Bowling Beauties!

When I was in high school my 2 BFFs and I would go bowling all the time! Sometimes it would just be the three of us.. other times we'd have our current boyfriends or just a big group of girls. Well, it had been awhile since the 3 of us had done anything together with just ourselves and our boys, but last night we all went out. Yesterday morning I texted a bunch of friends asking if anyone wanted to go bowling and Ash and Britt replied that they would definitely go... so we made plans to meet at 8! We had so much fun bowling, laughing, and having a few drinks!!! We did boys vs. girls and although the boys kicked our butt the first game.. the girls came back and won big the next game! :) Ashley's husband Chris has actually bowled a perfect 300 score before so the boys definitely had an advantage! Even Zach did well for Zach which helped them win that first game ... hehe.

Ash, Ash, Britt!

Zach, Chris, Kyle

The girls score from game 2! (Ash and I tied!)
Loser Boys score... hehe :)

Today we are signing up for a kickball league that will play on Sunday nights starting on the 19th! I'm SO excited to get some friends together and see each other all the time!!!

-Ashley

Go Bulls!

Zach and I went to the Stonybrook vs. USF game on Saturday night. We sat in the student section which is general admission meaning we got front row seats since Z showed up pretty early!! We had a great view and enjoyed watching the Bulls kick major butt! ;) I went to USF for a year and did 1/2 of my teacher education there and absolutely LOVED the teaching program, but then left to go to Oklahoma when Z came back from Cuba... so I have small ties with the school! Z plans on going there next year to study secondary ed. so he will be a student soon! Both of my parents graduated from there as well so even though the Noles (who play OU next week!!!) will ALWAYS have my heart... I do still enjoy some green and gold too! ;)

Did a little tailgating with a friend of mine from the school I tutored at!

Z looking SO enthused! haha.

At our seats... waiting for the sun to go down!!

Before the Bulls got their act together... 7-7?!

Rocky!!! The mascot Z likes to call Bullwinkle... haha

I'm SOOOO happy football season is back!! Yayyyyy! :)

-Ashley

Losing a Unit

Yesterday while my students were at Art I was going to make a few copies and was stopped by my principal to join her for a chat in her office. Uh oh! What the heck did I do this time?! lol. I wasn't really nervous because I knew I hadn't done anything wrong in my first 9 days of teaching, but I went in with her and she shut the door... After the 5 day count the county looks at the numbers and sees which schools have too many teachers, or too few. We ended up having FOUR too many because our numbers were so low. She was able to "buy" back 3 of those units, but had to let the last one go. Which is me. I was the last permanent, not temporary, employee hired. This means that if Tuesday at 3pm rolls around and no one volunteers to go.. I have to leave my students/school and go into a pool. I am guranteed a position somewhere, but it could end up being a lot further... or closer to home - just depending on what's left at the bottom of the barrel. The pool is also by hire date so being that I wasn't processed until August 2 and school planning started the 17th.. I'm pretty low! :( She was very kind and sympathetic towards me and said she'd help me along the way when the pool schools are shown and what not. So who knows what will happen, but that is where I'm at! The thought of having to take down my classroom and make a new one is overwhelming, but if it comes to that I will do what I have to do!

-Ashley

He Loves Me!

This week has been SO busy, BUT I made it!! My first week of teaching my own class went amazingly well (and that's a whole different post)! I love my students and I love my job, but I love my husband the most! I had been leaving by 6:30 in the morning getting home around 5:30 every day, but he doesn't get home until after 7 because of coaching. Two nights I went out with the girls and one night he went out with his friend so we really didn't have any time to see eachother and talk, but I woke up one morning to this little love note on the fridge:

It made me smile and I'm glad he feels the same way I do! Last night he had a football game, this morning he had a football scrimage game and working tonight, and tomorrow he has a football golf something or other so there goes our weekend together... Love you Z and we will find time to spend together soon, I hope!

-Ashley

Classroom: FINALLY Finished!

