The Office

When I was working in the Junior High, I had a su-weet office.  The building was brand new and I was on the second floor in a ginormous office that we lovingly referred to as "The Penthouse Suite".  It had an Inner and an Outer space {both equally large} and a testing closet.  Seriously, it was a great space!

So, in taking my new position, I knew I was downgrading a bit in the space department...and the newness department...and the factthatIhadawindow department.  In fact, everyone that I talked to referred to my new office as "The Closet".  And, indeed, it is far from my penthouse.

BUT, I took the new space as a challenge and used it as a clean slate to showcase some craftiness.  So, without further ado,

THE closet SHABBY CHIC OFFICE

Before

Blank Wall

After

The Feelings Wall

Before

The Empty Bulletin Board Wall

After

The Office Supply Station atop the Desktop Hutch
 

Before

The Built-In Bookshelves

After

The Beautifully Organized Counseling Library

Custom made curtains hide less-asthetically pleasing materials {aka storage!}

For this storage solution, I used copy paper boxes, my cricut, scrapbook paper {for the sides and the front labels}, spray adhesive, and Mod Podge.

Each counseling topic has a home! :)

I found these cute little metal and plastic wicker chairs with cushions in the "attic" storage area.  They were forest green with southwestern print cushions before I got ahold of them!!  Buahaha!

Perfect little chairs for 4th and 5th graders

I made a few little rosettes to tie in the clock {which sets on top of the desk that my awesome hubby painted off-white for me}...

...and the mirror.

So, yes, it's a little more snug than my previous office, but I really love it.  Though the JH office was super nice, I think this one is just more "me". :)

P.S. Notice my high-tech additions?  Now you can "Like" my posts {an easy way to make a comment without having to make a comment...unless you want to make a comment, which I LOVE!!} and, you can follow me on Pinterest!  Just click the button on my sidebar.  Not on Pinterest?  Well, it's time, my friend...comment with your E-mail and I'll send you an invite! :)

First Day of School {The Monster and the Princess}

Today was the first day of school for the students at CJ, which means it was Melia's

1st Day in the 1st Grade!!

Melia was more than willing to pose for an exhausting amount of pictures for me. :)

Melia with her beautiful teacher, Mrs. Knaup

Ready to Learn!

Camden actually started at a new school {on Monday}.  His school doesn't officially start for another week, so for now, he is playing it up with all the cousins and buddies that are in his class.

This Monster lunchbox from Nana helped to heighten the excitement of the new school!

Unlike his sister, Camden informed me that I could take two pictures of him because he didn't want me to "embarass" him.  Please!

Camden with his lunchbox and his "responsibility" {the Kindermat} in front of his school.

And, of course, it was my first day with elementary school students!  Though it was only my third day, I'm beginning to feel like a part of the elementary staff and am getting into the groove of the new job. :)

 

Trevor's Specialist Graduation

It is official...my amazing husband is now smarter than me.  He has the paper to prove it!

On Friday, December 17th, Trev graduated from Southwest Baptist University with his Education Specialist degree in District Level Administration.  Let's just say, I am one crazy proud wife!  He has worked so hard for this degree and even wrote a dissertation with our principal (they went through the program together) that was published!!!

It was pretty great because the kids got to watch their daddy walk across the stage to receive his hood and diploma (holder :)).  Melia thought it was cool to read her daddy's name in the program.

Camden mostly just squirmed and told me over and over again that he couldn't see.  But, he is three, and it was his bedtime.

 

Trev says he's not sure if he will get his doctorate, but he's only 18 hours and another dissertation away.  Will our next two kids get to see their daddy graduate?!  Only time will tell!

I'm Famous

OK, I'm really not famous, but I was in our newspaper, The Joplin Globe.  I'm not going to lie, I DO NOT read the newpaper...too depressing.  I'd rather read, um, anything else!  But, we are working on a backpack program at our school where we are going to send backpacks full of food home with our needy kiddos and I got the pleasure of researching it initially last Spring, so I have become one of the go-to people for the program.  It is a MAJOR group effort and is so fun to be a part of something that is going to positively impact hungry kids in our community.  We are hoping to be able to launch it this March!!  Anyway, without further ado...

The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO


November 22, 2010
Group gets grant for food program
By Emily Younker
news@joplinglobe.com

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A program to help feed hungry schoolchildren is $1,500 richer thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri.

“We see it as a need in that we’ve got kiddos who have lower socioeconomic living conditions,” said Jennifer Chase, a counselor at Carl Junction High School. “If their basic needs aren’t being met, they’re not going to be (performing) at their highest ability.”

The foundation presented the grant on Monday at the school district campus to the Carl Junction Youth Empowerment Project, a recently created high school group that plans next spring to launch a program that will send food home on the weekends with children who need it.

Michelle Ducre, executive director of the foundation, said the board chose to fund the food program because of its importance to the youth group.

“They felt strongly that it’s not right that their little children went home and had nothing to eat,” she said.

In addition to the grant, the youth organization is accepting food and monetary donations, and a recent pancake feed raised about $1,400 for the program. Chase said the program is expected to launch in March.

The Youth Empowerment Project also is planning a high school talent show in April to serve as a fundraiser. The money it raises will be given out as grants to other local organizations, said sponsor Theresa Wilson, a teacher at Carl Junction High School. She said the application procedure for those grants should begin after Thanksgiving, with applications due tentatively in February.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Joplin Globe or register for our E-Edition at joplinglobe.com.