First Week Freebie

Hi friends! It's been a L------O-----N-----G preplanning week! School officially starts tomorrow! As a little welcome back we are throwing a sale on all of our bundles for the McGraw-Hill Wonders series and all of Unit 1 is also on sale! We have updated all of our Unit 1 packets and are currently updating unit 2 packets so if you have already purchased any of the packets we encourage you to re-download!

Enjoy Unit 1 Week 1 Freebie and have a fantastic year!

                                                       Click cover page to download.

This is only a small preview of our unit 1 FREE packet! We hope you will find this useful in your classroom!

Baby Tyler Update: Brittany and baby are doing great! Brittany came to "Meet the Teacher" on Friday to say hello to her new bunch! Her hubby, Matt came by to pick her up after the event with baby Tyler! He so handsome! He's less than two weeks old and already smiling! More updates to come!

Tomorrow... it's only a day away!

That lovely song, "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow... it's only a day a-way!" has been replaying in my head since my alarm clock went off this morning. That's right, ALARM. I haven't set an alarm clock all summer... and it felt oh-so-good! But today is the day before I return to work. So set an alarm, I must. And it didn't feel good at all. This is probably the most difficult transition I've gone through going from summer to a new school year because I'm doing it alone. You should know that the "tomorrow" song did not have it's usual fluffy, optimistic feel but more of a sad melody and  the words "ONLY A DAY AWAY" were not my favorite. In fact, the song took on an entirely new tune.

Why? What has changed? Normally, I love this time of year?

Maybe it's because this summer has been my absolute favorite and I don't want to see it end?

Maybe it's because I haven't finished everything I hoped to finish this summer (but I never really do anyway).

Maybe it's because I'll be missing my partner-in-crimeteaching?

It's probably all of the above?!?!

I am that crazy person who actually looks forward to the start of the school year. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE summer break and I feel it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY! But, I also love the excitement that comes from a fresh start! I typically begin setting up my room and preparing for the school year in late July and this summer was no different. The excitement wasn't gone when I entered my classroom in desperate need of decorating (and exterminating... gross), but it was far from the usual thrill I have when I think of all the possibilities this year holds.

TIME.

I usually like to be on the go ALL-THE-TIME, but this summer I have been really enjoying the down time. I have loved the time I have with my family, friends and new husband and I don't want to give that up just yet! I watched a little too much time watching netflix and reading blog posts. I have spent a lot of time scrapbooking the photos from wedding and taking little trips down memory lane each time I glue another picture on the page. TIME has been good to me and I'm so thankful for this summer of reflection and relaxation.

Summer Projects.

House hunting was supposed to be done by the end of summer and it's far from finished (wish I could say the same about our lease). I was suppose to create packets for McGraw-Hill Wonders for 2nd and Kinder and I haven't even finished first grade. (Talk about Procrastinating). I wanted to lose weight and start exercising. It's safe to say that project never made it high enough on my "To-Do" list to even get started. That's one summer project I always seem to fall short on! OOPS!

CHANGE.

In just this past school year, school transfers, marriage and babies have come into the mix for both of us frugal girls! THESE are the highlights of our year but we also recognize they are major changes.

Life-changing changes. These changes are good. Really really good.

But it's also an adjustment... and it's time to start adjusting!

Our school only has two first grades this year and I am LUCKY enough to teach with my best friend and ROCK STAR teacher. You all know her as my frugal favorite, Brittany. This year she will be starting school in late September (tentatively) because she just had her first child.

I am overcome with happiness for my dear friend and her husband as they begin this beautiful new chapter of their lives together. They are going to be incredible parents and baby Tyler is a very lucky little boy who is already loved so much.

Guilty.

I feel guilty.  I have some selfish feelings about beginning this school year without Britt. While she is busy being a new mom, I'm starting off the school year on my own. It's a strange feeling that I'm not thrilled about.  I am not alone. I work with plenty of fantastic teachers and supportive friends. Besides, I can do this. I can start pre-planning tomorrow and begin lesson planning for the first week of school without my teammate. I just don't want to. Collaborating with Brittany is FUN! We have a great dynamic between the two of us that makes us a great teaching team. Heck, I think we're better than great! It's one of the things I love most about my job! I love love love teaching and I know that it's going to be another great year in the classroom. I'm just having a hard time getting that enthusiasm on my own this year. Maybe it'll come at meet the teacher, maybe it will be on the first day, or the second or the fourteenth. Who knows? But honestly... I don't feel it yet and tomorrow will be here before we know it.

For today I'm going to focus on enjoying my last official day of summer break! I'm going to watch too much television, and maybe do some back to school shopping. I'm going to walk my dog a little longer than usual and eat lunch s-l-o-w because I can't do these things as often when the school year begins. I'm going to spend time with my new husband and visit Brittany and her sweet, perfect little boy and I'm not going to dwell on tomorrow. After all, it's a whole day away!

