HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY FRATURDAY!
We have a BBQ tomorrow, but that’s it as far as plans go. And the BBQ plans are kind of cramping my style.
Because I’ll have to get dressed.
And look presentable.
I did go to the store today and ran into three different people I know. And I did not look presentable.
I was dressed – thank goodness – but I was not presentable.
This happens often in my life.
If I am showered, my hair is down and “done”, my make up applied, and I’m wearing a cute outfit, like an actual outfit with thought and jewelry and an attempt to look like someone else . . . I won’t see anyone I know.
BACKPACK RACKS!!!!!!!!
I cannot tell you how excited my first grade team and I were to see these being installed by our amazing custodian. He is loved like no other at our school and is one of the hardest working men I know.
You might remember my backpack woes {HERE}. And how I was going to buy a fancy, expensive backpack cart. And how my teammate asked our principal for built in hooks instead. And how our principal said I’ll look into it and then she did and then we waited and waited and waited. And how my class bestowed a Lakeshore gift card to me so that I could purchase the backpack rack. (Meaning a parent reads my blog because I have never talked about backpacks with parents, other than the obligatory I asked everyone to look in their backpacks for picture money, I promise I did, and I saw him look, and he didn’t find any, and I’ll call Lifetouch for you and get that money over there somehow, this happens every single year type of backpack chat.)
BUT IT FINALLY CAME TO FRUITION THIS WEEK!
We (the first grade teachers) were so excited that we all ended up having the exact same problem.
There is trouble in River City if you don’t start with the bottom row.
Otherwise the bottom row of hooks get covered up by the backpacks on the top row. And our custodian didn’t want to hang the top row too high since we have itty bitty first graders.
And some of us are short, as well.
Ahem.
So on the first day of the new backpack racks . . . it was a little bit of a train wreck and a lot of mass chaos, and I had to get the kids to take their backpacks off the hooks and we had to start all over . . . and I had to repeat if you’re first up the stairs, you take a bottom hook, the end, you’ll live, we’ll all live, everybody just cheer because backpacks won’t be all over our classroom!
And, also, I have a gift card to spend at Lakeshore now . . . on anything I want!
Could you just die?
This little guy belongs to one of the parents on our PTA and he is new. He just now got up to 2 pounds.
TWO POUNDS!
This parent and I are friends on Facebook (I know, I know, don’t be friends with parents on Facebook, are you crazy, you must be crazy, well it’s a little late, plus parents know I have a blog as aforementioned in the above paragraph so who am I kidding trying to keep my private life private) and when she introduced him on Facebook, I begged her to bring him in to school.
And she listened. And she did.
And I scared the poor little thing half to death with my screaming and squealing and squeezing.
Poor little thing had no clue what was happening.
I’ve been told I’m quite loud for being such a small person.
How fun are these?! We were getting ready to hit missing parts when I saw these in the nick of time!
I honestly do not like teaching missing parts.
Half the class gets it and the other half stares at you like well, I don’t know why it’s missing! I didn’t take it! Why are you asking me?
I printed the cards, laminated them, had someone laminate and cut them out for me, and BAM! We used them yesterday with play-doh.
I meant to grab a live action shot, but I didn’t. Because we were all engaged and WE WERE ALL GETTING IT!
And I was walking around, cheering and dancing, and jumping up and down so I didn’t have a chance to take a picture.
These will go into centers soon so maybe I will snap a picture then. Unless I’m napping.
I’m working on revising my Picture Dictionary because my kids need a place to write new words . . . but also still need the pictures so I needed a balance.
I’m hoping to finish this weekend so that I can get it into my kids’ hands next week! 🙂
But . . . considering it’s Labor Day weekend . . . which I think means the Labor Force is supposed to rest . . . it might not happen.
😉
Love your realistic, humorous and joyful view of classroom life! Thanks for bringing your fun stories for all of us to share! Have a great weekend, even if you do have to get dressed!!
Oh! I audibly gasped when I scrolled to the pic of that puppy! What a cutie. I am so glad that your backpack problems were solved. The thought of you spending hundreds of dollars to keep backpacks off the floor blew my mind when you posted about it before! Enjoy your weekend!
Oh my! Blushing and beyond honoured to have my addition cards on your blog, I do hope your students like them. Love, love, love reading your blog – you are one very talented lady! Thank you so much 🙂
OMGoodness! I just LOVE your blog! I always look forward to reading it because you are so down to earth and so darn funny. Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us. You inspire me to show my true colors on my blog. That puppy is too cute! My husband has been showing me pictures of cute puppies too! I think I want a puppy – YIKES!
Have a great three day weekend!
Katie Byrd
Mrs. Byrd's Learning Tree
What do you do with the book bags when it rains? They are outside, right?
I don't let my kids choose their place on the backpack hooks. They are numbered to correspond with their number in class. No names to redo the following year. I did labels and put a piece of packing tape right over it, and they stay nice from year to year. Just a suggestion because free choosing scares me!
I too numbered the hooks on my backpack rack and the kids have to hang their backpack on their number. It helps so much!!! I just used a black Sharpie.