First Day Jitters

Today I began teaching my 19th group of students.

Last night my sleep was interrupted by mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness, and some anxiety. After 18 years, I thought this would get easier. 
It should be right?
Nope~
No Sirree~
I tossed.
I turned.
I got up a million times.
I checked my book bag a million and one times to ensure I had EVERYTHING I needed for the first day of school.
I laid out my clothes.
I set the alarm for 6:30 a.m.
I went down the stairs.
I went up the stairs.
My class list of students continuously ran through my mind.
Would I remember these students after only meeting them once?

Well, I didn't remember all the students names. 
But luckily they remembered mine- Ha!Ha!
As I stood in the hallway this morning, the new second graders came straight to me.
Gave me a tight hug with "Good Morning Mrs.Maynor" and walked in as if they had been in second grade for many weeks.
No Tears!
Not from a single kid~

The day progressed nicely.
Art, Recess, Lunch, and a few fun activities thrown in between dissecting the book bag of school supplies.
The day ended great. Or at least I thought so.
Until....
Until...
the phone rang.
It was the AP.
One of my students had gotten on the wrong bus.

Luckily, I knew which bus the student had gotten onto.
The bus driver safely returned my child.
She wasn't scared, crying, or upset.
She had made new friends.
Mom picked her up.
This story had a happy ending.

But what about tomorrow?
I took a few snapshots of the classroom before my students arrived. 
Keep in mind, it is a work in progress. 
Room arrangement is not a strength I have.
Enjoy~

The view of my room from the door.

Cubbies where I keep my Daily 5 word work activities.

Because I have to track in and out of my room this year.  My class library has become mobile.

Our meeting spot.  The poly dots correspond with the colors on the student tables.  Each student knows exactly where they should sit when coming to the carpet.

My version of the clip chart.  I used the 100 count post it note set from Walmart for 88 cents and created student tags.  The other post it notes were used to create tags for the Daily 5 rotations.

Our Writing Center.  Not very colorful but very functional.  Each slot has a type of writing paper.  Glue, pencils, markers, scissors, etc. are located on the top.

My math tier station.  Large games and activities will go in the crates located on the bottom shelf.  Folder games and partner games will fit in the tubs on the second shelf.  Any reproducible sheets will be place in the top tray.

My desk~

The view from the back of the room.

I made chair pockets for my students using pillowcases from the thrift store.  Super Simple~

Guided reading group table.  Excuse all the agendas on the table. 



Mt. Airy Snap shots

Once I'm back with my new students, I'll post some classroom things.  But for now, enjoy snap shots of how I have spent some of my track out in Mt. Airy, NC. 

My hubby is from Mt. Airy, home of Andy Griffith.  So we took a drive to "Mayberry" aka Mt. Airy to....

Enjoy downtown....

Shop for your favorite candies at Opie's Candy Store

Get a ride in the squad car.

Best place for a fried pork chop sandwich.

Andy Griffith's Home place

Celebrate Charlie's first birthday.....

Charlie in his Radio Flyer

He didn't like his cake.  He made some really silly faces.

We bought Charlie a Radio Flyer for his birthday.  I thought a wagon card would be a good compliment with the gift.

Charlie is spending time with Uncle Todd.







 And get in on some action down at Bowman Gray Raceway in Winston Salem...

It was ladies night, so ladies, that's me, got in for a buck.

Even based on qualifying, I didn't know who to pull for, so I created my own criteria.  I would pull for cars with numbers that I could easily identify with such as the date of my birthday, or the year I started kindergarten, or the number of years I've been teaching.  None of "my" cars won, but it was fun to watch. 

Me

And spend quality time with family....

July Birchbox and the Doodlecharms Bus

I finally received my July Birchbox last week.  This is what arrived:



I have to say this has been the best box thus far.  I'm loving the new "snazzy" ear buds and elegant eyeliner.  The remainder of the products were "fan-tabulous" as well.  I will soon be graduating from my pink pencil box to possibly a "real" make-up bag. Yee-Ha~

On another note:

Those of you who have been following me a while, know I have a Cricut and love it.   I 'm madly in love with the school bus on the Doodlecharms cartridge.  Almost obsessed with it.  Not sure if it's just because of Back to School or what.  Remember the treat bags in this post? 

Last week, Michaels had scrapbook paper for 20 cents.  I grabbed a few patterned sheets.  I don't usually use patterns.I don't coordinate them well.  Patterns are completely out of my comfort zone.   My Teacher Assistant, on the other hand,  does all sorts of projects with patterned paper using her Cricut.  So, I decided to try to make a few items using something other than a solid or floral print. 

These striped buses came out SUPER CUTE.  At least I think so any way.  But what would I do with them all?

Since I was on a bus kick, I decided to use the buses to make a back to school card.  I came up with this:

I wasn't in love with it.  I used my Cuttlebug to create the green background.  I added a "cutsie" border.  Regardless, I just didn't fall in love with the card. I gave it a thumbs down.  I literally tossed and turned all night that night thinking about this card.  Yes- really!

A card. 

I awoke the next morning with this layout on my mind.

It was still missing something, so I added the letters "S-c-h-o-o-l."  You can't have a bus without words on it, right?

SATISFIED. 

I created 6 cards total. I then recycled a Birchbox and decorated the top to look just like the cards.  The final product was a boxed set of school bus note cards. I loved how the gingham, stripes, and "plaid-like" patterns came together.  I think I will give these to my co-worker who has taken over my grade level chairperson responsibilities since I have been tracked out.It's a small gift for all she has done during my three weeks on summer vacation.

