Sunday, August 17, 2014

My Classroom!

I finally finished (almost) everything I wanted to do to my classroom. I guess there will always be something I want to add, or a project to tackle, but for now, I am pleased with how my classroom is! Here are some pics:

This is the area behind my desk. Love my "Let the little children come to me" framed print. Want one? You can get it for FREE here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Let-the-Children-Come-to-Me-bible-print-for-framing-890048



Here is my back wall. Easy, no sew curtains and lots of labeled storage!!




This is looking into my library. I'm keeping some of my centers in these storage bins. They are messy right now, but I will get it cleaned up and organized!!
 My word wall. I'm excited to use that this year.
 Rules and birthday board.
 Behavior Wall.

 "Think About It" Area. I got those from here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Take-A-Break-Behavior-Management-and-Self-Regulation-678756


My cabinet...

 Their backpack hooks
Table caddies.
Lunch menu and Centers bulletin board. Random thing to pair together, I know, but when space is limited...
 My door!
 The back of my door and quite possibly my most ingenious idea. I hung up all my visual aids on command hooks so I could easily get to them, but they are in an area that would be wasted space, anyway. Genius!
 School calendar, daily schedule and felt board.
 White board and ABC line.
 Library
 Book bin labels: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Library-Labels-EDITABLE-for-Bins-Books-Black-Series-1231026
Calendar area:

 Dismissal chart...
 Table set up. I somehow didn't get a picture of the front (back?) of my desk, but I painted my name on it. You can sorta see it in this pic!

That's it!!! I had lots of help from TPT and fabulous ideas from teacher bloggers, but I am so thrilled with how it turned out!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

A year and a half.

Whoa! It has been a year and a half since I have posted! That's a long time. That's a lot of life. A lot of growth. A lot of changes. A whole lot of grocery shopping.

Things are good. Last summer, I randomly got a text that said..."Hey girl! Would you be interested in teaching Kindergarten?" My response? OOOOH, that sounds fun. So I accepted the job! And it HAS been fun!!

So I am still surrounded by Cardigans and Crayons. Now, it's just in a different place. My kids will all at the school with me this year. I have found lots of teacher blogs I want to follow, which prompted me to come back to my blog! So now, instead of constantly posting about my kids, I can post about other peoples' kids!!! That sounds fun, huh?

OK. Just wanted to let you know I've missed you. And that I'm back! And that Kindergarten Rocks! I'll update you with too many pics of my classroom soon!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2012 in Review

2012 was another great year!! Here, I'll highlight some of my most favorite memories:

JANUARY:

*Eli turned 3
 
Eli on his birthday

*Loved this moment....
*Sam got the Good Citizen Award


FEBRUARY:

* A conversation with my sweet 3 year old.
Eli: Is this a new coat?
Me: Yes, it's the one Uncle Hendu and Aunt Shan sent you.
Eli: Oh, I like it. I need to tell them thank you.


*Valentines for the kids' classes:
And after the Valentines:
So I have been working on Valentine's stuff for the kids. It took me several hours Saturday, all day Sunday when I wasn't at church, and the better part of today. Such tasks as making cookie dough/icing, baking cookies, icing cookies, writing names of classmates on cookies, bagging cookies, tying ribbons on bags, curling ribbon, printing Valentine's cards, X-acto cutting around owl's feet, sticking Twizzlers in card for owl's branch, signing cards, tying cards onto cookie bags.
So, today, when Eddie was cleaning the kitchen because I have thoroughly neglected my house in favor of Valentine's projects, Eddie says to me: "Thanks for doing this for the kids."
Melts my heart, that man!


*My man turned 40. I know, I'm much too young to be married to a 40 year old!!
 * Some sweet 1st grade classwork:

 MARCH:

*Trip to Tupelo and dinner with Uncle Mike and Aunt Lisa
*In one day, I cut 40 fingernails and 50 toenails and felt hugely productive.

*Meri Hobbs had her first tball practice. After about 4 swings, she asked when she got to sit down and take a break. Ha!

