The Sunrise Story

It's been months and months since I've blogged. I wish I knew the reason why. I wish I could tell a story to explain. I don't and I can't. Today, I felt the pull to return so here I am blogging again.  Even though I don't know why I stopped, I can share how it feels to be back. I feel refreshed. This feels new again and I am excited to return. Officially, I am declaring my return to blogging after this failure.  My notebook is named "Spectacular Failure" from a quote by Ransom Riggs..."If you must fail, fail spectacularly!" I've always believed in failure. This is the place where learning takes place. My students and I talk about it. It's something I value...but is it something I live? I've been reflecting on that a lot lately and I've come to the conclusion that in my life, I haven't truly valued my failures! Instead, I try and hide them. NO MORE. This stops now.  Leaving blogging for months has been a spectacu...

This week I finished my 76th notebook and started in on my 77th. I love my notebooks. I treasure the time I spend writing inside the blank pages. I value the reflection it provides. A question I've been asked a lot about notebooks is why? Why do I prefer notebooks to digital writing?  First let me confess, that I respect all kinds of writing. It's all important. It's all helpful. It's all worthy...but notebook writing tops them all for me.  1. Connecting. The connection to the page. There's something about the physical connection of pen (or pencil or marker) to a page that feels like coming home to me. I can be anywhere in the world, but the connection to the notebook and the pages inside ground me. I feel closer to the page. I trust it so I write things in my notebook that I wouldn't write anywhere else.  2. Messy. Notebooks are messy. Harvesting the messy and keeping it reminds me to cherish the mess. Writing is messy. Crossing out. Arrows. Sma...

Here is my presentation for the  Northern Virginia Writing Project  Language & Learning Conference!  Enjoy your journey as a notebooker!

Thank you to Ruth Ayres for the opportunity to focus on celebrations every week! September 19 will mark our 100th celebration! Please join us! Today I am celebrating small moments that make up my life! This upcoming week is a week of transition...from summer back to work...so I want to focus on the small moments that bring joy. Notebook writing! I have made a commitment to post a notebook page online everyday.  I want to make my writing open and model my life as a writer for my students. Join me!! I'm using the hashtag #sharingournotebooks right now. I may use another one...haven't decided yet. On the days when my writing is private and I don't want the world to see, I'll Waterlogue it.  I celebrate my notebook writing! I celebrate my Saturday morning writing group. Leigh Anne Eck and Jennifer Laffin and I meet Saturday mornings (via Google Hangout.) I love that we picked mornings because we aren't night people! We share struggles and ...

Thank you to  Ruth Ayres  for the opportunity to focus on celebrations every week!  September 19 will mark our  100th celebration ! Please join us! Today begins a new month. August. This week I celebrate... quiet mornings school supply sales laughter ice cream sparkly lights reflecting looking planning Hope this post finds you in a happy place!  What are you celebrating today?

Thank you to Stacey, Betsy, Dana, Tara, Beth, Anna, Kathleen & Deb for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it. Join us at  Two Writing Teachers .  I am a writer.  Julieanne wrote about her struggle with owning these words today on her blog . I wrote about my own struggle with claiming this title a couple of weeks ago, here .  I am a writer. Since I first blogged about this struggle, I finished a week at a writing retreat. It changed me. I am a writer. I am writing a book.  What changed for me? How are those words easier (not easy) for me to say and mean? Routine and discipline. I am a writer. Every morning, I dedicate two hours to write. I show up even when I don't want to and I put my butt in the chair and my fingers on the keys and I write. That's how I will write a book...a little bit at a time. That's how I am a writer...I write everyday.  Taki...

This has been a whirlwind of a week! There's so much to celebrate. Thank you Ruth for providing inspiration to celebrate weekly! Monday was the National Day on Writing! We wrote like crazy in school this week! I wore my special writing shoes for inspiration... On Tuesday, for no special reason one of my students gave me this. An origami Bella.... These thoughtful & creative gifts from students always warm my heart and make me smile! Wednesday was the one year anniversary of my blog. It was a long day in school and when I arrived home, I was exhausted! I opened the front door and look what arrived... I ordered this a long time ago from Erin Condren (or so it felt) and it arrived on the perfect day. LOOK what's inside! A new notebook and some other goodies...I think I'll use this for my NCTE notebook! Thursday, I just needed comfort food. Look what I made for lunch. Who knew that a bologna & cheese sandwich could make me so happ...