4 weeks down....

Well I haven't written much in the past few weeks! School has been extremely busy and ridiculously challenging. My class is FINALLY starting to settle a bit. I think I may be able to teach something, other than procedures, next week. Yippeeee!

I was comfortable last year with my nice little 1st/2nd grade combo. This year we added a third grade to our multi-age mixes and I now teach a K-1-2. Adding 9 Kindergarten students to my class of 24 REALLY spiced things up a bit. They are all sweet and precious individually...but when you put them all together on the floor for "group time" WATCH OUT. Rolling on the floor, feet in the air, poking neighbors, talking to friends, getting up and walking around cause I'm tired of this place, she's looking at me so I'm gonna yell out loud, time for a nap so I think I'll go to sleep....all in under 5 minutes too!

Today, I got a 20 minute class meeting out of them. They gave each other compliments and they thanked one another. The clouds parted and the sun did shine. Halleluah. We might just make it!

Horoscope

I was really glad to read my horoscope this month. Not because it's a good one, but because it let me know that there is a reason for all the stress I'm feeling these days. Lucky for me, the Cancer child, the full moon has been a good thing. I'm feeling a little more in control, a little more confident, and little less stressed. More stress is coming though, as Mercury is in retrograde. The planets will be doing some funky stuff in the middle of the month as well...causing even more madness. I am just happy to know ahead of time. So I can avoid confrontation this month. Emotions are running high right now guys! Be careful! And avoid making really important decisions. This is a good time for all of us to sit, think and be aware!!!

My Happy Bunch!!!

This week was crazy busy but I did manage to get some great shots of my new class! And that makes me happy. They made me happy too. They are loud, ask a million questions, haven't yet learned how to follow rules and directions...BUT after five whole days, I was hooked. Little rascals!
I look forward to learning more and more about these little souls.

Happy Week Day 3!

I think flowers will always make me happy. I recently starting taking photos of the flowers I am given for special occasions. I want to remember the beauty long after it fades.
So many kinds. So many colors. I love them all!

Happy Week Day 2!

Eating out makes me happy. I wish I could say that cooking makes me really happy. I do like to cook. I enjoy finding yummy new recipes. BUT no two members of my family seem to enjoy the same kinds of foods and that makes cooking quite challenging. SO I absolutely LOVE to eat out.

Here is one of my favorite meals these days. Veggie spring rolls and edamame from CREATION. ( a lovely little restaurant in Plaza Midwood)

KICKIN OFF HAPPY WEEK!!!!!

This summer has been great, but it has also been very sad. I have lost both of my Grandmothers this summer. My maternal Grandmother died on Thursday and we spent the weekend in Boone, NC saying goodbye.
School starts TOMORROW and I am a little stressed out.

So Happy Week could not have come at a better time! Please check out the other happy folks here! Thanks Lisa for being such a lovely host!

We spent a nice long time in the TOY STORE today and I'm so happy that I had my camera because as I was standing there, looking at all of the wonderful things, I suddenly thought
I LOVE TOYS!
Toy stores always make me feel happy! I get new ideas for teaching, see gift ideas for my kids, and I always see something that makes me think..."When I was a child...." Nothing jump starts the imagination like TOYS!

And of course...Stella loves toys too!

Breathe.

This week is my first week back to work! My lovely summer is over! No more lazy days for me! Up early. Rush out of the door. Put happy face on to work with 15 other people. Workshop after workshop after workshop. I managed to make it two full days without feeling overwhelmed. Then, last night, it hit me. I almost lost it completely. I had to call a friend and vent for a bit.

Kindergarten orientation is Friday morning and we haven't have one single second to work in our classrooms. Our principal scheduled a workshop ...Every. Single. Day. By the end of the day today, I wanted to claw my eyeballs out (instead of listen to things I have heard over and over and over) and we still have three workshops to go. NOT GOOD. I am trying not to cry about the fact that I will be at school ALL DAY tomorrow and tomorrow night so that I can get my room ready. (Should I mention that I already have a parent conference at 2:00 on Friday AND that we have a FAMILY PICNIC at school on Saturday?) AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

So here I am at home. I am sitting on the couch preparing for a nice long walk that I hope will restore my soul. I am going to try and ground myself first so that I might actually be able to hear the birds and smell the grass.

BREATHE. JUST BREATHE.

Lines on my face.

