Classroom Talk.

During nap-time for my "darlings" today, my boss asked me to go through different school catalogs and make one wish list for each 5 classrooms in our school. She told me to never mind the price, but just make an estimated guess on the "wish" classroom if we were to start from scratch. I am SO proud of my keikis and their parents-current and former, causerie we have been doing so well with our fundraisers that we have a good amount tucked away ready to be used. So my boss and I have decided that we will work to beautify our school.

It warms my heart when I hear parents talk about our school with such positive words. It always gets back to me about how wonderful our teachers are! And I couldn't agree more! I am SO blessed to be working where I am I think that its extremely hard to find a place where EVERYONE gets along and EVERYONE is always willing to go the extra mile...and this is the first time where I've worked in a place where everyone genuinely LOVE what they do. It shows through their work, through the keikis, through their parents and it's such a pleasant place to work at. There is SO much respect here and I cna 100% honestly say that they can feel the benefits of us teachers who love their job and its a place where I really do feel taken care of.

That being said, one of the first things that I noticed about our school is that it looks a bit runned down. This is a very good school...and so I am excited to start this make-over for my school.We are trying to get the school board "on board" with this new change that we want. We are also trying to open another classroom for the older kids. So I was given the job to remake every classroom and write a wishlist for them all.

We are trying to have the new classroom ready for the coming up school year in August...so we are really push it as much as we can. And I really am excited for all the change. I really feel blessed that I was able to land such an amazing job. :)

Before I end this post, I'll share a few snapshots that I have of my classroom. My classroom is always a work in progress. I like an organized room that is welcome. I also like color and my favorite "decor" for my room are the own artwork of the children. Yes, I love "showing off" the arts & crafts the children do. :)

The keiki themselves asked me if I can put the planets up. Oh, our subject for this month is the Solar System....and I love how interested they are in the vast amazingness that lays in the outskirts of our planet! But I have a book that shows the plants and different things you can find in the great Solar System. I don't usually do bulletin boards because I like to put the kids artwork up...but since they really wanted the planets up, I went to the store and bought this amazing bulletin set of the Solar System. My "darlings" love it...and they can name all the planets! I'm so proud of them!

Here are the suns that we made the other day. They loved this activity! I like keeping track of the art projects that we do that they like, that way I can make sure we do it more than once. My keikis are into color mixing at the moment. They say that its magic. :)

I like sitting on the ground with my keikis when I do my circle time. I have been in preschool classes where the teacher is on a chair, and that is fine. I tried it, but I didn't quite like it. My keikis LOVE doing the calender each day! They get a kick out of turning the number around...and like guessing what the design of the number is going to be. A few of them are starting to get that it's a pattern! *laughs*

This is one DIY thing that I did for myself...and I love how it turned out! So, when I started working at this job there was this old spice rack that nobody was using. The spices that were in each container barely smelled any longer to be useful...so with the spices and herbs that still had a slight smell to them, I used it for various artworks and activities, the rest I just tossed it. I then washed out the little bottles...laminated and super glued tops decorative tops on the caps and just placed miscellaneous things in the jars that I use. PomPom balls, googly eyes, sequins, mini star stickers, paperclips, staples, push pins, ects...it's very useful. Very easy to make, very accessible when I need to grab something...and yes. I like it. :)

Thursday's Events.

I already know that I will be doing several blog posts on just today...it was just that kind of day! *laughs* So many things happened today and I didn't want to just skim over some of the things that happened and I didn't want to just talk about one thing...I wanted to document my whole day because its as such an amazing day today! But I know that I'm super tired and so I will post tomorrow the details, and right now I just want to blog about a "jist" of what happened. It was a fun day. :)

My day started early because we had a field trip to the Kailua Fire Station!! It was so much fun and very informational! I was talking to my boss and I was telling her I do not even remember going to the fire station before...not ever...even when I was younger. I think they just always came to my school or something, so going to the fire station was just as exciting for me as it was to the kids! :)

