Happy Rosh Hashanah! and an update

Hi everyone!  Today is Rosh Hashanah which means on the Western shore, all the schools have off!  Growing up on the Eastern shore, we never got off for Jewish holidays so this was news to me when I moved over here.  So Happy Rosh Hashanah to all my Jewish friends!  I am celebrating the day off with some Starbucks and trying to cross off many things on my to-do list.  Next week, I get to celebrate Yom Kippur by having another day off!

Not much has been going on with us recently.  Ben and I are just trying to get back into the routine of the school year.  I am really starting to love first grade!  The first two weeks were touch and go....sometimes I loved the grade, sometimes I really missed second grade.  I quickly realized that there is a BIG difference between first and second grade.  First grade is a big reading/writing year for the kids and that was a little daunting at first.  But, I know I will make it with the help of my great co-workers and of course, being able to rely on my wonderful mother as a resource!

 Last week, week 3, I really started to love the grade.  My students are wonderful and we are finally starting to get into our routine.  They are learning and understanding my expectations and I am learning more and more about them.  One thing I LOVE about first grade is that they are so cute and will believe anything you tell them!  I told them last week that I had special ears that only allowed me to hear students who raised their hand, not called out.  They were really in awe of my magic power and it has helped them to remember to raise their hand!  They are also very impressed with anything....I got complimented on my neat and fast coloring skills this past week!  One student said in awe, "Wow Mrs. Alvarez!  You color so nicely and fast!"  At this, about six other kids rushed over to see what he was talking about!  I told them that when they were as old as me, they would be able to color like that from years of practice!  I am really looking forward to the school year and seeing them grow and chance so much!

Ben started his next class for grad school.  He thinks this will be one of his harder classes he will have to take.  He is super smart though so I have no worries that he will do excellent and get an A++ in the class!

Other then that, we are just enjoying the start of football season (Go Redskins and Terps!!) and the changing weather.  Riley starts doggy school in a few weeks so that will be fun.  Riley went to puppy school and did great but with me in grad school last year and our lives being so on the run, we (sadly) didn't continue working with her as much as we should have.  But we found a wonderful training class and Riley is all signed up!

Enjoy your Monday!