You are who you teach! :)

I must admit that the last few hours I have been acting like a giddy 5 year old not someone who is almost 35! For those of you who know me well, this is just a small a step up from my "usual" energy level! Add in a FEW happy dances and you have me the past 3 hours :)

People have always told me that I am high energy and that it makes sense that I teach Kinders, as I can keep up with them! I LOVE to have a great time, but I also take time to appreciate the small things in life! My classroom is full of dancing and celebrations, usually for things that kids have accomplished, achieved or celebrating. Birthdays are a BIG deal in my class, but sadly, I never get to celebrate mine in class as it falls during winter break!

Well...this year I will have a little something extra to celebrate!!! My class will not get to be there with me, but I will be taking LOTS of pictures as I get to meet Hope, Nelson, Tofino, Lillooet , Steveston, Sechelt and Salt Spring; the African penguins who call the Vancouver Aquarium home (only 5 pictured here).

Words can't even begin to explain how happy I was when my mom called to tell me that she had arranged this for me! A few months back my mom mentioned that she used to work with a guy who is highly involved at the Aquarium and that she was working on getting a behind the scene tour for me. Not wanting to get my hopes up, I put this thought aside until today when I got a phone call saying that it is arranged!! In December, I will get to go behind the scenes and do a "meet and greet" with these animals that I have been in awe of for so many years! Words cant describe what a thrill this is going to be for me.

One of the things that not many people know is how much my mom does "behind the scenes" for my class. When I was teaching in California, so would regularly send Canadian postcards, pins and stickers for my class. They always got such a thrill out of this! The past 2 years, she has come and spent a day in my class helping out with a project and she often buys things that she thinks they will enjoy for me to bring in to them. This year I owe her and EXTRA BIG thank you as she also arranged for my class to go an fully paid for (I think) field trip to the Aquarium. I am hoping to confirm the details soon, but needless to say there are not enough words to say to her. With 1 simple email, she has made my year and hopefully the year of 20 wonderful 5 year olds!

If this is how my school year is starting, I can't wait to see what else it holds for me and the students I am working with this year. As for me, I will continue being 35 going on 5 by "counting the sleeps" until I get to meet these magical feathered friends!