Day 10: I got inspired!

Woo Hoo! Day 9 of my 30before30...

All in all today was a great day, and although I'm still at the beginning of this journey-it's been great thus far. Today was filled with a pretty scheduled day of To Do tasks. I'm moving this week. I planned to move months ago in my realization that I should be more aggressive about my finances.

I've never been totally irresponsible with money, BUT I do have a few financial burdens I could go without. So, I made the decision to pack all my stuff and move to a slightly larger but less expensive place. Not at all a hard decision, the hard part is packing up my life in....oh about 5 days! Nonetheless, I began my day by doing the following:

*Praying and spending time with God- God and I had a great conversation this morning. I read a bit of Word, read a bit of Elizabeth George's book, reflected, etc.

*After a short morning nap (oh the things you can do when you're off for the summer!)...I made a list of things I needed to tackle for the day which included:

*Paying my deposit for the new place.
*Checking on insurance and utilities for move in day.
*Transferring internet and cable services.
*Reserving a U-Haul truck for the move.

You know, the boring stuff that you have to do before you can get into your new space. Between those errands and To Dos, I decided to stop by Target. If you know me, this is a problem waiting to unfold. I LOVE TARGET!! I feel that the store must have been created especially for me:) I stopped by to snag a giftcard for a friend (part of my 5x5 in a previous post). However, I can never walk into Target and not stop at their dollar spot section. The endless display of random, cutesy, sometimes useless things that you think you really need. I walk in and it's like "Ahhhhhh" cutesy, cheapy things!

 This section in the store is a TEACHER'S DREAM! The possibilities of what you can use the items for is limitless. So, as I usually do....I strolled through the section and found...

French Fry Snack Containers!

Now, for the regular shopper, these might be used for a cute BBQ party or kid's event. But, to an English teacher these cutey pie containers are just the supplies needed to spice up my "Figurative Language Fry" activity. Yes, I said "Figurative Language Fry" activity. If you don't know by now, my 6th and 7th grade ELA classroom is cafe themed (check out the "Toya the Teacher" tab for a peek). I came up with the theme this past year and have been ready to "up the ante" for next year ever since. Along with cafe/food inspired decor, I also made sure to make EVERY lesson and activity based on the cafe theme. So, when my students study figurative language, they practiced their skills by making figurative language fries.

My Figurative Language Fries TpT Link

Now, my lesson can go further and have the manipulatives I've been looking to have! Stay tuned to this activity, I have many a fry to cook!

As I tried to leave this section in Target, more items began to call my name. Again, things that prevent a teacher like me, who loves to create, from walking away...

Steak Coasters in cute little meat packages! Ahh!!!

As mentioned before, to a normal shopper, a cute BBQ coaster. To an English teacher who's classroom thrives on a foodie theme- Lesson in a package!!

So, I stood there. Staring at the packages thinking, "I could use this some how, I just know it!" While standing, in just a few moments, I had created a writing lesson about sentences that would be awesome for my 6th and especially my 7th grade classes. It just hit me, "Is your sentence at "stake?"

Killing two birds with one stone, I decided I could use this to teach the idiom..."something being at stake" as well as a lesson to model well written sentences. Once I finish writing this along with the handouts and notes for their Cookbook (what I call their English interactive notebooks), it will definitely be utilized this year!

I also ended up leaving with $1 packs of recipe cards and plastic corn molds. All  items I will turn into fun lessons. I love teaching. Love inventing new ways for kids to take in the information. Today, I was inspired. In Target. In the dollar section. Over the smallest of things. Tada! Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places. Nonetheless, inspiration is what keeps one going. I remember just about a month ago, I was counting down until summer. Looking forward to a break from the day to day teacher schedule. One month into summer, I find myself shrieking over french fry containers and pretend steaks. I find myself making lesson plans in my head and getting excited about the possibilities of the lessons. Now, I will return back to my regularly scheduled summer- but I'm grateful for the moments today that inspiration hit. It lets you review your passions, it takes you out of your box, it brings excitement into a day that began with boring "adult" tasks. Yay inspiration! Get inspired to do something! Always!

Another day in the books. "30before30"

*Surrounding myself with good people/with good goals/for good causes

*Doing the hard stuff because the hard stuff is the good stuff

*Dotting my i's and crossing ALL of my t's

*Going from "Meh" to "YEAH!!"

*Staying sane while the world goes crazy

*Being more aware and helping others, so I can help myself!

*Aspiring to go from good, to better, to best in ALL things!

*Taking the butt kicking that comes with the journey!

*Getting Inspired!