It's Over...

And I cried. Hard.

I wasn't expecting to cry so much but I am going to miss those kids. Even the hard ones. I spent the last nine months with them every day and it's going to be hard not to see them again. I will miss them! Some of the things that happened today:

Several kids were going a little crazy because it was the last day of school and so I had to tell them, "Don't let the last memory you have of me be of me yelling at you!" They just smiled and pretty much kept doing what they were doing before. Gotta love it.

Haley brought in her sugar glider that was the talk of the class.

I gave out awards to my students which were all funny to me, but not so much to them (like Julie getting Most Expressive Reader because she reads the dictionary with more expression than anyone I've ever met...or Devin getting "Best Teacher Mistake Detector" even though most of the time they weren't really mistakes. I still remember one of the first days of school and I was showing them a map of the world and I said, "This is Southeast Asia" and Devin said, "No it's not, that's Australia!" Oh, he really thinks he knows more than me...classic Devin)

I'm going to miss these kids. I just didn't realize how much until now.

Delicious!!!

Add some creamy peanut butter to any box mix of brownies and you get...

HEAVEN!!!

So good! Want to know what else is good? Having only 5 days left of school. I'm so excited but as it nears, I'm also getting a little bit sad. I will miss my kids a lot. Some of them might take a bit longer to miss, but I know I will. All of them, regardless of how hard or (can I say it..) annoying some of them have been these past months, have changed my life in one way or another. And, I will miss them.

I will post some pictures of the last few days. I'm planning on taking a lot!

Funny Story

After re-reading that last post, I thought I had to tell a funny thing one of my kids said on Friday. Derek and I laughed about it all weekend.

I was reading a book aloud to the kids and looked up when I heard one of my students talking.

Me: Keenan, why are you talking?

(without hesitation) Keenan: Because that's what I do! I'll put a mark down now.

He then put a mark down on his paper meaning he owed me a minute of recess.

Ha! That was classic. I laughed so hard, it was difficult to keep reading for the next five minutes!

At least he knows his weaknesses. And, at least he knows the consequences for his actions.

Coming to an End

I can barely believe it, but there are only two more weeks of school. 9 more days. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was writing about how nervous I was about starting school and now it's almost over. Crazy.

It's been the most difficult and the most rewarding year of my life. People told me it would be hard, but I just couldn't understand what they meant until I went through it. I felt that same way about getting married. People told me that there would be an adjustment phase and so I was prepared, but it wasn't like how I thought it was going to be. It wasn't that hard, just different than I was expecting. Teaching has been the same way. I never realized how hard it would be to figure out how I wanted to do things and how many times I would need to try something new until I found the one that worked for me. I never realized how hard it would be to deal with students at such different levels (1/3 of my class being in Special Ed). I never realized how exhausted I'd be or how long I would have to stay after school to make sure I was ready for the next day.

But, I also didn't know how happy I'd be. I didn't know how many stories I'd have to take home to Derek about all the funny things my kids said and did. I didn't know how satisfied I'd feel after a student progressed on standardized tests, or after the light bulb went on and they finally understood something that had taken them so long to get. I didn't know how much I'd miss these kids who at one time or another had driven me nuts.

It's been an awesome year. I'm sad to see it end (excited for summer but sad about leaving my kids) but happy for another year to start, and to know where that will be!

Gardening

For those of you that are around me often, you know all about my gardening plans this summer. A couple of months ago, our ward told us that the church owned the land behind our building and they were letting us use it for garden plots until they decide to put another building there. I got really excited just at the mention of it. Now, I'm no gardener. I've never gardened in my life, but I really needed to do something this summer to make sure I didn't get depressed with all of my down time. So, how perfect would this be?

Anyway, today was the day that we got assigned our plots, so Derek and I went out and bought some gardening tools and we fertilized it and set up our water system. I feel like doing a garden like this is the perfect way for Derek and I who aren't gardeners because it's like the Stake is holding our hands and guiding us all through it. They've created a Stake calling as well as individual ward callings to help us all with it, they got all of the hoses (we just had to pay 20 bucks) and set it all up for us, they are timing the water to go on and off when needed and they are giving basic gardening classes for those of us who really have no idea what we are doing!

