Summer is almost over...

I say this every year before school starts....WHERE DID SUMMER GO?! I feel like we just got out of school and tomorrow we have Superintendent's conference day. Kids come back on Tuesday September 6th. Now, I know there are schools that have been back for 3-4 weeks already but they also get out about 4-5 weeks before us!

I have been slacking in the blog department but it makes me wonder if people even read it anymore. Haha. I have been busy with various things for my friends' many weddings this year. My last post was about Olivia's tropical themed bridal shower and then four days after that, we went on a cruise to the Bahamas.

I love cruising (this was only my second). I don't get sea sick and I just find it fun. Olivia hadn't been on one in years, Jade & Sarah and I think Amanda never went on one and Shannon has been on two (just went on one in April). We went August 4-7 because it was literally the only weekend this summer we could all get together. Insanity. I would have liked to go longer but with having to take off multiple days from work for weddings and such, we decided this was the most feasible.

Shannon and I are the co-maids of honor so we had been researching it since February. We looked into Royal Caribbean (Shannon has been on 2 of their cruises) and Carnival (I went on it). We decided to go with Carnival because of the price, again thinking of buying dresses, doing hair/makeup for weddings, hotel fees, etc. Let's just face it, 2016 is not a fun year for any of our wallets!

We chose to go on Carnival Victory out of Port Canaveral, Florida. I went on the Carnival Miracle with my ex four years ago out of NY so I was excited. We took a 6am flight down that morning to Orlando and met up with Amanda and Olivia. Jade and Sarah were already down there visiting Sarah's grandma so they met us on the ship.

Our cruise was a short 3 day to the Bahamas (Nassau was the only port of call). We hadn't even left the port yet when I slipped on the ship and banged my head. I had two drinks already (got a drink package---so worth it) and it started raining when we decided to run to go get food. Rain + flip-flops = bad idea. My head had a nice bruise on it for a few days.

When we were in Nassau, we went to Señor Frogs and walked around for a while but then decided to get back on the ship. It was SO hot. Last time I went there four years ago, our weather was like cloudy so it wasn't that bad but we just didn't want to be in the heat anymore.

Friday night we dressed up (all of us in black and Olivia in white) and went to a club on the ship.

Saturday we spent the day laying out and in the casino just relaxing. It was nice but I wish I had a longer time to relax.

Overall, I was not AS impressed with this ship as I was with the miracle. My friend Amanda's food came out wrong every night (she preordered it because she is dairy free) and then Saturday night, we had to wait 2.5 hours in line at guest services for Shannon and Olivia to resolve an issue with their card. It took that long because there was ONE person working the desk. I definitely was not impressed overall (it didn't seem to flow) and now want to try Royal Caribbean.

It was definitely fun to hang out with my girls and can't wait till we are all reunited (with Heather too! The missing bridesmaid) in October for the big day!

Drinks to celebrate the start of vacation! 

The insane waterslide on our ship! 

The elevators! 

I loved the signs inside Señor Frogs! 

Amanda, Sarah, Jade, Olivia, Shannon and I

Amanda, me, Shannon

So thankful New Paltz brought us together! 

Olivia's Tropical Themed Bridal Shower

The current theme to my life is "27 Dresses." 2016 is the year of weddings, bridal showers and bachelorette parties for me. It's convenient that many of my friends decided to get married this year. And for the most part, the weddings are spread out!

Yesterday was my friend Olivia's bridal shower. Her wedding is my 4th for 2016 (and I am in one 6 days before hers in another state!). Olivia has been one of my best friends since we met at New Paltz. She is just one of the sweetest people I have ever met and I love her family.

Shannon and I are her co-maids of honor. Including us, there are 4 other bridesmaids and we all went to school at New Paltz. :) They say you go to college and you meet your bridesmaids. Well, Olivia also met her future husband there!

Shannon and I helped Olivia's mom plan the shower (along with Olivia's aunt). Since Olivia and Marc are going to Hawaii for their honeymoon, we thought of doing a tropical themed shower. There was a lot of work that was put into it but I would do it all over again. I love being creative and bringing Pinterest ideas to real life!

The frame I made them

 

Cocktail cards & Advice for the bride & groom! 

 

Shannon & I always told Olivia at her bridal shower, we were going to do a giant cookie just like in Bridesmaids. We were originally going to bake it, but for time purposes and our sanity (because we have so much going on), we just did a cookie cake. SHE LOVED IT! 

The beautiful bride!

The bride!

The tropical banner in the background I got from this seller on Etsy. PDF, printed, laminated and assembled! (Found it on Pinterest originally)  

Another shot of the banner!

 

This was one of my gifts to Olivia. I had a personalized sign made for them with their wedding date. I found it from this seller on Etsy. SO beautiful in person!  I highly recommend!

When she opened this gift from her mom, she started crying. It's the perfect cake topper! A bride & groom, plus 3 black cats. Olivia and Marc have 3 black cats. What would have made it more perfect was if one of the cats on the topper had only 3 legs, like one of their cats. 

Her chair!

We did things a little differently with games. Everyone started off with 7 raffle tickets (we had 7 prize baskets). Each time you wrote an advice card or drink recipe, you got a raffle ticket. If you won first place in a game you got 6 tickets, 2nd place got 4 and 3rd place got 2. At the end, we picked out a winner and they went home with the basket! We had a wine basket, 2 beach themed baskets, 2 spa baskets, a kitchen basket and a chocolate & coffee basket. So much fun! 

The beautiful bride & her mom! 

Shannon made this sign! 

My neighbor loves to bake and I had her make these tropical themed cake pops. They were a huge hit! 

