A New Batch & A Pumpkin Patch

**This was written quite some time ago & sadly forgotten about. Decided it was meant to share so better late than never!

The madness of the holidays has already begun and I have once again failed on my blogging for y'all as well as myself. I have absolutely no clue where the first quarter of school went. All I know is that this year has been completely different for me as far as teaching goes.

My classroom at the beginning of this year.

I've got a brand new batch of kindergartens who I completely adore! Seriously I was blessed with the class I got. I believe it's karma making up for what was handed to me last year. Don't get me wrong, I ended up loving last years class, but the journey was not the best. Lets just keep it at that. :)

I think part of the major change this year has part to do with starting out at the beginning of the year with all my kids instead of getting thrown into a classroom in October with munchkins from 7 different classrooms. That was pure torture, let me tell you. I was able to have all my kids on the same page when starting all the basics this year, which made my life a whole lot simpler.

Although the very beginning of the year was still just what I expected, mad chaos. There was constant yelling, screaming, crying, getting out of their chairs every 5 seconds, shouting "Miss Mays" every other second, peeing/pooping pants, bloody everythings, more crying, etc. You know, the usual kindergarten stuff just to the max. I mean a maximum level of... What the h-e-double hockey sticks made me want to deal with this every day of my life? If you recorded my voice at any point during those first few weeks it would sound something like this... "sit down, raise your hand, stay in your seat, hands to yourself, wash your hands, get a tissue, get in line, don't play with your food." On repeat. All. Day. Long.

By the end of September, after all the constant repetition of rules and procedures, my new babies really got into the swing of what myself and the school expects of our kinders. They have started to truly  blossom into a wonderful class, academically as well. The results of all the hard work are so noticeable in kindergarten. Makes my heart grow.

In October, our K Team went on our first field trip to a pumpkin patch! (At that time last year, I was lucky if all my kids would stay in a line from our room to the cafeteria.) This trip was perfect for not only for my kids, but for myself as well. Obviously around this time Facebook is filled with pictures of anyone and everyone going to get their pumpkins and carving them with their families or lovers of course. This is obviously one of my homesick triggers. Ding ding ding... (You have no family or a significant other Danielle. What are you doing with your life?) Thank goodness for my job. Without my constant hugs and unforgettable things that come out of those children's mouths I might just not make it here.

Myself & my crazy kindergarteners

Let me tell you how much they LOVED when I made them stop playing to pose for the camera. HA! :)

Not sure what my princess is doing in the front there, but cute nonetheless.

Everyone got to pick a pumpkin and take it home. I think I told them 80 times to make sure they pick one they can carry. Of course, that didn't stop my two runts from picking pumpkins double their head size. They somehow mangaed to get back on the hayride without me seeing and waited until after to plead for me to carry them. Little rascals!!! I was left carrying both to the bus and let them carry the mini pumpkin I had chosen.

Mrs. Parker's class & mine on our way to get our pumpkins.

This one literally just plopped himself right in the middle of this hay ride. Hilarious!

All in all it was a fabulous trip and my kids had a blast. Many of my kids don't have the opportunity to do fun things like go to a pumpkin patch. All those life experiences that most of us take for granted, they just don't get. Being able to share that with them just makes it even sweeter. To this day, they still talk about it and even write about it (almost too much) during Writer's Workshop. So to you and all your Facebook pics, I win. Only kidding... or not. :)

**No pumpkins were injured on the bus ride home.

I'll be Home for Christmas

My little piece of heaven.

My adorable apartment finally starting looking like Christmas only about a week before it was time to head home to the burgh. I'm fine with that only because it will most likely stay decorated until my mom's next visit. My Christmas tree has been up since the beginning of November thanks to her. (She knew I would never have the time or energy to do it myself.) I'm really making myself sound lazy here... I swear I'm not. I did all the other decorations myself, most of which you can't even see in this picture, but trust me on this. As for the gifts, they are real. Santa made a special delivery before it was time to fly home to Pennsylvania.

Counting down the days until Christmas vacation was something I started the second I got back from my trip home for Thanksgiving. I was also dreading the day as well, thanks to my dog. After last year's horrifying flight with Missy, the thought of flying with her again made me queasy. I'm happy to say this year was completely different. She was a certified angel! Slept for the most part and was calm the whole time. Even when we had to be taken aside and checked to make sure I wasn't smuggling any drugs up her tush. Thought about it, but passed on it this year. JOKING!