I'm really excited. My grandpa is an avid gardener so we are going to wait until Monday to plant so he can be there to help us (he's out of town this weekend). The plot is 10 x 15 feet and we are trying to decide what to plant. So far we know we are planting tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, and peppers (possibly jalepeno and bell). Does anyone have any other ideas of what we can plant? Maybe something obvious that we are missing? Or even something not obvious that you love? We want to grow small amounts of lots of things because we can't eat a bunch of the same thing but we just don't know what else we could plant that we would use enough of. Anyway, I'd love your input.

Alpine Elementary

Yep, that's right. I have a job next year and it's at Alpine Elementary! 4th grade!

I just got a call about an hour ago from HR saying that I got two job offers (Alpine and Rocky Mountain). She told me that I would have until tomorrow to decide and I asked her if it was alright to call her back tonight before 5 p.m.

I waited an hour to make sure that I knew what I was doing and not making a hasty decision but after thinking and saying a quick prayer, I realized that I wasn't going to change my mind even if I did take until tomorrow and sleep on it. So, I called her back and accepted the job! Yay!

Apparently HR called the principal right then because minutes later I got a call from the principal and she offered me the job as well. I told her I was very interested and she was a little surprised and asked if I needed to talk with my husband or anything. I told her that HR had already told me about the two offers, I had already talked to my husband and it wasn't a very hard decision because we knew if we got an offer from her that we would take it! She was really happy about that! She told me she was really excited and thanked me. That's right! She thanked me for accepting the offer!

I'm very excited (if you couldn't tell). I will have different struggles next year than this year, but I feel like no matter what I will automatically be a better teacher because I have already done it once!

Anyway, that's my news. I'm so happy right now. I think Derek needs to take me out to dinner!!!

Pioneer Trek

Because I teach 4th grade in Utah, I have to teach Utah history. I feel a bit awkward doing social studies when it comes time to teach about the Mormon Pioneers. It feels too much like I'm teaching church history at a public school. Plus, since I am LDS, I don't want students to think that I'm promoting the church. I've tried to make it sound just like history, telling them about the Mormon's leaders instead of calling them prophets and teaching them that the word "pioneer" just means someone who does something first in order to pave the way for others.

Anyway, we are going on our Pioneer Trek today. The kids love it, but I still feel weird. I mean, I went on a Pioneer Trek for a church youth activity, and now I'm doing it with my students.

Side-note: There is a teacher here who has been teaching a long time and yesterday she asked me if I wanted to show the movie "Legacy" to my students. It took me awhile to realize that she meant the movie that the church produced to be played at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at Temple Square for missionary purposes.

"You show that to your students?"

"I show it to them every year!"

I turned to another 4th grade teacher and mumbled, "I don't know if I agree with that!" But, I just let it go and told her I was fine and didn't need to show it.

Legacy? Is she serious? Does she realize that she could lose her job if just one parent disagreed and threatened a law suit? Anyway, I was appalled. I just don't know how someone couldn't see how absurd showing something like that is. Oh well...I can't do anything about it! Anyway, I should probably go...time to set off on our trek!!

By the way, I should find out today if I get a job. Someone I trust told me that he thinks I'll probably get two offers (at least) and I'll get to choose. I hope that's the case! I'll let you all know.

5 Interviews, 5 Days

Whew.

I'm done. For now.

Overall, the interviews went great! I am most excited about my interview with Alpine Elementary. It was the best interview I have ever been in (on either side...). I was really on my game and I answered the questions flawlessly. I made them laugh, I told them impressing specific experiences I have had, and ultimately wowed them....I think....

I really feel like I might get an offer from them, but I don't want to say anything too soon for fear that I won't get anything. In fact, even typing those words was really hard for me!

I just hope that something comes from the interviews I have had this week. I'm exhausted and hope I don't have to do another one! I'll let you all know when or if I hear anything. I was told by most that I won't find out (good or bad) until Wednesday of next week. So, I guess we'll see!

2 Down

I had two interviews this morning and they went really, really well. There is one school in particular that I would LOVE to work at. The principal was extremely personable and made me feel completely at ease talking with him. I know it would be really easy to work for him! Plus, the school seems just amazing. Talk about two extremes from my school right now to this one!

The other interview went well also, but the principal didn't seem as nice, outgoing and personable. He was very serious, proper and professional. The other guy just seemed a bit more real if you know what I mean. Anyway, I wouldn't want to work at this school as much as the other one. It technically should have made Title 1 ahead of Cherry Hill but for political reasons, it didn't. So, it's pretty much working at the same school as now without the money for aides, and other resources and support. So, much harder than even this school now...

