First Day Jitters

If you're not familiar with the book First Day Jitters you should read it. It's a great story for all ages. It is a picture book - I wouldn't want those of you who read my blog and are NOT teachers (there are a few of you!), to hunt it down and be disappointed. 

I started journaling my adventure in my new classroom a couple of weeks ago. Then friends, I left you hangin! How rude of me. These last few weeks have honestly been a whirlwind. New employee training, Granny's funeral, more employee training, open house, and now tomorrow - First Day of School! Yikes! These last few days have been long ones, but I'm just as excited and nervous as our main character in that book First Day Jitters.

I'll be learning right along with my little 2nd graders tomorrow. I'm SUPER excited about my kids, my school, my curriculum, my team, I think it's going to be an awesome year.

Here's a sneak peek of my room as I left it tonight after open house (it's still a tad messy from the crowd). 

Highlights would include my huge bulletin board above the bookshelf. It's titled "Binkley's Learning Pad" and I'm planning on using that space for anchor charts made with my kids during whole group reading instruction. My class library, which says "read it, read it" to go along with my frog theme. The biggest change for me this year - no teacher desk! I'm using my guided reading table to house a few teacher items I might need, other than that what belongs to me, belongs to my kids. We share our space equally! 

Two personal goals this year (well two that I can quantify at the moment) would include: 

1. Mastering my new 2nd grade curriculum - and by mastering I mean knowing my standards as thoroughly as I did my 4th grade ones

2. Beefing up my primary library! My books are all chapter books!

A wise theater mentor once told me that nerves are a positive thing. They keep you on your toes, and keep your mind sharp. Those "first day jitters" have nothing on me. Bring it on 2012-2013 school year - bring it on!

My Tribute to Granny

Domingo (Sonny) & Eloise Dasal

On  Wednesday night, August 1, my Granny, Eloise Dasal, joined my Papa in heaven. She just turned 92 years old.  This is my tribute to her.

When I started this post, I wanted to outline Granny's life in details. I wanted to share her and my Papa's love story that started in WWII, and their journey of raising six sons. I wrote it all out, line by line. Then I placed my finger on the delete key and held it there for a very long time. In writing my memories of her I got lost in the details, the pieces of colorful thread that wove her life together. When I got to the end, what caused me to hit the delete button was that it wasn't the thread I needed to pay tribute to. It was the beautiful quilt those pieces wove together that deserved all the justice.

Granny was a strong willed, God fearing, southern belle, that stared adversity in the face (often with a hand on her hip). She was proud of who she was and where she came from. She deeply loved her Sonny (my Papa). Her greatest accomplishments came from the lives of her six sons. It was those boys who relished spoiling her, and those boys who, in her frailest moments on earth, held their Mama tight and told her it was OK to let her go.

I know that today was really difficult for many family members, but I realize that today might have been Granny's best in a long time. Today she got to love on Papa, whom she'd been separated from for almost 9 years. She was able to look into her baby girl's eyes for the very first time. Most importantly, today she was able to stand in the presence of God. How much better could it get for her?

Granny you were loved and will be missed by many. I am forever grateful for the woman you chose to be, and am honored to be but a thread in your life quilt. I love you!

My Little Diva

I finally successfully loaded my little diva's videos. I giggle each time I watch these, and I also tremble slightly in fear because I know what true drama queen we really have.

This first video was taken back in the winter time at our home at the Lake. She is "rocking" out to Strawberry Shortcake's "Sunshine girls". Her dance moves are mimicking the moves on the TV. It's pretty classic.

My favorite part is the robot(ish) dance moves and the quick bite she must take mid dance. This picture was taken the week before Berry Beach. She was "getting ready" for the beach. Yes those are Jon's hunting socks and I have NO idea why she has them on with her swimsuit.

This clip was taken the week we moved. She is singing along to Barbie's Princess and the Pauper.  Her Blanky is serving as her dress and she has on high heels if you can't see them. Not nearly as fun as "Sunshine Girls" but equally entertaining.

Watch out world - here comes Harper!

Diary of a Wimpy Classroom - Day 1

First let me say that I don't blog about my classroom. Not that I don't love reading teaching blogs, but let's face it - I'm not that creative. I don't write classroom blogs - I read them! haha! Today was Day 1 in my new classroom. I had moved in all my boxes in June, however I hadn't touched anything since then.  As I walked in today I was completely overwhelmed. There was stuff everywhere!! Since I'm moving to a new grade level I wasn't sure what to keep and what to throw away. Let me give you a sneak peek. 

Later in the day I learned that the teacher who was in this room before me had been in the room for 18 years. Yikes! Like a true veteran teacher - NOTHING went to waste and EVERYTHING was saved. Let's just say I had a lot of work ahead of me. With Harper's help I slowly made my way around the room throwing things away, rearranging, throwing more things away, breaking down boxes, throwing more things away - you get the picture. I've had quite the day. Below is the video just before we left for the day. We still have a LONG way to go, but some progress is better than no progress! 

Aftershock

When someone experiences a tragedy, life is inevitably categorized into the "before" and "after" moments. The before moments being the tasks at hand that seemed to daunt your day or your week. The small fights you have with your spouse about picking up dirty laundry or washing a dish off in the sink. At the time, it was what consumed your day, your thoughts, even your actions. Then tragedy hits. Now and forevermore you will remember those consuming tasks as miniscule in hindsight. Why didn't I just let the dirty sock roll off my back? Was it really that big of a deal to have two dirty dishes in the sink? Did I remember to say "I Love You" before he walked out the door? Now life is looked at as the after moments. You can't help but compare the two lives as they drastically differ from  each other.

