I survived...so far!

I survived the first week of school and I am almost done with the second week! Whoo hoo! The first week was super super hard. My body was starting to give out on me with the stress and the sleep deprivation and the new germs from my kids. But this week is going WAY better. WAYYYY better! I feel good, I know my kids better everyday and we are all learning our way more and more. I have 27 second graders right now but September 2nd I will give up 5 of my kids to the new teacher. I am sad about losing those 5 kids, I am really getting attached to them and to all my students. It is so funny how quickly we are getting attached to each other. Even my tough kids that give me problems all the time hug me and draw pictures for me. I really can honestly say that this is exactly what I want to be doing. I love it! I love my kids even if they make me crazy with their incessant talking. They are good kids, they have good hearts and I so appreciate being able to share this experience with them.





Evie is doing GREAT! She is saying more words all the time. Some new ones that I hadn't heard include funny and don't. I love it! She is getting prettier every day and I am amazed at how well she is handling me being at work all day. She is doing fantastic with our new schedule! =)

Progress...

Here is my room as of today at 445PM.





I found out today that I will have 25 students. That number will probably go down to 20 or 22 by the end of next week. I got to help register new students today, that was really cool! I will take more pics of my door and room tomorrow. Tomorrow night is Open House for all parents and students. I am working on my packets for my parents. The packet will include a letter of introduction, class schedule, supply list, and student handbook. Wish me luck everybody, tomorrow will be a very busy day =)

Being a Teacher

I have already been put in charge of my school's Art contest and I have been charged with the task of creating an Artist of the Month program. We already have a composer of the month program. I am soo thrilled to be asked to do these things! It makes me very happy to be asked to help with school things. =)

Yesterday I got the greatest compliment. My mentor teacher came into my room and said it looked great. On top of that she said she wanted to steal my morning routine idea! That is about the most flattering thing that could have happened to me on my first day of preplanning. I spent the morning like a deer in headlights so having that happen in the afternoon gave me the burst of confidence I needed.

What is my morning routine you ask? I am going to have the kids come in and file their homework under their name and then place their folders in my inbox. Then I will have them pick up their journals (that I am providing) and sit down. I bought some creative and silly journal starter books, I will put one up every morning and have them write. I will also have a math problem of the day that I will put up everyday for kids that finish the journal work really fast. I am super excited about the journals. I always always loved journal writing as a student, even at the college level I found it to be one of my favorite aspects of my classes. I think that teaching young children to just express themselves through the written word is so empowering. And their journals are for them, I won't grade them on grammar or spelling, or making sense. I just want them to have as many opportunities as possible to write for fun. I have personally kept journals my whole life, and now I keep a blog =)

My Classroom

OMG!! I had no idea, no clue how much work it is to get ready for school as a teacher until today. WOW! I worked my fanny off today and I made progress but my room still has a long way to go. Because you are a loyal reader I will now subject you to before and after photos of my classroom. (BTW, I LOVE having my own classroom!)


Here is my classroom door.


Here is the view from the back wall, this is the before shot.


Here is the after.



Here is my room from the back left corner, this is the before shot.



Here is the after shot.



And here is a shot of my room as I left it today. This is from the front right corner of my room.

Evie Update: 2 Year Check Up, Potty Training, Vaccines

Yesterday was a really big day for Evie. She got her first vaccinations ever at her 2 yr old check up. Ben and I decided to delay vaccinating her until we felt she was old enough and actually needed to be vaccinated. Well she is going to school this year and because she will be exposed to so many new germs and kids we felt it was the right choice to start vaccinating her. She got 6 shots yesterday in her thighs, the total number of vaccines was 9. I was extremely nervous about how her body would handle the shots. She is completely fine so far (knock on wood). She is a little more tired and crabby than normal but otherwise she is doing great! I have been checking her temperature every few hours to make sure she doesn't have a fever.

