Still Teaching...Just more blessings

Hello! I am still here! Tonight a friend ask me, "Do you write? Other than in your journals?" I replied, "Yes, I have two blogs I used to write on." She then replied, "Why did you stop?" I was taken back by the question. Why did I stop writing? Well, life happened. When I used to write at the time I had three young sons who needed me, a husband who needed me, and I then went back to my love of teaching in the classroom full time in 2016. So life just happened and I didn't feel I could keep up with writing a blog too. So I just stopped. My friend looked and me and with the most sincere words she said, "You should write." Those words washed all over me the rest of the night. She's right! I should write! So it's 4:09 am and I'm here writing with so much excitement! I love this little space in blogger world! I love to write! I love to share the blessings God has immensely blessed me with!

I want to write here more often! I originally titled this blog "Teaching My Blessings" because at the time I was teaching my three sons preschool at home. I loved my time at home with them for seven years full time. I then taught preschool part time for two years. Then after much prayer and consideration, it was time for me to return to work full time. Teaching has always been my passion and heart cry. So I happily returned to the classroom. I was very blessed to be able to get a teaching position at the same school my boys attended. I will not lie it was one of the hardest things I've done in adult life thus far. The transition was challenging on our family, but we survived and adjusted well. My words for that school year (and every school year since) were BALANCE and GRACE. Balance in this thing called life and Grace for myself and everyone around me. I am still fleshing that out 3 years later. I love the Lord, my family, and my students. I desire to be the best God has created me to be. I want to be a great mom, wife, and teacher and to do all of that it requires grace!  I'm still learning so much about God's amazing grace.

I feel the name of this blog still fits my life as God has just expanded my territory with the blessings I now teach. My first priority will always be my own family, but I now get to teach 55 third graders this year! Those babies are my blessings too! I teach departmentalized writing and science. I love teaching my precious students!

I hope you will join me as I begin to write more about whatever God lays on my heart. It may not look the same when I began writing here in 2011. I may write about what God is teaching me, what I'm teaching my boys, what I'm teaching in my class or whatever comes my way. Thank you for joining me on the journey!

These boys will always have my heart! I am extremely blessed to be their mama! 

Some of my favorites in one pic: My family and the mountains

We love because he first loved us. 

1 John 4:19 

Merry Christmas 2015!!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

 

I know it's been forever since I've blogged! I haven't forgotten about this tiny space on the web where I once wrote weekly! Life has just gotten busier! I am one blessed mama to these three munchkins! They are my heart and soul. I originally started blogging about my adventure of teaching them preschool at home. Now two of them are in elementary school and one is in preschool. I now teach preschool five days a week. I find that I am still teaching them just in new ways.

 

We had a wonderful Christmas together. One of my most favorite traditions is attending our Christmas Eve service at our church. It is just so special! I love focusing on Jesus during this service! We also have a candlelight service at the end. Imagine this cute three year old pictured above wanting to hold his own lit candle very badly and sweat dripping from my hand as I was one nervous mama. 

I do hope your Christmas was blessed and just as special!
With Love,
Trina

Muffin Tin Meals

I LOVE to make my boys muffin tin meals and they LOVE them too! The boys have been home for two days for summer break and they've had muffin tin meals on both days now! I love that I can give them six things in a muffin tin. It's just a fun way to serve lunch and it beats packing lunches! I was ready for school to be out for that one reason! Who else is feeling me, there?

 

Happy Muffin Tin Meal Making!

 

I originally got the idea to make them from

Muffin Tin Mom. 

Our Summer Learning Plan

We are excited to be out of school for summer! But this former teacher turned SAHM won't let the learning stop! I've read about how kids can lose so much of what they've learned during the school year and I don't want that to happen to my boys. So here's my plan to avoid that happening here.

We made our "Not a Bummer Summer" bucket list with all the activities we want to do this summer. We will color in each cloud as we complete the activity. We will also complete a mini lesson on how to be a "bucket filling family" after reading Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

Last week I got so excited to make create a summer learning plan for my boys. I founds so many resources on the web!! I shared the two pictures above on my personal Facebook page and then decided to share with all of you too here on the blog.