Yesterday my sweet, loving 51 year old cousin Jeff died of a brain aneurism. To say that I'm heartbroken is an under statement. Jeff was more like an uncle to me than a cousin - he was the oldest grandchild and I am the youngest. I'm having a hard time processing the fact he's gone. It just doesn't seem possible. I'm heartbroken for my Uncle Don and Aunt June, who are having to take on the task of burying their son. I'm heartbroken for Diana, his only sister, who was so close to him. I'm heartbroken for his wife Susan, who loved him dearly and enriched his life. I'm heartbroken for my parents, who loved and treated Jeff as a son. I'm especially heartbroken for his sons, who will now pass every milestone with their dad as a memory. It doesn't seem fair, it doesn't seem possible. 

If anyone knew Jeff, they knew that he was one of the best storytellers out there. He could get a laugh out of anyone - he truly enjoyed it. I know that my Uncle Moose, Janetta and especially my Grandma Ruby welcomed Jeff with loving arms yesterday. He's probably got them on the floor rolling in laughter. Until I see you again Jeff - I love you!

Jeff Lincoln

Parenting 101

I took a child development class in college where a very wise professor told us that before people have children they make a "mental" list of all the things they'll never do as parents. Then once they have kids they mentally check off each item on the list as they do them. For example: My kids will never eat macaroni and cheese with hotdogs for dinner, speed ahead 5 years and as I'm grilling hotdogs I mentally check off that item. Or, I won't allow my children to be that loud at a restaurant -- 5 years later I'm bribing my kids with horrendous things like ice cream to not scream or say "poop" so loud that the next table wants their food to go. The "list" could go on.

Look at that expression. Her eyes could tell a lifetime of stories and she's only 3. I've been reading blogs and trying to research best practice strategies for handling children with a "strong personality". Everyone tells me that it's such a blessing she's so adamant in her way, that she will stand her ground and  not sway to peer pressure. I just can't seem to wrap my brain around that. Harper is extremely verbal, probably past her age in speech which makes discipline hard. I'm not sure she cognitively understands what she says or how she acts. It's a fine line I'm trying desperately to learn. I'm truly hoping that I'm doing all I can to teach her she can always express her true feelings to me, while guarding her tongue with others. 

Food Take II

So when I started this blogpost last week I wanted to post some videos from my phone of some of Harper's diva moments. But it won't load so I know I must be doing something wrong. I can't quite figure it out. If you know the secret - let me know! You won't want to miss my Little Diva's rendition of Strawberry Shortcake's "Sunshine Girls" or Barbie's "Free to be Me".  Trust me.

Since I couldn't quite get the videos loaded I thought I would take another stab at describing my food challenges. I don't feel that I gave my last post justice. After 6 months of eating this way I must say that my challenges really aren't as bad anymore. Now that I'm familiar with what I can and can't eat I don't spend as much time online looking up menus or at the grocery store looking at labels. Most of our staple meals like tacos, sloppy joes, spaghetti and even burgers I have found an alternative that works for me.

Like I said in my last post, we don't really eat any red meat or pork in our house. Jon still fries bacon occasionally or will buy ground beef to make himself a burger, but you won't find it stockpiled in our freezer like it used to be. I've substituted ground beef with ground chicken or ground turkey breast. Even ground buffalo works! Then it's all about finding lower fat alternatives and portion control. For instance, I buy the heart healthy spaghetti sauce and whole grain spaghetti noodles, and allow my self more noodles and less sauce. We don't get the yummy garlic cheese bread, but instead I toast whole wheat bread and lightly season with garlic powder. Summer time has been easier for eating healthy because the produce is so fresh and abundant.

Now let's talk sweets. Anyone that knows me knows my sweet tooth is hard core. I miss butter, cream and ice cream for sure. However I've found some amazing frozen yogurt that satisfies my sweet tooth! Plus the sweetness of fruit has truly helped. Fat free whipped topping mixed with fat free yogurt and then topped on fat free angel food cake is a favorite! The 100 calorie pack cookies also help satisfy that sweet craving with out going over my 5g fat limit on a snack. If I cheat - it's usually with sweets though. Sometimes you just can't say no! :)

I know you must be thinking "but isn't that hard?" The answer - yep. I have to make a conscious effort to stay positive. It doesn't always work. At first, after we would attend a function that had nothing on the menu I could eat, I would literally cry as soon as we got in the car. Please don't misunderstand I was in no way upset at the host or hostess. It was by no means their fault that I have to eat a certain way and it's expensive to boot! But it was just an overwhelming sadness I couldn't get past at first. I sorta understand all those talk show hosts when they talk about food being a drug. Now it's not as bad. I've had some time to get off the drug and watching people eat my favorite things isn't hard or sad anymore. Jon is so great too - he'll try anything! I know it's been hard for him too, but he would never tell me that. I distinctly remember when I was in the hospital shortly before I had Elli that they decided I would be on liquids only for the two weeks until I could be induced. I instantly started crying and Jon instantly looked me in the eye and said "I'll do this with you, you won't be alone - it's going to be OK". From that point on - I knew no matter what my crazy diet was, he was on board. I know he secretly LOVES going to eat someplace other than home though so he can "eat for both of us" haha!

So the Food Saga continues - but it has taken a slightly positive twist! And if you do know how to get past the whole not loading video thing - be sure to let me know!