At our appointment Evie's pediatrician talked to us about potty training. I have had Evie in Pull-Up diapers for months now and she has a potty seat at my house and at Ben's house. We each work with her to sit on the potty and in general to be comfortable with the potty. So today I got her a step stool to get on the potty by herself. I also started working with her to pull her pants and shorts up and down herself. Hopefully soon she will make the choice to pee and poop in the potty instead of her pants. =)



Other than all that she is talking up a storm! Sonya, our daycare lady, says Evie talks all the time and she is very excited. I am so happy at how much she has grown up in the last few months. A friend of mine recently gave me a small table and chairs set, a spinny thing for evie to sit on, 2 huge bags of clothes, and a huge box of books. I am thrilled because Evie loves all the books and the table and chairs and the spinny thing. And she looks ADORABLE in her new clothes! Yay for good friends!! =)





And in me news I start working tomorrow. I go to new teacher orientation tomorrow and Friday and Monday. I am very very excited and a little nervous. I can't believe I will be in charge of thirty 2nd graders in less than 2 weeks!!! Here is what I am gonna wear to my first day of orientation. What do ya think? Sorry the pic is so dark.

All Dressed Up...

OMG, have you ever had a pair of shoes that you were sure were made for your feet? These are they for me. =)

Evie's Bday Present from Nana!

Evie and Emani Hug

Emani and Evie sing Ring Around the Rosy

Emani's Birthday Party

Evie and I went to our friend Emani's 2 year birthday party this past weekend. It was a total BLAST!! Here are some pics for your enjoyment. Videos to follow in separate posts =)

Moving to the Cottage

Today I am moving Evie and I into the cottage. I am excited about her and I having our own little club house =) So I will post pics of her and I in our new place in a few days. A big fat special thanks to Grammy and Gramper for letting us rent the cottage. Even though I got them both sick with a sinus cold/infection they are helping me get moved and that is worthy of a medal or something!

I Got It!!!

YAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!! I am going to be a 2nd grade teacher this year!! HOORAYY!! I went to the interview and the prinicipal offered me the job on the spot and I gleefully excepted =)

I start new teacher orientation next week, holy sheep! After new teacher orientation is preplanning and then the kids come, eeps! I feel really good about this school and this principal, it is a very team oriented and organized school and that is the kind of environment that I thrive in so I think this will be a great place to work.

YAY! =)

Evie and Me and Evie and Gramper

Evie Present Opening Video

Evie's Birthday Presents!

Evie got a microphone to sing in, a cash register, a picnic set with basket, and two dresses for her birthday. She is wearing one of the dresses in these pics. She had a wonderful birthday. She went to the park and a jumping place with her Daddy and then she had dinner with me and her Grammy and Gramper and opened presents with us too. All in all she had a great 2nd birthday =)

Happy 2 year Birthday Evelyn!!!

Two years ago today you came into our side of this world. I wanted you so much! I could not wait to meet you and hold you in my arms. And you made your entrance into our world so easily. My birth with you was everything I could have hoped for and more. Having you at home with your Dad and my parents and Heather and Christine was exactly what I wanted and needed. There was more love in that house that day then I have ever felt before. You bring so much love and light into my life and into everyone's life you encounter. You could light up the state of Georgia with your smile and your laugh. You are truly a gift to me and your Dad. He and I may not have succeeded at marriage but we definitely succeeded at making and raising the smartest, sweetest, funniest, and silliest child ever. And you are the greatest gift that your grandparents and great grandparents have ever received. Your Grammy and Gramper love you more than anything in this world, anything. They tell me all the time how much they love you and how incredible you are to them. Your Nana never fails to mention how amazing you are when she calls me. Your Mimi and Grandpop feel the same way too. And your Gigi and George and Great Grandma Evelyn and Oma love you to pieces too! And your Uncles Paul and Stan and Aunts Karen and Vanessa all love you tons as well! You won't know for many many more years how amazing your existence is to us and what an amazing and wonderful impact you have had on all of us but that is okay. For now just know that when I rock you and bathe you and kiss you and chase you and tickle you I am in heaven. And the same goes for your Dad I am sure and your Grandparents and your Aunts and Uncles. We all love you so much!!

Happy Birthday Evie! =)