New Job

I was reading the local paper the other day and saw and ad for an early childhood special education associate position at the Reinbeck Elementary.  After Greg and I talked we decided that I should apply for it.  It is only three hours a day from 12-3.  I had scheduling to figure out before I felt I could apply since Andrew gets out of school at 3 and it is a 45 minute drive from the Reinbeck Elementary to the GMG preschool.  I also had Jonathan to get picked up at 3:30 and Madison at 4.  I couldn't be everywhere at once.  Greg and I go it worked out so I applied for the job.  I interviewed on Monday and it was indicated to me that I would be called either Monday night or Tuesday.  Well I never got a call and I saw the superintendent several times on Tuesday while I was doing my field experience in Reinbeck and he never said anything to me so I figured I didn't get the job.  Well on my way into Marshalltown on Wednesday my cell phone rang and it was Tim Kuehl, the superintendent.  He was calling to offer me the job.  After running some numbers and more discussion with Greg and mapping out what our schedule would really look like we decided to accept the job.  I will start on Monday November 1st.  I have mixed feelings about the job right now, but that will change I am sure as I work in the room.  Special education isn't really my field of interest, but with classrooms being inclusive I will most likely have children in a classroom with special needs once I become a certified teacher.  The experience I will gain from this job will be helpful in the future and makes the job well worth it.   Now our biggest challenge will be balancing work, family and school.

The Pumpkin Patch

I went with Andrew last week on his class trip to the pumpkin patch.  The kids had a lot of fun.  They got to ride on a tractor pulled wagon out to the field to pick a pumpkin to take home.

Getting ready to go pick a pumpkin

 

They also got to ride bikes in a barn around a maze of hay bales.  In the barn they also got to play with the goats.  One goat tried to eat my shirt and then jumped up on me and didn't want to get off.  The kids all thought it was funny to watch this goat refuse to get off.  Also there was a hay pile in the upstairs of the barn they could climb on.

They also had a room in another barn that was filled with corn.  They had all sorts of things for the kids to dig with.  They had fun covering their friends with corn.

They also had a playground for the kids to play on.  It had a duck race game that Andrew really had fun with.

They have a petting zoo as well.  One of Andrew's teachers actually got him to feed a cow- twice.  I couldn't believe it.

Bike Riding

The kids were our front of our house riding their bikes while Greg was finishing up mowing the lawn.  Andrew kept having trouble with his bike.  We realized it was because one of his training wheels was falling off.  Greg tightened it and it just wouldn't stay so he took it off.  He then helped him work at riding his bike without the training wheel.  One is still on but hardly touches the ground at times.

Daddy helping with balance

There he goes

I'm OK

Now he leans to the side with the training wheel still on

Fall Fun

One of the things the kids love to do is to carve pumpkins in the fall.  The Hoffa's brought us three very nice pumpkins this year.  Once the kids realized they were on the porch they started begging to carve them.  Well Greg and I really didn't want to deal with it so we convinced them to paint them instead.  So we now have a light bulb, a monster and a ghost on our porch.

Andrew painting his light bulb

Jonathan working on his monster

Madison working on her ghost

The finished monster

The finished light bulb

The ghost

A Day at the Zoo

This summer the kids participated in the summer reading program at the Marshalltown Library.  They were able to earn points for reading books and going to the library.  One of the things they received was a free pass to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines.  They got this for going to the library five times during the summer.  We decided to use them over Labor Day weekend.  The kids were really well behaved and we all enjoyed the day.

Madison feeding the goats

Jonathan was hesitant but he fed the goats

Andrew petting a huge bull

Don't you wish you could drink out of a hippos mouth?

Madison in the prairie dog tunnels

Andrew and Jonathan in the tunnels

My little prairie dogs

Of course we had to ride the train

Andrew's Trip with Dad

Finally Andrew got his trip with Greg.  He was so excited that he was telling everyone who would listen that he was going camping just him and dad.  They went to Waterloo to camp this year and went to the Phelp's Youth Pavilion at the Waterloo Center for the Arts.

Jonathan's Trip with Dad

This year Jonathan wanted to go to Boone and ride the train.  Greg took him camping at Ledges State Park.  In the morning they hiked around the park and waded in the stream.

Yummy a banana boat.  My favorite camping treat!

Having fun hanging out in the tent.

After they were done hiking they went to Boone to ride the Boone and Scenic Vally Railroad.  Jonathan really enjoyed the ride.

Madison's trip with Dad

Every summer Greg takes the kids on a camping trip, just him and one of them.  This year Madison chose not to go camping because she wanted to go to Adventure Land. Greg took her for the day and they had lots of fun.  He also took her to an ICubs game when Fisher Controls had a night at the ball park.  She stayed for the entire game and loved every minute of it.

Baptism Day

I finally am getting around to posting pictures from Madison's baptism.  She was baptized on Saturday August 14th.  Greg was able to baptize and confirm her.  She was so excited.  She wore the dress that I was baptized in.  Before the baptism we all enjoyed an early dinner at Legends.  Both my parent and Greg's were able to attend and both Grandfathers were able to stand in the circle as she was confirmed.  What a great day for Madison.

Teacher time

The class I am currently taking is about effective practices in teaching, learning and assessing.  Throughout the class we have been writing a lesson plan for a small group lesson.  Well last Thursday I taught my lesson to a group of third graders.  It was a reading vocabulary review lesson.  I had to included technology into my lesson so I designed a glog page that had all their definitions on chalkboards.  The kids all did really well.  I will continue to be in the third grade classroom for another 10 weeks.  I am really enjoying being able to apply what I am learning in class.