I just read the one and only review I have over at Rhiannon’s Review Club. It was from Brian, a fellow Quilting Bee member, who had nice things to say about my site but said he’d wish I would blog more often. (Wow, I’ve already used four links in this post. A record I think.) I have totally been neglecting my website, including my blog most of all.

At the beginning of the summer, I honestly had plans to work a lot more on Rainbow Stuff. I was working on a new layout and came up with a cool logo. I had planned to catch up on some of my favorite blogs that I have fallen behind in reading. I was also going to try to blog more often. What happened? Well, life happened I guess. When it became official that I would be teaching first grade this upcoming school year, I spent like two straight weeks at the school every day, all day working on my classroom. When not at school, I’m usually shopping for things for my classroom or working on stuff for school. If I’m not doing anything school related, I’m either playing Wii (especially Mario Kart. I so need to unlock Dry Browser!), doing Quilting Bee things, or… just doing nothing and trying to chill! School starts in a little over two weeks, and I feel like I haven’t even had a break. People who think teachers have it easy by having the summers off are sadly mistaken.

I do want to include a little eye candy for everyone out there who is kind enough to stumble upon my website and read this commemorative 200th blog post. The below picture is the picture of the calendar image I created for our school calendar page in the district calendar. It’s pretty much the same idea as the one I did last year. Instead of a corkboard feel I went with a chalkboard feel. It’s pretty good I think. (Apparently I don’t have a copy of the final calendar image on my computer at home. I’ll have to get it from school on Monday.)

The second first picture is of my classroom door at school without the fabulous curtains I made with my mom’s help. I did post some pictures on Flickr of my classroom. A LOT has been done in my classroom since I took those pictures, so on Monday I plan to take some new ones. And the third second picture is of Pouncy just because. She had her 18th birthday at the beginning of July (the 5th).

So, as I have mentioned twice now, I will be going to the school on Monday. Why? I have an interview at 10:30 on Monday. Not an interview for me though. I will actually get to be on the other side of the interviewing table for a change. Our first grade special education teacher got a job closer to where she lives (gas prices are a killer), so we need a new special ed. teacher. Since I am going to be working with this person, I was invited to come and take part in the interview. I think only one person is being interviewed, so it must be someone good or someone that someone else knows or something. I’m not sure. Anyway, I’m sort of excited that I get to take part in interviewing someone else for a change.

Let’s see, what else is going on? Well, tonight my dad is racing. It’ll be his second time racing this season and my first time getting to see him this season. Hopefully I can get those pictures I mentioned on Monday and post again then. I’m not making any promises, but I will certainly try. I hope everyone has a great rest of their weekend!

Who here likes inhaling dust? Just what I thought - no one. Then why do teachers let the dust and crap build up in their rooms? I’m sorry, but I just don’t get that. There is no way having all of your stuff covered in dust can be enjoyable to either the teacher or the students.

Me and my mom have been working in my classroom this week. There is so much junk in that room. Dust is only the beginning of it. There are books in there from the 60’s. Come on people, if you want to get kids reading, showing them an old black and white picture book with blurry pictures from the 60’s is not the way to go about it. There are also about four old sets of reading series materials: the student books, teachers’ manual, practice books, etc. If the teacher isn’t using them anymore, why keep them?? I stacked them up in the hallway for the janitor to do something with. Some of the books are ones I had when I was in first grade myself. They’re like over 20 years old people!!

I have a big pile of stuff to get rid of: old rugs, a dollhouse, some blocks from the 60’s - 70’s, old Legos, tons of very outdated teacher resource books, and the list goes on. It’s just overwhelming how much junk is in that room. It’s also amazing how a little bit of colorful border and bulletin board paper can really liven up a room.

I am grateful that there is also a lot of good stuff in the room. When I taught in Lexington three years ago, I walked into a completely empty room. I had no materials at all really except for the reading series and some Social Studies books. I am lucky that I am going to be teaching in an awesome school, with awesome teachers, and “stuff.” ‘Tis better to have junk than nothing at all? Then again, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure? Whatever the case may be, my room is going to be the rockin’-est room in the school.

(I will have to edit this post later (hopefully) and post pictures of the progress!)