Imagine. Innovate. Inspire. - Washington D.C.

Hi folks! If you're a regular here, you know that I uh….missed the whole month of November?! Sorry. Seems only appropriate that I sneak in a few minutes to post some fun updates. Stay tuned for those, the next few days.

November was a crazy month, but a great one! Pretty sure, besides seeing my parents (Thanks for coming to Bham!!!) and prepping our Thanksgiving meal, there was one event that stood out above the rest! The 2013 NAEYC Conference in Washington D.C.! 

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) puts on a HUGE annual conference every fall (bringing top of the line speakers, sessions, and the most up to date information on young children and early childhood education), and this year's conference was in the capitol! I was honored and privileged to have my work sponsor the trip for me this year. It's hard to completely put into words, but being at this conference is like being in another world for 2-3 days. A really, really great and fun world at that! Without going on and on for hours, let's just say there are over 500 sessions to choose from, a massive Expo Hall, lots of freebies, fun networking opportunities, maybe some singing and dancing (with complete strangers- Ha!), and lots of coffee!! This year was my 2nd trip to the annual conference and I was just, if not more, excited for it. I had the lovely opportunity to sit in on some wonderfully valuable and informative sessions on topics such as: Sensory Processing Disorders, Self-Regulation in Infants & Toddlers, Attention, and Farm to Preschool integration. Better yet, some of these sessions were presented by legendary and extremely prominent Early Childhood leaders and educators. I couldn't have been more thrilled to hear from Bodrova & Leong (their research and insight on preschool children and play is outstanding) and Dr. Becky Bailey (best known for the Conscious Discipline behavior strategy)! Gosh, I could go on for an hour…but I won't. Here are the highlights! (or at least the ones I have photos for.)

NAEYC Top 5!

1. Imagine. Innovate. Inspire. NAEYC 2013 Conference Session

2. The bag o' swag! This goody bag, rocks! All sorts of fun treats like school supplies, totes, books, etc.

3. The Expo Hall!

4. Playing with my food, and not getting in trouble for it! Exploring wheat berries and making butter…while singing of course! (picture that!)

5. Accidentally discovering the Chinatown area of D.C. on a lunch break. What a happy surprise!

Looks fun, right? There's more to come. I'll see you back here, soon! And for those friends interested in coming to NAEYC, let's make it happen! I'll meet you in DALLAS (EEEP!!) in 2014! 

Children's Books for Preschoolers: Halloween!

The Haunted Ghoul Bus by Lisa Trumbauer
This bus, is not the average school bus. It's the "haunted ghoul bus", filled with wacky, wild, and cool characters. A mummy for a driver? Monsters as passengers? What will they do when a little boy comes on board? This tale has quite the appeal with it's silly skeletons, bats, and pumpkins and a smooth-flowing rhyming text. Not even werewolves and witches can scare away readers! Much enjoyment is to be had when riding reading the Haunted Ghoul Bus! As a bonus activity, have children create their own Halloween character masks (monsters, witches, pumpkins, ghosts, bats, princesses, etc.) and then "board the bus" for a parade around the classroom, school, or even the house!

My Pumpkin by Lily Karr
Simple in content, but brilliant in character, My Pumpkin, delivers a fun experience for the younger preschool crowd. It serves as a great first introduction to Fall/Halloween activities such as pumpkin picking and carving, and dressing up in costumes. Little ones will love the sweet characters (monster, dinosaur, and dog, included), the bright colors, and the easy rhyming sounds in this adorable board book!

Monster Mash by David Catrow
"He did the mash, the monster mash! The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash." Singing yet? I hope so. We all remember this legendary song from Halloween parties past. Transformed into pictures and storybook pages, this tune now comes to life in a totally different way! Pages filled with crazy and fun illustrations will only further encourage the desire to dance along with all of the characters. What fun it would be to follow up a reading, with a monster-fied dance party to the one and only "Monster Mash"! This book could definitely be used to support music, movement, and literacy.

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A witch and her cat set out on a flying adventure through the night sky. When the wind blows away her hat and her wand, she must figure out how to find them. Much to her hesitation she finds three very helpful and kind animal friends who help her out. In trade for helping her, they would love to go for a ride on the broom. Follow along with the rest of the adventure as the witch develops new friendships, experiences the kindness of others, and learns that teamwork may not be so bad. Help emphasize to little ones that every one has a good quality to share. Be ready to read this entertaining tale over and over!

