How to Stay Busy

     I almost don’t even want to type this…but I only have about a week and a half left of summer.  Now is the time I usually start to think about my classroom and what to do in those first few wild weeks of school, but all I want to do is hang out with Davis.  I enjoy teaching, I just enjoy my baby a lot more…obv.
     While he’s napping and I’ve got a few little minutes, I’ve been making a master list of all the things I need to do in my classroom.  Thankfully, I have much less to do this year than in the last two years.  For the first time ever, I’ll be returning to the same room I left.  That means there is waaaaay less to do in the way of moving every single thing I’ve ever collected ever.  Sometime this week or next, I think I’m going to go up to the room and get it all ready so that all I’m left thinking about is plans (which I hope to get ahead of this year).  Naturally I’ve been seeing a ton of gigantic, beautiful, and perfectly organized classrooms all over Pinterest.  Which leads me to this question – Where are all the classrooms with mismatched desks and stained carpet?!  I can’t squeeze out an ounce of inspiration when I’m so distracted by the fact that all of the furniture is fully functional.  Is that real life?!  Where are the rooms that look like this?

     This was taken on my first day in this classroom (also, coincidentally, the day I found out I was pregnant).  It looked plenty different by the end of the year, and will be looking even better by the end of next week.  If you need me, I’ll be running through Walmart and Dollar Tree like a madwoman.

     I had to interject that for no other reason than all. the. heart. eyes.  I’m not quite sure why my not even seven week old is a grown man, and I’m not sure I can handle it.  On the bright side, for the past few days he’s taken to taking really long morning naps (in his bed! unswaddled!).  I know I should do something productive with this time…but my brain enjoys the rest.

     Aaaaaand as if there isn’t enough on my plate what with having a baby, getting my classroom ready, helping my sister move back to town (eeeeeeeee!!!!!!!), Keith and I bought a house.  We clearly like to keep busy.  I don’t want to post any pictures until the keys are actually in my hand, so you’ll have to wait a few weeks.  Just know, that I’ve already got paint chips and big plans.  Clearly I’m a little manic because none of these things seem stressful yet.  Ask me how I am in about three weeks.

Cupcakes and Balance

     And just like that, it’s March…where is the time going?  I was going to lie right to your face and tell you how busy I’ve been…buuuuut I’ve really just been sitting on the couch for the last four days enjoying my snow days.  As much as I didn’t expect this latest round of winter weather to affect us here, I was proved wrong.  Sunday night, we were slammed with snow and ice that has somehow clung on for almost a week!
     We were all prepared for Read Across America week at school, but now it’s turned into Read Across America day.  I’m still so excited for all sorts of Seussy fun with my kiddos!

I am not an artist, so the fact that I turned out this 4 foot giant (complete with and additional 2 feet of stump) is sort of a miracle, and my kids are going to love “green egg” cupcakes!

     Keeping with the school theme, I have finished the next month of lesson plans.  I’m hoping staying ahead will let me keep my head above water and breathe a little in this wild ride to the end of the year.  For this being my first year, I think I’ve done an oooooookay job of not being a total wreck (Keith may have a different opinion…).  I think balancing work (no matter what job you have) and some sort of a life is just one of those things you learn as you go.  Maybe by the time I’m ready to retire I’ll have figured it out…

Aaaaaaand…maybe by then I’ll have figured out how to fit a little blogging into the mix.

Fake It ‘til You Make It

     Today is my last day of summer…and also the last day of not being a real life grown-up.  Tomorrow morning I start inservice for my first  year of teaching, and I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I’m not even nervous.  Translation: I’ve been pretending not to be nervous for so long that I’ve convinced myself it’s true. 
     I am so  looking forward to this year, and even though I know that the nervousness will come in time (probably tomorrow), I also have an incredible peace about this.  I know that this is what I’m supposed to be doing, and I believe I’m in the right place right now.  I shared pictures of my classroom last week, but have done soooooo much more work since then (and managed not to take a single picture).  I’ll be sure to get a few when I’m done.
     I don’t have a lot to say today (I know, right?), but please please be in prayer for any teacher you know starting school and definitely for all the little kiddies who will be starting.  I know that God has planned my classroom just as it should be, but I know the nerves will set in soon…

Woop woop…found some pictures!

My mountain of laminated stuff…

Keith and I (mostly Keith) made six of these for my reading table!  They’re much cushier than they look…

Moose and Friends for the door…I also got a big moose with seasonal antlers!

