Knock, Knock... Is anyone there?

My apologies for the unplanned hiatus.

New school year.

New baby.

Balancing both.

Twenty-six kids.

Common Core.

Teaching technology classes in and out of district.

What a whirlwind.

September went well. The excitement of back-to-school, newly sharpened pencils, reuniting with teachers...

And then October came.  

Post-partum kicked my butt. That's real life kiddos.  

An overwhelming sense of anxiety took over as I tried to make sense of my new role as a working mom in a classroom full of change. 26 kids worth of change. A fainting spell before the morning bell in early October led to a few mental health days, and boy did I need it.

October and November were stressful, trying, challenging and left me questioning my career path and if teaching was what I wanted to do forever. There were long days and even longer weeks where I just didn't feel the excitement, the classroom "butterflies" if you will, while planning and prepping for the next day's activities. I was overwhelmed with the challenges of a large class, differentiating given the many low reading levels, the dynamics of a two-person grade-level team, new Common Core standards, and establishing routines with a support teacher. On top of that, I wanted to be able to give our sweet baby all of my love and attention in the few hours we had together but school anxiety loomed overhead. 

After a few doctor's appointments, the opportunity to talk with a professional about my anxiety and troubles finding balance, and some help getting my hormones back in check, I'm finally feeling like me again. And boy does that feel good. (How did I know I was starting to feel better? Oddly enough, I wanted to bake. Be creative. Be crafty. I'm sure that sounds odd, but for weeks while I struggled to kick the postpartum I was feeling so down, depressed, and defeated that I had lost any desire to bake and be creative and wondered if it would ever return. And it did.)

Here are merely a few highlights from the end of September and October... (Notice the lack of baking or DIY in October. Stick with me. I made up for it in December.)  

(For classroom updates check out my class blog here.)

September 

A Potluck Picnic display for classroom donations

Our class brochure and "What's Grilling?" handouts for Back-to-School Night

  
Working on our Super Reader capes courtesy of the very talented Hope at 
Shenanigans in Second Grade.
 
 

A back-to-school photo shoot

 Five iPad minis as part of our district's new iPad initiative

Cupcakes for a teacher friend's engagement

 

Deep sea fishing with Sarah, Dan, Mr. Lovie, and my dad. Crazy sea sickness. 

Miss K's 4 month appointment 

 

Celebrated National Speak Like a Pirate Day in Room 16

 

Got pretty in pink for Kerri's bus, burger, and booze bachelorette party

 

Baked a few dozen cupcakes for baby Kai's first birthday

October

Boo!

Lounging at Memere's.  

Miss K's monthly picture

Girl LOVES her toesies...

Playing outside waiting for Daddy to come home...

And wedding 6 of 6-- a best friend's wedding in beautiful Assonet.

 

And while Momma and Daddy partied, Miss K enjoyed a photo shoot with Auntie Leah. 

 

 

While I wasn't feeling 100% that day and was overwhelmed with thoughts, worries, and concerns about school, I was honored to stand by my sweet friend's side, much like she did for me three years earlier. Family-aside, my girlfriends are some of my most valuable treasures.

Meeting Baby Jake

One of my favorite pictures of Miss K--smiling as always

We visited Nana and Grampa and played in Auntie Leah's bed!

Go Pats!

Miss K's first Halloween

 

Did I mention she loves her toesies?

Our little princess--sitting up like a big girl!

November and December updates are coming up next! With the new year upon us, I will strive to blog more--but I make no promises. As I continue to find balance as a wife, mom, teacher, friend, blogger, baker, crafter... etc, family first. Miss K is growing leaps and bounds every day and I don't want to miss a thing.

With jammies on and Chinese food soon to arrive, it's time for some r&r with Mr. Lovie.

2013 you were pretty fabulous, but I have a feeling 2014 will be another one for the books!

2010 wrap-up

It seems as though each entry begins with a realization that I don't take the time to sit and write often enough.

