hello 3rd grade, good-bye 5th grade

   The past couple of weeks have been absolutely insane. Last week I dealt with a lot of teaching firsts (including parent/teacher conferences) and while it was a bit overwhelming, I learned so much.
Then Friday rolled around and I got the biggest shock of all. My principal let me know that as of Thursday (today) I would no longer be a 5th grade teacher, but instead 3rd. I've been going back and fourth on this for a week. While I know there is nothing I can do, budget cuts are what they are, I still have been feeling such extremes.

On one hand I'm incredibly sad. My first class and it's taken away from me during week 6. I've grown to love these kiddos. I've invested so much in them. I've invested so much of my own personal budget, of my time creating a nice classroom.... and now it's all gone. I love my former team members and my students as well. I hate leaving the 5th grade, especially since I was suppose to go on a field trip with them Friday that we have been preparing for for weeks!

But on the other hand, I'm excited. I think I'm really going to love 3rd grade. I met my students today and so far they seem amazing. I also love my new partner (who shares the same name as me!!!) and my team. I'm also no longer in a portable (which is good and bad...no more personal bathroom).

So that's my life lately. Today I had my students help me move some things and I tried to get situated in my new room. Tomorrow my amazing partner is going to help me as I work on my new room and prepare myself and classroom for my new teaching position. Lord help me!

But my fifth graders did write me some amazing good bye letters (and some even gave me little gifts)!! One of the best letters I got was the one above. I had been so close to crying all day and after reading this letter, I almost died laughing. It was just what I needed and made me so glad I'm a teacher.
-k

it's been so long

I can't believe I've gone about 2 weeks without blogging. It seems silly to say, but honestly for the past several years I've been so into it and have tried so hard to share here, that 2 weeks seems just crazy. It's not that there isn't anything going on either. It's just that work has consumed my life. If I'm not preparing lessons, then I'm grading, or sleeping, or watching football.
Fall is around the corner and I'm praying that with that comes more photos, more fun, and way less stress!!
Until later......

my down time

 

 I seriously want to laugh while reading the title I posted. Because the response to it is.. "What down time?" 

I've tried to give myself some of course, or I'd go crazy, but life is still so hectic lately. Which is how I'd prefer it yes. And it's not that I'm complaining. I'm not. I'm just feeling so overwhelmed and it's a little hard for me to keep my grounding. 

I was warned though. Everyone says that your first year of teaching you just have to hold on and try to survive. It's like a rollercoaster they say. It's all about surviving they say. 

It's easy to get frustrated though. I know that I won't be the best teacher in the world this year. I do promise to be the best teacher I can be this year though. It's just that all the planning and meetings, assemblies, and testings make it a bit more difficult. 

I don't want to come out of this year merely surviving, I want to come out thriving. 

I'm kind of wondering if veteran teachers are reading this laughing at me right now. I get that I have a lofty goal. There is so much to take in the first year. Hell, I'm only in week 3 and I'm aware of this. 

And part of me wants to slap all those people that think teaching is merely babysitting and such a easy thing to do. While it's gratifying, it's definitely not easy. You have 20 or so students all with different attitudes and different needs, that all need attention and support (but in different ways). Some have help at home, a lot don't. Some have learning disabilities. Some have been held back. Some have no respect for others. And yet, I'm trying to reach every single one of them and help them to be a better student and person. 

It's an overwhelming goal. But it's why I wanted to teach to begin with. I may not reach every kid, but my goal is to try. 

Sometimes though, I wonder if my first year goal should be more like "Don't cry in front of the kids". 

This is such a random tangent about so much. And while normally I might not post it, instead clicking "draft" and going back to look at it later, pointing out all the mistakes I made and sentences that didn't make sense, I won't this time. I don't want to edit myself on this. I want to look back at the end of the school year and remember how I felt and what I said (whether it made sense or not). 

And veteran teachers, I would absolutely love and appreciate any advice you might have (on anything!!!). So please feel free. And parents- you too. I feel like yall are teachers in the home and often times have such amazing advise (and management skills!!!).

 

Oh yes- and pardon the post about teaching and then a picture of beer. BUT I did say this post was about "down time". And the little time I have gotten (while not being sick) I did enjoy with a cook out and single beer. Sometimes it's just what's needed at the end of the day. (Don't judge).

-kel

september

(found on pinterest.com)

September is one of my favorite months for so many reasons.

Pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks are back, which also means the 1st one is with my friend Ash on our beginning of Fall date!!!

Steven's birthday is the 4th.

Football is back.

College football especially is amazing (go Auburn and FSU!!!)

Fall is around the corner. My favorite season. 

