A Busy Week

Last week was our first full week home this summer and were we ever busy! Nate did another science camp this week with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders and I was his assistant again. The camp was Monday through Friday for two hours in the morning. The kids made gak, tested for fat in foods, made ice cream, tie dyed, and made bottle rockets. We were even able to go to the planetarium. It was so much fun working with Nate and seeing the kids get excited about science. I hope to use some of the things we did this week during my science time this year.

What in the world are these kids doing laying on the floor? Well they are shooting their straw rockets. We had so much fun making rockets. The fun began when we were able to go in the hallway and see whose rocket flew the farthest and highest.

Nate and I also made our own shirts to wear the last day of science camp. After we made our shirts we had to rinse all of the kids shirts and wash them. We thought it would be easier for us to do it rather than the parents. The parents really appreciated it too!

The magnificent shirts! They turned out very cool and the kids were so excited to wear them on the last day! Nate and I were pretty excited to wear ours also. You can see our excitement in the picture below!

After a busy morning with the young science campers, Nate ventured over to the high school for football camp. He worked with the middle schoolers and the high schoolers. He came home every night excited and happy. He loves football and seems excited about his 8th grade team this year. I enjoy football season too because I get to spend some extra time with my best friend Darcie and her two cute girls. Her husband Rich coaches with Nate. We love watching our men working with their team. They are fantastic coaches and we just love being coaches wives!

So what did I do while Nate was off doing football stuff? Well, I went to Shar's pool with some friends and my sister of course. Jaime, my mom, and I were even able to spend some time with Grace and Joy while Darcie went to a meeting. We had so much fun playing with the girls. Grace talked the whole time. She talks about a mile a minute and just goes on and on and on. I think she gets it from her mom! Joy is just adorable. She just wanders around and watches what everyone does. We decided to play hide-and-seek with the girls. Jaime and Grace went to hide and Grace doesn't quite get the concept yet. I was looking for them so I said, "Grace where are you?" All of the sudden I hear, "I'm right here Staci!" Jaime and I had to tell her that you aren't supposed to say anything while playing. She did better the next time we played. After the girls went home, we were all exhausted. I just don't know how Darcie does it all day. She is a super mom!

Here are Jaime and Grace hiding in my mom's closet. Jaime just loves spending time with Grace. She is so great with kids!

Joy and I taking a break for a picture. "Come on Joy will you just look at the camera for once?" Oh well, she is still a cutie!!

So that was our busy week. This week we are doing some home projects. I hope to have pictures up some time soon. It has been so much fun working around the house with Nate and some very special helpers. Stay tuned to find out who has been helping!

A Visit to Nebraska

Last week we headed out to Nebraska with Nate's mom and dad. They were so nice to let us join them on the long journey to Nebraska. We left the day before the 4th of July and spent the night in Iowa City. It's nice to do the trip in two days. All of the hotels were still packed with people that were still dealing with the floods that went through in June.

Why did we go to Nebraska? We went to visit Nate's sister Anissa, her husband Craig, and our cute nephew Graham. Nate did a science camp with some upper elementary age kids at Craig's camp. I was his assistant and had a great time working with the kids. I could tell that I was missing being in the classroom! We made slime, gak, ice cream, bottle rockets, and learned some interesting things about science. I just love watching Nate work with kids. He does a great job!

While we weren't doing science camp activities we were spending time with Graham. Let me just say that little boy is full of so much energy! He is always happy and just loves playing with everyone. He has an Elmo sprinkler that shoots up water and it was so much fun watching him almost run in the sprinkler. I think he ran in a couple of times when his mom had him and when his Uncle Nate ran through a couple of times. It was so hot that I'm sure the sprinkler felt good to them.

Here are a few pictures from our week.

Nate and I by the Mississippi River. I was going to feel the water but it looked too icky!

Dad, Nate, and Mom by the Mississippi River. What a cute family!

Nate and I in the car on the way to Nebraska. "Are we there yet?" I think I asked this question when we were just approaching Holland. I'm not a huge fan of long car rides!

Iowa 80, the biggest truck stop in the U.S.A. We have yet to stop there and take a little field trip. Wouldn't that be so exciting?