*Eli announced his bid for presidency.  He constructed himself a stool from Tupperware bowls and announced, "I Mr. President"

*Ball season begins. Sam, as always, loved it.  Meri Hobbs isn't sure how she feels about playing in the field. She became BFFs with the other team's coach, following him around the field talking his ear off. Then she asked her coach, "can you just hold me for a little while?"
That would be her playing in the dirt
* Meri Hobbs told me, "I wish I was a Sonic worker so I could make tater tots." Dream big, baby girl!

APRIL:

*21 minutes. That's how long Eli's crying/screaming fit lasted (over absolutely nothing). Time it. It'll almost push you over the edge. 
*Meri Hobbs' first school picture (4 year pre-K)
*Easter sweetness:



* Sam and his teammate teamed up to turn a double play. After the game, Sam told the teammate's mom, "Me and B are like Shrek and Donkey....saving the day." Hahaha
 * Me and my sweet girl at her recital
* Things I was loving in April:
Noah sticks his little fist straight up in the air and says "woohoo"
Eli calls me pal. He says to me 20 times a day, "come on, pal!"
Meri Hobbs is finally naming her babies something other than Dora. Current favorite is Bitsy.
Sam made all A's again. Lowest grade was a 97!


*Eddie and I went to the beach. Alone! And we got to meet up with our BFFs from Georgia!

MAY:

*Registered Meri Hobbs for kindergarten

*MH and I went to Jonesboro, AR for my niece's 2nd birthday
MH and the birthday girl
 *Sam's 1st grade Awards Day....He got an award for all A's and the Sportsmanship Award!

*I started taking tennis lessons! Loved it!
*Meri Hobbs turned 5!



 * I took the 2 babies for their well checks:
A. Eli was in 25th percentile for height (37 inches) AND weight (30 lbs). His previous record high was 5th percentile.
B. Noah was in 10th percentile for weight (23 lbs) and height (don't remember). But his big ol' head was over 100th percentile. They are sending him to physical therapy for his lack of walking skills.
C. I drove there without my gps and only had to turn around twice.
 
*Leave it to the preacher's kid! At Sam's baseball game, after they had called the guy out and the team had already run back to the dugout, Sam tells the ump he missed the tag! Love my honest little boy!! 
*Noah FINALLY started walking!! At 19 months! The week of his physical therapy appointment!

JUNE:

*I realized my place in life: If y'all were wondering how important I am, I used to babysit the 20th pick of the 1st round of the MLB draft. In related news, I also used to babysit the children of one of the boyfriends of the real housewives of the OC. You are free to decide which makes me more important.
 *Sam was chosen to play All-Stars 
How cute is his coach?!

Focus!
 * This is what my children look like when we come home from the ball field:
* Sam finds a new way to express his anger.
 This is what Sam does when he's mad at Eddie and me. Rearranges the letters in his name above his bed. That'll show us.
 
  *Sam and Eddie were in a wedding of some Mississippi friends
Cute ring bearer and preacher!
 *Eddie and I went to New Orleans for the Southern Baptist Convention where he got to say the closing prayer!


Eddie and his preacher friends
*Our final game of the All-Star tournament:
We may have lost today, but that was the best game ever for me! Sam, who has never played outfield and therefore has never caught a long pop fly before, had one hit to him in center. Last inning, tied ballgame. He surprised himself by catching the ball and then proceeded to jump up and down, holler, run around giving high fives, dancing, etc. He would be standing there during another play and all of a sudden put both arms straight up in the air like "yesssss!". Cutest thing I've ever seen!!'

JULY:

*Our best friends from Georgia came for a visit
 *The kids and I went to Mississippi to visit the grandparents while Eddie was in Haiti on a mission trip.  Here are Meri Hobbs and Eli on the trampoline.

