big news.

{thanks brett l!}

1) I am now Mrs. Hopper {it's day 9!!}

2)  I am teaching 1st grade next year

more about our perfect wedding day, arizona reception, and Bahamian cruise 

friends of lauren hopper--your secret's out.  welcome!

bored. at school?

to start...  a picture from erin's wedding.  isn't she such a beautiful bride?!?!  photo credits to andrea filio.


i have never been bored at school before. normally i have SO much to do and catch up on that i barely have time to breathe!


well, i am leaving right after school today.  in 1 hour.  for the airport with my love.  so we can catch a plane to long beach municipal airport. so my dad can pick us up at 6.35 pm (actually after we get our bags). so we can get things set up the next few days for our wedding!!!  in just 3 days!!!

OUR WEDDING IS IN 3 DAYS!!

so i'm bored because i have the next 7 school days COMPLETELY planned.  papers copied.  examples done.  explicit lesson plans.  that's pretty much never happened.  and for once, i won't be going day to day or even hour to hour.  instead, i will be laying on the beach with my husband in the bahamas.


i told my kids this is the last time they will see me as miss kendrick.  they're all super excited for our wedding but even more excited to call me mrs. hopper for the last week of school.  and since it was the last time they would be seeing me as miss kendrick, i let the whole class stay in and eat lunch with me instead of the usual 1 table on fridays.  they clapped and were soooo excited.  i'm such a good teacher. (and completely humble, i know.  but wait...refer to the above statements of never being this planned and going hour to hour.  yeah, not that great.)

sub plans: i hate you.

yesterday was no bueno.  no one likes to be at the school past 3.15 pm on a friday.  well, how about 6 pm? i don't even stay that late any other day of the week.  i take my things home and work on them.


alas, i have 7 days of sub plans to do. 7 days, people.  that's pretty much a teacher's worst nightmare.  if you think about how long it takes me to do 1 day--a good 2 hours, plus preparing and setting things up for the sub, it's like 3 hours at least.  okay, times that by 7.  that is 21 hours.  i've already put in a solid 10 hours on these bad boys.  and call me a bad teacher, but i pretty much worked throughout the half school day yesterday on them. but before you think i'm too bad, they were working independently on their centers, and they did an art project, and they earned their "special activity"/end of testing/seis de mayo chips and salsa and a movie party.  so, it was only like 2.5 hours, really.


on the plus side, i have never been more prepared this far in advanced.  i have the next 2 weeks completely planned--worksheets ran, overheads made, powerpoints made, it's great.  okay, well i still need to do all of my set up and typing up of my lesson plans for my sub, who is one of the best.


but why 7 days? 


oh maybe because i am getting married in 1 week!!!!!!!
but we are leaving on a jet plane in 4 days!!!!
and then we will be in the bahamas for 5 days...nbd.  

and this is the photo that was in our wedding announcement.  thanks to b&l hopper.

so sub plans?


YOU ARE TOTALLY WORTH IT.
actually, it's steven that is totally worth it.

teacher appreciation week.

um, love this week. 
nice lunches.
treats in my box {which have been added to my "candy" closet.}

this was on my door monday morning.

the present opened up and there were all these cute sayings!

hopefully, you can click on the picture then zoom in to read them.  some are pretty funny.

and today one of my little girls walked in with a little gift bag for me.  and in that little gift bag was a little gift card.  and that little gift card was $25 to nordstrom.

UM, hello thank you!

and then during our lunch drawing, i got a lovely book, "the joy of gardening." and 2 free meals to in n out. i'm sure steven will enjoy those.

***

i am just SO happy right now.

duh.

i'm getting married in 15 days!!!!

2 weeks from tomorrow!!!!

kids are funny. and a good quote.

in the morning the kids come in and put the things away and get right to work on their brain book.


so, i am sitting at the back table going through the homework folders.  one of my little boys walks back to the trash can to sharpen his pencil.  he then says, 

"i used to have 2 goats.  one got hung over at sally's house.  one...i don't know what happened to him, but i think he froze."

***

one of my girls has been "banished" to the corner.  she has a really hard time not talking. being in the corner isn't really helping too well, though.  it's a problem.

so yesterday was her first day in banishment.  at the end of the day, she had a sign taped to her desk that said,

"{girl's} propity.  peaple that can come in mikalei, sally, joel, miranda, me,"

[and then the bell rang.]

well...at least she did the right apostrophe s.

***

in other news...

despite the fact that i've been sleeping on emily's couch cushion's on her floor, and the fact that her shower broke sunday morning and i had to shower at the gym this morning, and the fact that i barely get to the gym anymore and there are too many causes of celebration {i.e. my graduation / upcoming marriage}...

i am getting married in

18 days.

yeah.

18 days!!!

everyday i wish i could close my eyes and wake up and it be 11 am may 14th.
because that's the time we are being sealed in the newport beach temple.

“The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment.”