Nate and I by the Missouri River. We're getting closer to Nebraska! Finally!!!

Graham and I playing hide-and-go-seek. He loves playing that game. He's better at finding than hiding.

This is a picture of Graham and me when we got to see him in June. Isn't he just adorable? I wish we could see him more during the year!

Well that was just a glimpse into our week in Nebraska. It was so great seeing our family again! Thanks Craig, Anissa, and Graham for hanging out with us all week. We loved spending time with you! Thanks mom and dad for driving with us to Nebraska. It's always a fun trip with you both!

Vacationing with the Jacksons

This was the second year that we have vacationed with the Jackson family. Rich and Darcie are our closest friends and we just love their two little girls Grace and Joy. We decided to return to wonderful Buckley, MI and stay at the KOA in a camping lodge. The KOA has a cool train that the girls just loved and a playground right across from our lodge. The girls played there all week long and I think were a little sad to leave it.

Above you will see just some of the many pictures that we took on our vacation. If you put your mouse on the picture you will see a caption. I think we have 200 pictures, so I'll probably post some more later!

What a fun week we had together! The weather was gorgeous, which made the trips to the pool very enjoyable. We are looking forward to planning our trip together next year. I'm sure this will become a Jackson-Mihalek family tradition!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to our wonderful fathers! Nate and I are both blessed with such wonderful, caring, special dads! I thought I would take some time to reminisce about my dad. I have so many great memories as a child.

One of my most favorite memories of my dad is spending time with him in the coffee shop. You know how police officers love coffee and donuts! My dad and I would go to a donut shop in Grand Haven. He would order his coffee and I would get to order chocolate milk and a chocolate donut. Yummy! My dad and I would sit at the counter on stools and hang out. I miss those days. Just me and my dad! Now when I go over to visit we sit on the deck, admire his lawn, and drink our cup of coffee. No donuts included.

Another favorite memory of mine, even though it was stressful at the time, was practicing my driving with my dad. When I got my permit I was so excited, but I knew that my dad and I would spend hours driving around town and on the back roads. He wanted to make sure I was a great driver before I got my license. I was always so nervous, but I loved having that time alone with my dad. He taught me to look right, look left, look right again. I find myself still staying that to this day. Thanks dad for teaching me to drive!

I have to tell you that my dad is great at yard work. The summer before Nate and I got married he helped us put in a yard. My brother Chad came over to help too and we put rock around our house and filled the yard with grass. I think when my dad retires some day he will own his own lawn care business. He is very gifted at lawn care and I am so glad because I don't know anything about lawn care and he knows that!

My dad is so important to me. He has always been there to help me make those important decisions and I still call him to this day and ask his opinion on things. I know he loves it! My favorite memories now, sitting with my dad and drinking a cup of coffee.

My mom, dad, and me a very long time ago.

Oh the memories of Christmas morning! My dad always holds his gift, shakes it, feels it, shakes it again, and tries to guess what it is. I don't know how he does it, but he is usually always right!

One of my favorite memories of all...dancing with my dad at my wedding. What a special moment the two of us shared. I will always cherish that time together.

The School Year is Almost Over!

It is that time of year! Schools are letting out and summer is in the air. Nate finished his year on Friday and I am still going into my hot and muggy classroom until Wednesday. Oh well! I actually have a fun group of second graders and will miss them next year. It seems like every year I get more and more attached to my group of kids. I will tell you the one thing that I will not miss is hearing my name, "Mrs. Mihalek? Mrs. Mihalek? Mrs. Mihalek?" over and over again. Oh and the constant little line of 5 kids that follow me around the classroom. They are my little ducklings. I always call them that and they finally understand why. This time of year they are really needy because they know that the year is almost over. Only a couple more days with my ducklings.

I look back over the year and truly feel blessed that I have the opportunity to do what I do every day. I love how teaching makes me feel; happy, excited, overwhelmed, tired...the list goes on. I love looking at their faces and seeing them so excited about learning (2nd graders get excited about anything you do). I love the look they get on their faces when they understand what I have taught them. I love how they come to school ready to learn, well most of them.

