It's a New Year!

It's a New Year! Every January I reflect back on the previous year...I look at my resolutions (that I most likely did not keep), my finances and how I can improve or save more, my organization, and I venture to include new ideas and goals that I hope to accomplish. This January is no exception!

As I reflect back on my resolutions for 2012, I just shake my head. Now, this is both "good" shaking and "bad" shaking. I will confess the bad before I tell about the good. I wanted to run another marathon in 2012. It didn't happen. I didn't train like I should, and I just did not seem to have the motivation. I thought about it many times, then I would start back running, and then stop because, well, I don't exactly know. Another goal I had this past year was to save more money per month than the year previously. Well, that didn't happen either. There were some months that I was good, but there were other months that I wasn't.

Now to the "good" news from 2012. I become a seller on Teachers Pay Teachers. Who knew that people would actually buy something I created and use it in their classroom! I had never heard of TpT until I was looking for ideas to use with a new novel I was teaching in my class. When the search returned, one listed TpT as a source for information. I clicked on it, registered as a basic seller, and then did nothing with it. That was in February. At the end of March, I decided to begin to put together some of my teacher-created items that had worked well for me in the past and give it a "selling" try. I will always remember that first "sold" email I received. I do not look at TpT as just a financial win. It is more than that. It has helped me become a better teacher by creating activities that my students love and gain mastery by completing the activities. It makes me think ahead at what I want my students to learn and master. Collaborating with other TpT sellers has really been the best professional development I have ever had.

Fast forward to 2013...this year is going to be epic. I have teamed up with some of the best upper elementary teachers, and there is a new blog in town called All Things Upper Elementary. There are 14 contributors to this new blog, and each will bring their own voice, ideas, freebies, fun, and expert knowledge. I am so excited to be a part of this wonderful group of teachers and bloggers! Make sure you hop on over and check it out and follow us. (There is a button on my sidebar that will take you straight to it.) My introduction will be on Tuesday, January 8th.

Since it is January, I feel that I will publish my resolutions so that I am held accountable for them. Make sure to hold me to them, please!
1. Blog at least 2 times per week on this blog. (I will be on a rotating basis on the All Things Upper Elementary blog.)
2. Tithe more...enough said.
3. Get organized! I think at times I am organized, and then I look around my desk at school. It looks like a bomb exploded. I have got to get better!
4. Be an example for my daughter. She is still young, and I want to make sure that my actions and reactions are positive (even when it is hard to be positive).
5. Serve more...I use to be the President of the United Way for my county. I served at this position for several years, and then I rolled off the board. I would love to get back into serving my community. I also want to encourage the spirit of volunteering in my family.

I hope each of you have a blessed New Year, and that 2013 is good to all of you!