The Official First Day of School...

Today was the official first day of school. Austin is in 3rd grade, Timmy goes to kindergarten. The sign denotes the yea and grades. Can't you just see the excitement on those faces? Austin was so nervous, he spent much of the night awake (maybe that's why I'm tired). Timmy had trouble just waking up on time.

Timmy's First Day of Kindergarten! Part2

More-arriving at the Y...and a repeat of the best one...leaving school.

Timmy's First Day of Kindergarten!

The idea of going to kindergarten does not impress Timmy at all. It was an uneventful morning, everyone was up and ready to go on time, and Austin was probably more excited than anyone!
We took Timmy to school, but he wouldn't smile in front of the school sign or in the classroom. Austin and I attended a brief meeting while Timmy stayed with his class. We reunited at the safety assembly and we were able to get a smiling shots of him at the end of the orientation, waiting for the bus and getting on the bus. The woman in green behind Timmy in one picture is his teacher, she is new to Shafer school. At that point Austin and I got in the car and drove to the YMCA in order to see him get off the bus and enter the Y for his daycare orientation.

Last weekend before school

It's the last weekend before school and Timmy starts kindergarten. Latte lounged in the sun...
and the boys played on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath (if you click on the picture it should enlarge so you can see the water spray).
I dried 3 loads of laundry in the sun since our clothes dryer died...may it rest in..... pieces:)

Timmy's First Day of Kindergarten

Coming Soon......please check back after Monday, Aug. 25!

National Board Certification

This year I am going to attempt to become a Nationally Board Certified Teacher with a certificate in Literacy. The NBCTS website states:
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards improves teaching and student learning. National Board Certified Teachers are highly accomplished educators who meet High and rigorous standards

According to some professionals I work with, it's the hardest thing they've ever done, but the best thing they've ever done. Some even consider it as rigorous a PhD. program! Our PA Governor supports this process and my tuition is being graciously supported through grants (WHOO-HOO!). I've got a friend, Jean, who has successfully completed the process and is going to mentor me through it. I've also registered for a support class, but I am still feeling incredible pressure when I look over the materials. The first picture shows the "box"-considered one of the most important pieces (the Bible of NBC) of the process. The other picture will most likely be me (or maybe it will be Jean???)as I finish the work........

Our Dog, Latte

This is our dog, Latte. After Rufus died we decided we needed to get a dog soon-especially since we've always had one. Ray likes rottweilers and I am prone to labs or Shepard's. We search the local shelters because I feel I'd much rather take in a dog who NEEDS a home. Anyway..... we went to Animal In Distress and were placed with a boxer, but they turned us down at the last minute due to Timmy's age. Instead they offered us a puppy. We were hesitant at first because puppies need so much care. Our neighbors helped us that first year with giving her frequent potty breaks while we were at work & school. She was the runt of the litter- her mother was a small German Shepard, her father was a rottweiler, all the puppies were named with "coffee" style names-hers was "Hazelnut", but we changed it to Latte in order to keep with the theme. She is almost 2 now (Oct. birthday) and smaller than we expected (about 35-40 lbs.), but we love her just the same. She continues to have a bit of wrinkle in the forehead.

This past week...

We got a new camera (thanks Michele) so now I can document things as they happen-not months from now as I was doing with disposable camera. Yeah, yeah, we're sad, our last camera ate the film and we meant to get a new one-but never did. This week I started back to school. The boys don't go till this coming Monday, so they attended YMCA camp. It had it's ups & downs, of which I will not go into. Basically each morning they didn't want to go, but by afternoon they had fun...go figure! Last week Timmy lost his first tooth-this week he lost his second tooth-he's getting richer!

Ready, Set, Go!

This is actually the first posting I did earlier today. I didn't realize the last posting shows up first and the first posting shows up last.......Basically your most recently posted item shows up on the screen at the top........

Well here we go, (yes Michele I'm catching up to the times!) Years ago I taught a little girl, Alyssa how to dance. that little girl has now grown up, but I get to see and read about how she's doing because her Mom, Michele has a nifty little blog. She's been after me to do one....so here's the results.......
This is our family-Ray, Austin, who is now 8, and Timmy, who is now 5...and me. We also have a dog which you'll meet later.