End Of Year Gifts

I only have 3 days left teaching...it sure comes with mixed feelings...

What do you all do for end of year gifts? I'm finishing the handles on my duct tape bags for my girls tonight! I love how they turned out but they were lots of work and here I am finishing them last minute!
I'd love to do what I did last year again! I found soccer balls and other sport balls for $5 at Wal Mart. I just signed on them and wrote a little note to them right on the balls..they LOVED them! And they were quick and easy!
And...what about coteacher and school board gifts?...

Field Trip & a 3 Hour Drive..

Friday is field trip! And we've got a 3 hour drive each way! So I will b riding in a van with 8 livly children from 7a.m.! Some parents will be there too thankfully!! Anyway does someone have some good travel game ideas? Or anything fun for passing the hours?!

Thunk! And You're Thrown Back Into Life...

I am home and have taught 2 days since Grandma's funeral...there we were surrounded by loving friends and family we could lean on...now here we are back home..there are still wonderful friends here but we must carry on..but there is a grandma sized whole in my heart...
  On to school! 9 days left! Can't believe it! Today I am trying to finish up the duct tape bags I am making a end of year gifts for my girls! Also need to go to school and check the chicks we are hatching there!
  Any fun little ideas for these last few days?!

Memories In May...

Yes today is one year since Andrea's battle ended and she flew to be with Jesus...Is it that long ago already? She was such a cheerful, sweet girl and I often wished I could have had time to get to know her better...but God knows best...My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family as they remember Andrea...It's more real to me now I think as here it is May again and we say good bye again...back to the same Church for the funeral but this time o so different...friends are hard but this...this is my grandma...It's still so unreal to me but I'm going there tomorrow... I'll walk in to Grandpa's and there will be no Grandma...and it will have to be real...But as Grandma said, It's good night here on this side but good morning over there...I want to just picture her there in heaven...and maybe Andrea and Grandma are having a sweet, Grandma time today...just rambling memories and thoughts as May will now always be a month of memories...

You can read of the long battle Andrea fought over here...


A Kind friend has stepped in and came to take over my class when I called her after receiving the news...and she came this morning again when I just didnt feel like I could teach my dear bunch...but when I went at noon they were so glad to see me and all came and hugged me..I love them...they were good for me this afternoon. The Mom's came and we had a party in the park! Thanks dear friend for stepping in and again next week...

Goodbye For Now...

Grandma is gone...she has flown to heaven...free from pain...but it's so unreal to me...My grandma lived live to the fullest...she loved caring for people and just loving them. You would walk in the door n b wrapped in her hug..no more cookies? No card with a $5 bill in it on my birthday "just a little birthday touch"...no more phone calls? never another triomino game?
But shes with Grandpa R now..and other friends gone already....tomorrow is a year since a 16 yr old friend passed away after fighting for life so long...and life goes on...
Goodbye Grandma..."see you in the morning"...i love you...

Flower Pot Good Behavior

Started trying a new behavior plan today! Got cute little clay flower pots and decorated them up with scrapbook stuff. Then found cute felt flowers on a wire stem @ Dollarama so got one for each student. Their names are on the leaves. If I have to keep reminding about noise our behavior issues, I just quietly pull out their flower. Anyone whose flower stays in all week get a prize from the prize bucket! All flowers stayed "growing" today! :)

What Do I See?

I sit here and school is...QUIET...the little voices from the day still echo in my mind. But as I sit here in the silence, what do I see?
Through my door and then the far doors I see a grey blue sky..I can tell the sun is now shining but no green on the trees yet. Back in my room the camping corner is just inside the door...all is dark and quiet. The fire is"out"(off) and the lights turned off...the back table is surprisingly CLEAN! Only 1 unfinished owl is there other then the stuff that belongs there! The back counter...wow someone tidied it today! A whole row if paint brushes dry on th edge if the sink. The sun streams through the windows on my right. In front of me...3 rows of little desks with our Mothers day crafts drying on them. Behind me...o my! A mess! Carnations for science, owls awaiting eyes, science posters that need hanging, binder if program songs that need to be picked. And then my desk! 3 cups and a pop can! do I really drink alot?! A pile of FINISHED making, a plan book with this weeks page full! My EZ grader..a must! Pens galore! And SO, many papers! But it'll look alot better in a few minutes! Good bye! I'm going to tackle the messes!
What do you see as you sit there?