Complete and Utter

EXHAUSTION!
That pretty much sums up in one word how I am feeling right now. But I am loving every single moment of it.
My class is wonderful. I love my kiddos and we are learning so much together.
We had Back to School Night tonight and I had a 78% success rate. I was absolutely terrified going into it (did I have enough to say, what if the parents were bored, etc, etc) but it went wonderfully and if anything I talked to much. Next year I am definitely cutting down my powerpoint.
How are your 1st couple weeks of school going?

Top Ten Reasons You Know It's Back to School

Ha ha ha, I am still laughing from this adorable video from Tunstall's Teaching Tidibts , just had to share: I also joined her Top Ten Reasons You Know It's Back to School, check it out and link up (BTW her blog is amazing):
1. I set my alarm for 5:30 instead of 8:00 so I make sure I can make it to school by 7:30am, NO more sleeping in =(
2. My wallet is stuffed to the gills with recipets totaling absorbant amounts of money spent at Target, Walmart and Dollar Tree.
3. I can no longer mindlessly watch tv at night I now have something to cut out, something to hole punch, something to sort, something to put together, etc.
4. I have pinned more ideas than I could possibly get to in a school year on pinterest and I keep finding new ones everyday.
5. I have post it note lists covering my entire planner, desk and everything else, which frequently get lost and rewritten.
6. My shorts and flip flops have slowly found their way to the bottom of my dresser drawers.
7. I always plan to leave school by 4:30 but I always end up staring up at the clock pushing the time back in 5 minute increments until it's at least 5:30 and I have to force myself out the door.
8. My weekly trips to Target no longer perusing the clothing section but searching the dollar bins for anything and everything school related.
9. My cute bracelets and bangles have been replaced by my trusty watch.
10. My voice sounds scratchy and I know I won't have one by the end of next week.
11. Also my hands are incredibly dry from the amount of sanitizer I put on everyday.
What are your top 10?

Mrs. Barrett's 1st Grade

WOW! I do not even know where to begin. I had originally planned on doing a final room reveal before class started on Monday but unfortunately my camera with the pictures on it, got major water damage (even though it was SUPPOSEDLY waterproof). So school started and the final room reveal never happened. But I must say I am loving my room, here are a few pictures from my phone, I apologize for the quality but you know how it goes with cell phone photos.

I just love my 1st class. They are adorable and so far (the 1st two days of school) we have had a wonderful time. It is such an amazing feeling to know you have a job you love and can't wait to go back to the following day (if you ever go home =)). The 1st day was definitely a little nerve wracking but I had a ball and I think my kiddos did too (they all came back the next day).
This is what was on their desks the 1st day of school:

I adapted it from a Valentine's idea on pinterest.
With tired feet and a hoarse voice, I sign off. Still getting used to the amount of energy you expend in one day =)
How is everyone else enjoying their first week back?

Meet Mr. Spot

I have been thinking about how to put together a classroom mascot for weeks now because I still vividly remember, Swinger, my 2nd grade teachers mascot for our classroom. However, I really couldn't think of exactly how to go about creating such a mascot so you can imagine my excitement when I found this post of Erica's (click here) all about classroom mascots. Erica over at Erica Bohrer's First Grade always has the most wonderful ideas. So in true teacher form, I borrowed alot of Erica's wonderful ideas. And Ladies and gentleman I proudly introduce:

Mr. Spot

Mrs. Barrett’s

1^st Grade

Classroom Mascot

I created a little journal for him which will be going in a binder. I will now we on the hunt for a bag and some books to go along with him. Any ideas on good dalmatian books for 1st grade?

Classroom Set Up Day 3 & 4

My oh my! I truly had no idea how much work went into getting your classroom ready for the 1st day of school. But if I do say so myself it is turning out perfectly! I still have some work to do but I think it will easily be ready for next Monday, the 1st day of school.
Last time I blogged I asked what to do with all of this empty cabinet space and was given a wonderful suggestion by a fabulous blogger. So I started a bragging spot with a place for each student to hang work they are proud of. I think it turned out beautifully!
My dear mother and grandmother came and helped for quite a few hours this weekend and they were so kind to organize our bookshelf, doesn't it look gorgeous?!?
Now I just have to buy a new rug, make (well actually have my mother's upholstery shop make) a few pillows and our reading corner will be all set. I tried to buy a pre-made rug at Walmart but nothing fit my sizing, so I am thinking I will go to a carpet place tomorrow and pick out a remnant. What do you do for your classroom rugs?
My mom and grandma also helped me start organizing the desks and the students books. It is really all coming together.

