14 in 14!

I'm linking up with some of my blogging inspirations to reflect upon 2014. Thank you Hadar, Kristin, & Traci for hosting, and thanks to Traci for supplying the super cute headings for the countdown in a super easy download! Visit her post to download them for yourself and link up. =)

 Working on this!

I read an awesome blog called Brittany, Herself -- which is a love-your-body-the-way-it-is type of blog. It is my favorite non-teaching blog... she's hilarious! Anyway, she posted about this flannel from Old Navy, and I had to have it! We have similar body types and fashion taste, so I trust her. I ordered it in XXL Buffalo Plaid (which is no longer available online, sorry!). It is oversized and comfy, just like I wanted! I also shopped in store and bought a black/white plaid in XL. Annnd, I bought my sister one for Christmas. #clearlyobsessed.

This is a hard one! I love movies! I've watched quite a few that are based on books I've read this year (If I Stay, Gone Girl, Mockingjay, Divergent, Giver, etc.), and they were great. Well, I didn't really like The Giver. But anyway, for my favorite movie, I'll go outside of that realm!

I'm not big on comic book movies, but my boyfriend wanted to see this, so I took this opportunity to see something that HE wanted so that I would be able to drag him to something I wanted to see later. That's normal, right? Well, it turns out that I loved it! Mostly the 80s references and Chris Pratt. And the raccoon.

This year, I binge-watched The Walking Dead on Netflix so that I was ready to watch with the rest of the world at the beginning of this season! I was so hesitant to start watching it. I didn't think I'd be into the whole zombie thing, but if you're a viewer, you know the show isn't all about that. So now, I'm obsessed and patiently waiting for February for new episodes!

Honestly, don't really have one. There aren't many choices around here, and I haven't ventured out and about much this year!

Kidblog! My students logged on every Friday to blog about their reading of 2-3 chapters of Because of Winn Dixie. I used this product by Where The Wild Things Learn to give students different jobs to blog about each week. Because we only have access to the mobile lab once a week, it didn't exactly work like I wanted it to, so I'll definitely be tweaking our routine when we return from break. But most of my kids were so motivated to blog, and it practiced their keyboarding skills, as well!

The happiness and healthiness of those who mean the most to be, both of the human and animal variety. I know that sounds cheesy, but we had an incident over the holiday that reminded me of this.

I traveled home for the holidays, and on Christmas Day, my sister and I noticed that one of our 9 year old cats (we rescued a set of brothers when they were babies) was breathing irregularly. We brought him in to the emergency vet, which is thankfully only about 15 minutes from my dad's house. It turns out that his chest was full of fluid. He stayed overnight and was treated, but he was diagnosed with possible heart failure. We were able to bring him home yesterday with some medicine that will help the fluid not come back and to help his sweet heart. Here he is a few Christmases ago.

My gift is that I am able to spend more time with him. I live over an hour from him, but I make it back there about once a month. I'll cherish each snuggle! We are so hopeful that this medication works and his quality of life remains high for as long as possible. We love him oh so much. <3

I've always wanted to make apps with little cups like these, but I always thought you had to make them yourself. They are a game changer!

Well, I fell off the blogging wagon in the beginning quarter of the year, and I only averaged about one post a month since then. That makes it pretty tough to pick a favorite post of my own! I guess I would choose my two recent posts about my brag tag display and my estimating sums and differences resource. These posts are what I truly love about blogging, sharing ideas that others can use!

I have two! Earlier this year, I was named Teacher of the Year in my building. I'd only been teaching for five years at that point, so it was really nice recognition. I also graduated with my Masters degree in School Counseling. Two years of hard work were all worth it when I walked across that stage!

My nephew at a local fall hot spot. LOL.

It happened on May 21st, 2014. I became an Auntie. I'll never forget that night. I drove from Dover, DE to Chester, PA to the hospital at around midnight on a Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. (Thank goodness I was team-teaching, so I didn't have to worry about detailed sub plans. I just emailed my partner from the hospital.) I got there around 1:30 and waited around until around 4 am when we got word that the baby was coming. At around 4:30, Kiyan William was here. After he was born, we went in to see him. We went home to get a few hours of sleep, then came back and spent the day with the new little family in the hospital. I'll never forget it!

(This year has been full of memories! One of my best friend's had her first child. My second best friend announced she was having her first child, & we hosted her baby shower (she's due Jan. 11). And my third best friend is getting married on the very last day of 2014, New Year's Eve!)

To accept whatever comes my way in my professional life. I am hoping that I will find a school counseling position. I put a lot of work into my degree, and I am so ready for a new challenge professionally! However, if I don't I hope to continue honing my skills as a third grade teacher through practice and professional development. My goal is to accept whatever happens and work hard to be the best educator I can be. 

*patience*

This kind of goes along with my goal. If I don't end up as a school counselor in the '15-'16 SY, I will accept that and patiently await positions to open the following year. I also want to practice patience in my personal life. When you are a 28 year-old in a long-term relationship, every other question is, "When are you getting married?" or "Where's the ring?" I want to work hard to not let that affect me. When it is meant to happen, it'll happen. =)

I look forward to reading everyone else's reflections. I wish all of my readers (over 500 now, wow!) a happy and healthy start to the new year!