Teaching Firsties!

About a month ago I got a job offer as a 1st Grade Teacher. I was SO torn because I was also asked stay at YPSA. Oh....if I could, I would probably go back and stay at YPSA! I am not complaining about the blessings that have been given to me, however, if I knew then what I know now, I would have stayed at YPSA because my scholars were so amazing!

Anyway, I just finished my 3rd week in 1st grade. Let's just say it has been quiet a journey. This class has definitely tested my teaching abilities and more specifically my classroom management. Things are better, but still some days I just want to cry when I think how easy and amazing it would have been if I stayed at YPSA. Anyway here are before and after pictures of my class.

BEFORE

AFTER 

My principal got me this amazing gift basket! So nice! :)

Back to 2nd Grade

About 4 days after I got back from Dominica, I got a phone call asking if I would be willing to sub at YPSA...for 2nd Grade...in my old classroom! Crazy! If course I jumped at the chance. Walking back onto campus was so surreal. I had been gone for 2 years and then all of sudden there I was again. Walking down the same halls and teaching in my old room. The group of scholars that I had this time around was AMAZING! The majority of the scholars had been at YPSA since Kindergarten and so they knew the language, expectations, and culture of the school. I hardly had any behavior problems. I was able to do so much with them! Here are a few of their work samples! :)

This is our Monster Adjetive unit. We did monsters and described them. Oh...so much fun. I remember coming up with this unit. 

Here's our Verb anchor chart

Our Rural, Urban, and Suburban Community. 

Back at it!

Yay for baking! Monica asked me if I would be willing to make Gael's birthday cake for his 1st birthday! Of course! What an honor! Of course Kashia jumped right in and helped me! I just love that she is likes the same things that I do! And she does it so much better than I do too! :)

YUM! Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate nutella frosting. I may or may not have eaten like 10 of these. 

Gael's little cake! how CUTE! Lol. My vision + Kashia's artistic abilities= better than I could have imagined!

My boys had so much fun!

Ok, i was going to try and surprise Monica with sugar cookie soccer balls, but they didn't turn out the way I wanted. :/ Who knew making sugar cookies would be SO dang hard!

Spencer

This little guy is growing up WAY too fast! I am trying to enjoy every single bit of this silly boy as much as I can!

It was just me and Spencer home this morning. He was eating his snacks and watching TV while I was doing some work. I went to my parents room for 2 minutes, came out and found his sleeping! Oh, I just love this sweet boy. 

His Aunty Marilyn. Spencer LOVED Aunty Marilyn! I am so grateful that we got to spend so much time with Ben and Marilyn before they left to LA. My boys are so lucky to have Uncles and Aunties that love them so much!

One day I changed his diaper....and I think I accidentally said, "Spencer, go throw it away in the toilet" instead of the garbage. So he did what he was told. LOL!

Reunited!

Soon after I got back from Dominica, Diane, Monica and I got back together for dinner at IHOP! Of course we had yummy food and lots of laughs. I thank God all the time for the friendship that I have with these girls. When I think back on the crazy time of trying to find a job and applying for different positions at YPSA half a dozen time and not getting any of them, I now see and understand why! He knew that I needed these ladies in my life. The time that we were a 2nd grade team together was A-mazing! I looked forward to going to work everyday because it was like going to hang out with my best friends and teaching amazing kids. I learned so much about how to be a great teacher from these two and even more how truly trust in God and be open about my faith. Love you girls! 

Sac Zoo, Bye Daddy, Funderland

Kashia and I took Rylan and Spencer to the Sacramento Zoo. Nenji was at school. I felt really bad but I was working Mondays through Thursdays and had Fridays off. And I didn't want to go on a Saturday because I wanted to avoid the crowds. We had a good time!

One day when I came home from work, Nenji had crawled into Spencer's crib and fell asleep in there! Silly Nenji. 

Saddest day ever. The day Fi Dan left. :( We miss daddy.

The boys didn't go to school the day Fi Dan left. They were so sad so Uncle Ben, Aunty Marilyn and I took them to Funderland.