Day 29 - Through The Years

I'm celebrating my family today.  These might not be my own words, but they fit.  Today, I own them.  I just wish I could figure out how to play the song in the background on the blog!  But, that's a challenge for another day.  Introducing...my loves!


"Through The Years"

I can't remember when you weren't there
When I didn't care for anyone but you
I swear we've been through everything there is
Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

 

My hubby!  And yes, she's really that sweet!  :)

 

Through the years

You've never let me down
You turned my life around
The sweetest days I've found
I've found with you
Through the years
I've never been afraid
I've loved the life we've made
And I'm so glad I stayed
Right here with you
Through the years

My little man...my first baby!

I can't remember what I used to do
Who I trusted, whom I listened to before
I swear you've taught me everything I know
Can't imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more 



My biggest girl and her biggest smile!

Through the years
Through all the good and bad
I knew how much we had
I've always been so glad
To be with you
Through the years
It's better everyday
You've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay
I'll stay with you
Through the years

Cheese!  My middle sweetie!

 

Through the years

When everything went wrong
Together we were strong
I know that I belong
Right here with you
Through the years
I never had a doubt
We'd always work things out
I've learned what life's about
By loving you
Through the years



My littlest cutie pie, Miss Independent!



 

Through the years
You've never let me down
You turned my life around
The sweetest days I've found
I've found with you
Through the years
It's better everyday
You've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay
I'll stay with you
Through the years

 



At the zoo in 2012

At the park in 2013

Oh my the grow so fast!  This July will be my 13th anniversary with my husband.  Tomorrow my oldest will turn 11.  My girls are 8, 5, and 2.  Where does the time go?  I love them to pieces and I'm so blessed to spend my years with them all.


"Through the Years" - written by Stephen Hartley Dorff  and Martin Panzer, 1982.

 

Miss Maddie

I'm joining Ruth Ayres to Celebrate this week at her blog Ruth Ayres Writes.

Today I'm celebrating my daughter Maddie.  She is currently attending her first friend birthday party/play date.

Before I tell you about this, I should back up a little.  Maddie is my third child to go off to school.  They all attend school in the district where I teach, which is by choice.  Both of my older children had the same kindergarten teacher, which we happen to love and who happens to be one of my best friends.  However, as this school year approached, we were faced with a dilemma at school.  We needed to reduce our 5 sections of kindergarten to 4.  My friend took the opportunity to save the rest of us who didn't want to leave kindergarten to loop with her class and move to first grade with them. 

Talk about a bittersweet deal.  It made the reduction to 4 classrooms much less messy than it could have been, however it meant that my third child would not have her as a kindergarten teacher.  Keep in mind that Maddie has severe food allergies.  I was already nervous about her starting school and now the teacher of choice for us is out of the question.  Anxiety.

So, after much careful consideration, we decided that Maddie would be in my kindergarten classroom.  Deep breath.  Yes, I was going to be her teacher.  I had reservations about it but was also relieved to know that I would be able to supervise her first year of school with food allergies. 

It's really been a lot of fun to watch her grow and develop literally right in front of my eyes.  I've been able to watch her make new friends, grow from a quiet little thing to someone who speaks up for herself and isn't afraid to tell the "big bully guy" to back off (proud mommy moment!) and everything else that happens in kindergarten.

She has truly blossomed this year.  She has become great friends with another child (who also happens to have similar food allergies, very cool that they found each other) in our class.  J is about as sweet as they come and her parents are really great too.   She is having a birthday party today and she invited Maddie to come.  Maddie was so excited!  I am pretty sure she spent the last 5 days or so bouncing around and telling everyone about how excited she was to go. 

My husband took her to J's house this afternoon for the party in the 4-wheel drive because the weather is pretty nasty.  We were not about to disappoint her by not taking her but now we are dreading the trip to pick her up! 

Anyway, I am celebrating the fact that my quiet little lady is enjoying herself at her bestie's birthday party.  I love that she has a great friend, that I trust her parents who are very aware of how serious food allergies are, and that more and more every day, she is becoming a beautiful, independent little lady.  I'm so proud of her and so happy for this new birthday party/play date adventure for her.  I can't wait until she gets home so I can hear all about the fun time she had.

Celebrate This Week - January 4

 

Wow!  Four blog posts this week?  There is a celebration in itself!

 

Today I'm linking up with Ruth Ayres to Celebrate this week!  Check out more celebrations big and small on her blog today.  My first celebration should be that I finally was able to spend some time on Saturday linking up to Ruth's wonderful celebration but instead, I'll share my top five celebrations from the last week of winter vacation!