After the fire station, we all came back to school and while the kids went to sleep, I decided to make sensory colored bottles for my kids! They are super into finding all colors at the randomest places and things ever! And I am always encouraging the kids to "color" their world with imagination...and it's so cute to hear them tell the other kids in the school. "You need to color the world with imagination." *laughs* It's cute. :) 

I had to rush home because I had a VERY important appointment later and I had to leave the house at 4:00pm...and I'm pau with work at 3:30pm...and that is IF all the parents come to pick their children on time and whether or not they want to do small talk. *laughs* But when I got home, I pulled up nearly the same time as my housemate...and we both squealed and laughed when we saw each other and rushed into the house to get ready for our "appointment." But before I ran into the house, I grabbed the mail, and this beautiful pink box was waiting for me!

It was hard to wait to open it. I knew that if I opened it right then and there, I knew that I would be rushing to get ready for our important "appointment"...so I had to set it aside to open for later. I actually still haven't opened it...it's sitting behind me on the stool that I took a picture of it on. *laughs.* I will open it tomorrow and post my review about it then. :)

And now...for the very important appointment. Look where I went.

Can you guess?! Do you know where it is?! Mandy had an appointment at David's Bridal to try on wedding dresses! And yes, that was a very important appointment and I was to happy that she asked me to go with her! :) It was amazingly fun and I am so happy for her. I'm still smiling about everything! :)

Lastly, we went to La Tour Cafe for dinner and macaroons...oh my days! I love this place! :)

So much happened today that I don't want to forget...and I wish that this day could last forever...it was such a heartwarming day...and I loved it. :)

But for now, world, goodnight. :)

Tea Traveler.

I have a new "darling" who started today at the preschool...and I am so glad that I didn't really have much trouble helping him settle in. I am so proud of my kids, they really helped him feel welcomed and they did pretty well in modeling "correct behavior." I told them that he didn't yet know the rules of my classroom and of the school and so he was going to be watching them to know what to do...and  know that I have a classroom full of potential leaders, because they did a very good job in making sure that he knew what was going on. I am very proud of "my" kids. :)

It didn't rain today, but it was gray overcast the whole day. The sun was hiding behind all the grayness and in all honesty, it felt like the approaching of the holidays! Although, it LOOKED gloomy, it felt like home. And I was happy that it was like that because I have been feeling homesick lately. It's been awhile since I've been home, and so I think that I should make a trip out there soon before I go crazy.

I have a confession to make. I did something that I thought that I wouldn't do. I added "friends" on Facebook. I had deactivated my "old" account a few years ago and told myself that I was not going to be sucked into that place again, but every few days I would get a message, a friend request, a pop up on my wall of my past...and I got me really missing home and all my family and friends back there. The only reason why I had made this new account about a year ago now was because my sister was giving me so much grief about how I didn't have an account anymore. And then she said that she would send me pictures of DollGirl anymore and the only way that I can see the pictures is if I joined Facebook! What?! Who does that?! So for a long time I did have an account, but I literally only had 5 "friends" who were my family. My sister, brother-in-law, my daddy, Mandy, and DollGirl. But today I just went through all my friend request and added all those who were family and those who I am mostly still on contact with.

I have to remind myself to not get "addicted" to that place...but for the most part, I'm pretty good about it now. I don't really do anything on there, except to check out the pictures my sister posts up...but I can see the pro's about the place. It really does keep you connected with your family and friends when you are away from them. I have moved around so much that I have friends and family in all kine places...so I have decided to stop "hiding" from everyone and if they have asked me to be their friend and we actually know each other, then I will accept.

I miss home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my "comfort zone." But I got this. :)

Well, when I got home today, look what Mandy had put on my study desk!

Mandy was fortunate enough to have fall break and so she didn't have school on Monday and today and so she was able to get my package for me...and right away I knew what it was! And I was extremely excited to open it!

And I was right! I finally received my Tea Traveler! I am always drinking tea and so this is a good way to bring my tea with me. I like loose leaf tea too, so this will be good. And then to, when I finally start the Fit Tea I can use this. Ash wanted me to do it with her so I told her I will wait for her and she has been meaning to go and get a strainer for the tea, since it is loose leaf...but I just told her an hour or so ago that will just meet her after work and hook her up with one of mine since I have plenty. I'm telling you, I have a lot of different teas and accessories for tea, so I don't mind sharing with her.  

