The garden is ready!

First, a news flash (at least to me):

ALMOND BUTTER IS DELICIOUS.  Just sayin.

Second, an update:

Project "Early Mornings" is going swimmingly.  Lucy has now gotten two 30 minute 5:30 AM walks, which only proves that it is possible.  So far I am still fighting against the snooze button, and so far I have won every time.  I am also enjoying my more relaxed, less rushed mornings.  However, funny things happen between the hours of 5 and 6 in the morning.  Things like this:

;

Look closely.  Yes, those shoes are in fact 2
different colors.  And no, I did not notice until
I was a block down the street whereupon I
seriously contemplated NOT going back to
remedy the situation.

Third, let's get all the "running blog" talk out of the way:

Because I gave myself the gift of a rest day today, I've only had one run since I last touched base with you.  I looped Green Lake with a couple friends last night and proved to myself once again that running with people will, more likely than not, increase my speed and motivation.  We went for a quick 3.1 miles with an 8:38 average pace.

No negative splits in this one, but that was because we kept telling ourselves
to slow down.  We weren't out for speed.

I felt great great the whole way, despite breathing a little heavier than I probably should at this pace, and definitely felt like I could have gone further at the end.  It felt really good to add another "up" to my "up and down" week.  Although, technically I guess that turns it into an "up and down" week and a half.  I'm hoping to keep things on the up side for the next half of the week, although with a 9 mile hilly loop of Lake Youngs on Saturday, that may be difficult.

Finally, the much-anticipated, awe-inspiring, jealousy-inducing, craft-filled Classroom Photos!!!

The time has come for me to temporarily put on a "teaching blogger hat."  I've never worn this hat before, and it may fall apart while I'm wearing it, but I'll plod through anyways.  Cause that's what I do.

[Insert mental picture of Tessa wearing a Crafting Goddess Teaching Blogger Hat.  Probably should have actually done that.]

Welcome to Ms. Kaplan's Growing Garden of First Graders!

Curtains courtesy of awesome co-worker across
the hall.  Fabric chosen by Crafting Goddess.

So no, technically there are no growing first graders in my garden yet, but that will certainly happen soon enough.  Probably a little sooner than I'm ready for.  Also, after previewing these awesome photos that I took with my iPhone in the last 5 rushed minutes of my day today, I realize that many of them are a little bit fuzzy.  I claim to wear many hats ("running blogger," "semi-swim and biking blogger," "teaching blogger," "peanut-butter-and-soy-sauce food blogger"), but "photography blogger" is not among those hats.  At least not yet.

To start the tour, let's open the door and take a look.

At first, it doesn't seem like much.

Most of the walls are currently blank slates, waiting to be filling with first grade learning.  But notice the color theme.  Sunshiny yellow.  Green, cause grass and plants and all the gardeny stuff is green.  Some "blue sky" tucked in here and there.

Continue a little further and look to the left.

First you'll notice the new mini cubby shelves from Fred Meyer with old cubby boxes from Lakeshore resting on top.  What will be the writing center, when cubbies are filled with folders and paper trays with papers, is arranged here.  See the flowers?  They're hidden everywhere. 

Disclaimer: all flowers are fake and will not be harmed in the duration of the school year.

If you direct your eyes past the writing center, you'll see the new meeting area and Calendar set-up.

All these charts and things have a purpose and are very important, but I
won't bore you.  Can you spot the flower pot?

Important things to notice here are the awesome fabric that is covering my mess of wires, cords, and cables that extend from my tech cart.  The fabric, of course, has cute little flowers on it and matches my new curtains.  Observant eyes may notice that the projector is not pointing at the roll up screen.  Do not fret, the screen is on the docket to be moved this week.

Now, if you look to your right, you'll see our blank palette of a writer's wall.

Thanks to co-worker Roz for improving my original board title of "Great
Writers are Blooming!"  Also, thanks to Roz for the perfectly themed picket
fence.

Other awesomely cheesy board/poster titles you may see throughout the room include: "Growing Readers," "Busy Bees," and "Our Roots are Planted Around the World."

Now, take a couple steps forward and continue looking to your right.

Welcome to my new cozy Library Nook!

The books themselves may need some serious organizing and some
labels scream for replacement, but how many flowers can you count?
See how I distracted you there?

Last year, my books were arranged around my meeting area, and I spent the majority of lessons trying to keep my students more focused on me than leafing through their neighboring bookshelves.  I like the new separate space, and I strategically planned the set up so that there are no areas hidden from my line of sight at my teaching table.  I promise you, lots of logic and thinking when into every furniture placement in this room.

Now, turn around and your will see two very important and essential things.  First, the relocated word wall (which used to live where the writer's wall now does):

I was going to title our word wall "New Words Grow Here," but the kids need
to actually refer to it as the word wall, so I kept my old label.

And second, my teaching area:

Lots of important learning happens here.

But really, let's zoom in on the most important part:

Storage crate seats!!  Idea courtesy of Pinterest.  Construction courtesy
of Roz's wonderfully handy boyfriend.

These little suckers are the best new addition to my room.  I was simply going to continue to stare longingly at pictures of them on Pinterest and not attempt making them, but when I mentioned the idea to Roz she jumped on board and was so excited that we had to do it.  The file boxes are from Walmart (I know, I wouldn't have shopped there if they had them anywhere else for $3.00 each). The seats are made from plywood covered in foam and my flower fabric.  Some cardboard is even stapled to the underside of the plywood so little fingers won't get splinters.  Because the best part about these seats is that you can lift the tops and store all the necessary materials kids will need for reading lessons (write on/wipe off boards, markers, highlighters, pizza pans for magnetic letters, etc.).  Such. A. Great. Idea.  So pleased.

Now let's take a quick spin over to the back left corner to get a different view.

More storage tubs on the counter space.  My super necessary tea-warming
microwave, and a huge non-working fridge.  Anyone know how to dispose
of those??

And finally, let's zoom in on my Crafting Goddess projects.

Remember  those cute foam flowers I made?  Here's where
they ended up, attached with velcro dots..  I'll use this to
organize my reading groups throughout the year.  If my
finger wasn't in the way, you could see the S on the
end of "readers."

My busy bee job chart!  Little mini bees cut and colored on foam, glued to
tongue depressors and placed in the cloud "pockets" labeled with jobs.
Poster and bees hand made by yours truly, Crafting Goddess!

There are also a few other crafty things that are more functionally useful than cute, so I won't succumb you to windy descriptions of those things.

All in all, I think that gives you a general idea of what I've been working on for the past week and a half.  I'm really pleased with how everything turned out.  I've never had the energy to put this much effort into classroom set up, because I've always worked full time over the summers.  But this summer, I focused on doing things to re-energize my drained batteries, and as you can see it definitely paid off.  And now I am even more energized to see how this classroom comes to life with little ones in it.

Exactly one week from today, I'll get to see that happen.  All I have to do now is figure out what I'm going to do to help them starting growing, sprouting, blooming, and blossoming once they get there.  But really, that's the fun part.

Pop Quiz:  How many flowers did you see??  Ready...Go!