Lex came prepared for camp today! Safari vest, bug catching box, butterfly net, and more! I asked the councelor if that was ok and he said, “Sure! No problem!” We’ll see if it all comes back again this afternoon. :)
Camp – Day 2
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Camp
The kiddos started their one week of summer camp today. It’s a new place we haven’t gone before with a “GeoQuesting” theme, a cross between ValleyQuests and geocaching. They had a blast. They learned how to make a fire, they swam, they took two hikes, and a squirrel (or some other creature!) ate Lex’s lunch leftovers. A good time was had by all. :)
I was going to take a before and after pic, but I forgot the before, so you just get the after. Eve was still in her bathing suit and covered in dirt!
The secret to getting healthy food in Lex is to wear him out, then give him a book and surround him by healthy things that he likes. He’ll mindlessly much for hours. :)
I wanted a nice “before” and “after” picture of them but I was feeling kind of emotional about leaving them and totally forgot the before picture. Oh well. They had fun and I survived without them… and by survived I mean got a TON of errands and things done! I think we are all excited for four more days! :)
Employed
We are home now, back from two trips in a row. I have a list of blog posts I want to write, and the kids are at camp next week so hopefully I’ll get them written. :) I have a few minutes right now though, so I thought I’d start off with a quick one.
I got a job! Yay! I interviewed at a local Montessori school last Friday, then got an offer on the phone, while standing in the grocery store parking lot in Oneonta, and accepted. I signed the papers when we got back in town. I am super excited to be employed and no longer worrying about what my fall will bring. However, I’ve had mixed emotions about the whole thing as well. (Because that seems to be how I live my life, debating, second-guessing, and wondering.)
The position is an assistant teacher job, not a full teacher. This is awesome because it means next year will be so much easier than this year was. I’ll be home when the kids get home from school each day, no more daycare and long bus rides for them, and I won’t have any extra work to do in the evenings and weekends. Teachers do a lot after school hours! However, I’m also a little sad that so much of what I learned and prepared for this year will be irrelevant next year. All the lesson planning, differentiation, classroom management, etc… maybe. I don’t know a ton about the Montessori methodology so there may be more of that than I realize. I will also be in someone else’s classroom, so again I’ll be following someone else’s expectations. That was fine last year for my internships, but I was definitely having a lot of “in my classroom…” thoughts by the end of the year. I guess I’ll have to put them on hold for awhile. The pay is paltry and if I max out my retirement account (of which I have none at the moment) I will pretty much be bringing home nothing. Sigh. Good thing Alan is solidly employed!
I had this vision in my head of what it would feel like when I got a job. I would start planning my classroom, going through the kids’ things here to see what I can bring in, studying up on the CCSS for that grade, learning the curriculum, etc. Basically work, work, work – but everything I’ve been preparing for this past year. Instead it will be none of that, but I’ll have a quiet summer and I’ll be home with the kids after school in the fall, which will be great based on the year we just had, and I’ll be in a beautiful classroom with super friendly colleagues. And working with kids, which is why I started this whole thing! When I focus on the positive I am super excited about this job! They are sending me to a Montessori conference so I can learn the Montessori curriculum and methodology, and they lent me a few Montessori books, so I have some reading to do… just as soon as I finish the Divergent series, probably totally anti-Montessori! :)
So that’s that. New job. Known future. Beautiful school. Friendly people. Awesome hours. Happy family. Life is good.
Last day of school
Today was the last day of school, for all of us! We successfully completed 1st, 3rd, and kindergarten! We may have gone a little overboard with the treats this year.
We made cookies for the classes. I had in mind bright, sunshiny, lemony cookies, but time and ingredients dictated and we ended up with spice cookies in flower shapes. Yellow, at least. Not exactly perfect, but no one complained! The kids wanted them for classmates and I wanted them as a thank you for the teachers at my school, so we divied them up three ways and there were plenty to go around.
We also made goody bags for the students in all three classes. The bags had a jump rope, bubbles, and Starburst inside, then a cute note and ribbons on the outside. They were pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, and the kids loved them!
We also made gifts for the teachers. All eight of them! The gifts were Pinterest-inspired and I loved them. I got freezable tumblers with straws, put Lindt chocolate balls and a gift certificate to the local ice cream stand inside, along with thank you notes written by me or the kids (depending on who’s teacher it was!), then wrapped a Real Simple magazine around the outside and tied it all up with a ribbon. A little obsessive, but super cute!
