Whew - It's been tough already the 1st month of school (from a teacher stand-point). There is SO MUCH to do at the beginning of each school year... and I have been behind from day 1. The 2nd week of school the Associate Principal celled me at home and sent an email asking for me to give up a planning period and teach another class. I guess we have more students than we have places to put them! So.... this class started that 2nd week. It's small (so far), but I am really missing that 1 1/2 hours every other "B" day to lesson plan and grade! (I've already been run-down / sick... but have made it through 1 month. 9 more to go. Ha!)
To start the school year off, we got a brand new principal (the old one was "transitioned" to central office, but none of us really know why). BUT... the new principal - who came from Rome GA took a job back in Rome as a Superintendent. We have an interim principal with the same name! ha. (Dr. Holland is replaced by Mr. Holland - who is in his doctoral program. That's not going to be confusing!)
The new principal stopped by my room on the Friday before he officially started. He spent some time interacting with the students. I hope that this is a good transition!! He already spread some good energy in his short time in my room. (He also said he took Drafting when he was in high school & learned quickly that the CAD program was pretty complex and decided to go into another direction.) ha!
Mercer seems to be transitioning well to being in high school. He's having a hard time in one of his elective classes, but others seem to be going well. I don't see him at all -- EXCEPT through the window during my "A" day planning period every other day. The weight room is across an exterior courtyard from my classroom and he "works out" in the window that is close to the front of my room where I sit. He doesn't ride in to school with me or very often after school home with me because he's been riding with a neighbor.
"Head Coach" Alan (in orange) brought the boys up to the Board Room one last time and talked to them about their time at East Marietta.
The above are photos from the end-of-the 14u All-Stars season party that took place in early August after their state tournament ended in July.
The parents sat around talking. The kids took to the field playing baseball and kick ball.
There was pizza and desserts. It was casual but nice to get everyone together one LAST time.
This game, the pitching coach threw Mercer a ball. (He was pretty casual about it and tried to give it to Isabella... but she didn't want it; It was kind of cute... the mom who drives him to school told me that he brought the baseball to school and showed her on the way in!)
Mercer and Todd went to a game earlier in the season on their own and another one with Mercer's youth group last week (not Mets though).
We have one more set of tickets for another series when the Mets are back in town to round out Todd's father's day gift... but not sure if we can go due to travels.
We had a day off last week for Labor Day. It coincided with Mercer's Adoption Day. We took him, a friend of his (who he rides to school with every day), Isabella and ourselves out to lunch and to some high-tech putt-putt golf.
My colleague recommended the golf venue - a new place called PuttShack. You don't keep score. These balls have computer chips in them and it tracks everything for you.
It seems sort of like pin-ball in some cases. There was roulette, skee ball, beer pong, connect-four, an AWESOME drum set that made different sounds when a ball would bounce off of it, etc. Isabella won the first round. Mercer won the second.
Such a unique, cool, creative venue!
Lunch was over-priced and just OK. We stopped for ice cream at another trendy spot on the Westside of Atlanta on the way home instead of having dessert at the golf venue. Overall, we think he had a good adoption day!
She checked out a book on Warrior Cats and has become hooked. So much so that the bus driver has to ask her to look up and get off the bus -- she's so engrossed. There's been a house that we stop at every now and then on our walk home from the bus stop (we know them, of course).... they have a little dog.
We walk by a garden on our way home from the bus stop. One day, we saw 3 gulf fritillary caterpillars on a barren twig. I think it was a vine that they had eaten the leaves. They were all hovering on the end of the twig -- no more food and nowhere to go!
We recognized the type of caterpillar (Gulf Fliterary cats) / looked around for host plants.... and didn't see their primary host plant so we took them home / put them in the net cage. We have raised them before & knew we had host plant at our community garden, so we started the metamorphosis journey again!
Her grin in this photo is extra snaggle-ly. Isabella lost two more teeth a few weeks ago.)
It didn't take long 'til they holed up into their chrysalises. THEN.... she got to release them. I don't feel bad "harvesting" them from our garden. We're still letting them out into nature - about a block away.
But, we're harvesting a love of these beautiful creatures not only with her classmates, but definitely with her!
She is actually doing great and going ahead of what he gives her. In fact, she has found songs that she likes, watches videos, we look for some music sheets online -- even though they're advanced for regular piano players... she taps it out until she figures it out. It's pretty cool.
Even with a month off, the instructor said she did great! They also had a little show at the stables.
Here she is - unassisted riding a horse she doesn't like (Willow). It does a "Carolina" stop?? and - it doesn't really trot. Todd and I thought she looked great on the horse, though!
Isabella and I did something at my school: we went to a fundraiser for the drama department. They have a princess "tea" party. Our little went... but after awhile she said she did not need to do this again -- she was too old. (but she was happy to see other little girls from school!) Interestingly, she said when she gets older - she asked if she could be up on stage (like the high-schoolers)?
They had little crowns and wands. She gave hers crown back. ha!
She had served the throne for 70 years!
Photo at left -- at her coronation.
And a more recent photo with one of her iconic large hats.
Todd's mom, Rose Marie, has "moved" of sorts temporarily. She's been in the hospital with several different things going on. She has gotten out and is in a rehab center currently. We talked to her recently and she sounds good. The plan is that she will move in with Tonia for awhile as she recovers.
Here are a couple of other random things:
Catching fireflies on a hover-board (which is great until you hit the curb and fall off!)
Taking notes during the pollinator census at our favorite butterfly garden (our neighbor's that we pass every day on the way home from the bus).
Todd and I went out for a nice dinner with friends, but took no pics. (found a photo online - Iberian Pig in Buckhead) Our friend was the architect and the last time she went was at the grand opening years earlier.
Mercer has been watching Isabella when / if we go out. (They really only play video games... probably in separate rooms!) ha.
We're back into the swing of things -- and trying to carve out some things here & there to make (some) good memories along the way!
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