The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing
The classic "Night before Christmas..." poem is jazzed up a bit for this fun Halloween tale. Follow friendly monsters, goofy goblins, ghosts, and others as they prepare for a Halloween celebration. See what transpires when these silly characters find human children trick-or-treaters at their doorstep. This story provides fun on every page. It could easily be used as a special read leading up to a fun Halloween party, or as a an "I spy" recognition and vocabulary building literacy activity. Enjoy reading it with little ones, and look forward to their excitement as they see and explore all of the different costumes! As an extension activity for the story, have party materials and dress up costumes available for dramatic play use, and allow children to create and decorate their own Halloween party!

Fancy Nancy: Halloween or Bust! by Jane O'Connor
Another classic Fancy Nancy adventure, complete with costume creating, party decorating, and fabulous Halloween hoopla! Why not enjoy some sweet candy treats while you channel your inner "fancy" and join Nancy for a little fun?! She'll put a smile on everyone's faces.

Children's Books for Preschoolers: Pumpkins!

Let's not forget about Pumpkins! Their existence practically dominates the fall months and they make for very entertaining (and educational) stories!

The Legend of Spookely the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano
Spookely!! I just adore this sweet little square pumpkin! The legend teaches children that being different and being unique can be great characteristics. The pictures are fun and the story is lovely!

Oh My, Pumpkin Pie! by Charles Gighna
"Oh My" is right! Shapes, size, color, rhythm and rhyme...you'll find it all here! The fun illustrations carry the story, the rhyming almost plays out like a song. Little ones will have a blast pointing out things they recognize. A great story for encouraging literacy interactions!

A Pumpkin Prayer by Amy Parker
This board book story is just a little piece of precious. Simple in its content and almost quiet and sweet in sound, it is just a lovely little reminder of the beauty of fall and the beauty of God's love for each of us!

Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie. by Jill Esbaum
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin Pie follows its companion Apples for Everyone in the Picture the Seasons book series. It is also filled with beautiful and festive National Geographic images and contains plenty of interesting facts about pumpkins. Learn and read about pumpkin fields, how they grow, color, size, and even how they can be carved and used in cooking. Pumpkins are more than just a really large fruit; learn all about them through these pages. A great companion for any pumpkin activity!

Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins by Dianne Ochiltree
It's harvest time at the pumpkin patch in this thrilling tale. Help Sam catch his sixteen pumpkins as they try to make a get-away! A great story for combining both math and literacy lessons. Story illustrations support counting and number recognition skills, while rhyming text keeps the story active. No doubt, little ones will want to help Sam "chase down" and "gather" all of the pumpkins!

Ten Little Pumpkins (a Sing & Read storybook)
Lively and entertaining are the first things that come to mind when I think about Ten Little Pumpkins! Follow a group of children as they go on an adventure through the pumpkin patch and then as they turn their "ten" pumpkins into festive jack-o'-lanterns. Carve and count your way through this song and dance read! Great for little ones just learning to count!

Jeb Scarecrow's Pumpkin Patch by Jana Dillon
When crows try to wreck havoc on Jeb Scarecrow's pumpkin patch, he comes up with a plan to stop them. See how Jeb uses his creativity to scare away the crows (get it? hehe) and save the annual October Harvest celebration! Beautiful and detailed imagery are represented throughout the pages, as well. This story would be a great support for lessons on cognitive thinking concepts, such as pattern matching and creative problem solving. (On a side note: I have had this book since I was a little one, and I still love it! I manage to dig it out and read it at least once every fall!)

Pinkalicious and the Pink Pumpkin by Victoria Kahn
What's with all of the orange? Surely, pumpkins could use a little pink, right?! Pinkalicious is never quite satisfied with the ordinary things of life, thus her search for the perfect "pinkerrific" pumpkin. A fun, entertaining read with lift-the-flap features on almost every page. (I'm not always a fan of lift-the-flap books, but I do like this one!)

Look for a feature on Halloween-themed books later this month! Happy Pumpkin Pickin'...and Readin'!

Children's Books for Preschoolers: Apples!

I absolutely love FALL, and I absolutely love children's books! (I may have a small rather extensive collection of my own...that's been building for years!) Nonetheless, I have combined these two loves and have chosen some of my very favorite fall-time (specifically apple and pumpkin themed) preschool-aged books to share with y'all. They're great for activities in the classroom, or even just to read and explore at home with your little ones!