Until tomorrow...

Evicted!

He's HERE!!! Britt's beautiful-beautiful-beautiful baby boy is finally here!


Tyler Matthew Maio was born on April 5, 2014 at 5:38 p.m. He is a happy and healthy baby weighing in at a solid 9 pounds! More to come about this perfect little guy very soon!

                         Here's a picture of our overjoyed mom finally holding her first born in her arms.
                                   

obsessed.

Matt and Brittany are both over the moon excited and their hearts are over overflowing with love for their precious son.

Congrats to the new parents and may this next chapter be their very best one!

Now I need to go meet my "nephew" (because best friends are family, right?) He's already three days old and I can't wait another second! Have a fantastic day everyone!

Overdue!

Hey there frugal followers!  We hope you are all enjoying your summer... well, what's left of it anyway!  Crazy how time flies!  We can't believe our teachers go back on the 12th... that's 10 days away!  YIKES!  I will be starting my maternity leave at the beginning of this school year so my summer will be prolonged a little bit... but it's not like having a newborn in the house is in ANY way a "vacation"!  I have to admit (and I'm sure I'm the only one who feels this way) but this has been one of the longest summers of MY LIFE!  Usually my summers fly by, but this one seems to be creeeeping!  We are still anxiously waiting on little Tyler Matthew to make his debut.  His official due date was July 31st... and here I sit on August 2nd with no baby in my arms!  I feel like I've been doing nothing but sitting and waiting on his arrival!  I had really convinced myself that he would come early... I was thinking the middle of July.  But July came and went, and now we're in August!   I feel like I wake up everyday thinking "today could be the day" only to find out that we're still playing the waiting game!  I've tried spicy food, walking... you name it, I've tried it!  On a positive note, the doctor said he is head down and ready to go, we are just waiting on something to happen!  I tell you what though, there is nothing more uncomfortable than the last month of pregnancy!  TRUE STORY!  I'm too uncomfortable to even go shopping... shocking, I know!  I have managed to get out of the house a little bit and was able to spend several relaxing days by the pool with my good friend Kelly, but other than that it's been pretty uneventful around here.  I guess I should embrace the quiet and calmness because all that is about to change! 

On a more school related note, Melissa and I stopped by our classrooms last week to drop off a few things we had picked up over the summer.  I had all intentions of making it a quick trip BUT before I knew it, my husband was calling me wondering where I was!  We had made dinner plans with his mom and grandma and dinner time was fast approaching.  My "quick trip" had lasted almost 8 hours!  I don't know about you, but I can ALWAYS find something to do in my classroom! haha  Here are a few pictures of what we walked in to!  The custodians actually did a great job cleaning our rooms this time!  Last year, we were greeted by tons of creepy crawlies (ewww!) but this year they were sparkling clean!  I know that part of living in Florida is dealing with the bugs, but they are still my LEAST favorite thing in the whole world! 

 

After a bit of reorganizing and talking (mostly talking) Melissa and I took a break to have lunch...

 

 

Don't judge!  Gummy bears, sour patch kids and Munchies make for a delicious lunch!  I know you're jealous!  We ran across the street to the gas station for something to drink and of course, the pregnant lady had to grab all of her favs haha  After binging on junk food and catching up on summer happenings, we got back to work in our rooms!  Although our classrooms are side by side, they don't connect... meaning, we can't talk to each other while we're working (which sometimes is a good thing so we actually get stuff done haha)  We've joked about asking our maintenance man to install a secret window or door that will connect both our rooms but I know that will never happen.  So although they are a work in progress, I'd say our rooms are off to a good start! 

The very next day, we had people come and install carpet in the nursery so Matt and I could finally put his room together!  Here's a quick pic of the "before".  We had already painted the room a light gray color but we decided that carpet would be better than the hardwood floors that were in there.  And by "we"... I mean "me". Matt couldn't care less about the floor, ha, but thankfully he agreed with me anyway! 

 

 

 

After the carpet was installed we could get busy placing and organizing all the furniture and décor.  It's not quite finished, but here is a glimpse of how it's coming along.  I still have a few things to hang and put up but it is definitely ready to welcome our little man! 

 

 

 

When Tyler finally decides to enter this world we'll be ready!  The anticipation is driving me crazy!  I have heard from so many people that your first child will usually come late, but I must admit I've never been that good at waiting! haha Especially, not for something this exciting!  Fingers crossed he decides to make his debut soon!!!  If not, we go to our next appointment on Tuesday and we'll discuss being induced!  We hope you are all making the most of your summer as it quickly comes to an end!  Hopefully I'll have some exciting baby news to share with you next time frugal followers!