I’m hooking up this week with the DC Trifecta girls Mar on the Run, Eat Run Pray DC, and You Signed Up For What!? (<—who’s doing the NYC Triathlon this weekend!!! Good luck Cynthia!!) for today’s topic of: What’s New?!

Well there’s a lot of new happening in Hellyland.

ONE: I go back to work on Monday!!! Last school year, I finished off May seven months pregnant and ready to get out. I packed up my room with doubts that I’d come back. I knew I wanted to take at least a a year off to spend it with my daughter and my newborn son. After that, I’d assess and see where life would take me.

I think it was around when my daughter turned 2 that I started to seriously think about returning to work. Luckily, I have the option and it’s not something I need to do. I feel the need though, as even though I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve spent with my kids, a part of me isn’t ready to let go of my career. My husband and I looked at the logistics of it all, the biggest hurdle being that my work was pretty far away, and we figured we’d give it a shot for one school year and go from there.

So back to school work I go!

TWO: Sticking with the work topic, I’ve mentioned before that I’m planner. I’m old school and like writing things down. With a pencil. In a notebook. No tech notebook computer thing or fancy phone pencil to jot down notes on an e-calendar for this girl!

For the longest time, I used Jim Burke’s The Teacher’s Daybook to write my lesson plans in and keep things organized. Well, a lot of things changed in the one year I didn’t teach, one of them being the Daybook no longer in production 😦

For a couple of days I was stressed out. Then a friend in my running club suggested an Erin Condren planner. I went to her website and found quite a few options and eventually chose this one:

teacher’s lesson planner–favorite things

I was able to personalize it with my name and school (that’s ^ not my name or school fyi) and create a list of my favorite things to run across the cover like in the photo! I’m so excited to get it! It was a little on the pricey side for my liking, but I’ve heard good things about EC planners so I’m looking forward to seeing how it works for me.

THREE: Me going back to work means that my kids start daycare/school. (I like to call it school 🙂 ) Besides the whole getting sick part, they’ve been having a blast. My daughter has been really opening up and participating in music class, art time, and especially reading (that’s my girl!). The other day her teacher told me that she pointed to and said aloud several alphabet letters. It really makes me feel better about returning to work knowing my kids like where they’re at.

I’ve also been having fun with all the dress up days they’ve been having!

Vintage Nash jersey on Sports Day 🙂

FOUR: I’m super pumped I was asked by Fit Approach to try out a new portable tracking device called the Orbit by Runtastic! I’m not a tech savvy person at all, so I feel like I’m a good person to test these types of things out. If I can figure out how to use it, any one can lol! I’m still waiting to receive it so I’ll have a lot more details later this month. In the meantime, here’s a visual of the awesomeness:

Runtastic Orbit

I’ve always been curious about tracking devices, especially ones that monitor how you sleep. As a mom of a two and one year-old, there’s not a whole of it happening. I often wonder, how much real sleep am I getting? I’m excited to find out!

FIVE: The new running group I’ve joined up with, Run Eat Tweet AZ, has been super awesome. I love meeting local runners/bloggers and being able to talk about things around our city. So far, the group is two meet-ups in with the next one in a couple of weeks. One of the girls in the group talked to us about a virtual run she’s hosting for her friend battling a rare type of liver cancer:

5k Run for Courtney

We all decided that our next meet up would be to do this 5k together. It’s amazing how once strangers, we’re now friends coming together to help another with an important cause. Traci, the one hosting the virtual run, is super sweet and has been working so hard to raise money for her friend Courtney.

If you’re interested in doing an inexpensive virtual run the month of August, go here to sign up. There are medals for completing the 5k too 🙂

That’s it from my end! What’s new in your world??

Are you a planner like I am? Have you used a fitness tracker before? Ever done a virtual race?

Have a great weekend amigos!