 * We got our first stitches. Meri Hobbs got stitches on the back of her head. Expertly done by our primary physician, aka the local vet.
*Sam went to his first overnight church camp
*Noah had to have some scopes and biopsies done for some stomach issues he was having. Turned out, it was some minor allergies

AUGUST:
*Sam went to basketball camp. He won the "hotshot award" for his age division. His prize was this  jersey, which he will grow in to in oh, about 30 years!
*Another trip to Mississippi
Got to see my Grandma

Stopped on the way home to walk some trails
*Took Noah for his allergy tests
:(
*Went to Dallas for a training and got to see one of my sweetest friends
*I turned 34, and we went to the beach

 *Sam's first day of 2nd grade
 
 *Meri Hobbs' first day of kindergarten
 I asked her after school how her day was...Her reply: "I didn't get in time out, not even once. We had two recess times and our teacher read us a monster book, but it didn't have pictures." I'd say that was a success!!
 *I completed a pinterest project

SEPTEMBER:

*Headed to our first Ole Miss game of the season
*Eli's first trip to the dentist

*Eli's first day of 3 year Pre-K
  *Meri Hobbs started gymnastics
*I started selling Pampered Chef!! Love! 
*After church one Sunday, I asked the kids what their Sunday school lessons were about. Sam opens his Bible to Matthew 6 to show me what they studied. Meri Hobbs gave me every single detail about Paul's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. Eli says, "well, I want to go to the hunting store." Hmm. 2 out of 3 I guess!
*Sam told me how glad he was that God let me & Eddie be his mama and daddy. Heart=melted.
*Crazy Hair Day at School
 *Football season

 OCTOBER:
*Two of my cute boys in their shirts Mimi made
 *More cuteness from Mimi...

*Back to Oxford for another Ole Miss game with my brother and sister-in-law
*Eddie and I were invited to go on a preacher cruise. It was so much fun!
*Noah turned 2

*Stomach bug hit our house---Eli and Meri Hobbs
*Red Ribbon Week at school:
Nerd Day
Career Day
 *Child #2 has to go to hospital and be put to sleep for a procedure. :(  Eli had to have some dental work done.
*My Fab 4 on Halloween

*Halloween fun: 2 cakes for the cake walk, 27 cupcakes for SAMs class, 66 treat bags for Sam, Meri Hobbs and Eli's classes!
*Cleaned out my van. I should win some sort if medal for that. A monetary prize at the bare minimum.

NOVEMBER:

*Sam adopted into his vernacular one of my least favorite phrases, "I know, right?" Please let it have a shorter stay than his last one, "duuuude."
*Went to Baton Rouge to watch Ole Miss/LSU and met up with one of my best friends from high school
*Eli got bit in the face by a dog

*Headed to Gatlinburg for Thanksgiving. We had one with fever and one throw up. We forgot pack n play, diaper bag and sippy cup. We are doctoring a dog bite to the face in which we opted out of stitches, all while watching for signs of rabies. Woohoo for our trip to the mountains! But God's creation is awesomely beautiful and we are thankful for time away with friends and our sweet family!
 *Took Christmas card pics
*My children are strange. I sent Sam and Meri Hobbs to their rooms for arguing, and Eli asked, "me too?" I told him no and he said, "I want to. I need to rest for a little bit." Haha. Ok, buddy!!
*Everyone got sick-chest congestion, coughing, fever, and some throwing up thrown in for good measure
 *Decided to become "that mom" with our elf on the shelf






*Took cupcakes to Sam's class. Sometimes I get frustrated that he volunteers me for EVERYTHING, but really, I'm glad that he knows I'm willing to do stuff for them. I love being a mom!!! And as long as he'll let me be involved in his stuff, I'm happy for him to keep telling everyone "my mom will do that!"
*Went to Disney with my parents and brother's family 
*Sam turned 8 while we were in Disney
*December 22 - STARTED my Christmas shopping!!!
*My sweet Christmas cuties
*Christmas came to our house

*Our Christmas card pics
*Back to Mississippi for Christmas with the fam!

One thing this post made me realize is how much I love my life!! (and how much we travel!) God has blessed us so much and I pray that in 2013, we will spend every second pointing others to Him!