Checking up on a few blogs...

I was checking on NieNie's blog - which I do now and again. I found her pictures beautiful and fascinating. Her oldest daughter looks so much like her. That's just one of the amazing things about having children - seeing yourself in them. Sometimes I think Anna looks like Bryan, and sometimes I think she looks like me. Most of the time she acts like Bryan. Some of the time she acts like me. Either way, she's a part of us. Kids are pretty amazing.

I was also loving NieNie's back to school dinner with crowns they made. I love their family theme, " To Learn with Joy." It's like my school theme, "Learn, have fun, and make friends." Anna's still a little young and we've already been in school for 4 weeks, but maybe next year she'll be ready to make a crown with the things she loves. NieNie always does cute and crafty things even though none of it can be easy for her. I try to remember her when I get boring or crabby or not-fun. It's much more fun to play with Anna since I'm back to work. Maybe that makes no sense to you, maybe it makes all the sense in the world. I'm more than only mommy. But when I'm mommy, I want to be a good one and a fun one and an engaged one.

Today I'm thankful for:

1. OSU football has started again
2. Rice Krispy Treats
3. funny kids at school
4. a good group of kids at school
5. Anna's laugh and sense of humor
6. Anna's singing - twinkle twinkle, row row your boat, I caught a baby bumble bee, wheels on the bus, and itsy bitsy spider
7. Anna's counting - just one and two, I guess she'll go on when she's ready
8. Anna's ABCs - out of order and barley understandable, but still super cute

A few things that I've noticed...

1. I really enjoy my time with Anna now that I'm back to work. She is SO cute. Now when I read a book five times in a row it's so much more refreshing than 30 times in a row. I'm feeling tired after work, but I know that will get better. Work and family balance is key for me.

2. I mentioned how we are working on super-praise and happy faces for Anna's good choices. It's still in full swing, and it's forcing me to be a whoo-hoo girl. I will be a whoo-hoo girl if it helps my girl.

3. We went to the Woodland Art Fair yesterday. It was hot; I was sweating. All the art I like is ridiculously expensive. $1300 for some art to hang somewhere in my house? I just can't do that. I don't have it in me. I had $30 in my wallet. I think all I could afford was a funnel cake.

4. The attention span of 6 year olds after the summer is very low. I am struggling to keep the kids focused. I know this gets better, but it's so easy to forget.

Today I am thankful for:

• a grocery store outing by myself = very uneventful and low stress
• Bryan and I teamed together to clean up Anna's playroom. It's so much better when we work together.
• Hearing Anna say, "two dogs!" when she sees two dogs. Seriously cute.

2 days in

So here are a 10 things that have happened in the first two days of school this year:

1. I have 21 students and want it to stay that way.
2. Lots of hugs from new and old students - it's good to be loved.
3. I forgot to remind the students to take their lunch boxes home today. I have approximately 8 lunch boxes on the shelf in my room. How many parent notes will I get?
4. The hyper-o-meter is way lower this year, and I am so thankful. Hyper's not my thing, but is it anyones?
5. I was told, "no, but thanks." I'm ok with it.
6. I've toughened up a bit, but still trying to make school a happy place for the little ones.
7. We've survived walks around the track and recess in this ridiculous heat.
8. I got an email telling me to expect a call or an email about a friend from last year that went to a new school.
9. A super shy student talked to me all the way around the track.
10. I got myself mostly ready for next week - a good start anyway.

Today I am thankful for:

• a calm classroom
• a good night sleep
• para-educators

A New School Year and a Few Recipes

After working all last week and a very long day today, I am finally ready for the school year to begin. My classroom is set up - a new arrangement that I'm liking very much, we had meet the parents/kids/teacher tonight - a great first meeting with almost everyone in attendance, and plans are ready and copies are made for days 1, 2, and 3.

