A New Class and A New Start!

Phew! I never thought I would make it through the first week of school! My feet hurt, my voice is almost gone, and I am EXHAUSTED! The funny thing is that I don't remember feeling this way last year at this time...maybe I have just blocked it from my memory... :) It is so hard to get used to a new class! I really do miss my old class...despite the drama that took place. If I thought last year's class was talkative, well I was very mistaken! This class is even worse! I have some very cute kids, but there are just those few (namely a few of the boys) that WILL NOT STOP TALKING... and they get everyone else all wrapped up in it too! And well, I could just be freaking out over nothing....it IS the first week AND it is still summer outside...but really, I am in for a LONG year I think. Also, we had back to school night on Thursday and I got told by that same mom that talked to me on the phone and met me the week before school started that one of the boys should not be in the same class as her son because he bullied her son in first grade...OH JOY! So now I think I am going to have some boy drama this year instead of the girls... It really does have me freaked out because I don't like dealing with boys that fight! AHHH!

I guess I am making this year sound like it is going to be horrible, but those are just my fears...I really am excited for a second chance at teaching and trying to do better. I really do love teaching, it's just the management part that scares me a bit...I know that I will probably learn a lot, just like I did last year...but it will take a lot of work again! I still feel like I am a first year teacher because of all the work I am STILL doing, but I know I just need to get through it and I will be fine.

Here are a few snapshots of my LOVELY portable classroom the week before school started. Really, I actually kinda like the portable because NOBODY bugs you!

Back to School!

Yes, it's that time again...kids dread it, teachers dread it, parents love it, it's BACK TO SCHOOL time! I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I have been preparing for a while, popping in and out of my classroom over the last 2 weeks, but I still feel like I have so much to do! I don't think it will ever end! As of right now, I have 30 students on my class list! SCARY! I am not excited about so many students... I was a little shocked today though, because I called the mom of one of my future students, because she had left me a message and she told me that her son was so excited to be in my class...apparently the word among all of the 3rd graders last year was that I was the nicest teacher in 4th grade, so a lot of kids wanted to be in my class! So, I guess I am pretty popular after just one year of teaching and I didn't know it! :) I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing though because I think that I am probably too nice and I would like to be known as the teacher who teaches the best! Judging from the scores from the end-of-year tests last year, I definitely would like to teach better! They weren't horrible, about average, but I want them to be ABOVE average...oh well...I can only do what I can do! I am just glad they let me come back and try it again!

Anyway, I am still working getting my classroom the way I want it, but I will take pictures and post them as soon as I can! In the mean time, I will share some pictures of I took of Bear Lake when I went there last weekend with the YSA's from my stake. It definitely was a blast! We didn't really get to do a lot of boating because it was only 40 degrees, but we did have fun socializing and playing on the beach! We did get in the water later in the afternoon, but that only lasted about 30 minutes before we were all numb from the cold water! I just couldn't get over how blue that lake was either! It was gorgeous! These views are from the cabin we stayed in overnight...

DISNEYLAND!

This last week I went to Disneyland with Scott, Kim, McKenzie and Brayden! They were already there for Kim's family's reunion, but stayed a couple of days afterward, so I flew out and met them. This was my second time at Disneyland in my lifetime, and I have to say, it was the funnest because kids are so cute! It was so fun to see their reaction to all of the rides and seeing all of the characters! Here are a few highlights of the trip:

This was when we were standing in line for 40 minutes to see the Princesses. They were such troopers! And how can you not deny that "cheese" smile from Brayden! :)

This was on "It's a Small World". Ya I had that song stuck in my head for a LOOOONG time after that!

Kenzie and me right before the "Bug's Life" 3D show....ya, she got so scared in that movie!

California Adventure!

Oh ya, the Teacups! Scott spun us so hard, we (Scott and I) were sick after that! Kim was smart for not riding! :)

My favorite princess, Cinderella!