Summer is Here

I went into summer mode over Memorial Day weekend - parades, backyard cookouts, bike rides to the pool,constant sunscreen application, ice cream outings and later bedtimes.

 
This was a great thing except that I still had one more week left of school that I needed to be concentrating on...and I can't lie, it was tough.  Almost to the point of torture.  My students were so DONE - they too had summertime on the brain and certainly didn't want to be stuck in a classroom.  Well, we finally made it - and as exciting as it is to have summer here, it is always sad to see your students go.  Especially this year, being a brand new school and facing so many challenges and obstacles.  It will be a year I will never forget.

This year will also be unforgettable because I received an award that means more to me than any other award I've ever received.  I was honored as Teacher of the Year!  There is nothing sweeter than being recognized for doing something you love.  From the bottom of my heart - I thank all my peers for their support, especially Krista, my teammate - who has worked equally as hard to make our kindergarten classes the BOMB!  I am so excited for next year as we move into our brand new school with space to move around.  Great things are gonna happen!

The first official weekend of summer we spent at the pool with all the other neighborhood families.  Mattie would simply drown if you'd let her - she demands that you put her down in the pool even though she has no flotation device attached to her.  She is such a daredevil - it scares me.  She jumps off the side of the pool with no care in the world, trusting that someone will be there to catch her - luckily we are.  Evan, on the other hand, is way more cautious and reserved.  That seems to have come with age because he used to be more like Mattie a couple of years ago.  He's still sportin' the water wings, but I'm hoping we can get him swimming on his own by summer's end.

I'm gonna try to really enjoy the next few weeks.  I start my Master's at the end of June, so that will start taking up some of my time, as well as my magazine writing.  When school starts back mid July, Lord help me.  I'm not really sure how I will find the time for everything - but I will manage.