Dinosaurs, Big as Trees...

... dinosaurs, brains like PEAS!

My kiddos LOVE this song, every year!  They BEG me to play it again and again, so I do if they earn it... yep, they have to earn it and then they sing along!  The fifth grade teacher who shares a wall with me will be so glad to have someone else in my room next year who is not SCREAMING,
 "brains like PEAS!" 
I sing A LOT with my kiddos and honestly it may be a bit annoying to have a classroom next door to me!

Needless to say we studied Dino's this week as part of our Amazing Creatures Unit.  

We wrote about Dinosaurs...

"How is the Ice Cream?"  "Good but I have a ice cream mustache."

Read about Dinosaurs.  (By the way I LOVE this book... the kids have the best discussions about what the dinos would do if they came back and it leads to a great discussion about fantasy vs. reality)

We were paleontologists and uncovered a few dinosaurs.

This was our last week of centers for the year!  WHAT!?!?  Yep, next week we have graduation program practice and then the first week of May is kinder graduation, testing, and then FIRST GRADE baby!  I can't believe my kinder kids are going to be moving on... it is harder this year because this kinder kid is moving on...

Oh how I adore her!  It has been pretty amazing to have her with me this year!

But it is also my last year at my school... I love my school.  Ending this year and knowing I am not returning in the fall... ughh.  

I know we all think we teach at the BEST school ever so it comes as no shock that I feel the same way, our faculty is AMAZING!  I have been so blessed to begin my teaching career here.  I have grown and developed as a teacher and I now feel ready to take on a new challenge!  But I am still going to cry my eyes out on my last day... guaranteed.

Change is inevitable.... so why is it so hard!?!

Change.  My life is in a state of flux, change, adjustment, transition... EEEK.  It is exciting, overwhelming, and scares me to death!

Hubsters is graduating!  WHAT?!?!  Yep.  GRAD.U.ATING!  After lots of years, 3 kids, 3 Universities, 250+ credits, he is DONE~ and we are preparing for CHANGE.

The job search began, it began and it is done!  (well for him) He got a job, a GREAT job teaching CHOIR (which is what he went to all those classes for) FULL TIME, which is my dream (haha) in a small town 250ish miles from where we currently live... change.

I have had to begin my own job hunt because 250 miles is one heck of a commute!  So for the first time in 9 years I am interviewing, applying, typing resumes, collecting letters of recommendation... I am starting over.

When I told my principal on Tuesday morning that hubby's job was official, and I was leaving, I cried... she cried... we hugged!  I went back to my classroom and cried again.

When I told my team (the most fabulous kinder team that I have ever known and who make my job so much easier) they were so supportive, so amazing, and I think I may have cried again.

Today at the choir assembly they sang For Good, from Wicked,  we all cried and then I got a lot of hugs.... I have taught at this school for 8 years.  Since it was built in 2005.  I have had 3 babies, taught 3 grade levels, worked, and laughed, and cried here.  They are my second family.  These last few weeks will be bittersweet, I know that we are supposed to move.  I know without a doubt that the Lord has a plan for us and that this is part of our path... but change scares me to DEATH!

Now I just hope and pray that my new school, because I have faith I will find a job, will become family!  That I will someday look at the faces around me and know that because of them I have been changed for good....

For now, I have a job to find and LOTS of packing to do!  Kindergarten teachers are hoarders don't you know and I have LOTS of crap (I mean precious learning materials) to pack away before May 23rd.

On a side note....

We enjoyed our mini celebration of Earth Day, big surprise but my art project used shaving cream.... because if I use it all that is one less thing to pack!

Field Trip to the Farm

Spent the day at the farm with 120 cute kinder kids!  Oh, and a chicken who wanted to drive the bus. I have the best job in the world! 

a little metamorphosis...

We have been learning all about insects.  Our caterpillars have been growing and changing right before our eyes.  Of course they chose the weekend to finally create their cocoons, they always do!  So in preparation of what I knew the students would miss we watched this:

These are the same caterpillars that we have in our room, which made watching the video even more amazing to the kiddos!  I am happy to report that as of now all 10 caterpillars have successfully made it to the pupa stage!  Woo Hoo!  Last year we lost a couple during this critical transition!

Enjoy the below pictures of our caterpillars as they have grown and changed:

I can hardly wait for us to watch as they emerge as butterflies (just don't let them all emerge on the weekend, please!) 

To make our study of insects even more enjoyable we enjoyed this great yoga story when it was too chilly and windy to go outside last week... love watching the kids do yoga, adorable!

If you haven't done Cosmic Kids yoga with your little one's yet it is a MUST!  Perfect for an indoor recess day!  My kiddos beg for yoga.  I love that they are moving their bodies and listening to a story.  

Hope you had a marvelous weekend, I have!  My daughter and I went bike shopping (she just graduated from her training wheels, yep, she rode her bike without training wheels for the first time this weekend!  I said my weekend was marvelous!)  Now she and I can hit the town on our new bikes, she being so big and all!  Spring in Southern Utah is heavenly.  I only wish the weather were this nice in the summer time when I have time to fully enjoy it.  By the time summer hits it will be 110 degrees and I will want to seek refuge in my air conditioned home!  Every summer we have a day when the power goes out or the A/C unit ices over and I wonder how people lived here before electricity!  uggh!  I guess we better get our bike riding in while we still can!  I love it!  

Life Cycles...

These arrived yesterday at lunch!  We start our insect unit on Monday so their timing was PERFECT!

When I left school they looked like this:

See those teeny tiny caterpillars?  Well when I got to school this morning they had doubled in size...

I can't wait to see what they will look like on Monday.  I love watching our caterpillars change as much as the kiddos do!

Here is a sneak peak of one of my favorite life cycle activities:

Pasta Life Cycles!  It is a MUST!  Just dye your pasta using rubbing alcohol and food coloring, let it dry, and voila!  Colorful pasta for your life cycle worksheet!  We will be doing this next Friday and I cannot wait!

Watching something living change and grow right before your eyes is magical, I love this time of year more than anything!  It is such an exciting time for the kids!

Easter Break!

I spent most of my evening at the school... getting ready to go back tomorrow.  

I rushed out the door with the kiddos on Thursday!  Family was on their way into town, my 6 year old had a soccer game, it was Easter and I just needed to get OUT!  I paid the price tonight... ugh!  Centers to switch out, tables to scrub, homework to check and new packets to put together!  Whew.  I showed up to the school at 6 and didn't leave until after nine!  The life of a teacher.  

This nice long weekend was our last break before SUMMER! I loved every second of it!  

We played soccer...

hunted eggs...

rode the carousel...

played at the park...

visited the Arts Festival...

got a visit from the Easter Bunny...

went to church...

in our bunny ears...

and colored eggs!

It was a perfect weekend with beautiful weather!  The kids got to play and play and play with their cousins, which always makes my heart happy!  I loved every minute!

When I got to the school tonight as I tried to wrap my head around the return to reality tomorrow morning I saw this:

The kiddos are gonna FREAK!  I can't wait for them to see how much their plants have grown.

It is going to be a great day!