It's Going to be a Great Year!

The new school year has begun and as I begin what will be my 29th  year of teaching,

for a variety of reasons, I couldn't feel more happy and full of joyful anticipation for the year ahead.

First, I'm Organized.

A major "summer goal" I had was to reorganize the way I manage my calendar, lesson plans and quilty ideas/blog topics. (For my retired teacher readers, you'd be amazed how everything has gone "electronic".....included lesson plans!) Lucky for me, when we do our weekly planning, my teacher partner takes care of that end as I still write my lesson plans like this:

Yes, we have school during the Solar Eclipse and we are in a 100% zone! Kinda exciting!

And thanks to the help of my oldest daughter, I think I have finally found the perfect calendar/lesson book method for me! It's an Erin Condren Teacher Lesson Planner. It has a Lesson Planner section as pictured above. A Monthly Calendar section as shown below:

And a variety of others sections. Some that I've"customized" to fit my "quilty" needs. 

This page below shows my monthly projects at a glance. 

My husband was very humored as I played with washi tape and all the coordinating stickers that came with the book to put this all together exactly how I wanted it organized. But seriously, with it's resusable sheet protectors and additional folder, I'm able to keep all my "stuff" in one 8 1/2" x 11" book. I've eliminated two desk calendars, a lesson plan book and with the addition of their "monthly bills" tracker insert... my budget book! (Yes, I'm NOT a computer/techy person) I'm also looking forward to resurrecting my ol' "scrapbooking" skills and including pictures each month as pictured  on the monthly page above.

Next, My Teaching Partner.

This will be our second year teaching together and we have grown to realize that we are very  complimentary of each other. Working together is inspiring, fun and easy. I'm grateful for our work relationship and the friendship that has grown over the past year. This is relationship we both value and cherish because it doesn't happen all the time. Ta Da...our First Day of School picture:

Finally, We are SHINING!

Our classroom quilt made by last year's class made it's school debut at our Back to School BBQ this week. The kids were thrilled with all it's ribbons earned: A First Place Blue Ribbon in the Youth Group Category. A BIG Purple "Fair Board's Choice Award" annnddd and an orange "Viewers Choice" ribbon! Need-less to say, a popsicle party is in their near future!

I had planned to use the quilt in our classroom, but many staff members and parents have asked if I'm going to "raffle" the quilt. I honestly, haven't given this much thought. So we'll see.

Anyhoo, I'm just very grateful right now to be at a place in my life's journey that finds me genuinely content. My past few years have been filled with some of life's trials and tribulations that I sometimes worried I wouldn't be able to get through. But as those years have passed and acceptance has evolved, time has begun to heal my heart and without a doubt, the fact I'm not alone in these challenges has made all the difference in my healing. I have to say though, it's honestly just soooo nice to have settled into a new normal that finds me stronger and wiser and ready to shine once again!

My new class enjoyed being greeted with glow sticks as they arrived for Back to School night.

It's going to be a great school year! Please stay tuned.

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