Today was a Better Day

Yesterday when I got home from school I was beaten down and disappointed.  I was disappointed in myself and my students.  I should have known it would get better, but I just couldn't get past what a crappy day it was for so many reasons.

Today it totally redeemed itself.

Not only because Victoria was there for the first time ever - but because this happened:

We have a subsitute para this week in for my favorite para to help one of my most difficult students of my life. 
Let's just say that's not an ideal situation for any of us involved.  I was more than frustrated.  When I saw the lady I thought maybe she went to my church or something - she looked so familiar.  Turns out she is the mother of one of my most favorite/difficult students of all time.  I blogged about seeing him at a petstore not long ago but can't find that blog, unfortunately.  That was the first student who took a piece of my heart.  I was his teacher my very first year.  I bought him a non-fiction book about restoring cars when he was in 3rd grade.  I've written him 3-4 letters over the years reminding him I'm thinking about him and hope he's making good choices in life and if he ever needs and adult he knows where to find me.

This lady didn't even smile at me.  Nothing.  She looked miserable actually.  She wasn't doing a great job in my room and I was frustrated in the whole situation.

This afternoon I read Mean Jean the Recess Queen and was explaining to my class this book is so tattered because it's so good.  It's really worn.  Pages restapled and restapled again.  The top half of the cover is faded from the sun and the whole right side of the book is tatttered.  Then I mentioned, "Oh it even has my maiden name on it.  That means I've had it for at least 7 years."

I read the book and the kids loved it and I sent them to their desks.  The para walks right up to me and says with tears in her eyes, "You're Miss Motz (pronounced incorrectly) aren't you?! I didn't know!  You were Michael's second grade teacher.  He's a junior now and he still talks about you.  Do you realize you're his most favorite teacher in all of White Bear?" 

By now I had tears in my eyes and can barely speak.

"Yes, of course I remember Michael.  He'll always be one of my favorites.  I just saw him at a pet store not long ago.  I loved seeing him!"

After that she smiled and did a much better job helping my student and we definitely had made a connection.
That is why  I love my job.  You never know where or when you're going to hear you made a difference.  I won't forget that encounter for a very long time.

First Day of School

Today was a BIG day!!  I really think I was more excited than the two of them combined - even though they were both sooo excited!

The excitement started last night at 9:30 when our wonderful friends Nikki and Therese showed up with ballons and a gift for each child and a bottle of Sangria and a very nice card acknowledging the next day's milestones.  So thoughtful!!

Christian was thrilled to see his trucks and balloons.

Victoria's gift was overshadowed by the gift I'd been saving for over a month.

A new turtle lunchbox - which she totally LOVED!

Here she is packing her own little lunch.

She's putting three carrots and 6 olives in separate baggies.

She decided on the amounts.

Then she added the Lunchable and clentine zipped her little box shut.

She was delighted!

We headed out to the front yard to get the

First Day of School pictures!

They both LOVE their backpack or 'packpack' as Christian says.

After she got dressed she looked at herself and said,

"I look so cute someone might think I'm a second grader!"

I thought she was lookin' awfully cute myself;-)

Finally his big day!

After living in his big sister's school shadow

for the last couple years he is a Big Shot now!

I told Christian's daycare Mom I would be back at 8:30 to take pictures on the bus.

I was a couple minutes late and saw the bus at the end of the street and FLOORED it!

I was certain I was going to miss him and thought I'd have to chase the bus all over its route (which I would have!)

Luckily Kris knows me well and wouldn't let him get on the bus until I arrived. 

There they were.

Rosie waiting patiently on the bus with two teachers and Christian standing on the curb with all the daycare kids.

Finally I arrived!

SOOOO GLAD I didn't miss that!

See. . .Big Shot!

It was just a few more minutes and the public school bus rolled up. For the other kids at the stop it was Day 3.

But it was Day 1 for my girl!!