Missy hating her life.

As usual, Pittsburgh welcomed us with a constant cover of clouds and rain. Shocker! Yes, some wise words from one of my favorites, Stephanie Meyer. I bet you didn't know that Pittsburgh has more overcast days than anywhere else in the US. Don't quote me on that. I think I heard it from someone who heard it from someone who read it somewhere. It's also nothing to brag about. It's quite depressing actually.

To add to the depressing weather was our loss of power. Not just once, but TWICE! Sunday and Monday. I'm usually the one in the house who flips out when this happens. This time, it was lovely Diane (my mom) spreading her "Christmas cheer" to the power company. I was forced to paint my nails in candle light, well more like lamp light. Does anyone else find themselves still flicking on the lights when entering a new room, when you clearly know you have no power? I swear even when I told myself to "stop, there's no power moron",  my hand would still reach toward the switch.

Yep, that's my stylish zebra comforter and Steeler pjs I'm rocking. Gotta love coming home to all your high school things.

Speaking of childhood beds, this clip from Saturday's SNL is something you've got to see. Don't judge me, just enjoy! ha! :)

The whole episode is worth watching. Really Santa, all I want for Christmas is Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake underneath my tree.

Okay back to my journey home... when I got home, I slept for days. Literally, I think 2 days were just filled with eating and sleeping. Isn't that what being home is about though? When I finally awoke from my short hibernation, it was time to make cookies with my favorite people of all time. My mom, aunt, and cousins - scratch that, just Emily considering Kelly & Mandy didn't feel the need to show up. Still love you, I guess. :) As they all know, I'm no Betty Crocker so they left me with simple tasks that didn't involve getting too dirty. I grew up the youngest cousin and I love being "babied" by them. I think it's just habit now and I surely don't fight it. In fact, I welcome it with open arms. It's a big change of pace from the person I have to be on a daily basis. 

Preparing whatever these are called. Can you say skills?

The rest of the cookies turned out good, but not as amazing as they usually do when our very own Martha Stewart is in charge. (Yes, you Kel) My mom and aunt have clearly lost their touch when it comes to baking so from now on, they can just stick to the cooking.

Well that's all for now folks. It's Christmas Eve, my FAVORITE day, and it's time to put the electronics down and spend some time with the most important people in my life. Sending y'all love on this magical time of the year. And for all my deprived southern friends we woke up to snow this morning. :) Not much, but there's nothing like snow at Christmas time.

To be continued...

P.S. Sorry for my "Thankful" draft being posted for God only knows how long. I love writing and often start posts that are simply forgot about... left to die in the land of misfit posts. Not sure what made me finally realize it was posted, but it only gave me some motivation to actually write some more & publish it.

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

Original title, right? I typically pride myself with my catchy tittles, but this overdone saying felt necessary considering the circumstance. The other day, I finished a book that I quite frankly "judged by it's cover". This lonely book has been sitting on my bookshelf, at my parents' house nonetheless, for over a year now. (The poor thing, I didn't even want to bring it along for the move!) For months, when that magical time came for me to choose my next book my eyes just skimmed right over it. Why would I buy this book and not read it you may ask? Well I'm one of those people who feels it is absolutely necessary to get any book I might possibly want to read one day. Running to the bookstore, when that moment comes, would be just ridiculous! It's easier to have a library in my own home. This one seems as though it was a must buy because it was listed on those convenient slips Barnes & Noble likes to throw in your bag. Oh you know, those lists attached to your receipt. For normal people it's just a list of books similar to the ones purchased. For bookworms like me it is says, "Buy these books now or you will be banned from Barnes and Noble for life!" If you think people don't give into that marketing genius, you're wrong. I feel I might die a painful death if I don't have those similar books lined in an alphabetical order ready to be read at my beckon call. Books are my drug of choice.

This is an example of my most recent slips. So random, right? I can never leave a bookstore without choosing a new picture book. Remember, I am a kindergarten teacher. The picture book addiction is in my blood. 

