So I am always looking for an inspiration to move me forward, while on Saturday I saw one. My sister in law. Although I would never in a billion years think that she needed to loose weight she has struggled for a few years trying to get off post baby weight. She is very petite and in great shape but was really struggling to hit what was her goal weight. While she posted on Facebook a few weeks ago that she hit her weight. I was so excited for her becasue I know how hard it is to loose weight, especially weight that you lost and regained. I was proud, then on Saturday I saw her....it was more than proud it was jaw dropping how good she looked and instantly made me jealous. Then we chatted and you know how she got to looking that good (the old fashion way with smaller portions and exercising more) damn...I was hoping for a miracle cure. Now I was jealous for about a bit then it led to inspiration. I want that, I want to be at my goal weight. No of course I have way more than she lost I need to loose about 65 more pounds, but it inspired me that if I get exercising more and keep eating the way that I am that I can get there too. So to my sister in law...thanks for the kick in the pants I am so proud of you!

So my hubby and I love us some Oprah. We are taping the final season so we can watch it after the kids go to bed. Sadly we were really upset about the shows content on Monday about education. For those of you who may not have saw it was based on the documentary coming out "Waiting for Superman" and a lot of the episode was our bad teacher get tenured and then they teach forever and it is hurting our kids. As a teacher I would be the first to admit that bad teachers need to go. No Question, No Comment, No Buts...Bad teachers no matter how long they have been teaching need to be fired. That being said....to me the debate is about how do we judge what is bad. As a parent I know that parents feel very strongly about having a good teacher for their child (and they should). Yet, I am concerned over who and what decides a good teacher. I think that teachers should be evaluated by a department head and other veteran good teachers and evaluated on how they teach, their relationship with their students, and their ability to prepare students for tests as well as content material. What I never want to be judged on is if my students are able to take and pass a test. I teach lower level kids who for a variety of reasons they can not no matter what I do, be able to pass certain standardized tests. I would hate to see good teachers, who love their job and are good at it, be fired for students not meeting standards.

So what are your thoughts? How should a teacher be "graded"? Who should grade them? What is considered failing?

So I haven't really been keeping up with the weight update, and unlike my usual MO its not because I haven't been loosing. I have still been loosing about a half a pound to a pound a week. As of now I have lost about 18 pounds since June and am happy with that. As usual I wish it was double that. Then again I need to remember that a pound a week in year will be 50 pounds and half way to my goal. I also know that I need to do this the right way, and in a way that fits into my lifestyle. I am not 22, living on my own, and able to go to the gym every day for at least an hour and half. That ship has sailed and so have the days of 2 plus pounds of weight loss a week. I do need to step up my game and more closely record my food intake. I am hoping to update my weight loss a bit more frequently now that I am making a better effort to work hard to find some me time everyday.

Work-That is the answer. I have headed back to work after a five month maternity leave and it has in plain English kicked my ass. Not only in the fact that I am not used to getting up and working all day, but emotionally as I leave my kids every day. I have never been the kind of woman who feels she needs to be a stay at home mom. I love my Job as a high school teacher and I would never think of doing anything else. But for some reason returning to work with two at home has been hard. There are days where I feel I am running a marathon. Between getting up and getting my oldest ready for daycare/preschool, getting the baby fed and ready for my father to come and watch her, dropping my son off, working all day without any real break (I have to use my one 40min planning period to pump as well as my lunch) and then it is home to get some time in with kids. I promised myself that when they are awake they will get my full attention so I don't do any school work but try to squeeze in some laundry or cleaning. By the time the kids get into bed, lunches are made and I have showered there is barely any time to do anything (hence the no blogging or posting from me) and don't even get my started on that cute guy who lives in my house who I barely get to speak to....I think he might be my husband but sometimes its hard to remember. Oh yeah and then there is that issue of exercising and weight loss that doesn't even begin to make my radar.

Then it hit me the other day (while having a loss of shit moment) that the best thing I can do for my kids is to take care of their mother. I need to carve out some me time in the hot mess that is this working mom lifestyle. I have decided that I am going to try to make a blog post and comment on blogs every other day, exercise even if for only 30 min five times a week, starting on Monday recording what I eat in sparkpeople and try to scrapbook once every other week. I need to be at least a little sane in this crazy world I live in.

Here is to a new refreshed me!!!