Happy New Years!

Happy New Years friends! I hope you had a wonderful NYE last night and aren't feeling to too badly today. I'm not - I've been sick the past 2 weeks and The Husband and I didn't feel much like partying. After the required Chinese Food (NYE tradition, ya know) and a scorpion bowl, we came home to watch the ball drop in the comfort of our fleece pajamas and down comforter. It was perfect.

In preparation for the New Year, I've joined the fun with Farley's Currently. I haven't done one of these in several months, but with the New Year brings changes, beginnings, and motivation, so I've decided to join in on the fun once again.

listening. Do you stream Spotify on your computer? If not, why not? It's free and amazing. I also pay for a subscription so I can listen to it on the go (in my car, at the gym, etc.) and it's my primary method for streaming music. One of my favorite things about Spotify is it's playlists. You can make your own (I have many times), listen to other user's playlists (and follow them), and listen to Spotify-made ones too. My favorite Spotify-generated playlist is the weekly one that is curated just for me, based on my last weeks' most listened to songs. They take what I'd been listening to and make a playlist based on those preferences. It's almost always on point (except when I accidentally click play on a country album on repeat while I'm away from my computer, and then my playlist is littered with country music. Puke). Regardless, Spotify rocks (no pun intended)

loving. The  Husband works most Saturdays and has a rotating day off during the week. So, unless he's off on a Saturday (every 6 weeks), we really only have Sunday together. Enter: Mid-week Holiday! When he get a holiday off, I usually do too, so today is our day together. Not that we do much on these precious days off, other than sleep in, go to the gym (see below) and snuggle on the couch watching TV, but it's being together that counts :)

thinking. I really enjoy making and sticking with New Year's Resolutions. Something about making a promise to change or complete something you've wanted to do,and hold yourself accountable, is so liberating to me. It makes me feel in control. I've written posts about this in the past, so if you want to read up on tips to stick with yours this year, check em out!

wanting. Being sick makes me sore. Not like flu-symptom sore, just like I-haven't-been moving-my-body-a-lot-and-I'm-starting-to-feel-stiff sore. I could use a good, deep-tissue rub down. However, massages are no fun when you are face down, dripping snot through the head pillow (sorry for the image), so before I head to the spa, I'd like for this cold to go away.

needing. As I mentioned above, our days off together are usually spent heading to the gym at some point. We do this separately on days we are working, but generally go the time the other one will be there, so we are usually working out together. Today however, I was moving just a bit too slow, and The Husband took off without me. I'm wrapped like a burrito in my knit baby blanket, trying to work up the energy to go (not because I'm too sick, but because I'm too lazy).

one little word. Health. Physical health. Mental health. Emotional health. Health.

*to come up with your own OLW for the new year, check out this post from The Chalkboard Magazine.

Before I bid you adieu, I want to remind you of two products you could use in your classroom when you head back to school next week! The first is my New Year's Resolution Mini-Lesson Pack, which has been updated for 2016. It's good for grades K-5 and can be added to any lesson on making goals, resolutions, and the like.

Need something for the older grades? I loved using this product with older students and young adults. The focus is on making SMART goals for sustaining lasting change. It does not have a New Years focus, but can easily be used to focus on making goals for the new year. My Goal Setting for Young People is my #1 best seller right now and has a 4 star rating. It's definitely my favorite product I've created so far :)

I wish you all a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year!