Closing yet another door...

I am sure many of you remember that in January I said good bye to the real estate world to start my student teaching. Well, this past Friday was the day that I closed the door on student teaching. I have said several times how wonderful my cooperating teachers were for this placement, and it was extremely hard to leave them and the students. I was strong though and held my tears until I was in my car driving away from the school. I met some amazing teachers and students that have impacted my future career as an educator more than they will ever know! Friday was such bittersweet day, my cooperating teacher had doughnuts for the class and all the students brought supplies and made this fabulous basket for me! I should have shot the basket from above because it is packed from the top to the bottom with school supplies!! Such a sweet thing for all the kids and their parents to do for me!!

Here is another little basket of goodies that came from a student as well - I will never forget my days with these kids!!

Now how CUTE is this door sign?? My cooperating teachers had this made for me and I cannot wait to see it hanging on my future classroom door! It makes me smile every time I look at it! (Thanks so much Mills and Barbee!!)

Friday night I went to a Girl's Night Out with my Connection Class at church and my good friend Karen had this little graduation gift for me. I love cute note cards and cute personalized note cards are even better!! Thanks for the sweet surprise Karen!!

Eggstra Special Good Friday

WOW!! It has been a month since I have posted!! I have been so busy with school BUT the countdown has started, graduation is ONLY two weeks away!! I have been blessed with a fabulous cooperating teacher this time and will be so sad to leave her and the class. I have learned more than I EVER thought that I possibly could, and cannot wait to use some of these tips and strategies with my own students one day.

Our Good Friday started off with a trip to the movies. My mom and Addison always go and see the Disney Earth Day movie and since I was off this year I was able to join them.

This years movie was NOT kid friendly, we actually got up and left before it was over. Matter of fact another good friend of mine called me tonight to give me the heads up that she took her niece and walked out too! It was very, very violent and too much for an animal lover like my Addison!!

We came home and dyed a few Easter eggs - here are a few pics!! I actually have some pics from the past 3 Easters to post.

2009

2010

2011

Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend!!

You Ought To Be In Pictures....

Our spring break was wicked busy, as are my upcoming weeks of student teaching. I wanted to share just a few smilebox slideshows I put together of our spring break/birthday week events.

This slideshow design personalized with Smilebox

This free slideshow customized with Smilebox

Precious Giveaway!!!

Look at these fabulous and precious portfolios that are being featured in this giveaway!!

Thanks to Primary Graffiti and Doodle Bugs Paper for hosting!!

Here are just a couple of examples of the portfolios - head on over to her website and check out all the cute things she has to offer!!

Cups and Threads....

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!! On Sunday, I went to the "Southern Women's Show" with my mother in law and sister in law, we had a really good time looking at all of the different booths. While we were there I was able to purchase two things I have been wanting for some time now. The first thing was a Tervis Tumbler, I have seen so many people carrying and blogging about these cups around lately! Many teachers at both of my student teaching placements use them on a daily basis. I love that they do not "sweat", in the past I have always used a camel back water bottle but those can be a mess by the end of the day. I was thrilled to see that there was a booth selling these tumblers and they have made a believer out of me!!

I am not too excited about the design I bought, but we did go on Sunday and their stock was running low.

I also bought a cute orange lid, so it will be just fine! After all, it is JUST a tumbler!! HA!!

The next thing that I did was THIS....

I have been wanting to get my eyebrows threaded for months but have never slowed down enough to get them done. I was so happy to see a booth there at the show and was very impressed with the whole process!! I cannot even begin to explain how they use a thread to pluck out your eyebrows and yes, it hurt! I have heard that the more you get it done the less pain, I was very pleased with the outcome. I told my sister in law that I should have taken a before and after picture! HA!!

Have a great week everyone!!!

Book Worm

Addison may look just like Shawn but she has inherited my adoration for books!! She asks almost every day to go to the Bartlett library and could sit and look at books for hours! I love that she has such an interest in reading and hope she always will.

She checked out TEN books today, two of them being Junie B. Jones. I had read Junie B to my 1st graders at Kate Bond and thought that Addison would love them. I could not have been more correct!! She loved them and actually could read them herself!! She does not quite understand the concept of a "chapter book" yet; she wanted to just open them and start at Chapter 4!!

My little book worm with all her books from the library!!

***A student teaching update, my new placement is in a 3rd grade class at a Shelby County School. I am absolutely adoring it!! The kids and teachers are fabulous and I have already learned so much! I am welcoming my FIRST spring break with open arms, and cannot wait to hang out with Shawn and the girls this week!!

I am THANKING the Lord that "spring forward" happened this week!! I will have a little over a week to get used to losing this hour of S L E E P!!!

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!!

So Hard To Say Goodbye...

Today was my last day of my Memphis City School placement. It was a bittersweet day for me as I am super excited to move onto my 3rd graders tomorrow, but I will miss Mrs. Stephen's 1st graders terribly!!

All day long I was showered with pictures and cards that the children drew for me, I brought home at least 40 pictures/drawings from these precious babies. As I looked through each and everyone one of these pictures tonight, it became more and more evident that I am most definitely on the correct path. I want nothing more than to help these children succeed, I want to give them the education that I expect someone to give to my girls.

How fabulous is this bin of teacher goodies? All of the wonderful ladies in the first grade hall gave me this today! Such a sweet group of women and I appreciate their kindness more than words can express. My cooperating teacher also gave me a gift certificate to our local teacher supply store as well as some cute boy/girl hall passes.

I am sad to close the door on my journey in first grade but I am eager to see what people and children The Lord has planned for me to meet at this next placement.