So many things to look forward to, but the thing I'm wanting the absolute most right now is to get better. Thursday I ended up coming down with strep throat. So on my 10th day of school, I had to call in a sub. And I still feel crappy.

But on the plus side, Steven's mom and stepdad are visiting and while I haven't been much company (sleeping 20 hours a day does that), it's so nice having them here. They are some of the best people I know. 

Happy (almost) Fall, y'all!!!

-kel

back to the grind tomorrow; week 2 of school

 Well, the first week of school is over, and the first weekend of relaxation with it. I'm not suffering from the usual Sunday Blues, but I'm not exactly ready for tomorrow to come yet either.  There is just so much to do and never enough time to get it all done. I really hope that it's not always like this....

my completed classroom!!!

This is my classroom. I love it. And since it is where I spend most of my time now, I'm glad I spent so much time on it before and during pre-planning week. All the little touches really helped it make it special. And pinterest of course helped too!!

So far this week has been tiring and has tested me, but it's been good. I have some great students and even though I have 3 classes, each one has been good (for the most part). And I love, love, LOVE m co-workers. They are some of the most helpful, caring, and amazing people I could ever ask to work with. And one of my favorite parts about this place??? Well, one is that on the first day I got to wear jeans and cowboy boots (because we were dressed as farmers, due to our school theme "sowing the seeds of love"). But the main one is that during our very first faculty meeting not only did we have amazing food to eat, but we also all prayed over it, even praying the Lord's Prayer. Granted, we are not a private school. But it is so awesome working with people that are so God loving and fearing.
Here's to hoping that this year continues to be great!
-kellie

an engagement party

Ever since my friend Erica told us she was getting married, Jen and I have been planning an engagement party for her. Then, when we met the other bridesmaid, Sarah, all 3 of us put our heads together and came up with the engagement party that ended up being thrown this past Sunday. Although we had a multitude of ideas for what we wanted to do, ultimately we decided upon a Sunday brunch. And since the groomsmen were all in town this past weekend, we put them to work helping us decorate.
 The get together was small, but it was intimate and fun. And the girls and I had so much fun putting it all together.
It almost made me wish that I was a party planner.....

-kel

50 shades of indecision

The phenomenon is seriously everywhere. It's hard to be in a room with more than a few women and not hear this book mentioned. In fact, I've noticed it's been a common icebreaker among we women. It usually goes something like this.....
"What do you like to do?"
"Oh, I love reading too...Have your read 50 Shades of Grey?"
"I love it too! Christan Grey is so...." (Fill in the blank). Because all of a sudden the conversation has been hijacked by Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.

For a while I was stuck in these conversations twiddling my thumbs, unable to contribute anything to the conversation. I had some friends (and a multitude of coworkers) that loved this book, but I also had some that were completely against even the idea of the book. I even kept hearing the phrase "mommy porn". So with all of this in mind, I was extremely indecisive on whether or not I wanted to read the series.

Then one day while roaming Target, I saw that the entire series was on sale. The shopoholic in me was unable to fight it any longer. I finally bought the books.
Then, a few weeks later I finally found time to start reading them. And then I was hooked.
It became one of those series that I fell in love with and was sad to leave behind once it was over. And yes, like the rest of America, I too fell for Christian Grey.

One of the funniest things about the phenomenon aftermath of this series to me though, and the reason I found inspiration for this post, was how guys view it. After reading a men's magazine I finally realized something....men will never understand this book. They will never grasp why we love the story, the characters, the sex scenes. The magazine I was reading seemed appalled that the sex scenes occurred so late in the book (chapter 8 to be exact). I suppose some men would think that connecting "porn" with a book would mean that it happens right away. They don't seem to realize what women really want. (May I also note that this is why it was a woman who wrote a book that sold so many millions of copies??)
Men are simple, they typically want only one thing and don't like waiting or beating around the bush for it.
Women on the other hand want more. Speaking personally of course, I like reading books and watching movies where the main female lead finds her knight in shining armor. It's cheesy and totally unrealistic, but it's what we crave. Maybe it's a genetic thing or maybe it was instilled into us with help from Disney. Either way, we tend to go for the romance aspect more than the sex.
To be honest, the sexual content of the book was sometimes too much for me, but the romance part was my favorite. It may be completely silly, but hey- at least I can admit it, right?

Have you read it? Did you like it?
-Kel

baby photography session

So this past weekend I not only took photographs for my friend Erica, but I also took some for my friend Jen. Of course, this cutie-pie is probably well known around this blog, since I've posted tons of photos of him in the two short months that he's been with us.

But these were too cute not to share.....

 xoxo
kellie