from my secret santa . . .

This is what was on my desk when I got to work this morning . . . from my Secret Santa. 

I love it!  (I think my Secret Santa knows me.)  

Happy Wednesday!

good things today . . .

GOOD THINGS TODAY . . . 

1. A great day at work!

2. Dinner with this guy!  

3. Thinking it was about 1:00 . . . and it was time to go home 

4. Watching the Olympics

5. Old friends

6. Making fun plans

7. Painting . . . even if only a little bit

8. Coffee!

9. St. Louis Cardinals 9th inning comeback (yesterday) . . . I love baseball!

"It ain't over 'til it's over."  ~ Yogi Berra

10. Going to bed early . . . 

think happy. be happy.

hope, joy, and cotton candy . . . .

The simple things

are often the most beautiful!

I love how certain smells bring back memories.  I have read that the sense of smell is linked to memory probably more than any of our senses.  

Walking through school yesterday and I smell cotton candy . . . 

I can't say that I have a bad memory that goes along with the smell of cotton candy.  

I love my job!  It's the last week of school - so why not be able to stop by a classroom and get some cotton candy.

. . . and it's PINK!

I love my job!

paper paper cranes . . . .

"Make visible what, without you, 

might perhaps never have been seen."

~ Robert Bresson

 I cleaned out the storeroom yesterday 

and found a little creative inspiration on the shelves . . . 

photo challenge 1/20/16 . . . old

This bell sits in front of the school where I work.  The land has been a school site since 1884.  If I remember correctly this bell used to ring from the top of a wood school house that once stood on our site.  We have photos that show that being as early as 1905.  Of course that school house no longer remains.  Most of our building now were built in the 50's and 60's with a few newer building built in the last 10-20 years.  

This old bell has called children to school for well over 100 years and still rings once a year on the first day of school . . . a tradition that has gone on for decades before I worked here and will probably continue for years after I am gone.  I love being a part of not only this school, but a wonderful school district built on tradition and excellence.  

Happy Birthday . . .

We decorate my boss's office every year for his birthday . . . We have covered everything with tin foil, turned his office into a duck blind and a Christmas mess . . . this year it was Under The Sea . . . complete with a shark, bubbles, a sunken treasure, and the bones of a rather fearless pirate.  I love how this one turned out . . . you can't go wrong with a skeleton in the picture.

  Happy Birthday to a great boss!

Work like a captain.

Play like a pirate!

Kiss another year goodbye!

The last day of school is always a fun day, a busy day, a day where 6th graders cry . . . and our staff  lets out a big sigh of relief.  It is always a little bittersweet going into Summer Break.  It is exciting to look forward to a few weeks off, but I will miss seeing the wonderful people I work with and all those fabulous kids . . . I guess that is why going back to work in the Fall is also fun and exciting.

I love my job!

Thank you cards from Room 12

miniature paper crane . . .

One of the girls from Room 12 folded miniature paper cranes today.  

I have folded only one crane this small . . . it is a little harder than it looks.

These 4th graders are crane crazy this year.  They are stopping in the office to show me their cranes, the origami paper they have gotten, and to get some cranes out of my crane jar - these they are placing around the school for other people to find.  I also have some wonderful Thank You cards they made me . . . which I will have to take some pictures of and share.  I love 4th graders!

and even more paper cranes . . .

I spent my lunch break folding cranes out on the playground . . . 

One little girl was very excited to show me the small crane she had folded . . . and to tell me that her and her friends were numbering them and putting words on them.

FEARLESS . . . good word!

February doodles . . .

random stuff on my desk . . .

"The essence of life is not in the great victories and grand failures,

but in the simple joys."  ~ Johnathan Lockwood Huie

The things I find on my desk . . . a heart made of Cheerios?. . . magic lemons from Iraq?

Things like this just make me smile . . . and realize just how great life is and how special the people in my life are!

Now, I need to find out more about these lemons . . . 

Rally Day!

We had a circus theme rally at school today . . . the reason I was making the lion costume.  So a little last minute face painting . . . and this big cat was ready for the rally.

I wish I had taken more pictures and I wish I could post pictures of the kids.  

The rally was fantastic! . . . Our staff is fantastic!

It's beginning to look a lot like a birthday . . .

Happy Birthday to one of the greatest bosses ever!

This year's birthday decorations . . . 

We like to surprise him with something on his birthday . . . You can look here and here to see a couple of his other birthdays.

My favorite day at work . . .

  

Happy Halloween!