an entire post just on my Fitbit!
• Journaling! I received a journal last Christmas from a dear friend. It’s titled Fit Happens (wink, wink!) It’s a gratitude journal and it has proven to be a great way for me to reflect on my day. I’ve been journaling in it in the evening and I think it is a nice way to wrap up my day. I heart the way it touches upon various aspects of my day and it has a well-rounded approach. I just haven’t been able to keep up with my “morning pages” so this allows me to keep up with my writing and reflections at the end of my day.
• Caps off to new pens! I have another obsession —> my Paper Mate Ink Joy Gel pens. They write oh-so smooth, come in a nice variety of colors, and do NOT smear for this left-handed girl! I heart them too!
• 1/2 Marathon training! I’m excited for my upcoming 1/2 marathon in October. During September I was able to complete *all* of the training runs that I scheduled on my new plan. It goes without saying that I’m proud of this accomplishment. After the race, I’m looking forward to mixing my fitness up a bit. It’s time to get back into my cross-training routine.
• Fall is here! The temperatures are finally cooler! This is fabulous for the runner in me. I certainly enjoyed the sunshiny days, but the heat and humidity definitely made my running a challenge, an enormous challenge! The cooler temperatures are so much more conducive to withstanding a 10, 11, or 12 mile run!
• #mustreadin2017! I only have two more books to read on my #mustreadin2017 list. They are Two Naomis and Wonderstruck. Wonderstruck will be out in the movie theaters in October so it’s down to the wire that I finish it ASAP.

And that’s a wrap for my nine September celebrations!

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 Join in each Saturday for Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres.

It’s a time to celebrate the joy!

ten for tuesday {gratitude}

There’s no doubt about it, I’m a list lover! I love to create lists, revise my lists, and well, live by my lists. Heck, I could devote an entire post to my love of lists! Today’s post, however, is dedicated to the top ten things (in no particular order) I’ve been grateful for lately. And, a shout-out to my blogging buddy over at Wondering and Wandering for inspiring this post!

Number 10: I finally had the opportunity to plant a few annuals around my house. While they still look young and aren’t bountiful, they bring a smile to face as I peer out my window or sit idly by their side.

~I’m grateful to the sense of serenity that the simplicity of flowers can bring.~

Number 9: I created a my #cyberPD list. (Yes, another list!)  There are three books on my list: Disrupting Thinking, The Writing Strategies Book, and From Striving to Thriving. Disrupting Thinking arrived in the mail last week, The Writing Strategies Book will arrive this week, and From Striving to Thriving is pre-ordered and will arrive on August 9th. Since I’ve created my #cyberPD list, I’ve added two more books to my list! Imagine that, me adding to a list! I’ve added Mentor Texts, 2nd edition and Joy Write. Both of those are slated to arrive next week. Yes, reading for professional development is on my list!

~I’m grateful for budget money from my school district that allows me to purchase these books and devote my summer reading to becoming a better educator.~

Number 8: I was absolutely awestruck to find my Twitter handle on a post written by Kimberly Moran at We Are Teachers. Her post, titled 36 Twitter Accounts Teachers Should Follow, included my account along with many Twitter accounts that I’m proud to say I follow and that blog right here at Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life.

~I’m grateful for my PLN and the educators I have “met”. You inspire me to be my best!.~

Number 7: Matt and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary on May 25th. Twenty.six.years! It blows my mind! I can’t even believe how quickly time moves. We had a splendid dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Left Bank, and we enjoyed a delightful lunch with my mother-in-law at another favorite restaurant, The First Post.

~I’m grateful for 26 years of marital bliss. Here’s to another 26+ years!~

Number 6: I got a “big girl” camera compliments of my father. I’ve been wanting one for awhile now. My blogging buddy Molly over at Nix the Comfort Zone is partially to blame for this fancy. I love her photography. It inspires me slow down, look around, and capture the simplicity yet breath-taking aspects of nature. I also am just a wee bit anxious to use this “big girl” camera on our upcoming summer vacations. I can’t wait to capture the moments and memories that will unfold over the next few months.