Let's begin with books about Apples!

Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum

Apples for Everyone, is filled with beautiful National Geographic images and contains an abundance of information about the "apple"; including history, traditions, different types, and even how they grow. Although loaded with information, it is still both very teachable and very accessible to little growing minds. A great companion for any apple activity!

 

Fall Apples Crisp and Juicy by Martha E. H. Rustad

Take a trip to the apple orchard with Fall Apples Crisp and Juicy! Little ones learn about how apples grow and how apples are used in cooking. Fun facts and fun images!

 

The Biggest Apple Ever by Steven Kroll

I love "The Biggest Ever" books, and The Biggest Apple Ever doesn't disappoint! Follow along as Clayton (town mouse) and Desmond (city mouse) compete to find the biggest apple in town for a back-to-school contest. Lessons about working together and friendship take this story beyond just another lesson on apples!

 

Fancy Nancy: Apples Galore! by Jane O'Connor

Is anyone surprised that there is a Fancy Nancy book on my list? No. On this adventure, Fancy Nancy and her classmates take a fall (one of the fanciest seasons!) field trip to the apple orchard. Follow along, as Nancy hunts for the perfect Gala apple (what a fancy name!). Also, see what happens when she is faced with making a decision about following the rules.  

 

Come back tomorrow for a review on my favorite pumpkin-themed books, and tune in next week for a special Halloween edition!

I've Been a Little Busy. Working!

It's official. I have a job...a professional career kind of job! WHOOOOHOOOO! This girl is the new Assistant Director of a Child Development Center in Birmingham! 

As I write this, I am realizing that I have had this job for exactly two weeks today! Time flies, doesn't it? It has been a whirlwind of a few weeks. Before I explain what I do, I should probably mention how quickly it came about. (well....sort of.)

There was a night about three weeks ago, where I was just "over" job-searching every single night at home. It gets exhausting...quickly. I had arrived at exhausted. It was then that I found myself expressing my frustrations (and my hopes) to the Lord, once again. At this point, I had had a really great interview with the Director of the CDC and had been told I would be called for a follow up interview with the Board of the CDC. Well, it had been over a month and I hadn't heard anything. The praying continued...even as my hands typed and sent an email to the Director. It couldn't hurt, right?

I received an email response the next day explaining that the process had been taking a while due to summer vacations, etc., and that I should hear something soon. She wasn't kidding. 

Two days later the Director called me to schedule my second interview. Yay! I hung up the phone, and then it hit me that the interview was a day and a half later?!

Fast forward to interview day, and let's just say that I was happy to be occupied with a bedroom renovation (appearing on the blog soon) that kept me busy for most of the day. After all, the interview with the board wasn't until 5:30 that evening! Torture, I tell you. 

Prepping for the interview included throwing on my cutest leopard print dress, a black cardi, some cute red heels, and praying the whole way there. 

The interview lasted about 45 minutes and went extremely well! (I thought so, anyways.) It was comfortable and easy, in the sense that I wasn't really nervous and was able to communicate my thoughts clearly. Towards the end I was told to expect to hear back in about a week. They had a few applicants to consider and would make their decision as soon as possible. Shwew. That part was over. I went home to fill roomie in on what had happened and continued on the with my evening feeling a sense of peace and confidence about the whole experience. 

What happened next was completely the work of the Lord. I was told to expect a week, and no joke...the Director called me back in LESS THAN 24 HOURS to offer me the position?!?!?! What?! I couldn't believe it! Pretty sure I was in shock and even shaking in awe and excitement all at the same time! I think I even asked if she was serious, over the phone?! Obviously, I said yes, and what was even better is that she was just as excited as I was! Surreal. This was a Thursday, and I started the following Monday! 

Can I also say, that the Lord has a sense of humor as well...
Out of all places to work at, who gets a job at a center that has not one but three butterflies in their logo AND butterflies in various areas all over the building?!?! This girl. It is SO not funny. I hate them all. Word is though, that the logo will be changing...that cannot happen soon enough! Anything, besides those horrifying creatures! Back to what I was saying...

