Niagara Trip Day 2 - 9/25/12

Brandie at the Shaw Cafe

Ray enjoying the meal and atmosphere

Landscaping at Niagara on the Lake

More landscaping

Pretty scenes everywhere

Even on the poles

Prince of Wales Hotel

The American Falls

The Horseshoe Falls

The entire view

Brandie standing in front of the windows with a view of the Falls

Brandie at Casino Niagara

Most of the morning seminars on this day didn't pertain much to me, so we decided to go for a drive.  We went to a town called Niagara on the Lake.  It was a lot like Fredricksburg, TX, lots of shops in older buildings.  Brandie snapped some pictures of the beautiful landscaping, which covered the entire area.  We ate ate the Shaw Cafe, which is named after George Bernard Shaw.  We then did a little shopping and headed back to the hotel.

The pictures of Niagara Falls above were taken from our hotel room.  We had floor to ceiling windows facing the falls, and a little glass door that opened to get an unencumbered view.  We were on the 14th floor, so we had little to block our view of the Falls, which was awesome!  After going to the seminars for the day, we headed to Casino Niagara, which was connected to the hotel.  Brandie is posing in front of their version of a Plinko board.  We were in a drawing to play, but we were not chosen.  Brandie went back to the hotel after that, and I stayed and played poker for a few hours and won some spending money.

Niagara Trip Day 1 - 9/24/12

Eating lunch at the Anchor Bar

Brandie enjoying lunch

One of the churches on the way to Niagara

Another church

Sign at the border crossing

Day 1 of our trip to Niagara Falls for the Versaterm Conference was basically a travel day.  We left from Bush Intercontinental Airport around 7am, and after a layover at Dulles landed in Buffalo around 2:30pm.  After getting the rental car, we stopped for lunch at the Anchor Bar, which is the place Buffalo wings were invented!  We then made the 30 minute drive to Niagara Falls.  Brandie liked all of the churches she saw along the way, and took pictures as we drove.  We finally made it to the Rainbow Bridge, which is the border crossing between the USA and Canada.  The Canadian border agent wasn't very pleasant, I think she thought she was guarding the border at Matamoros or Nuevo Laredo instead of Niagara Falls.  We then made it to our hotel and got ready to see more the next day.

Brandie's Classroom

Cheering on my Sports!

Showing off my Super Star Student Work

CHAMPS and The Giving Tree

3 Blocks, 3 Colors... My OCD

Flowers - With Knowledge We Bloom

Thinking About the Way We Think!

Plot Anchor Chart

Conflict Anchor Chart

Working on Breaking it Down : )

Genre Anchor Chart

Just a little reminder on what I am looking for when grading your paper!

Got my Party On

Teacher Desk... I don't use a traditional desk.

Front of my classroom.

My Beautiful Family

Wall opposite of door.

The Blue Wall is designed so you can staple to it!

Back Wall

Aggie Sports - a little piece of home.

Quality Time Before School

Morning Routine allows for us to do some bonding before we head off for school and work. We wake at 5:30 a.m. (like my Dad did). After waking we dress the girls and allow them to watch a show (30min) while we get dressed. We then have a little play time while getting cups and snack packs ready for our girls for the drive. They now attend a daycare about 10 minutes from Brandie's work so they enjoy a ride with a movie of their selection, cup, and morning snack. The girls require their Dada to fasten their seat belt. When Brandie tries to do it, Emma informs her that its Dada's job.

Lulu's Bunch

Positive Work Environment = Positive Attitude

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.  ~Winston Churchill

 I feel blessed to work with people who greet me with "Good Morning" and they have a smile on their face.

It makes me feel so happy inside that I work with people who always say hi anytime I see them in the halls, no matter how many times we run by each other racing to get things done. 

I enjoy working with my team, within a team, within a team!!! To explain; (1st Team) I am on a three way switch with two other teachers. I teach Reading, Mrs. G teaches Science, and Mr. B teaches Math, with all of us teaching Social Studies at the end of the day. (2nd Team) This team consist of 10 teachers! We all come together under a team leader Ms. L and she has a positive attitude, looks out for us, and is always willing to help when we need it. She helps to direct us and remind us of the things we need to do and the deadlines we need to meet. (3rd Team) All sixth grade teachers totaling 20 in all come together to support each other, share resources with each other, and create a positive, creative, and caring atmosphere for all of us to enjoy year round. 

I am so blessed to work with wonderful people who care about me and the well being of my family. With everything that has been going on lately... there are so many people who check on me or ask me for updates about my family it really means allot to me. 

There is much more that I can say but I will end with a list of things that I am currently celebrating due to a positive work environment:

1. I had my first walk through evaluation by Mr. P and it was AWESOME!!
2. I have been selected to be the teacher to attend Focus trainings.
3. I will be presenting content and activities with my fellow teachers from my trainings.
4. I look forward to going to work every day!
5. I do not bring home stress or tension with me when I leave my job.
6. I put more pressure on myself about being successful than anyone else. 
7. I am a morale pal! 

I hope others get to experience a positive work environment because it really does make a difference in the quality of your life. I will be posting more through the year on the ways my campus and colleagues come together to promote a positive work environment : )

Update on the Girls

We noticed the other day that the girls no longer fit their rain jackets.  We went to San Marcos to visit Cesily, Jason, and Townes, and we stopped at the Carter's outlet store and found these that will work well in rainy or cold weather, which will be nice with winter coming up. 

Emma is now 3 years 2 months old and has taken to the momma role.  By that, I mean that she carries her babies around, puts them down for naps, and when they end up hitting one another she sends them to time out.  She also thinks she can correct other kids as well, telling them they need a spanking and they need to go to time out too.  Abby doesn't take too kindly to this, and tells her "No No!"  She is enjoying her new day care, and brings home pictures she has colored every day, telling us "Happy Birthday!  I made this for you!"  At the rate I have birthdays, I must be 179 years old by now.

Abby is currently fighting a sinus infection of some sort, which is keeping her, and by extension us, up at all hours of night with her coughing and subsequent sore throat.  Other than that, she is a happy little 16 month old, continually trying to say new words and communicate with us.  She will count to 3, and tries to sing Row Row Row Your Boat.  She also sang the ABC song the other day, but cannot enunciate the letters well yet.  I was impressed that she had the tune down though, and sang it with the different voice inflections and everything!

Housing Update

After many months of turmoil on the housing front, it looks like we have a renter!  I am not going to believe it until the papers are signed and the money is in the bank, but we will hopefully sign the contract this week.  This will allow us to look for our own place in the Baytown area.  While we love Mom and Dad and everything they have done for us, it will be nice to have our own place again!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today my wonderful Mom turned, er, 21 years old!  There is not a more loving and caring wife, mom, or Nana in the world.  We love you!!!

 UPDATE: Here are the pictures of the little party we had for Mom.  She didn't want to do anything, but Brandie wanted to throw together a little something for her.  She decorated the table and bought some little party supplies, then decorated the cake and personalized it with Nana on it.  Emma and Abby helped her eat it, and Emma even helped blow out her candle!

11 Years of Wedded Bliss

Brandie and I celebrated being married 11 years on 8/11/12.  We celebrated by going to a Cirque du Soliel show and staying at a nice hotel.  The show was awesome, and the VIP tent was interesting.  They served all sorts of appetizers, including some outside of the box combinations like teriyaki chicken dipped in cotton candy!  We had a wonderful celebration!