Why Yes, I Did Blog!

In case you would like to know what we have been up to . . . 

• We are still working hard on Parker's potty training business. He is doing fantastic! He is even wearing undies at home! Still wearing pullups out and about but we are about to start undies at school too because he doesn't have accidents there (unless he goes poo)! That part is his trouble area.

•  Kindergarten has been crazy busy while we prepare for our BIG Thanksgiving Program! Rehearsing with 130 kinders every day is exhausting to say the least! Love it so much though! We perform for our school tomorrow and for parents/families on Tuesday!
• We spent a relaxing weekend with Lenette and family and she took some family pictures of us! *See blog header for a few
• Parker's vocabulary has exploded. Like seriously! He is putting together 3 and 4 words to make small sentences! 
• We took Parker to a truck pull and he had a blast! We love us some country fun!

• On Veterans Day, my brother, aunt, and cousin came in uniform to visit my class and make American Flags with them! 
• I am currently obsessed with Grey's Anatomy!!! I have never watched it and decided to start at the beginning and wowzers, I'm in love! Confession: I have stayed up way too late a few times on school nights to watch a few episodes. 
• Parker got a haircut that makes him look like such a big boy. He needs to stop growing. 

• Yesterday, I spent the most amazingly fun day with my mom, grandma, and aunt! We haven't had a girls shopping day with all 4 of us in so, so long! It was perfect. And hilarious!
• Only 2 more days of school and then it is Thanksgiving Break!!! 

Happy Weekend

Yay! We love us some weekends! :-) 

1st off, I have to show you P's construction party invitations!!!

I'm so happy with it!

Hubby has drill this weekend so he zonks out early every night for those very early formations and Parker is sound asleep in his bed. I'm fixing to watch some America's Next Top Model and paint my finger nails! I got some new polish, pink wink and a silver bling for a few fingers. It's the little things! 

My Mom and Grandma are coming to visit tomorrow and I'm going to run to school to get some things ready for the week. {Kindergarten never sleeps} 

Oh! I was asked to be a mentor to our new kindergarten teacher! It's an honor being asked and I am ready to take it on. I was also a mentor last year for an ABC preschool teacher. 

Hope you all have a great, fun, awesome, and relaxing weekend! 

Struggling with August

I have the best job! Not only do I get the opportunity to shape and mold and love 20 kindergartners each year, but it also gives me so many amazing breaks and time off to be with my family! 

Summer break is wonderful. Going back to work is hard. I'm struggling hard this year with getting back in the grind. I am going to miss my baby boy so much. All of our morning snuggles, our talks during our morning walk, playing, watching him learn, having his "help" during daily chores, just all of it - everything. 

It's bittersweet. I get so excited thinking about my upcoming students and all of the things I have planned for them then I think of how much I will miss with Parker. Bleh! It's just hard and I know it isn't going to get any easier. 

Thankfully, once school routines get established again, I will be home with Parker around 4 and we will have all evening together! Plus holidays and breaks! And I get to be with my students too! 

I will survive! 

He has developed quite the love for Starfall! 

I have had the best summer with this boy! And Keith too! :-)

As the School Year Comes to an End

The last month of school is busy. Seriously busy. 

My energy has pretty much been used up completely by the end of the night.

It is only going to get worse as May comes and goes so quickly. I will blog again sometime, I hope!

Here is what will be going on with my amazing Kindergarten Class the rest of this year:

Beach Party

Music Program Practice

Brian Kinder Concert

Music Program Dress Rehearsal

Music Program for our school and families

Field trip

Watching 4th Grade Music Program

Water Day

Graduation Practice

GRADUATION NIGHT!

Academy Awards

Talent Show

Last day of school!!!

It's Almost Spring Break

1. This week in my kindergarten classroom, we have been leaving pictures for our sneaky lucky leprechaun! He comes and visits the room during the night, takes their pictures, and leaves the students a little surprise. He told us that if we made him awesome pictures every day, he would leave us a Pot of Gold on Friday! I CANNOT wait to see their excitement when they walk in the room tomorrow!!!

2. Tomorrow is the last day before Spring Break. This teacher is so stoked to spend an entire week home sweet home with her hubby and baby boy! 

3. Over Spring Break I will be seeing lots of family! My best friend and her family will be here this weekend, spending Monday with my brother and his fiance, Wednesday with my Mom and Grandma, and every other day I plan on staying home or close to home! 

4. The weather here is supposed to continue to be amazing for awhile. Parker just loves, loves, loves to be outside. I think we might move his {huge} outside toy to the backyard this weekend. It's currently taking up half of his room - no lie!

5. Since the time change, Parker has been going to bed so easily and right at 7:00. He seems so exhausted and is just ready to sleep after his bath. I love this!

Love my silly, sweet, crazy haired boy!

A Mom & A Teacher

I'm at a total loss.