I love the beginning of the school year. I like the clean room and new school supplies (Mine stayed nice ALL year. Bryan had a few crayon nubs after the first month). I like the anticipation of learning new things and meeting new friends. I like a fresh start to do better and be better than the year before. I can't wait to get to know the personalities to go along with those sweet faces - oh, how they change in a year.

Now for the recipes...
I had been boycotting Annie's Eats because her over-achieverness was irritating. I mean, did you see the birthday party she had for her son? I think all Anna got in terms of decorations were some balloons, Mylar, but still. I decided to forgive Little Miss Perfect for being able to do many things presumably well on very little to no sleep (I'm guessing) and check out some recipes again. I've tried several of her recipes and enjoyed all of them, so I'm back on the bandwagon. Just don't expect a themed birthday party from me unless I can buy all the stuff at Target - already made.

These are the recipes we tried and enjoyed:

• Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken nuggets - I just do the same prep for the chicken Parmesan without the sauce and cheese.
• Pizza Dough
• Cherry Tomato Salad
• Chicken Enchiladas

Maybe you'll like them too.

Today I am thankful for:

• team lunch at Saul Good
• changes at school that I'm looking forward to
• past students that came to say 'hi'
• new students with smiles on their faces
• copy moms
• air conditioning
• talking to Anna on the phone - seriously cute
• I don't have to make my lunch for tomorrow

school's out and summer plans

School's out for summer! Let me say that again ... school's out for summer!

I've had some crappy issues to deal with this year (gosh, I crack myself up), but now it's over :) While not every day was a dream, I did have some wonderful kids in my room. I would write what I learned this year, but I'm still going to PDs, packing my room, and reorganizing my books, so I haven't had time to relax and reflect on the year.

Plans for the summer:

• have fun playing with Anna
• tutor on Tuesdays
• have time for myself on Thursdays
• read
• get a tan
• go to the swimming pool
• go to the zoo
• hang out with friends
• enjoy weekends and evenings with B (not different, but I didn't want to leave him out)
• go to Michigan for a vacation
• take walks
• get back to exercising - in the morning - 30 Day Shred (I stopped doing the video when it got nice out, and we started taking walks at night, but I need something else.)

OK, OK, I'll be honest...

• shopping

I love having a job with a break. Teachers need a break from the chaos and work load. Happy Summer :)

The end is near.

We have 8 days of school left -yes! It's been a good year. I've had some interesting issues to deal with but, all in all, it's been a good one.
We had our parent program today. The students write letters to their parent(s) about what they learned in first grade and what they enjoyed about first grade (recess). The letters are very sweet. They read the letters aloud to their parents, and did an awesome job.
Last year I made muffins and punch, this year I made some easy favorites:

• banana nut mini-muffins - I used the Martha Stewart recipe for banana bread that I always use, but made mini muffins (350 for 12 minutes). The strange thing is the muffins don't taste near as delicious as the bread.
• French Breakfast Puffs - also minis - from PW
• Hello Dollies -see recipe below. I probably put it up before, but I don't feel like looking.
• I bought the orange juice.

I had a lot of parents say "thanks" and they "enjoyed the program", but I had just as many not say anything. How do you not say "thanks"???? I spent 3 hours of my time baking those delicious goodies. I could have given them nothing and not done a program, because obviously it's easier. I'm also annoyed that parents don't follow my directions: Parents get the treats first. When I say it's ok, students may have 1 treat. Why do they feel it's necessary to give their child more treats???? I will never understand. I will still do a parent program again next year - for the parents that enjoy it and use their manners.

Hello Dollies

• 1 pack of graham crackers - smashed into crumbs
• 1 stick of butter melted - mix with the crumbs and make a thin layer in a 13 x 9 pan
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup white chocolate or bittersweet chips
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the top of the layers above
• bake at 30 minutes at 350
• I like them in the refrigerator.

I am thankful for:

• getting to watch Anna squeal with joy while looking at the animals at Pet's Mart
• a strawberry milkshake from Steak N Shake
• people that use their manners

I think it will be a good year!

