Quick Catch-up!

Thought I ought to do a quick catch-up before I'm unable to! I always do my blogging from my desk at UOP, and come Friday, I won't have one! And I don't foresee having much time to blog with the school year starting up.

So here goes-

Royce and I are good. We bug each other a lot of the time because we don't have time or money to spend alone time together, but in the end, we know the root of it all and know it's 'cuz we like each other so darn much that we bug each other so darn much. So there's that. Once we get used to my pay raise and new pay schedule and get caught up on some things, maybe we'll splurge on some "us" time. 'Til then, we'll just do what we do and keep on doin'.

The kids are awesome. Hudson is a story teller and has a great imagination. He is a great big brother and baby Bentley just adores him. I cannot believe that he is going to be 3 in two weeks! We just passed a big milestone- he is potty-trained!!! It is soooooo nice to not have to buy diapers in 2 sizes anymore! We are excited for his 3rd birthday party. We are doing a Lego-themed party, but I don't think I will go all out since I am sooooo busy with my classroom prep. We did get him (and sister) a nice swing set with a slide and a climber. They love it. Bentley wants to do everything Hudson is doing. She crawls after him, climbs on him and grabs all his toys. By the end of the month, I have no doubt she will be walking all by herself. She uses the couch and her walker right now and can stand on her own when she isn't thinking about it. She is so much fun and has pretty much the cutest smile ever.

My classroom is looking great, but I am stressing myself out because I want to get my bulletin boards done and see it all together. And then I start thinking about all the stuff I need to finish, print, start, assemble, prepare, etc. and I have a minor panic attack. And I haven't even started thinking about curriculum, just procedures. I know how I want day one to look, basically down to the minute, but I won't let myself think beyond that. It's soooo exciting! And sooooo intimidating, and soooo crazy.

Anyways, I guess that about sums it up. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!!!

Making friends already!

On my first day of training at the school, I made a friend in the parking lot. She had been sitting in her car when I arrived and she got out to follow me into the school and asked if I knew where to go. I explained that I was a new teacher and she said she was too- Christy, teaching 4th grade, moving from southern Utah. We stuck together those two days of training, even though she had her team to work with. Throughout those two days, I did my best to befriend as many people as I could and remember their names. I now feel friendly with teachers from 1st grade, 2nd grade, 4th grade and 6th grade. I have met the secretary and think that I can make her good side if I remember to pronounce her name right. And the principal even said in an email that she "loves" me and gave me extra points for being the only other person to use the word 'wazoo'. So I feel like I am off to a good start. But my most favorite story thusfar is my budding friendship with our custodian. I met him on the first day and introduced myself and got his name. Four hours later when I saw him, I used his name and apparently impressed him, so he told me yesterday.

So, he comes in to my room yesterday. (I was the only teacher there, just me, the principal and the custodians.) He and the kid custodians are cleaning the other kindergarten room next to mine. He comes in and says "Can I just tell you some of the pet peeves of a custodian?!" and seemed genuinely surprised when I responded "Please do!" and followed him out of my room. He showed me the velcro in the next room that the teacher had asked him to remove. He showed me spots where old tape had eaten way at the surface. And he seemed happy to talk to me and have me justify his feelings. Those are things I would have cleaned up myself. Anyways, from there we just started talking. (oh, yeah, he also said he would have guessed that I was only about 24, even though I seemed experienced with a classroom- awww.) He fixed the lights in my room and we started talking about our families- he is married but no kids. As he said this, he kept going "probably because of my low testosterone..." and then explained that they had experienced 2 miscarriages, etc. I empathized with him and told him about my fertility problems and that I "don't cycle". Anyways, it was kind of a crazy first conversation. And when he came back in to bring me something awhile later, he says "so, did I really just tell you I have low testosterone?" It was kind of hilarious. Unfortunately, he is being transferred to another school. I sure hope the new custodian is as easy to talk to and get to know! In our program, we were always told to get in good with the custodian and secretary because they know everything, run everything and are pretty much your lifelines. This is definitely something I take to heart. 

my classroom looks like a classroom!

I took the day off yesterday to work on my classroom a little bit. When I left last time, it looked like this:

I knew the cleaners would have to move things around. So when I got there yesterday, it looked like this:

My piles moved, my rug cleaned, every surface clean. Desks amok.

But WHERE TO START?!? 

Oh my gosh it was intimidating. I walk in and my math and phonics stuff were all together instead of in their table-stacks of sort-of-separation, mixed in with centers, toys and games. Oh boy. I basically had to start all over. Not at all the custodians' fault, by the way. Probably would have felt that way even if they'd been able to leave them on the tables. Anyways, I slowly picked away at the piles, grouping, sorting, and putting away in cupboards and on shelves. 

Until this awesome lady showed up.

Jeni helped me get the courage to toss what I wouldn't use and didn't need, bury what I won't use but have to keep and organize everything where it all makes sense. Oh how I love her for her help and experienced ideas! We run our classrooms differently and have completely opposite personalities, but I respect her opinions and appreciate everything she had to say. I am so glad she teaches in the same district, right around the corner from me! And first grade is as close to kindergarten as you can get. I will definitely be leaning on her as my mentor and friend this year. 

When we left, it looked like this!!

 My kidney tables all face towards the whiteboard and smartboard, with a slight diagonal tilt. There are 5 tables, which each seat 5 students and has a teacher seat available for grouping.

My library center is DARLING. Ok... so, on the DL, I may have swiped those cute chairs and couch from the kindergarten room next to me that the other new teacher is moving in to but has not yet seen. AND I kept the 3 bean bags that were originally in my room (they are tucked in on the other side of the whiteboard storage box in the right bottom corner). Perhaps I should feel bad? If they didn't look so perfect in my room, I might. And the cute little rug my momma got me just a couple weekends ago. It fits just right.

The two book shelves on the right butt up against my desk and filing cabinets. We moved those darn filing cabinets three or four times before we finally felt good about their placement. Thank goodness we were able to empty out most of the drawers beforehand! 

The shelf on the left holds my art and writing center materials, and there is a round table next to it.

The stuff on the counters on the left are not staying there. The clutter of desks and tables in the back will hopefully find a new home- I do not need them! And the bookshelves on the counter will display our decodable books and curriculum books that are used outside of center time. 

Everything has a place, and I like my cute classroom space! I feel soooooo relieved to have this done. 

1955 Cadillac!

Pictures are skiwampus again, but here she is! The newest member of our family, a 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood. It was love at first sight on April 26, a deal was made April 27 and by April 28, she was ours! She finally made the journey home on May 5, by tow truck. She needed a little lovin', a new battery, some cleaning and she was good to go. We installed the seatbelts the day before her big debut at Mountain West Street News Picnic on June 1. It was AWESOME to go to a car show all TOGETHER. She is so fun to cruise in! As with any vintage car, she's gonna need some ongoing TLC but we'll do that as it comes. For now, we're just having fun!!!