Thankful, Thoughtful Thursday

This week has flown by. We are already starting the second half of the school year!

This week there have been many things to be happy/thankful for:

1. I received the most beautiful necklace from Erin of Tesori Trovati (which I won). It has a copper chain with what I call a dreamcatcher on it. She has called this piece "Power of Positive Dreams". It will become my talisman to achieve my dreams.

2. I received more ATCs in the mail from swaps that I have done - they are such a treat to open up!

3. We have started a 20 minute DPA (daily physical activity) at school that involves dance/cardio and stretches. What a way to get moving, work out, have fun and focus on Heart Healthy Month! The children love it - so do I!

4. I have been enjoying visiting many blogs through One World One Heart - so many great giveaways. Be sure to visit - before Feb. 15!

5. I am so thankful for special programmes for special kids. I nominated one of my boys who has a real curious, obsessive mind but very weak fine motor skills for a gifted 3-day session. He is so excited tp start tomorrow. I hope this will reveal more of his strengths.

6. I am thankful for another week of safe driving to and from work.

7. I am thankful for two women (bloggers) who are keen to do ATC swaps with me! It is the first ones I will have done.

8. I am most thankful for family - they know why!

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Don't forget - I have a giveaway going on - check it out here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thankful/Thoughtful Thursday and A Giveaway!

At the start of today, I really wondered what I would find to be thoughtful for and as the day unfolded, there were a few things but a also a major difficulty.

I have one student who is ODD - very oppositional. He did not have a good day and by the end of the day I had to give him a 5 minute detention for pushing another student. The whole issue escalated into a major problem, involving his mother. The short story - I ended up having to call CAS (Children's Aid) on the mom. I have only had to do this a few times in my teaching career but each time it is so difficult. But I know it is not for me to decide what the outcome will be, I have to do it based on my concerns for the safety of the child.

By the time I got home I was exhausted, worn out by the events of the day. My husband surprised me with a dinner out, with his son, daughter-in-law and their son. It was a good tonic.

It also made me realize that there are many things to be thankful for:

1. for my husband and family - to share things with and be supported by

2. for colleagues who offered support and understood my dillema today

3. for favourite restaurants - especially when you don't feel like cooking

4. for a safe trip home, even though it was blowing hard with some slick streets

5. for babies who can make you smile and laugh just by their laughter and smiles

6. for my cat, who jumps on my lap and offers purrs and comfort

7. for favourite blogs which offer ideas, thoughts and support

8. for children who get so involved in creating and enjoying learning

I have been trying to visit as many blogs as possible this week - "One World One Heart" started Monday and already there are over 700 blogs participating, with so many wonderful giveaways.

Lots to visit before Feb. 15th! Be sure to check it out!

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My 200th post (+3)

A week or so ago I knew my 200th post was coming up but I let it go by before I realized today that this is my 203rd!!!!

SOOOO - in honour of achieving 200 posts in less than a year, I am going to hold my own giveaway.

If you would like to win one of three ATC cards created by myself, then please leave a comment on this blog post, with your email address and answer this question:

What are you thankful for?

3 winners will be drawn at random on Sat. Feb. 13 and will be notified by email.
Best of luck!

Thank you everyone who has visited here and been so supportive to my explorations. Thank you too, to the people who have given so much - through their thoughts and words and honesty!

Thankful/Thoughtful Thursday

This week's sharing of what I am thankful for and what has struck me this week, what I have learned or experienced is as follows:"

1. I have learned (once again!) that you must take all the time you need to recover or the next setback will be worse! Again I am home from work, this time with bronchitis and an ear infection! Ugh!

2. I am so thankful for our health care system and dedicated doctors, nurses and pharmacists who take care of us.

3. I am thankful for friends who call with concern and offer prayers.

4. I am thankful for great books. I have just finished:

"Still Alice" by Lisa Genova and "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom - both dealing will disturbing subjects (alzheimer's and death) but done beautifully.

5. I visited a number of new blogs this past week and one was Brushstrokes From the Heart. Very down-to-earth. She has an art blog, with her studio in her laundry room. I love the idea of working with what you have and just creating!

6. I am thankful for laughter - from and with children, with my husband. And of course, from "American Idol" - I will not forget "pants on the Ground!"

7. Thanks to Collage Diva, Kathryn Antyr, for her excellent course "Personal Retreats". I have completed my first week and am working on my house.

