ML's Thinking Ahead to 2014--I'm Not Calling These Resolutions, Either

Franki's thinking ahead post threatens to makes me feel like an underachiever, but I refuse to go down that road. Sometimes we lead, sometimes we follow, and sometimes we cheer from the sidelines. It's all good.

When I look forward to 2014, I don't see so many obvious signposts. I see (or want to see) fairly calm water and steady paddling. I see more poems written, more exploration with art, a greater focus on the books I want to read rather than keeping up with the books "everyone" seem to be reading. There is no particular map, because I want to be more open to the moment at hand.

Which brings me to my One Little Word. My very first OLW. A word that seems selfish compared to the active words others have chosen, like MAKE and WONDER and CHOICE.

My One Little Word is BREATHE.

I met my OLW on New Year's Eve.

We were due to leave for our traditional New Year's Eve dinner in an hour and a half. True to my "cram-it-in-get-it-done" mentality, I decided that I had time to make the cheesecake for New Year's Day dinner before we left.

And I would have, if it hadn't been for the smoke. My cheesecakes always leak a little between the bottom and edges of the springform as they bake. There's always a little smoke as this "juice" burns off the foil on the bottom of the oven. This year, for whatever reason, there was a LOT of smoke. The smoke alarm went off. The cat ran panicked to the basement to hide and cover his ears. We opened all of the windows and brought fans up from the basement. AJ grabbed the ladder and yanked the wires out to turn the smoke alarm off. I pulled the foil out of the oven (spilling much of the "juice" on the oven floor) and put fresh foil in.

Moments later, there was even MORE smoke, boiling thick and black out of the oven vent. Apparently, it was not a good idea to leave all of that "juice" under the new foil.

This time, I turned the oven off and scrubbed as much of the charred blackness off the oven floor as I could, being careful not to burn the rag or my hands. Then I turned the oven back on, put the cheesecake back in, and texted our friends to tell them we'd be late.

All the while, I was beating myself up. Why had I thought it would work to get the cheesecake made on such a tight schedule? The house smelled HORRIBLE and it was all my fault. WE would smell like smoke. I terrorized the cat. I spoiled the group's New Year's Eve dinner plans because we'd be late. It was all my fault. I was a failure.

AJ talked me down. Advised me (not for the first time) to just BREATHE. It was done. I couldn't go back and change it. It would all work out. It wasn't that bad. It was kind of funny, actually, if I would just let myself laugh. Even the advice to BREATHE was funny, because all we could smell was cheesecake smoke.

But the cheesecake smoke made me realize that I needed the word BREATHE in my life for an entire year. I need a year of slowing down and focusing on the moment at hand, not getting myself all worked up about what's ahead, or all wrought up about how the things behind me played out.

I need to be right here, right now.

BREATHE will help me to stay in the moment, take joy in the now.
BREATHE will help me to celebrate being alive.
BREATHE will help me focus in a sensory way on this amazing world
in which we live.
BREATHE will help me listen more and talk less.
BREATHE will remind me of cheesecake smoke and make me laugh,
all year long.

Celebrate!

Check out all the celebration posts at RuthAyresWrites.com -- thanks, Ruth!

This week, I'm celebrating all the learning that comes from even a casual, intermittent relationship with FaceBook and Twitter.

I'm celebrating Paul Hankins, who posted his illustrated note taking of TED talks. I followed Paul's link to the talk and found the free (FREE!) TED app (iTunes / Android).

Then I took my first illustrated notes as I watched/listened to Diana Nyad (one of my swimming heroines, in close second place behind Lynne Cox) tell about her history-making Cuba to Florida swim. At age 64.

It was so much fun that I made an amendment to my #nerdlution: I will watch 1 TED talk per week and take illustrated notes. I'm hoping that these notes yield up some poems in their own time, but I'm not going to make that part of the goal.

Taking these illustrated notes got me thinking (along with Steve and Julieanne and Vicki and Fran) about how we and how our students read and respond to fiction vs. nonfiction. This blending of right-brain note taking with left-brain information processing might be something that will help students move past the WOW of random facts in nonfiction to making deeper connections between ideas and texts. It occurred to me that I had stumbled into this blending by accident when I introduced the option of using a common craft video as the presentation tool for my students' upcoming persuasive essays. It will be fun to see how that turns out in the upcoming weeks.

