Parties parties parties!

This past week was a pretty busy one here!  2 of my favorite teacher friends retired, whoo whoo!!! I am always excited to welcome anyone to the NON-TEACHING club! I mean now we can have lunch anytime and not worry about school or 30 minutes to scarf down our food...ah a teacher's life.

Congrats to two AMAZING women... FWISD has no idea what next year will be like without you!  You have shaped and touched more lives than you even know about.  Thank you for caring about all children no matter what!!

Our first party was for Donna, she is a hoot! I love that woman because she is the teacher you will never forget.  She loves helping kids out, but will tell you the truth..my kind of lady.  Donna is a true teacher...I mean she taught 5th graders for gosh the past 7 years that I have know here.  I would never and yes I said never teach a HORMONAL age like that.  I love my sweet babies who still cry when they get in trouble.  Really she was wonderful with them.  They knew exactly what where and how things were to be done..pretty sure they would eat me alive.  I admire her for the crap she has put up with over her years!  There were about 5 of us who hosted the party and it was surprise!  We had it at our local happy hour location to keep things under wraps!  I was so excited to see everyone who turned out to show her just what a wonderful teacher she was.

waiting for Donna to get there...

The shock...ha ha got ya 

 Just some of the lovely ladies that have all taught with Donna...we may not all still be teachers or at the same school but friends always!

The host

and one sleepy baby girl! 

The second party was for Carey! Oh sweet Carey she will always be a great role model to me.  She was one of the sweet teachers who took me in when I was just a new little teacher.  You know I had no idea about real teaching...well Carey was a PRO! She is the most organized and perfect teacher I have ever seen.  Rarely have I heard her voice raise above a sweet talking voice.  She is the one who can control sweet kinder students by the look of an eye..you know the teacher you always want to be like!! I love her for helping make my teaching career such a success.  She will always be a dear friend to me! Her party was actually held here at the house...there were about 8 people who helped host it.  I was in charge of the house, YIKES!!  But let me tell you those other ladies were amazing..they came right in and made our pretty blank slate of a house (I still haven't hung stuff up..ahh) look amazing.  The party was such a great success!  Also I now know that my house works pretty good for large groups, which I'm super pumped about (watch out Chris many more parties to come)  I am so thankful that the gang trusted in our "just moved in" style to be looking good enough to host such a special event.

Thankfully one of Carey's family members was in charge of pictures..because between greeting, chasing Miss H, and such I FAILED at that!!  I have a pic of the cake and well that is about it! BOO!

First day....

Today is the first day of school for TEACHERS and KIDS!  Today I am not going back to work...Last week I didn't have to work in my classroom while all my friends did.  People keep asking me if I am SAD?  Hum let me see.....

1) I get to enjoy this smiling face every single day.

her 6 month pic

2) I get to see Miss H learn new things every moment of every day. 

pulling up for the first time

3) I get to love and kiss on her any second I want.

Do I need to answer that question?  I am pretty sure you can see I am NOT sad about my missing the FIRST day of school.  I am sad all my friends are going back to work.  I mean who else will we do lunch with now?  I am sad to miss the social aspect of talking with my teacher friends and such, but we will see them at choir practice.

I'm pretty sure Chris isn't sad either as I have not ONCE hit a back to school sale.  You see office supplies are one of my favorite things along with Sharpies.  I have not once thought about going to a sale and buying any of them.  He couldn't be happier since every year has consisted of me asking him to come help get the right color or number of folders each year.

However, I am excited for all my friends to begin their school year.  I know it will be wonderful, as I have sat and listened to all the rosters as you prepare.  You guys will do an amazing job and touch many lives this year.  Good luck and let us know if you need any extra hands.  We are always willing to come help out!

Bitter sweet...

This past Monday was bitter sweet for me....I headed back to work for my first day back since Miss H, and my last day of teaching!  I am so excited and thankful that I am able to be a stay at home mom!  I couldn't imagine missing anything that Miss H does....yes even the blow out poops.  However, it was a little sad to clean up my class room.  I mean I have been teaching for 6 years.  I have taught K-2 through out the years and at 2 different schools.

The bitter sweet part is that I had finally found an AMAZING school and family there. I love, love, love Sweet Lily B.  There really is no other school like this one.  The staff and work environment are over the top.  Not to mention the outstanding families and PTA.  I have never seen a community like Lily B....and am sad that I was only able to enjoy it for the past 2 years.

I had a heavy heart leaving my kids for many reasons.  1) this was by far my sweetest class...they were so loving and wonderful.  I had no real behavior issues, which was so nice.  2) the families...man my families this year were just as amazing as their children.  They were so supportive. 3) Sweet S (my special needs child), he had such a bad rap at school for his past 2 years...and well needless to say he and I were wonderful together.  He was succeeding and making progress acadmically and socially as apposed to spending everyday in the office.  I knew once I left to have the baby things would probably change with him and that broke my heart.  Not a day went by that we didn't talk about how when I left I would still be checking on him...and that I had to be gone with the baby for a while.  Come January he was so prepared he could give me the speech by heart...."Mrs. Roberts' has to be with the baby and I am going to continue to follow the rules and do my best work even if it is not fun or kind of hard...so on and so on."

