Slice of Life-Where is My To-Do List?!?!?!?

I found this while lingering on blogs one morning.  I found this link to the Two Writing Teachers:

http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/write-share-give-sols-time-4/#comment-62119

Happy New Year!  We've been on break for about 10 days now.  Oh did I have grand plans.  After some much loved time with our families on their farms, we returned home.  My To-Do list included (but wasn't limited to):  cleaning out kitchen cupboards, cleaning said cupboards deeply, cleaning out our office/guest room, school work at school involving deep organization and rearranging of furniture...oh the list goes on and on.  

A nasty head cold delayed this list.  I had my house to myself for two whole days!  (Kids enjoying extra family time, husband working.)  As I recovered from this cold, the To-Do list was delayed.  On Saturday when we were reunited with our kiddos, I was feeling a sense of stress because I knew some of these things weren't getting done.  This sense of  (failure?  disorganization?  laziness?)  was starting to creep in.  Two things were said to me in the past couple of days that helped me refocus on what break can be about.  As I slept in yet again yesterday and woke up with self talk that focused on being lazy I was met with, "This is what a vacation is."  Today, as I'm chatting with my sons at breakfast.  The conversation turned to our break and how we were spending it.  I was met with this, "We might not be Doing a lot, but we are spending tons of time together as a family."  Man, I love it when this kind of perspective whacks me right over the head.  

So I present my new and improved to-do list for winter break:

1.  Play lots of games with my kids.  We love Spot It! currently.  

2.  Go on several dates with my husband.  Talk to him about books and movies that we are reading/seeing.  Wander around the book store together.  Eat dinner together at a sports bar and talk about football and basketball.      

3.  Clean a little bit.  :)

4.  Meet with friends.  Eat dinner and cupcakes and snacks together.  Drink tea, coffee, and a little wine. Discuss books we are reading, blogging, workouts, and plans for New Year's. 

5.  Read.  Read.  Read some more.

6.  Reflect on some school practices.  Set a new date for rearranging at school.  (So glad my plans are done for the first week back.  That took some pressure off.)

7.  Bake cupcakes from scratch.  And dinner too. 

  

I'm sure there is more.  And of course I'm still fighting the urge to get crabby because I didn't "accomplish much" over break.  Because I really accomplished a lot.  I've taken that restless energy that teachers experience over a break and aimed it toward my family and friends, and into excitement for going back to work in a couple of days.  

I hope that you too have had time to rest and rejuvenate.  Happy New Year!  

Joy!

Kendra