Staff Day, Back to School Night, and Team Day...

Well, it's happened.

August is gone, and this week I was back in my classroom putting the finishing touches on everything. A month ago I dreaded going 'back to school'; But seeing my class list, watching the different areas of my room come together, and meeting some of my third graders at our school's meet and greet on Wednesday has got me excited to dive in to this new school year!

I spent this past Saturday hiking with some of my favorites. My Mom, aunt, cousin and I all got up early and ventured off to find a new trail. My Mom and I only recently discovered our love for hiking. In the last two years we've conquered a multitude of Pacific Northwest hikes including: Mt. Si, Little Si, Rattlesnake Ledge, Snow Lake, Mt. Elinor, Cape Dissapointment, Rock Candy Mountain, Skyline Trail at Mt. Rainier, and Oysterdome. This trail was a perfect combination of all of the things I love most about hiking in our state. We happened to make it to the top just before the clouds rolled in. The views were absolutely breathtaking!

Tuesday was Teacher day. I spent the day in my (mostly completed) classroom. I'm really excited about my room this year. Last year I felt rushed and cluttered. This year I feel like everything fell into place. I'll share pics soon :).

Wednesday was Staff day. In otherwords, I sat in meeting from 7:30 to approximately 1:30, which is difficult for me. I need to MOVE. Despite the frustration over having to sit still for so long, there was some very good information presented. I'm really excited for the changes our school is making this year.

At 3:00 I ran home to grab a snack and change for our back to school night. I was back at the school by 4, and students began showing up around 5. I got to meet about half of my class. They are SO sweet! The parents that I met seem great as well, which is always a huge releif! 

Finally, Thursday was Team Day. I spent the majority of it with my new third grade team, learning more about the curricullum and discussing PLC details and responsibilities. I'm on a team of five again this year and all of my 'teammates' are really great! It's going to be a good year!

On a side note, my most recent adventure involves signing the lease for my very first apartment! Living with my parents has been great (I'm almost finished paying off those nasty student loans) but it's time for a change. I'll be ten minutes closer to work, yet still not far from what I currently call home. Though I worry about a lot of things in regards to this apartment (Living alone, being lonely, paying rent, paying for all the other expenses that go along with an apartment...) I know that growth only happens outside of comfort zones. I'll spend this weekend slowly moving in, and hopefully be pretty established there by the time school starts next week!

So yeah, a lot happened this week. I'm hoping to go on at least one more quick adventure before the new school year begins, which I might share here. Otherwise, the next time I write will be to tell you all about my awesome (I hope!) first day of school!

Intro

Ever since my trip to Spain in 2014 to teach English and travel, I've been consumed by wanderlust. That adventure took me to a dozen different places, each one being perfectly unique. I fell in love with the bustling city of London, the clash of ancient and modern architecture in Rome, the rolling green hills of Ireland, and the warm chocolate shops of Belgium. I got to experience tapas and salsa dancing in Barcelona, eat baguettes in a small town in France, and peruse the many booths at the Munich Christkindle market. It was an absolutely incredible adventure.

All adventures come to an end eventually. I packed so much into my three months in Europe that the time seemed to disappear in front of my very eyes. Before I knew it I was back in the States, already planning my next trip.

I haven't been back to Europe yet, but I have made it a priority to travel at least two new places each year. Since my time abroad I've road tripped to Vancouver, Canada, taken a solo Spring Break trip to Los Angeles, California, gone on a mission trip to Rosarito, Mexico, and have taken many weekend or day trips to explore the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm excited about where I've been, and even more excited about where I might be going next!

I already have big plans forming for next year, but for now, I'm busy preparing my classroom for the start of school and looking forward to meeting a new batch of students. In my obsession with travel and adventures I've come to realize that every day is an adventure. Every day is an opportunity for something new and unexpected, whether I'm strolling down cobblestone streets half a world away or engaging third graders in a lesson about Colonial America. I hope to share some of my "everyday adventure" stories here.