Catching Up

School ended just a few short days ago.  It's Sunday now, and I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm NOT going in to school tomorrow.  The last two weeks have been incredibly full, and I'm grateful for the chance to take a breath, sleep a little more, and begin to attack the we-can-do-that-this-summer list.  Now I also have time to catch up on this blog.  

On June 7th, Christine and I went to the award ceremony to receive the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund grant.  The previous year's recipients presented the work they had done using their grants.  It was so inspiring that, before they were even done, Christine and I were busy scribbling notes back and forth about our own plans.  The award was presented by the son and husband of Marci Resnick, a teacher who passed away a few years ago and the woman this grant honors.  Their words about Marci Resnick were very moving, and their thoughtful comments about our grant proposal validated what we hope to accomplish.

Christine, myself, and Terri (another grant recipient from our school).

Back to catching up, let me throw in a little Oscar news.  He continues to astound us with new words, interests, and talents.  He says "daddy", "bird", and "cookie" pretty clearly.  He repeats words he hears much of the time.  He can scale the couch (and get in to the "no-touch" zone on the shelf behind it) in less than two seconds.  He reads books to himself endlessly, though he won't sit and be read to for more than half of a book (the teacher in me is so hoping this will change soon).  Ironically, there is one exception, a goofy "Toy Story 2" book I brought home from school because I don't allow my third graders to read books based on movies (it just isn't quality literature and it's below their reading levels).  Now, this sub-par book turns out to be the only book Oscar will sit still for--I read it to him four times IN A ROW last night without a single wiggle.  He is also really into playing in a new homemade "water table" (basically, a plastic tub filled with rocks, plastic animals, and water).  I am endlessly fascinated with how toddlers make connections and try stuff out.  It is really fun to watch.

My last day of school was Thursday, though my last day with students was Wednesday.  It has been a pretty good year, overall.  While I won't post many pics of my class on this blog, I can't help posting these:

A friendly game of tug-o-war amongst the third grade classes (and we won!).

And this picture pretty much expresses the spirit of my class this year -- I had a really sweet bunch and I will miss them!

We are looking forward to a fun-filled summer.  Though I work so much during the school year, I am thankful to have the summer off.  We'll do our best to post more of our adventures (big and small) as they happen.