Another school year

Brand new notebooks full of blank pages,  pencils ready to be sharpened, markers with good writing tips on them. . . don't you love brand new school supplies?  There is an odd kind of 'high' I get every year when it's time to go back to school!  I get so excited about developing lessons and creating units to teach the kiddos.  Finding new ways to arrange my classroom to look interesting and exciting is always a fun task!

I have shopped and bought some goodies for my class - new composition books to create math journals, notebooks for writing, homework folders (which Chris is making awesome), and so much more!  I've worked on amazing novel units and some really awesome science lessons.  But the most fun I have every summer is finding a way to jazz up an ordinary classroom and make it "HOME" to a room full of second graders for an entire school year.  I'm usually certain of the theme I want to use and work with, but this year was a little different.  Okay, my brain was not really working on school stuff for most of the summer - I was much more concerned with Chris. :)

Mom and I spent one day last week at Old Time Pottery, Hobby Lobby, Parent Teacher Store, and Krispy Kreme.  Yeah, yeah,  the doughnuts for pure pleasure - the new place is open in Rivergate, we had to stop and make sure they were doing things correctly! :) After hours of thought and lots of shopping, we have a theme ~ HAPPY!  Sounds fitting, huh?  Here is a sneak peak!

This is hanging outside my classroom door.

I love filling this space above their cubbies.  We are working on cubby name tags! 

HAPPY!

Yeah, that's me in the second grade! 

Andyman is growing up!

My Andyman has spent his summer working (and reading his summer reading book).  I couldn't be prouder of the young man that he is becoming.  He has helped Uncle Joe mow the church and school yards.  It is pretty impressive to watch him drive this thing . . .

I just love this kid to death!  

My New Calm

It is amazing to me how peaceful and calm our home is!  After years of unsettled nervousness, I am just in awe of the precious feeling I have right now.  There is no doubt that God sent Chris to me.  He is simply amazing and I could not have dreamed of a better husband.

Now, I know what you're thinking - the new WILL wear off, Heather!  No, I really don't think so.  Maybe for some that is true, but after all he and I have been through to get to this point, I do not think the new will ever wear off.  We are both eager to get home in the evenings to see one another if it's only to sit on the back porch and chill.  Well, not a whole lot of chilling is taking place right now with us merging two homes into one AND working on my new classroom, but you get the point! :)

It's funny how I can't wait to get the laundry done and figure out what we are going to eat.  I even find myself thinking of what I can do to spoil him just a tad.  Hmm. . .what would he like for dessert tonight?

I am overjoyed with what our great God has done for us!  I will praise him for Chris for the rest of my life!

Our Day at the Biltmore

Chris and I spent the last day of our trip at the Biltmore.  We walked the gardens and took a private two hour tour of the house - it was unbelievable!  We were all over that place, from the attic to the basement and everywhere in between.  Our guide was great and shared a tremendous amount of information with us.  Too bad we couldn't take pics of all we saw!  This marks off another one of my '40 for 40'!