Today I also had the help of a very dear friend, who put on nametags and set up pencil boxes. I feel so lucky to have so many people willing to help me.
I may be a little ambitious, but I think I may be able to finish, aside from lesson planning with one more full day in my classroom.
Can't believe in one week. I will be teaching 1st grade with a wonderful group of students and very talented staff!

Classroom Set Up Day 2

I did not accomplish nearly as much as I had hoped to today, but my classroom is coming along. I had no idea how much prep really went in to setting up a classroom. My sister and I were discussing today we didn't even know if our elementary teachers had bulletins, if any of my teachers are out there I am very sorry for not appreciating all of your hard work, I always remember the rooms were organized and clean.

I almost finished two whole bulletins. I have decided that I will go with a spot or polka dot theme, so this is our morning meeting spot board. It has a calendar, a hundreds chart and a few other items necessary for our morning.

I found the most adorable polka dot labels through pintrest, which linked me a great blog, PreKinders, if you're interested the labels are on her TPT for FREE, that's right FREE. Anyways being that I LOVE polka dots I was so excited to put them in my classroom:
On a side note, I have decided that I will "borrow" the pencil policy of one of the teachers, I did a long term sub job for, each student is responsible for getting 1 sharpened pencil at the beginning of the day. If/when that pencil needs to be sharpened they may hold 3 fingers in the air and wait for me to dismiss them to trade their pencil. What's your policy on pencils?

I also found this great idea on pintrest, students must highlight their name before turning in their paper, to ensure less no name papers. What do you do to avoid no name papers?


I added polka dot fabric to my overhead table in hopes of sprucing it up a bit. What do you think?
This is by far my favorite thing I did today. I just love how it brightens up the whole room and just makes me happy =)
The cabinets behind my desk however need something. Any ideas? I found this stick on calendar and message board at Target, but it needs more...
I won't be in the classroom tomorrow because I need to run some errands before school starts up again. But I'll be back on Thursday so I'll update then =)

Classroom Set Up Day 1

I can't believe it, today was the day. I was finally able to get into MY classroom, that's right I have my very own classroom.
I can't explain how exciting it was to walk up and see my name on the door!
Upon actually walking through the door though, I was a little lost. The janitors did an amazing job of cleaning the floors, I am pretty sure I could see my reflection in them. But the furniture was all in one giant pile in the middle of the room.
So it took me quite a while to figure out exactly where to begin...

After quite a bit of aimless wandering and some chit chat with the few other teachers on campus today I decided to put my desks in order first, I decided on two U shapes facing the front of the room.
(Please excuse the mess, I am still trying to figure out where to put all the boxes of stuff)
How do you set up your room?
After finishing the desks, I moved on to a few bulletins, I never realized how much work they were to put up. I didn't get nearly as far as I had hoped I would but I am trying to take it one step at a time.

I am pretty excited about this one. I found this adorable polka dot fabric for $7 at Walmart. Then I found the great idea for a telephone script on pintrest. Not quite sure what else is going on this bulletin.
Ideas?
The hardest part was the high bulletins and dear hubs was kind enough to come help after work, isn't he the greatest?!?
I have so much more left to do tomorrow. Thank goodness, my wonderful sister is going to come help for the day. Can't wait to see what I can get done!

Celebrations

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of attending, not one but two very special events in one day. Saturday afternoon we headed down the Pleasanton to celebrate, my hubs godmother's 100th birthday. That's right 100 years young. She is quite the woman and even at 100 years old she still has her sense of humor. It was so incredible to see and feel the love in the room as we celebrated such a momentous occasion.

The hubs family & I with Aunt Hermina
After the incredible birthday celebration, we headed back home and up to Glenn to celebrate a wedding of one of my hubs, friends. It was a beautiful celebration. They had the wedding in her parent's backyard, which was breathtaking and held all 425 guests! That's right 425?!? And I thought our wedding was big at 225.
We felt so lucky to be able to attend 2 such very special events.
I just love parties, especially weddings, what about you?

Our Anniversary

Oh my goodness, I do not know how I keep letting my blogging fall behind. I have so many fun things to share.
The weekend before last the hubs and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary as a married couple, I do not know where time went. I swear just yesterday, I was walking up the aisle to him to say I do. We went back and forth about what we wanted to do for our Anniversary and when it finally came down to it we decided to head up to his family's cabin in Lake Almanor to be with the fam since our anniversary is also on my father in laws birthday. It was a wonderful weekend full of boating, tanning and hanging out with good friends.

My hubs and a few of our friends!
Sunday, after an early birthday celebration for my father in law
hubs and I headed home for a quiet evening in our backyard
We bbq'd steaks and oysters and enjoyed a wonderful night in our beautiful yard!


Hubs even "did the dishes" or at least his version =).