~Elder Richard G. Scott
{read full article here}

e + m wedding.

 yes, that is a zebra.

on our way to ca for e + m wedding, we stopped for a little potty break somewhere not to far from provo (maybe like 2 hours away or so, i don't remember.)

the gas station had this little petting zoo.

we were driving away and saw a little zebra pony.

in utah.

40 degrees.

40 degree utah verse the 100 degree african savanna?

yeah, i didn't think there was much difference either.

here was a little wedding gift from miss kendrick's class to e + m.

marriage advice.

HILARIOUS.

e + m have all of the cards (of course) but i do remember some parts of some.

"and when she is having a baby, don't frereek."

"mike don't get a beard and ware a tux. erin don't forget to wear a dress."

"give your kids good names.  mike get a good job.  live by a beach. go on vacations. don't get a beard. don't go bald."

"don't get a divorce. never. ok"

"kiss a lot."

"mike, buy her flowers everyday. erin, take him to soccer games everyday."

"don't be nervous.  i get nervous too. if you want to send a letter back here is my address..."

"don't have a nvtro baby."

{that's the petri dish kid / tummy tuck mommy.}

there were lots of congratulations. lots of "don't get a divorce, never." lots of "don't be nervous."

i wish i had e+m left them here while they were on their honeymoon! they are hilarious. 

****

time for the temple with mom.

and then more decoration shopping and planning and putting together.

petri baby

yesterday i was reading aloud to the class "mammals: true or false?"  it's this neat little book with questions/statements that give the answer and explanation after.


so we read the page, "most mammals are born alive. true or false?"  


they answer, "TRUE!"  


the answer said, "true! almost all mammals give birth to live babies." and we read the little explanation and it said that they grow inside their mother and lalala.


then one of my kids says, "not me!  i was made in a petri dish and then put inside my mom!"


it took every part of my being to not bust out laughing.  it was hilarious.  
this is the same boy that told me 2 weeks ago that his mother was going to get a tummy tuck and some other procedure (i can't remember).  a few days later, he told me his dad was coming to parent teacher conferences instead of his mom because she was having surgery, i asked him, "oh why is your mom getting surgery?" (because in 2nd grade you can get away with asking questions like that). he responded with a deer in headlights look. and i said, "oh you can't say. that's okay!  i hope everything goes well!" 
(yes, this is also the boy that had half his body weight in his head when he was a baby and had to roll down the hall.) 

it had to happen sometime.  and it was today.


a kid threw up in class. 9.15 am.  no warning.  we were just reading a story--i was reading, they were following along in their books at their desks.  then, "she just threw up."  and i looked.  and i saw.  and i buzzed the office.  and i walked "she" to the office--all chunky and smelly.


and i still love my job.


59 days. yes, we're in the 50's!

dr. seuss day!

today is dr. seuss day!!

possibly one of my favorite days ever, and for these reasons:

1) i didn't teach any lessons.

2) i read a lot to the class. my favorite.

3) it was quiet {for the most part} during the read-a-thon.

4) my kids were so dang excited and so dang cute!

5) the kids wore their pjs, brought pillows, blankets, and snacks.  i wore my loungey / yoga gear.

6) i am still the best teacher ever--even more than before.

7) "today was the best day ever!!"

"i thought halloween was, then thanksgiving day, then christmas, then valentines day, then the 100th day of school!"

"yeah but this is the best day ever, miss kendrick!! you make everyday the best day ever!! even the boring days you make the best day ever!!"

{yes, that was from my super excited about everything miranda.  she gave me like 4 hugs today. and she told me how her little brothers are "so jealous" that she gets to school.  to which i replied, "well, if i had a teacher like yours then i would be super jealous, too!!"}

we made these on monday.

aren't they adorable?

i had those hat and bowtie patterns for them to decorate and cut out, but i didn't know what to do with them!! but 10 minutes before they got back from the library, i figured it out!  and aren't they just the sweetest?

they we pretty much freaking out that the desks were pushed to the side.

note to teachers everywhere:

{if you haven't figured this out yet, then you need to.}

if you give your kids a snack, they will love you forever.

our dr. seuss day snack? pretzels and m&ms (no, not pretzel m&ms, em.  just pretzels & m&ms.)

blondie here has some difficulties reading.  so little brownie here read "hop on pop" to her!  now, there wasn't any talking, but he isn't such a great reader, but this book he can totally own.  and little blondie couldn't read it on her own, so i just had to let it slide!  and they were being quiet (surprise).

there is miss excited herself in the pink.  can't you just see that excitement?

funny things at school today

i got this note:


                                    March 1 2011
Dear Miss Kendrik


   I like you.  You are nice.  I like to be whith you congagulashins on you geting ingajd.


Yor frend




Some of my students have more trouble spelling words (or looking around the room and copying them down) than others.  That's okay.  It still brightens my day!!!


And at recess...


Miss Kendrick, Justyn is burning a leaf!!


What?


Yeah, it's on fire!!


