Biking

This past weekend, Joe and I went on our first mountain biking adventure in Chicago. We've been talking about seriously starting to plan trips and day rides for awhile and with my extra time these past few weeks, I was able to find some great places to ride. I was hoping the trails would be a little more "exciting" than a paved loop and luckily we found something fun and easy going enough to start with. We both had a great time and are already planning our next trip.

Aside from that, life is feeling relaxed while beginning to move into a faster pace for me. Today was my first day back in my new classroom. I went to start cleaning and organizing so I can have things ready for the kids in a couple weeks. Luckily, I really enjoy this easily considered, daunting task. I love the fresh start and creativity it brings. I'm glad I'm going into it this year with a little more wisdom and a lot less students though. I feel like I'm actually going to get to enjoy children again this year and breathe often enough to step back and see some progress. Not that last year wasn't productive, I was just so overly-stressed that I couldn't see it. This year I'm going in with a brand new attitude and honestly excited attitude. You really do learn SO much your first year as a teacher, it's nice to have something to jump off from. I know my new role will have new challenges but I'm embracing that and hoping to enjoy the challenges knowing they are often for a good cause. I feel ready to get back in my classroom and have a great year.