More Christmas Break...

So it is 3 months later but I just stumbled onto these pictures from Christmas Break.

One of the exciting things Tobie and I did was venture out to Hubby's new work place. He started it from the ground up and after several months we were finally granted access to see the place.

It was a lovely December day to dangle out the window on our car ride

Hubby checking on the guy in the whole trying to fix the natural gas line. Earlier in the day, there was a small fire at this spot.

Tobie checking it out with her Dad

Tobie and I running the equipment... well, not really but we look cute pretending!

Tobie testing out Hubby's office in the horse room

"Dad? You left us in the car?"

"Is he coming back yet?"

"Man, I'm getting hot waiting on him!"

There really wasn't a whole lot going on there so that is all the fun we had.

22 weeks

On Tuesday, March 13, Snowflake turned 22 weeks. According to babycenter.com:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, Snowflake is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but the irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

As for new news, I don't know that there really is any. Funny story? Yes!

I had to be gone on Monday, 3/12, to align our curriculum to new Common Core Standards that are slowly working their way into public education {meaning they won't fully take effect until like 2014}. When I returned, I was told that my kids thought I was gone because I was having the baby! Today, no one mentioned her but one girl did ask, "When is your baby coming?" When I told her she wouldn't be here until July and counted out 4 months with her, she said, "That's like really soon!" Apparently, we need to work on time some more in class.

I have been battling a case of allergies, which is no fun because I can't take any of the good drugs to help with everything that is in bloom. We go back for our monthly appointment on Friday so if this is still an issue, maybe he can give me some suggestions.

Snowflake has still been a little mover. I must say, it is such a strange feeling to know that someone is kicking me from the inside. And, it is always at such random times. There is no schedule to her yet, meaning nothing in particular sets her off. I think she just does it to let me know she's there and to frustrate her Dad. He will wait for a kick but I can definitely tell when he is getting impatient so I start poking where I last felt it. Well that makes HIM mad. "Don't poke her!"

Donors Choose

Today, I had a new project posted to Donors Choose! And for the next week there is a matching opportunity going on!

• You can find my project by clicking here.
• Set your donation amount and press give.
• With every donation, a portion of it is given to Donors Choose but if you want all of your donation to go to the project, choose edit. There you can change the percentage.
• Then choose check out.
• At the check out process enter this code BLOOM  for your donation to be matched!

I can say that my kids truly love all of the materials that have been provided through Donors Choose. Those materials would not be in my classroom without this great opportunity! Earlier in the school year, I had a project funded that provided new items for our dramatic play center. The kids absolutely love that stuff and have used it to play restaurant, doctor, vet and more!

Even if you can't donate right now, please share this with your friends and family. 

Job Well Done

On Thursday (3/8), my kids received their prize for filling the class marble jar.... Tobie went to school! I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, me or the kids. :) They were all so surprised when I told the she was with me. Tobie was definitely glad when the bell rang to go home (even though that meant she had to have a bath at home). With little kids hands all over her all day long, I figured it would be best for a bath after visiting school. Now she is my little Fluff-apotamus.

To be honest, they probably should have filled the jar a long time ago but after the novelty of getting marbles wears off, I forget to reward them. They earned marbles with class compliments. Every compliment was worth 10 marbles and sometimes depending on the compliment they would get bonus marbles.

That Thursday was also the last day for one of my kids. I am now down to 18 students! It seems like such a small class since I started out with 24! Our school has such a revolving door that I could probably work my way back up by the end of the year.

On thatFriday, I passed a kid in the hall that is in the 2nd grade class next door. She commented to me, "Man, it's not fair that you guys had a dog in class yesterday!" I quickly put her in the right place, saying, "My kids worked hard to be able to have a dog come to school for the day. They made the right choices, treated each other nicely and didn't have people in trouble every day at recess like your class. Maybe you and your friends should try making better choices."

Spring Break start on Friday, March 16th! Then there are only 7 weeks of school left!!! Time sure is flying!! Before long, Little Miss Snowflake will be making her appearance. Ahhh!

Sh!t I Hear in the Teacher's Lounge

It's long overdue but time for another installment...

Many, many, many a days, the discussion is based around healthy eating. This may consist of what was eaten last night, what is going to be eaten, what should have been eaten, etc. In trying to help some friends out, a co-worker has provided little notebooks to serve as food journals. Goals are supposed to be set and food is supposed to be tracked to help see what is being consumed. 