But I think that I am going to buy her one of these as well. If I order one tonight for her, it will be here next week and so I think I'm going to. I will get her that strainer though so we can start already. 

But I am excited for my new Tea Traveler! I love, love drinking tea (Irish Breakfast and Peach Ginger are my all-time favorite!)...and this is so that I can bring my tea with me! I am going to try to figure out how to make the microwave work in my classroom so that I can bring some tea to work and have my tea at work as well. :)

"F" is for fall.

Lately I have been feeling really antsy. I know the first thing that people will tell me is the I probably have "island fever"...but I know that I don't. I absolutely love it here...and I consider this place my home now. Don't get me wrong, California will always have a special place in my heart and I will always call it home. But Oahu is home now...and I think that even though I believe that I have a wondering soul, Oahu is home. If ever I do get an opportunity again to travel, my home base would most likely be here in Oahu.

But I have been itching to travel again...and hopefully I'll get the chance to soon.

Today was picture day in school and it was pretty chaotic...but not as chaotic as some picture days that I've been to, but chaotic enough. It was kind of confusing since we have children who only come in Tuesday and Thursday. But we got through it, and Karlie who was in there the whole time said that everyone but one child was took really good pictures.

I really like this photographer. Her name is Nicky and she is really nice. She is Christian and she was telling Allie and me her story of how she started and how she said that it was God's will for her to do this since she was a preschool teacher at first. She was the one who took pictures at me previous school and she remembers Finley. I don't think that I will ever forget that angel and I was thinking about her the other day, and it is nearing her anniversary date of when she first went into a coma. I hope her mother is doing okay...she is a very brave women and I can't imagine how she is feeling at the moment. But I do know that she is a strong woman. And she will always be in my heart because she lost her angel and I know that she will forever have the hole in her heart because of it.

Today we did several arts and crafts projects to keep the children occupied with we were all taking turns taking pictures. We did a mini circle time today and we are learning to recognize the letter "F" or at least review it for the children that already know about this letter. One of the things that I told parents last week during our parent/teacher conference is that I have noticed that a lot of the children have yet to develop and strengthen their fine motor skills and patience.

I have noticed that they like to rush things and so when I did for this first project was first have them help me cut red, yellow, and orange construction paper as small as they can get it. They are actually doing well with cutting, there are a few who still need to learn the art of holding the paper and cutting at the same time...but for the most part they are doing well with their cutting. I did notice though that they need more work on guided cutting...er, I actually don't know what the term is, but more work on cutting for a reason. Like for example, if I drew a line on the paper...they still need work following that line...they are no where near it actually. For for a free for all cutting...they do pretty well, and they were able to help me cut a lot of pieces.

And here is what we did with those tiny, tiny pieces.

I wanted them to make them small for two reasons: #1: it takes more skill tiny pieces and placing them on the glue...so that strengthens their fine motor and #2: it exercises their patience...because I know that it would take the "forever" to do because the pieces were small and it was harder to pick up. During circle time I told that the letter of the day was "F"...and we all took turn searching for the letter in our books. I then read them stories about Fall and FireFighters. At the end I asked them what colors the leaves turned during fall and what color was fire...and luckily enough they were both similar colors...so that was how we chose the colors red, orange, and yellow. They chose blue for the letter because they said that it was "blue outside, but there is no sun." Their words. I thought that was cute. :)

Our second project was a cause and effect one. Well, it touched a lot of things...but I was wanting to see experience the cause and effect for this particular project. I have a lot of curious little ones in my class...and they enjoy and get excited for "science-y" type of things. In one of our classroom discussion we were decided what kind of decorations that they put up for Halloween and several of them said spider webs. They have asked me if we could put up some in the classroom and I told them, what if we did an art project that had to do with spiderwebs and they were all for it. I adore how my class LOVES doing arts and crafts! :)