She hopped right on and didn't even look back and the bus driver said,

"Turn around and smile for your mom."

She did.

She bright.  Cutest smile I've ever seen.

I couldn't have been any prouder of her.

She was beaming and I was a puddle.

First tears I shed about her going to kindergarten.

I was there when she got off bus 10 too.

She looked right at me, turned away and ran in line like the

rest of the kids.

I kept taking pictures as she ran away.

She accidentally got in the 1st grade line. 

Our Principal stopped to talk to her and tell her where her line was.

It was so cute!

I was lucky enough to catch her side by side with her new teacher Ms. Beck.

They look so happy!!

I walked away and then hid near the corner of the building explaining myself to the other mom's standing there who know me as their children's 2nd grade teacher.

Then I saw Victoria open her backpack and hand Ms. Beck the newpaper clipping she clipped and glued to construction paper for her.

(Ms. Beck was in the local paper, possibly on the very day she was hired, showing a little girl the classroom.)

After that I had to get to my own room but I couldn't stop thinking about her.

I peaked in the little window every chance I could!!

I was so excited for her!!

I was careful for her not to see me, however, I did (apparently) have a lot of spies around the school.

Throughout the day people said, "I saw Victoria waiting in line for the bathroom." "Victoria was standing in line so nice downstairs!" "Victoria was raising her hand when I walked by!"

I LOVED it!!

Keep it comin' spies!!

She has the very first lunch and I have the very last which sets us apart for a whole hour.

I asked a teacher to read a story so I could sneak down there to watch her get settled.

So glad I did!

She was standing in line so cute.

She got in the 'need milk' line and I snuck a juicebox in while she was in class.

So I whispered to her she could sit down.

She didn't look thrilled to see me.

I sat next to her asking questions, asking if she needed help with this or that in her lunch and her reply was,

"I have it covered," and looked right into my eyes - like back off Momma!

The rest of the kids were sure happy to talk to me there but I figured I better cut the last teeny tiny string left of the cord that's held us together for the last 5.5 years and let her eat lunch with her new friends.

But not until I go one picture of her eating her very first lunch in the cafeteria.

She was totally exhausted at the end of the day.

So tired she didn't even get out of the car when we picked Christian up from daycare.

However when little dude, I mean Big Shot, opened the door she said,

"Hey Buddy!  How was your first day in preschool?"

She made some art in kindergarten.

That's the Mystery Machine

(in case you couldn't distinguish that).

That's Freddy and Scooby Doo.

But I bet you already guessed that.

Last week I taught her about exclamtion points -

I guess she got it.

Tonight was the fastest Christian has ever ever falled asleep.

It was a very successful day!

Already looking forward to what tomorrow has to bring!

The Week of Change

This week is my least favorite week of the entire year.  Yep, I'd take a whole week of conferences over this week.  I really really dislike.  Everyday I come home feeling like a total failure.  Teaching is so difficult in Sept.  So so difficult.  It's not even really teaching.  It's behavioral management.  Uh, it sucks.

Then Mark's birthday is the 11th and if I didn't plan something to take place in August he gets screwed - for the most part.  We also have a slew of personal engagements.

The whole back - to - work thing always makes me sick to my stomach with guilt.  It's hard to leave the kids and begin the 'rat race' (I ran into a teacher friend at Sam's after school and she said "Welcome to my rat race!")  for the next 9 months.  Trying to keep healthy food on the table, house somewhat clean/picked up, kids happy and played with and made to feel special, getting exercise in (which I didn't do last night until 10pm), keeping the kids happy and played with, lessons planned and daily behavioral managements planned, etc.

But THIS week puts a whole new twist on Back to School Week.

Tomorrow VICTORIA STARTS KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!

Tomorrow CHRISTIAN STARTS PRESCHOOL!!!!!!

I will be there to takes pictures as they each get on their buses. 

I will race the bus back to school to be there when Victoria comes in for the first time as a real kindergartener. 