~I’m grateful for gifts, the making of memories, and capturing those memories.~

Number 5: So it is, as I sit and write this post it is another rainy and cold day! While this rain has turned me into a bit of a curmudgeon, I have to admit that it has allowed me the opportunity to sit down to read and write. I am hankering for the warm sultry days of summer, but I’ve enjoyed my reading and writing moments on these rainy days.

~I’m grateful for my many passions that can fulfill my days.~

Number 4: As of this post, there are only one and a half student days left in the 2016-2017 school year. I created a list (Yes, a list! Insert a wink, wink here! ) called Cheers for This Year to help me reflect on all the reading awesomeness that went down during the last 180 +/- days. It brought a smile to my face and allowed me to create some new goals for next year.

~I’m grateful for culminations and commencements.~

Number 3: I stumbled upon a great book that I immediately downloaded onto my Kindle. It’s called Only Love Today. I swear this book is speaking directly to me. I find solace in it each night as I wrap up my day. A shout-out to Michelle @litlearningzone for tweeting about this one.

~I am grateful for books that validate my feelings and bring me comfort.~

Number 2: Matt and I gave our rabbits a “spa” treatment on Saturday. Truthfully, it was more like a wrestling match, but whatever. The boys got haircuts and all three had their nails trimmed. The boys look so cute! They look like baby rabbits. I said they got “puppy” haircuts just because I didn’t know what to call a baby rabbit. I wondered, what do you call a baby rabbit anyway? So, what’s a wonderer to do? Google it, of course! Unbeknownst to me, I learned that a male rabbit is called a buck and a female is called a doe. I think that is kind of weird, don’t you? A baby rabbit, on the other hand, is called a kit. There you have it. My boys look like kits. Um, okay…

~I’m grateful for the sense of curiosity.~

Number 1: I’m glad this post is wrapping up. My word count is way above usual and it’s truthfully more than I wanted to write and probably more than you wanted to read. Regardless, I had fun reflecting and I’m glad you came along for the ride. I heart readers and comments!

~I’m grateful for the Slice of Life writing community.~

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Slice of Life

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Thanks!

The journey

Has been long

And enjoyable.

Nothing feels better than crossing the finish line!

Keep on writing is my hope for you.

See you on Tuesday????

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A sincere thank you to Anna, Beth, Betsy, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for hosting the Slice of Life Story Challenge again this year. Your dedication is inspiring.

Thank you to all the slicers who joined the community. I enjoyed reading what you shared day in and day out. Surrounding myself with this community of writers has enriched my writing and my creativity.

Last but not least, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I thank those who visited my blog and took time to share comments. Your comments and kind words were my motivation and kept me writing! Thank you for cheering me on and crossing the finish line with me!

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This or That

Today I’d like to play a little game. It’s called This or That. I hope you’ll play along too by adding a thought or maybe even by adding a scenario.

The hostess seated us and handed us the menus. After looking over the menu I decide to order an appetizer and a salad. I also told the waitress I would have a Coke. She said that they only had Pepsi products would that be okay? Even though I’m clearly a Coke girl I said, “Sure, I’ll take that,” ~bummer

What’s your preference? This or that: Coke or Pepsi?

Mine says MacBook. His says Dell. They say opposites attract, right? I’ll take this MacBook any day over that Dell PC.

How about you? This or that: Apple or PC?

Yes, it’s true I’m an Apple girl to the core (pun intended). Of course, I have this wonderful phone called an iPhone. Please don’t tell me you have that Samsung Galaxy.

And your choice is? This or that: iPhone or well, not an iPhone?

The release date was February 14th and arrive it did on February 14th. I tore open the box and held it in my hands. The smell of fresh paper. The delicate sound of opening the hard cover. The rough edges of the paper. The brilliant illustrations the came to life. The personalized autograph from the author. A book, a real book. This book will always have more meaning than that Kindle.

