Monday, August 30, 2010

Back at it

Back at it at school again. We started the 23rd and it was actually a really nice week last night to start. It wasn't too hot, and was relatively in the high 70's for most of the week so that was nice. There isn't any air conditioning in my part of the building so it's never a good idea when you start mixing junior high kids and heat, my room tends to smell. Bad. Other than that it has gone really well. It's definitely been hard getting back into the routine - I hate waking up at 6 A.M., but the days seem to just fly by now. Seems like sleep has turned into one of my favorite things (which I will post about soon. I've been wanting to do a "My Favorite Things" post for a while - now I just need to find time to get it done!) but it's definitely going to fly by I think and Christmas will be here before we know it! (YAY!)

Not much has been happening lately. I'm excited for Labor Day Weekend this weekend, not just because it's kind of the last weekend of Summer, but that means I can start putting out FALL decorations! I can't wait to get all my warm colors, Fall Yankee Candles, and pumpkin stuff out. I've really be itching to get it all out, and I told Josh I didn't care if it was 110 degrees on Monday I'm getting everything out! It's September so that gives me the go ahead to take down the beach scents and the red, whites and blues and get out the red, gold and oranges. I've even tried to talk Josh into making some chili but he says it just isn't chili weather yet (and he's right), but with the nice days we were having and the cool nights it was so tempting. Plus with Friday Night Football under way it just seems logical. I guess I'll have to wait a little bit longer for that. I'm actually going to make some of these that I saw on another blog: Jack O' Lanterns! I'm going to make a couple to put in the windows here, and then maybe two to take to school. It doesn't sound like it will cost me much, I just need to find all the material. So I'm hoping I can get to making some of those this weekend - that would just be great!

This past weekend Andy, Laura, and Kayden came down on Friday night so we kind of lounged around on Friday night and then Saturday we went to the Downtown Farmer's Market and then out to eat and then I had to stop by the mall and get a dress for my friend Nichole's wedding. It was pretty fun and nice to spend time with them all day. We were having some troubles with Tyson being extremely jealous whenever Josh or I would hold Kayden, and the first time they came down it was almost scary how crazy he was going:



But the more they come down here the calmer he is about it and he even kind of ignored me on Saturday when I was holding her! (Could have been because someone else had food.) But I got one good picture of her Sunday when we all went to Josh's family reunion, she looked so cute in her dress and bow:

Saturday night I went out for a girls night with my friend Danielle and our friend Brice and we had a blast, it was much needed from the stressful first week back, and I couldn't have asked for better friends to hang out with. So for the most part it was a successful weekend. Like I said, I'm ready for Fall and apparently the trees are getting ready too because our neighbor's tree is starting to lose a few of its leaves so that's always a good sign it's just around the corner. But before my garden goes away I wanted to post a picture of it at its fullest at the end of Summer:

With ISU rock:

Sending lots of prayers and well wishes to Grandpa and Brother - hope they are doing well and both on the fast road to recovery! <3

Friday, August 20, 2010

School

This past week I've been in my classroom getting ready for school which starts on Monday! I think last year I was more nervous/not sure about everything, but this year I'm still a little excited and still nervous but not as ready. I know I'm ready - like I have all classes and papers ready, but after this summer break it's going to be hard to go back. Definitely not ready to start working full time again and having to wake up early and all that, but I love Fall season and I'm not coaching anything this year until track so it's going to be so so so nice. Plus since Christopher is a senior this year it's going to be fun watching him play football, so I'm definitely ready for that.

Since I've been getting ready I thought I'd post some pictures of my room this year.
My full classroom with chairs:

My bulletin board! It's got Taytum, Tyson, Kayden, and brother on it.

My full desk! There's a frame on there with Kayden and Josh & Me, plus a new little plant.

Side wall. There was a gross sink there last year, and they took it out and put my filing cabinet over there and I put all the old JH track trophies they gave me over there. I think it's a cute little corner :)

This is the students' bulletin board. They bring in pictures and like to post them on the bulletin board and it's kind of their board. It has the activities, lunch menu, and all that good stuff on it.


Josh has been pretty sick, and since his birthday is tomorrow I'm hoping he starts feeling better. We had tickets to go to Darrius Rucker, but since he was sick he didn't go last night so I just went with friends. It was still a good time, but I know he was bummed because he really wanted to see him, but didn't want to risk staying sick. But he feels better today so I'm hoping we get to go to the fair tonight and then celebrate his birthday tomorrow!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

It's That Time of Year Again.

Well...it's that time of year again. I can't believe my first summer went so fast - I already went back to my room today! I went in and did some bulletin boards, put things where I wanted them, and got a few things hung on the walls. I still need to go back tomorrow and finish hanging some things, but for teh most part I know where I want things/what I want to do so I shouldn't spend too much time there tomorrow. What stinks is that there is NO a/c in my room (or for most of the building, besides the library) so it was really hot today. And it's going to be really hot tomorrow. And Thursday. And Friday. And it's not suppose to cool off until next week! Hopefully it cools off before school actually starts (Aug. 23), because once you get the room filled with sweaty junior high kids, nothing good happens.

Nothing lately has happened, the last of our summer has really died down. I'm looking forward to Josh's birthday (Aug. 21) because birthdays and Christmas are my favorite holidays. Other than that I'm just (im)patiently awaiting the Iowa State Fair! We always go a few nights, and then during the day to walk around and eat some things. I'm looking forward to (in no particular order):

-Cajun Chicken on a Stick
-Corndog
-Gyro
-Homemade Lemonade
-Rice Krispy Bar on a stick
-Strawberry Smoothies
-Footlong hotdog

I could go everyday to the fair if I had the money and people to go with me! Josh and I are going to the Darrius Rucker concert, he used to be the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish and now he's a country singer. I really like him so I'm pretty excited!

I went to Davenport the other day with Josh's mom to visit the baby. She's getting bigger and stayed away a lot more than the last time I saw her so that was fun. I don't want to wish away her baby days, but I can't wait until she starts smiling and being a little more active. And I hope they can move home next year so that during the summer I can spend many minutes with her :) Here are a few new pictures I got of her:
Open eyes!


She fell asleep on my chest for about an hour...it was pure heaven <3

So now I'm just getting ready for school to start again! The more I work, the more ready/excited I am to start again. I'm excited about seeing Christopher play his senior year of football and to see how my first year 8th graders fare in high school. Plus I'm already for my second year, so I'm hoping it goes by just as quickly as before! :)