The past two weeks have been a controlled crazy and I have been busy learning and working each and every day. A position as an Assistant Director of a child development center had always been one of my goals, after Graduate School. (Much of this due to an awesome Assistant Director that I had at my very first CDC job in college. My hope is to implement many of the things I learned from her, into my job now. She and the Director were such great inspirations and role models!) So, I am now actually getting to live out this goal/dream, and it's great! 

I have A LOT to do, and EVEN MORE to learn, and all in a very short amount of time. As an Assistant Director, some of my responsibilities include, staff scheduling, office work, scheduling field trips, planning extra activities, answering phone calls, handling paperwork, giving out medications, subbing in classrooms when needed, payroll, creating the newsletter, and taking a lovely stroll down to the bank every day. (Being in the heart of the city has its perks...a lovely walk in the fresh air and easy access to food trucks being a few of them!) That really is only some of the list! Not only do I have the day to day duties to perform, but I also have a great staff to get to know and to support! The Director and I get along beautifully, and I am so glad that we share both the stresses and the laughable moments of the job together every day. 

I love waking up in the morning and being excited about being at my job! It's not just an "oh, it's new" kind of joy, but an honest "I'm doing exactly what I want to be doing" kind of joy. I love what I do! I also adore loving on some children each and every day! They're the greatest!

I only have a few pictures to share, and this one is of my desk area in my half of the office. Let it be known that this was task numero uno my first day. Get my desk and office organized, and CUTE of course! I can't work in a messy, cluttered space. (Haha, that organization is still happening and it's now the end of week two...it has just spread to different areas of the building.) I can't help it! Every room should by organized, right?!

Yes, it all matches/goes together! People were so surprised by this. 

I even updated the cuteness of my office key ring...a little bling never hurts! 

in the front entry way (excuse the tousled papers)

Hallway

A really cool view from my work place. Hello, Downtown!

I find that I wake up every day feeling just as honored, humbled, privileged, and thankful to have this job as I did the day before! It doesn't bring me closer to friends and family back home, as many had hoped, but it is clearly where the Lord wants me to be at this point in my life. That's really all that matters! 

In the coming weeks, I will try to make sure to pass on great stories. Until then, you can find me wiping noses, giving meds, depositing checks, reading a book to a child, filing, and stealing pink lemonade from the kitchen. Yes, all at the same time of course! Did you even have to wonder?

Ponderings from a First-time Professor

As of today, I am about to complete my second week of teaching a Preschool Development course at the University of Alabama. Two weeks, already?! That means it is half over! (The course is a summer class that only lasts a little over 4 weeks). It is flying by. 

Some of the concerns or anxieties that I had before beginning this little adventure have disappeared. For instance, I'm not really as intimidated as I thought I would be. Additionally, the class is small in size which is conducive to many things, one of them being plenty of time to answer student questions and devote individual time to each one as needed. 

I haven't been a professor long, but I've learned quite a few things already!

1: I still have to study. 

Just because I am the teacher does not mean that I no longer have to study class material. In fact, I probably have to study it 10x more than the students. Being as I am the one relaying the information, I have to have a well-rounded and significantly detailed understanding of every concept that we discuss in class. (Just making notes for class lecture, can take hours.) If I can't communicate, then my students can't learn. If my students can't learn, then they can't pass. (It is safe to say from experience that I had just as much, if not more, test anxiety than my students before and during the first exam! Whether or not they did well would be a reflection of how well I am teaching. Eeeek. Good news is...they did pretty well on the exam!) Bottom line, I always need to know what I'm talking about. If I don't know, then I need to be able to express why that is the case. 

2: Be prepared. Be REALLY prepared.

As the teacher, it is my job to be able to a) teach the curriculum, and b) be able to answer student questions. Making sure that I am up to date on all knowledge concerning assignments, exams, and day-to-day class can be a little overwhelming sometimes. Thankfully, I have a brain that can't stand to be unorganized, especially in situations such as this one. It's a lot to be the professor, the grader, the question-answerer, the facilitator, the scheduler, and the accommodator. However, it is also quite exciting. That part about being REALLY prepared...those moments come when things like a lab orientation video decides to stop working halfway through, the projector decides it wants the day off, a student doesn't show up until week 2, and/or Blackboard decides that it doesn't like to work...barely ever! Things happen, and constantly having to be on my toes can be kind of a rush! It's exciting, in an odd sort of way.

3: I have a valid reason to wear cute outfits everyday!