Okay enough with giving away my geeky disorders! Let's get to telling you about this new word I have been sucked into. I don't like giving too much away, you can do all that on your own. It's called Google. A good sales pitch I can do. The book I so desperately had to finish the other day is the first book of a series called The Mortal Instruments. The City of Bones is the first of Cassandra Clare's six book fantasy series. It's basically a young adult urban fantasy series. Clary Fray, the main character, soon finds out the New York she grew up to know isn't so familiar. This alternate New York known as the Downworld is filled with mysteries creatures she thought were only found in stories. Clary is your typical geeky hipster with a sarcastic tongue who is soon thrown into a world of Shadowhunters. This book is a lot different from what I've been reading lately. Clare (author) gives the book what I would call "attitude" or "personality". And of course what is a book without some love? Clary finds herself between caught between Jace, the charming, but boastful heartthrob and Simon, the quirky, loving best friend. Both of which have endearing personalities. Before you make any assumptions, they are nothing like Edward and Jacob, but I'm sure they'll have the same affect on the tweens shortly. The end is shocking and makes you immediately want to pick up the next book.

Book Six: City of Heavenly Fire is coming out April 2014

^Stephenie Meyer even loves the book! Come on Twihards, how could you possibly resist? ;) There's definitely some love brewing and a lot of sexual tension, but it's far from the plot of Twilight. 

Oh my goodness! I have fallen in love with each of these characters and find myself disappearing into the world of Shadowhunters when I'm reading them. That is when you know you've got yourself a good book. I'm a sucker for book series, have been since my beloved Twilight books. I always want more after I'm done with a book. With a series, you get more. Of course, they have to end somewhere, but now you know the ins and outs of this place. You are left feeling as though you lived another life.

Mundane is one of the many new words and concepts you've got to be ready for in TMI. "Mundie" reminded me of one of my favorite word-maker-uppers. J.K. Rowling of course, you Muggle! At first, the new vocabulary was overwhelming. It's rough for a nerd to keep all her fantasy words straight. When a new series comes into the picture, I often find myself rereading paragraphs to make these new words "stick". Kinda like when you're reading a textbook for school. Unlike textbooks, the characters and the story makes you want to do the rereading so you can grasp every single aspect of these words so perfectly woven together.

One of the major reasons for finally giving into reading the first of TMI was the movie release date. August 21 is creeping up faster than I'd like to admit. I simply can't explain the excitment I get from having my favorite books come to life in the form of a movie. You could say it has filled the gaping hole in my heart that was ripped out when I heard Santa doesn't really deliver my presents. Now I get that feelings sometimes more than once a year in the form of a movie. Of course there's that dreadful thought the movie will just be a massive disappointment. I truly don't believe any movie can kill a beloved book, no matter how horrible it is. If you read the book first, the movie can't take away what you created in your mind. If your imagination is still young at heart, the movie will never compare! You've just got to realize that and look at it positively. Seeing others' perspectives of how they saw every detail of the book is still just as fascinating to me. The concept of two of my favorite things colliding - books & movies - will never get old! (Not to mention adding a soundtrack!) books + movies + music = LOVE

Jace & Clary

Lily Collins will play Clary and Jamie Campbell Bower will play Jace. I knew what the cast looked like before I started to read. In this case, I liked that, but sometimes it's fun to create the characters on your own and see who they end up casting for the roles.

Simon, Jace, & Clary

Clary, Simon, Jace, Alec, & Isabelle

"Black, for hunting through the night."

The track list of the soundtrack was recently released I like what I see! If you go to Cassandra Clare's blog you can even get a taste of three of the tracks from Demi Lovato, Colbie Caillat, & Zedd. And uh hello! AFI for the come back? If I do recall, back in the day my angelic friends + role model cousin & I got ourselves kicked out of an AFI concert. One of those many vacation stories that will never be forgotten. ;)

I added the newest movie trailer below. I'm surprised by how much it gives away and I already can count on my hand differences from the book. (That's just what book nerds do, it's a major problem that can't be stopped.) Although, it still won't keep me from seeing it! The countdown is on!

The moral of this post is simply do NOT judge a book by it's cover. It may be an old saying that is most often referred to metaphorically, but in this case take it literally. You never know what wonderful world you might be missing out on.  

