Currently July

It's time for Currently, thanks to Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade!

Here is what is happening currently in my life.

Listening
It's amazing what you hear when you have time to listen.  I'm not a very good listener.  Honestly, I just can hardly stop talking long enough to listen.  If I had to describe how my brain works in three words it would be "supersonic hamster wheel" (perhaps that is 4 words).  My mouth works the same way.  That might make me a bad friend, but at least I'm aware and thinkin' about trying to start fixin' the problem. :)  Anyway, I do love to listen to birds chirping.  The fact that I have time to listen makes it even better.

Loving
Yesterday, my 7 year old son competed in a 25 meter swim race for our swim club's swim team.  He's not even on the swim team, but based on his performance during lessons they invited him to try it.  It was his 8th time swimming a full lap in the "deep lap pool" and he there he was in a real race.  We're callin' him brave boy!  

Speaking of brave, one of my friends recently introduced me to the Brave Girls Club.  It's all about girls being good to each other.  I love their daily messages and my ten year old daughter and I started our own "Brave Girls Club" journaling project this summer.  We journal about the daily prompts they send out.  She makes an entry and I make an entry on the same topic for the day.  My daughter is brave, but I want her to feel empowered to be herself, respect others who are different and encourage other girls by being positive.  

Thinking
A camping we will go...for 17 - 20 days depending on the weather.  We can't wait!  But that means a ton of packing and preparing.  

Wanting
Oh how I wish chocolate, french fries, banana cinnamon milkshakes, running and weight loss would go well together.  Don't worry, I also eat healthy things. I've been running...but life seems too short to give up all the things I love to eat.  I used to be able to just run more and lose any unwanted weight.  Now, not so much. Blah, blah, blah.

Needing
manicure - on the schedule for tomorrow
fresh highlights - gonna let the sunshine reflecting off the lake during my trip take care of that and then I'll schedule an appointment when I emerge from the woods
exercise plan for the school year - wish I could figure that out between soccer, baseball, dance and piano lessons

Tips, Tricks, Hints
It's important to remember why you started blogging.  It is easy to get caught up and in over your head.  The bottom line is that I need balance and I give myself a limit when I sit down to blog, create and/or network online.  For that reason, I don't post as often as some.  I miss some posts by my favorite bloggers and sometimes I am out of the loop on certain things.  That being said, I still feel super grateful for each of you who read my blog, excited when I talk to my best blogging friends and inspired by the wonderful ideas that teachers are willing to share.

Carpe Diem!  I'm off to do just that with a little bit of relaxing (my OLW) on the porch with my own little ones and a pile of books.