September W.I.S.H. - Back to Basics

[MickeyMom76]

Talk about being out of the loop! I have so much to catch up on.

Good news:
1. I have lost 7 pounds of my 15 pound summer weight gain! It only took one week of being so busy that I actually forgot to eat much of the time; guzzling water in my hot classroom; and doubling my step count.
2. We liberated DD's car from the dealership last night...the international part came in after 4 months...tires & battery had to be replaced because it sat for so long. Now I won't have to drive her back and forth to work.
3. I have FOUR DAYS OFF from the gates of hell.

Bad news:
1. Our basement flooded from Ida. When Henri came through, we got no water at all, and we spent the day waiting for this nightmare of a hurricane to obliterate us...and it didn't. Ida got very little coverage on the news for our area, but it caused WAY more damage and deaths.
2. I was supposed to be assigned a half-time paraprofessional. It didn't happen, and it's not looking like it will. I am alone with 24 - 4 & 5 year olds from 8:40 AM until 3:10 PM with only two 15 minute breaks, by the time I physically transition them...God forbid I have to pee. The two new teachers are sharing my para from last year, and I borrow her for short spurts. The two newbies and the other kindergarten teacher have all sorts of help from special education paras because they have no behavioral management skills. So, I'm alone because I do my job well.
3. Assessments begin early this year...these kids are NOT ready. A week or two of establishing routines and adjusting to being away from Mommy (most were home because of Covid) is NOT enough time.
4. Administration's expectations for academic rigor are unrealistic.
5. The two new teachers and my other grade partner (who shouldn't be allowed near children) are all floundering in spite of my ongoing support, donations of materials, and advice. One newbie is fresh out of college, and the other one came from a small community preschool.
6. I have gotten one or two new students every day this week because parents can't register their kids ahead of time. This is tough on a perfectionist like me who personalizes everything for each student.
7. I am getting a student who has leukemia, epilepsy, and is wheelchair bound. After crying over this child I have never met...I couldn't stand the idea of a little person suffering so much...I told myself to put on a "happy face" and stop being so emotional. He will need me to treat him like any other student and be strong. I can do this. Also, I was assured that he would have a one-on-one para. After a meeting on Friday that I missed because they had NOBODY TO COVER MY CLASSROOM, I was unable to ask any questions, and I found out that he will NOT HAVE A PARA. I will have to call the office when he needs to be toileted. Otherwise, I am ON MY OWN.

I am trying to remain positive. This little person about to enter my life and the lives of my students will no doubt change us forever. He will give us perspective on what really matters. He will teach us empathy, patience, understanding, and humanity.

I know that all of my challenges of this crazy school year in an underserved inner city district will be handled if I have faith and don't give up. I am so grateful that I am experienced, and I earn enough money to be able to purchase supplies for my students and provide them with a comfortable classroom and happy environment.

I made it through a hot mess of a week. I survived. It can only get better from here...

I have no words. Just hugs for all the emotions!

 

[Oneanne]

SELF-CARE SUNDAY



What loving things are you doing for yourself today?

 

[Oneanne]

Friday I started to feel overwhelmed by all the things I "had" to get done before I leave Monday morning, so for the first time in forever I wrote a list. A list with about 30 things on it. This was the ultimate act of self-care/self-love because I was able to see how small some of the things were. Saturday I really rocked it out and so Sunday my only true have-to-do's are get my haircut, vacuum out the car (which will happen on the way back from the hair salon), and pack. And my optional thing is to hem and hang the new living room drapes. I think it is going to be a very nice day. And hurrah to me for doing what I said I needed to do.

For even more self-care/self-love I think I'll start the day by going down to the beach for breakfast and then taking a walk. And at some point during the day I see a facial happening. Really looking forward to the week ahead.

 

[Summer2018]

Friday I started to feel overwhelmed by all the things I "had" to get done before I leave Monday morning, so for the first time in forever I wrote a list. A list with about 30 things on it. This was the ultimate act of self-care/self-love because I was able to see how small some of the things were. Saturday I really rocked it out and so Sunday my only true have-to-do's are get my haircut, vacuum out the car (which will happen on the way back from the hair salon), and pack. And my optional thing is to hem and hang the new living room drapes. I think it is going to be a very nice day. And hurrah to me for doing what I said I needed to do.

For even more self-care/self-love I think I'll start the day by going down to the beach for breakfast and then taking a walk. And at some point during the day I see a facial happening. Really looking forward to the week ahead.

