New {School} Year Resolutions Linky Party and Heart Palpitations

Hey friends! Today I am linking up with Amanda over at Teaching Maddeness for a New {School} Year Resolution linky party! Goodness knows that there are a TON of things that I want to try and do this year with my kiddos, classroom and keeping my sanity, so this is the perfect little push to get me to write them down....and hopefully commit to them.


Resolution #1: Put papers IN folders- Last year I had a horrible habit of laying papers on top of the file folders in my desk drawer instead of filing them right away. When I was super busy, it was just easier than trying to stuff them in folders- which were already crammed so full in the drawer that there really wasn't much room for papers in them anyway. This year I am starting off with folders up the wha-zoo, heck I have a folder OF folders. I'm off to a good start :)

Resolution #2: Get more sleep- When I get busy, sleep is the first thing to go (okay, working out is the first thing to go, but I don't value that as much as my sleep). Most nights last year I was getting 4-5 hours of sleep. Oi vey! Thanks to a consistent coffee schedule, I could function surprisingly well, but it was just not a healthy year. So earlier to bed this year!

Resolution #3: Use my Smartboard more- I'm so lucky to work in a school with top of the line technology in every room. I have a Smartboard, doc camera, sound system with a personal mic and more. I did my best to learn the ropes of the Smartboard last year, but on top of tackling a new curriculum, I was in pure survival mode and didn't get much past the basics. This year I am tackling a new curriculum AGAIN in third grade, but I know a lot more about Smartboard than I did before.

Resolution #4:  Try for a little more balance- As fellow teachers, you know as well I do that balancing work and not letting it consume your life, weekend, house, etc is easier said than done. However, there came a point last year that I knew I was developing a problem....I found laminating scraps in my bed haha. Apparently my late night center prep had gotten in between my sheets. When you get into bed and discover you are laying on lamination scraps....you need an intervention.

I could list about a billion more resolutions, but I'll stick with four and maybe follow through on them better:)

On another note, I made my first serious trip back to my classroom to start setting up for next year. I had peeked in a couple weeks ago, but just now got the okay from my principal that the floors are waxed and I'm cleared to get going! I can't say it was the most productive day, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Here is what I'm working with....

{Insert shortness of breath and heart palpitations}

I have a LONG road ahead of me. Can I get a huge OI VEY? In the spirit of pinterest, I made this photo to truly express my anxiety... :)

Haha In other news, I was surprisingly calm when I helped a teacher get a bat out of the school yesterday. 

Hopefully I will have some progress pictures for you in a few days. Just for fun... can anyone figure out what my classroom is missing by looking at the pictures? (Yes, it is missing A LOT, but there is one specific thing that is pretty crucial that the school does not have for me yet!) First person to comment with the right answer gets to choose a {Free} Creative Clips Digital Clipart Bundle of your choice! Check out my TpT store or Creative Clips page on my blog for your choices :)