end of summer train ride | a little video

This week was good...long and exhausting, but good. I have a sweet group of fourth graders and our days have been filled with team building and learning all of our expectations. I'm looking forward to starting into our curriculum this week and getting into our daily schedule. 

We got to spend yesterday with my sister and her two little boys. Everdeen can barely contain her excitement when her cousins come to play! She literally squeals with delight! And me too...there's nothing like sister time :) I feel like the last days of summer are upon us so we're trying to squeeze the last drops of that care free summer feeling before fall graces us with her presence. 

the night before 4th grade

I've kind of felt off all day...even though I went back to work over a week ago it never really feels like I'm truly back until the kids walk through the door on that first day. I guess it felt like summer was really over...mostly because there was a cool crisp breeze today and it was hinting ever so slightly at fall. 

my home away from home

Tomorrow is my ninth first day of teaching...and I still get nervous. I try to remember that the kids are way more nervous than me. Once they are in my room though, it will all be fine, just like riding a bike! The first day of school is filled with so much anticipation and excitement...and to make it even more special I've been practicing a song on my ukulele just for them.  Some of them will think they got the 'weird' teacher and some of them will most likely think I'm the next Taylor Swift. Either way, I hope they always remember their first day of fourth grade.  

I felt like I had to get everything done TODAY...because for the next nine months my life is that of an exhausted school teacher. My house is clean, my laundry is done, my first day of school outfit is picked out. My toes are freshly painted because we all have those students who touch our feet or shoes and think we don't notice... All the things that I haven't had to think about for the past three months are all tumbling through my brain right now.  

So now I'm off to make myself fall asleep at the same time as my three year old. So long late night Netflix sessions. Tomorrow will be filled with newly sharpened pencils, crisp clean notebooks, and new shoes. It's going to be a good day :)

the night before preschool

I can't believe our baby girl is starting preschool tomorrow.  Next week she'll probably be driving and then heading off to college. How is it possible for time to go so fast?

We took our family walk this evening and talked about all the fun things she'll get to do. She's most excited about playing with her new friends. I reminded her to eat her lunch, take her nap(hopefully without undressing...she's been doing that a lot lately!), and to of course listen to her teacher.  I know she is going to do so well...but there is always a part of me that will worry and hope she has a good day, that the other kids will include her and play with her, that her teacher will like her.  Each of these milestones is so bittersweet- I of course want her to keep growing and moving forward, but at the same time, she is still my little baby and I want her to fit in my arms forever. 

(I love this little girl with every ounce of my being. She already makes me so proud)  

Today we had our district rally...the entire school district comes together and hears inspirational speeches for the new year, waves pom poms, and laughs at jokes only teachers would find remotely funny :)  We always leave feeling excited and ready to tackle a new year.  Since becoming a mother, teaching has taken on a whole different meaning for me.  With Everdeen going off to school I know what it's like to be on the other side of things. Hoping that she's cared for and loved. Hoping that she isn't forgotten about. Hoping that her teachers can see all the wonderful things that Martin and I see. When my new students walk in the door next week I can honestly tell their parents that we will have a great day, that I will take good care of them, and that I will do everything in my power to make sure that they have a beautiful learning experience. 

Tonight I held Everdeen a little closer, sang our repertoire of lullabies (La La Lu, Can't Help falling in Love, Moon River, and La Vie En Rose). She softly sang along and told me again about all her new friends she would play with tomorrow. I think she's going to be just fine :) 

Wish us luck tomorrow morning...three of us having to get out the door on time will be an adventure for sure :)  

and then the rain came

Yesterday evening, as we were sitting on the front stoop watching Everdeen frolic around the yard, the skies opened up and the rain came. We had such a rainy start to our summer...but we really haven't had a big rainstorm since then.  Sometimes you just need a good rain shower...to wash away the day to connect you back to nature and to feel like you don't have a care in the world. 

and just like that...

Summer vacation is over. Tomorrow is my first official day back to work. I am so forever grateful that my job allows me to have a few months off, especially now that we have Everdeen. Before having a little one, my summers were about teaching summer school, laying by the pool, and binge watching Netflix :) Now, they are about being with my little girl 24/7.  Watching her blossom and experiencing everyday moments with her that I don't necessarily get to see when I'm off to work. 

Today, we took it nice and easy, the way a summer day should be. After Martin got home from work we drove to the park and Everdeen got to ride the little train. She was in heaven! She stepped up onto the stool to give the lady her 75 cents and sat patiently on the bench waiting for the conductor to call us all aboard! I just don't think I'll ever grow tired of watching her experience new things. 

What I really wanted was a picture of the two of us together, symbolizing our summer together...but you know how that goes with a three year old.  This is what 99.99% of all of our pictures look like lately. But I guess that's okay, because it will just remind us of the stage of life we were in at that moment.