Back to (a new) School

I had good intentions to post the photo tour of my new house last week before we left town for a wedding.  I took all the pictures and got them on my computer. But once again, the many tasks of everyday life got in the way of my blogging.

I started this post on my iPhone in the car to the wedding last week so that I wouldn't have left my blog for a whole week. However, lack of service in the middle of nowhere on the way there and complete exhaustion on the way back prevented me from finishing it. So here I am now. The photo tour is still not done. It's on my to-do list, it's on my mind, but so are SO many other things. Two of which I am going to explain in this post. And the third, I realized last night! Did you know there are only 7 days left in July!?!?! Where did summer go? This tragic realization has motivated me to (try to) get some stuff done that I said I would this summer and that means therefore, less time to blog every week. It has also freaked me out, made me sad, and made me excited that school will be starting soon!

Last week, I stopped in WalMart to look for something in housewares but I didn't make it there for at least 15 minutes because the colorful aisle of Back-to-School supplies blocked my route was right by the front door. Being a teacher, it is quite nearly impossible to walk past school supplies without touching, smiling, and yes usually buying something. This day was no exception!

I just had to get this adorable notebook for myself. Of course I have lots of notebooks but a teacher can always use more. :)

 Aren't the birds just so cute??? I seem to be acquiring a thing for birds in decor lately...

There was a scripture verse on the back.

This notebook is called Love Petals by Dena Designs. My mom informed me that she designs fabric for Free Spirit Fabric. She has some very cute stuff! I haven't been able to find the bird design in a fabric so maybe she just made this for notebooks. There were 5 other notebook designs. You should check them out!

I also got this! I have never seen something like this before. Right off the top of my head, I don't know how exactly I will use this, but I'm sure I can come up with something! If not, I'll return it.

They also had one that only has 10 pockets (I bought that as well so I can decide which one I want, or keep both!)

I also got this super cute ABC cursive chart. It was only 97 CENTS!!!

And how could I pass up all these fun borders? Again 97 cents each! Ya, I couldn't. 

Something I did not buy, but thought was so cool--8 packs of crayons in various shades of ONE color. So you buy the brown pack, you get 8 diff browns. How fun! I didn't buy them because well how could you get just one? I would want all of them. See...I have a back-to-school supply shopping problem. :)

So now that I have all this fun stuff, I have to figure out where to put it........

in my NEW CLASSROOM!

That's right, I have a new teaching position!

I will no longer be teaching Kindergarten in the public school system. After three interviews for public school positions and uneasiness about teaching two sessions of Kindergarten all year (that's 50 five-year olds and their parents!), I got a random text from a friend. She knew someone at a private Christian school in the area and they had an opening for a 3/4 split classroom with only 14 students. She recommended me to them and gave me a name and number to contact. 

Ever since I first started down this education path, I never saw myself in a private school (I'm not totally sure why) and I was still hopeful that something else would open up in the public schools. Well I decided to call and at least get more information so I could feel better about saying "no". 

Funny how things work out sometimes.

Through a couple phone calls, a somewhat interview (I asked 90% of the questions), a tour, and face-to-face meeting I just kept being more and more intrigued and pleasantly surprised by this school. Which just kept making the decision harder and harder. I made a pros and cons list, I talked to my husband (every night) and my parents. I prayed. I himmed. I hawed. I prayed again, asking God to just put some new thought in my head or someone to say something new about this whole thing that would just strike me and give me peace. 4 hours later, He did. My Kindergarten teacher friend called me and talked for about a half hour with me. She said a couple things that I really needed to hear and gave me peace.

Finally I made a decision.

• I decided that $500(ish) less a year is no big deal when I would have 36 less students.
• I decided that Fridays off is pretty sweet.
• I decided that 3rd and 4th grade is so much what I want to teach.
• I decided that one year of half-time experience in the public system is not enough "tenure" and retirement to hold onto it.
• I decided that knowing what I am teaching in mid-July would be so much less stressful than finding something in mid-August.
• I decided that 2 minute commute is awesome.
• I decided that helping lead a school into Common Core and technology integration would be a great opportunity/experience for me.
• I decided that joining a small, Christian community would be a really good fit for me.
• I decided to teach 3rd and 4th grade at the private Christian school.

 I AM SO EXCITED!!!

On Monday, I brought home a second box of curriculum to start going through and got the key to my classroom! It is small and the desks are built into the walls so I am definitely limited in space and how to use it. I have been pinning like crazy and filling my head with so many awesome ideas! Now I just need to start reading the curriculum and ACTUALLY planning some lessons. So that is one of the big things I really need to get a move on.

The second one is a writing credit. Before I left my Kindergarten position, I signed up for a credit to develop the writing curriculum for the year. Its actually kinda fun (ya, I know I'm weird) and I'm already deep into it, so why quit now? Plus, it gets me one more credit. So I have to keep plugging along with that as well.

And now, I'm off to my summer nanny job!

I really am hoping to get the photo tour up this week as well as a couple more posts, we'll see how it really goes!

If you are the praying kind, I wouldn't mind a few to help me in these last few weeks of summer to balance my nannying, summer fun, writing credit, and planning for 3/4! :)

What is your favorite back-to-school supply?

What little item do you have a thing for in decor? (ex. my thing with birds lately)

Have you ever made a job switch that was such a hard decision but then you were so excited?