Pre-Cap

     I’m baaaaaack!  I hope y’all enjoyed my sweet guest posters from last week – so fun.  I more than enjoyed the beach, and will definitely be recapping this week.  Before I do that, I just wanted to say a big fat thank you to all you sweeties! 
     I went totally unplugged for vacation (…is there any other way?), and I was surprised to see so many new faces around here when I got back.  Talk about encouragement!  I have got about a million things going on right now, and I can’t wait to share with all my new friends.  I’m starting my last semester of college this week…and I can’t believe it!  In a few months I’m going to be looking for a real live grown up job, and I still feel like I’m 15.  Wow.  I’m pretty excited though.
     How about a pre-cap?

*sigh*

Target Finds

     Y’all, I finally did it!  I have been talking about buying some teacher-appropriate clothes for next semester and, you know, my real life for forever, and I actually came through this time.  Yesterday, my mother wanted to run to Target, so of course I went, fully expecting to look and then not buy anything – my usual routine.  I don’t know if it was shopping with my mother, the Starbucks I had just ingested, or some sort of planetary alignment (…it was definitely having my mother there), but I saw tons and tons and tons of cute things!  While I did not walk out with any pants (sad day), I did buy two skirts that will serve me well on into the fall and a really cute lightweight sweater-y thing.

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     The picture doesn’t really do it justice.  It’s pretty thin (perfect for the blazing hot beginning of school, but will definitely work with close toe shoes for the fall.  The sweater I got goes perfectly, but I think it will look so cute with a plain white tank top and a denim jacket too.

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     Grey…my favorite!  This one is really lightweight too, but I think I’ll be able to stretch it for awhile.  It will look so cute with some solid color t-shirts or dressier tops.  It comes down to right at my knees, so it’s really a perfect length.

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     I’m not sure if this is exactly what I got, but it’s pretty similar.  It fits sort of loose and casual, and I think I’m going to be able to wear it a lot.

     I tried on several pairs of pants, but I just couldn’t find any that fit cute.  I’ll have to make a day of it and actually go “pants shopping.”  Skirts are great, but pants are a necessity.  Until then, I'm so happy with each of these, and I’ll be able to wear them to work, church, or out if I want.  Nest on my teacher shopping agenda is shoes.  I’ll be needing some flats.  I should also probably stock up on solid tees, but that’s not pressing.  I can always find those.
     How about all of you?  Any great finds lately?  Any tips on teacher clothes?  I want to be comfortable and professional.  No high heels at work for this girl!

I’m a Royal!

     Sort of…
     …..actually not.
     At all. 
     In any way.

     EXCEPT…Kate and I have the same umbrella.  She probably didn’t get hers at Target…but nevertheless – we’re twins.

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     I don’t have a picture of myself to show my umbrella…because I don’t usually stop in the rain for photo ops…but there it is, my umbrella – cute, clear, bubble top all the way down to curved handle.
     I expect a call from the palace thanking me for being such a trendsetter any day now.  On a totally unrelated note, I am finishing my last spring semester of college today!  I’ll come back in the fall to student teach, and then I’m done.  These have been the quickest, strangest three years…more on this later…maybe.
     Possibly the most exciting part of the day?  When I go home this afternoon I’ll finally be able to see my fancy new GiGi New York clutch!  So excited!
     Happy beginning of summer…for me at least.  Lots of new stuff going on, and I couldn’t be more excited for it.  

Allyson

April Showers Bring May Flowers

     May flowers bring...(the actual joke says pilgrims – haha!) new sponsors!  As most of you know, I have been accepting monthly sponsors for the past few months, and I have really enjoyed it.  I hope you all got a chance to meet the first round of April sponsors – they are so great!  I’ll be back later this week to introduce the rest of my sponsors for a (not so) sneak peek, check out the right side bar. 
     If  you are interested in sponsoring Cupcakes and Candy Canes for the month of May please send me an email (contact info found on my About page).  All spots are free with a swap and include a guest post or giveaway.  I will accept ads from blogs or shops.  Full information can be found on the Advertise page, but I thought I would make it a little simpler with a direct post. 
     Also, I am almost done with school, so I hope y’all are all prepared for a whirlwind summer full of crafties, recipes, and lots of wedding thoughts.  This is my last summer as a college student, and everything still feels so tenuous – that’s a lot to write about!
     I hope your week is off to a great start.  Today is my last day with my kindergarteners, and I will really miss them, but I have learned so much this semester, and I can’t wait to student teach (after a long summer of course)!  I’ll fill you in on my lead teacher day later this week – it’s springtime themed!