When discussing goals, one struggled with giving up tasty little snacks the kids have. For example, the kids would eat cookies for snack so the grown-up would eat some with them. Another co-worker suggested taking an apple (or any other healthy snack) to have to eat when the kids had snack. The response to that idea is what made this post!

"Giving me an apple instead of chocolate is like telling a heroin addict, 'here's a Tylenol.'"

And there you have it folks.

If I Ran the Circus...

Well, I sort of do five days a week! Last week was Read Across America week. We also celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with lots of fun dress up days. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to document the fabulous things that were worn except for the small bit of my Wacky Wednesday outfit that is seen in Snowflake's cake picture.

Anyways, the point of this post is show our door decoration. I think it turned out great, especially since my lovely kindergarten assistant put it up and I didn't have to touch it. :)

We read 'If I Ran the Circus' by Dr. Seuss. Wikipedia's overview of the story is:

Behind Mr. Sneelock's ramshackle store, there's an empty lot. Little Morris McGurk is convinced that if he could just clear out the rusty cans, the dead tree, and the old cars, nothing would prevent him from using the lot for the amazing, world-beating, Circus McGurkus. The more elaborate Morris' dreams about the circus become, the more they depend on the sleepy-looking and innocent Sneelock, who stands outside his ramshackle store sucking on a pipe, oblivious to the fate that awaits him in the depths of Morris's imagination. He doesn't yet know that he'll have to dispense 500 gallons of lemonade, be lassoed by a Wily Walloo, wrestle a Grizzly-Ghastly, and ski down a slope dotted with giant cacti. But if his performance is up to McGurkian expectations, then "Why, ladies and gentlemen, youngsters and oldsters, your heads will quite likely spin right off your shouldsters!"

After reading, they were to draw what they would have in their own circus.

"My unicorn is roller skating on the ice cube."

"My dragon is breathing fire and juggling balls."

"The dog is jumping through the spotted hoop."

"A butterfly juggling 17 balls."

"The cat had a new fashion do."

"A cat is juggling 25 balls."

21 weeks

On Leap Day, Wednesday, February 29th, On Tuesday, March 6th, Snowflake turned 21 weeks in its little bubble.{the above is crossed out due to Snowflake's change in due date}

Snowflake now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like Snowflake is practicing martial arts as the initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to activity as you get to know Snowflake better. In other developments, Snowflake's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

We went to Target again on Saturday (2/27) to buy diapers and get a $5 gift card. Low and behold, we didn't have the right boxes again. It is getting old people. When the ad says any two super pack boxes, you should follow that. I wasn't in the arguing mood and Hubby obviously wasn't either so we went back to get different boxes. I did use my $2 off coupon! So we really saved $7 ($5gift card from previous purchase plus $2 off)

In some more exciting news, I have officially felt Snowflake! Saturday and Sunday (3/3and4) I was feeling like I was hit with an allergy train. I didn't do much either day. Sunday, Hubby tried to get me up for church but ended up giving up on me getting me out of bed {which I think was best for me to stay in bed and get some rest}however, I never really fell back asleep. While laying there snuggling my pup and snoozing I felt something so then I waited around to feel it again. When Hubby got home, I said, "I think I felt Snowflake." He looked at me and then came over to feel. He waited for a few minutes then got impatient and gave up. Later in the afternoon, he tried again. This time he was a little more patient but didn't really like when I was poking around to try and stir her but it worked! He was able to feel her too! Since then, I think we have both felt her everyday, well I know I have but I think Hubby has too.

Since finding out Snowflake is a girl, she already has 4 things hanging in her closet (that is filling up with diapers along with our other stuff that has not been moved yet) and her very own set of hangers.

This is the outfit sleeper I got Hubby when we found out Snowflake is a girl.
It says it is newborn size but I hope she doesn't come out that long!

Up close

We picked (mainly Hubby) this out the Friday after we knew she is a she

Hubby picked this out when he ran in to Wal-Mart one night (I think he felt bad for not doing this sooner :) )

From the Taylor's-- Garren did a good job! Go Cowboys!

The day after I told my students about Snowflake, one of them brought her a gift...

Isn't it a cute little quilt?!

There are several popular characters on it... Fancy Nancy, Snoopy, Minnie Mouse, Muppets, and Raggedy Ann