 

 My first celebration this week? Easy...I went shopping this morning.  I usually go on Sunday and get groceries for the week.  Why am I celebrating this?  Well, several reasons really.  First, I beat the rush of people who are in a panic about the snow we are supposed to get hammered with starting this evening (maybe up to 14" they say).  Second, I saved $50 using mperks...the digital coupons from Meijer...and BOGO sales they were having on items I was going to buy anyway...and the $10 off coupon I earned buying diapers...and the 5% off groceries promotion they were running today!  See why I'm celebrating this now?  :)

 

I have had two weeks of vacation.  I love my job but I needed a break and this one was a nice, relaxed, mostly refreshing one.  'Nuff said.

I was able to create a HUGE Winter Math Pack this week.  I created with my students in mind and to post on my store at Teachers Pay Teachers.  It's my biggest and (I think) best creation yet.  I was feeling creative but couldn't get going with any of my writing projects.  So, I sat down and began to play with clip art and math concepts that my students need now or need soon.  I'm pretty proud of it!

Did I mention the snowstorm we are supposed to get?  I'm not gonna lie...I wouldn't mind an extra day or two off.  Extend my vacation?  Sure!  It's already going to be a weird first week back because we have parent presents (that were supposed to be for Christmas) that we need to wrap, oh and we have to make that wrapping paper first!  I also owe my kiddos a Polar Express/hot cocoa/popcorn afternoon because our last day before break was a snow day.  It's not that I really WANT 14" of snow...a few would be fine, but 14" is really just over the top...and I certainly don't want the frigid air that we are supposed to get after the snow, but if it means a little bit longer at home?  I'll make an exception!

 

 

And finally, because we had that snow day before break, I was able to plan my math and literacy lessons through the month of January and into February!  I'm feeling like I'm going to back to school with a head start!  And even better than that?  I was able to work ahead a little bit and I have the laminating and cutting out of materials done for at least the next three weeks of school too!  That never happens and certainly should be celebrated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate!

Join Ruth Ayres for her first office CELEBRATE this week link up!

Share a celebration from your week - big, little or anything in between!

I thought that I would be celebrating my daughter's quick recovery from whatever nasty little bug has been going around.  She was out of school on Tuesday and Wednesday but was able to return for the end of the week.  That changed this morning, however, with she woke up with a fever again!  Boo!

So...I decided to celebrate something else!  This morning I also woke up to an email - with good news!  As I read the Teacher's Notebook newsletter this morning, I stumbled upon one of my own creations!  They selected one of my products to list as a freebie item of the week!  I had submitted it for review a couple of weeks ago without a lot more thought, knowing that there are probably hundreds (at least) of submissions each week.  It was a delightful surprise on this cold rainy Saturday.

If you'd like to check it out too, click here.  My "Monster Roll and Color" is the first freebie listed!

Celebrate Good Times, Come on!

Ruth Ayres is starting a new adventure on her blog Discover. Play. Build.  Each Saturday, link up and share your celebrations, big or small.  Be sure to leave comments for others as well!  I've been thinking about and mentally writing my post all day! 

Today I am sharing a list of celebrations because I just couldn't narrow it down.  That's a pretty good problem to have I think!  Here they are...in no particular order.  My top 6 celebrations from the week:

1. Today is my sister's birthday!  It's a beautiful fall day here in Michigan and a lovely day to celebrate!  And because it's her birthday...I won't even tell you how old she is.  Happy birthday to a wonderful lady!

2.  My daughter is in my kindergarten class this year.  I had my reservations about it but it has been a great experience so far.  It's a blessing to be able to watch her learn and grow in the classroom setting and also to know that I had a hand in that growth!

3.  I have a great student teacher this year!  She's beginning to take over much of the teaching (which is a celebration itself!) and is doing well.  We also were fortunate to take our first field trip to the local cider mill this week.  The weather was beautiful and the trip was great!

4.  My principal and student support coordinator made a deal with the school to wear Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes if the school reached a reading goal.  Each month the school sends home a reading calendar and asks students to read throughout the month and record it on the calendar.  The deal was if 75% of students completed and returned their reading calendars in September, they would dress up for a whole day.  This was a first time challenge and the students came very close!  There was a 73% turnout and because they were so close, Thing 1 and Thing 2 made their appearance during the lunch and recess periods on Friday.  It was truly a sight to behold, many pictures were taken and many smiles were shared.

5.  I have been reading such wonderful writing lately!  I've been lucky to watch my friend's writing journey soar to a new level and lucky to read both her drafts and her finished pieces.  It's been a lot of fun for me to watch each piece develop and to see her writing process in action!  I'm so proud of her and the success she has found as a writer.

6.  It seems a little odd to celebrate a conversation, but I had a good conversation with a friend this week.  It was nice to share a moment with someone who has been in similar shoes as my own.  I had been feeling a little lonely in one aspect of my life until this conversation when I learned that she too had experience in this area.  I didn't think I had any friends who could relate to my situation but she could.  It felt really good to know I was not alone in my feelings.  Her positive perspective and understanding was just what I needed and I left the conversation feeling a little lighter.  I'm thankful to count her as a friend.