What would your fondness be? This or that: a book or a Kindle?

He likes coffee. I don’t, but I’ll take a chocolate cake donut any day! This makes Dunkin Donuts a perfect compromise that Starbucks can’t deliver.

Do you have a favorite? This or that: Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks?

I always go there with a list. Stick to the list, I tell myself, don’t spend too much. The store is clean, it’s organized, and it’s calm. I love it there. Of course this is Target. I try not to go to that Wal-Mart unless it’s necessary.

Your liking? This or that: Target or Wal-Mart?

Last but not least, I’ve blogged on both platforms. I bet you know where I’m going with this one. Yes, I’m a WordPress snob. I think what gives WordPress the edge is the WordPress app. Making comments, replying to others, and adding other WordPress blogs to the reader makes this platform work seamlessly. It’s a feature I believe that Blogger doesn’t have.

Which one do you prefer? This or that: WordPress or Blogger?

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#truestory

This school year I purchased a pre-made journal/planner. What I love about it is that at the beginning of the month there is a place to establish goals. There is also a journaling page at the start and end of each month. Not only do I use the journal for planning, but I also use it for reflecting.

And, I’ve been using my journal to capture what my readers are saying. Writing and blogging certainly makes me a better listener, for you never know if something you say is going to turn into a blog post! When I capture what they’re saying, I jot it down in my journal and just for fun I hashtag it, #truestory, although I never tweet these captured moments. Here are some of the #truestory moments from this year:

“You make me excited about books like never before!” ~a.b.

#truestory

“Your classroom just makes me want to just sit down and read.” ~o.t.

#truestory

“I read for 60 minutes last night and it left me at a cliff hanger! I wanted to keep on reading!” ~k.s.

#truestory

“My mom said that it was time to go shopping and I said, ‘Mom, I can’t! I want to read!’ So I took my book in the car with me.” ~m.w.

#truestory

Me: “I’m starting Wish today, Marlee.”

Marlee: “Hurry up and read it fast so we can talk about it!”

#truestory

“Last night I needed to keep on reading my book! I turned on my little clip light and read under the covers.” ~z.z.

#truestory

“Is today a reading day? I hope so. It’s the best part of the day!” ~b.a.

#truestory

Student #1: “This room is really, really cool! What do you need to do to be able to come here?

Student #2: “You pretty much have to suck at reading.”

#truestory…#sigh

“I love this book Wish and I love this class. This is my favorite part of the day!” ~k.s.

#truestory

I’m going to be honest here. There are days when I wonder if my readers are making enough progress. Progress is limited and sometimes stalled. On those days I revisit these #truestories and I know that #kidsarereading and that #kidslovebooks. What more could I ask for? This #truestory and that #truestory reminds me to keep chugging along.

“If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” ~a.w.

#truestory

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Seven Words Sunday: Wolf Hollow

Annabelle

L O V E

Betty

A B H O R

Read 

W O L F    H O L L O W

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the simple beautiful things

hugs

brownies

dinner dates

fresh cut flowers

colorful macaroons

crystal clear night sky

warm sand beneath your toes

snuggling under cozy blankets

fireflies lighting up the night sky

brilliant sunshine after a snowfall

a field of sunflowers smiling at the sun

simple

beautiful

things

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Join in on the Fun!

 

At the beginning of the challenge, Leigh Anne at A Day in the Life invited us to a party. She invited us to bring five of our favorite things. It’s also a fun way to get to know each other. You can read the full invitation here. This is what I will bring and share with you!

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Some warm brownies fresh from the oven!

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Let’s have a smoothie bar!

I’ll bring the ingredients and I will whip up some healthy treats.

Ingredients

Mix up those ingredients

Enjoy!

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You can never have too many fresh flowers!

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Let’s gather around, relax, and color. I’ll bring the coloring books and pencils.

I may sneak in a fur baby too!