When I did leave in January, it was just for maternity leave (at least that is what my parents were told...for contractual reasons I couldn't say more)  Finally at spring break I was able to inform them that I had made the choice to stay home...by this time they were good with my sub and life seemed to go on pretty good without me.  That made my choice of staying home so much better...and it showed me that my kids were pretty prepared for the new teacher to step in.  Thank heavens...I did worry about that all year...actually I think I probably taught harder this year than the past just because I wanted to make sure every child was well beyond where they needed to be when I left.

Now, where does this leave me....excited because I get to see my beautiful daughter grow everyday. I just can't picture myself leaving her with someone else and heading off to teach.  I mean I loved my job as a teacher.  I loved seeing my student succeed and grow, but I just couldn't do that rather than be with my own little one.  When we found out I was pregnant last May we knew right then and there I would be making a choice to stay home once she was born.  Chris and I both come from families were our moms were there for everything...I can remember to this day going to 1/2 day kinder (yeah when that was around...I know I am old) and then spending the afternoon with mom.  I want Miss H to have those same wonderful memories. I know she wont remember it all now, since she only 4 months old....but in the long run she will.


Thankfully mom wonderful mom made the trek back up here to help me out.  (I feel like every time she leaves from helping me with something, she is turning right around to come back and help again) She is the best mom ever....I really wouldn't have been able to do it without her especially since Miss H was with us.  It took us 3 days but we managed to pack up all my MUST HAVE school items and move them out.  I am sure we could have done it quicker but we had the time....plus Miss H had to eat and nap in there a few times.  I left some of my teaching stuff behind for the new teacher to use, but kept the stuff I loved. You know like things I though Miss H could enjoy one day in her playroom or that her mommy may want to teach her.  The fun things....and well don't kid your self I took all my SHARPIES home when I left in January.  Yes, I love them so much I couldn't stand the thought of my sub using them.  Ha ha ha.  Here are some pictures from the GREAT MOVE!

Day1: We cleaned out all of the cabinets and sorted...

 Here is what my room looked like BEFORE we began the cleaning out!  All my wall decor and such I left behind..

My Door...I decorate my door every year with a new fabric. I love it because it is different from the others.

mom removing my door fabric

Miss H taking a nap as we worked

Amy and Emily enjoying a break from there rooms in mine! 

I love this pic of mom and Harper...so sweet

 Day 2: Putting it all in boxes and containers....

 Day 3: Pack all boxes up and take them to my storage unit.  Small side note...we had to rearrange my storage unit to make room for it all. HA HA HA Yes my storage unit is holding all my apartment from when Chris' and I got married. 

Thank you dad for the van...it was very good for the move! It only took 2 loads to get everything there.

 We had to take majority of it out to rearrange.  Good thing my unit is on the corner, we used all the halls! 

Miss H being a trooper in the heat, look at those cheeks.

The unit all rearranged and organized! 

 My class room on the final walk through...and last few items picked up!  

Funny notes from Room 211

We are officially in our 4th week of school now and man are we busy.  I wanted to share a pretty funny moment with you all or at least I found it funny! Ha (this post may be a bit long....sorry got to set up the story...what Chris loves the most! HA)

I have this sweet, wonderful, darling little guy this year who has caused a few million fits the past year in first grade.  Any ways long story short (ha ha ha) I ASKED to have him in my room this year!  Yes, I know I am a bit crazy and some days I wonder why, but something about him tugged on my heart.  Plus I love helping students see that they can succeed regardless of the other issues they face. So sweet S is mine this year!  I had many great ideas prior to getting him in class.  But for those of you who know kids, ideas are great, but seeing it in action is different.  My main goal the first few weeks of school were for  him to realize 3 things.

1. He is required to do his work no matter what HE WANTS to do.
2. He will learn social skills and interact appropriately with his classmates
3. He is no different than anyone else in our room.

Thus far we have done pretty good on all 3!  That was until oh last THURSDAY.  Around 10 after reading I asked him to illustrate 4 details from our reading story.  (he hates to write, but loves to illustrate) I didn't think he would fuss since ILLUSTRATING is favorite thing.  However, he did not want to have any part in this.  

Me: Please illustrate 4 details from our story.  When you are done I will help you write the sentences to match that point in the story. 

S: No I would rather do illustrations of grasshoppers, but thank you.

Me: When you complete your story illustration I would be glad for you to do a free illustration of your choice.