Yes, today I celebrate the fact that I don't have to commit hours to the fire hoses of information known as FaceBook or Twitter to find ideas that will become thought-changers or game-changers.

Poetry Friday--Comic Strip Edition

(Click to enlarge the strips.) 

Betsy has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at I Think in Poems. Betsy's a Poetrina if I ever met one!

December Mosaic and Cybils Finalists!

Row 1: Impromptu wine and cheese party, just the two of us, on a Saturday afternoon after errands; CFR did charity gift wrap at the Worthington Orvis store three weekends this month; sunset, Worthington Mall after my wrapping shift; toenail surgery.

Row 2: Birthday scarf; birthday cake (featuring buttercream layers and ganache coating--yum!!); there's always one, isn't there?; winter view from the window of Room 228.

Row 3: More Orvis wrappers; ginger at North Market; December flooding in our easement; more Orvis wrappers.

Row 4: Pre-flight tradition at the airport--headed to Mom's for Christmas; sunrise from our back windows in Burlington; the Italian Panettone my brother made (with just a LITTLE butter--yum!!); playing Sequence with Mom.

Row 5: We took Mom's cats to the vet and the 3-legged clinic cat, Tres, supervised the ear cleaning and fur mat removal.

Row 6: One more of Tres; we picked out new glasses frames for Mom; view of Columbus from the plane window; illustrated notes from Diana Nyad TED talk (more on that in another post.


We've been blogging 8 years, and I've been doing these monthly mosaics for 5 of those years. I make a Flickr photoset (this one is here), then go over to the Mosaic Maker at bighugelabs.com and make the mosaic.

We've been blogging 8 years, and I'm pretty sure one or the other or both of us have been involved in the Cybils every year since their inception in 2006. Franki was a first-round judge in nonfiction this year. The Cybils finalsits have been announced!

Happy Birthday to Us!

Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Will Clayton

On January 1 of every year, we celebrate our Blog Birthday! As you can tell from our blog's name, we never really expected to blog for so long--we were planning on blogging "A YEAR OF READING." But today, we celebrate A Year of Reading's 8th Birthday and we love our blog more and more each day!

Birthday Celebrations are an opportunity to give back, we think.

This year, we are celebrating in a different way. Last year, we committed to paying things forward because we so love being part of this blogging community. This year, we are going to pay it forward in a different way.

Franki received a gift from Tammy and Clare for Christmas. The gift was a donation to Birthday Wishes, a nonprofit that we didn't really know much about. But the more we read about the nonprofit, the more we loved the cause. We loved the fact that a gift of a donation, in Franki's name was given. So we thought about how we could embrace that feeling on our blog in 2014. Here is what we decided:

Every month, on (or close to) the first of the month, we'll be be donating $25 to a nonprofit that benefits children or literacy or something we care about. We'll donate the $25 as a way to pay things forward. We'll tell you a little about the charity and why we chose it.  But this donation will also be a way to honor those people we feel privileged to know in the blogging community--some who has really made a difference for one of us in the past month.  The donation will be made in that person's honor.

So, to kick things off, we are going to donate $25 to Birthday Wishes in honor of Kevin Hodgson. Kevin has always inspired us with his blog. His energy is contagious and his teaching and writing inspire us every day. But we picked him this month, because he's been such a tireless #nerdlution cheerleader for all of us trying out this 50 day challenge. He's written songs, poems and more to support others as they meet their goals. If you don't know Kevin's blog, you'll want to!

Thinking Ahead to 2014--I'm Not Calling These Resolutions

Well, 2013 was not a great year in terms of meeting any of my goals. A ridiculous concussion with a unique healing-turned-into-migraine-cycle, followed by drugs that didn't really help, made for a pretty blah year in terms of getting things done. It was a real bummer as I spent 2012 working hard to get in shape (Couch to 5K and Yoga) and read lots.  So, now, at the end of 2013, I am kind of back to where I was a few years ago. But when I look back, I learned lots.  I am not good at slowing down and the Concussion Year forced me to do that (since I had nothing else to do).

