Busy, Busy.

I have been gone too long from this here blog! Sorry :( My little stinkers are zapping me of energy. I think they are getting the swing of things, but we've still got a ways to go until my throat doesnt hurt and my eyes dont burn with fatigue at the end of each day.

Today we did one of my favorite projects. We start the year studying our fives senses. Today we talked about the sense of smell. We got to talk about smells we like (roses, grapefuit, watermelon to name a few) as well as smells we don't like (dog's poop, pee and garbage- lovely).

Then, we made smell-y playdough. A kindergartner's ability to be easily amazed is amazing. We mixed up the flour, oil, salt, water and cream of tartar and as we added a few drops of green food coloring, you would've thought i'd performed a miracle. They all cheered, "AWESOME!!!!" Once the playdough was warmed through, I added a few scents (banana, peppermint and rose). The children have to guess the scent. It's super fun and this class was my first to only guess the peppermint correctly. For banana, they guessed bubble gum, trash (seriously!? trash!? i wouldn't do that to you) and an assortment of other completely off-base items. The kids each get to take a piece of smell-y playdough. It's quite fun (and messy). I am now home, tired, from all the energy it took to calm them down.

Ahhhhh.

I woke up this morning to the sun streaming through my windows and a cool breeze reaching my skin. Today is a perfect fall day in New England. Stop and look for a little life miracle today. Here are my miracle moments from last weekend.

Happy Weekend!

Fall :)

Happy First Day of Fall!


Love,
The Kindergarten Teacher in me

The way of the day.

Almost every morning, around 8:12, mere minutes before the children walk through my door I sit at my desk trying to muster up the energy for another day. I want to be at home in my bed, or at least still in my PJs. It feels at though 3:15 in the afternoon is a lifetime away and I doubt that I can make it.

But then, miraculously, everyday at 8:16, my little guys walk through the door, faces grinning broadly, greeting me with a hug, and then I know I can do it. I can teach for another day, another 7 hours. I do have the energy, because of them, to teach.

This cycle is one I am now familiar with, but one I still seem to forget every morning at 8:12. I am grateful that 8:16 always manages to come around.

My Fall Favorites

Over at Mama Kat's blog its Writer's Workshop day. I get to write about my fall favorites, which I would love to do even if it weren't one of the prompts.

My absolute fall favorite is the cool, crisp air that fills New England, pushing out all the summer humidity and heat. I love the changing colors of leaves. I love pulling out old sweaters and my trusty Birkenstock clogs, setting aside sandals for awhile. I love rediscovering clothes I forgot I had during the warm months.
I love, love, love apple picking and the cider donuts that meet me at the end. I love baking apple pie, apple crisp and apple dumplings when I get home.


I love going to Parker's Maple Barn, enjoying the scenic drive and stuffing my face with scrumptious breakfast treats like pumpkin pancakes.



I love carving pumpkins and I love decorating my house with fall themed items. I love filling my home with the smell of pumpkin rolls baking. I think I am going to love cooking and devouring these for the first time.

Fall is my favorite season. Even though it is the end of summer, it seems so filled with hope and the promise of many happy times in the holiday season.

13>9

That's obvious, right? Technically 13 is four more than 9. In reality, 13 is more like four times more than 9. 13 sounds four times louder. 13 feels four times bigger. 13 makes four times the amount of mess (see: piles of rice and broccoli under the desk). 13 looks like four times the length in the hallway. 13 makes me four times more tired. I started off the day tired and I ended it exhausted. Bed early tonight and then back to school to love up on 13 little ones that one day (hopefully soon) won't be so loud, messy and tiring.

ps. i love them. they are just little.
pps. cast of characters coming soon.

South End Buttery

Yes, you read that right. South End BUTTERY. And yes, it lived up to its name. And yes, this might be one of my favorites. And yes, its the most fru-fru place I've been to yet. And yes, it was over priced. And yes, if you want to go with me, I will leave right this minute.

I had the Harriet, a carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting, and Chris had the Simon, a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting. All I can say is, heavenly. The frosting on mine was out of this world. So buttery and so cream cheesy. Beats out Petsi Pie's frosting, I hate to say.