If I had my choice, it would be the first school I interviewed with. I still have two more, and I just got contacted for a third one today so that will be this week as well! 5 total!

I'm awesome!

It's a Crucial Week!

I feel like so much is happening in my life right now that I could write a post every couple of hours and I'd have enough to say. I still want to upload some pictures of graduation and talk about that, but right now, the priority goes to this week.

It's a crucial week for me!

I have four interviews this week. Count them. Four! I am really excited about it. It all started a week ago. Monday afternoon, my mom called me with some really great news. Her current principal is becoming the new principal of Alpine Elementary. She talked with my mom that day and asked her what my grade preferences were. She told her 4-6 but I'd take anything. Her principal got a big smile on her face and said, "Well, I've got a fourth and fifth grade position at Alpine. Tell your daughter to get online Tuesday and apply for Alpine!" When my mom told me this, I just started crying because what a blessing it was to have such a great connection!

Tuesday came and went, and no jobs.

Wednesday morning about 65 jobs got posted in about a half hour. I applied for (almost) all of them. I first just applied for upper grade positions thinking that I could go back and apply for 1st and 2nd if needed. It was a busy day.

Thursday was a bit more laid-back. I wasn't sure what to do so I just let the day fly by. That night I talked with Derek and we agreed that nothing was going to happen if I didn't try to do something about it. I had to be proactive so I wasn't just another name on a page. So, I wrote a letter to all the teachers asking them for help. I asked them to email any principals that they knew just to tell them that they knew an intern at their school that applied for a position. I told them I just needed an opportunity to interview and I would take it from there.

Friday, I put the letters in every teacher's box.

By Friday afternoon, I had two interviews. Lindon Elementary and Bonneville Elementary. Sunday, I got an email for another interview at Rocky Mountain. Today, I got a call from my mom's principal for Alpine Elementary. Four interviews.

It's a crucial week for me!

Two of my interviews are tomorrow (Lindon and Bonneville). I got a 1/2 day sub for the morning so I can go to both without worrying about getting back quickly or anything.

I don't feel too worried about the interviews but obviously I would like them to go well. It's still hard, because my top choice is still Alpine (where my mom's current principal is going next year) but that interview isn't until Thursday. I hope that the decision process takes a couple of days just in case I get more than one offer. That way I can take my pick without fear of time running out! We'll see, I guess. Keep me in your prayers!

It's a crucial week for me!

Butt or Gut?

I know that every woman has an area that she's just not all that happy with most of the time. For me, it's my stomach. I feel like no matter how much weight I lose, my stomach looks exactly the same. It's frustrating, as I'm sure most of you guys have felt from time to time.

Ever since the school year started, I have gained about 20 pounds. There are several reasons for this: it's been the most stressful year of my life and when I get home from work, I'm exhausted. Much too tired to work-out or even make dinner. So, Derek and I have been eating out a lot more this year than in years past.

I had told myself many times that if I ever reached 150 pounds, that would be my wake-up call and I would do whatever I could to get it off. I have now gone 5 pounds over that and I still haven't done anything about it. Here's why:

If the scale didn't tell me differently, I would have thought that I had only gained 5-7 pounds. This is because when I look in the mirror, I see only my stomach. Right? Whenever there's a mirror, I'm either getting ready, so looking at my face, or getting dressed, so looking at how my clothes fit around my stubborn mid-section. (I don't know if this is the same for all woman, but I really only look at my most self-conscious area) I was confused by the scale, because my shirts didn't really fit any differently. I could tell I had gained weight in my stomach, but not 20 pounds! I knew it had to be somewhere, so I just assumed it had spread out evenly on my body because I couldn't see big differences anywhere.

That's because I never turned around!

My butt has doubled in size. I'm not sure why I didn't see this after my jeans stopped fitting, but I guess with all the stress this year, I just never turned around!

Now, I'm not all that upset about it. In fact, I'd way rather have a big butt than a big gut! But, now that I know where all the weight has gone, I can't keep pushing snooze on my wake-up call. It's time to lose some weight.

Derek and I went to his gym and I signed up for a month-to-month contract. I figure I'll have all summer to do what I want, so I might as well do something that will make me feel better.

My goal: lose the 20 pounds. It may be a lofty goal for the summer, but I'm just going to see how far I can get.