I realized that the goals aren't really so important.  Having a time in my life that I couldn't read, work or exercise was fascinating.  I really had nothing to do as I don't have many hobbies not related to reading, work or computers.  So, it forced me to take a break and to think about what I love and how I want to spend my time.  During my first week of the concussion rest, I told a friend that I thought God was telling me I needed to rest.  She said, "He has been trying to tell you that for a while. You just weren't listening."  Good friends say what you need to hear, I guess.

Anyway, going into 2013, I am just celebrating the fact that I can read again. And I can exercise again. And I can work a lot again. And I can write again. I do love work.  But I did learn that I also love rest. And I learned that I haven't been taking care of my own learning.  And I learned that I got so busy that I didn't even realize it.  And I realized that once I had to quit all of the ongoing projects I was involved in, it was okay.

As you can see from the list below, it isn't so balanced. I am really committing to a year of my own professional learning and that seems to take up most of my space here.  Visually, it looks unbalanced but I feel like I need a year like this while still fitting the other important things in.

Reading
So, this year, I want to read. I want to read more for me. I think I got so caught up in reading the newest books for my students, in reading the books that might win awards, in reading the books I thought I should, that I stopped reading YA and Adult Fiction that I love. I want to make a bit more time for that. My life is better when I'm reading.

And I want to use the library more. I am really bad about buying books I then don't really need.  I love owning books but clearly have too many.  When we got married, my husband told me that buying books was never something that would be a problem--you could never own too many books.  Well, he had no idea what that could become and I find myself with lots of books that I've read but don't necessarily need or want to own.  And the number of books I own is getting to be overwhelming to say the least.  So, I am going to try to use the library more often. It is right next door to my school and they have a great collection so there is really no excuse not to.

Fitness
Our #runteacherrun Facebook Group has grown to over 200 members! I haven't been very active on it this year as I've lost so much running time.  And I was never great at running anyway. But I do want to get back to it.  The Facebook Group started a challenge and I think I'll join.  With some modifications.  Here is their challenge:

2014 Run Teacher Run Challenge- join me?
*Run or work out at least 14 times a month in 2014.
*Post at least 14 times on run teacher run.
*Run at least 4 "real" or virtual races in 2014. (Or create your own with friends!)
*Run at least 400 miles in 2014. (Or create your own workout equivalent to miles.)
*Encourage 4 teacher friends to run/workout and join us here in this group!

I'll modify in a few ways.  I definitely want to work out at least 14 times a month in 2014 and I want to post at least 14 times on the Run Teacher Run page. I'll also encourage others to join the group.  In terms of races, I am going to try for 1 race or virtual race. I am not a big fan of races so one seems like plenty to me.  And I am not going to set a mile goal. I am a very slow runner (15 minute miles--slower than walking). I think my goal will to be to keep track of my mileage in 2014. That's all. Just to begin that habit.

I also started a membership to My Yoga Online. I love going to the yoga studio and we are lucky to have a few great ones and lots of great teachers here. But, some days, I just don't have the time for the driving, set up and 1 hour class. My Yoga Online has all different classes that I can do at home with my membership. If I add this as an option, I should be able to fit in 3 yoga classes a week.

Professional
My own learning is going to be a goal for 2014.  I have been in the classroom for 27 years and it is easy to burn out of this job without constantly learning, changing and growing. I have been so lucky to be part of lots of professional groups of people who are committed to learning and growing as educators.  Over the last several years, I've done lots of consulting and fit in my own learning when possible. When I had my concussion and had to cancel lots of my consulting work, I realized how much my own learning just kind of tagged along with my consulting work. I very seldom went to conferences over the last few years without presenting, etc. And I missed just being places as a learner. I love the consulting work and learn so much from that, but I realized in 2013, that I had lost my balance. Here is what I have planned for 2014.

I plan to attend several conferences over the year . A balance of topics and types of conferences. At some, I'll be presenting a bit and at others I'll attend with no responsibilities.  Here is what is on my professional conference plan.

OETC -Ohio Educational Technology Conference--I'll attend this one for one day and do a one hour session on digital learning at the conference. The rest of the day will be dedicated to my learning.