South End Buttery is also the cutest little experience. It is on a quiet street with other frilly boutiques and restaurants. The decor inside is calming with creamy off-white walls and ceilings. The people were friendly. Overall,I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Thanks, Hubby, for the surprise outing :)

WHEEL! OF! FORTUNE!

Last Saturday, Chris and I had the chance to go see a taping of Wheel of Fortune. It was amazing. I loved watching that show as a kid, though, in all honesty, I haven't watched it in years. That will allll change in November 16th when I tune in to see if I made it to the big screen.

The taping was super fun. Seeing a show made is very interesting, as is the people watching it provides. The highlight of the day was, of course, when Vanna made her way into the audience for a little Q&A and stood a mere 5 feet away!

Lyndell's!

Last weekend, Chris and I journeyed to Somerville for a taste of Lyndell's Bakery. While it wasn't on my official list of cupcake spots, I was hearing good things so it was a must try. Lyndell's is the most unassuming, down-to-earth of the bakeries I tried. Chris and I ordered half moon cakes (they looked like black and white cookies, but were really little cakes) and I also ordered a marshmallow cupcake.

Lots of scrumptious choices. We also tossed in a blueberry pie to our order.

I started with my half moon cake. It was delicious. The chocolate frosting was my favorite- very fudgy- and the cake was moist and fluffy, just the way it should be.

The next day (once my cake-fullness passed) I tried the marshmallow cupcake. It was a a homemade version of a hostess cupcake, so it was obviously delicious.

I would highly recommend this bakery! Probably the best part was that 1 pie, 3 half moon cakes, 1 cupcake and 2 coffees were 13 dollars. That's mad cheap in the world of cupcake shops.

Happy Weekend.

Do something that makes you happy this weekend. Something that makes you as happy as:

sangria makes me,

Ben & Jerry's makes me,

homemade oreo cookies make me,

dave matthews in concert makes me and my sister.

Cider donuts make him,

make this a happy weekend!

survived the first day :)

left home smiling and returned the same way. the kids are adorable. i'm in love already. we had very few tears, one potty accident, a couple falls, a crick in the neck and lots of questions about snack, recess and rest time. we also had big grins, fun stories, cute pictures and crafty miss bindergarten necklaces.

overheard on the way out: "that teacher was nice!!"

excellent. i'm nice. the name will come in time.

Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”

I hope you know this movie. I have seen this movie more times than I can count. LITERALLY. This quote, in addition to being from what is probably my favorite movie of all time, is fitting for this day,

the first day of school!

i am looking forward to a new year, with a new class and lots of new ideas. So, here's to you little kindergartners. its gonna be a good one :)

ps. the movie is you've got mail if you're still wondering ;)

img. cred

Goodbye, summer!

Today was the perfect end to the summer. I got to sleep in with Chris and after dropping him off, headed to Robbins Farm for
some reading and sunbathing.

I had a chocolate frappe for lunch and did a few last minute errands for school. I enjoyed a nap,
made a fun back-to-school snack (pretzels dipped in chocolate, disguised as crayons)

and fixed a taco dinner.

I am now heading to bed early because I will be up before the sun for my first day of school :)

Tanglewood and James Taylor!

Sunday we headed out to Tanglewood for our first experience there. Man, was it an experience. I have never been to such a chill concert. We arrived a couple hours early, set up a prime spot and picnic-ed in the hot sun. We had a simple picnic of sandwiches, potato salad and chips. But, boy, Tanglewood picnic-ers don't mess around. Bottles of wine flowed, brie, crackers and all sorts of fancy pasta & veggie salads abounded. We will certainly have to bring our a-game next year :)

While we waited for the show to start, Chris had a lot of fun setting up blockades for fellow lawn seaters. Poor people just trying to get to the bathroom were constantly thwarted by my hubby.

The concert started with John Williams (!!!) conducting Harry Potter songs and Star Wars songs. So amazing.

After a brief intermission James Taylor came on and played a fantasti set including, Carolina on my Mind, Shower the People You Love with Love, Fire and Rain, Copperline and many others. He left for his encore came back and then announced that because some people were stuck in traffic he was going to play longer to make up for the songs they missed. Such a treat.

Tanglewood is a trip I now want to make every summer. If you've never been and are in the area, its a MUST.