I met my class today, well, at least most of the kiddos. I already have kids that I know will bring me a smile everyday - how lucky am I to have a job where a good morning and a good bye hug are the norm? I'm blessed to be in a school where a majority of the kids are happy and taken care of, and their parents help with all the intense learning school in the year 2009 brings: sight words, math facts, reading, writing, spelling, you name it. Teaching is hard, and without parent support and involvement, it is close to impossible (in my opinion). I also got many visits from my grown-up second graders! I had a great year last year - super kids and supportive parents. I think it will be more of the same this year.

My dilemma: Anna got sick at daycare on Friday after lunch. She got sick again after dinner. Saturday she ate all bread/bland foods except for dinner (grilled cheese and fries), then she was sick again on Sunday morning - back to bland foods. She was fine Monday, but on my way to daycare/work today, she got sick again. She's never had a temp over 99.2. She has been less active, but by no means sedentary and sick acting. Since it was meet the teacher day, I couldn't really stay home, so B stayed with her and took her to the doctor. The doctor said it is probably just a virus. My mom's a nurse, and she said it is common for a virus to last this many days for a toddler. This is a sucky week to not go to work; so many things to practice, so many things to introduce, so many things, so many things. I'm pretty sure that whatever germs she has were picked up from daycare and thoroughly spread around at this point. I'm going to try to take her again tomorrow with a bag full of bland bread and cracker foods and hope for the best. I hope it's only a virus, and that she's back to full health SOON. Ohhhhh, the guilt - am I being a bad mom???? Is she just fine ?????? I hope she's ok, and that it's nothing major. I hope she's OK; this is the first time she's had any major illness, I just don't know how it works.

It's harder this year

I have lots of mixed emotions right now. I'm excited, filled with anticipation, and sad with the feeling of loss all at the same time. Today was my first day back to work. That also means it was Anna's first day back to daycare. We're separated.

This summer has been very 1-year-old centered. We've read the same book over and over, played tea party, ate snacks, made messes, sang songs, and all the other things toddlers find fun. I've had a really good time getting to know Anna now that her personality is really coming out. I'm going to miss playing with her and watching her laugh and smile. I'm not going to miss the one-sided conversations and leg pinching, but I am going to miss her. She's fun and is learning new things.

Am I going to know about the things she's learning now that we'll be spending time apart? Am I going to have enough energy to play at the end of a long school day? Is she going to have enough energy to play and be pleasant after a long day? I'll just have to be positive and remember that when school is over, school is over. That means at 4 or 4:30, it's Anna time. This year is going to be a different kind of balancing act than last year. I can do this. She deserves it. She's great. I love her.

i love them anyways

I didn't love today. I didn't even like today. I might have known that it wasn't going to be a good one when at 12:35 am I woke to the sound of the loudest, scariest thunder I've ever heard in my life. I've never even been one of those adults (or even kids) that is scared of thunderstorms, but I tell you what - this was some serious thunder. The house shook, the room rumbled, and my heart beat out of my chest for a good 10 beats. Maybe it's being a mother that scared me so bad - I was questioning whether it was thunder, or a Mac truck, or a bad person coming through the house. Then it rained all day...
We had "Camp Read-A-Lot" at school today for the second last day of the year. Call it inexperience or maybe I was just too overwhelmed with a new position and a baby, but controlling some of the chatty and less-than-lovely behaviors in my class at the very beginning of the year didn't happen, so it's been an up-hill battle for me throughout the year (learning moment). Well, my kids are very friendly with each other, which is great, but they could not get themselves under control today, and I was sick and tired of hearing them. I'll have to reconsider "Camp Read-A-Lot" next year.
I debating whether or not I should make them their cookies tomorrow. But...it's the last day. I love those wild and crazy kids, even when they can't stop talking. We all wish school was over. Cookies make everything better.