The Dublin Literacy Conference is one of my favorite days of the year. I'll be doing a session with Tony Keefer and Katie DiCesare.  I love this day. (Last year, my concussion was new so I was a little woozy during my presentation with Tony.  I am hoping to do my part a little better this year!)

I've been busy with my NCTE work over the last several years and because of that I've missed our state OCTELA Conference. This year, I'll be able to attend for a day and do a one hour session. This has always been one of my favorite conferences and I'm looking forward to getting back to it.

MRA will be a conference that I attend just for me and for fun. Driving with colleagues, having the weekend of learning is always a treat. 

I'm looking forward to the second part in our yearlong Literacy Connection study.  Ruth Ayres' visit in the fall was a highlight and I am looking forward to her April session! 

I'll be doing a few sessions at this year's All Write conference, one that I was SO SAD to miss last year because of my concussion.  This is definitely a favorite for so many reasons.  

Last year, I attended a Choice Literacy Writing Retreat and it reminded me of how much I love to write and that I wanted to dedicate more time to different types of writing.  It was an amazing few days and it changed me as a writer. Looking forward to another writing retreat.   I'd also love to participate in Kate Messner's Teacher's Write this summer too:-)

ISTE is one that I am thinking about attending. It isn't a conference I'd attend every year but one I'd like to attend once in a while and it is in Atlanta this year. If I can get organized to get there, I'm planning on it.

And of course, I can't wait for NerdcampMI!  Nerdcamp was one of my favorite days in 2013--from the moment we got in the car until the moment we got home, we had a great time. The team ran an amazing day and I'm looking forward to one that is a day and 1/2 this year. 

I'll be speaking at this year's Ohio Innovative Learning Environments Conference. This is an amazing week of learning and I'm excited to be part of it.

NCTE!!! Of Course!!


I'm also planning on revisiting professional books to really dig into the classroom piece a bit.  With 4 years out of the classroom and a year in 4th grade, it is taking me a little while to learn what works in a 3rd grade classroom. Now that I've had some time, I want to tweak a few things and learn a bit more as this age is so different than 4th.  

I'll also be finishing the NCTE book I am writing with Bill Bass. This is a great learning experience.  The book is on Digital Literacy: What's Essential? and it is really helping me think through what I understand about literacy and the ways tools are changing things.

I'll be teaching a few Choice Literacy Online Workshops (The Tech Savvy Literacy Teacher and Text Complexity in Grades 3-5). I just started these last year and I love the online learning format.  I love how groups come together online to learn around a topic and I love thinking about these topics with other educators.  

Word for 2014

So, I have always been fascinated by people who have a word for the year.  I haven't really had one of those as I could never think of the right one.  But I think I have one for 2014.  I was looking for one and have been pondering my need to "get things done", plan ahead, etc.  I never seem to just enjoy what I am doing as I am always worried about or thinking about what's next or what I don't have done or how behind I am.

Nerdlution has been good for me. Even though I have been on a 10 day nerdlution-vacation.  It helped me see that I do need breaks and balance.  And that I have to be careful not to think too far ahead.  Mary Lee posted this link to the #nerdlution Twitter group this week and it said a lot to me.  So my word for 2014 is going to be TODAY.  I am going to try really really really hard to not stress about all that is coming my way and enjoy each day whether it is a day full of work, rest, friends, exercise, whatever.  I love my days but so often I get caught up on what's next or what I didn't get done, that I don't enjoy the day or what I am currently doing as much as I should.  Each day is different and TODAY seems like a good word for me for 2014.

Birthday
And I will turn 50 in 2014.  I have been telling everyone and saying I'm 50 for a while so as not to be too shocked when it actually happens.  (See why TODAY is such a good word for me!)

Books I Didn't Get To...

There are lots of books I didn't get to in 2013. These are the books I hope to get to in early 2014 before I get started on upcoming 2014 titles--these seem too good to miss! (A few of these are older than 2013 but I am still hoping to get to them soon!)

Professional Books

The Literacy Teacher's Playbook, Grades 3-6: Four Steps for Turning Assessment Data into Goal-Directed Instruction

Middle Grade Novels

The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp

Young Adult

The Raven Boys

Jumping Off Swings

Living with Jackie Chan

Legend

Adult Fiction

Flight Behavior: A Novel (I just started this one!)
  Life After Life: A Novel
and another with the same title...