I am so excited for this new chapter in our lives. 

I am looking forward to hearing Christian's own stories that Victoria can't interrupt and finish for him.  I am looking forward to seeing and hearing how he's thriving in school.

I am looking forward to Victoria learning new things and being able to peek in on her (whenever I feel like hehe).  After prayers tonight she asked if she could add a wish to it.  She wished to have a happy day in kindergarten.  I asked if 'it would be ok for me to stop into your kindergarten room tomorrow.'  She followed it up with, "I'm not in charge there, you'll have to ask Ms. Beck."  Oh Ms. Beck, you're in for it;-)

Daddy took Victoria to her two hour orientation today and it was simply adorable.  The principal offered to have my class covered for me but since it's day 2 in my crazy class and I thought Daddy deserved this special day I just popped in for a couple minutes to snap a few pics. 

Victoria couldn't have been any happier and Daddy wanted to know, "So what do we have to do to have her advanced to 1st grade?"  Seriously, that's a quote. 

This year is going to be the year of change and I'm going to love every minute. . .

If we can just make through September.

Stay tuned for pictures soon!!

Her Blog

My favorite favorite favorite blog is Kelle Hampton's enjoyingthesmallthings.com  Love love love this lady.  I was so happy to see today - she wrote a book!  I can't wait to read it. . . although it doesn't come out until April.  It's going to be a good one!

The Beginning of the End

Today is the beginning of the end of summer.  Our last full week together.  Hard to complain about it, since it's truly been the best summer of my life.  I don't know if that makes it harder or easier knowing how much fun in the sun we've had together.  I have a lot of home projects to catch up on and a few lunches with friends that I've managed to squeeze in this week.  Trying to keep it fairly low key so we don't start next week exhausted and disheveled. 

Last year, having been my best year teaching ever, made the last day of school so bittersweet.  I've never had so many kids cry - even the day before the last day.  I've never had so many students write me letters over the summer.  I'm really looking forward to seeing their sweet little faces in a couple weeks.

For my new class, I'm in denial.  I poured my heart into those kids last year. So many needed so much extra attention and love but it really paid off.  Now I have to start all over, learning the emotional and academic needs of each.  That first month is so exhausting I'm not looking forward to it.  However, I am looking forward to Oct. when I know what I need to know and then I can begin making those bonds teaching them what they need to know.

I've spent the last nine weeks pouring my heart into my very own little ones that its - again - bittersweet - to 'leave' them.

The other day we were in the car talking about all the different things we've done this summer.  They couldn't think of a thing they'd like to do that we hadn't already done.  I began explaining there's one week left of summer and I go back to work and Victoria immediately looked like she was going to cry.  Then I explained when I go back (except for workshop week) she'll begin kindergarten.  I was returned with a huge smile and loud YAYs!! 

I'm so excited for her to begin her school career.

She had her kindegarten assessment last Thursday morning.  She asked me to use extra conditioner on her hair the night before so Mr. Cardenas can smell her 'nice clean hair.'  She assured me she'd 'get all the points' on the test.  I told her I didn't even know if there were points for this assessment.  But if there were, "I will get them all, ok Mom?"  She was serious about impressing this teacher.

For the record, she missed 6 points.  She got 100% in math and missed 6 in reading for a total of 95/101.  There were apparently 28 lower case letters she had to identify.  She missed one.  I'm assuming it was a weird 'a' such as the one you see here in print or something like that.  When I casually asked her hours later which letter she missed she assured me, "What?!  I knew all the letters."  When I explained what the sheet said she missed one, she confidently replied, "Oh well, Mr. Cardenas must have made a mistake."  Interesting response from the five year old who has yet to begin school.

Christian attended 4 days of half day preschool like a little champ last week.  I am so happy they offered this transition for him and so lucky they let Victoria attend too.

