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Squirrel Circus has been up and running for a year, this week, and as proud as I am of that milestone, I’ve come to a difficult realization. While I thought that I’d be posting even more this fall, the exact opposite has been true. Maybe you’ve noticed (is that presumptuous of me?) and maybe you haven’t. I have, and it’s really been bumming me out. The fact is, though, the reasons that I’m not blogging as much as I had been are all GOOD —-

With the elimination of almost all librarian-led instruction at our school (a sad reality in many school districts), my role has expanded in some really interesting ways. I’ve become more of a multi-purpose instructional aide, and I’m working with extended-day kindergarteners, after lunch every day. I’ve expanded on the help I was able to give the 3rd and 4th grade teachers last year — organizing two more classroom libraries, correcting tests, and possibly leading some upper level reading circles. Oh yeah, and I’m the laminating QUEEN. What can I say? I like to iron, too. Go figure.

For most of last year, I’d say that my position was underutilized, and I’m happy to be busier and more deeply involved with more students and teachers this year. It has, however, cut WAY into that big pot of “free time” that I crowed about last year, as I started this blog. But, it’s a GOOD thing.

At home, my little boys seem to have turned, over night, into big 5th graders, attending the brand-new Intermediate School in our district. With that has come an increase in homework (quantity AND difficulty) and the addition of instrument lessons to their schedule.

And we said, “Please tell me that THIS isn’t the only reason you want to play the saxophone…”

The concept of homework and projects that aren’t due “tomorrow”, but SOON has been slow to catch on with Evan and Will, and we’ve already had a few last minute scrambles that I think we’d ALL like to avoid in the future.

 
To this end, I seem to be spending a lot of MY time reminding the boys how important time management is. We’re getting there – I’m trying to forgo unnecessary “hovering”, but keeping pretty close tabs on what they need to be working on. It’s a GOOD thing (or it will be…eventually).
 
Related to the new school, the boys now get on the bus at 7:30 am — a lot earlier than our mad dash to their elementary school (too temptingly close to the house) at 8:55 am last year (yes, for a 9:00 am start — don’t judge).
 
With the “extra” time, I’ve been able to take Bailey to the park in the mornings again, wearing him out before a day on his own. See HERE what a GOOD thing that is. Back at the house by 8:30, I’ve been working out at least three days a week which my favorite jeans could tell you is a very GOOD thing.
 
I’ve also recently discovered Rhapsody and its massive music library! Nothing gets a workout up to speed like a great playlist, and I’ve gone a little nuts with a free one-month subscription I picked up with MyCokeRewards. It’s normally $10/month, but a free trial month in exchange for drinking, oh, I don’t know, about fifty 12-packs of soda is a steal, right? The fact is, the points from all those fridge packs could have also bought me a Coke cooler bag the size of my wallet, so I went for the music.
 
What I’m saying, I suppose, is that I’m still doing fun stuff, cooking new recipes, taking pictures of Bailey and the boys, and having thoroughly snarky thoughts on a numbers of topics, but I haven’t felt like I had the time to EXPAND on them lately, like I used to. I am continually amazed by the way so many of YOU are doing it all AND blogging; I mean that sincerely — but it’s just not working for me right now. 
 
SO, I’ve decided to take a break from posting here on WordPress  for the foreseeable future. BUT, and it’s a big one — Squirrel Circus LIVES ON, on Facebook, and I would LOVE to have all of you follow me THERE. I’ve had a page for this blog for a while now, but hadn’t done a whole lot with it. When I remembered to, I linked posts from WordPress to it, so that a handful of folks who weren’t on WordPress themselves could follow me in their Facebook news Feed. 
 

Turning one over!

What I’m doing differently NOW (and have been for about a week) — is posting recipes, photos, book reviews, and random thoughts in a briefer, but more real time format on Facebook. In the past few days, I’ve posted pictures (from a pumpkin patch AND a graveyard), a recipe for apple crisp, a review of a terrific book on writing, and an unflattering photo of myself, freezing my giblets off at the dog park! Good stuff, right?

 So, so ahead — click the “LIKE” button….it’s riiiiiggggghhht up there!