If I can finish grading, prepping, and getting ready for the next day (lunch, clothes, breakfast...) all before 8 o'clock-- I chalk that up as a win.

The Quick List:

November:

+ the Trovatos' housewarming

+ our Third annual potluck Thanksgiving

just a bit of the delicious spread

+ family Thanksgiving at Skyview

+ handbag designing with my fashionable sisters

December:

+ birthday dinner and drinks with the girls and guys at John Harvard's

+ birthday weekend getaway with the husband to the Omni Parker House hotel and dinner with Sarah and Dan in Fanueil Hall


+ a holiday lunch in Auburn with Mom, Dad, Justin, Leah, and Dan to exchange a few holiday goodies

+ a work holiday party at Bella's that brought many laughs

+ two more holiday parties and Yankee swaps resulting in a Snuggle Plus and a bottle of tequila (that later fell, broke, and covered our kitchen floor)

+vacation

Vacation was great. In the days leading up to those sacred days off I have valiant plans to be uuber productive, tackle long term projects and get ahead on tasks. However, come vacation, the couch, DVR, and fun with friends draws me in, and far far away from my work bag--as it should.

Vacation kicked off with The Rockettes show downtown with Momma, Sarah, and Leah--followed by a gift exchange before they departed for Chicago. Justin and I spent Christmas Eve (Chinese take-out) and Christmas Day (fried turkey) with Justin's family. The holidays were nice--a festive home, stockings hung, time to relax, Christmas Vacation--in its entirety, and time with family. It doesn't get much better.

fried turkey in Freetown

Santa brought me/us baking tools (such that my Wilton tool box is officially stuffed), cute "party book" to keep notes about parties we host, cupcake liners, a red festive cupcake tower, socks (of course), a paw print Pandora charm, cupcake pajamas, ski passes, fancy teaspoons with cupcakes imprinted on them, vouchers for horseback riding, books I am eager to delve into, and cake and cupcake traveling carriers.

Wilton caddy birthday gift

Throughout the week I enjoyed brunch with the Flower Girls, lunch with the husband and the mother-in-law, and stay out late (!) at dinner with friends--The Yard House. I got to spend quality time with a sister (who I believe secretly dons a superhero cape imprinted with a C for her creativity, cleverness, and culinary cuisine) who is steps away from "the real world" and may not always be so physically close.

New Years was spent with BOTH sisters in Brookline and it was even nicer to have us together with Momma New Years Day for a most delicious meal.

New Years sweets

A new duvet cover, freshly-clean sheets, and a $300 mattress pad made it awfully difficult to rise from our slumber Sunday morning.

amazing duvet cover

However, we managed to (begrudgingly) get out of bed for a breakfast date at Persy's Place down the road in Middleboro.

Persy's Place

As my kids returned to school on Monday, I heard many eagerly share the gifts they received (and didn't receive.) I hope when we possibly have children of our own, they understand the importance of family over gifts--in a world where young and old peruse over circulars for the newest, coolest, trendiest must-have of the season.

This year has been interesting. I've been working my tail off, yet am rarely confident that my students are solidly understanding the material. Our schedule is quite different and I feel like I am just getting the hang of a routine. The students are somewhat low--for the most part. I have the usual Early Finishers Who Rush and Make Careless Mistakes, the Top Students, and the Ones Who Often Miss the Boat. I find myself constantly second-guessing myself, perhaps becoming too hard on myself, and working terribly hard to try to do it all while making sure they all get it--and it's exhausting! In turn, I'm not excited like I used to be about teaching and going in every morning--and that's the worst of it.

In addition to School Council, I signed up for a Writing course offered through our district. So, beginning January 27th--I will be in class from 4-7 nearly every Thursday though May. Oy vey.


On a happier note, we have begun our house-hunting and have found a few great houses. I'm trying not to fall in love with one and then feel discouraged if we don't get it so I am keeping my options open and thinking positively. We are meeting with a mortgage loan officer Thursday. I'm so excited to get the ball rolling.

I am quite optimistic about what 2011 has in store....