One part of my plan is to work together with all three of my boys three days a week for an hour. I will have rotations where each child will spend 20 minutes 1:1 with me, 20 minutes doing individual work, and 20 minutes on an educational website on the computer. I got this idea from Meaningful Mama (whom I love!!!)

We will also read, read, and read this summer! We will participate in our local public library's reading program and the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program. Through both programs students can earn free books.

I also found a great reading contract to use with boys at Literacy Loving Gals.

Then I found an awesome cool library challenge to use at the library at  Growing Book by Book.

I am looking forward to having fun learning and playing with my blessings this summer!

Thank You!

Two very special words that turned my grumpy heart into a happy, melted heart!

This morning was a terrible, awful, no good, very bad morning! My boys have two days left of school! And we are READY for summer! This mama is ready to have my boys home with me. I am ready to have relaxed chilling mornings. Don't get me wrong I love a good routine, but we're all just ready for school to be out.

So today was water day at school. My sweet boys had swim trunks and shirts on, sunscreen on and were ready to go, although CA could not find his swim sandals anywhere! After much searching from all family members he finally had to go to school in older tennis shoes and socks (which he was not happy about!) We turned the house upside down at the event of even making the boys late to school. Which is not our norm! My oldest was horrified by this event! I finally told CA if I found them I would bring them to him.  I came home to search more and finally found them! This mama just needed a little more time to think clearly about where those silly sandals could be! So I quickly ran back up to the school. When CA saw me talking to his teacher he ran over to me and took the sandals and looked at me and said... THANK YOU! Oh wow, that made all the searching and looking all worth it!

I will admit I was a grumpy, cranky mama. I even yelled a few times during the chaotic time of looking for the sandals. Once he said those two words to me I was all mush and so thankful for a thankful heart!

It made me stop and think. Do I say those two words often enough? Do I thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed on me daily? That is my prayer today. Thank you Lord for the blessings!

Thankfully,
Trina

Happy Easter 2015

Happy Easter!

 

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

 

 

HI! I'm still here! I just haven't blogged in forever! So sorry! These three blessings keep me hopping! I love being their mama and I am trying to enjoy each day as they are growing so fast! JP is now 7 and in 1st grade, CA is 6 and is in kindergarten! TC is almost 3 and gets to go to preschool three days a week with me at an awesome preschool while I teach PreK! All is great and I thought I'd update the blog with a current pic! I do plan to blog more soon! 

I'm Still Teaching My Blessings Just in new ways...

Hello Friends!
I promise I did not fall off of the blogging bandwagon. I've just been quiet for a little while. Honestly, I haven't known what to write about so I just haven't. :) I've sat down to blog numerous times and then just haven't.

We had a fabulous summer and are now in full swing Fall season with school and fun activities. 

I am still teaching my three amazing amazing blessings just in new ways.

JP started Kindergarten this Fall! It has been a wonderful experience so far and I am so blessed by his school and teacher. I'll be honest the first two weeks were a little rough adjusting. His school day is early and he was just tired. But now we are in a good groove.

CA began attending PreK this year and LOVES it! He goes two days a week to a wonderful program at a church. It is a perfect balance for him to have time with me at home and then time at preschool. He was dressed and ready at 6:01am on his first day!

Then that leaves me with this sweet dumplin' on the days that both the big boys are at school! I love it! I can play with him, run errands or clean house great with one baby! He's such a good baby, although now he really is a toddler! Thankfully he is very flexible and has had his sweet nap schedule readjusted with the start of school.

I still consider myself to be my children's first and most important teacher. While they are being instructed by others at school, I know that God has allowed me to teach them the most. I believe in mommyhood we are always teaching, instructing and guiding our babies for a long time.

Thank you for patiently reading along. I do hope to blog more often!
Trina