Let's get this straight, I wore cute outfits during my time as a graduate student. However, as a professor, I get to "act" and "look" the part. It may be insignificant to some of you, especially to some who may have had to dress for their careers for years, but to this newbie, I'm loving every second of it. I've kind of even mentally challenged myself to wear a different outfit everyday of class for the entire 4 weeks?! So far, so good. And can I just say, the outfit for day one was killer! (Think black and white striped maxi dress, a lime green blazer, and a fantastic teal blue statement necklace!) A girl has got to look fabulous, right?!

4: Being the leader has its benefits.

One of the best things about taking on this role, has been the challenge that it provides. I have now studied psychology/sociology/child development/family studies for 5 years. Teaching this class is almost more of a test of my own knowledge than it is of my students' knowledge. I'm finally getting the chance to see if I really do know the things that I claim to know when it comes to child (specifically Preschool) development. It is most definitely one of those "practice what you preach" moments! Thankfully, for the most part I feel like I really do have a pretty good understanding of these areas. It's nice to hear people like my advisor say that I have a "really great foundational knowledge of child development", and that I can communicate it in a "very concise and clear manner". It is even nicer, though, to experience that and believe it for myself. 

5: It is still weird.

I am a teacher. No, I am a college professor. No longer a college student. The reality of this is still just a bit strange to wrap my head around. Good news is, that that is part of the novelty. By not being able to fully adjust to the idea in my mind, I think it has helped me really, truly live in the moment and enjoy the experience as it happens! 

6: I really do love Child Development!
Children truly are fascinating little creatures! It's a privilege to get to talk about ALL the ways in which they grow!

Here's to hoping that I am able to finish well! The Lord has provided me with the opportunity, and it is my goal to bring him the glory and the thanks by doing the best that I can. Hopefully, at the end, this will be the case!

"The Project"

"The Project". Many people know it by its normal title, "thesis". However, if I say or hear the word thesis one more time, I may just scream. After 4 semesters, an unthinkable amount of hours, days, months, and almost two years of work, this thing is almost finished!!! There are no words for how good, amazing , awesome, surprising, and relieving it feels to be at this point! Let me explain. 

When I enrolled into the Master's program at the University of Alabama, I knew that a thesis was required for the completion of my degree. A thesis, meaning a very detailed and very long attempt at creating, designing, implementing, summarizing, and explaining a research project. When I became a graduate student, I became a researcher. Let it be said, that "Researcher" is not and will never be my choice occupation. However, researcher and student have both been my occupation for the past almost 2 years. 

Thesis & Graduate School FAQs:

Q. What do you do?

A. I've met a fair share of new people and friends over the past several months, and this has been a very common question. My response? I'm Kelly, I am in graduate school at Alabama. I'm getting my Master's in Human Development & Family Studies. I work for a professor in my department as a graduate research/teaching assistant (i.e., I graded a million projects, kept attendance records for hundreds of students, and participated in research.) 

Q. What is graduate school like?

A. According to my experience, g-school is challenging and stressful. Not all of it, but a lot of it. For my program I needed 32 credit hours of classes and at least 6 credit hours of required thesis research. The classes were alright, with the exception of two stats courses. Wah, wah. Those are self-explanatory. Additionally, graduate school would probably be complete torture without buddies to share it with. I had some awesome grad companions and dear friends through the entire process! 

Q. You're doing a thesis. What is that? What are you doing it on?

A. A thesis is basically a very intensive research project. The process begins by developing an idea or an interest in study something particular, and then designing a study around it. The process goes as follows: idea and hypotheses, research (reading a bazillion research articles), writing a literature review and a proposal, forming a research committee, proposal meeting with the committee (approval for project), IRB (Instutional Review Board) project submission, IRB approval, conduct research and collect data, enter and analyze Data, finish paper, and finally a thesis defense meeting with the committee. (There are many, many more finite details that go into the process, but this is the gist of what happens.) My thesis project is on Preschool Children, Children's Literacy & Literature, and Dramatic Play. 

Q. Why study play and literacy in preschool children? Why is it important?

A. 
- Play and literacy are two of the greatest influences to children's social and cognitive growth.
     
- Play is essential to learning. Research shows that children, who engage in play, benefit in areas such as developing social interaction, exposure to literacy, abstract thought. 

- Play has purpose. That purpose being to allow children to form connections between their own actions and realizations, and the objects to which they give significant meaning. 

