School work and a rare night out got in the way of me posting for the past couple of days. Things have been super busy at school (my first external lesson observation was today), and I got the chance to let my hair down and boogie at a Billy Ocean gig on Wednesday night!
Normal posting resumes today :)

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1. I get that wonderful Friday feeling after my lesson observation this morning, which went well despite my worries :)

2. An early night (after almost falling asleep in the bath).

3, Putting on my dressing gown.

1. When I wake up early, I hear birds cheeping outside the bedroom window and it encourages me to start my day with a smile.

2. It's actually daylight when I drive to school.

3. I pick up more fresh ingredients at the supermarket.

1. Enjoying something different in my sandwich (cottage cheese with tomato and basil rather than my usual chicken).

2. Rather than getting something out of the freezer and sticking it into the oven, I cook a spaghetti bolognese with fresh ingredients. It's very relaxing, and the difference in the taste is noticeable.

3. Achieving a work-related goal I set for myself.

1. My boyfriend surprising me with a Sunday breakfast of bacon and eggs.

2. Fresh air coming in through the open window.

3. The way the sun lights up the kitchen.

4. Families walking past with their dogs.

1. Watching the birds in the garden next door.

2. A lone star in the evening sky.

3. A long chat with my nearest and dearest, putting the world to rights.

1. Hearing the children enjoying their activities at school. It makes the hours of hard work worthwhile.

2. The smell of bramley apple and blackberry pie baking in the oven for our pudding.

3. The smell of the fabric conditioner as I open the washing machine door to unload at the end of the cycle.

1. Interesting podcasts on the way to school.

2. Bubbles in the bath.

3 A hug at the end of the day.

1. Setting off to school early to prepare for the day.

2. Hearing the church bells chime to signal the time as I arrive at school.

3. Our cockatiel greeting me with a chirp as I arrive home at the end of the day.

1. A clear blue sky greets me through the kitchen window when I pull up the blind.

2. Through the classroom window I can see beautiful rolling hills. Today they're covered in snow and glowing as the sun shines down on them.

3. I have a relatively productive afternoon and evening, and I'm brimming with ideas for the classroom.

4. My boyfriend's mum pops round for a cup of tea and brings some homemade beef stew.

1. Waking up to the alarm, then going back to bed for half an hour!

2. Looking out at the view from the classroom window as it snows.

3. Staying a bit later than usual after school to sort out the classroom.

1. Waking up before the alarm goes off.

2. My boyfriend grips me tightly as his foot sinks unexpectedly into a concealed puddle of mud.

3. Sitting down with a cup of tea after a wild and windy walk across the moors.

4. Sharing the last chocolate bar in the cupboard with my boyfriend.

1. Enjoying a glorious lie-in after a tiring week.

2. Running in the rain.

3. Hearing the wind howling outside the window while I'm snug and warm inside :)

4. Receiving a message in the steam on the bathroom mirror.

1. Coming home to find that the tulips I bought last week are really coming to life.

2. Spending quality time with my boyfriend, who I hardly see these days, despite living under the same roof.

3. On my way to school, I pass people peacefully taking their dogs for morning walks.

4. I'm told by a child's mum that her son is really happy that I'm teaching his class, and another boy tells me later that he likes me and would like me to go round to his house for tea!

5. I get that wonderful Friday feeling when I finish teaching at the end of the morning, but then I realise that I've actually had a fabulous week, despite my initial nerves.

1. An unruly and unpredictable little boy says an unexpected thank you when I do something as simple as passing him something which belongs to him. It gives me hope!

2. I really don't feel like going for a run, but since I'm running a marathon in May I drag myself out anyway. I'm so thankful! For the first time all week, I manage to completely switch off from the world and for a blissful 30 minutes, school never enters my mind.

3. My boyfriend offers me some kind support with a problem I've been having, and I really appreciate his concern.

1. Sticking a favourite CD on in my car and bopping all the way to school. It takes my mind off the day ahead!

2. I give a group a task in maths; to take a clipboard and a ruler and measure things in the classroom. A boy who is normally quite unsettled and disruptive throws himself into the task. It makes me proud to see him absorbed in an activity.

3. I spend the afternoon writing up my extensive lesson evaluations so I've got some time to myself tonight to relax and do some reading.

4. My brother rings me just to see if I've had a good day in school.

1. I'm terrified before I start my first day of teaching practice, but the nerves reassure me that this is something I really want to do, and I want to do it well. The morning isn't as bad as I anticipate, and I feel much better.

2. I acknowledge and reward a girl who always listens beautifully, and her smile makes my day.

3. I spend a lovely half an hour on the phone to my mum.

1. I make egg and bacon sandwiches for breakfast.

2. We visit my boyfriend's nanna and sit chatting by the fire in the living room. Her house is so lovely and warm!

3. My recent lack of inspiration seems to be a thing of the past and I'm filled with a renewed desire to experiment with my camera. I get it out and start playing. Producing the end result is time-consuming but lots of fun! It provides me with inspiration to use the camera more often - practising is the only way to improve.

1. My little sister invites me to play with her, and we spend a happy hour 'going to the shops', matching numbers and building with bricks. It's a real privilege to see her blossoming into a bubbly child with her own individual personality.

2. Treating myself to tea from the chip shop.

3. More indulgence... Chatting and catching up with my awe-inspiring grandad over a frothy hot chocolate.

Let's try this again, shall we?

Oh dear. That was a fairly long blogging break. A lack of inspiration and a lack of time seem to have prevented me from posting over the past couple of months, but I've been doing a lot of contemplating lately. I've made it one of my goals this year to really take the time to slow down, do things for me and appreciate the little pleasures, despite what else might be going on around me. I've even roped my boyfriend into it by buying him a diary for Christmas, so he's got somewhere to document all his lovely thoughts.

To coincide with the new year (fresh start and all that), ideas have been cramming my mind about what I'd like to achieve in 2009. I'll be running my first marathon in May this year, so I'll no doubt be documenting the ups and downs of my training here. I'd like to take my photography hobby further and start to get to grips with all the things my camera can do. I'm interested in taking up knitting, or scrapbooking, or something similarly arty and creative. I'd really love to pursue my acting dreams from my school days by joining some kind of amateur dramatics club. More simply, I'd just like to make more time for myself, to read more books and magazines, to watch more films, to spend more quality time with my boyfriend and my family. Basically, a couple of things have happened to make me realise that life's too short and I want to start filling mine with more meaningful, enriching activities. Stopping to take more notice of the simple pleasures I encounter every day can only be a good place to start. So let's hope there won't be any more unplanned absences!

My day:

1. I wake up and find that the flowers I bought my boyfriend yesterday are beginning to come to life and say hello to the world.

2. I finally begin to feel at ease with my teaching placement which begins on Monday, and I make real progress with my planning.

3. I enjoy a lovely candlelit meal with my boyfriend when he comes home from work, complete with Angel Delight for pudding! I light the scented candle my dad gave me for Christmas, which fills the flat with the smell of "sweet pomegranate juice, maraschino cherries, ripe honeydew and juicy watermelon".