True Life: I'm a Kindergarten Teacher

You think you know, but you have NO idea! Finger painting, dress-up, story time and nap time. The usual uneducated idea of what goes on in a modern day kindergarten classroom. The funny thing is NONE of those things I just listed happen in public schools anymore, not even in kindergarten (at least not in NC). Now let me tell you I don't disagree that some of those "activities"s are necessary for 5 and 6 year-olds but I don't get to write the curriculum ladies and gentleman.

Breaking the stereotype of a kindergarten teacher is not exactly what I am here to do today. This post is simply dedicated to sharing some of the hidden tales of what happens in a typical kindergarten classroom. The type of tales that only a teacher gets the joy of experiencing on a daily basis. It would also be a shame not to share some of the borderline amazing stories I've got with the world. Take a moment to think of all the recent  AT&T commercials. Now imagine this all day long with a class of 21 students. Teaching is a job that could drive a weak person to the nuthouse. A smart teacher knows that what you need to do is turn all the negatives into positives and laugh about it. I'm not going to lie, there have been many times when I have been on the verge of a breakdown then a moment like the ones below happen and instead I break out into laughter. My assistant helps a lot with this as well. She is constantly using sarcasm with them and let me remind you, they are an average age of 6 and typically give us a look of total confusion. There are constant reminders of why it is I have jumped through rings of fire to have my own classroom. If there wasn't, I'm not sure teachers would survive. 

Alright, let's just go for it and start with the nasty part of my job. The gross stuff that no one tells you about until you have signed the contract and are stuck in a room with kids who just learned how to dress themselves. Let me start by informing those of you who don't already know this about me, I am a germaphob. I am constantly thinking about when I can wash my hands next. This is partly due to the fact that anything and everything gets me sick. I knew this year my immune system was in for a treat, but didn't really think of being constantly surrounded by messy children. Let's first start off by the sneezing and couching that goes down. No matter how many times you remind them to cover their mouths/noes there will always be those 1 or 2 children that think you just like to repeat that for fun. I won't name names, but one of my little boys this year would constantly sneeze in my face. I got excellent at dodging them but I am not superwomen here. Now let's move on the the puke. Yeah, I went there. There is no sugarcoating that word in Kindergarten so get over it. I lucked out this year, most of my children made it to trash cans or on the floor. If I would have been barfed on at school (like many of the horror stories my veteran co-workers told me about), I don't know that I would still be teaching no matter how much I love it.

Boogers, good old boogers. Clearly picking and digging was a constant sight. I started off being polite but eventually just ended up starring at the child with my teacher stare until they realized what they were doing. Or I  just went with the one liner, "tissue". They immediately knew I wasn't playing and left those boogs alone. I wish I had captured some of the faces they would make when they knew they were caught in the act. By the end of the year I think my children knew not to be caught doing that by me or ended up being excellent at hiding it. Either way, I am cool with it. Runny noses also began to fade out by the end of the year and thank goodness because constant dry heaving when I saw a child with a water fountain flowing from their nose to mouth was not part of any of my lessons. As for the booboos... From bruises to blood. They were constant and often turned into acting auditions. Most of the real accidents came from falling on the playground, picking scabs, or nose bleeds. I am not good with blood. Shocker, right? Thank you Jesus for Mrs. Lupton, my handy-dandy assistant. She is a mother of 4 and can handle anything. I'm pretty sure I came close to passing out when I had to clean a chin gash one of my little girls got from taking a face-dive into mulch. The smell of blood is something I can't handle. And that my friends, is obviously the only reason I couldn't save lives for a living.

Sharing this side of kindergarten doesn't often come up in a typical conversation so that was therapeutic to get that out of my system. 