Olivia, Me, Shannon (the other co-maid of honor) and Amanda, another bridesmaid!

 

More gift baskets! 

Thankful that New Paltz brought us together! 

 

The beautiful bride-to-be & I! 

 

The happy couple! 

I know that their wedding on 10.21.16 will be a blast!

In Loving Memory

I really have been a bum most of this summer and that's okay. I was "go go go" throughout the school year so it's nice to relax.

On Monday, I was at my friend Olivia's mom's house with Shannon (Olivia's other maid of honor) and her Aunt Susan to finish the shower plans for Olivia's bridal shower. It's on Sunday July 31 and then the following Thursday, we leave for her cruise. In the middle of our plans, I got a phone call from my friend Amanda. I thought it was weird because she is usually so busy. I was busy and didn't pick it up. But then I got a text that said "Please call me."

I knew that something had to be wrong. When I called her back, I never thought I was going to hear the words that came out of her mouth. "Pete died yesterday." Pete was Amanda's fiance. I was in utter disbelief. They were at Amanda's friend's wedding (she was a bridesmaid) and apparently he collapsed during the reception. They were not able to save him. I was literally dumb founded because I just could not believe it. Pete was the kind of guy that never drank when we went out (he would always get Coke or Pepsi) and as far as I know, he never smoked. Always worked out and was just so full of life.

It breaks my heart because Pete made Amanda so happy. They had just moved into a condo together 2 weeks ago and were still planning their wedding for November 2017. I am just so heartbroken. Pete was taken too early from this life. He was the kind of person who knew how to make you laugh, even in the most awkward situations. He was always the person I went to about advice for my car and he would give the shirt off his back to him.

I can't believe instead of attending his wedding next year and watching him dance with Amanda, I have to attend his funeral this weekend. I am forever grateful for his friendship and know that I just have another guardian angel watching over me.

Year Two In the Books!

Friday was the last day of school. Year 2 is in the books and over. Technically, I have been working in schools for 4 years (2 years at my first school and 2 years where I am now). However, I was simply a "TA" at my other school. At my current school, I'm split as a teacher and a TA because of the situation with our enrollment size but HOPEFULLY I will be full time soon...somewhere. Over the rainbow. Just kidding. (I love where I am so I want to be full time there!)

Now that the second year is over, I have been thinking this weekend about things about this year compared to last year. And what better way to represent my thoughts than some teacher memes!

One thing I have to say is I felt more organized this year. Sure, I redid all my power points from last year but I *actually* typed up my lesson plans this year as opposed to last year....when I only did it when I was observed. HA! So bad. I actually created a binder and sectioned it off by quarters with dividers. Then I wrote what topics I covered each quarter, how they were assessed, etc. Not everything I have in my binder is what I used but I am constantly trying to find new ways to keep my students engaged.

These memes/pictures also represent my thoughts:

 How is it possible that the kids CONSTANTLY LOOSE PENCILS? I swear, I have to tell kids in sixth grade to put the pencil away before they walk out of the room, simply so they don't lose it. I always buy the ones from the $ spot at Target or 97 cent ones from walmart. They're in a cup on my desk and if they need one, they get it. For 2 weeks, I had a kid take a pencil every single day ebcause he simply lost it. Emailing his mother to tell her he needed pencils worked.

Because I *love* repeating myself...said no teacher ever. My favorite is especially when I have said it, repeated it, it's on the paper in front of them, on the Smart Board and they STILL ASK WHAT TO DO. Not rocket science!

I get that in 6th grade, they are getting used to having multiple teachers after having 1 teacher all day for their subjects. However, if you can't write your name on the paper, why should I not take points off? I did that a few times and it actually works! 

I am one that believes homework is good reinforcement, especially when learning a language. Do I give homework almost every class? Yes! They have it every other day so sometimes they have up to four days to complete an assignment. It's on the front of the Power Point, listed on my website, and they see it on the slideshow when I share it with them. So it annoys me when they are like "we had homework." However, I am fair. I let them make it up for half credit. I have even done it towards the end of the credit because my philosophy was "Half credit is better than no credit." Ugh, maybe next year's group will learn.

If I wanted you to do it in English instead of French or Spanish, it would say! Try it in German next time. ;)

Ahh, one of my biggest pet peeves. Sometimes the kids wait for a signal from me to sharpen it but then there are those few that just don't. I wish they made pencil sharpeners that were silent. #agirlcandream

My class this year, for some reason, ALWAYS had to go somewhere before the bell rang. Many of them have lunch beforehand (beauty of knowing their schedules) and either had to go to their locker, get a drink, put their lunch away, etc. After awhile, I made it a rule "if you're not in your seat by the time the bell rings, you are late." They learned real fast, haha!

 

I love when they do this....especially when you get observed. 

This is ALWAYS my biggest pet peeve. Mainly because the boys bathroom is at the other end of the hall. 

Considering in 6th grade the language classes are every other day, they have at least 2 nights to do homework. Sometimes 4. So my biggest pet peeve is when they don't have it done, considering its not super difficult homework. The past 2 years I was pretty lenient with homework, even letting them make it up until the end of the quarter for half credit. Next year, that has to change. 

I honestly could go on and on about this. In the two years that I have had my own class(es) while still functioning as a part time TA (while keeping my fingers crossed that I will *eventually* have a full fledged teaching schedule), I have learned so much about myself. I have become more organized. I know I am making my class enjoyable after the end of the year survey I got back from my kids. I have learned what works and what does not...yet understand each class can be different. Despite some days wanting to rip my hair out of my head, I truly enjoy what I do. And as I have the summer to enjoy and recharge, I have these as reminders that I know teaching was the right job for me: