Finally using up some sweet potatoes

Today I am trying my hand at a sweet potato pie using some combination of these recipes:

here, Here, and HERE....we'll see :) I've never even eaten sweet potato pie, but I am sure I will like it. I am making the puree using the crockpot method I found from THIS website. So glad I won't be wasting these little beauties.

Sparkle Fingers!

We had our Girls on the Run race today and it was a lot of fun! My two running buddies rocked it! We had excellent weather, perfect for running. The race is always so special for the girls because the finish line is inside Toyota Park and they display the girls on the jumbotron.

Running a race always makes me want to sign up for another one. I am comfortable running a 5K at a slow pace, but I want to work up to feeling comfortable running at least five miles. I don't know if I am ready anytime to run another half marathon, but we'll see. I have been toying with the idea...especially if it is in a fun city :)

Time to eat my leftover greek chicken and orzo and do a little knitting! What a lovely day!

more thoughts on success

Success today is going to the library for picture books for a unit on inferencing and loving it. Success is looking online for reading comprehension ideas to help me teach...without pressure, for pleasure, because I enjoy teaching.

Success is sitting through a meeting this past week--getting chastised--except this time, leaving the meeting knowing that I am doing a good job and staying confident in what I know works (see our results from last year).

The me of previous years would have wilted and felt more insecure at a bad meeting. The me this year realizes that you can't please everyone and I know that I have my students best interests in mind. period. I feel so much freedom and I know this will only help me to do a better job than last year. Last year I felt so much worry and anxiety. This year, I feel hope, I feel like trying new things, I feel like working harder than ever and it is self-driven, not out of fear that I will get a bad review. SUCCESS! I am SO loving this concept of one little word. January will be here soon and I am already thinking about the word I will focus on in 2012. Still not ready to give up the word, success, though, because I know I have more to learn. Small steps (this is a hard concept for me. I want things fast and RIGHT NOW).