Alan is away this week so I brought the kids to school. Probably a good thing because he would have scoffed at the ridiculousness of my last-day-of-school goodies.
I made the poor kids carry a ton, then asked them to stop for a photo directly in the sunshine. Lex protested and moved over to the wall, out of the direct sun. The background isn’t lovely, but the kids are smiling so that’s enough for me.
I dropped the kids and all their stuff off at school (and helped them carry everything in and deliver to the appropriate classrooms), then headed down to my school where I precariously carted in all of my end-of-year goodies. I left a tray of cookies in the teachers’ lounge and sent out a lovely thank you note to the teachers and staff (via email), thanking them for their support this term and telling them about the cookies.
At lunch I went back to my first school and spent an hour with my fifth graders from the fall. I watched a memories slide show my mentor teacher had put together and chatted a bit with the kids. They’ve all grown so much this fall! It amazes me to go back and see them. I got lots of hugs and it was nice to get to say goodbye to them.
Then back to kindergarten for the rest of the day. Some kids were thrilled to leave for summer vacation and others were in tears. It was an interesting experience. I’m going to miss them all, 5th and kindergarten!
After school my kids came back happy with their new classes and teachers. I now have 2nd and 4th graders! Eek! They are growing up way too fast!! This afternoon we did karate, then home for the dinner and bedtime routine. Then we snuggled in and read three chapters of the Lightening Thief book we’re reading! Super fun way to start vacation. Then, even more fun for me, once the kids were in bed my friend from UVEI came over and we celebrated our last day of school together with wine on the front porch! She just left and now it’s almost midnight so I really should go to bed! I’m terrible at putting myself to bed when Alan isn’t around. I’m going to be tired tomorrow, but guess what, no alarm for me! Whoo hoo! We have one of Lex’s friends coming over to play, and one of my friends! I haven’t seen Elizabeth in ages because our schedules just haven’t lined up this spring, so I’m excited to have her and Alistair come over to visit tomorrow as well.
Summer vacation is here!
Lex’s checkup
The boy is 9 years old so we went back to the doctor for a well-child visit. He’s 77lbs and 52.75″ tall. He gained 8lbs and 1.25″ from last year, but lost 3lbs from a visit in October. The doctor was a tiny bit concerned, but after a conversation and check she was happy that he’s doing just fine. We chalked it up to winter clothes. :) We had the usual discussion on activities and exercise (plenty) and healthy eating and veggies (none). I always feel guilty when the feeding discussion comes up. The doctor is great, but I feel guilty anyway. This summer I plan to get us back on a better eating schedule. This year has been tough with school and work and all.
Today was exhausting! A very rainy field day that got moved inside, so we were shepherding over-excited kindergarteners throughout the school from one activity to another. They got very little down time and no quiet time. This is a class that regularly has five or six sleepers still at quiet time, so by the end of the day they were exhausted. So were the teachers! After school we went right to the doctor’s appointment, then home and I will admit that the three of us have been staring at screens for the last 45 minutes. It’s so quiet! I’m going to rally again and make some dinner now. No rest for the weary. :) Kidding. Summer is coming soon!
NH
I got my teaching license from NH in the mail today! My first inclination was to take a picture and post it on Facebook, but I restrained myself. :) Now I have to get one final paper notarized, then I can send the whole packet (NH license included) to VT and get my VT license. Then we’re really in business! :) I was going to get the paper notarized after school today, but it was raining and I couldn’t find parking, so I didn’t. I’ll do it Monday instead. How’s that for dedication! :)
It’s official – I’m a teacher!
Today was a beautiful example of the saying, “The days are long, but the years are short.” It has been a long, tough at times year and suddenly it’s over. Well, almost. Tonight I graduated from UVEI and officially have my Elementary Teaching certification. I’m certified to teacher K-8 in the great state of New Hampshire. In the next week or so I’ll receive my license in the mail, then I’ll turn it around and get my VT license. Then, maybe, I’ll get a job!
Seriously though, the year has flown by. Fall in fifth, spring in kindergarten. Both had their pros and cons, and both were great. I miss my fifth grade buddies and I know I will miss the kindergarteners as well. They gave me a sweet book today in which each kiddo had drawn a picture of me and them and written a sentence about what they like to do with me or how they will miss me. It was very sweet and made me feel very happy and loved. I have two more days with them and then we’re out for the summer.