I am all about lists. Lists help me to calmly get it all done. There’s nothing more satisfying than crossing something off my list.

 

[Summer2018]

SELF-CARE SUNDAY

View attachment 602208

What loving things are you doing for yourself today?

I haven’t made a healthy smoothie in quite a while. I will take the time to make them the next couple of days.

I am going take it easy today.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I am very much a list girl as well!

Loving self-care so far this morning has been coffee and TV with a cuddly cat. I'm the only one up, and that's one of my favorite parts of the day.

 

[MickeyMom76]

My husband and kids went crabbing today. It’s an annual tradition in our neighborhood. The dads take all the kids. Moms stay home and relax. I usually get a massage, but they are crazy booked lately. So I slept in a little. I’m planning on starting my day with my workout. Then I have church and confirmation practice (as a mentor). And I do have a list of things I need to do for school. Then I’m going to read (maybe while soaking in the hot tub). Then it’s crabs for dinner!

 

[ShannyMcB]

Self care today was...varied. We did a toy box clean out and DH took the kids for a ride to donate the toys so DD could take a nap. I took a nice leisurely walk and listened to an episode of Kathleen Madigan's pubcast.
We ended up taking a ride to one of the few A&Ws remaining in the area, about half an hour from our house. We grabbed my MIL on the way as she lives near there and off the 6 of us went. We told our kids how before they were born we used to download episodes of the disunplugged (when it was only podcasts and only the dis) and go to A&W and listen to them while we are cheeseburgers and that was pretty much an exciting Saturday night for us as newlyweds.
Also booked another trip to wdw for next August. It occured to me today that I very much want to give my kids the experiences I didnt really have as a kid. We'll see if we keep it, I really hope things settle down and we are able to.
The realtor who is selling my parent's house called with an offer, which I gladly accepted as the market is starting to slow down around here. If all goes well the house will be off my hands before mid-October.
Did run into a bit of an issue. Before bed we were watching a recap of the Paralympics and there was a commercial for a 9/11 special airing during the week. DS9 was getting visibly uncomfortable and we had to remind him that we had talked about 9/11 before and it happened 20 years ago and was not happening now. It must be scary for kids to see these things on TV and not be old enough to remember or really understand that this is something that happened many years ago. How have you all handled these memorial events in the past with your kids or students?

 

[Summer2018]

Self care today was...varied. We did a toy box clean out and DH took the kids for a ride to donate the toys so DD could take a nap. I took a nice leisurely walk and listened to an episode of Kathleen Madigan's pubcast.
We ended up taking a ride to one of the few A&Ws remaining in the area, about half an hour from our house. We grabbed my MIL on the way as she lives near there and off the 6 of us went. We told our kids how before they were born we used to download episodes of the disunplugged (when it was only podcasts and only the dis) and go to A&W and listen to them while we are cheeseburgers and that was pretty much an exciting Saturday night for us as newlyweds.
Also booked another trip to wdw for next August. It occured to me today that I very much want to give my kids the experiences I didnt really have as a kid. We'll see if we keep it, I really hope things settle down and we are able to.
The realtor who is selling my parent's house called with an offer, which I gladly accepted as the market is starting to slow down around here. If all goes well the house will be off my hands before mid-October.
Did run into a bit of an issue. Before bed we were watching a recap of the Paralympics and there was a commercial for a 9/11 special airing during the week. DS9 was getting visibly uncomfortable and we had to remind him that we had talked about 9/11 before and it happened 20 years ago and was not happening now. It must be scary for kids to see these things on TV and not be old enough to remember or really understand that this is something that happened many years ago. How have you all handled these memorial events in the past with your kids or students?

9/11 is a day I will never forget. I remember calling my husband to pick DD up from PreK and asking him to stay home. I figured that they would be safest in our house vs. a public building. I couldn’t leave school until all of my students were picked up. Watching what happened on tv was devastating. Living close to NYC, some of DD’s classmates had parents working in NYC. Everybody we knew was directly or indirectly affected by it. We talked about it at home. She saw us crying on that day and every anniversary. Our area public schools addressed it in an age appropriate way from 9/11/01 on as a part of school curriculum. She’s always known about it because she was alive at the time.

I think that it’s much harder on children who were not born yet when it happened. The news videos are frightening. I teach very young children, so I don’t show any footage. Our 4th graders attend memorial services every year with one of our principals. The focus is remembering the people who perished and all of the heroes. Children’s books on the subject have since been published. You may want to get one to help explain it to your son. I would avoid actual footage and have more conversations with him instead.