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And, of course, York Peppermint Patties for everyone!

There’s still time to join the fun!

I hope to see you!

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Are You Kidding Me?

The dentist called to confirm my appointment. They requested that I arrive 10 minutes early so they can update my records in their new computer system. I arrived as requested and they took me 20 minutes later.

Are you kidding me?

We were out of rabbit food for the buns. I stopped at the only pet store that carries their food. The shelf was empty. Temporarily out of stock the sign read!

Are you kidding me?

My hubby did the income tax return. We owe again this year!

Are you kidding me?

The winter weather has been balmy lately, if you can use the word balmy in the winter. Matt and I decided to head outside and work on taming the weeds by the wetlands. He broke out his chainsaw and I took out the electric trimmers. We wrestled with those weeds. We thought we won. He got poison on his arms. I got poison on my legs.

Are you kidding me?

I woke up early to publish my blog post and to read and comment on some other blogs. When I opened up my computer the I received this message, “internet connection unavailable”.

Are you kidding me?

The foyer window has been leaking for some time. We paid bookoo bucks to have it repaired. The rain arrived. The window leaked!

Are you kidding me?

I arrived home and went to pull in the driveway. It appears that the neighborhood geese had a poop party in my driveway. Driving up the driveway was like maneuvering through a minefield, minefield of poop!

Are you kidding me?

I borrowed an ebook from the public library. I didn’t finish reading it. The due date arrived. The book could not be renewed!

Are you kidding me?

I volunteer at the SPCA on Saturday mornings. When I was there I found the perfect female rabbit to bring home. I said, “I’ll take her.” They said, “Great!” We made arrangements for me to come back and pick her up. About an hour before I was to arrive to pick her up  I received a text, “We adopted your rabbit to another person, but we have another bunny you we think you will love.”

Wait for it…

Are you kidding me?

All I can say is thank goodness I have some “sanity savers” that allow me to look back at these situations and laugh, just laugh!

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Oh, Happy Day!

Oh, happy day!

Oh, happy National Oreo Cookie Day that is!

Yes, believe it or not, today is National Oreo Cookie Day. I mean, who knew that there was a special day to celebrate this yummy little cookie?

Have you ever wondered about this amazing cookie that is made up of two chocolate disks and contains a sweet cream filling? Well, here are some fun facts that will leave wanting to celebrate National Oreo Cookie Day every year when March 6th rolls around.

• The Oreo cookie was first produced in 1912.
  • That’s 105 years ago!
• The National Biscuit Company, Nabisco, is the company that makes the BEST-SELLING cookie in the United States.
  • Move over chocolate chip cookies. The Oreo has you beat!
• When the Oreo cookie was first sold, it sold for 25 cents a pound. Today you can purchase 14.3 oz. on sale for $3.49 or at regular price for $4.49.
  • I teach reading, so I’ll let you do the price comparison on this one.

• The DOUBLE STUF Oreo cookie was introduced in 1974.
  • This is my favorite Oreo cookie. In fact, I turn my nose up to the classic Oreo.

• It wasn’t until February of 2013 that the MEGA STUF hit the cookie market.
  • I’ve never tried the MEGA STUF Oreo cookie. It sounds super-yummy!

• There are many different varieties of Oreos to meet your cookie craving needs. There’s Mini Oreos, Football Oreos, and Oreo Thins. Here are some that I stumbled upon when I was checking Oreo availability at my local Target:

• Then there are the limited edition Oreos. My research stated that there are SpongeBob SquarePants Oreos, Pumpkin Spice Oreos, and even Key Lime Pie Oreos. I managed to locate Birthday Cake Oreos and Peeps Oreos. Yes, Peeps Oreos!

• Last but not least, Oreos are best enjoyed with a glass of cold milk. So go grab a glass and an Oreo, or two, and enjoy!

#NationalOreoCookieDay

Happy National Oreo Cookie Day!

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Looking for some writing ideas for the SOLSC? Click here.

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