The Newest "Howard"

Last week, we added a new addition to the Howard household...

Meet Ellie!

She is shy, calm, and loving.  (For those that know us, this is the complete opposite of our first cat, Petri!)  

Soon, we'll be adding another new family member.  Brian will be getting a chocolate lab (I think that's what he decided) after he installs the underground pet fence.  One big happy family :)

At school, I've gotten settled into my classroom and the school schedule.  Other than feeling drained of all energy from time to time, things couldn't be better.  Tomorrow, I'm kicking the week off with a weathering/erosion experiment, a lesson on latitude and longitude with oranges, and a line plot and median math lesson with raisins.  Hopefully this amount of hands-on will keep them (and me) awake and energized! Gosh...now after typing that, what was I thinking?  This could be mayhem.  Only time will tell...

Today, I bought a glue gun...finally.  How excited was I?  I came home and made something to experiment with it. :)

I still have to add a second row of crayons to the bottom of the wreath before I add wooden letters that spell "Mrs. Howard"

  

Baby Shower

It's almost that time...for Bri's baby shower :)  I am so excited about her arrival in 3 months and 9ish days!    I've been busy shopping for her---especially clothes, of course she doesn't NEED all those super cute outfits, but she will love them :)  This week I've been getting ready for her baby shower.  Yes, it is not until October, haha...but I like to be overprepared.  Here are the invites:

Not the greatest picture, but you get the idea.  The envelopes are coordinating with a pink plaid design.  The B, b, and y are 3-d.

Annie is worth anything in the world, but this invites were testing my patience.  I wasn't aware when I bought them that they were "self-assembly".  I couldn't finish them in one sitting because it drove me crazy!  But they are DONE now, so all is wonderful.  

I'm still alive!

School officially started for students last Wednesday.  I just realized that I haven't posted since before that.  I figured I would at least write to let everyone know that, yes, I am alive!  I survived and in the craziness of the first few days, fell in love with my class!  Is it weird that I am already thinking how sad I will be when they go on to 5th grade?

So, my days have been filled with planning, grading, planning, and thinking about planning and grading while spending time with family, friends, and Brian. It doesn't bother me one bit that I've been super duper busy.  Yes, my body is tired, but mentally...I knew what I was getting myself into.  haha.  Teaching isn't easy, or everyone would do it.  <---That is what keeps me sane.  I am surrounded by great students, parents, and staff...so that helps A LOT!