Life Update

Hey guys! It's been too long! I was scrolling through my photo album this morning and thinking about all kinds of things to share. Sometimes it's hard to pick. If you haven't heard, I've ended my part-time job at Muse Paintbar. The time commitment was too much, and the hours became very draining. So here's what I've been up to instead...

1. Selling children's books! I've become a consultant with Usborne Books and More, since I can't get enough of these books! I've been avidly reading the chapter books and watching youtube "peek inside" videos in order to become an expert on the range of books we offer. Check out my personal collection below! Let me know if you want to host a pop-up party, need recommendations for reluctant readers, or really want to talk books in any way. I'm obsessed. You can check out my online store here.

Just some light weekend reading

I love opening a box of brand new books!

2. Working on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store--I took the plunge during my year off from teaching, and have steadily added more products, built credibility and followers, and seen my profits grow. A lot of careful attention to details is required for each product, and tweaks and improvements are made along the way. I'm always thinking about how I can make my products better for teachers and kids. I now have 178 followers and over a hundred resources (almost all of which are under $5). It's taken a lot of patience but the snowball is rolling and exciting things are to come! You can check out my store here.

I specialize in correlating resources to the VA SOL's.

We read a passage about an experiment with
 eggs and fresh vs. saltwater and then did it!

3. Tutoring--Tutoring has a way of finding you when you, even when you aren't looking for it. I have a hard time turning down the opportunity to help someone this way. We are given gifts in order to share them, right? So I'm unexpectedly working with a college student one evening a week, helping her with her biology and psychology classes. This past week we were using EBSCO to research albinism. Cool! But also a bit of a headache after a long day. I'm glad college is over. I'm also tutoring students after school twice a week to help get them ready for the big tests. I know, I know, kids are over-tested. But we actually really enjoy this small group, intimate learning setting and I'm finding ways to keep the interest alive (FOOD). 


4. Lilly Responsibilities--Lilly girl is alive and well. She is much calmer around the house, but still goes hard at the dog park. She plays fetch with a big purple ball, chasing after it as it rolls and then herding it back to Patrick or me. She will play as long as we let her...20 minutes, an hour, or more. Most days Patrick takes the morning shift and I take her in the evening when I get home. We recently bought a new retractable leash which has made walking (and running!) with Lilly much more pleasurable. Lilly is more cuddly than ever and often makes her self comfortable on our bed. 

One of the interesting Daily Harvest combos:
Pineapple + Matcha (green tea powder)

5. Making Smoothies--Yes, this makes the list. Patrick and I have been smoothie gurus this past month. We got a big bag of frozen fruit from BJ's, and I also bought some Daily Harvest smoothie cups from my dealer, Katie. ;) Either way, it's nice to have a healthy snack option that doesn't spike my blood sugar or make me feel sluggish. Being 30 is full of exciting events, like making your own smoothies!

So that pretty much sums things up, with an extra dose of germs, sneezing, and tissues. I'm ready for the winter blues to end and springtime to arrive! What about you guys??

XOXO,
Maria