Creativity

Aubrey had her first Kindergarten project. The are doing gingerbread men for the beginning of school and she had to decorate the gingerbread man any way she wanted. We found a bunch of material and sparkles and had a good time. Aubrey came of up the concepts and I helped with the cutting of the material and the hot glue. I love having a girly girl...this definitely represents Aubrey!

Ethan spent about two hours building this concert out of Legos tonight. He did a great job on the details.

The drummer

The keyboardist and guitar player. He said the guitar was the hardest to try to make. Very impressed with the creativity of my children today.

First Day of School

We kept up our tradition of cookies on the first day of schook, but this year I put them in their lunchboxes.

I always let the kids choose what they want for breakfast on the first day of school. Ethan chose monkey bread this year. Mom and I made it up the night before and I woke up extra early to get it in the oven so it would be ready in time to get to school.

Ethan and I ready for the first day. Aubrey is stagger entry, so she did not go to school until today.

My big Third grader...where did the time go?

My wonderful assistant Michelle.

Ethan and his buddy Jordan are back in class again this year...four years in a row! We also got the cafeteria back again this year, which was great. Last year it was classrooms.

Derek had these waiting for me when I got home from my first day...he is a keeper!

At open house I locked myslelf out of my room. I did not want to wear a lanyard around my neck beause it bothers me and it would not work with all the necklaces that I enjoy wearing so much. I found this retractable gadget that works perfectly!

Aubrey had her first day today. She chose chocolate chip pancakes for her first day of school breakfast. She was not too happy about being awake at 6:45. I had frozen chocolate chip waffles that I was going to give her, but then I felt bad about making Ethan such a deluxe breakfast the morning before. So, I woke up early and made a batch of pancakes for her. I really do not think she cared. After I took her pictures, she put her head down on the counter. Luckily, she did not get any syrup in her hair and need a shower.

My sweet little Kindergartener! I love how she likes to pose.

I loved these shoes so much that I bought the next size up too. In the store, they seemed to fit just fine. However now Aubrey is complaining that the straps keep coming undone. Amazingly, she did not complain to her teacher at all today about them. When I asked her about it, she said "I just fixed them myself." What a great idea!

Aubrey and Mommy...Daddy opted to stay in bed and not partake in a picture.

Her cute new backpack. If I needed one, I would have chosen this one too.

Outside her classroom

Aubrey with Mrs. Ramage

I snuck in while my kids were at PE and got this shot of them lining up.

Both kids had great days at school so we went to Bruster's to celebrate.

Open House

Derek did an awesome job taking the kids to their classes today at Open House, while I was in my own classroom. He even filled out all of Aubrey's forms and bought Spirit Day t-shirts in the very crowded and crazy cafeteria. Aubrey in her classroom, such a big girl going to Kindergarten this year!

Of course, she made a friend already! She knows several of the kids her class from the various preschools she has attended.

Her teacher Mrs. Ramage. We just love Mrs. Ramage. I taught with her the second half of the year when I did Kindergarten and she was also Ethan's teacher. She is amazing!

Ethan at his big 3rd grade desk. It was a strange moment for me to write grade 3 in his paperwork today. It was also funny filling out the same stuff for him that all the parents in my class are filling out. I was tempted to write my school phone extension on the phone numbers, but I did not. It will be great having him next door to me this year.

His wonderful teacher Mr. Menard. Ethan had him for first grade and we are lucky enough to have him again this year. He is amazing too! I am excited to be working with him this year as he is not only a co-worker or Ethan's teacher, but he is also now a friend. He is just a great guy and we love him. It is going to be a great year for both kids...so excited for them!

I was really happy with the Skrinky Dinks that my class made today. They were a hit. We tried one in the toaster oven and it started to smoke and we really did not want to set off the fire alarm and everyone have to evacuate, so I decided to shrink them at home in the oven.