Last Friday, I went ahead and prepped this for the kids to do. I basically drew a web with glue and had the kids "help" me sprinkle salt on the glue. I told them that we had to wait for it to dry so we were going to do this on Monday. But they had fun helping me put the salt on the glue. They were fascinated about how even though the line of glue was SUPER thin...putting salt on the glue automatically made the line thicker. I honestly never thought of it that way! Oh, the eyes and the mind of a child always amazes me! :)

Today they were excited to see what happens if they watercolored the paint on the glue/salt mixture. They walked in asking me about it...and several of their parents told me that they were excited about this experiment. :) That made me happy. This particular girl who did this one had brought in a book about rainbows since she said that she saw a rainbow over the weekend and she wanted to bring her book in. She then told me that she was going to copy the rainbow onto her web...and I think she did an amazing job! They all did...and they had a lot of fun watching the colors "move" while painting.

I love my job. I love my kids. I'm so happy that I get this opportunity to watch them grow and be fascinated with the world around them. :)

Fit Tea.

Look what I got in the mail today! I am actually excited to start this...

So, last week I was talking to Ashley and she asked me if I would try something with her. I told her it all depends on what it was...and if it wasn't harming anyone or myself...I would. Then she told that she wanted me to try this Fit Tea detox thingy with her to help her stay motivated and just so that she can have someone to do it with. 

I have to say that I have never really tried any kind of "loosing weight" program thingy...well, no, I take that back...long time ago when I was still in Jr. High...my mom wanted me to join Weight Watchers...which helped me loose weight, but I was very active in sports back then and I did have that eating problem (dark past that I don't really like to revisit if I don't have to)...but I think it was more because my mom wanted me to get in the habit of actually eating again...but that is a different story...but that was the only weight "loss" thingy that I've ever tried. Other than than, I would just do the whole exercise and try to eat more healthy dealio...but, my mom actually wanted me to go on a detox/juicing diet thingy with her. But I like food...and I like to eat...and I do have the biggest sweet tooth ever! But I also know that if I wanted to, I can be "more healthy"...but I would need a lot of motivation, moral support, and a very good reason. 

I do want to do the whole juicing/detox thingy just because I know that it's healthy and I do want to get in better shape before my brother gets married. I have been running and boxing more...and I am force myself to be more aware of what I eat. I still love my smoothies and I always tell myself to eat salad everyday. So I am more conscious of healthy eating and all. But juicing is SO expensive! I know that is just an excuse or whatever you want to call it...but it is what it is. I am a teacher...a preschool teacher and we get JUNK PAY...and I would go broke in a quick second if I had to buy fruits constantly to juice it. Coz if I could have it my way, I would eat all the fruit ever! I love fruit...apples are my favorite..I LOVE all kine berries...I can eat dragon fruit all day long, mangoes...oh my days, I love mangoes and I miss, SUPER miss white nectarine! That is one thing that I'm sad about living here in Hawai'i...the fruit here are so mad expensive! I kick myself now for taking for granted all the fruit that surrounded me when I was growing up in CA! We a kickass garden with fruit trees of all kind...and a vegetable garden with the best tomatoes ever! And cucumbers...oh mandope...I would LOVE to have a garden like that again! I remember always climbing and just reading up in the apple trees and peach trees in my backyard. And I could always just reach across and grab me some plum...oh my goodness plum! I LOVE plums! So yeah, I'm not against juicing, it's just...if money was not an issue, I would do it. But it is an issue and it is something that I would probably have to save for and not do for long amounts of time. 

So, when Ash asked me if I would do this detox thingy with her...I said, "why not?!" It's only a 28 or so day thing...and in the grand scheme of life...it's only a drop in the bucket...and so why not?! I think that we have decided that we will start on Sunday, if not sooner...but I have yet to tell Ash that I finally got it! :) At least we can start on the beginning of a new week...and we'll do it do together. 

I got the Super Fit Tea pack from here. And this pack came with everything that you see in that above picture. One thing that I looked at was that all the ingredients was natural and I am always drinking tea anyways...and so that is a good thing...I don't have to change that. I have to get used to taking the pills 30 minutes before breakfast and lunch though...I'm not the biggest fan on taking pills...and if I can help me I don't take pills for ANYTHING...but it can try it. 

