Week 2

Checking in here-hello, Marie (a new friend and reader!)...so...how did I do? It was back to work this week for me. And...Joe was laid up pretty much all week...so I didn't do as great as I wanted. I did clean a bit each day and felt that if someone came over, I wouldn't be scrambling around. Please tell me I am not the only one who feels that way! So, this week I will try to stay even more on top of my cleaning schedule. Didn't get to painting or taking down the Christmas lights (that's my man's job), but we'll do that this week. We don't have plans any evening except Monday.

I thought a lot about my resolutions, and even though keeping a chart worked well for Gretchen Rubin in her book, it's not working out for me. Though I do find myself mentally checking things off. I also starting keeping track of my gratitudes with an app on phone. On track there. I took facebook off my phone-what a time waster! No, I am not getting rid of my account-that's how I communicate with my bunco group and new book club-and I love looking at my friends' and family members' photos, but I really don't need to read about so and so's sore throat or trip to wherever. I don't miss it. :-)

Haven't started a chore system for my kiddos yet-hello, back to work and swamped with report cards AND common core training-feels like we've been back for ages! But, have some ideas. I really am interested in this plan from the 71toes blog. (Love her photos, too!) I want something simple and motivating. I also like this idea which was inspired from Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma which is about a mom was trying to get rid of the entitlement her children felt. Except Kay Wills Wyma was rich and paid her kids LOTS of money to make their beds. This quarter idea is more doable! Ha!

Tip-if there are blogs you find yourself interested in, subscribe to the email feed and save yourself some time. I subscribe to about 6 and when the email comes in, if the topic doesn't interest me, I delete it. I rarely get on the computer anymore (even though we are now a 2 computer family! We bought the kids an inexpensive laptop for Christmas. It stays out in the family room and they take turns. They love it!) so I don't blog surf, but just picked the blogs where I got the most ideas. I like: How Does She, Simple Mom, Make & Takes, Eighteen25, Teaching in Room 6, Busy Kids=Happy Mom (links are on right hand side).
I really am digging this idea of starting my resolutions slower...instead of jumping in all at once. Yes, I am wanting to get to more stuff...but I need to go slow to see changes. And as I drive by the packed gym...whoo...hopefully it will be cleared out a bit by people quitting by Feb.
Leave you with some pinterest inspired ideas for your classroom/home...in my class, we did a mug exchange and hot cocoa, and we decorated "Christmas trees" instead of gingerbread houses for our Christmas celebrations! Easy and fun! I even had some of the kids friends over the day after school was out for a Christmas tree decorating event, too.