So, I walk over there.  Lo and behold, Justyn is crouched in the corner with a magnifying glass and is burning a leaf!!  I took the magnifying glass away and said, "What are you doing?  That is not a good choice.  And it really wouldn't be a good choice when the school was on fire."


And then he sulked in the corner the rest of recess.  Oh kids.

today was a big day

yeah, you thought getting engaged was a big day.

or realizing you are in love.

or your wedding day (t - 75 days, well, at the time of me writing this at 7.20 pm on monday night, it's actually t - 74.5 days, not that we're counting or anything)

today was even bigger than all of that.

today,

at 7.30 am,

i,

heidi marie kendrick,

soon to be heidi hopper {isn't that so cute?!}

turned      in       my     TEACHER WORK SAMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am so happy.

i think steven is even happier than i am.

we are celebrating with...you guessed it...GOLDEN SPOON!

also, i ran outside in utah for the first time since november.  i ran outside everyday last year {okay, minus the sabbath and a select few other days}.  through rain and blizzards and freeezing weather.  all for that marathon.  oh, i loved that day.  

also, also, a student in my class got a ticket today.  tickets are bad.  just like tickets from cops are bad.  at least i wasn't the one that gave it out.  i am kind of glad this particular student earned this ticket.  yes, earned.  that's where physical violence and lying to the principal and blaming other students get you.  maybe things in the classroom will be a little better.  my poor new boy asked to move tables from this particular student after 10 minutes!

other events and happenings:

i'm getting married!

and going to the bahamas in 76 days.

and erin is getting married in 40 days!!

erin and i took this with my dad after i got engaged last sunday.

poor daddy.  he loves it.  and he loves steven and mike, so it's all good.

but that salt 'n peppa {not the rapper chicks} hair is turning more and more salty.

it used to be black.  and then he had erin.  then me.  then emily.  then dana.  and with each girl that popped out of the oven, it got more and more salty.

i loooooove my paparupa!

lots of things. please read.

in this post you will find:

1) more pictures of the proposal.

2) my kiddos reaction to my engagement.

3) some thoughts i'm having.

{one}

here are some pre-proposal pictures steven and i took while flying kites.  sorry, while he were flying and i was trying.

loooooove where i live.

{or where my family lives and i used to live.}

3 minutes pre-proposal.

{two}

i started off tuesday morning with some pictures of my weekend.

"just because it was so fun and so beautiful and i was flying kites!"

and then came the picture with steven on his knee.

"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!"

"i knew it!!"

no, you knew that steven and i were going to get married {thanks tedi for spilling the beans to miranda who gets so overly excited about everything. it was pretty hilarious.  she told everyone in our class during the inside recess. and that was about 3 weeks ago!}

after my announcement, my kids asked me a few questions.  one was, "what is steven's last name?"

"hopper."

"there's a heidi hopper in my book!  see?"

i'm already famous.

so on tuesday, i left the classroom to use the restroom right before cleaning up for lunch.  right before i left, miranda and joey asked to borrow my stapler. so i gave it to them and ran out before wetting my pants. {sometimes you just gotta hold it while you teach. and for some people, that is a potential disaster.}

i walked back into the classroom to, "she's here!"

miranda, amanda, ashleigh, justyn, jacob, and joey presented this book for me.

i found out later that it's my wedding gift. i said, "how about you make a sequel for my wedding and this can be my engagement gift."  {it's just too hilarious to not ask for another one.}

My rabbit

dedicated to Miss Kendrick

My rabbit's name is Hopper

like your last name will be.

My rabbit is my best friend.

My rabbit loves carrots.

My rabbit is beautiful.

I love my rabbit.

{yes, that is a heart with rabbit ears.}

how precious is that?  i will treasure that forever.  it is hilarious.

all day tuesday miranda hugged me and told me she loved me.  she also asked to look at my ring like 6 times!

today...

i got an email with a link to erin and mike's wedding/engagement website

{should steven and i make one?}

and clicked it during recess. mikalei and i looked at it for a minute.  and i said,"that's her fiance, mike."

"can i see what your fantaste (fan-tas-tay) looks like?"

"fiance?"

that's the best pronunciation of fiance i've ever heard.

my kids are SO thrilled.  all week during rotations and music and pe and computers, they told the other teachers.  

{three}

i have been SO incredibly blessed lately.

everything is working out so wonderfully.

erin and mike are getting married in 43 days!

steven and i are getting married in 78 days!

my mom is coming up in 6 days!

i am really tired.

i would rather wake up at 5 am to go to the gym before school than go after school any day, but sometimes i just get so tired.

i need to pick some chapter books for my kids to read in their reading groups.

my teacher work sample is 93% complete. i only need to assemble everything, which i will do tomorrow. and theeeeen...7.30 am on monday i will turn that sucker in.  and i will be done with it. so, completely done with it.

i'm getting married.

to my love.

i always say this to steven: steven. we're getting married!

and he always says: i know!

we're in love.

so in love.