This evening was the UVEI graduation ceremony. Alan and the kids came along to continue their steady support of this effort. They even put on nice cloths and washed their faces. Hard work for some of them! :) I put Alan and the kids in charge of photos and they did a great job.
Everything is better with a glass of wine! :)
My UVEI BFF! This is what we look like to the little ones we teach. :)
Eve and Bitty Baby, sharing a plate of veggies before the ceremony began.
This is my faculty coach speaking and my coaching group. It was a great group and I really enjoyed working and learning with them this year.
We put together a statement about what our aspirations for our students were, then had to read it at the graduation ceremony.
This is what Eve thought of things.
I got my teaching certificate and a family photo. It was a good evening!
Alan entertained the kids with a game of tag while I stood around in high heels and chatted with my friends. He’s a good hubby and daddy!
Eve at her finest. :)
Back to school tomorrow for field day… most likely an indoor field day as the weather calls for rain, rain, and more rain. Lex and Eve had their field day indoors today.
I feel like I should have some eloquent wrap-up for this post, but I don’t. The culmination to my huge year and I’m off to drink a glass of wine and fold laundry. Some things don’t change. :)
Only a few days left…
We are in full end-of-year mode. Summer goody bags being prepared for classmates, full folders of work and projects coming home every day, spirit week at school, field day and parties, dragging in the morning, and today I even made the crazy decision to bake a ton of cookies to share with everyone on the last day of school. I graduate in two days and have no more homework, so there’s plenty of time to bake! We’ll sleep and clean another day… or month.
I’ve started looking at summer plans and it’s filling up fast. On a related note, we seem to be running out of money just as fast! We put a halt on spending (after one last purchase – BNL tickets for September!) and now we’ll try to settle into the summer…
Just a few more days!
Notice anything missing?
Eve lost her first tooth today! Top, front, left. She had four pulled, of course, but this is the first one that fell out on it’s own. It has been wiggly for a long time and she recently started working it hard to get it out. Today it came out in her bagel and cream cheese. She licked it clean with her tongue. She’s so weird. She’s also SUPER excited for the tooth fairy. And she’s excited because the one next to it is is also wiggly, so she has already started on her next project. :)
On a First Name Basis
Eve recently discovered that teachers have first names. We were at a birthday party a few weeks ago and I was talking to the mom. I called her Rachel and Eve, who happened to be right near by, said “Ohhhh…. Mrs. B’s first name is Rachel?! Now I know!” Mrs. B is a sub at school and Eve was pretty darn proud of herself for knowing.
This afternoon I was talking to Alan about a long-term sub position I applied for at Eve’s school. I mentioned the teacher by first name and Eve perked right up. “Who is Nikki?” she asked. I said, “Oh, that’s Mrs. R at school.” Eve was super excited and decided she’d better start taking notes.
Hilarity ensued. I told her the first names of one or two teachers, she guessed her own teacher’s first name, and then I wouldn’t tell her any more. I told her she’d have to figure them out on her own. She begged and pleaded and I agreed to give her one more after she ate all her dinner and drank her milk. May as well get something out of this game, besides pure entertainment!
She finished her milk and dinner just as Lex was coming into the room with a question. Eve said, “Ok, what is Mr. D’s first name?” I told her it began with an R, then turned my attention momentarily to Lex’s question. Eve thought for a minute then guessed, “Ragaloni?” I nearly fell out of the chair laughing! She was on my lap and we were both hysterical. Ragaloni?! What kind of a guess is that? The girl kills me sometimes! She also couldn’t remember Nikki’s name when it came time for writing and kept calling her “Nickel-y”.
She is now on a quest to discover first names at school. She says she’s going to bring her note with her to school to write down more names. I suspect she’ll lose the note before Monday.
I was also remember a similar situation when Lex was in kindergarten. Similar, but more Lex-like and a lot less Eve-like. I mentioned a teacher by first name and he said, “Oh, is that Mrs.?” (I forget which teacher it was.) I said it was and asked how he knew. He replied, “They all wear name tags, Mom.” Duh! In kindergarten he had already read everyone’s name tags and was well aware of first and last names. Of course!
Eve on the other hand, well, she keeps me laughing!