S: GRRRR (when he is not please he growls at me, yes growls!)

Me: GRRR do it quickly so you have time for your "free illustration" 

S: FINE!

I leave to help some others students and check back 5 minutes later.  He has drawn a triangle and a stick person.  Please keep in mind this guy can really illustrate!  I mean some days I wonder how he does it.  

S: I am done!

Me: Did you do 4 details from the story?

S: Well the story was just about camping.  I drew the tent and Henry.

Me: Okay but that illustration is not superior to what you are able to do.

S: GRRR

Me: GRRR do it right the first time and you'll get done sooner!

About 10 minutes later I notice he is VERY into his illustration.  That is when I ask him to show it to me. Well of course he was into it....he had chosen to "free illustrate" without permission.  Thus a huge no no he knows he has to finish his class work first.

  

Me: S can I please see both of your papers?

S: Okay... (walking with head down because he knows he is busted)

Me: RIIIIPPPPP (tearing up the "free" illustration....yes I am the mean teacher that throws out bad work and ask you to do better.  I am a stickler to doing your best and wont take anything less)

S: (screaming voice) WHY DID YOU DO THAT? (picture the rest of the class finally clueing into the huge mess S has just become.  Many faces with mouths wide open and in shock, but thankful it was not their paper being thrown away! HA)

Me: Why do you think I did that?

S: Because I didn't finish my work first. (he knows he is wrong and is trying to play me...stinker)

Me: Correct...now take a moment to cool off and then we will chat about how to fix this problem. 

Thus the rest of the day we all went about our business and S had a nice day!  I know hard to believe but he really did.  After I dismiss my children at 3 I walk back into my room to find a picture on my teacher table.  Of course I don't remember asking the kids to turn anything in on my desk (thanks to the prego hormones that make you forget EVERYTHING).  I turn the picture over to find this: 

Keep in mind we are grasshopper people! 

I notice that this picture had to of been a LOVE letter from sweet S!  He is so stinking smart....and actually took his feelings to paper.  Yes, he is completely put out with me, but at least he expressed them on this paper rather than a huge crying fit (he did this during his free illustration time after math).  I did place the picture on the wall and showed S how much I appreciated his sweet picture he left me.  He then asked if he could put another one beside it....one that was a little nicer (yes those were his words).  I can't explain how funny but proud I was of S for this.  You may see it as me hacking off a kid and him getting back at me.  However, I see it as a child who has struggled with self control learning how to express himself when life doesn't go his way.  S has grown so much in the past 4 weeks I can't wait to see him at the end of the year. 

Back to work...

Amy, myself, and Emily before the kids arrived! 

Well, I have officially just had my first week back to work with kiddos!  It is going to be a fun year I can already tell.  I have some pretty lively kids to say the least.  Actually I have to do a little bragging....I think this was my BEST first week of school in my now 6 years of teaching.  I know it's hard to believe, but something about this class seems great.  I don't feel like we had to spend as much time on procedures, procedures, procedures!  I am sure this next week will be the "true" colors of the kids.  There is ALWAYS a honeymoon period on the first week....

I already have some funny moments that got jotted down, but this one was my favorite.  I shared it via facebook...so sorry if you're seeing it agin.  I have a rule about lunch....they must sit boy girl at lunch for the first 2 six weeks...this way they learn the rules and such.  If they get a bee (good report) then at the end of the first two six weeks they can sit as they wish.  I know I am a mean teacher, but I hate for them to act horrible when I am not around.  This is my way of kind of regulating from a distance.  Okay on with the story.  Since they have to sit this way I walk them in to their table and wait for a moment before heading to lunch my self.  I have this one sweet boy D. who is new this year.  He just moved in from Colorado, poor kid had to experience our hottest summer yet.  Every day his mom sends a fruit cup for lunch....every day he ask me to help him open it! (P.S. fruit cups are a pain in the butt) Here is our Thursday conversation:

D: Mrs. Roberts can you open my fruit for me?
Me: D. are you going to eat a fruit cut every day?
D: I don't know my mom makes my lunch.
Me: Well I was wondering where on my body you see the words, "Fruit cup opener?" (I am always pretty sarcastic with my kids...it makes life a little more fun)
D: Oh, well I guess it washed off of you in the shower this morning.
Me: (trying not to laugh out loud) Oh I guess I should stop showering then....

Keep in mind this is just one of our moments this week...I can not wait to see what other funny things can be said this year.  I really have a witty class and it is going to be a blast!  Here are some pics from room before school started.

Our classroom door

a view of the room from the front

the front of the room

our birthday zone and genre posters

the reading center...carpet rules...and examples of good work

I had to add my favorite thing in the room!  My SHARPIES....these are just the ones on my table.  I have another set for flip charts and such up by our board! HA

And the MESS after the first day of school!  Ha, once they bring all the supplies and such it gets crazy!