8. Thanks to Magpie for some new websites! On her blog, she hosts "8 Things" and this week

she asks us to list the go-to websites that we might keep at the top of our favorites. It should be a a list of non-blog websites that really help a person out.

Here is my list of handy websites that I go back to many times a week. They are a variety - from creative, to teaching to fun:

1. Atcs for All - this is the site where I pursue swaps and look at galleries of great cards.

2. Creative Every Day - This site brings artists from all over the world to a place to share their art and gain inspiration from Leah. If you haven't been here, you must!

3. Jamie Ridler Studios - This is home to Wishcast Wednesday, Full Moon Dreamboards and much much more! Jamie Ridler also holds The Next Chapter book clubs.

4. Nita Leland - I have several of her books and enjoy going back to her sebsite for inspiration and lessons.

5. Proteacher - I use this site extensively for teaching ideas. I have gotten a lot of teaching resources through this site. (and it's free!)

6. Bucket Fillers - I have used their books to introduce the notion of filling each other's buckets with my class. They really enjoy the ideas and it tends to work. I get weekely updates with great ideas.

7. DRF - my husband's father and grandfather raised and raced thoroughbreds. Marrying into this family meant I got involved in watching horse racing. So this site, brings information on horses, jockeys and the march to the Kentucky Derby!

8. East of the Web - Eight 1 - this is a game I enjoy playing. It is a word game ( and there are several other games available through the site). I play 5 rounds and the bonus and try to beat my score for a few different games. Gotta keep those brain cells working! lol

Thankful / Thoughtful Thursday

Today has been a day to restore myself - to rest, step back and recharge myself. I have let myself get rundown and am now fighting fatigue and a cold.

Sleeping in, hot packs on my neck, reading inspiring words has helped.

Several blogs have appealed to me this past week and have had me thinking of ways to incorporate what they expressed into one idea for a weekly post.:

"Thanksgiving Thursday" (from Amanda at Persistent Green", "Weekly Gratitude" and "8 Things Thursday".

So I have decided to focus on the sharing of what I am thankful for and what has struck me this week, what I have learned or experienced and am calling this:

"8 Things for Thankful/Thoughtful Thursday".

1. I was overjoyed and thankful recently to have won several things:

*a course from Collage Diva which I started today (Personal Retreats). I am so looking forward to it.

*a beautiful necklace "Power of Positive Dreams” from Erin of Treasures Found

*a spell bottle from Suzie Ridler

Thank you so much to all three of you wonderful ladies.\!

2. I was extrememly thankful to have been totally surprised with a birthday dinner last Saturday by my husband, three stepchildren, and their families. What a lovely surprise!

3. I am thankful for my students who did not want me to leave yesterday at noon when I wasn't feeling well. I do have some very sweet kids.

4. I had a health scare Tuesday night and it really got me thinking about my mortality. The next day I came across a blog that asked: "If I had to write an autobiography now, what would be missing from it? What are the things I will need to get done before it takes shape?"

There were a series of questions to answer and I am slowly working through them. In this year of YES, it is very appropriate and timely!

5. I am thankful for Mary Ann (xstitcher) who turned a postal problem into a new friendship and a great ATC swap. (I had spent $13 to send my cards xpresspost to her and was told it would take 5 days to get the cards there. It took 19 days! Needless to say - the cards did not make the swap in time, but Mary Ann made one for me and included 2 other cards so that I could have some! What a generous person! And we had fun trying to track the cards and writing back and forth!

6. I am so thankful for all the bloggers who have visited my blog and left such encouraging comments, especially this week.

7. I am really enjoying creating the ATCs. The swaps are enjoyable and it is like Christmas everytime a new batch arrives.

For the Valentine Zentangle swap

Misfit Toys Swap

8. Thanks September Mom for sending the five words for the word association meme (You write about the first word that comes to your mind when you hear the "trigger" word.) (I discovered Sunday Citar from her - it is a lovely place to visit each Sunday).

refreshing - Water - whether it is to drink, swim in or soak in, it is refreshing!

escape- Books - Books have always been my escape. I am hoping this year to read much more!

color- Red. I love the colour red and feel so good in it.

open- Door. I want to open the door to new things and new people this year.

chocolate - Lindor - These are my favourite chocolates - melt in your mouth!

(If you are interested I will pass on the favour and send you 5 words!)

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I am feeling better now (this post has been ongoing all day!)

Just recognizing the good things that have taken place this past week really does gladden the heart and lighten the load!