For the second September in a row I’m not bustling around getting my own classroom ready for students and rehashing summer escapades with co-workers. Instead, I’m getting to enjoy this last bit of sunshine and head out the door with our picnic lunch to meet up with some friends for the day.  I need to remember this feeling, a relaxing September, because when I do head back to the classroom (when is that happening, again?) I’ll forget these days.

I stopped by my former classroom a couple weeks ago and discovered that it had all but moved on without me. New furniture arrangement, new projector, new teacher, new, new new. It felt a bit bittersweet, but life moves on and things change, so it wasn’t that difficult to see. Plus, I still feel very connected to the rest of the building and the people, so not having my room be mine anymore didn’t sting too bad.

Over Labor Day weekend we went to a family BBQ hosted by Barry’s grandparents. It was a day full of badminton, watermelon, family, new babies, engagements, and sunshine. I had asked Barry’s uncle if we could raid their apple tree, but by the time we rolled out of Greg and Linda’s driveway it was dark and Maggie was ready to fall asleep. Yesterday morning we woke up to a huge bag of apples on our porch that Barry’s dad had dropped of on his way to work and I couldn’t be more happy. I’ve got my work cut out for me: chopping, slicing, grating, boiling, mashing, mixing…..and whatever else I can find to do with these things before they go bad.

I’m not shaking hands at Meet the Teacher or making sure that all my students get on the right bus, but I know plenty of teachers that are doing those things and much, much more. I also know students that are starting their first day of school, making new friends, learning the ins and outs of a school day with a new teacher. It all takes such work and dedication. There is such freshness and newness in these first weeks that is both exhausting and exhilarating.

As I grate, peel, steam, mash and whatever else I’m doing with these apples, I know that I’ll be thinking of my fellow teacher friends and and students. I only hope that every teacher has a class full of students that makes coming to work a highlight, and that every student has a teacher that is happy to see their face every day.  Bustle along, friends, and I hope this school year is as blessed as can be.

I’m off to see about some apples.

Yesterday Sydney ‘adopted’ one of Maggie’s toys and we ended up outside playing fetch with it for quite a bit. Syd was in heaven and full of energy that by the time evening rolled around, she’d about had it with the day. You’d think we took the poor girl to the dog park or something, but instead her day included a boring walk and a game of wrestle/fetch in the backyard.

I love our yard and our garden, but lately it has started to overwhelm me because everything is so overgrown and daunting. I was in spired by my mom last time she was down and  did some whacking back….I’ve vowed to fill up the wheelbarrow with yard waste daily in hopes of getting rid some of the extra foliage until I can’t stand it anymore.  Today was day two and you can hardly tell where I worked, but I figure slowly but surely we’ll make a difference.

I say WE because Maggie was super helpful today, grunting right along next to me. Her newest phrase is uh-oh, but doesn’t quite have the correct usage down, so there were a ton of ‘uh-ohs’ between tugs on leaves.

Both Maggie and Barry have spent time recently working on the Birch tree that we’ve got in our yard. Barry sawed some extra branches off and Maggie’s newest hobby is to peel the bark off and deliver it to the nearest adult. I’m sure, like Sydney, the tree is happy to have someone pay attention to it rather than be left alone.

Funnily enough, we also got our fancy brush out and have been giving Syd pretty strong brushes because the girl sheds and who wants to live with dog hair up their nose? Not us.  Maggie is equally excited to try to brush Syd as she is to peel the bark of the tree. I have no doubt that Syd would rather Maggie spend time helping the tree shed some extra layers than get near her rolls with the brush, so we brush Syd next to the Birch tree so we can kill two birds with one stone and we’re all happy because of it.

Carry on!

So, Vegas.

We went, we conquered and now we’re back home in the quiet of our own home. I’m pretty sure Maggie is wondering where all the slot machines went, or at least the noise and lights that entertained her.

Interestingly enough, we didn’t gamble one, red cent. It wasn’t on purpose, but it just happened that way. In fact, I even returned a dollar to my grandpa that he had sent with me to ‘play on 7.’