I also created these apple themed cards in a boxed set.



What do you think of these two sets? 

Once upon a time, I owned an Etsy shop. Pre-Blogging days Business was SUPER, DUPER SLOW, so I closed it.  Almost a year later, I'm wondering if I should reopen the shop to sell my cards or place them on TPT.  Give me your input.  Which, if either, do you think would best work for me? Tell me of your experiences or a friends experience on selling handmade items on the web.

Can't wait to hear from you.





Sharing the Love

Those of us in the teaching field, love the children we teach everyday.  Some require tough love and some need all the love they can get.  They are all blessings.  Those of us who are moms and dads, love our children unconditionally.  We are always there for them and know they are our blessings as well.

While attempting to catch up on reading the blogs I follow , I came across this touching story at Luckeyfrog's Lilypad.  My heart literally broke into pieces. But there's something I can do.  There's something you can do as well.  Kenton, a young boy,  was diagnosed with AML leukemia. Hop on over to Jenny's blog to learn more about Hats for Kenton. Click on the link below if you're interested in helping this family.

"Will You Marry Me"

Back on September 19 of last year, I was having a crappy day.

No particular reason why. 

I was just in one of those moods.  You know those days and "THE" mood when contact with the human race could totally send you over the edge?

Wanting to lay on my couch all day and do NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING.  Not even talk to Todd.  Not even wanting to hang out with Todd.  Was all I wanted to do.

About 3:00 in the afternoon, Todd calls and wants to come over.  After expressing that I was not in the mood for company and I would not make good company today. He answers by saying ,"I'll be over in a few."

Seriously!
Really!
What-ever!

I will not be responsible for my actions.  I warned you ahead of time.

So in less than 10 minutes, he arrives.  I refused to leave my comfy, cozy spot on the couch.  He prances in with a smile on his face.  I should have known something was up.  There was just too much pep in his step.  He "dances" his way to where I was laying on the couch and hands me a box.

A small box.

I just look up at him still refusing to make a move from my reclined position.  He is still smiling from ear to ear.  He proceeds to say, "Well we've talked about this for a long time, so let's make this official. Will you marry me?" 

I look into those blue eyes.
How could I be in a bad mood now?  This man wants to marry me.  Does he really know what had just escaped his mouth?

To make a long story short, I said yes -officially! With the ring and all.

Well, he didn't ride in on a white horse like the Prince's in Fairy Tales in all the storybooks.
But he is my Knight in Shining Armor.  Who brightened a bad day. And knows all the right things to say.


Train says it all in this song~

Last Friday, while many of you were still recouping from the Fourth of July fireworks.  I married my best friend.  The guy who ignores my bad moods and makes me laugh regardless.  The guy that has LOTS and LOTS of patience for me. The guy who accepts me for who I am- quirks and all. The guy that loves me for who I am and doesn't compare me to the Victoria Secret models.  The guy that just 9 1/2 months earlier asked me to marry him.

So we planned a super simple affair.  I mean SIMPLE.  

Intimate.

Just us and our three kids. 

BIG scares me.

But I love to dress up.

We made arrangements with a nearby Bed and Breakfast. 

We bought a simple, cute dress for me, rings for us both , a new suit for Todd, a bouquet at a local florist, hired a photographer- Little White Dress Visuals,  and prayed for great weather.

Dress from White House, Black Market; necklace and pearl earrings from Premier Jewelry, headband from Ulta, shoes from Belk, and bouquet from Flowers on Broad Street





And we will live happily ever after...









Clopening with sugar and flour AND CAFFEINE

Clopening: the process of closing one school year and opening another simultaneously. 

I know it's coming. Every year. Same time.
And honestly, I've found no way to prepare for it.
I brace yourself.
I make sure I have access to LOTS and LOTS of CAFFEINE.
I go without sleep.
I become grumpy and tired and at times can be mistaken as Miss Viola Swamp.
My To-Do list is so long that all the unifix cubes in the classroom would not be enough to measure the length of the paper.
I break out in hives.
The hours at work are longer than usual.
Then I begin to tackle the mound of tasks at hand.

For those in year-round schools, this is an extremely challenging and difficult  part of a school year.  About three weeks prior to the end of the current school year, IT begins. While continuing the learning process with fun-filled activities with my current group of students, I am at the same time preparing for a new group of students.  The new list of students is in hand while trying to complete report cards, profile cards, and cumulative folders for the current group.

Finally after three weeks. I begin to see the end of my To-Do list.  The cumulative folders folders are all updated.  Report cards are stuffed in brown clasp envelopes ready to go home on the last day of school. All profile cards are checked off for each student.  And all signatures are on my End of the Year check off sheet.

I take a deep breath.  A smile begins to emerge on my face.  My family can now tolerate me because I am now the "real me" again.  I pat myself on the back and say, "Great job, Girl! You did it."

It's over...

Until next year.

During  Clopening, I had "Meet the Teacher" night.  I was able to meet most of my new students and their parents.  I have always given my parents the "Flour and Sugar" poem.  Each year I get a little more creative than the year before.  This year, I came up with this:

                          

 



I used this cartridge

  Presentation and first impressions are important to me. 



After one more day of Back to School Nuts and Bolts orientation for the new school year, I will be tracked out for three weeks. Yay~  Time to enjoy the goodness of SUMMER~

Wait!
Wait!
Before you leave, hop on over to Hello Mrs. Sykes and enter her one year Bloggiversary Giveaway. Jenn so kindly asked me to join her as well as tons of other great bloggers. I'm totally honored and excited. The giveaway items are unbelievable. Don't miss it.