- Dramatic play is a form of play that may be encouraged through emerging literacy and helps children give meaning to events that they experience in their daily lives. 

- Dramatic play facilitates children's ability to improve and acquire literacy schemes and language skills, such as labeling through abstract thought, role assignment, developing conversation skills, vocabulary growth and imaginative story-telling. 

-Imaginative and make-believe play are concepts that develop gradually as children grow. 

Because of these things, I find that I have a huge interest in learning more about how young children play, learn, and grow. 

Q. What does your project look like?

A. I recruited preschool children (via parental consent) ages 3-5 years old, their parents, and their classroom teachers. 

Q. What were you looking at in your study?

A. The idea was to present children in preschool classrooms with a story and incorporate the use of props into the storytelling. I ended up conducting the study in four rooms, thus two classrooms were in the control group (story w/out props) and two classrooms were in the experimental group (story w/ props). The control group listened to the story without the use of props throughout the story. The experimental group listened to the story and were engaged with the use of story props and and interactions with the story-teller. The children in each group were then videotaped for 10 minutes as they played in dramatic play/home living area with the props from the story. They were filmed in small groups within their classrooms. After the 10 minutes of play, each child participated in a child interview with the research team. The play videos were eventually coded on a Make-Believe play scale that divided play into several different skill areas. I used Roles, Props, Language and Scenarios as my four categories on this scale. The Child Interviews were used as a measurement for memory and comprehension of the story. Teachers were asked to fill out a survey called Literature Exposure in the Classroom. Parents were asked to fill out a very similar survey called Literature Exposure in the Home. 

All of these things were the methods in which I chose to collect data and information that would help me answer the hypotheses (research questions) I had established. I had four of these hypotheses:

1) Children who are read a story that includes props will show more advanced make-believe play than children in the story telling condition without props. 

2) Children in the story telling condition with props will display greater memory for the story and greater comprehension than the children in the story only condition.

3) Irrespective of condition, greater literacy exposure at home will positively correlate with more complex make-believe play.

4) Irrespective of condition, greater literacy exposure in the classroom will positively correlate with more complex make-believe play. 

Q. What did you find?

A. The main finding in the study revealed that, children in the prop condition used more story language to describe their roles in action than children in the control group. Gender differences analyses revealed that parents reported girls to be more engaged in literacy exposure at home, as well as using more imagination. These were not all of the findings, but they were the most significant. 

Q. How can the information from your study be used?

A. Both parents and teachers may want to use the tools and findings presented in this study as a way of assessing their interactions with their children, their understanding of how children play and learn, as well as how they can be more informed facilitators of positive play and literacy relationships. 

Q. You're finished with your thesis. That's great! What's next for you?

A. Two things. 1) I have completed my thesis paper/project (all 43 pages of it). However, I still have to defend my thesis to my committee. This means I will have to explain my study, specifically the methods and results, and answer any questions or challenges they throw my way. That's why it is called a defense...I'm literally having to defend my work and its contribution to child development and to the world. My thesis defense is set for June 11th. 2) I have the crazy and unexpected opportunity to teach an undergraduate class for a summer session at UA. I'll be teaching Preschool Development for four weeks....starting TUESDAY! EEP! I'm excited and a little intimidated all at the same time. Thankfully, I'm pretty confident that I will be able to communicate the information well, as I have such a deep passion for child development, and more specifically the preschool ages. It will definitely be a challenge and an adventure!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hopefully, this helps explain the craziness of my life over the past year and a half, or so. This project has literally been consuming and completely exhausting. It is why I haven't read a book in over 6 months...why I haven't been able to do anything besides shower, sleep, write, and grab quick meals over the past few months. Thankfully, the end is so near I can taste it...surely it tastes similar to a Peanut Butter Cup cupcake...or even a Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper! It's got to, right? So as I come to the end I am reflecting on what has taken place and dreaming of the future! Am I thankful for the experience? Did I enjoy graduate school? Bits and pieces of it. Some parts more than others. (Some parts WAY more than others.) However, I do know that the Lord provided in many ways before, during, and now after the process in many ways. I am very thankful for his sufficiency and his provision. I am also so incredibly thankful for and blessed by the many friends and family members that have been supportive throughout the whole experience!!! I couldn't have done it without all of you!

The stack of books to read that have been collecting in my office...

As for right now....

