CCIRA

I was in Colorado last week.
Four days, three nights.
Four days, three nights with no other responsibilities- other than myself.  It was awesome!

There were 13 of us on the way to CO, and 14 of us on the way home.  Two 15 passenger vans. Dave, Amy, and I took residence in the backseat on the way there and the way back to KS.  I think we talked the entire way there- except for the movie we all watched.  It was good to talk with close friends.  And to make some new ones- teachers I hadn't met yet, but who also teach in our district at other elementary schools. 

Once we were in the hotel, Amy and I realized we were also given the opportunity at CCIRA to become snuggle buddies... check out the room.  One bed.  We didn't mind.  But, it gave her all the better chance to hear my teacher voice in the middle of the night.  Good thing I warned her right before falling asleep that I talk in my sleep!
"It is 10 after 10!"
"Emma, I need you to stop doing that."  
HA HA HA!

We had LOTS of laughs.   
Especially the time Amy accidentally grabbed the wrong the bag from the van.  I thought they were jumper cables when I peeked in the bag.  We had a good laugh in the elevator.

 

Only it turned out to be someone's sleep machine.  oops!

I learned loads of ideas, information, and topics to try in my classroom.  I can not wait to get started!  But, where do I start?  Consider this my S.O.S.  

Here are a few pictures of banners that were hanging in the lobby.  They were huge!  The ones I took pictures of were books that I recognized.  

 My two favorite moments from this weekend were:

1.  Thursday night.  In the hotel bed, in our pj's, thumbing through magazines, watching Grey's Anatomy, painting fingernails, and loving the freedom to do that!

2.  Friday lunch.  Blake, Carlin, and Reece (sad that I didn't get a picture of them in Jimmy John's!).  Hearing Reece point and count butterflies in a board book.  Listening to Blake talk about how they aren't overly anxious parents, but that they do read to Reece all the time.  I literally went on to my next session and heard the speaker say this, "It doesn't matter how much you do it (read to/with each child), it just matters that you do it."  I immediately sent a text to Blake telling him this.  The stat that was rattled off in this session said that increasing reading to/with a child by 5 minutes a day will increase reading success in that child's life.  That's awesome. Laptime counts.

I have a new love for Colorado.  

Fun memories.

Can't wait to go back and see this view!

By the way...

I came back to:

a clean house

a newly organized closet (the girls')

a happy husband

sleeping children

 

Thank you Chad for being the best husband ever!