I was already the first teacher to get locked out of my room. I am terrible at keeping my key on me. I had it around my wrist and put it on my desk and carried something else out instead. Last year I was in a pod and when I locked myself out I could just go in another teachers door in my pod. Not so this year, this could be a challenge. I was told I could get another key. I may have to get several and give them to the teachers around me. At least a master key was easy to access and I was easily let back into my room.

My Classroom is Ready

It has been a long week and lots of hard work, but my classroom is finally ready for Open House in the morning. I am in the new building at our school. For four days, the air did not work in my room, so that was fun. I had lots of help and am very thankful for all those who helped me get my room finished.

Baskets waiting for all those supplies the kids will bring in.

The desks are really nice, but they are big and it was quite a challenge to make the most use of the space. So thankful that Derek took the day off to help me figure this out on Thursday.

We did not have any cubbies in the new building, so I stole them from the kids rooms at home. These cubbies have had many homes. They started out in the bonus room of our first house in NC and ran along one whole wall of our bonus room. There were several other pieces with it and now they are all scattered to different places.

Behavior chart

The shrinky dink lunch choices are my favorite part of the room! My assistant did a great job on the picture of me too on the Spotlight piece on the door.

Camp

The kids and I headed off to Word of Life camp with other kids from church. Marie got the girls matching shirts for the big first day.

Ethan in his cabin. Aubrey and I stayed in the conference center with the other chaperones. The kids had counselors that stayed in their cabins

Aubrey sat with the girls the first night, until she got scared by the pretend guns. It was a wild west theme this year.

The climbing wall was a big hit with the kids and I did it on the second day. I made it to the top but is was not easy at all. My legs were shaking by the time on got to the top.

Coming down the zip line.

Aubrey got to got to a little class during the Bible times and many other times throughout the day. She loved it! Here she is in the one skirt I packed her. She was sad I did not pack more skirts and dresses and I told her it was camp, she should wear shorts...silly girl.

She had a dinousar theme.

Aubrey's little group walking to the pool, they were so cute.

Night time swim

and all you can eat pizza for $5. Ethan ate 6 slices, minus the crust.

The snack shack is always a hit.

This was a team building activity and they were told to stand by one of the holes in the rope. Ethan chose one of the biggest ones because he said he saw another group doing it and knew they had to get through their hole without touching the rope. He had one of the easiest ones, smart kid.

Paint ball

Aubrey on the water slide with the big girls from our church. She loved it!

Ethan doing his devotions in his cabin.

Derek got me this Angry Bird shirt since I would not be able to play it on his phone while I was at camp. It was a big hit with the kids...I felt very cool!

Aubrey swimming with one of her friends she made in her class. She also learned to swim without her floaties while at camp. See the video at the end of this very long post.

Aubrey made his hat in the craft area with some money Nana sent her in a card.

She loves a good pose

Ethan playing with one of the counselors in the pool.

Ethan's cabin finally had their turn at the climbing wall the last day of camp. He was all ready to go and they had to shut it down due to lightning. We did get a really bad storm, but it was the only one all week. Ethan and his two buddies, Gage and Tate were sad that they closed the climbing wall, but the guy in charge of it took their names and told them they could be the first ones to climb after the evening session. Right after the session was over, we ran to the wall, only to find out they were not going to open it because it was too late. The boys were devestated. His friends dad and myself tried to console them and tell them it would be okay and we managed to get them to be somewhat optimistic. We were heading down to their cabin for the pizza party they won for being the cleanest cabin of the week, when the guy in charge came and found us. He told us that he would open it just for the boys since he promised them and he was going to stick to his word. It was an awesome example to the boys about staying true to your word. They were beyond thrilled!

Ethan climbing the rock wall.

Ethan, Tate and Gage at the top

Ethan getting ready to go down the zip line. It was very hard to get pictures in the dark, but he loved it.

Cleanest cabin award

Pizza party in their cabin


Aubrey even got a piece. She was a trooper this last night, as we kept her out until about 10:30 and she was one tired little girl.