On the last day I arrived a couple minutes early and was walking back in the school with the class and four teachers. One teacher said, "We were talking about what your #2 would be like after getting to know Victoria so well.  We expected him to be more shy and not so talkative.  So we were shocked to see he's just as smart and talkative as her." "Really?!" I respsonded.  "Oh yeah, he can speak so well and follows directions so nicely.  I'm amazed you have TWO of them."  I just smiled thinking, well, he either fooled them or me in more ways than one!

For more than a week, now though, I keep mentioning, here or there, how good he's been.  He hasn't had a single time out in 10 days (knock on wood) which doesn't mean he's been a total angel but it does mean he's been pretty darn good.  Maybe that structure is just what he needed and maybe he maturing and his impulsivity is going by the wayside. 

Even though next week at this time I'll be dressing for work and probably teary eyed about bringing them to daycare, I am so excited to see what this fall and school year has to bring for us.  They are growing up right before our eyes and I am loving every minute of it.

8 Years Ago

Eight years ago it was August 15, 2003.  I taught summer school that morning and continued getting my room ready.  Mark called and asked if I felt like going for a walk when he got off work.  Sure, I said, although I didn't really want to since it was about 100 degrees out.  But we did at Minnehaha Falls. 

Soon after our arrival my life changed - He asked me to marry him.  Eight years later I still get teary-eyed thinking about that day.

So much has happened and changed since then. 

Today our little boy went to preschool for the first time ever.  No tears. Pure joy. 

Thank goodness 8 years ago Mark made the excellent decision in asking me to be his wife;-)

Colorado Road Trip 2011

Wow, what a trip.  Our road trip to Colorado lasted one week.  It was an amazing family bonding experience.  I guess you bond with anybody you share a vehicle with for 14+ hours in a day though, don't you. 

We took nearly 800 pics.  I narrowed it down to a few (ok, almost 20) for the blog.  If you want to see more I can show you the digital album or the iMovie.  But for now, you'll have to settle for this snapshot of our wonderful family vacation.

We stopped after 7 hrs in Omaha, NE.  We had a fun three hours at the indoor waterpark.  The kids were exhausted and ready for bed.  Mark and I camped in the hallway for about half an hour with the monitor until they were fast asleep.  Then we went back in and turned on the lights and tv and enjoyed a couple relaxing hours before bed.  The kids slept peacefully and we were back in the car at 7am to finish the ride.  We stopped a couple times on the 11 hour journey to Breckenridge. 

Everyone needs to wake up to this amazing view once in their lifetime.

When people ask what I loved about the trip I say Breckenridge.

It was just us, Ted, Hollis, Walker and Nash.

It was low key and so fun!!!

They kids loved each other right away.

Even though we don't see each other often, when we do it's so easy.

Like best friends. Like family.

So easy, so fun, so warm and touching.

I love those people!

The resort was totally amazing.

Gorgeous.

Next time we're invited (crossing my fingers:-)

we're going back without kids.

So relaxing.

We took a gondola a mile across the mountain into town, had a great pizza lunch, lounged in the many hot tubs, splashed in the pool, played with the kids, rode my first ever - alpine slide, and many other memories.  Fun filled time!

Then it was off to Golden to stay at Aunt Joan's.

It wouldn't be a trip to CO without lunch at Casa Bonitas!

My favorite hot spot.

I tease Mark's family going on and on about how much I love Casa Bonita.

They say, "We'll do whatever you want while you're in town except - go to Casa Bonita!"

Well, they're missing out.

We spent nearly four hours there.  Too fun!  Had (a gross) lunch, watch cliff divers,explored every nook and crany, played at the arcade, won some small trickets, Christian got 'lost' (I could see him but he couldn't see him and he enjoys telling everyone who will listen how mommy got excited and lost me), we wild gorilla got loose, Christian was trampled trying to get a tootsie roll at the pinata, and we got our traditional old fashion photo taken.

Classic. Three year old it holding a gun and the whole family is smiling.