The reviews that I have read said that the tea was a pleasant taste...and like I said, I love my tea! I have a pretty impressive collection of tea, but my #1 favorite tea is Irish Breakfast (with milk and sugar!) :) That and Peach Ginger tea are my go-to tea. (I still love my cup of black coffee in the morning though :)). 

I think the thing that sold me on this detox thingy is that it's basically tea...and I love tea.

The only thing that I could do with out is the stevia. (And we all know that I don't like CORN! *laughs* But it won't kill me to consume that!) I'm not the biggest fan of stevia...but in moderation, I guess it's okay. And...HONEY POWDER?! I have never heard of that before...but it's powdered honey, I guess. Can't go wrong with that...just it sounds weird. I love honey. :)

Well, I'm excited for this...we will see how it goes. I'll talk to Ashley and it will be pretty cool to document this journey of this Fit Tea Detox tea. Hopefully, it will be a good experience...can't hurt, can it?! :)

HBD, Ashley!!

Before I start the day, I would like to take the time to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of my closest friends! The quote, "Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest. It's about who walked into your life, and said, "I"m here for you" and proved it." Comes to mind when I think of this beautiful (inside and out) lady.

I met Ash while working at my previous preschool. She became my aid...and we were the best together! We realized that we got a long really well, and that we just "clicked." We "got" each other and you could tell with how the children reacted to us.

I knew that I could count on her as an aid...and before long I realized that as a friend she puts just as much dedication into it as she does for her passion for children. In those few short months that we were in the same classroom, our keikis thrived and the parents could see it. We were a good team...but as they all say, all good things come to an end.

But I have no doubt that my friendship with this girl will know a long journey before (if it ever comes to it) it will end. 

I can say with certainty that no matter where I go in life...this girl will always have my back. And just for who she is...she deserves the best of everything. She deserves happiness...and one day, I pray and hope that she finds it. Happy birthday, Ash...I'm so glad that you are in my life. I love you! 

Five Little Pumpkins

I am not quite sure who wrote the poem Five Little Pumpkins...but since we will be going to pumpkin patch this coming up Thursday, I thought it best to get the children thinking "pumpkins" and so I am in the process of teaching them this cute little finger play poem...and had them to a craft to go with it! The poem goes like this....

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate,

The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late!"

The second one said, "There are witches in the air!"

The third one said, "But I don't care!"

The fourth one said, "Lets run and run and run!"

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

OoOoO went the wind and OUT went the lights

And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

For craft time, I let the little ones make their own interpretation of the 5 little pumpkins on the gate. I am hoping to get their fine motor skills strengthen by allowing them to glow the pieces on themselves. Also, I let them glue and place the pieces wherever they wanted.

They had fun, and they actually were pretty good with the glueing! I only had to remind them a few times that they don't need to put too much glue...and they caught on pretty fast. :)

Overall, I am super proud of their work...and they are getting pretty excited about the Pumpkin Patch this coming up Thursday, and I have to admit...I'm pretty excited too! :)

Small things with Great Love.

It's the first of the month and I am super excited for this month! This month's theme at the school is Health and Safety, and I have a lot of things that I want to do with the kids. We also will be having three field trips this month and picture day will also happen this month. I'm pretty sure that there will be other happenings this month...but for now...it's the first of the month and I am entering into this month with a positive mind.

When I started at this new place, I found this cute little day calendar that I like to use...and this was what the saying was for today..."We can do no great things-only small things with great love."--Mother Teresa. She was a good person...and the world lost a good, humble, beautiful person when she passed.

Today, the kids really wanted to paint on the wooden blocks that I had in my room and I allowed them to choose their own colors....and they could also add the "pretties" while the paint was wet. I told them that they could take their beautiful pieces of artwork home...however, I started a habit where I would decorate the classroom with their artwork and they wanted me to put up their painting ...and so I did. :)

It rained!

