Five on Friday

While I'm up before dawn (as always) on this Friday, I won't be heading into work today, at least not to stay. G has come down with something and we'll be headed to the doctor today. So for me it's a 40 minute drive to work to get sub plans together and then from there I'll go about 1 1/2 hours to the doctor's office (I know the distance sounds crazy but my work and our health care facilities are in opposite directions-it's not as complicated as it may seem)...so as not to bog myself down with details, worry and mile long lists, I'll focus on this week's Five on Friday. Click on the FOF logo to view other wonderful Five on Friday finds.

[one]
I've been looking at lesson planners for next year. I've come across several designs that I really like. I'd love to find one that is pre-bound but so far, I've not found one that has all that I want included. I have been keeping my eye on these adorable designs for printable planners from A Modern Teacher.

[two]
I've made it through 4 months of my weight loss journey without any major set backs. I'm back in a dress that I love and can't wait to wear out on the town...if only we could nab a babysitter.



[three]
A while back I heard this song playing in our dining room. I came in to find my hubby playing this song for our daughter. My heart melted. We have deemed it her song and now I'll play it, just because...(you can view it here if the video doesn't work)

Daddy's Little Girl-Michael Buble

[four]
Life has been a bit of a roller coaster lately. Sometimes I need that small little reminder that He is in control.

::via::

[five]
My daughter is IN LOVE with the squeezable food pouches. I grabbed a few a while back and have been spoon feeding them to her. The other day I thought I'd see what she'd do with one on her own...admittedly I expected a huge mess. To my surprise, she used it like a pro and only became frustrated when it was empty...I don't think she left a drop in it. These little pouches are not cheap. I've begun researching some reusable pouches. Thus far, I've read a ton of reviews and I'm leaning towards these Squooshi Reusable Food Pouches. They seem to have good reviews for the money. Any suggestions from those who have used these or other brands?

Five on Friday!

This is not a week I would personally want to relive...so I am glad to say that it's time for Five on Friday!

I've been doing a bit of reinventing, reorganizing, readjusting, etc. around here lately. With the intention of living a more purposeful life, I've been simplifying, de-cluttering, and embracing things within my control. I thought I'd share some of the things I've been utilizing to make these ambitions become reality.

[one]

I've been diligently working on ways to get into better health. This has not been easy since I've been struck down with sickness over the last couple of weeks. (I'm currently working through a sinus infection-blah.) It's as if my body is retaliating against my healthy choices. I will not be defeated! This week I ran across a blog that gave me great inspiration. I'd like to introduce you to Amy at Simply Amy! She and I have battled the life long haul of weight loss and good health. A lot of her story resonated with me and I felt instantly connected to her blog. I love the recipes she posts, her advice, and the positive outlook that she shares.

[two]

A few months after my daughter's birth, I attempted to get back on the weight loss wagon. I had only a couple baby-weight pounds left to go and really wanted to rid myself of them. The new routine and demands in my life threw me for a loop and I put myself pretty low on the priority list. At the start, I began using MyFitnessPal. It is an app that allows me to account for all of my nutrition, track exercise, set goals, etc. I love the Nutrition monitoring, especially since I have to be very aware of my sodium intake at this point.

[three]

Another resource that I've been using for a few years now is Spark People. I used to use it for the same purpose as MyFitnessPal but I now primarily use it to stay connected to the people I've met along my journey and it also has a wonderful recipe library.

[four]

My need for organization does not stop in the home. I've also been trying to keep a handle on my classroom. I've developed a pretty good system that allows me to stay ahead on lesson plans and copies. I've known for a while that I've needed to get together sufficient emergency sub plans. Honestly, after making my maternity plans last Spring, I was over sub plans. However, the reality is, an emergency could happen at any time and I need to have things in place for my students as well. I created a Sub Tub that now houses emergency lesson plans, procedures, and anything else necessary should I have an unexpected absence. I thought I had a picture...oops! I'll try to post one soon :)

[five]

Finally I wanted to share an update on my Plan.

1. Set goal-lose 10% body weight

2. Make a plan-eat more cleanly, focus on portion control, lean on my accountability partner, exercise 15-30 minutes 5 days a week.

3. Get to Work-as of today I am gaining a firm grasp on portion control and cleaner eating. I'm making more low sodium choices and putting more thought into my food choices. I'm working developing a plan for incorporating exercise into my week. I'm hoping to jump into this very soon (the knee is still on the mend and this sinus infection impacts my overall functionality.)

I hope to take Amy's idea of posting monthly on my weight loss accomplishments, no matter how big or small.

Happy Friday!

*I provided favorable recommendations for several products in this post...all of which were done without compensation.*