I love it!

We spent a couple nights at Unos hanging out with Ted and Hollis.

Their food is awesome.

My vote is for the Stuffed Baked.

Absolutely delicious!  I wish we had an Unos here right now and I'd be there for dinner! 

We hit the jackpot going to Colorado Springs.

At the base of Pike's Peak is a small city called North Pole.

A Christmas theme park. So cool!

All you can ride, little shops, restaurants and Santa!

The kids went and sat on Santa's lap and he told them there was 142 days until Christmas and they should continue being good.  What fun in August!

No money is exchanged in the park.

Each person had an exit card that they just write whatever they bought on it and you pay for everything at the end.  This place is magical.

I hope the kids remember it with such fond memories like Mark remembers it from his childhood.

We had an amazing time - can you tell from that smile?

I took Christian on a really fast and high ride.

My head was spinning for a couple minutes after and he kept asking to do it again.

He's our little dare devil!

After 5 hours at the park we got back in the car and headed up to the summit of Pike's Peak.

The kids slept the whole way.

Wow, what a drive.  It's so scary I would have preferred just to turn around.  Constant hairpin turns driving right on the edge of the mountain side.  It dropped 50 degrees when we got up there.  We woke the kids and they were cranky.  After just an hour of sleep and it was cold we wrapped them in their blankies and walked around a bit.

The altitude got the best of me.

I was so light headed I looked at the ground wondering what I would hit if I passed out.

At that point I decided carrying Victoria around wasn't the best idea.

It snowed on our way down.

We opened the windows and tiny little flakes came in.

Christian wanted to jump out and play in the snow.

A very short trip to Garden of the Gods.

Red Rocks.

I could take pictures there all day long.

America's Next Top Model?!

He wanted in on the attention of posing too!

There he is!  My most favorite Godson in the whole wide world!

Isn't he simply adorable!?

He is so cute, so sweet and so darn cuddly.

After a couple days I was able to get a couple good cuddles and some kisses in.

He is a very cool kid who I wish I saw so much more than I do.

Hopefully he'll remember us from this trip until next time we go.

Love my little Walker!

They invited us to Unos for lunch on Saturday.

The kids not only got dough to play with, then they made their own pizzas, then they got a tour of the kitchen.

They LOVED it (so did I!).  Very cool.

Then the pizzas came out, everyone at quietly and nicely and I enjoyed my second Stuffed Baked for the week.  Seriously, so good!

Hollis introduced me to the world of Shellac and I'm obsessed.

The most perfect manicure of my life. The kids napped in the car while I did that then we all went for a hike in the Enchanted Forest.

I could feel the memories being made as I stood back watching Mark lead the way and talking and teaching them all about the forest.  He has many many fond memories of exploring the same woods for many many hours with Ted.  It was beautiful in so many ways.  I just stood back and took pictures and let Daddy take over.  Next time, we're going for a hike every single day we're there.

Mark did find bear prints and poop.  It was a little too close for comfort for me but the kids loved it.  The excitement that a bear could pop out all of a sudden. Very cool - to them - scary to me.

We spent a lot of time looking for wildlife.

Some nights we drove around all of us with our windows down and our eyes darting all over looking for anything that would move.

When you least expect it - last night - over 50 elk showed up in Joan's yard along the driveway.

5 blocking the entrance.

It was stunning!

I videotaped driving down the driveway and the elk were just staring at us.

So cool - the kids LOVED it!

You don't get too much closer to a fawn!

Colorado 2011 in a nutshell. 

So much more to share.

But there will be a book and a movie.

I'd love to share them with you, just ask:-)

A super duper special thank you to Aunt Joan and Uncle Bob for, once again, opening your gorgeous home to us and treating us so so well!

A heartfelt thank you to Ted and Hollis for spending so much time with us and generously allowing us to frequent Unos and for the amazing time in Breckenridge.

So lucky to have our Colorado Family.