Where do I begin?

I'm a busy soccer mom and 2nd grade teacher. I love to teach and I've decided to jump on the blog bandwagon for a few reasons. The main reason is to have an archive of my teaching and a place to collect my ideas and lessons. Second, I sometimes just need to vent, brag about my students, and flat out purge some of the stuff that is constantly filling up my brain. I think my hubby is a little tired of my school talk and I can't blame him after hearing it for the past ten years. So, here goes...

This past week flew by, and thank goodness because I could NOT wait for this three day weekend. In my district, things are heating up between the PED and our school districts because of some major crazy changes they have begun to implement this year. I tend to walk the line between activist and hiding my head in the sand. Lately, I feel that so many things are out of my control, so I have decided for my own sanity, to try to ignore all the politics and just TEACH! What a concept, right? Every year I seem to work harder and harder without raises (yet insurance rates go up), but I still love it. I can't explain it. Maybe it has to do with the inspiration I am bombarded with each day from amazing teacher bloggers I follow, my coworkers, and darling students. Of course, my main inspiration is Teachers Pay Teachers. It has completely changed how I teach. Right around the time my district adopted the CCSS, I discovered TPT. Thank goodness, because our curriculum programs do not align very well with CCSS. I have had to create almost everything I have taught the past two years. If it wasn't for TPT, I'd never spend a minute with my family. Now, all I do is search, download, print and GO! I also love that TPT has given creative and talented teachers a way to make real money for things they would do anyway.

I guess I could go on for days, but I'd better wrap things up. Today is the first Saturday that we haven't had a soccer game, so I have a list a mile long of things to do. My 13 year old daughter has beautiful, long, curly hair and needs a haircut. She is thinking about donating it to Locks of Love like I did this summer. She is a little nervous about it and might chicken out and I need to remember to take pictures!

So, if anyone out there is actually (still) reading this first post, welcome!