My Classroom!!!

I finally got to see my new classroom for the first time. I walked in and I almost shed a tear. It is such a milestone in my life. I am so nervous/excited. I have no idea where to start, but am lucky to have some great friends who are willing to help me out. Here are some before pictures. This is my Tabula Rasa. The canvas in which I will create a master piece. The Mona Lisa that will inspire future generations to greatness. I doesn't look like much now, but I think it's beautiful.

Happy Birthday!!

To me! Well it was yesterday. Can you believe I turned 25!!!! I am so freaking old. I will read this years later and laugh. 25 really isn't that old.

the cake. Speaking of I had a great birthday. My 2 best friends from home and my twin came down. It was icing on icing on the cake, I made my own birthday cake to have at school with the kids. I must admit it is pretty legit. There is a picture below.

cake,I went to work early and set up for the day of me! It's pretty funny that I went all out for my birthday with the kids. I did a Superman theme. Streamers, a pinata, balloons, party favors, and ice cream. I was excited and knew the kids were because their parents came in telling me how excited they were. It was a lot of fun and I am glad the kids really got a kick out of it.

After work I went home to meet my friends from home and we went to dinner. We kind of got a little tipsy, but were good enough to drive down the street to the karaoke bar. I was happy when I arrived because I had friends from all walks of life show up. There were friends from home, family, friends from when I worked at the Children's Museum, friends from my old apartment complex, teacher friends, and friends from the child care center I work at now. A good crowd showed, and needless to say the birthday shots were endless. I really had a great time. I even sang a song! It was Reba and I totally butchered it. I couldn't hear the song and I was already a little drunk.

It was definitely one of the top birthdays I have had. Here are a few pictures that were on my camera. I will post more when I get them from friends.


Here is a picture of the awesome cake I made. Isn't it super?













Here are my kids wearing their Superman masks that came in their party bags.










My kids awaiting the pending fiesta! Doesn't it look magical?












Matching plates, cups, and napkins. I don't skimp on the little stuff.
















I can't believe I only have one picture from the karaoke bar. 2 fellow bloggers and my cousins.

Finally!

So I haven't updated in a while because not much has really been going on. My kids are still crazy and no stand out stories have taken place, or at least that I can remember. I did have a kid sit in my lap and I gave him a big squeeze. That was a bad choice because he farted on me. A loud, warm fart that sent vibrations through my legs. It made me laugh really hard.

Anyways great news!!!! I am officially a teacher! I got a 3rd Grade job in Round Rock ISD and am super pumped! I can't wait! When school starts, expect more blogs to be posted as I chronicle my first year as a teacher. I am wondering if I need to change the name of my blog since I am no longer a wandering educator. Now I am a perennial educator:)

Rest Time

One perk to working at a child care center is rest time!!!!!! It's in the middle of the day so it gives you a chance to rejuvenate. It is also 2 hours long! 2 hours of peace and quiet! Well during those 2 hours you have to find ways to occupy yourself. Here is one way I found that involves googley eyes.





Ahh!!! 3 eyed monster!














WHAT?!?! Rest Time is almost over!!!










This is what happens when you anger the beast!!!lol

Tale as Old as Time

Tonight I went with some friends to Zilker Park to see Beauty and the Beast! There is an outdoor theater there. It was truly magical. I forgot how much I really loved that story. I even caught myself singing along. I hopefully want to catch more plays there. It's free and outside under the stars. What more could you ask for?

Tear Tattoo...

I had a really close friend a few years back whom whenever there was a sad or sentimental moment we would point to our eyes and say tear. We did it so much that we joked about actually getting a tear tattooed under our eye so we would just point to it and not have to say anything. From that point on when one of those moments came up we would just say tear tattoo. I really miss that friend but life took us down different roads. I know our paths will cross again and when they do it will make my heart happy and yes there will be a tear tattoo.

The reason I mention tear tattoo is because today I had a tear tattoo moment. Occasionally at work the older kids need me take them on a field trip and I leave my kids in the capable hands of my assistant. My kids are too young for field trips, but next year they will be old enough. It was circle time and we were talking and sharing stories when one little boy quietly raised his hand. I was a little taken back because this little boy never raises his hand and is rarely quiet. I called on him and he asked the simplest question that almost made me cry. It was:
"Mr. Jesse, when we are older will you take us on field trips like you do for the other class?"
Doesn't seem like a big deal, but to me it was the world. I am only there for the summer so come August chances are I will never see those kids again. That came rushing to mind right after he asked the question. I told him yes, even though the chances of it happening are slim to none. That is the curse of being a teacher. You fall in love with all these little individuals after helping them grow and teaching them to become good people and then they leave you a year later. Will you ever see them again? Maybe, but sadly not. I just hope that I have touched their hearts only a fraction of how they touched mine. Tear tattoo...

Crazy Creatures

No I am not referring to my kids.lol That is the topic of study for the week. We are talking about animals and insects that don't fit with the norm. Which is totally ok. That is something I tell my kids everyday. Just because these animals are different doesn't make them any less of an animal. Then I go into my whole spiel about being happy with who you are and not letting anyone change you. It gets pretty deep... until I notice the kids becoming more interested in their boogies than me. Oh well, someday they'll understand.

Back to Crazy Creatures. The creatures we are studying this week are the platypus, hammerhead shark, caterpillar, the bat, and the octopus. The more I research these animals and study the differences that make them "Crazy Creature" worthy the more I start to thing that this week should be called Awkward Animal week. Seriously these animals have some issues. Most of them suffer from identity crisis. The platypus is a mammal, yet it lays eggs and has a duck bill. Seriously platypus, pick a team! The hammerhead shark can't decide whether its a shark or a common household tool. The bat is a rodent with wings, and the octopus has no backbone, literally. Perhaps the most awkward animal award goes to the caterpillar. He will need a lot of therapy. He completely changes himself after some time of complete isolation.

I think I probably probed deeper into these animals than was necessary, but that's me. I am a very thorough educator.

I am in love...

With 12 little people. I love my kids. I drove to Fort Worth to spend my 4 day weekend with my mom. I decided to set cruise control to 65mph to save some on gas. So that means it took me more than 3 hours to get there. The whole 3 hours I was thinking about my kids and how the week went. I had so much fun this past week. The theme for the week was "Freedom". So I talked to the kids about what freedom is and important people and places in the US. Most of the concepts were too abstract for the kids but at least most of them now know some important people and places. They know where Mount Rushmore, The Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial, and the Golden Gate Bridge are. They are so smart and catch on super fast. We ended the week with a Celebrate Freedom Parade. All my kids were decked out in Red, White, and Blue. They were also covered from head to toe in Patriotic Attire, including temporary tattoos. These kids love tattoos. Anyways the whole drive down I was thinking about my kids and some of the fun times we had. I probably looked like a crazy person with a goofy smile and the occasional laugh out loud moments. It was cool though. I left late last night so the only people out were truckers. I am really going to miss those kids at the close of the summer. I didn't think I would fall this hard and fast.