I finished setting up my class just in time for "Meet Your Teacher" day last Friday... I was surprised that TEN out of 19 showed up to meet me! I think it's going to be a wonderful year! I have 19 students. 11 boys, 8 girls. 17 Hispanics, 2 Black. Tomorrow is the first day of school and I need all the luck/prayers/wishes possible! Eeeek! I've had a headache all day - probably from stress - and I'm just SO tired. Once a few weeks have gone by and I get into a routine I'm sure it will be better!
Here's to a wonderful 180 days in the classroom.... :)

-Ashley

Happy Birthday Post!

I just wanted to wish my BIG brother a HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY!

He is officially an old man!

Love you lots Justin!!
Old man is in the middle... ;)

-Ashley

Classroom: Getting closer!!

Front of classroom!

Another shot!

Reading corner :)

Guided reading table!

My undecorated desk and me! :)

The classroom is finally coming along! I have one more bulletin board to do and a word wall. My friend Angela has been up to school with me a few days so far and has helped me out SO much!! I honestly don't know what it would've looked like/turned out like without her - so THANKS! :)

Anyway, we have a training on the new math series ALL day tomorrow so I won't get much done... but Thurs. we will be in there almost all day so I can finish it! *yay!* I didn't know how much work it would take, but I'm having fun doing it! Next post will be FINISHED product!

-Ashley

Classroom: During

Angela and I spent most of the day yesterday in the classroom brainstorming together and coming up with what I was going to do to get some color in my classroom! What we've done so far looks great and I can't wait to keep working on it/finishing it next week! I also did some organizing of my Science materials and extra supplies. Still a lot of work to alll of the school issued books together, but I'll figure it out! lol. Thanks again, Ang, for allll of your help/ideas! It would've taken me FOREVER without you!

Added border/board paper to front bulletin board...

CHAMPS is our discipline plan for the year... This is almost done!Beginning of the back wall...

Now I just need to label the books and buy a few more organizer cartons!
LOL. Sooo we somehow forgot a few letters... Ha.

Have a lot to do next week, but I know it will get done! Friday is Meet Your Teacher day so I have 4 days left!! Eeek!

-Ashley

Classroom: Before

Yesterday Z and I went to visit my classroom for the very first time! Stuff was everywhere... desks, textbooks, computers, etc. We tried to put my things in the general area that I will need them to be in the future, but it was so overwhelming! I don't really know where to start, but after today with a good friend of mine and her help - I think getting situated will go smoothly later this week/all next week! The building that I'm in was built in 1926! The school is sooo old, but historical! lol. Anyway, here are my "before" shots... The after will be available in 2 weeks!! Wish me luck on my creative journey!

I don't have cabinet space, but I have a closet in the front...

Zach sitting under a shelf that has 20 hooks under it...
Back of class... my desk is far right. So small!
Lots of bulletin board space here though!

Windows that face out towards the front of the school...

All of my text books/guided reading books/manipulatives are sitting in piles still...

-Ashley

Our New Home

It's been about a month since Z and I moved into our new place and I think we finally can say we're done, for now, with getting it set up! Once I start working/getting paid I'd like to do something nice with the guest room. Get matching furniture and a head/foot board for the bed. Right now it's more like hodge-podge of random things here and there and on the wall and a storage closet... I'd also like to eventually get new couch pillows/art decor for some of the rooms!

Anyway, I am happy we have more space and have a room to always call our own... and when we have guests they have a place to sleep/shower and we can get more people washed and ready to go instead of having to wait on the bathroom all the time! lol.

Alright, here are the pics in a VERY random order (dang blogspot for making it so hard to move them around - too time consuming)! Enjoy! :)

Zach's desk... front door to the right our bedroom to the left!

Living room (looks the same as our last one!)

Master bathroom

View from our bed... Our walk-in...
Another shot of MB

View from the door to our bedroom!

(Closet door by window - MB door to the right)

Guest room randomness...

Excuse the mess - my husband was looking for something.

Guest bathroom!

Guest bathroom.

Guest bathroom! Laundry room/pantry in one.

View to laundry room (if you didn't catch the sign!)/pantry!

View of kitchen/dining room/door

Bar/kitchen

View from the door...

View from opening of door..

-Ashley
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