summer selfiness

I haven't written since the first day of school last fall.  I've had ideas and things I have wanted to share, and things I longed to get out, but wasn't brave enough, or disciplined enough to put down my phone long enough and open my computer to get my thoughts out.

But here I am.

I am spending my summer at home with my not so little any more, guy, Ryder.  He is 6 going on 7...how can that be?!  Early on this summer I found myself doing nothing, because it was summer and I told myself I deserved to relax a little bit...and not do much of anything because I was a teacher and "it was summer!"  I wasn't getting anything done because there was always "tomorrow to get that done."  I became discouraged and angry with myself that I was letting the time pass right before my eyes and I wasn't making the most of my days with R at home with me.  How selfish I was being.

I know there will soon be summers when him hanging out with his mama, is one of the last things he'll want to do.  I told myself I wanted to make this summer, and how ever many summers I have left where it will still be cool to hang out with your mom left, to make the most out of things and provide him with as many memories as I can.

I read another mom's statement she wanted to create/have such an awesome and memorable summer with her kids that they wouldn't want to go back to school.   By this, she didn't mean sending them to extravagant camps each week, spending money on stuff, or going on fancy vacations, but just making solid memories, that they created...together.  What a thought.  

By mid August I know I'll be "ready to go back to school" (but just for a lil while ;))...just because I thrive on routine, and summer does NOT provide that for me...But what an idea, to make your child's summer so memorable and fun for them, that they truly don't want to go back to school.  Not that I want him to not enjoy or dread having to go back to school, but I want him to look back on these summer days that we got to spend together and think, "Wow, those were fun."  I want him to remember his mom getting in the pool and playing with him.  Rollerblading beside him while he biked along the bike trail.  Swinging on the swings with him at the park...heck going to the park in the middle of the day!  Taking him to the track to run to prepare for a triathlon.  Inter-tubing with him out on the lake.  Climbing to waterfall she hasn't hiked to since she was in much better shape.  All things I may or may not have done with him in the past, but things I want him to know I want to do with him...I don't want him to do them alone.  I don't want his memories of these things to be with me in the background.  I want his memories to be with me by his side, as long as he will let me.  I will soon be in the background because it won't be cool to have your mom by your side any more.

Time is flying too fast...I know every parent can relate.

More to come on my brave boy as an only child...

UCA Stem Institute

Once upon a time...when Kati used to blog.  Oh my...

This summer I spent two weeks at UCA with the Stem Institute.  I am apart of a grant that is called Common Core Instruction.  Hopefully, they things they teach us as teachers, gets turned around and taught in our classrooms to our students, during the golden age of "common core".  It's really NOT that bad, if you will stop listening to what everyone is saying about it...and form your OWN opinions.  Granted, I've only taught the math of it, but had I been taught using "common core" back in the day, my understanding of math would have allowed me to understand more of "why" instead of just knowing, "this is how we do it."  

I have gained more understanding of WHY since being exposed to Common Core math than ever before...and I'm so thankful for that, and I'm thankful I get to share the WHY with my students!

Ryder is already learning the WHY in Kindergarten and I LOVE IT!--I think when kids start out using CC math, they have a much great potential to excel in math, especially because it is the only "math" they've ever known, or been exposed to.

Rant over.  Again, do your research!  =)

Thankful for these learning opportunities right here in my home town!

first day reflection

I wanted to reflect on our first day...before it was over.  Reflection is part of our daily lesson plan requirements at school.  I am coming to realize the importance of reflection, and how important it is to reflect on your subject while you still remember what to reflect back on.  

The beginning of any school year is stressful, but starting the beginning of a new school year, in a brand new building is even MORE stressful!  There is just so much of the unknown that you can't actually figure out until you're there!  

I was anxious about today--but not so much my mind, but my body.  It was weird.  I think I was anxious about what I was going to do in my room, and how I was going to occupy all of my time with my students--but it turned out to not even be a problem at all!  I had more than enough stuff to talk to them about and "do", and I actually didn't even complete everything I had planned on completing--& that was perfectly okay!

Multiple people told me on Sunday "You got this!"  So I felt like this was very appropriate for my morning this morning!  