Let's move right on to the clumsiness that comes with kindergartners. This amazing trait may stay with some of them, but for right now they all have their fair share. I have tried holding in my laughter when they miss their chair or trip over their own feet, but I no longer feel it is necessary unless they are truly injured. I'm now a pro at instantly knowing when it's just Mr. Clumbsy taking over. Why yes, I'll share my wisdom with you - You've got to look for the 3 stages of emotion that hits within a minute time frame. Stage 1: Shock. This is the funnest to watch for. Their priceless face is basically saying, "What the heck just happened to me?" Sadly, it doesn't last long until the next stage hits. Stage 2: Crying. This is when they realize they have hurt themselves or are terribly embarrassed by their lack of control of their tiny bodies. This is when, as a teacher, you've got to go into actress mode/mom mode and stop the laughing because it only makes them cry more. The next stage will roll on in if you are a good nurturer like myself. Stage 3: Laughter. This when the child realizes the only way to keep their street cred is to turn that frown upside down immediately. Now you know what to look for, your welcome new mothers.

My kids on Field Day

Field Day was during the last week of school and I was astonished at how athletic some of them had become. Not much clumsiness came out of them that day. What a shame. They must just save that for the classroom.

Bribery becomes your best friend in a Kindergarten classroom. Let me give you the politically correct term for any of my professors reading this, "positive reinforcement". There is no other way for me to explain this but kindergarteners haven't fully developed a sense of self fulfillment. That is why sweets, toys, games, and sometimes parties that include sweets, toys, and games become a part of your daily routine. Any kind of classroom management from individual, to table, to class I have going on in my classroom. You can never have enough! I am constantly searching Pinterest and blogs for new management ideas, so if you are a teacher and have a favorite, please share! I love learning what others do in their classroom. Sharing is caring! :)

I am the M&M Queen in Kindergarten

So there you go. Some of the hidden secrets of kindergarten that no one shares. Don't let these adorable faces fool you. They will chew you up and spit you out if you are not prepared.

My kids on the carpet on the last day of school.

From Yins to Y'all

Hi friends! This long overdue post is very necessary because I have officially survived my first year of teaching!!!! I now completely understand all aspects of the word "survivor". My lack of posting anything since September was not me giving y'all the silent treatment. It has only been because my life has been totally consumed by my crazy, beautiful year as a first year kindergarten teacher. The journey was not all smiles. There were many ups and downs but overall this has been one memorable year that has changed my life for the better!

My kindergarteners' "silly" pic on Field Day!

I know what most the non-teachers out there may be thinking... No time? Surely you could have some spare time to share the wonderful news. HA! Here's an explanation in a nutshell. Teaching is not a job that stops when the bell rings at the end of the day, especially for a new teacher! From week night to weekends I was creating stations, planning, learning the new CCSS (Common Core State Standards), grading, laminating, conferencing-calling-writing parents and the list could go on for days, but to save you I'll stop. Once you think you are ahead, have checked everything off your list more magically appears like a scene from Harry Potter! The checklist doesn't stop, sadly even after school has ended for the summer. This a promise! Teaching is no job for anyone who isn't passionate about educating. Sharing the news on my blog clearly wasn't even close to the top of any of my lists. So sorry and it will never happen again.

Now that school has ended, I finally have a bit of time to breath get back to my favorite hobby, blogging! I have been yearning for this day. First off, let's explain this title. Clearly I have moved South. Raleigh, North Carolina to be exact. Instead of hearing "yins", I now hear "ya'll" and have totally picked up on some of the slang. The slang is a whole other post in itself. The thick accents have no effect on me now, but when I first moved hear that's all I could think about when people were talking to me. Most of what they were saying went in one ear and out the other. I would find myself trying to mimic them without even realizing it. Thank goodness that has stopped and hopefully no one ever heard my attempts. And yes many of my co-workers consider me a "Yankee" or "Northerner". I never heard this word so much than out of the mouth of my TA (teacher assistant) aka one of my new Southern mothers. She held the worst stereotype for us so-called Yankees. Luckily I have broke the mold for many of her opinions of us from the North.

This big step in my life was NOT  an easy one to say the least, but I have never been more proud of myself for choosing to make this move. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better place to work. I am the luckiest girl to have been welcomed by such an inspiring, caring, welcoming, generous staff. From my Kindergarten Team to the ladies in the office, they all have all taken me in as part of the family that is created at this school. I am so honored to be a part of NHPS. I seriously have never met so many people who genuinely cared about how I was doing with the move and all that comes with being a first year teacher. I never expected to love my job so much especially with being so far away from my family and friends. The main reason I took a job out of state was because I just wanted a classroom to call my own and the thought of substituting made and still makes me nauseous. Now the thought of teaching somewhere else immediately makes me tear up. I don't know how I could ever leave this place! (Sorry Mom! Maybe one day...)