I don't know what is going on in my body these days but all I seem to notice are these lines on my face. I was very happy to turn 40 a month ago...so maybe this is just a little delayed reaction. I want to be happy and giddy and silly and playful. I want to glow and shine from within and all of that good warm fuzzy stuff.
But no. I have been in a slump for days. A big fat feel sorry for myself selfish slump. All because I feel old and ugly.
I have got to snap out of it!!!!

Ms. Cymantha

Yesterday I went to my friend's house to take pictures of her sweet pregnant belly. (more pix are posted here.) She is a single mom with a 9 year old daughter and, late this fall, she is going to attempt to deliver TWINS at home! I am sort of amazed at her courage right now. I think I would be panicky all the time if I were her.

I admire all of those multiple moms out there. One birth at a time was a challenge. I have a hard time imagining any more than that! Lots of warm wishes my friend!

Savoring Summer

For the last few days, I have had that "Sunday Feeling". You know how you feel on Sunday afternoons when you realize that Monday is right around the corner. That feeling in your stomach that lets you know that your restful weekend is almost over and you can't fight the inevitable. No matter what you do, you can't change the fact that MONDAY is right around the corner.
I have been feeling like that for a few days. My summer is slipping through my fingers and I am feeling a little panicky!
So today, I took Stella outside to eat a popcicle in the sunshine. She thoroughly enjoyed herself. And once again, she reminded me that the summer isn't over yet! There are still some lazy days ahead. Stop. Breathe. Enjoy every little minute!

Nostalgia

I read about CuriousGirl feeling rather nostalgic not too many days ago...and it must be in the air because I too have been experiencing it. Waves of my past keep washing over me at random moments.

The other day we ate at one of my favorite places, The Common Market, and as I sat down to enjoy my veggie wrap and my coke in the bottle I had a flash of childhood. I looked at the bottle and instantly pictured a little blond girl with big blue eyes running through a huge grassy field. I pictured the kid and then thought.."Hey! That's me! I know her!!" (Kind of like when Liz sees herself in the elevator mirror in Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert)

I suddenly found myself, 6 years old, on my Dad's property in the country. He built a house back then and he owned 23 acres of land. Before the house was complete, we used to fly kites in the field. Every trip out there required a stop at a tiny little gas station that had the yummy coke in the little glass bottles. (and cheerwine too. used to lovelovelove cheerwine as well.)

I can't help but wonder what little moments my children will remember...what smells will take them there...what sights and sounds. Nostalgia. Bittersweet.

A walk through the past...

Last weekend I went to Asheville with my Mom and my sisters. I planned this trip for my 40th birthday. I wanted to celebrate this new era with my favorite women!
We had a great time! We ate wonderful vegetarian food at some awesome restaurants (Early Girl Eatery, The Laughing Seed) and shopped in wonderful little sidewalk shops.
I really wanted to shoot some photos... so I asked my Mom where we should go to do just that. And she suggested a graveyard....Where Oh Henry and Thomas Wolfe were buried. As soon as she said "graveyard"....I fell into a lovely fit of laughter. How perfectly appropriate for my 40th birthday. So here we are...living it up in the graveyard.

Grammy's Garden

Yesterday Stella and I got to hang out at my Mom's house for a while. Mom has had a rough couple of years and is finally starting to reclaim herself a bit. She planted a garden this year for the first time in a while. We spent some time wandering around, picking plants and flowers. Stella loved it. She carried around her little red bowl of goodies and was quite proud of her collection.
When we got inside, she wanted to place her flowers in a vase. Her first creation was so sweet and special. She wanted to make sure that each bloom had enough water so she placed them in carefully, upside-down. After a few moments, she took them out and put them back right-side-up. Watching her made me happy. Watching her let me pull myself right into the moment with her. She was so thoughtful and careful. Every movement was well planned and cautious. If only I could have more moments each day like that. Thank you little girl...for helping me remember to stop and smell the marigolds!

Introspect

I recently stumbled upon an online opportunity that I couldn't pass up. I was blog surfing and I saw where someone ( I wish I could remember the blog so I could give proper credit) posted a link to expressiveartworkshops.com. I discovered a workshop called Self Discovery through Collage. The idea is to make a mini collage every day for about 10 days. The first couple of days I was asked to choose images (from pix and magazines) that appeal to me and put them into a mini 5x7ish collage. You may add text or draw other images...it's up to you. The goal here is to allow your inner creativity have a chance to speak. It's been fun reflecting later on why I chose certain images.

Today I was encouraged to choose images that I reject. VERY interesting. The reflection that followes...even more interesting. I highly recommend the course! Very cool so far!

Here are my images in order...day 1, 2, 3 and 4.