Happy New Year! (Resolutions included)

If you know me, you know that every time we have a holiday or summer break from school, that usually means that some home improvement project is being done.  This Christmas vacation has been no different...one bedroom, one bathroom and my kitchen all were painted this past week, and I couldn't be happier with the results!!  Because of the painting, we were able to switch the boy's and the girls' rooms, which has been a goal for a while. 

One thing that was different about the latest project was that I hired some help, on the recommendation of a colleague, and it made everything go so much smoother.  As mom to three children, it is impossible to get a job done without many (MANY) disruptions.  By turning the jobs over to a painter, he could devote the uninterrupted time to the work, and I could assist him with whatever was needed.  It really was fantastic to get the jobs done with much less frustration than usual, and I admire the results that were done in record (for me!) time; I know that it was money well spent.

Lesson learned: Never be afraid to ask for (and/or pay for) help.

And now...on with the obligatory resolutions  (errrr, I mean habits):

What are we doing today?

My students ask me this question often, and these magnets I made help me keep it all organized:

I used heavy cardboard, large die-cut numbers, smaller die-cut letters, glued, laminated, cut out, and added magnets on the back.  Very durable, and well worth the time investment...these still look great in their seventh year of use (just a little dusty from chalk, that's all!)