I got him that bright orange backpack so I could always find him!  Haha!  

I dropped him off at KeeKee and Poppy's so KeeKee could take him to meet his dad so they could both walk him in together.

I wasn't upset about missing this.  In fact, I probably could have squeezed it in, but I knew that he could handle it! ;)

I had the opportunity to pray with my administration and some other teachers in our court yard at 6:50 before the kids were let inside the gates at 7:10...my principal shared that while we seem to get so caught up and "busy" doing our job, not to forget to just stop and look around to ENJOY what we are doing and who we are doing it with.  Life goes by way to quickly, and to not let it fly by without taking note of all of the opportunities we are given as teachers in these students' lives.  

I'll be honest.  I was so worried about MY kids, and getting them taken care of--I didn't even have time to think/worry about R.  I think that was actually a blessing.  I knew he liked his teacher, I knew KeeKee and his dad had it under control...and that he was going to do great!  I had no reason to worry about him!

It wasn't until I got a 5 minute break and was able to look at my phone and see the picutres KeeKee had sent me...I was like, "Oh yeah...Ryder!!  Awww...he looks so happy!"  

Selfie time with KeeKee!!  Her first official day of retirement!!  Doesn't she look so happy & refreshed?!?  Ms. Pruett already asked her to be PTO room mom!!! I love it!!  THAT is why KeeKee retired!  So thankful for her!  

Ryder with his dad--so glad they got to do this together!  

The little eaglet has landed!!  

I also found out I was in the paper today...haha!  This is a picture from LAST week.  I am talking of course...and that arm and pink purse on the left IS NOT MINE.  It looks like I'm talking on the phone, but I'm not!  But...I am talking...imagine that! ;)

At the end of the day, I felt accomplished and happy.  My feet hurt, even in my most expensive shoes.  No price tag on a pair of shoes can prepare a teacher's feet for the first day of school.  True story. 

I think I'm ready to do it all over again tomorrow...but make it even better!  =)

R finally made it over to my school on the bus...he was on there a LONG time, but I was so proud of him for making it--& with a SMILE on his face!!  He looked happy and had on his backpack and was carrying his lunch box and Camelbak...I told him he could put those things in his backpack! ;)  He will learn soon!

He said he had a great first day.  They talked about vowels, circled them in their "Our Class Rules" book, learned how to walk down the hall, with a bubble in their mouth and a fish tail behind their back, they learned how to hang their backpacks on their chair every day, and a bunch of other things I can't recall at the moment!

They had pepperoni pizza in the CAFE and he said he wishes he wouldn't have brought his lunch!  Ha!  Who knew?!?

He told me he was ready to go back...but "not today!"  

I asked him if they took a nap and he said, "No...I must have left before nap time."  I told him that no, he didn't leave "early"...when he left school was over!  

The precious mind of a child!  

random spring/summer

R at the lake with his friends...

I've been lovin' some scrambled eggs this summer!

Yes...he is wearing Christmas pajamas in the middle of the summer, but he was excited about his new color changing straws...I was too! ;)

Just some Travs baseball...I think he was mad at me, so moved down away from us!!  Ha!

We made our way to a few UCA baseball games...we were out in the outfield with Poppy and R was throwing his hat up and catching it.  Of course it fell on the field...during the game.  I was so embarrassed!!--but luckily we got it back! ;)

mother's day 2015

This was our last Mother's Day celebration at Snuggle Bug.  They are always so sweet to their mamas and I'm so lucky I've gotten to celebrate with my lil man there for the past three years. 

R has been keeping watch on a bird's nest out in his "tree stand" and it had two eggs in it.  They both eventually fell out.  We found one of them and put it back in the nest, but I think the mom had already forgotten about them.  He was pretty pumped to have found it after it had been "lost" though!

Who knows what he was doing out there...

The Little Red was so pretty on this particular day...it was warm, yet it felt so cool down on the water.  You could feel the cool-ness blowing over you.  

I asked Karleigh to give me a lil fishtail braid!

What a beautiful site to drive home to...

...and I love this little one.  Who isn't so little any more.