The day before we flew home we got word that it was snowing in Bellingham, upon hearing that news I think I might have stayed in my bathing suit for an extra chunk of time just to spite that bad weather report. Flying into Seattle we were welcomed by gloomy, gloomy rain and a cold, biting breeze. Ahhhh, home.

While  in Vegas we did eventually spend time wandering through the huge hotels on The Strip, watching the water show at The Bellagio and soaking in all the different smells, accents and sights. Maggie was a trooper and content to peek her little head out and watch all the chaos unfold. I kept telling Barry how thankful I was that we didn’t bring the stroller, something I had obsessed over before we left.  It would have been obnoxious to plow through the crowds.

One day Maggie and I went to the Shark Reef and looked at all the huge fish, after a bit Mags was more interested in cruising through the crowds and knocking on the glass or poking the other people in the knee caps. We left after a while and she got to run wild around the sparkling floor, shreiking at the passing nerds from Barry’s Nerd Camp.

Most days, when Barry would come home from  aforementioned Nerd Camp, we’d strap on our suits and head to the pool. At home we occasionally take Maggie to Family Swim but it feels a bit like a production. The ease of walking out our door and winding up poolside a few short minutes later, with the option to gamble in between, is very attractive. So, we took advantage of the situation, making sure to soak up the sun and splash in the water often.

Now we’re no longer living poolside, but back in the nest of our own home. We’ve been up to our ears in projects, fighting off colds we picked up poolside, apparently, and catching up on household things that need to be tended to. A sense of normal has set in again, except we’re still missing The Tubby Torpedo. She comes home to us tomorrow, don’t worry.

So, Vegas.

With a baby and a husband at Nerd Camp.

I’d do it again….only if the hotel provides that fluffy robe again. I LOVED it.

I got a phone call yesterday from my mom saying that her schedule had suddenly opened up and she wanted to know if Mags and I were available to get together. We never pass up a chance to hang out with Grammy, so we cleared our busy schedule. (Wink, wink!).  I’ve probably said it before and I’ll most likely say it again, but my mom’s nickname, Fidget, could not be more appropriate.

I took advantage of her being here and was able to wash the windows – inside and out (!) among other Spring Cleaning type of things. Typically I’d feel pretty proud and spiffy about being a busy-body, but my mom zipped all around our house speedy-quick (Junie B. Jones style) and toted Maggie along on her hip for the ride….commentating the whole time. I kept hearing bits of their conversation, “I’m going to turn the vacuum on now” or “Oh, you DID climb on top of the dishwasher door!”

Sometimes I find it so relaxing to do the most mundane things while knowing that somebody else has their eye on Maggie. Today that looked like me scrubbing our windows, hosing down our screens and pulling a couple weeds.  I felt joyful hearing The Mag-Pie and my mom interact and with each window that I watched I got to see them having special time – from the outside looking in.

I love spontaneous, productive days.

Thanks for all the energy you bring, Fidge.

Yesterday I spent a few hours at my old school and I realized that I really actually do miss it. I miss being there and in the daily grind that I know many of my fellow educators need a break from.

I’m not sure calling it my ‘old’ school is the right terminology because I still wholly consider it my school. I’ve been volunteering with an after school club that I started a few years back with a fellow teacher and the club is full of former students and kids that I’ve come to know through the years.

As I’ve helped out with this club, it has been after school hours and I cross paths with some of my teaching friends if I’m lucky enough on those days, but today I was there during the day and it filled me up in a way that I hadn’t realized was needing it. Ironically, my confirmation letter came in the mail today that I’ve been approved for an additional year of Child Care Leave for next  year.  I have no doubt that this is the best decision for our family, although today I was reminded that the teacher in me is still alive and well.

As I maneuvered through the halls and intersected with familiar faces of fellow teachers, parents and students, I realized that I can thrive and be a teacher and a parent. It just might be a slow evolution and when I return to the classroom I most likely won’t be the same exact type of teacher that I was when I left. Hopefully, if I’m lucky, I’ll be better.

