Lessons Learned: 2015

Hey Y'all! Welcome back. It's been forever. I know. But I'm so glad you're here. I have a new adventure to tell you all about. I'm so excited to join about 30 other Georgia bloggers and bring you an exclusive, brand new collaborative blog titled The Primary Peach. We've got lots of tips, tricks, fun, and freebies up our sleeves JUST for Georgia teachers and we really hope you'll join along for all of the things we have in store for you.

For the first blog post we are doing a blog hop full of FREEBIES! And not just any freebie, a freebie that is tailored for the end of the year. Each blogger has created an exclusive, end of the year freebie, just for you! But first, allow me to introduce myself.

I've taught at the same school for 5 years and I love it. It's tiring and each day brings a different challenge, but I am blessed with coworkers who make me laugh. I've taught 1st, 2nd, EIP (1st and 2nd) and recently came out of the classroom to do Math Intervention for grades 3-5. Next year I will be an instructional coach. I have my ESOL and Coaching endorsements and am working on my math endorsement. I love learning and creating.

I've got a sweet treat for you today. I live for teacher appreciation - appreciating the other teachers I work with who come in and help with my students and just help me get by on a daily basis. What we do truly take a village. I've created a fun little gift tag for you to use for gifts. I made a gift basket for one of the most awesome coworkers the other day. The basket had: a bag of Starbursts, pens, a cute notebook, fun binder clips, colored Post-its, and a gift card to the Container Store. I personally think the little tag would be cute with just a gift card or just a basket containing items (however you choose to use the play on the word "contain" - have fun with it)! Click here to grab them.

Want to meet the next Primary Peach blogger and collect another freebie? You're in luck because Jivey has an awesome end of the year poem for y'all. Head on over to her blog to snag it. She's so creative!

Also, be sure to head over to The Primary Peach to enter our Rafflecopter. There are some good prizes. We will have 1 GRAND PRIZE $50 TPT Gift Certificate and 3 more lucky winners will each receive a $25 TPT Gift Certificate! Be sure to enter.

Have fun Blog hopping with the rest of the sweet Georgia bloggers.

We all have our rituals. Thursday nights have been longstanding nights of ritual for me. Whether I was in school (Friends led to E.R.), or college (Grey's Anatomy), or working (Parenthood) - I had made it through the day, heck even the week. I could stay up late to watch the full night of television because the next day was Friday and I just had to make it to the end of the day.

The irony is I'm not a big TV watcher. I realize the previous paragraph might negate that entire statement. Truth be told, I have about 3 shows on my DVR. And so, when one ends saying goodbye is hard. It not only leaves a hole in my Thursday night lineup, but also it's like friends/family are departing.

For some reason when Parenthood premiered back in 2010 something told me I should set the 'ole TiVo. Then I watched. I was hooked. I don't know if it was Lauren Graham's line in the pilot episode as she moved back home "I'm out of money" - been there, done that (in fact, I literally was there - late 20s in my parents house) that helped seal the deal.

Ultimately though, I think it was Erika Christensen's character Julia that brought me back each week.

In the midst of an uncertain time for me, Julia's character was everything I wasn't - accomplished, married with child (who happens to have my name), a homeowner, and holding a lucrative job.

Yet in the next breath she was everything I was - the youngest of her siblings, sassy, and someone who tells it like it is.

Yep. Maybe it was those characteristics where I found common ground. As an educator, I may never have a lucrative job. But, I love my job, much like Julia's character loves hers. She knows how to communicate with people and she does so in a real, raw way. She's got some spit fire in her and I respect that.

In the rubber-band ball episode I laughed on the inside with Julia as she fiercely tossed the ball up and down in front of the teacher's face as she frustratingly listened to the teacher tell her about Sydney's behavior and then said, "I can keep this, right?" As a teacher I've wanted to do that so many times in front of parents' faces, but in that moment I wanted to pelt the teacher. The following season I cried with her as she struggled to have a baby, as I also underwent my 2nd surgery for endometriosis. And well, let's not even get into when she breaks down on her kitchen floor.

I'm pretty certain that one of the beauties of Parenthood was that in a way, there's a tad bit of each sibling to relate to - and if not in your own way then there is someone in your family. Every season has gotten better. And of course, my favorite, Julia, has gotten stronger. Much like in life.

The seasons change. Jobs change. We grow. It's our family that remains.

Tonight, my homework is complete (teacher's have homework, too), the takeout has been eaten, and season 6 is playing on repeat as I get ready to say goodbye to Parenthood. I love this show. It's been fun. Thanks for the journey.