 

[MickeyMom76]

 

[MickeyMom76]

It’s Motivational Monday!
Sometimes we all lose a little of our motivation. I found this article with some tips on how to stay motivated to live a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t have time for the whole article, it does have headings that you could skim through and get the general idea.
What is motivating you this week? Is there something from the article that you could use to fuel your motivation?

https://www.kimorachanel.com/2020/03/30/how-to-stay-motivated-to-live-a-healthy-lifestyle/

 

[PollyannaMom]

What is motivating you this week?

I'm kind of searching for motivation this week. We've reached the point in DH's diabetic diet where the newness has worn off and the weight loss has plateaued. He's at a good weight now, and maintaining it, and his numbers are good. We're just bored with the "new" recipes and missing the spontaneity of eating "whatever".

And the weight I lost by association is starting to creep back on as my body feels fall in the air and I'm hungry all the time (and eating "my" stuff when he's down in the office). I'm still at an "OK" weight for my height, I just want to keep it there, and probably need to up my exercise to do so.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I know I say this all the time, but this week I plan to make an actual list and go to the grocery store!

For the first day off in several weeks we have nothing on the calendar. We are both so happy to do nothing!! I've got laundry going, plan to do some cleaning, then meal planning, then shopping. Saturday we went to my parents house and had planned to can all the peaches from my brother's trees. We'd been told they were ripe, but they weren't. So we did one canner and I wound up bringing many boxes of peaches home with me. So since we had some time that day, we prepped my parents' deck and Sunday DH and I spent two solid hours staining it. My parents were amazed it took so little time!

Only 12 days to DS1's wedding!!!

 

[MickeyMom76]

Only 12 days to DS1's wedding!!!

How exciting!!!

 

[MickeyMom76]

I need to stick to my meal plan. I’ve been planning each week and prepping lunches/snacks. But I have been quick to substitute an healthy snack for what I had planned or go out for lunch instead of eating my planned lunch. So sticking to me meal plan is what I need to focus on this week!

 

[Summer2018]

View attachment 602577
It’s Motivational Monday!
Sometimes we all lose a little of our motivation. I found this article with some tips on how to stay motivated to live a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t have time for the whole article, it does have headings that you could skim through and get the general idea.
What is motivating you this week? Is there something from the article that you could use to fuel your motivation?

https://www.kimorachanel.com/2020/03/30/how-to-stay-motivated-to-live-a-healthy-lifestyle/

Good article. I do all of those things during the school year. As much as I wish it was still summer vacation, I can’t live freely eating & drinking like that all of the time. It’s just not healthy. So now that I must return to this more regimented lifestyle, I know that it will lead to me losing more weight.

 

[Oneanne]

I’ve arrived at Long Beach and am sitting down to a lunch of a salad with fresh crab and bay shrimp. The drive down was wonderfully calm and quiet, the parade of campers was going the other direction,as folks are already headed home. Weather is perfect, clear blue skies but crispness in the air.

My motivation this week is to make the most of the time off and the gift of being here. Intention is to eat healthfully and get in a lot of beach walking. And to get good quality restorative sleep.

 

[Summer2018]

I’ve arrived at Long Beach and am sitting down to a lunch of a salad with fresh crab and bay shrimp. The drive down was wonderfully calm and quiet, the parade of campers was going the other direction,as folks are already headed home. Weather is perfect, clear blue skies but crispness in the air.

My motivation this week is to make the most of the time off and the gift of being here. Intention is to eat healthfully and get in a lot of beach walking. And to get good quality restorative sleep.

Sounds heavenly

 

[Summer2018]

Even though it's 81 degrees, I can feel fall in the air. The gardens look mature with signs of browns and some flowers drying up in spite of the excessive rain. I was in the pool last week and the water was 85 degrees...just a few days later, it is now 75. I went in the pool anyway because this is probably the last time of the season, and the water was freezing. When the sun was shining, it was bearable, but I was shivering when the clouds covered the sun. Even trying to read in my lounge chair, I felt a chill, so I came inside and took a hot shower.

Not gonna lie, I'm kinda bummed that summer is coming to an end.

 

[sjrec]

I’m back! Catching up with you all (Summer2018-!).

I am feeling sloggy and haven’t been walking-my fitness tracker has been nagging me these past few days-“you’re not walking as much as you were last month” so I am getting back to basics and planning meals, drinking water and walking again. I enjoyed the article-need all the motivation I can get!

And I will take September 20-26