2 weeks left

Until school starts and I will officially be a 1st grade teacher. I have dreamed about this day since the day I decided I wanted to become a teacher and now as it gets closer, I am thrilled and excited but also scared and nervous. I have so many things I want to do in my classroom and so much I want to accomplish. I am loving all the new teaching blogs I have found because so many of them are giving me inspiration to make things and do things for my classroom. Also I have become addicted to pinterest, are you pinning?

I have decided on a polka dot theme for my classroom, so I am thinking something like these adorable goodies:

Source: perciousperks.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: web.me.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I also used one of our last wedding gift cards to purchase this:

Source: pbteen.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Can you tell I am a little excited to get into my classroom and get started!!!

Graeagle: Baker Family Vacation

For as long as I can remember we have always gone on a yearly family vacation with my mom's side of the family! It has always been a trip I look forward to all year long. We have been numerous places but we keep going back to Graeagle, CA. If you have never been it's worth a visit. It is the cutest little town about an hour outside of Truckee up Highway 89.

This year just like every other year was a vacation to remember.
We hung out in our beautiful rental house, cooked meals together, played games

played golf (my hubs and I even found a Par 3 course, I was in heaven, I actually felt like a decent golfer),

laid by the pool,

hiked the creek

Can't wait for next year! (Hopefully my brother and Tricia and Alisa will all be joining us)
I am so blessed to have an amazing family!
And also so blessed to have an amazing husband who enjoys being with my family.
On a side note, our Anniversary is this Sunday, where did time go?!? It seems like just yesterday we were exchanging our vows at the beautiful Ryde Hotel.

Our Backyard (The Man Cave)

Summer is here! My hubs latest project has been our backyard patio, for those of you who have read my blog before you already know my hubs is the jack of all trades and once he decides on a project you may as well consider it done. For whatever reason my hubs decided that he wanted to stain our patio and so he did, and he did it in under two days. And I must say it turned out pretty fantastic.

Before:

My makeshift outdoor counter =)

After:
I added the pillows tonight =)
This is still a work in progress, we ordered the granite slab for the top today, this was my husbands solution to my makeshift counter =)

And our yard is totally ready, well almost totally I still would like some more flowers in the back and the hubs would like a tv (which I have told him is completely unnecessary, but he begs to differ, so I am sure we will have one soon). He claims that since our house isn't quite big enough for him to have a man cave inside he will turn the outside into a man cave. Next step according to the hubs, a huge overhang so we can be on the patio in all weather.
Open ended Monday Night Football Invite at our house????

Musical Mondays

I cannot believe it is already July! Where has the first month of summer gone? It sure flew by. I cannot believe that I have only one month left until school starts. I am getting very excited for next year. As of August 1st I can get into my classroom and start putting things together. I have been imagining my own classroom for a couple of years now so I have some pretty high expectations to live up to =)

I was able to enjoy a quiet day at home today getting my house back in order after numerous vacations (not that I am complaining one bit).
Our living room finally back in order, is it weird that I physically feel better when my house is clean? (Also we have been working on the yard, blog coming soon)
We are home until Thursday and then we escape to the adorable mountain town of Graeagle, CA for a long weekend with my mom's family! Golf, Swimming, Fishing & Biking here we come! I can't wait!
Isn't it the cutest little town!
So my song for this week is, Summer of '69, it came on the radio while I was cleaning today and it seemed fitting for this week:

5 Question Friday

So I haven't done this in forever, but one of my favorite blogs, My Little Life, is totally faithful with her 5 Question Friday, so I decided to get back into the spirit of blogging this would be the perfect post:

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.)

Hmmm... As a student who learned the beautiful art of cursive writing and as an Elementary School teacher every inch of me says no. I can see how people would think it is silly to teach something our students will never use. But on the other hand I cannot see never learning it. Writing is such a basic part of communication I feel like our students still need to learn it.

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone?

I don't honestly know if I can live without my phone, okay not really but honestly I keep my entire life on my iphone. My calendar, my notes, my everything...

3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe)

Our box of wedding photos, our photographer took some of the most amazing photographs I have ever seen and I can't wait for our children to see them one day.

My wedding ring, I cherish my ring so so much!

My computer, it holds all of our photos from the day I met my husband to now

4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person?

Well a couple of years ago I would have told you I was a total city person but after moving to the country with my hubby. I know have to say I love the country and I am not sure I could move back to the city...

5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick?

Well I know hands down my hubs would say Survivor he is dying to be on that show. But me, I think I would like to go on Fear Factor, if it was still on the air, simply because it only lasts one day and it's over =)

I am officially a bear

Let me clarify, I am not just any bear, I am a Pierce Bear, as in Arbuckle Elementary Schools mascot, well I am not actually the mascot but I am officially a contracted full time 1st grade teacher beginning in August! Yay! I am officially a teacher. And not only a teacher but a teacher at the adorable, wonderful elementary school right here in the community where we live! I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am for my 1st year as a teacher. I have been finding a ton of wonderful blogs about teaching and I cannot wait to steal some of their wonderful ideas.