Allyson

Sort of Teaching

     Most of my weeks seem pretty short, but this one really flew by!  I woke up Monday not even wanting to go to class, and my the time I had turned around it was Friday night.  If you’ve been reading for any length of time, you’ll know that I am in my last semester of classes before I student teach.  With that comes a lot of time spent in classrooms doing observations and teaching lessons.  One of my favorite classes is kindergarten practicum (K-Prac); I get to spend every Monday morning with the same sweet teacher and the best bunch of kiddies ever!
     Every week we teach a lesson and take over a few more responsibilities in the classroom.  This week I taught my health and safety lesson and introduced my bulletin board (…technically it was a trifold, but you get the idea).  The kids loved both of them, and I really loved seeing how excited they were.
     I try to keep all of my lessons simple and fairly  short since it isn’t my classroom, and I’m a guest.  My health and safety lesson was about dental hygiene, so I thought I would share for all of you teachers, future teachers, or homeschoolers.
     All of our lessons have to incorporate a book; this week I found one on the Internet (not the very best book, but they enjoyed getting to see it on the computer) – What to Do With a Used Toothbrush.  When I first introduced this, I asked what they thought our lesson might be about, and one of them suggested recycling!  I hadn’t even thought of that at all – they really do surprise me with how clever they are.

I made this before the lesson (two-sided) from a small piece of poster board.

     After we read the book, each table had two magazine pictures (I like to keep the number of pictures small for time reasons and because it lets the kids work together and talk) – one of a healthy food and one unhealthy.
     They were all really eager to talk about the foods they had and why they may or may not be so healthy.  As I’m sure you can guess, we glued the pictures to the tooth:

You’ll have to forgive the terrible lighting – these were taken after the fact!

     This is one of  my favorite lessons I have done so far, and I know that they got it because when we went to lunch several of them told me that my Chex mix wasn’t good for my teeth (ha!).
     The last thing I wanted to share with you is my bulletin board.  This is another class requirement, but I love doing bulletin boards, so it didn’t feel like a lot of work!

     

     Each student gets to draw a number out of the purple pocket.  They count out the correct number of paintbrushes (from the white pocket) and put them in the can.  After they finish, they get to write their name on sentence strip and put it in the middle of the board.  This was obviously done early in the day, but they were all so anxious about getting a turn!
     I know I don’t often post about what I do in the classroom, but I love it more and more each time I go, so I thought I would share with all of you!  Please feel free to “beg, borrow, and steal” (thanks, Harry Wong) any of these ideas (although if you Pin these, please credit it back to me)!
     I have a lot more teacher-related stuff in the works, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.  Be sure to come back tomorrow for the seventh (wow!) week of I Know and I Don’t.

Happy Weekend!Allyson

I Know and I Don’t–No. 6

     Helloooo!  I’ve been sort of incognito for a few days, but I didn’t want to end the week without talking to you again.  I’ve been on spring break, so I’ve had all sorts of free time to do assignments…so far, I’ve done an entire math manipulatives kit (which is adorable – I may post it here for all you teachers) and a bulletin board (also precious). 
     I spent the last few days visiting my fiancé and his family, so I decided to give myself a little blogging break…which is over just in time for what I know (and don’t know).

I know spring break can’t last forever.
I don’t know how I’m going to make it to summer.

I know I’m a fast reader.
I don’t know why I don’t slow down when I’m reading books I like (these are both about The Hunger Games...go read them).

I know I’m sort of a micromanager (by the by…that’s a HUGE understatement).
I don’t know why that’s not entirely acceptable (…I might know…)

I know I should get on top of my school work.
I don’t know why I’m not not not motivated.

I know it’s not summer.
I don’t know how I’m going to wait to go to the beach.

I know Twitter is popular.
I don’t know why…

     I’ve missed commenting back and forth with you sweet ladies all week!  I promise I’m going to do much better.

 Allyson

Thanks and Hopes

    I just wanted to take a little minute to say thank you to all of you sweet, sweet ladies for taking the time to log into my blog and follow along! The past month has been such a whirlwind and I am absolutely astonished at the response.  I have to tell you - I have been on social networking sites for a long time, and I have never met a more genuine group of people than I have in the blogosphere.

    I am so thankful for each of you, and I am so excited to continue learning and growing with all of you.  I feel like this is really a new season in my life, and I love sharing it with you.  Today I turned in my application for student teaching and made plans for my last semester of college (in the fall)!  The more time I spend in the classroom, the more excited I am to have my own classroom and finally do what it is that I am called to do. 

    Switching gears, sort of, but keeping in the talk of new seasons, I bought my first bridal magazine the other day, and the fiance and I are starting to talk dates!  In some ways I think that this might be one of the longest times in my life, but people keep telling me that it will fly by...I don't know which one I'm hoping for.  I really love hearing from each of you, and I can't wait to share these next steps in life with you.
    I know that posts are supposed to be about sharing life and keeping current, but I am so overwhelmed by all y'all's sweetness that I couldn't help but let you know!  This one is all about you! A big thank you and lots of hopes for a long bloggy friendship!

Allyson