Most of the K Team in our Pete the Cat costumes

So now that I have finally let my first batch of babies go on to become first graders, I have never been more appreciative of summer break. I will be heading home to Pittsburgh in a few days to spend some much needed time with family and friends before we take a family vacation to Orlando! Our usual mother/daughter trip to Disney has grown this year to a full blown family vacation plus some very close friends! It will be my not so little cousin Colin's first time to Disney and on a plane! I have never been so excited to experience this magical moment with him. My cousin Kelly just surprised us by giving in and joining the trip as well so I'm positive we'll be making a stop at Sea World to see some orca whales. And as long as I'm alive and in Orlando I clearly have to visit Hogwarts. Always a kid at heart.

P.S. Don't you worry now, I'll be sure to keep up with my posts and share more about my first year as a teacher. I've got plenty of stories to share that are bound to put a smile on your face. :)

My kinders after winning both the media & computer awards!

One Last Summer Hurrah

 
All summer long, I have been hoping to get myself to Kennywood. Lucky for me, I have friends like Kelly who also have the same fabulous ideas. For those of you unfamiliar with what I'm talking about Kennywood is an amusement park located in Pittsburgh. Of course we wait until the very last weekend it's open to go. Well, at least until it reopens for Phantom Fright Nights. We may be in our twenties, but we'll always be kids at heart. Needless to say the park was extremely packed and every ride line was nearly an hour long. That didn't stop us.

We started our day off with a little shopping at the SouthSide Works. For most, it's impossible to leave that place without indulging at the Cheesecake Factory. Do you know a better way to kick off an evening at Kennywood? I sure don't.

 
I do have a minor confession to make. I'm a hidden scaredy-cat. I put on a believable front until I hear a gut wrenching scream from someone on the ride. Then the fear turns me into a different person. Don't get me wrong I love going on rides, but I am a chicken to the extreme while riding. For the most part, I close my eyes and hold on for dear life. Every once in a while you might hear a squeal, an obstinacy or an "I hate you". After the ride is over and the initial fear cools off, I really enjoy myself. Kelly may have enjoyed my reactions more than the rides. I already got a call from her this week reminding me of what I was like. Amusement parks truly are one of my favorite places to go. All the silly things that I do on the rides are simply uncontrollable coping mechanisms for my fear of heights and reenacting the roller coaster scene from Final Destination. No big!

Kennywood 2012

Please ignore the green on our faces. It is not some new makeup trend that we're trying out. Apparently they have already begun to decorate for Fright Nights. This means transforming all the lights to spooky colors.

This venture to Kennywood brought back some wonderful memories of a vacation I went on at the beginning of summer. My mother and I went to Disney World in Orlando. A tradition we recently brought back to life. When I was a munchkin, Disney World was a place I visited yearly mostly because my grandparents had condos in Florida. This was a convenient bonus to my childhood. After they sold them, our usual summer vacations turned into the Outer Banks and Vegas. (In no way am I complaining about that!) Last year, to help satisfy my Harry Potter obsession, my mom and I took a mini vacation to Orlando to visit Universal Studios and an impromptu visit to Disney World. We enjoyed the trip so much we had to go back this year for more. It was honestly one of the best trips of my life. There's nothing I love more than spending quality time with my mommy.

Animal Kingdom 2012

Epcot 2012

Magic Kingdom 2012

Universal Studios 2012

Magic Kingdom 2011

Good news to all Disney dorks. Walt Disney World is currently expanding the Magic Kingdom. The special addition is known as the New Fantasyland. Some may say this is a place where mermaids sing, beauties tell tales, beasts roar and elephants fly. Storybook Circus is already open to guests and the Enchanted Forest will be opening in December 2012. Ladies, if you're a fan of Belle or Ariel get excited! The little girl inside me is already packing her seashell purse. 

Back to reality... The weekend ended in the best way possible, with a Pittsburgh Steelers win! A much better outcome than last week's game. The New York Jets may have two hunky quarterbacks, but looks won't win you football games. Mondays are always a little bit better in Steeler Nation after a Pittsburgh Steelers win!