day one

Well I did it. It took me 2 hours and 10 minutes. (Technically 3 hours and 10 minutes if you count the fact that I had planned to get up at 630, but decided to sleep another hour instead.) But still, progress, and I actually feel pretty good. I think I can cut down the time over the next 3 weeks. Also, the 10 minutes came mostly from issues with the internet and my insistence on watching the "Thank You Notes" section of The Tonight Show episode I was watching, starring Jimmy Fallon, who I had to realize this morning was not actually my best friend, regardless of the dream I had had the night before. Rough morning. I also realized this morning that I am going to need to be creative this weekend as I am in Chicago with Samson's aunt, who also just happens to actually be a best friend. More on creative ways to keep up morning routines in a place that is not your home soon...I hope.

For those of who may feel like this post was a waste of your time, I pay my recompense in the form of Jimmy Fallon, my (almost) best friend:

blah blah blah & some pictures

Clearly, blogging has not been a habit. Clearly. But I'm trying. Again. I'm trying a lot of things actually. Habits have been on my brain a lot recently since the summer is basically New Year's resolution season for teachers. Let's be real. On January 1st, I am not about to change the things I'm doing in my work life. But summer is time for recovery. (And if anyone reading this even dares to consider thinking about making a comment about how rough can it actually be to be a teacher if you get summer off, I won't even take time to explain to you how much my body is ridiculously exhausted and strained, I will simply proceed to punch you in the face.) It is also time to refocus. And, therefore, it is time to try new things and hope that they might stick.

I feel like I've been told my entire like that it takes 21 times/days to create a habit and 3 times/days to break it. I don't know if it's actually true, but I'm taking it and running with it right now. Over the last month, I have successfully developed and maintained a nightly routine. The routine includes:

cleaning/exfoliating face with face wipe

washing face

flossing

brushing teeth

taking a vitamin

spending time in prayer

You might be a snobby person (wow, I am being such a friendly person in this post) who is thinking, "Are you kidding? How on earth is this a big deal?" Well, first of all, don't be a jerk. Secondly, it's not that none of these things were happening, but that they were never ALL happening every night. There have been so many times where I've thought, "I'd rather get in bed 5 minutes faster and just not wash my face." I just love sleep. A lot. 

That's actually a perfect segue into my next adventure into new habit-making. I need a morning routine. One I actually stick to, and one that doesn't involve hitting "snooze" for an hour. (Don't you dare judge me.) I've come to the conclusion that there's no magic trick for people who struggle to get out of bed in the morning to magically become people who it's easy to get up. I really don't. I think you just have to decide, "I am going to start doing this every single day," and then you just do it. You make yourself. Even if it hurts. And then it gets easiER. This is my plan for my morning routine, and I have exactly 21 days (shoot me now) to make it a habit before the first week of school:

30 minutes of cardio (where I get to read fiction novels...that's right, I'm bribing myself)

shower...duh

get dressed...duh

do my makeup and hair in my house...not my car

make breakfast/coffee (and yes, getting out a granola bar may sometimes constitute making breakfast)

eat breakfast while watching Colbert Report or an equivalent show (although there is not actually an equivalent)

get to work at least 15 minutes before the first bell rings

So, blog world. You know now my plan. Keep me honest. 

Now, for those of you, who are probably most of you (and really probably should be all of you), who do not care in the least bit what my morning and nightly routines have been and/or will be, here are some pictures of Samson.

anew, or a year+ in photos

I've done this before. Starting anew on a blog that has remained dormant for months...or more. I'm not making promises. I am going to try, though. Here are some pictures of what has happened in life since I last blogged. Not all-inclusive, but still a fun start. Just pretend that each of these pictures is a blog post that I missed. It should also be stated that since I am on the ipad the only photos I had full access to were Instagram. I want everyone to be fully aware that more things with more people did happen in my life. As you can tell by the gap in my blogging history, I'm not always good at documenting said happenings.

2012

sometimes the kids make your day a little better

 

learned how to do some scenic painting

 

samson got really upset when there was bird outside the window that he couldn't get to

 

Callie came to visit, so of course we ate at Taco Stand

 

we dressed up with our small group to get a $1 boorito

 

nuff said

 

found a super fun app to make our pictures a lot more exciting

 

fall production

 

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

 

Chrimah time

 

2013

hubs sent me flowers to school because this was the worst year ever

 

we still have no idea what he was scowling at

 

Saturday morning date

 

can't only show the cute things Samson does...have to some real life on here too

 

took kids to festival for the first time

 

sometimes this is what it looks like 12 minutes before curtain

 

kids are still awesome

 

2 years later I actually did something with my bouquet

 

had an awesome porch at our new apt

 

I don't know why this is the first picture from Chicago that I have

 

downtown Chicago...filming spot for Dark Knight Rises

 

went to see the show Callie AD'ed

 

#tourists

 

the bean

 

we "made" a friend at the Lincoln Park Zoo

 

This place won on cake wars something. So good.

 

Obligatory couple shot

 

Obligatory BFF shot on anchor of navy pier

 

The day Bruce and I explored by ourselves

 

we "made" another friend at the natural history museum and then got some legit Chicago pizza

 

Next stop: STL

 

Route 66 stop

 

some of the cutest people ever

 

did some exploring

 

such a cute fam

 

memorizing lines for the first show I was in since college

 

back to STL for bro's graduation

 

went to the Arch

 

got a cutie cute pic

 

spring production

 

biggest relief ever

 

back to rock thrill for STARTS

 

got all kinds of crafty this year

 

dorm life was the best

 

again, the best

 

first show in NY

 

was amazing

 

and I met Alan cumming...best first day in NYC ever

 

The hubs joined me there and of course we saw this show

 

1st broadway musical. It was awesome.

 

moved to a new house

 

obligatory cuddle shot so you know we still love our pets

 

have a laundry room now...it's Samson's favorite place

 

Erin and Tom moved to Greenville so now Erin and I have all sorts of theatre teacher adventures together

 

our marching band is on the rise thanks to a new addition to our faculty

 

my students are ridiculous

 

fall production of Antigone...first take to competition

 

pre-taste of holiday goodness

 

best apple to apples hand ever

 

 

this should have been our Christmas card photo...oh wait, we didn't even have time to put up the tree let alone make a Christmas card

 

Samson is still the cutest cat ever

 

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