New Blog Design and February Currently!

Notice anything different? 

If you were my husband, your answer would probably be no. But since you're not, I hope you LOVE my new blog design by the FABULOUS Megan from A Bird In Hand Designs and I Teach. What's Your Superpower? I feel like a brand new person!

I am seriously in love and could not be happier with how it turned out. 

When I started this blog a few years ago (but then waited a year to actually publish a post), I purchased a pre-made design and didn't realize that a pretty big TPT'er and blogger had the exact same one. I felt like a major copycat but didn't want to spend a fortune on a new design. 

Enter Megan. 

Now I have something that I absolutely love and am so very proud of. Everything, from my new fabulous signature to the tiny star next to my web address, is perfect. 

If you're new to blogging or just need an update, check out her site RIGHTNOW!

You won't regret it! 

And I love that my first post on my new blog is February Currently with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade! January was ROUGH. February isn't starting out so hot either since I still don't have a voice, but I have high hopes. 

I also turn {gulp} 30 this month, so it has to be good. Right??

Listening: Since my babies are napping right now, all I can hear is the ticking of the clock on the wall and the hum of the fridge in the kitchen. Ahhhhhhh….

Loving: My new blog design, of course!! 

Thinking: I could really use another day off, so I wish I had snow outside my window like so many others do. All we have here is rain. :(

Wanting: I lost my voice yesterday. A squeak or a weird, deep barky sound is about all that will come out. I really really really hope I wake up tomorrow to find that my normal voice has found it's way back, or tomorrow will not be fun. I should probably brush up on my sign language tonight.

Needing: I have yet to begin my plans for the week. I should probably get started on that…

Pageant Title: I don't think I even need to explain this one after the "Needing" part. I drive my husband absolutely insane with my procrastination. Things like, "Can we run in Target on the way, so I can pick up a gift for this party we're on our way to right now?" make him want to jump from a moving vehicle. But you know what? It all gets done. Just makes things a little stressful sometimes. 

I'll work on it. 

Tomorrow. :) 

I hope you all have a fabulous day! Enjoy the commercials game! My store is 20% off today, too! 

January Currently!

Somehow another fabulous year has come to an end, and it's time to begin 2015!  

Here's what I've been up to today: 

Listening: At the time when I started this, my little family was hanging out in the basement, and my girls were watching Handy Manny on TV. 

Loving: I freaking love Christmas Break. Almost as much as Summer. And Spring Break is a close third. It's the best feeling in the world to be sitting in my living room snuggled up with my family in my sweatpants on a Thursday afternoon. I love me some sweatpants. 

Thinking: Alas, all good things must eventually come to an end, and I know Monday will be here before I know it. In fact, I kept having mini panic moments today thinking that today was Sunday. Yikes. A full five day week after two weeks off is never fun, but I went to school on Tuesday for a few hours to get some things done and organize my massive stack of papers I failed to file this semester, so I feel slightly more prepared. 

Wanting: I had REALLY hoped to finish a product or two over break. Or even a blog post. But I started this post around 1:30 this afternoon, and here it is now 9:20. My priority is always my family, so work takes a backseat when my babies are awake. My 14 month old is drawn to my laptop like a moth to a porch light, so there's really no getting work done when I'm home. There are still a few days left, so  we'll see how productive I can be these next few nights…

Needing: I. MUST. STOP. EATING. CRAP. Junk food has been my vice this entire school year. My name is Marissa, and I'm a hardcore stress eater. I love healthy food, but chips and cookies just taste so good. My main resolution for 2015 is to keep these items out of my shopping cart. Hopefully my bathroom scale will give me some good news in return. 

My definite YES: The second annual Spring Teacher Blogger Meet Up in French Lick, Indiana is happening the weekend of March 13-15, and I will most definitely be there. If you would also like to attend this AMAZING event, visit Holly Ehle's blog for more information. 

My Maybe: I really, really hope I can make it back to Vegas this summer for the I Teach 1st! and TPT conferences. Last year was amazing but crazy expensive. We'll see if I can make that happen…

My Wish: This wish is a total pipe dream at this point since I can't manage to even finish and post a product lately (see "Wanting" above). Most milestone sellers have at least ten times the products I have in my store, but I'll get there someday!! A big, huge thank you to all those who have supported me so far! 

Meanwhile, I'm thankful for a few more days off with my family before heading back to kick off the second semester of my eighth year of teaching!

Check out all of the other Currently posts at

Happy New Year, Friends!! :)

September Currently!

Today is the first day of September, so I'm linking up with Farley at 

for CURRENTLY! 

Here's a peek at what I'm up to right now: 

Listening: My four year old LOVES books, and she's recently started "reading" them. This makes my teacher heart cup runneth over to see her use the pictures (and what she remembers) to tell the story. 

Loving: I don't really know who came up with this whole five days of work and two days off schedule, but I'm not a fan. Four and three seems like a MUCH better balance. I love being at home with my babies! 

Thinking: My plans for the next four days are definitely not done. We have a new evaluation tool in my district this year, which will be tied to our pay, so my lesson plans have become a lot more detailed. I started using Planbook.com this year to plan lessons, and I love it, but it takes me FOREVER to plan. 

Wanting: We were under a heat advisory for a week. Temps in the 90's but felt like 105 with humidity like you wouldn't believe. It felt like bus duty on the Equator. We had to have indoor recess every day, and the air conditioning went out at least twice. Not fun. I'm really hoping September brings cooler temps our way! 

Needing: I think my baby redhead may have an ear infection again. But of course, it's Labor Day, so her pediatrician's office is closed. I thought the After Hours clinic was open tonight, but it was actually open during the day, so by the time I called, they were booked. And all of the Urgent Care centers have two hour waits. It would be more torturous to make my baby girl wait in a germ-infested room for two hours than to just treat her at home until I can get her into her doctor in the morning. Darn back to school germs! 

3 Trips: I need a teleporter. I HATE traveling. It takes forever, and something always goes wrong. On the way back from Vegas this summer, I set off the scanner thing, and the TSA employee yelled, "I NEED A FEMALE SUPERVISOR!" You'd think they'd have walkie talkies or something, but nope. After waiting an eternity for a female supervisor to show up, I was escorted to a private room for a lovely pat down. Not the way I like to start my day. I love visiting new places and actually being on vacation, but getting there sucks. So who knows if I'll ever actually GO to these places, but I'd love to see them eventually. 

Hope you all have had a fabulous long weekend!!