Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

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.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Fall Fever


Fall is right around the corner, but I've already caught a strong case of fall fever. It all started with the long awaited release of the pumpkin flavored everything at Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. Then came the sudden temperature change over the weekend. Today, not so much. This opened my eyes to some leaves that have already begun to fall. The colors aren't quite there yet. Fall or Autumn, which ever you prefer. This is the season I live for!

Pumpkin Iced Coffee

Listing all the reasons why I adore this spectacular season is close to impossible, but here it goes. First off I would like to begin with one of the most important. For all those out there with naturally curly/wavy/frizzy hair, you don't need me to tell you that fall brings with it the perfect hair weather! Might sound ridiculous, but I only speak the truth. Not too dry, not too humid... just fresh crisp air. I also like to think of this weather as "football weather". Another one of my favorite things. The past few Steeler games have been hot ones. Let's hope this Sunday's games brings some of that crisp air to Heinz Field. And of course a win.

Heinz Field

This leads me to the clothing situation that goes hand in hand with the weather. Autumn means sweater weather! Time to break out all the adorable sweaters, cardigans, blazers, hoodies, jackets, jeans, BOOTS and scarves. All my favorite pieces. Layering is simply the best fashion advise I've ever learned as a girl. Fall is the perfect season to do just that.


A wise woman by the name of Tina Fey once wrote... "In girl world, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." -Mean Girls


Um, Hello Halloween! The excitement that overcomes me when thinking about what I want to dress up as is something like a child writing their Christmas list. Who cares how old you are. I say Halloween is for everyone. Of course not everyone enjoys this holiday. Can someone please tell me what's wrong with those people... do they hate puppies and rainbows too? Speaking of those people, an ex-boyfriend of mine hated Halloween. Silly me should have seen that as a big, fat warning sign, but I suppose it's a lesson learned.
My superhuman of a mother used to make all my Halloween costumes and even some of my friends. Yeah, she can do anything and everything. One of my best was the year I dressed as Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls. I'm going out on a limb here and saying it was 4th grade. Supermom crafted together a replica of Geri Halliwell's infamous British flag dress. (I'm sure if I put that thing on today it would fit just like Geri's did, but at the time it was an appropriate length for a 4th grader!) The outfit was completed with chunky, red platform shoes, a red wig and an excessive amount of body glitter. Girl Power! Lately I've been into reliving my childhood by dressing up as all the Disney Princesses. Last year it was Snow White. The year before, Jasmine without an Aladdin unfortunately. This year: to be continued...

The Spice Girls
Geri Halliwell
Halloween 2011

The only thing bad about this season is it flashes before your eyes. Some may say that about summer. For me, fall is the season that comes and goes way too quickly. Maybe it's because the colors of the trees are so breathtaking... They are only meant to last so long so we never forget to appreciate their beauty. No need to fear, it just means those snowflakes and Santa are own their way!

 
In honor of the Season Premiere of The X Factor and the legendary Miss Britney Spears I'll leave you with a song you may have never heard of. Autumn Goodbye<3