Wow, time has flown for me. This month has been filled with a lot of different feelings. I have been at my new job place for nearly a month now...and I have to say that I love it. I really love my new job. Don't get me wrong, I still miss my darling keikis from my previous school, but I have a big enough heart to fit in the new ones that have come into my life. And I do not say that lightly. I love each one of my kids at my new place...whether or not they are in my class. They are all such sweethearts...and I love them.

Since today is the last day of the month, I have made it into a habit to take down all the kids artwork that have decorated my classroom for the month and send them home so that by tomorrow, the new month, my classroom looks "new" and ready to put the next month's classwork up. I have to say that my room likes pretty bare and I can't wait to fill it up again with the kids art work. But before I took their art work down, I wanted to take pictures of some of their work.

This board turned out to be a happy looking board with all the bright colors! I kids loved looking at their work and pointing out their work to their parents and friends. 

This is my circle time place. I think that it still needs a lot of work and I have a few ideas that I want to do with this area...but it has come a long ways and I can have circle time the way that I like to. And I know that the children like what I've done to it...and they have fun learning about the letters of the week and the games that we do with the letters...they love flipping over the new days number and I just like how it's coming along.

This is a place that I want to improve more. I did not like how there was not a place where the children can practice their writing, so I made one. I think that it can have more work to it, but for now the children love to write and draw in their very own journals, they have fun writing new words that are added in the "practice words" basket...and they are getting better writing their own name along with their classmates names! One thing I love about this bunch of kids is that they LOVE to use their imagination! They love to draw pictures and tell me what to write for them as they tell story after story of the pictures that they drew!

And I just had to show you this! I finally got myself a much wanted laminator! This new school does not have a laminator, and I like to laminate a lot of my things...and so I splurged a little and bought this laminator from Ben Franklin's today! I love it...! It is SO easy to use and I love the final product that it "spits" out!

Guess what?! It rained today! And I loved it! Because I could finally use my windshield wipers! And I absolutely loved the SILENCE as it swept away the rain from my windshield...yes, just like it should...but it was SILENT! Not a sound...and I loved it! Simply loved it. *laughs*

Calzone.

I was sad because 4 of my kids were absent because they were sick! I know that it was a junk weekend...but it couldn't have been THAT junkie that they would get sick! Well, I hope that I will see them all on Wednesday! 

Today was board meeting, and Karlie had asked us to make a wish list of our classroom for this month! She said to go fully at it...and not worry about cost or anything...but we had to be reasonable about the thing that we wanted...

...and because I am just the way that I am, I like to really think about what I needed, or wanted, or the things that I could just make myself. 

But at the end, I think the total of the things that I wanted was around $1, 500...and I don't think that was bad at all...considering that my classroom has not had a makeover in YEARS! Even years before the one before me started! And she started YEARS ago! For the most part, we have awesome parents that have donated a lot of things, so that has helped, but there are things that I wanted for the children...and so I'm glad that we were allowed to make our wish list...

When I got home, I was HUNGRY! So I decided to make myself a calzone thingy...

I know, I went a little camera happy here...but I can't even begin to tell you how YUMMY! it was! I, obviously, was not able to eat the whole thing, so I have enough for lunch tomorrow and I'm excited about that. :) It was really yummy, I'm telling you. :)

My Classroom.

The very first time I stepped into my new classroom, I have to admit I was discouraged. It literally was just a bare classroom with what looked like "junk" all over the place. Granted I did take into consideration that for a week it was "cleaning" week at the school and they probably just took the room apart to clean it and then just stuck everything back into it.  But in all serious, they couldn't at least make it at least a little bit more like a classroom, because I really discouraged and wondered if this was what I really wanted.

I mean, I knew that I was going to leave my former school, but yet I still fixed up the classroom all bomb and everything. I took the time to make it a classroom. The room the I entered was anything but a classroom at the time. I do have to say though that I do appreciate how Karlie helped me move things around until I was satisfied with the layout. But that first day that I went there, was something that I will not forget...something that felt like I might have made the wrong choice when leaving my previous school.

I am glad, though, that I do not feel like that anymore. Once I was able to get the class layout the way I wanted, the rest of the classroom came along. There was a LOT of stuff. And I mean, a LOT of stuff. There is still a lot of stuff there that I know that I don't want, but I have no idea where I can put everything! I am always trying to do something to my classroom because even though I like it a million times more than that first time I came into the classroom, it's not to my satisfaction.

