First day-

 
Bee's off to 3rd grade. For her birthday she asked for the Vera lunch bag and messenger bag- she's too trendy for us!

 
Lou's off to first grade.  He also had to have a messenger bag and was happy to use one of daddy's. 

 
I'm off to 3rd grade too.  It's my favorite grade to teach! 

(It sort of looks like I'm pushing Lou out of the picture.  It was probably the opposite.)

 
These cute girls are my team mates in the world of third grade.  The one in pants is Bee's teacher.  She loves her!  Her classroom is super beautiful, I'll try to get some pictures.

Ok, so first day and these kiddos are awesome.  It's probably too early to call it, but I think this is going to be a great year. 

lactating dogs

The kids have been playing puppies lately.  They tried pretending that Tippy had given birth, but he kept getting up and walking away.  Stuffed dogs are more cooperative.   This is what I found when the kids took a snack break.  The mama dog (and in Lou's case, the daddy dog) are nursing the babies.  I love it!  They pretty much have it figured out.

crafty ladies

A few of my favorite ladies got together at church for a 'bring your own project' night.  Serious amounts of crafting fun!  It was like pinterst exploded in the gym church. It was great!

 
I lugged my silhouette and iron and heat transfer vinyl in and set up shop.
I made shirts for the kid's teachers... and one for me.

I love how these shirts turned out!  I love the colors and how fun they are.

 
At home, I added a little something to an old hoodie too.  I can wear school related shirts and jeans on Fridays so I have altered a few items to work for Fridays. I feel funny wearing jeans to work, but I'll try to get over it. 

one last day

22 new little friends are coming to join me tomorrow.  I met them all on Monday night at back to school night and I can't wait to get them into class.  They're going to be a fun group!  We're getting in one last swim today before the fun begins.  (This is my favorite way to sit out at the pool, Ipad in hand.)

 

a peak in the classroom

I brought my family in as free labor a week ago. I put my teacher siblings to work and they took care of a huge amount of work.  It was a great and super productive afternoon. 

 
Here's just a peak. 

My classroom is used on Sundays for Sunday school and afterschool for after school care and in the summer for summer camp and on Wednesdays for boyscouts or something.  I have a lot of restrictions of what I do in the room but I was able to work within the restrictions and came up with something I'm pretty happy with. A lot of things have to be able to get packed away on Fridays and quickly set back up on Monday. 

 
We use 'calendar math' so this board changes each month with the focus skills for the month. 

My library has to be able to fold up and get pushed against the wall.  I have books that won't fit but I'll have to rotate them all through during the year.  See that blue book holder on the top left shelf?  I found that in the dumpster. 

Ok, I'm back to work.  I have a few more hours before the kids and parents come in!

growing... and not growing

I'm an awful gardener this summer.

I waited and waited on the peaches to get bigger and almost missed the whole crop.  We had about 20 peaches when it came down to it, and were able to eat about half.  The bugs got a few, and a few were just too ripe by the time we got to them.  I wasn't expecting any this first year so I'll be happy with 10.

 

I thought I was growing zucchini, then I thought it was  a watermelon.  It turned out to be a pumpkin.  We have one beautiful orange pumpkin.  In August.  No zucchini.  No watermelon.

 
The eggplant are so tiny they aren't worth prepping to eat.   I've been so neglectful.  So so neglectful. 

The tomatoes are just now starting to ripen.  They're a month behind schedule.  Hopefully I get some nice ones before frost. 

I planted over a dozen green bean plants and have about three left.  One at least is a good producer.  The dog loves the top garden.  Loves it like he digs and rolls in it.  Live and learn.

I wrote on facebook the other day that it's a good thing it 2013 and food is available at the store because we'd starve this winter.  I haven't even put up any produce from the farmers market this summer.  I've had a one track mind... school!  (I'm back full time now and the kids come this week.  I am happy to spend my days working on things for school.  I forgot how much I love it.)

making himself at home

Well, he's certainly making himself at home!

And this is the reason Friday at noon is one of our favorite times of the week.

remember me

Remember this chair?  It was a rescued cast off from a friend of a friend.

Well, it's been three years.  It's been on the summer 'to-do' list for three years.  Like painting the kitchen cabinets and fixing all the trim in the house and painting the whole house.  It hasn't gotten done, until now. 

It's not perfect.  You can see traces of pink, especially on the caned seat. You know when people say something involved 'blood, sweat and tears?'  Well, minus the tears, this was one of those.  I worked on it out in the sun while the kids swam and did almost slice off my finger with the scraper... blood and sweat.

 

 
The front has some weathered damage and the stain didn't take as well, but the back look great.  I had planned on taking it in to school, but we're loving it in the living room.  It might just stay at home.