Life After Life: A Novel

The Goldfinch

The Husband's Secret

Adult Nonfiction

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way (I'm listening to this one so it might take a while. I'm about 1/4 of the way through.)

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

Sunshine Awards!

On November 30, the wonderful Suzanne Gibbs of the blog Finding Fourth Grade awarded me with a Sunshine Award. I was so excited an honored. It took me a while to pull together the answers to the questions, etc. but here they are--a month late.  

Here's a little info on the Sunshine Award:

This is a way for bloggers to get to know each other and one of the cool things about it is that there are limitless "winners"! The Sunshine award gives others an opportunity to learn more about me as a blogger and then, in turn, I will send sunshine the way of 11 other amazing bloggers for you to get to know! Here are the "official" rules:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4. List 11 bloggers. They should be bloggers you believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love!
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.

So, here goes!

11 Random Facts About Me

        1 -I cannot sing.  At all. In our 5th grade program, the teacher asked me to
 mouth the words and by 6th grade they gave me a
“special part” as head angel which took me out of the choir.

2- I used to love roller coasters until
I married my husband who hates them.

3- I was married in the same church
as my mother and my grandmother.

4-My favorite kind of ice cream is grape from Handel’s.

5- My husband met my extended family on Thanksgiving Day
 a long time ago. After dinner at both grandmothers’ houses,
he thought I would grow up to cook like them. He was wrong.

6-I have attempted to find hobbies for years with no luck.

7-In 2nd grade, I threw up on my shoes
at the end of the school day so the teacher sent me home
 with a box in case I threw up again.  (I walked home.)

8- My favorite holidays are those that involve presents.

9-When I was in elementary school,
I ran a big carnival in my backyard to raise
money for a children’s home in our city.

10- I have not read the Harry Potter books

  11-Michael J. Fox, Joan Jett and I
have a movie credit in the same movie. I was an on-set tutor
for one day during the production of Light of Day which earned me a credit.

The Answers to Suzanne's Questions to Me:

1  Why did you start blogging?

Mary Lee suggested it and I trust her.

Do you prefer warm or cold weather? Any reason for that?

Warm because I want to cry when I am outside in the cold! Honestly, I prefer being indoors no matter what the weather. (Is indoor a kind of weather?)

Have you (and/or your family) decorated for the holidays yet? Why or why not?

Yes, every year while I am at NCTE, my husband decorates for the holidays.  Not sure how this tradition started but we like to enjoy the tree for a while before Christmas and then we take it down right after. 

Whom would you say is the ONE person in history you admire the most and why? 

I am inspired by all of the women in history who did things outside of what was expected/allowed at the time.

What's your favorite beverage?

Venti Awake Hot Tea from Starbucks

If you could recommend only one book to someone to read, what would it be?

Glass Castle

What is one thing on your "bucket list" not many people - or maybe no one - knows about?

 To live in a big city.

What's the most relaxing vacation you've been on?

Disney World

Who brings you the most joy in your life?

My family

If you could give a lot of money to one organization, which one would it be and why?

Ronald McDonald House

What's your favorite color?

 Yellow-it’s bright and happy

11 bloggers Who Deserve the Sunshine Award 

(And if you are too busy this time of year to post about this, that's fine--just wanted to give you a shout out!)

1-Stephanie Shouldis at Books, Interventions and More!

2-Ruth Ayres at Discover, Play Build

3-Stella at My World, Mi Mundo

4-Betsy at Teaching Young Writers

5-Karen Terlecky at Literate Lives

6-Carol Wilcox at Carol's Corner

7-Tony Keefer at Atychiphobia 2.0

8-Maria Caplin at Teaching in the 21st Century

9-Dylan Teut at Mile High Reading

10-Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning

11-Cathy Mere of Reflect and Refine

11 Questions for the Bloggers

1     1- What is the best thing that happened to you this week?

2     2- What is your favorite book of 2013?

3     3-Which TV shows do you watch regularly?

4     4-What is the thing you are most excited about for 2014?

5     5-Do you have any pets?

6     6-Is your favorite meal breakfast, lunch or dinner? Why?

