My Favorite Things

We made it to Winter Break!  Hooray! I'm definitely in the vacation spirit, sitting on the couch in my sweats. :)

I'm linking up with Erica Bohrer of Erica's Ed-ventures to share a few of my favorite things.
Here they are in no particular order:

1) My Family and Friends

My mom, my brother and sister, my cousins, my nieces and nephew, my great-nieces and great-nephews; no matter how far apart we are, they bring me joy every day. 

image source: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/552465079261418206/

My friends are a constant source of strength and inspiration.  They encourage me when I'm down and support me in everything I do.  They make me laugh and, sometimes, they make me cry.  I'm so glad I have so many amazing women in my life.

2) Facebook

I love connecting with people I remember from elementary school, junior high, and high school; catching up with cousins who live far away; touching base with old friends and letting them know I still care; making new friends and learning about their lives; being able to see my Florida family through photographs and videos; sharing my beliefs and values; and laughing at funny posts and memes. My business page has introduced me to some amazing educators and kindred spirits.  I confess to being addicted, checking my Facebook pages several times a day. :)

3) Charlotte, North Carolina

I absolutely love my home of the past 11+ years. The city offers sports, culture, and entertainment. Here, I can enjoy the mountains, the Piedmont, and the ocean, all within a few hours drive.  From exploring history to appreciating nature as it should be, I've been able to discover so much about this wonderful area. 

The North Carolina Mountains are home to some amazing waterfalls.

Lake Wylie

I enjoy hiking the local trails.

The Outer Banks

4) Teaching (of course!)

Not every year has been great, but after 18 years, I still enjoy working with kids. I love the lesson planning, the conversations, the children's books, the teaching supplies, the games and activities, and, most of all, the children. I put up with the bureaucracy, the long hours, the never ending paperwork, and the boneheaded laws.  I advocate for a return to quality education every chance I get. I try to put my beliefs into practice every day.  I believe in the importance of what I do.  How could I not?  I see it in the faces of the children I teach every day. I feel it when they come up to me and say things like, "You forgot to give me my hug this morning."  I know it when I see little bits of progress or when they surprise me with insightful comments. 

Preparing for the 2014-2015 school year.

This is the promise our class made to each other this year.

The bottom line:  being a teacher makes me happy. :)

5) Teachers Pay Teachers

I am so glad that I decided to take a chance and open my store on TPT.  I had no idea what I was doing in the summer of 2012.  I just decided to post a few things I had made for my classroom and see what happened.  Since I started as a Basic Seller and didn't have many products, I really didn't make much that first year.  I learned a little bit, then took another chance and became a Premium Seller the next summer.  My store isn't making me rich, but the real payoff is knowing that my products are being used in classrooms across the country (and maybe around the world). To think that my work has helped so many teachers to plan and students to learn...astounding! The other benefit is the amazing community of educators I've had the opportunity to "meet" and learn from on TPT.  And the journey continues...

So, those are some of my favorites.  What are yours?   

Until next time,