Teacher Appreciation Week

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week - or in the case of Isabel's school - Staff Appreciation. It's a chance for parents to say thank you to all those who work so hard to ensure that our children have a safe secure environment in which to learn. Isabel has truly enjoyed her time at William Winchester Elementary - aka Willie. During the week the staff are treated to such pleasures as a catered lunch and a gift card to a local restaurant or store.

In addition, Isabel and I put together these fun gifts (inspired by thestampteacher.blogspot.com and skiptomylou.org):

We filled bags with a food treat, a packet of Crystal Light and a quotation. Then tied the bags to a bottle of water and added a cute tag:

Thanks for the MOUNDS of work you do - included a Mounds candy bar

You are EXTRA special - included a pack of Extra gum

We're NUTS about you - included a package of almonds

You are o-FISH-ally one of the best - included a package of Goldfish

Willie SKOR-d big when you joined our team - included a Skor candy bar

The quotation inside the bag said:

The art of teaching consists of helping students feel that although you may stand in front of them you are really behind them.

It took a while - we needed to make 105 treats!

I have a great respect and admiration for those who can teach. We need more fabulous, dedicated and gifted teachers. When Isabel tells me she wants to be a teacher I cheer her on. Teaching is a definitely a gift and I thank God for those who choose to teach.

I can remember every teacher I had through the 6th grade and most of my junior high and senior high teachers. I remember the good and bad. School was (for the most part) a good experience. And Isabel and Nick both look forward to school and I believe it has a lot to with their teachers.

So, next week - or anytime - remember to say thank you to a teacher.

Quote for life

The best messes are the ones that just happen when you're too busy playing to notice.
-- Teacher Tom

This is courtesy of teachertomsblog.blogspot.com. This man is an amazing preschool teacher. I loved his most recent art project - Fly Swatter Painting (which is where his quote comes from).

PEEP Show

Isabel, once again, participated in the Carroll Arts Center Annual Peep Show. After last year's enormous dinosaus she decided to downsize and went with an 'alien cat' design. All done by her own hand - she's a master of the glue gun!

UPDATE: Isabel won the 'Out of the World' Award!
Check out the photos at the Carroll County Arts Council website - carrollcountyartscouncil.org - click on Arts Activities and then PEEP Show and you'll find a link to all the photos. Some very creative ideas.

We love daddy!

Sandbox Fun

The kids had fun playing in the sand - just getting ready for the Florida beaches!

The Greatest Show on Earth

We surprised the kids with a trip to the Circus last night. What fun! Upon our arrival we had to wait a few minutes inside the parking garage for the doors to open. Nick and Isabel asked if this was 'it' and I said yes. Nick's reply - BORING!

We arrived an hour before the show to take advantage of the pre-show. This allowed us to go down on the circus floor and interact with some of the clowns, try on dress up clothes and even walk the tight rope.

The best part was when the clown asked Santi to come up on stage. The clown had him try to balance a pole on his chin and forehead (which he did for about 3 seconds - impressive), then gave him some sunglasses and finally a red nose. At the end we were laughing as Santi discovered he had a white forehead and chin, black eyes and a red nose!

We had made the splurge for the Celebrity Seats which allowed us front row seats - so close we could almost touch these talented elephants!

The clowns came over throughout the show to interact with us. We got a chance to move to floor seats when the tight rope act came on because the rope was stretched right above our seats. And Isabel made special friends with this cute clown.

It was a great time for all!

For Sale

The house is finally for sale. It doesn't look like our house at all - plain walls, clean counters, beds made. Isabel told me she liked the house the other way - me too. The kids have been great about keeping things put away and I am so grateful. So say lots of prayers the house sells quick!

We are going to especially miss our backyard. Seems in Florida land is a premium. It will take some serious looking to find a house that suits our internal and external needs - the pool being a priority for the kids and the school being a priority for the parents. But I have faith it will all work out in the end.