It's Back to the Stacks

Having a month long vacation from school is wonderful until...  Until you have to get back into the swing of things.  I love my job as a teacher.  The least favorite part of it all - studying.  Why can't I just remember everything?  Teaching four different science classes are fun 95% of the time, especially when you get to play with experiments!  My students enjoy that the most.  However, each class cannot have an experiment every time we meet.  Looking for creative ways to keep them engaged is often like corralling ants back into an ant pile after it has been disturbed, especially when you have a rather large class of middle school students. I do love that age and enjoy my students so very much!  


Balance - that is the structure I'm currently working on.  Not balance as in trying to hold a million spinning plates in the air all at once, but finding a balance between work, rest, play, and well, just life.  I tend to hyper focus on one thing and then burn myself out if I am not careful.  

My current read is this book. Bruce Miller does not like the word balance, but refers to life as a rhythm - keeping a beat.  My problem is finding the time to read and meditate on what he suggests.  Early morning is my favorite part of the day.  I am at my best then.  So I begin my day with the Lord and coffee, have my computer time, then try to fit in a bit of reading. 


This morning, I made pasta salad so it could be cooling while I continue on with my morning routine. I've included the recipe at the bottom of my post, just in case you wanted to try it.  It sure is easy-peasy to make!


I do not teach in the middle of the week, but work on lesson planning, uploading things to the school web site, typing, reading, and studying, which takes the majority of the day (as in today).  This afternoon I have to go purchase some experiment supplies for tomorrow's classes - yeah...we get to play!  





Pasta Salad
1 box of whole grain spiral pasta (cooked according to the package directions
1 head of broccoli
1 red bell pepper
2 sections of green onions
1 pint of grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
3/4 pound Genoa Salami - sliced thick (from the deli)
3/4 pound Virginia Baked Ham - sliced thick (from the deli)
(I would add chopped Greek olives and some feta cheese, but my husband does not like that, so I leave it out)
Ken's Greek Salad Dressing (about 3/4 or the bottle)


Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Chop up all the vegetables and meat into bite-sized chunks.  Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and add the salad dressing.  I use about 3/4 or the bottle at first, and then once it is cool, I may add more if necessary.  Stir well and refrigerate for at least two hours - overnight is best.  ~Enjoy!


Thank you for stopping by.  I know today's post was not exciting, but it is small peek inside my life. I hope you have a wonderful day today - I pray you experience joy somehow-someway.  


Until next time... ~Pamela