oiy with the poodles already

Today was very productive but it still seems never ending!

Kim has told me to blog the actual strange things that we have found...

a halloween, jack-o-lantern, basketball lamp

a singing rodent type animal dressed as either a professor or a beatle

dory from finding nemo

winnie the pooh stuffed animals (which were promptly discarded)

Tomorrow I sign my teacher contract so horray!

Enjoy!

Can't wait to have Annalee, Adelaide and my Mom there tomorrow!

a little bit of chaos never hurt anyone...

So, today is day 3 of classroom fixin' and let me tell you that it is hard stinking (had to go buy deodorant mid-day yesterday) work!

I have been pulling books out and (even though it makes me sad) getting rid of books that are just too beat up.

Some surprise findings: an old box of animal crackers in the very back of a closet, a large Hummer toy car, an unbelievable amount of chalk, tons of laminated comics, and a whole class set of leap frog tablets!

Here's today's video of my progress. Keep in mind that even though it looks like a disaster, it is an improvement because I had to pull out all the stuff in the closet and get it organized. There is a distinct possibility that my storage closets have sort of been a book graveyard for many years. I have hauled probably a thousand books up and down stairs and my muscles feel it!

Also, notice how I don't film myself at all because the computer will pick a horrible frame to be the image for the video like last time lol :) And sorry for the lack of articulation but I had been working 5 hours straight on my classroom and had only had a poptart to eat.

However, I had the wonderful help of my great friend Susannah and her daughter Kathleen. Thank you girls so much! Kim will be heading up tomorrow and Annalee and my mom on Friday! I seriously could not do this without you girls!

What I still need:

beanbags or a small loveseat

some education posters

Thanks to:

Annalee for the stools

Susannah for the world map and sharpies (can't EVER have too many)

Mom for the microwave

Anjuli for the minifridge

happy birthday month to you..

Along with my supernatural sense of smell, I also have a slightly more uncanny and strange talent... I am a birth-month reader. I can meet someone and determine what month they were born just by talking to them for a few minutes and watching their actions. My family has sometimes joked that I need to be one of those carnival people who guesses peoples weight or age for money except I would guess which month they were born in. Is there truly money in that... in being a carny... I think not.

It's not something that's 100% accurate but it's pretty close. The first month Chris and I dated, we sat on my couch and he would shout out one of his family members names and I would say which month they were born.

There are some that are SO clear and some that are a little harder. Jim, Jim is a January, NO question! There are also some people that just don't match their month!

Happy Birthday to some of my favorite July people!

Grandmama

Mel

Aunt Monette

Marty

Shailey

Dad

CLASSyROOM DECOR!

I am a proud, new teacher at A.A. Milne Elementary!

I will be teaching 5th grade reading and I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I lay awake at night planning activities, organizing, thinking of projects and of course, CLASSROOM DECOR!

Here is my classroom after about an hour and a half of reorganizing.

(I always have the loveliest of faces to start of my videos lol!!!

I mean seriously... my ugly faces rival John Mayer!)

Tomorrow will bring the fabric covered bulletin boards and all the cutesy stuff (can't wait)!

Even though I am thrilled to have a teaching job, it unfortunately brings with it meetings and goofy ice breakers and enough paperwork to make anyone a tree hugger. I have 3 days of new teacher meetings at HISD. Then, 8 days of staff development and meetings and PLC training. Blegh. BUT!, then an ice cream social to meet the teacher and guess what!!!?.... THAT'S FINALLY ME!

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. ~Aristotle

Luke

All dogs go to heaven, and this one got in no sweat!

To a great dog that

was fine with just sitting around and watching some tv,

didn't mind being ignored sometimes,

hated the outdoors and all that is nature,

never licked,

could literally give me those puppy dog eyes that would make me scrape my food off my plate for him,

shed EVERYWHERE aka made his presence known,

hated jogging as much as I do,

knew what OUT meant (put only his paws barely over the edge, like a defiant two year old),

was a terribly big baby and not much of a guard dog,

only needed a little pet to melt his heart,

and was always there to warm my feet and listen attentively.

Happy Watermelon Day!

This idea is so cute that I just had to post it... a little tedious, yes. BUT, so adorable!

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!