The Best Teaching Moments!

So my student that is selectively mute, well really she only talks to peers (NO ADULTS) Raised her hand and answered a question today! I was playing a math game shouting out random numbers to add, multiply, and subtract! With every question she raised her hand, which never happens, so I called on her and she answered! TWICE!!! It was fabulous! Plus she wrote me the sweetest note saying that she loves that I spend time helping her with homework! I thought she hated me!! Turns out she likes me teaching her! AHHHH The Best moments of teaching!

Hectic week turns out amazing!! Plus I am not as stressed this weekend!!

First Day of School....First Day Of School!!!

I got to be back in the classroom still observing but I love it! I am so excited to teach on my own!! Last Wednesday I started teaching my science unit on the Moon and Earth! I love teaching! I am designing a seating chart tonight along with a measurement unit! Who doesn't love playing with distances, weight, mass, and the metric system. I can't wait to take over the class!

Third grade still freaks me out but I am learning so much!

Today I was able to teach the full day as the substitute. My site teacher's son was sick. Not so great for her but it was an awesome chance for me to feel really comfortable in the class on my own.

I am starting to LOVE third grade. The kids were really chatty this morning. I think they were trying to push my buttons to see what they could get away with. Have no fear I laid down the law! ha ha By the afternoon they were awesome.

I started teaching my moon unit and realized I do not know a lot about the moon. It is so much fun to hear the students ideas and what they want to learn. We were doing a KWL chart and on the "What we think we know about the moon?" the students said they know it is not made of cheese! LOVE IT!

They are such great students and love learning. I have a few challenging ones with emotions beyond their ages, it is interesting seeing how my teacher reacts to their emotions. I can only hope that one day I can be as amazing as she is. She has been teaching for 13 years and is so good at what she does. Not only that, but you can tell she absolutely loves teaching! Every morning before getting the kids she says,

"Alright get your game face on."

I love that she says this because it reminds me that a lot of what teaching is, is acting!

I can't wait to take over next week and to in the future have my own classroom!!

Merry Late Christmas Fun!!

We had our self a Merry First Christmas!!

It was so much fun to spend time together.

It was a busy time of year. So many people told me about how hectic about Christmas time can be and how all we will be doing is running around! But the truth was that it was a great Holiday!

We had so much fun decorating and getting excited to spend our first Christmas together!

Our cute Christmas Tree My parents picked up for us on black friday!

Thanks MOM & DAD!

This our first Christmas house! Trent's parents gave it to us!

WE LOVE IT!! Thank you!

Our Book shelf with the nativity, candles, and gingerbread house!

Our Stockings!

Ok so Trent was so excited about this! Ever wonder what good all those cords do that are hanging from the back of the TV? You know the IPOD hook up, the Laptop hook up, etc...

...Well they make great stocking holders!

Our festive dining room!!

and to trim the tree our Santa Claus Tree Skirt!! :)

The Christmas CELEBRATIONS!

Early in the month we had Kinnersley Family party with a special visit from Santa. It was fun to see the cousins and their kids! I can't believe how fast our family has grown.

The following weekend we had a Traffer family party with Trent's extended family. It is a big party. Eating, sharing talents, and singing Silent Nacht! (Silent Night in German!)

Then the big days came and went!

Christmas Eve was like a blur... Trent had to work, so in the afternoon I went to my parents and hung out for a while! It was fun to just be with my parents and little sister. I loved being able to set the table and start making Ginger Bread houses!

Trent picked me up at 5:30pm! It was a Christmakka Miracle! Trent wasn't suppose to get off until 6! We headed to Trent's grandparents. It was a yummy night...cheese fondue, with bread and ham. We stayed and shared in the performance of the Christmas pageant with Trent's cousins, followed by sharing gifts. It was a nice night!

We headed out to my families for their traditions! At my parents we received gifts from my siblings. The best part was how sweet my grandmother was to the grandkids! She told about all the troubles my mom and her went to, to find Zu Zu pets for them. They are these little mechanical hamsters that run around like real hamsters but with no mess! It was so much fun seeing the kids run around! At about 11:00pm we headed home. I was excited to spend time with Trent and share in our Christmas.

Christmas day we woke up and were able to spend the morning just the two of us. I thought I knew what I was getting because I had boughten most of it my self. I open my Cricut box just thinking it was the Cricut. Trent told me to look inside, I didn't even notice that the Cricut was missing! It was so funny. In the box Trent surprised me with a Nixon Camera! I love taking pictures with it!

For Trent I gave him Season 8 of Smallville, the new NCAA 10 football game for his playstation (He hasn't stopped playing it!), some clothes, and the Snow Leopard upgrade for his computer!

After our morning! We were able to go to my parents and have Christmas. They were so generous! They gave us tickets to Disneyland, a plane ticket for Trent, and a Chi for me! It was lots of fun! After fun gifts we were able to have a yummy brunch! I love this tradition. It started a long time ago when we use to go to my Grandma's every christmas morning and she made a full buffet! The tradition continued on!

After Christmas Brunch we headed to Trent's parents for a relaxing afternoon! The generosity continued his parents gave us an APPLE TV. It is a fun little gadget to add to all our technology. Tiffy gave me a photo book maker and Danny gave Trent a really cool mouse.

After the fun we went to a movie! We were able to see Sherlock Holmes. Interesting movie, but not one I would rave about. Especially with a smelly man sitting a few rows in front of you!

The night finished with a yummy Honeybaked Ham and Turkey dinner with the Young's!

All in all our first CHRISTMAS was WONDERFUL!