In lieu of a long-winded description of what went down today – I am encouraging you to scroll down a bit and see for yourself. If your heart doesn’t break a little bit for poor Thomas, you might have a heart of stone. I again ask you to ignore the grain and blur of the photos.  Phooey on bad photos, but these are too precious to ignore.

Really, nobody crossed the finish line, but Thomas was mighty close. In all honesty, had he not had a meltdown, he would have won. Lara had to rescue him and he just needed to take a break from hanging out with the girls, I guess.

Meanwhile, Caroline was a bit upset that the long-awaited and much talked about Crawl-Off wasn’t going down.

She has been waiting months to see this show-down. Until next time, Sweet Caro, until next time.

Maggie is limbering up as we speak and Thomas is probably taking a hot bubbly bath.

Cupcakes made by a parent of one of my students. Cute and delicious!

A sweater knit by Susan, our splendid principal.

A diaper changing bag/pad made by Jenna, who teaches 3rd grade, and Kylene, our Music teacher.

A sweater knit by Jenna.

A little bunny blanket made by Kylene.

A knit hat made by John’s sister-in-law.

A sweater knit by Ceres, our Developmental Kindergarten teacher.

A scrapbook display made by a parent of a former Destination Imagination student.

A fleece blanket made by Debbie, an Instructional Assistant.

A diaper cake made by Angela, a kindergarten teacher.

A tag blanket made by Pam, another Instructional Assistant.

THE quilt  worked on by Ruthie, Karen, Cheryl, Jenna, Peggy, Martha, Karen, Annette, Pam, Kylene & Katie. I was mostly along for the ride on this one.

See, I work with creative and generous people. I held it together and didn’t cry over this outpouring of love until the shower was about 2 minutes from being over and John, our fantastic librarian, came up to me and handed me a gift card. He’d already given me the knit cap pictures above, but something about his matter-of-fact way of giving me a gift card put me over the top and my eyes started welling up with tears.  Of course it wasn’t the gift card that did it – it was everything.

Maggie is such a lucky girl already and knowing how many people are excited and thrilled to welcome her into this world amazes me.

1. Buy a turkey.

2. Bring the turkey home.

3. Wash the turkey.

4. Brush the turkey with gravy using a cooking brush.

5. Pour warm water on the turkey.

6. Turn oven on to no lower than 1 degree but no hotter than 50 degrees.

7. Put the turkey in the oven with a pan.

8. Bake turkey for 1 hour and 3 minutes.

9. Take the turkey out of the oven with gloves.

10. Let the turkey cool next to the window for 10 minutes.

11. Stuff the turkey with lemons and lemon juice after you take out the bones.

12. Put the turkey on the table.

13. Cut up the turkey.

14. Put it on plates.

15. Set plates at each seat and the rest of the table.

16. Invite your guests over.

17. Eat the turkey!! Yummy!

Last year I had 22 students in my class and this year, as of now, I have 26 kids coming my way. As the first day of school creeps closer and closer, I wonder where I am going to put these 26 six year olds. I have exactly 23 desks.

Our imaginary student, Johnny Bob (named after one of Junie B. Jones’ stuffed animals), typically sits in the unfilled desk. Each morning after taking attendance the student that sits next to Johnny Bob announces his absence and as a whole class we express our concern for his education, since he’s always absent.

Sometimes Johnny Bob’s desk gets used by students that need extra space or just need a break from their current desk. Johnny Bob is the type of student that doesnt’ mind others working in his area. He’s a model student. I’ve had kids from previous years come back and inquire about Johnny Bob’s attendance. (Has he started coming to school? Do the ‘new kids’ know about Johnny Bob? Is his desk still the same?)

Come September and the beginning of Musical Chairs, I’m going to take a moment and think about Johnny Bob and what he represented: lower class size, a whole class inside joke, extra work space, comic relief and an opportunity to help my students understand the importance of attendance.

I hope Johnny Bob can come back to Room 2 next year.