I better catch up!

Oh my goodness!! It's has been a LONG time since I actually posted here! Last semester was just a whirlwind and I can't really believe that it is over and I am all that closer to graduation and actually having to get a REAL job!! I went through so many different emotions last semester...from absolutely loving what I was doing to questioning myself as to if I can really do this.

I taught my first "real" lesson in front of the class early in September and while it went perfectly in my head (of course because there were actually no real students in my head) it was almost a disaster in the classroom. I had to teach a poem lesson and we were learning about the water cycle so my student's were going to write a poem about the water cycle. I figured the most effective poem to teach was the acrostic poem (where they write a word down the paper and write a phrase or word for each letter of the word they choose about the water cycle) but my teacher who assigned the lesson said that was the easy way out so I decided we were going to write a shape poem and my students were so lost they had no idea where to start. My mentor helped me recover and save my lesson but I was ready to be done at this point. I did not think I had what it took to be a teacher. I had myself convinced I was just going to mess these kids up. Thanks to lots of pep talks and encouragement from some great friends I got through my first semester of student teaching in one piece.

While it takes time and really knowing your students and their abilities I have learned how to plan my lessons to reach my students more on their level. I spent most of the semester teaching math (which made me want to throw up each time I got up there to teach it- I have not had very good experiences with math but I got through it and the tests proved my student's were learning!!!) and my biggest unit of the solar system was a HUGE hit! The kids came back to school each day telling me new stuff they had learned that night by reading on the computer or books all on their own. And I am sure some of them even knew more than I did about the solar system! My third graders will always be my first class and I will love them for that! They all wrote me a nice "thank you for being my teacher" letter and it was the sweetest gift ever! In about two weeks I will begin my adventures in 5th grade. I am a little nervous for this...17 students in 3rd vs 27 in 5th...more attitude form older students and harder math! But I am excited and I know I will survive and LOVE it!!

The kids have been just as busy running with me everywhere this semester. Kole played his first year of football and really enjoyed it. He loves to play quarterback and will talk his dad into practicing hiking the ball in the middle of the living room. Knock on wood we have no broken items from this taking place! I really think my son sleeps with a football in this hands. His favorite football team are the Kansas City Chiefs and he is always a Chief's player when he is practicing. I keep telling him he can go to K-State and play football there and then play for the Chiefs but he just tells me he is going to play for the Chiefs..he doesn't quite get it that K-State is college and the Chiefs are pro and I also haven't quite convinced him that it's ok for guys to wear purple if it's KSU!

Ali has had a rough time this semester with being away from me all day. I am very happy though that my friend is able to watch her and she isn't in a daycare center. This makes the transition easier on her (and me knowing she will treat her the same way I would). We had our days where she was more than willing to go play with her friends but then there were days where she refused to go and just wanted to stay home with me. We got to where we were counting down the days to Christmas break when she got to stay home with me. I am hoping next semester is a little easier. Ali thinks she is a real princess and insists on wearing her Halloween costume of Snow White or Ariel everyday. She gets very upset when you tell her she can't wear these dresses out of the house. She is my little fashion diva! She loves her skirts and dresses and her sparkly shoes. We are going through a phase now where her nail polish has to match what she is wearing that day. I don't think I am looking forward to the teenage years if these phases continue!

First Days of School

I have been student teaching for about two weeks now and LOVING it so much!!! I have such an amazing class and we have so much fun! I had little boy bring me an apple already! He is so sweet! He told me if I ate that one then he would being me another one the next day and if I ate that one then we would bring me an orange. I told him that his mom probably buys those for him to eat and he says "no she buys them so I can give them away!!" It was so cute! I am going to be taking over more of the classroom duties this next week. I am a little nervous but mostly I am just really excited. I am going to be doing some reading and teaching spelling! I am also writing a poetry lesson to teach here in the next few weeks! I am in the classroom three days a week and then I still have my classes two days a week. I like the little change in pace during the week but I can't wait until I am in the classroom five days a week and actually teaching everything.