I thank God every day for allowing me to do what I love to do. Wednesday will be a day of mixed emotions. I know I will probably shed some tears because I really do love this group of kids. After I have escorted them out of the building I will return to my classroom to clean up and pack everything away. Then summer will officially begin and I can begin to relax. I can't wait!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I look at my life and I am truly blessed. I have one of the coolest moms in the world! And I have a wonderful mother-in-law. What more could you ask for? I'm so blessed!

As I am sitting her thinking about what I could write about, I start thinking of all the wonderful memories I have with my mom. One of my favorite things I used to do with my mom involves hot chocolate, graham crackers, and Anne of Green Gables. I remember curling up on the couch with my favorite treat and watching Anne of Green Gables, feeling so special because it was just the two of us. I really loved when she would braid my hair in pig tails like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. And we would watch The Wizard of Oz together. I would sit behind her in the rocker sometimes because the monkeys would scare me so! She would always protect me.

Now I am older and I love the friendship that we have made. I love talking to her on the way to or from school some days. I love sitting down and having a cup of coffee with her and just talking about life. (She makes the best coffee!) I love calling her and asking her for advice and I do that often. I love calling her or emailing her during the school day just to say hi or wondering if she could do me a favor. I love when she gives up her time to come into my classroom to help me with a craft or just to say hi to the kids. I love her passion for life and how she will do anything for anyone. I love everything about my mom! She means the world to me and I can't thank God enough for having her bring me into the world.

So today on Mother's Day I want to thank my mom and Nate's mom for bringing us up with the Christian beliefs and values that they both grew up with. We are both so blessed to have the two of them in our lives. I know some day I can't wait to be a mom and experience all of the greatness that our moms have. I can't wait to impact a little life in the way that I was!

Here are some pictures that I found of my mom and me growing up.

My mom and I at my Uncle Brad and Aunt Robin's wedding. I was the flower girl and was told I did a very good job. I remember just loving the peach colored dress!

Here we are at the zoo. Don't I look so stylish with my jeans and sweater? My mom looks pretty stylish too!

Almost Summer?

Well today it sure felt like summer! The kids arrived to school in their shorts and t-shirts and their brains were shut off! My classroom felt like a sauna and I couldn't wait to run out to the car after school and turn the air on! Now don't get me wrong, I love this weather, but it needs to wait 26 more days until I can get outside and enjoy it. It's too hard to get the kids focused when the sun is shining through the windows. Okay I admit, I have a hard time focusing too. Here is a conversation that I had with a couple of my students today...

Student: (from across the room) Mrs. Mihalek?

Me: (continuing to walk around the room, helping students)

Student: (now approaching me) Mrs. Mihalek?

Me: What do you need to do if you have a question?

Student: Stay in my seat and raise my hand?

Me: That's right, now show me please?

Student: (stomping back to their seat, sitting down, raising their hand, and shouting) Mrs. Mihalek?!

Me: Yes?

Student: Can we go outside now?

Me: Not now we have work to do.

Another student: Oh yeah, can we go outside?

Me: We have work to finish.

Another student: Mrs. Mihalek it's too nice to sit inside. It's summer. Look I'm wearing my shorts and t-shirt. This is what I wear during summer and I play outside when I wear these clothes. I put them on today hoping you would give us more recess. Don't you want to go outside too?

Me: (looking out the window as if the sun was calling my name) We have work to do right now.

Another student: (walking over to the student who kept asking the question) Didn't you hear her? She said we have work to do. Maybe if we don't bother her any more she'll take us out. She is a nice lady. Let' s just keep working.

Me: (5 minutes pass) Okay kids time to go outside.

Okay, so I gave in. Sometimes as I walk around the room, I see how hard they work and how long they've been working. I have to remember they are just kids and they need to get outside and release their energy. They are only 7 and 8 years old. I can't imagine sitting as long as they do at times. To tell you the truth, I needed to get out of the room too. So I was being selfish! The kids had no idea. They thought I did it for them. Truth is, I wanted to take a break too!

Summer can't come soon enough. I love what I do, but I need a mental break. I need to sit on the beach with a good book and just relax. I can't wait!