Summer Goals

It's summer break for this teacher and I couldn't be more relieved. The end of the year is always such a whirlwind, and this year proved to be no different.  If you've been a reader for awhile and you've got one heck of a memory, you know the beginning of last school year was a struggle for me. Although I grew as a teacher (especially in the patience department), it was a tough year from beginning to end. So for summer to finally be here, I'm completely thrilled and ready for a break.
Last summer was one for the books - with our wedding last June and our honeymoon trip to the Bahamas - it'll be a tough one to beat. Although this summer isn't quite so eventful, there are a lot of things I'm really excited for! I'm really looking forward to the time for myself and of course, spending time with friends and family. This summer will probably my last one by myself, so I want to take advantage of the next few weeks before I'm completely consumed with school. 
So in honor of my summer vacation starting, I've created a list of summer goals I hope to accomplish by August!

one || put myself on a schedule
With everybody working during the day, and little ol' me sitting at home with my dogs, I want to make sure that I'm being my most productive self. My goal is to be most productive in the morning and early afternoon - waking up early, exercising, chores around the house, working on school plans, blogging, etc - so by the time Cody comes home from work, I'm able to relax and enjoy my time with him. 
two || exercise
My excuse during the school year is normally "too busy to workout" and although it may be true some days, now I really don't have time as a way out. Whether it be a yoga DVD, walking on the treadmill, or walking Maci through the neighborhood, I want to be active.
three || read a book or two
I used to love reading, and then it just became a lost cause. So with my down time this summer, it would be a great way to relax and take advantage of this time on my hands.
four || create unit lesson plans
Although I probably won't start this until the end of June/beginning of July, I knew I wanted to start creating lesson plan units as soon as I found out I would be staying in the same grade level. A lot of my time is lost during the school year working on plans that I probably already planned the year before and forgot. I started in May working on science units, so hopefully I can knock out some more units to benefit me this school year.
five || enjoy a week vacation with my husband
The Bahamas aren't on our destination list this year, but we are spending a week in Maryland/Delaware to visit Cody's relatives. We're hoping to spend some time exploring the area's attractions and maybe hit the beach at some point. And hopefully enjoy some time just the two of us.
six || celebrate a year of marriage
This Sunday marks one year since we tied the knot last June! I seriously can't believe it! We haven't made official plans yet for the day, but spending the day together will be more than enough!
seven || decorate our house
Now that schools out, the decorating bug has bitten me. I'm hoping to start putting together our kitchen and living room before summer's over.
eight || enjoy friends + family
Kicking back and relaxing with loved ones sounds like the perfect summer to me!