Currently September

I am linking up with Farley for her September Currently.

Listening:  To the Today Show on TV right now.  My oldest two are still sleeping and my youngest is at a sleepover.  My husband is cleaning up the kitchen from his salsa making last night.

Loving:  We had such a great fun weekend.  Friday I worked until 11:30, but actually did not leave school until 1PM when my husband called to let me know they were all hungry and waiting for me to get home so we could go out to lunch.  We ended up going to California Pizza Kitchen and then got some groceries at Trader Joe's.  Friday night all the guys went to our High School's home opener.  We have a brand new stadium with artificial turf so it was extra exciting.  I stayed home and chilled out after a busy and exhausting first three days of PD, getting my classroom ready, and BTS night.  Saturday our friends had their annual Corn hole tourney and it was a sweep for our family.  My middle son and his partner were tourney champions, my oldest beat my husband to win the B bracket, and my husband won the long toss with a toss of 70 feet.  While all this excitement was going on I treated myself to a 90 min massage.  Any teacher know how physically exhausting it is setting up a classroom.  Yesterday we had an early birthday celebration for my youngest who turns 9 on Sept 9th.  Today we are chilling at home and we are making a nice ham dinner for our "last supper of summer" before all the craziness of school starts tomorrow.

Thinking:  This is my 25th year of teaching.  I know, crazy right?!  It will be my 16th year teaching 7th grade math.  Prior to that I taught 6th grade for 7 years and 7th grade SS for 2 years.  My middle son is a 7th grader this year and I will be teaching many of his friends this year.  I am really excited for this year because it's my third year using Carnegie curriculum and my second year of doing math workshop.

Wanting:  I really want to keep from feeling overwhelmed and stressed at work.  I feel last year I felt that way all year and despite loving my job and  enjoying the time with my students, it's not a great way to live.  We are implementing Standards Based Grading this year and it's weighing heavily on my mind because of the report card/rubric standards we were given to adopt are Problem Solving, Justification, and Precision.  We are not using content standards on our rubrics like most math teachers I see who use SBG.  I'm sure once we get started it will be fine, but right now it's stressing me out a bit.  I'm bound and determined to keep a balance between school and home life.  It helps that I chose not to apply for the position of middle school math liaison, I really felt with the ages my sons are I need to minimize my extra work commitments.  I have a 3rd and 7th grader and a sophomore.  All three are playing football this fall and my middle plays fall BB so our evenings and weekends are full of FB practices and games.

Needing:  I am spending today prioritizing what needs to be accomplished off my summer to do list.  I always feel the two most important things are laundry and menu planning.  If the laundry is done and everyone has clean clothes and we have meals planned with the fridge, freezer, and pantry stocked up then everything else really takes care of itself.  By hosting a birthday party yesterday we cleaned up the house so that's done.  I would love to get my fall decorations out today, but if it doesn't happen today it's not a big deal.  I got a pedicure this weekend so I just need to get my outfits picked out for the week and get my nails polished so I'm ready to go tomorrow morning.

Three Trips:
I have been fortunate that I traveled extensively prior to getting married.  I studied in Spain my sophomore year of college and traveled all over Europe.  Some of my favorite places were Paris, Greece, and Italy.  I have traveled to many states in the US as well as Mexico twice (once in high school and once in my 20s.)  I've cruised in the Caribbean and also honeymooned in Jamaica.  Despite all the traveling I did in my 20s, there are a few spots I'd still love to see.

1)  New York-  I've always wanted to spend a few days in the city and also to see the MOMATH.  My cousin lives in New Jersey and I've been talking about visiting her for a few years, we just need to find a time we are both free.  We both have very busy lives.

2)  Hawaii-  I'd love to go there with my husband and the boys. Sun, sand, beach.  What more could a girl ask for?!

3)  Turks & Caicos- I would really love to go to any remote tropical island, that's my kind of vacation.

Hope you all enjoy your Labor Day and have a great school year whether you've already begun or if you are just starting.