7     7-What’s was a favorite childhood book?

8     8- Do you make New Year’s Resolutions?

9     9-What’s a favorite movie?

1     10- What’s one thing you love to do when you have free time?

1     11- Who is an author you’d love to meet?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I didn't go into #bookaday thinking I'd actually read a book a day but I'm actually close to having read a book a day and they are longer books that I've been hoping to read for a while. Here is this week's reading. It has been so nice to catch up. I think I'll end 2013 totally behind in my reading life, but at least I got back to it over break.

So glad that Jen and Kellee created this great Monday blog tradition. Visit their blogs for the link-ups!

Fangirl is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.  For days after I finished, I kept thinking about the characters and wishing I wasn't finished.  I read it in 2 sittings (night before bed and early, early morning.)  A great read. I read Eleanor and Park earlier this year and loved it.  This one is just as wonderful in a very different way  Rainbow Rowell is my new author hero.  So glad to have discovered her in 2013!

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad by Monica Edinger was another highlight of my reading week.    I have to admit that I knew very little about the Amistad but Monica Edinger made me care deeply about this event in history and the children who were involved. A fascinating story that I am so glad to have read.  It is probably one I will reread as it is amazingly brilliant.

I met author Erin Soderberg at #ncte13. Because I've been so far behind on my reading, her new book The Quirks: Welcome to Normal has been on my stack.  I ended up reading it as one of my #bookaday books and loved it. It is a fun new series about a family with unique "quirks".  They move to a very normal town and try to fit in. This book had everything in it that I loved about stories when I was younger.  That whole idea that something magical could be happening. The Littles, The Borrowers, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, I Dream of Jeanie, Escape to Witch Mountain and Bewitched were some of my favorite. I got that same feeling when I read this--loving the idea that someone I know may have magical powers! This is a new series and the 2nd is due out in February.  I think it is perfect for grades 3 and 4. I can't wait to share this one with my students!

Cold Spell (Fairy Tale Retelling) by Jackson Pearce --I love fairy tales, especially Snow Queen books since I read Breadcrumbs.  This is a fun YA version of the Snow Queen and it was a fun, quick read!  I'll definitely read more by this author.

And right now, I am in the middle of Winger . Amazing read. I wasn't able to read it in a day but I am loving it and so glad I fit it in over break!

Celebrate This Week!

Thanks to Ruth Ayres for this wonderful Saturday tradition!   Visit her blog for this week's link up!

Lots to celebrate this week!

#1  Christmas! It was a relaxing day with family. The girls are both older but it was a different kind of fun working together in the kitchen to get things ready, to clean up, etc.

#2 I made a few cookie boxes. I didn't bake as much as I usually do at Christmastime but I did make a few boxes of cookies. I discovered this box-decorating craft during my concussion-craft months and it is the only one I've continued to enjoy.  Little boxes of cookies = happy!

#3  I seem to have my reading life back. Thanks to Donalyn for her #bookaday challenge. I didn't really think I could do it but I have read 7 pretty amazing (and not so short) books.  I won't meet my Goodreads Challenge this year, but have LOVED catching up on my reading.  And I have loved the books I've read so far.  I'm so far behind in 2013 reading but it is nice to read books I've had on my TBR list.  Life is never as good when I'm not in the middle of a book.  So glad to be back to reading after a long rut.

#4  Having two dogs in quite a challenge.  Especially two dogs that don't like each other at all. But, our puppy does look cute in dorky outfits. Arnie has such a different personality than our older dog, Chloe.  It seems fitting to dress him up, take him to see Santa and buy him new toys.  My daughter thinks he will need his own closet soon.

#5  I love being home. I love days to just hang out at home. That is pretty much what we are doing for most of this winter break.

#6  I did not meet any of my 2013 goals, but I am okay with that.  I took a #nerdlution vacation and  needed it. I have tried for my whole life to not live my life in cycles but I love cycles.  I love working hard and resting hard. I need winters where I sit on the couch and read and winters where I get myself in shape.  I've learned that not meeting a goal or changing a goal doesn't mean I've failed and I've learned that taking a break doesn't mean I've quit.  Realizing this is a big celebration for me:-)

Enjoy your Saturday!!