I am enjoying having my bestest most favorite roomie in the history of ever back from 7 weeks of flight attendant training! (even if it is only for a few days!) It's been a challenging seven weeks for both of us, and it's nice to be back in the normal swing of things. I am also relearning what it feels like to have time to enjoy life and do fun things. The reality of entering into the real world will hit in the next few months, and honestly...I will be welcoming it with open arms!

Bri's Flight Attendant graduation in Atlanta!

Children's Book Week! - 2013

It's National Children's Book Week! 

(May 13 - 19, 2013)

Y'all, I couldn't be more excited about this! Children's Book Week ranks right up there with Month of the Young Child and National Cupcake Day! So. Much. FUN!

In honor of this fantastic event, I wanted to share 10 of my very, very favorite children's books! 

Let's be real for a second....I have like a billion favorites. Hence, the small library collection I have here at home!

As you can see, I couldn't narrow it down to 10 so...here are 12 of my favorites!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Row 1:
Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae
Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
Cupcake by Charise Mericle Harper 
How Do You Hug a Porcupine? by Laurie Isop

Row 2:
Warthogs in the Kitchen by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear by Michael Hague
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor

Row 3:
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Jamberry by Bruce Degen 
I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn

Just call me "Professor"

Just call me "Professor"....on second though maybe not. How about "Instructor", or perhaps just "teacher". It is so very odd considering my soon to be title, as I never in a million years imagined that I would ever teach a college undergrad course?! Much less, a college course of any kind. What?! Yep, that's right. I am soon to be an instructor for an undergraduate preschool development course for the summer term at UA. It will be my job to cover quite an expanse of preschool aged development in just a mere 4 1/2 week course. Normally, students are told to buckle up! However, that advice applies to me this time as well. (deep breath)

I mean...I don't even really know what to say about it. I'm excited. I'm honored to have been recommended for the position! I am, frankly, somewhat frightened and intimated. However, this opportunity is not one that I feel I should pass up. What more of a reason than because it will be a challenge, and hopefully a fun one at that! I'm looking forward to looking over the course curriculum and seeing what little personal touches I can add to it here and there. I mean it's preschool development we're talking about here. Could there be a better topic for me to discuss? 

While I fully intend to review and teach the course content, I hope to infuse a little fun and creativity into the course as well. That's only natural. The preschool years don't happen without fun and creativity! 

Wish me luck! I'm off to find a briefcase and some #2 pencils. 

Ha. Ha. Just kidding! Would I be caught with a briefcase? It's not really my style. Now a Vera Bradley work tote I might could handle! :)

Latest Finds: Infant Books

I've recently come across some really good deals on books. To be more specific, books about or for infants. I'm not sure if I spy them because they are books about child development, or if it's because I just happen to be taking an Infant Development class this semester? I'm going to go with BOTH! Without further ado, here are my latest finds:

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You Raising Your Child: The Owner's Manuel from First Breath to First Grade

Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M. D. (2010)

You Raising Your Child addresses everything from infant health issues, to parenting, to emotional and intellectual development, to early education and proper nutrition. In my brain that translates into 450+ pages of fun! I'm excited to have added this resource to my collection! As for the really good deal? Well, I snagged my copy at Garden Ridge for a whopping $3.99! Score! If you're interested, you can find a copy here. 

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amazing baby

Desmond Morris (2008)

Amazing Baby takes the reader through the first two years of life. The content includes the biology and anatomy of the body, physical development event markers, information on behavior, personality development, how babies grow and much more. My favorite part of this book has got to me the photography and images. They are full page and beautiful! I snatched up a copy at Barnes & Noble for $7.98! Yay! If you're interested, you can find a copy here.

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Me Baby, You Baby

Ashley Wolff (2004)

Me Baby, You Baby is one of those books you know you're going to love before you even open it. Reading through the pages, I can just picture the day I get to read this story to my own child before nap time, or anytime for that matter. The story if full of rhyming phrases and beautiful illustrations. It follows the journey of a two mothers and their infants through their everyday world including a trip to the zoo. A good tool to encourage identification and recognition skills, rhyming, and the joy of being together. The words just kind of float like a melody as you read them. This one is a really enjoyable read! Believe it or not, I found my copy at Winn Dixie (yep, the grocery store) for $5! Whoop! If you're interested, you can find a copy here.

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I know that these are not new 2013 books, but they are new to me! Each of them cool in their own way. Enjoy!