I have to say though, that it's finally beginning to feel as if it is "my" classroom. It's getting there in organization. That was hard to do...trying to get everything organized and in it's place. I was still working at my former place while trying to get this classroom up and running and it was hard...and at times I was bitter about that...but at least now it's starting to get there.

I believe the classroom is a very important place for a child. It is the first place a parent looks. Well, usually at least. They want to see the place where their child is going to be and where they are going to learn. I felt as if they made my room into a storage room and so I had a lot of "junk" that I really didn't need. I still have a lot of excess stuff that I have no idea what I'm going to do with...but like I said, it's getting there. And I know that soon it will be to my liking.

I am the kind of teacher that likes a lot of visuals on my walls. I like using the children's art as the main decorations for my walls...but since I am a visual kine person, I like to put a lot of colorful posters, letters, colors, and such up on my walls. I also do not like my shelves stuffed with toys. Right now there are a lot more toys out than I would normally like, only because in every place where I can store toys, there are toys there already...so for right now I have to keep the toys right where they are. But I will say that I have already put at least 50% of the toys away already!

Anyway, on the day that was my official start day, I was giving a $50 gift card to use for my classroom and so I decided to jump on a teacher resource site and buy some things that I want for my classroom. It's not much but it is a start and it's something that I think will be beneficial for my kids.

Today, when I got home, this is what was waiting for me outside my house.

I wonder what happened to the box because...

...there was tape that was wrapped around it to reseal it...and that was not a good thing! 

But at least when I opened the box, everything was there...and it seemed like all in good condition too, so maybe the box just accidentally opened or something and they were nice enough to reseal the box. :)

So, Mandy, who is also a teacher, told me about this site and so I decided to pick a few things up from here. I was disappointed though because even though it said that no matter what, the shipping would be $5.99...my shipping ended up being nearly $10.00...but I really wanted the stuff for the classroom, that I ended up paying for the shipping. Obviously all this was way more that $50, but the gift card did help some, so that was really appreciated.

The first thing that I knew I wanted were these name plates. They ended up being a lot bigger than I thought...yes, I know I should have looked at the measurements, but it's all good. It's not bad at least. :)

What I was planning to do with these is write the child's name on it and leave the names on my writing center so that they can use it when they write in their journals. Each child will have their name on the card and for the most part, all my kids know what their name looks like, and so I am encouraging them to learn how to write their name independently without me. So with these cards I hope that they can get used to coping their name in their journals without me verbally telling them how to. And to, it will help them know how to and practice writing their friends names as well. That's not always a bad thing. :)

When I first saw this mini bulletin board set of the alphabet, I fell in love with it! They are fun, colorful and on each of them it gives and example of what the letter sounds like. I have not yet decided I was going to put this on the wall around my writing center or use them during circle time as an letter recognition activity. I am leaning more towards putting them on the wall...but we will see.

I need a calendar. I do have a class calendar in my room, but it's velcro-ed together, and even though I like that, I was able to buy previously for my former classroom all these calendar stuff that was NOT velcro-ed and so I figured that I can put this to good use. Can't hurt, right?!

I am planning to use to for letter/number recognition. I have been getting asked by multiple parents that they want their children to learn their alphabet recognition, sounds, and writing. So I have several (if not plenty!) activities using site cards and items to help promote alphabet learning.

And just because it was on sale, I decided to get these flash cards. They will also help aid in my letter recognition and sounds teaching. 

So, those are a few things that I have gotten for my classroom. Although, in the beginning was apprehensive about starting a new place...I am glad that I am where I am today. I do miss my former keikis terribly, but it's okay, because although they can never be replaced, my new kids are quickly helping me heal my sad heart. Then to, I can still go and see my former keikis whenever. :)

When my classroom is to my liking, I will might post up pictures of it. The teachers there have been a big help in throwing ideas out there with. They are a bunch that are fun and easy to work with. And I am enjoying myself here and happy. :)