Enjoying This Amazing Weather!!

We've been cooped up in the house so much between rain and cold, that this week has been a beautiful reprieve.  Over the weekend, my inlaws came up, with their pooch Boo, and we went to the park.  It makes me ready for summer break from school and time to enjoy my kids. 

A Momma's Weekend

Matt took the boys to Ohio to be with his parents for the weekend. I had plans to be with friends. It was *exactly* what I needed!!

Friday, after school, I joined a great group of my co-workers for dinner and a few drinks. We played darts and hung out and talked. I had a great time. I needed to be myself for awhile. Not a mom. Not a teacher. And I was smart and left at 10:30 when they were changing locations. I came home and slept all alone in my bed. Great night!

Saturday, I did a little shopping and got my hair done for a wedding in the afternoon. My date, Carp, came to the house, did my makeup and we took off for the ceremony. It was a traditional Masdonian wedding. BEAUTIFUL!! The reception was a lot of fun too! Two tables of co-workers and their spouses. There was a lot of traditional Masadonian dancing as well, but when they put on the songs we knew, we were on the dance floor. SO much fun! We were the last of our group to leave, but we had a great time.

Today, I've done my lesson plans for my kindergarten group, updated the newsletter for tomorrow and I'm getting ready to join a friend for lunch.

It's been a great, great weekend. But I'm ready to have my boys home tonight. I've missed them all. <3

Mother's Day

My day started with sleeping in. That's always a good thing. Followed by pancakes for breakfast. Then, as it has been for the last 6 years, Matt worked on Mother's Day.

I loaded up the boys and took them to church. It was a great sermon in our series "1 Month to Live". I'm really taking this in. It's something to really think about...

Anyway! Back to Mother's Day: Mostly, we just hung out and played. I enjoyed my boys and they were pretty good to me. Payton made up a paper at school with the 3 reasons he loves his mommy:

She works at my school.
She lets me have ice cream.
She lets me go to cooking class.

Not too bad, huh? I like that he sees things as a privilege, not a given. That's good right?

Maxwell made a bunch of tiny "circle dots" on a piece of paper and brought it to me saying "Happy Mother's Day!" At church he made a bouquet holder with a silk flower in it. It has his hand print on the outside too. Super cute!

To top it all off, Missy killed a baby bird in the backyard. I think that was her Mother's Day present to me.

I do miss seeing my mom, but I hear she had a great dinner with my dad and two of my three brothers were there too. And my mother in law, unfortunately, had none of her kids with her this year. I feel bad for her, but I know she understands. I hope they all called her at least!!

Lovin' Some Appreciation

Last week was National Teacher Appreciation Week.  Although I'm not a "real" teacher, I teach.  All day long.  And I was appreciated!

My leadership team provided us with breakfast and lunch and snack throughout the week.  The PTC provided us with some great meals and even let the students vote and create some awards. I won two by student vote: Most Organized and Always has an Encouraging Word.  I even got a few kind notes from some of my students and their families. Everything was wonderful and very special.  But the best thing I received was unsolicited and straight from the heart.

I was teaching some of my fifth grade students.  We were talking about next year and skills that they would really need in middle school.  One of the boys looked me right in the eyes and said "Mrs. Kobylak, why don't you teach in a classroom?"  I told him that I liked the library and I didn't go to college for teaching, but that I was planning on doing that soon.  The other five students who were listening to our conversation all chimed in and said things like "Yeah! You'd be a great class teacher!" and "I think you're really cool, Mrs. Kobylak!"


I know it was a week to remind teachers how much you love and appreciation all they do, but this was more than I expected.  It's great to know the kids like me and enjoy the time they spend with me.  It was the most special this I received this week.

The Grand Finale

It was a long, exhausting weekend, but it was so worth it. We hung out with old family, new family and friends. I'm so grateful for the people who come together twice a year to celebrate the birth of my children. It's not about the presents (which we can live without) or the cake (which we also could live without). It's about the people who love and care. Thank you those of you who came; or tried to come; or wanted to come but couldn't. We love you all.