teachers

I'm not quite sure how it happened. 

It's almost like I was greedy.

But in the fall I signed up to be the room parent for both Elliott and Ollie's classes.

It's like I wanted to be there for both, but how could I choose just one?

I did ask to be a co-room parent, which means I had another mom helping me in each class.

And I give props to the PTA mom who got everything organized from the teachers at the beginning of the year- that helped so much.

I did know what I was getting into because I was a co-room parent last year with my friend Sarah in Elliott's 1st grade class.

Maybe this could all go back to Elliott's kindergarten year?

 I was the last to meet with the teacher before school started and all the volunteer lists were filled up. 

I asked the room mom (my neighbor) when and how I could help and she always said they had enough help. 

It was my first year to help in the classroom, and I didn't even go once.

(I did get to go on his fieldtrip though.)

Anyway, back to this year. 

The boys both LOVED it when I came into their class and were sad when I couldn't.

They loved having the inside scoop at what we were doing all the time.

They liked helping me pick out what to do for parties.

I loved getting to know the teachers and the kids.

Elliott doesn't always give me the details about school, so knowing the setup helps me get him talking.

And it's so fun getting waves from kids around town or after school from the boys' classes. 

In Elliott's class, he shows me his funny poems or funny things he's reading.

And he asks me to sit with him while he does his timed reading instead of his friends in his group.

His face lights up when I come in, but he is very quiet about it- he doesn't like to break the rules.

If I have to miss a Tuesday, I try to let him know gently and he's always pretty sad.

I know it won't always be like this, so I want to come while I can.

And Ollie just gives me hugs the whole time I'm helping in his.

And shows me his projects. 

And makes me take them in my purse instead of his backpack.

Sometimes I even get to see him playing football out on the kindergarten playground. 

It's funny to see how he acts with the other kids in his class.

Linc just makes himself at home in the kindergarten room at the play kitchen, playing games or out on the little fenced-in playground. 

He usually goes to visit my friend Melissa while I help in Elliott's quiet 2nd grade class.

I have loved it.

Even though it's been busy.

And finding parent volunteers for parties, fieldtrips and classroom help isn't always easy.

Bless you if you've ever helped in a class, or done any of those things. 

 Or even asked a teacher to send something home you could cut out, glue or color!

So this week was teacher appreciation week.

I love spoiling their teachers!

We have been blessed so far with the best of the best. 

I really get sentimental about these girls.

I am amazed at how much work they put into class EVERY day.

And the way they run their classroom.

AMAZING. 

Some fun things we did for the teacher's this week:

Giant signs from the kids

Book of thank you letters from the kids

Class gift---> gift cards from their favorite restaurant and store

Lunch from Cafe Rio

It has been so fun helping this year and I am sad it will be over soon.

It's always hard to say goodbye to the teacher and friends.

But summer is waiting- and that makes saying goodbye a little easier. 

Mrs. Fredrickson is so soft spoken and sweet, but her class is always dead silent. 

Her class knows what she expects and that she loves them too.

Elliott thinks she is the best teacher ever! 

(Right up there with his kindergarten and 1st grade teachers of course.)

She is having a baby in July, so this is her last year teaching- really excited for her.

 Mrs. Baird is a pro at kindergarten.

She is so sweet to the kids and goes over the top EVERY DAY. 

It feels like I have known her forever- she's just so easy to talk to.

Ollie calls her teacher. 

Not sure if she loves that.

Her latest venture was to hatch chicks from eggs...

although something in the machine malfunctioned and they died before they were out of their eggs.

She was so sad about it, but the kids seemed unphased- just another life lesson. :)

She teaches them songs all the time and calls them "friends" like "friends- it's time to sit down."

I heard the class sing "Oh Say Can You See" our national anthem after saying the pledge once and I got all teary eyed. CUTEST. THING. EVER.

Astronauts- Ollie, Dawson and Clara- with Mrs. Baird of course.

They put theirs on before school at my house.

 We told the kids to put them anywhere they wanted- so funny.

 And here's Linc acting like a kindergartner even though he's just 3.