Accountability 101: How the Summer Projects Were Accomplished

Summertime is a time to rejuvenate and relax.  I look forward to reading a good book, sitting out on the porch, sleeping in, spending time with my kids and friends, traveling...

However, there are so many things that fall by the wayside during the school year, that it's also a time for me to get caught up on life. Renovations, annual repairs, doctors appointments, even squeezing in a long weekend vacation or two. I find that it's so difficult keeping up with the day-to-day items that I justify putting things off until later (usually a vacation week or summer), then get overwhelmed when I look at the long list that has been created.

Every year, I tape a LOOOONG piece of poster paper to the door and map out the summer, May through September, to see the big picture (as well as to see who is where and when).  I do a similar thing in January with the a new calendar, even going as far as color coding each kid's events (that lasts a little bit, mainly because I don't maintain it).  It's helpful for a visual thinker like me, but also to communicate to the rest of the household.

 I discovered two main obstacles in my attempt:

One - my to-do lists are WAY TOO LONG.  It is OVERWHELMING when I start putting everything in one place.  It is DAUNTING to start to chip away at it.

Two - my paper lists and post-its become crossed out and rewritten and despite the fact I can eliminate many of them as I accomplish them, I never feel as though I'm getting any momentum... then come fall, feel defeated (even if I have completed many of them!).  I have a post-it tracker in my office and a paper list in my calendar, but I really never have everything in one place.

This year, I'm going to try something slightly different.  I'm going to have a TOP 5 of the day.  Five main things that I want to get completed.  This is especially helpful for those little things, like calling doctors or scheduling appointments, that I remember at 11:30 on a Friday night and tend to forget when the office opens the following Monday.

So I'm going to keep an electronic master list here on this blog and check in periodically to track my progress.  I'll still use my post-it tracker and a goofy sticker chart for myself (that's the teacher in me too).  I even would be thrilled to say that each day I'll get one item completed from each facet of my life, though I don't think that's going to truly be feasible, but at least it's a start.


How many of these can I get finished by September 1?

• Home
• Organize Under Kitchen Sink
• Organize Linen Closet
• Paint Kitchen
• Organize Dining Room
• Build Bedroom Wall
• Build Attic Stairs/Entry
• Build Bedroom Closet
• Organize Basement Closet
• Clean Basement Carpets

• Yard
• Paint Bulkhead
• Fire Pit
• Screen House Office
• Organic Veggie Garden
• Side Shade Garden
• Trellis (Pallets)

• Personal
• Doctor
• Life Insurance
• Read 5 Fiction Books
• Inferno
• Divergent
• Insurgent
• Allegiant
• Pieces
• Read 5 Non-Fiction Books
• Smart Money, Smart Kids
• Book #2
• Book #3
• Book #4
• Book #5
• 30 day challenge
• Abs
• Arms
• Thighs
• Butt
• Shoulder
• Back
• Budget
• Annual Budget
• Emergency Fund Baby Step 1

• Office
• Organize File Cabinet
• Organize Manuals
• Shred Documents
• Strong Box
• Legacy Box
• Organize Bills
• Annual Budget

• Upload
•  TpT
• Line of Best Fit Project
• Rule of Four
• DC POWs

• Worcester (AxiD Corporation):
• Furnace Cleaning
• Sprinkler Inspection
• Alarm Inspection
• Washer Service
• Fire Extinguisher Inspection
• Spackle Walls
• Hot Water Heater Moved
• Exhaust Installed

• Canning:
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Red Salsa
• Pickles
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Chili Sauce

• Thirty-One:
• CONFERENCE!

• Scouts:
• July 3rd Firework Games
• Boards of Review

Happy Summer!  And here's to accountability and accomplishments!

When I finally became a townie...

I am a Navy Brat.  Our family moved every 4-6 years throughout my childhood.  I never had 'roots' in one place for very long to see the particulars of how a town changed over time; both politically, personality, economically, and even geographically...

But now, I have been established for almost 20 years in my career and raising my family.  I have managed my personal life, and navigated my career while living amongst the families that I work with.  It has been interesting, sometimes stifling, to rise, fall, and get back up amid my students and their families.  At first, I was worried of perception, then embraced my 'nerdiness'.  This is me:  mom, teacher, scout leader, neighbor, volunteer, business owner.  I'm not always warm and fuzzy.  I'm enthusiastic but not hyper (well, maybe disorganized and over-caffeinated).   I'm authentic, but not fake.  I'm assertive, not bossy.  I reflect, reevaluate and adjust, even if it stresses me out.  I will stand up for what I believe.  Take it or leave it.

I have made mistakes in rearing my children, allowing the 'system' to makes determinations, while managing my own classroom and the personalities that go along with it.  I have stood my ground with other people's kids if they crossed the line with me.  I have tried to negotiate the strong personalities and stand up for those who are not as vocal.  Even when I don't mean to, I also take on the 'Devil's Advocate' side of the conversation, always proposing and preparing for the worst case scenario, must to the chagrin of those in charge.

So I suppose this now makes me an official 'Townie', being transplanted into this area and allowed to thrive.  I can't run away and reinvent myself every 4-6 years.  I have had to find my voice, my personality, and learn how to navigate everyone else's.  It may have taken me 40 years to do so, but I'm hopeful that I can empower, inspire, and lead by example, for both my own children as well as others.