National Board Day

I'm at Panera, working on my National Board portfolio.
I'm feeling panicky.
I have a lot to do.
I'm overwhelmed.
I still have a list of things to do for the entry I started in November.
I have 3 other entries to write.
It is due March 31.
I don't know how I will get it all done.
I could go on and on but I have to get back to work.
Breathe in, breathe out, repeat.

I love my 2nd grade team!

Here is a picture of the fabulous team that I teach with! Abby, Jenn, Gayla and me! We decided to skip Christmas gifts for each other and plan a night to go to dinner together and have some quality talking time (outside of our school building)! This past Thursday we met at PF Chang's for dinner. It was delicious! We had lettuce wraps, dinner, and the Lucky 8 dessert! I got to try many new things because we ordered things to share. We were there for over 2 hours! Time flew and we enjoyed each other's company. We're hoping to start getting together maybe once a month to meet for coffee or something. It was so nice hanging out. Shawna, our curriculum coach at school, calls our team a "fluke" - because we all get along so well! We share ideas, share resources, and plan everything together. We're all teaching the same thing in practically the same way, everyday! I feel so blessed to work with such wonderful women who make work a nice place to come to everyday. School can be so stressful, but my team is always there to support me. Love you girls!

Birthday Boys!

Tomorrow is Wilson's 4th birthday! Hard to believe! He and I are making cupcakes today. He wanted white cupcakes with white icing so he can do the sprinkles! They're in Sponge Bob cupcake liners. He's been into Sponge Bob lately even though he's never see the show! Right now he is throwing a birthday party for Charlie, his favorite stuffed animal, in the living room. He has school tomorrow so he'll take cupcakes to school. Andy is going to make him and Luke pancakes for breakfast. Then when I get home after my meeting (hate that I have a late meeting on his b-day- feeling the guilt) we'll make pizza. My mom and dad are coming over to celebrate and we'll have pizza, salad, and cupcakes. He gets to open his present from Mimi and Poppy in the morning- he picked it out on ebay. It is a vintage metal Tonka firetruck. Pretty cool! The ladder rotates and lifts up. When I get home he'll open his present from us and Luke. We got him new crocs and Luke got him sponge bob's that fit into the holes of his crocs. He has so many toys Andy and I couldn't bring ourselves to get him any more. He'll open a present from my parents when they're hear for dinner as well. So a pretty festive day all in all.

Luke will be getting crocs too with Dora things from Wilson to fit in his crocs. We're having a joint party on Saturday for family at my sister's house. Wilson's b-day is the 7th, Caroline's is the 10th, and Luke's is the 13th. It's too hard to have 3 separate parties in 1 week's time! So this is our first year to combine them. We'll have 3 cakes! Wilson now wants a fire truck party. I think I'll do Thomas the Train for Luke. Mimi and Poppy ordered him more Thomas the Train lego sets. My mom and dad have some type of fire truck for Wilson and rain boots for both of them for playing outside! That way we don't have to worry about their shoes staying clean. Clean shoes and boys? Not so much.

Andy and I keep telling ourselves the next baby WILL NOT be born in January. Period.! So this Spring we might just avoid each other!! When we got pregnant with Wilson we had been trying for 4 months. Luke was a TOTAL surprise!! So baby #3 will. not. be. born. in. January.

My Lukie

Whoopee! Great news. Andy thought up a new game to play with Luke at mealtime- it got him to actually TRY what I made for dinner. He ate a bite...liked it...and asked for MORE!! Look at that clean plate! He ate all of his crockpot meatloaf! And all of his homemade mashed potatoes! Wouldn't touch his peas...but we'll take it one step at a time!

Close your eyes! Open your mouth! Here comes a big surprise! (most people don't like this game but Luke sure does!)

How cute is that!!! Adorable. We also found a brown shoe! In Luke's size. So we wore them out of the store!

Wilson's new shoes!

Still looking for some CUTE, brown shoes (preferably velcro), in size 7 1/2 for Luke! All the cute 7 1/2 shoes are sold out!

Snow Day!!

Last night at 10pm, I was laying in bed reading. Andy was on the look out for school closings. I figured I wouldn't know anything until morning. He came in and turned off my alarm and said school's out! I read a lot longer than I would have otherwise and was very thankful for one more day! Wilson and Daddy went outside in the 9 degree weather this morning - for just a little while! The wind chill was -7! When they came in Wilson had some hot chocolate. Since, we've been to the library to check out new books, Dillards to try and find new shoes - success for Wilson! Still can't find a store with either of their sizes in a brown shoe. Wilson chose new tennis shoes. They are quite ugly! They are leather Nike tennis shoes with some lime green and black on them. He LOVED them and could get them on and off really easily. So he wore them out of the store! They are part of his birthday present from Mimi and Poppy. I'll have to post at picture of them later. The camera battery is charging! Andy and I kept mouthing/whispering how ugly we thought they were...but that is not a battle to fight! There are plenty of other things I tell him no to so I thought what the heck!

Happy New Year!

Hmmph.
School starts tomorrow. Unless we have a snow day! My street is covered in snow so maybe... Anyway I went to the walk-in clinic today and got a z-pack for bronchitis. Yuck. I didn't manage to keep from getting sick. I fought it for a while! With this new year ahead of us I thought I'd tell you about 2 new things I'm using these days. I love them!
1. Facebook- I have gotten "in touch" with over 50 friends in the last few weeks on Facebook. I love it! It is a quick, easy way to stay in touch with tons of people. I've found friends I grew up with, went to high school/church/college with etc. Love it! If you want to look into it and possibly get a profile page go here.

2. Google Reader- I read about google reader on Sarah's blog. I thought it sounded convenient and something I should try but never got around to it...until this week! I love it! It has all of the blogs I check in one spot now. Like a blog inbox. It tells me which blogs have been updated so I don't have to check all the blogs I read to see if they were updated or not. Love it! Huge time saver. I know I could just not read the blogs, but what fun would that be? Then I wouldn't see all the great pictures or know what is going on in everyone else's life! I'm addicted to reading several blogs now! If you want to try google reader, go here!