Kole's school is going really good too! He did tell me at one point that he wanted to go back to kindergarten cuz all they do in first grade is sit. But I am pretty sure he is over that cuz he really likes going to school now! He has also started playing flag football. It was really entertaining watching all the kids at the first practice!! They have ALOT to learn!! All they wanted to do was pull each other's flag and when they were given time at the end of practice to do that all they did was chase each other. His first game is next weekend and I am so excited to see him really play. He is going to have so much fun!!!

It's Here!!!

We have had a really busy last couple of weeks. We have been busy getting ready for school. Buying school supplies and school clothes (I realized I didn't really have enough shirts to make it through one week). Kole also needed clothes (i guess he got taller over the summer and his shirts were too small) and since Kole was getting new clothes Ali need new clothes too! I think daddy was the only one who didn't get new clothes but that's because he doesn't have patience to go shopping and try on clothes!

This weekend we celebrated Kole's 6th birthday! He had LOTS of fun!! We had a full house and a Caption America celebration complete with a pinata!!! 

I have been busy helping my mentor set up the classroom which has been so much fun! As it turns out her family and my family are a little intertwined!! It's a small world!!! I have been decorating bulletin boards like CRAZY, tracing and cutting and stapling!!! I can't wait until I get to really decide what goes where in my classroom! I am going to have start stocking up on cute baskets this year to store stuff in on my desk and ctue room decorations! Tomorrow is our first day of school and I am really excited to start my student teaching year but I am also so nervous. And I am sad because it's Kole's first day of First grade. Where did my little baby go?

I had to take first day of school pictures tonight because I won't be able to walk him to class tomorrow because I have to be at my school:( Thankfully dad is going in late so one of us is doing it. I have always walked Kole to class on his first day and I am a little sad to not be able to do it this year. I have gotten so spoiled with being able to be at home with my kids. Sometimes it's just so hard to change even when it's good and you are excited about the change. 

I am hoping for a good week of first's for Kole and me this week!!

Almost there

I am almost down to the last day of enjoying time at home all day with my kiddos. We have played outside on the slip and slide with some close friends, feed the birds and played at the park and just enjoyed doing art activities inside because of course it has been outrageously hot outside. It has been a bittersweet week. Kole is excited to go back to school and Alison is excited to go play all day with her friends Cade and Anden. I am excited to be teaching again but also a little sad and nervous to leave Ali all day. This will be the first time I have left her all day since she was 9 weeks old.(

We have also been counting down the days until Kole's birthday, another reason this week is a little sad for me-my  baby boy is turning 6! Every morning we have to get out the calendar and count down how many days are left until his birthday. Now we are down to 3 days. We are having a family get together this weekend and then a big "Caption America" birthday party next weekend. I have decided I am NOT making a cake this time. The last time I made one, which was Ali's birthday in January, it didn't turn out so well. My icing wouldn't color right so I let Joey, Adam and Peter help me which was a HUGE mistake. I still have no idea what they did to make my icing turn the color it did but needless to say we used that one as decoration and then bought an ice cream cake to actually eat. I think Kole is getting an ice cream cake for his birthday too! I am pretty sure it was my Nana who got me hooked on ice cream cakes and now I will get my kids hooked on ice cream cakes!

Well I have until Tuesday to enjoy being home and then I will be going to staff in-services and helping my mentor teacher set up her classroom. The 17th is the first day of school and I am super excited to meet my students for the year!

Our new Journey!

In just a week and a half I will be going back to "work" full-time. It's not really work because I am doing it for school but essentially it is work! I will be student teaching!!! Yay!!! I am almost finished!!! After all this hard work there is finally an end in sight!!! I am so excited to finally begin this chapter of my life but I am also very nervous at the same time. I am leaving Alison all day for the first time in 3 and 1/2 years but at least I know she will be well taken care of because she is staying with a friend of mine. I won’t have to worry about how she is being treated in daycare which is nice! There are just so many changes I am going to have to become accustom to again. Going to bed early, getting up early, doing ALL my cleaning on the weekends, and not having my nap time/quiet time every day. So I am starting this blog to document all the changes that are going to take place and all the interesting things in my life! I really excited about starting student teaching but I am also starting to have panic attacks about not being good enough. I was a para for 6 years and the lead teacher in a two year old classroom for a year so I should be good at this! Hopefully it goes well!!

                                                  Our beautiful family in Colorado.