I feel like my heart has been ripped apart.

They were babies. Babies. 

As a mother, I can't even begin to imagine the pain those families are going through.

As a teacher, of kindergarten babies, this scares me to my core. I haven't really ever thought that someone doing this to sweet, innocent children was possible. Now I do. 

I will do anything for my students. They become my babies. 

What scares me is that there are 18 of them and only 1 of me. I have always had the fear of not being able to protect them all. Normally my fears were about fires or tornadoes. 

Now I have the fear of gunmen. 

I will do everything in my power to protect them. Always. 

I love these babies. 

Spending a lazy weekend with this amazing boy was exactly what my heart needed. 

My prayers are with all the families of those precious angels that are now with our Heavenly Father. My prayers are with the scared survivors, the students, teachers, staff, and all that will eventually have to go back to the school where so much tragedy has happened. 

Military Christmas Dinner

I love this time of year! At home with my family and also at school with my kindergartners! It's just great! At school we are converting our hallway into a gingerbread village! 

At home, Parker is just all about the Christmas decorations. The tree is by far his favorite! He plays with the ornaments and tries quite often to add his toys to our tree. He also loves the singing Santa that Nana got him, the outside lights, and our special T'was the Night Before Christmas book that my Grandma made for us! 

This last Saturday we had our annual Christmas Dinner with Hubby's army unit! I love traditions and this will always be a part of ours!! 

Our sweet family of 3

Daddy and Parker

Mommy and Parker

He loves to be up!!

Not so sure about Santa . . .

Yep, not too happy about Daddy walking away!

A Lovely Friday Night

11 months & 4 days . . . 

Our big boy took his very first step!!! He took a step all by himself to Mommy! 

He wanted nothing to do with trying again for the video camera but I'm so beyond thrilled that he did it for me at home for the first time!

 Update: We finally saw the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist and Parker will be getting tubes put in both ears in October. We are praying this brings him relief from the pain and that he can once again, sleep peacefully! 

It has been another great week in Kindergarten! I'm so blessed to have such an amazing job that I love and the ability to be home on the weekends! 

Long Time, No Blogging

Life got busy again. And I mean busy! I'm adjusting back into the routine of the working Mom. I miss Parker so much during the day that we play and cuddle/snuggle all evening. When he goes down for bed at 7:45-8, I collapse into bed as well. It is hard to work all day (teaching 19 kindergartners) and then work all night taking care of the lil man. But I wouldn't have it any other way! Sometimes {everyday} I wish that I could just sleep in for 1 extra hour, or even 30 minutes. In fact I just wish I could sleep past 6am. But P gets up and so do I. And you can bet that we cuddle in the early mornings! 

Over the last few weeks:

• I love my new Kindergarten class! They rock!
• I am a Mentor Teacher this year to one of our new Pre-K teachers.
• Our school hired a 6th K teacher on the 3rd day of school because we were overloaded
• Parker is in love with his sitter!
• I love me some NFL football
• Parker has double ear infections right now . . . again
• We go see the Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor on Monday for Parker
• We are planning Parker's 1st Birthday Party! It's next month! 
• I live for the weekends where I am able to stay in pj's and play with my boy all day long!!!

Helping Daddy play guitar

Swimming in a big pool for the 1st time

Vroom Vroom

He got a bit tuckered out

Labor Day weekend with Nana

Nana kisses

Busy, Busy

School is starting in 6 days. 

We had a visit with Aunt Lenette & kiddos. 

Parker went swimming in a big pool for the 1st time. 

We had a visit with Nana, Pops, GiGi, and Aunt Kady. 

And I need to blog it ALL!

But . . . I have to be up and ready for back to school Teacher Workshop early tomorrow morning so for now I leave you with this:

Oh my heart! 

My loves <3

Back to School Routine

This was my first week back to school. I am one of 5 Kindergarten teachers and this year we have 115 students enrolled so far!!! Wow! We are very overloaded and a 6th teacher may be in our future. This week was Kinder-Kamp and we met all of our new students. I'm looking forward to the new year! 

I was very worried about Parker being with his new sitter for the first time. Well, I was worried for nothing! He didn't cry once! Not once!!! I am so relieved at how much he loves her and now I don't have to stress about him being upset. 

Our evenings at home have been filled with playing and a lot of cuddling! I love my cuddle bug! 

Bye, Bye Summertime

 As a Kindergarten Teacher, August means back to school. Back to working and no more being a lazy bum on the couch! As always, I look forward to the new group of kiddos that I will be with all year. This year will be very different though. Parker will be arriving in October and that means maternity leave and the kiddos will have a sub for 6 weeks. I worry about them but my little boy already comes first! For the past couple weeks I have been working hard in my classroom to get it ready for Open House and the first day of school. The first day of Kindergarten is a BIG step for the kiddos and their parents and I'm blessed to be a part of it! :-)