Graduation Party Ideas

Tom graduated Medical School, so clearly we needed to celebrate BIG TIME! I also finished my Masters degree this past year, so we opted for a double graduation party. I really wanted to enjoy the opportunity to be creative and make it special. I love being crafty, but often lack the time. So...I was ultra-prepared. The party was earlier in June, but I started crafting in February, so I wasn't stressed at the last minute, well, at least with the stuff that could be done in advance! :)

Here are a few ways I included both a Medical School Graduation theme and a Reading Specialist Masters degree [say that five times!] theme into one {fabulous} party:

Welcome to the Party!

Wreath with graduation pictures

                                 [yarn wrapped wreath + cardstock + pictures + scrapbooking letters]

Mantel filled with Graduation Memories and Banner

Pinterest-inspired quotes and inspirational sayings banner

Pencil and alphabet vase 

 [2 boxes of pencils + actual teacher alphabet desk strips + washed out veggie can + lots of hot glue]

A dressed up card box

                                             [I had an "extra" mailbox. I may be a *bit* of a hoarder.]

Special drink coozies for the grads

                                     [Dollar bin at Jo Ann Fabric + scrapbooking letters]

Scrub shirt cookies for dessert

Large and small versions

     [Recipe for the cookie found here: Authentic Suburban Gourmet; Recipe for the icing found here: AllRecipes; "Gourmet Writer" edible marker bought at Hobby Lobby; cookie cutters found locally]

Alphabet and school supply cupcakes

My amazing mom made this great teacher themed table runner...

and tablecloth for the drink table!

And you can't leave without a party favor!

A prescription from the Dr.!

[purchased empty pill bottles + Avery labels from Wal-Mart + a color printer + a little creativity

 + lots of different "prescription-y fonts]

We had a wonderful turn out and a fabulous time celebrating with friends and family. It was a treat to have everyone who supported us through the past years in one place to celebrate. I'm so glad I did all the detail work ahead of time, because cleaning our house and setting up was enough work the week of! And, making those cookies!! [Seriously, it took 2 days, or the equivalent of watching 5 seasons of the Office.]

Beautiful Interruptions

I am a planner and when you have a plan and a type A personality, you simply don't want anything to interrupt it. I find that sometimes I am so linked to the plans in life, that I am missing out on the unplanned, the surprises, the life that happens in-between and instead and in the interruption. This week I have been blessed with two beautiful interruptions. Twice this week I received phone calls from far-away (but very dear) friends. Each time I looked at my phone, and in that instant my planning brain said:

You don't have time!
You'll be late!
What about ____ that you were going to accomplish this morning?
This is not in the plan!
You aren't being productive!

But, after my unfortunate pause, I answered my phone. And each time it was the most beautiful interruption. Each time I was blessed with selflessness, friends calling to see how I was doing, what I was struggling with, what I needed from them. And there I had been--selfish enough to think about dismissing their call, because it wasn't the best time for ME.

So, my goal is to look for and seek out and accept and answer the beautiful interruptions that life provides. I know that I'm missing so many of them and I can't wait to see what life has to offer me when I'm willing to be interrupted. And willing to put aside my plan and accept the one that God has given me.

Getting Old

I'm 28, and my birthday is a few months away. I thought my life would look a bit different when I turned 29, and that's okay. But what I think is interesting is how I used to LOVE my birthday and I have to admit, I'm not quite as excited about this one. Once I hit 29, then it is the big 3-0. Scary. I used to think 30 was old. Hmmm.

This AMAZING video talks about being 32, and is a parady of Taylor Swift's song "22." It's awesome. Watch it, you won't be disappointed!

You're welcome. My 28 looks an awful lot like her 32. What about you?

Summer Bucket List

Each summer I make a list of all my to-do's of what I need and should accomplish for the summer. Sometimes most of the time I don't finish everything. For a to-do-list-loving-person like me, that calls for some serious disappointment, but I try to not get toO hung up on it. My list usually morphs as the summer goes and items come up or disappear. What is on my list this summer?

Summer Bucket List:

 Make a special memory gift for my niece's 18^th birthday
Paint back door blue
Lose 10 pounds...aka work out and eat healthy
 Watch all 9 seasons of The Office
 See The Great Gatsby at the movie theater  Just saw it today, it was fabulous!

 Scrapbook/make photo albums for:

o  Yellowstone Vacacation (3 years ago)

o  DR vacation (2 years ago)

o  Pictures from our House (home improvement projects, etc.)

 See The Bling Ring 

 Go to the zoo
 Organize the basement

 Simplify clothes

 Read 3 books:

               o  Finish Sense and Sensibilty

               o  Memoir I ordered: Waiting For Daisy

               o  the first Harry Potter book (I've never read them!)

 Go to a [free] concert: Josh Turner

   

     I counted yesterday that I have 8 weeks left of summer...it goes so fast! Hopefully I can do all this, and more!  

Already Reminiscing

Yes. I'm back to reminisce about my students whom I miss. Already. You would too if you knew how cute and smart and sweet and kind and creative they are!!

We made this video during the last of school together. It's a "brain break" or, I heard recently, a "Brain Booster", which really is a more accurate description. Each day we take a few minutes as we transition from Language Arts to Math to move--get energy out, wake up a bit, get our minds going--and then quickly settle back down into our work. It works like a charm! I had a very energetic group this year, and they truly benefited from our brain breaks. In fact, if we skipped it on accident, we all felt it! Plus, it promotes being active and healthy! Bonus!

They each had an opportunity to choreograph their own dance move. Then, we learned everyone's move and performed. It was the best day! 

Enjoy!

Out with the old, In with the new!

As you saw from my previous post, something new is coming my way! A new job! It was definitely not expected, as I actually turned down this same job a few months ago. But, timing is everything, and this time, when I received a phone call encouraging me to apply, the timing was right. I received that call on a Wednesday evening and thought and prayed about it all night. Thursday I applied for the job, Friday I interviewed, and on Monday I accepted a call from Human Resources. So, what will I be doing?!

Next year I will be a Reading Intervention teacher, which means I'll teach reading to those students who are struggling (think: lowest 20%) in grades K-5. I'll actually be working at two schools, which means traveling mid day each day to another school. That's the reason I initially wasn't interested in the job, but I think traveling between two schools, although stressful at times, will be nice. New perspectives, new ideas, new people...and I'll see the outside world each day! The sun?! What's that!?

Knowing that I left the classroom (maybe forever!) a few weeks ago made for a emotional roller coaster, much less leaving my most amazing teammate and friend Danielle, AND knowing I'm *kind of* leaving my school, since I'll only be there part-time. Whew, it is a miracle I made it through the end of the year. That also explains my blogging disappearance. Packing up 6 years of classroom teaching + report cards + emotional goodbyes + the regular end of year stress = a very overwhelmed and exhausted teacher.

So, I leave you with another thought I'm hanging onto as I begin this new journey.

I'm excited as a think about what the fall will bring. I'm not sure when it will set in that I'm not going back to the classroom, or my "regular" job, we'll see. In the meantime, I'm not stressing about the next school year, I'm just soaking up summer.