a month later

ok ok ok i know we have been really bad about checking our blog and updating it... we have faster internet and a new computer and everything. Well I guess the real big news is that I have started my masters program and it takes alot of my time. Also I am working the after school program till 5:45  three days a week and I have class one day a week till 6 and young mens one day a week till 830 and it all adds up to no time. Ryan still dosent like me leaving for work in the moring. This morning he heald on to my leg and did not want to let go. 

My 4th grade class is great! I have a great group of kids this year. It took a little while to get them in shape and used to the 4th grade but they have all gotten on board with my program. I have a nice group of supportive parents who are willing to help any time. That really helps alot. This year at school extra activities as far as commeties and things like that have taken a back seat to all of the other things. Everyone at work understands. 

Ryan is getting a little less crazy as far as his sleeping habbits go. He wakes up less and dosent freak out as much... that kid is a crack up at night. he tries to talk to you so he  can stay up later. Sometimes we give in because i leave some mornings before he wakes up and am home after he is asleep. 

I am not complaing at all... well maybe a little. This masters program is great. It is alot of work but I am learning so much. I have a co 4th grade  teacher this year and I have been forced to more prepared and organized which has been great. The teacher i worked with last year took a different position at the school so she is still around to help when i have questions about things we did last year.   Maybe Katie will post some  pics soon we will see. 

Remembering 9/11

I'm not sure how many people remember the project a few teachers at my school worked on last year for September 11th.... but it is that time again. Let me explain. Last year we realized that many of our students were so young that most of them had no idea what happened on September 11, 2001. Inspired by the story of the aunt of a teacher at our school who was on flight 11 , the first plane that struck the WTC, we did not want our students to forget the many people who lost their lives and the heroes that emerged from the tragic and horrible events of September 11th. So we invited people to contribute their thoughts, reflections, memories and insights about Setember 11, 2001. We want to place all of these contributions in a collection to use as a resource in teaching about the historic day. There are so many lessons that can be learned from this event. Not only from the event itself but from its aftermath and how it has shaped the world in which we live today.

This is the invitation we used last year inviting people to share last year.

We, like elementary teachers all across this country, are now teaching children who were very small six years ago. They have no memory of the events of that day. We would like to preserve your thoughts and feelings to share with classes for years to come. Please write about what you were doing at the time of the attacks, how it has impacted your life, and your feelings as an American and please forward this to people who you think will contribute. You will be writing for children between 7 and 12 years old. Please join us in compiling these memories so that the children can be taught and as a nation we will never forget. Thank you

We have established an email account where people may email their contributions to. barton911@gmail.com Please send your reflections to us and encourage everyone you know to do the same and encourage everyone they know as well... you get the point.

Our hope is that you will repost this on your blog or copy it and send it to everyone on your email list. We would love to see this grow and grow then receive a flood of contributions. I am kind of reminded of a documentary I saw a few months ago called the paper clip project. A small school in a small town had the idea of collecting a paper clip to represent each person who died during the Holocaust. It was something that once it got rolling had lasting effects on the students involved and the community. I hope that maybe this project might grow into something will forever impact the lives of not only the students who pass through a few teacher classes but maybe an entire community.

Back to School Blues

Well not really blues but it sounded good. Actually I thought that the stress would last longer than it did. The hours leading up to my first online class were a little stressful and then looking at the course outline sent my stress level through the roof. After some calming words from my loving wife and lots of giggles and kisses from Ryan everything seemed okay.
This masters program is going to be alot of work and alot of time but the investment will be well worth it and we are ready to take it on. I figure it will only be harder with more kids. The work does not seem too hard.. mostly it is the time that is going to be required to get it all done.
We will be sure to keep you posted on the progress and any neat projects that I ( we) will have to do.

Back to School

So the summer has ended and school is back in full swing. Lesson plans and papers to grade are all well underway. We have only been back for 2 days and I am already behind. My goal this year is to stay organized and on top of everything. We will see how that goes.
Ryan has started to adjust to me leaving again in the morning and not getting home till the late afternoon. Today was the funniest thing. I was getting dressed and I asked Katie to grab me a tie and Ryan wanted one too... except he wanted the one I was going to wear. After a brief meltdown he was okay with another. He also wanted to put on a shirt so I was all ready to go except for my belt. I grabbed my belt to put it on and guess what Ryan wanted? yeah a belt as well. So he had a shirt a tie and a belt wrapped around his waist and he was ready to head off to work with dad. He was not happy that dad was leaving without him.

Ryan and his little active mind

So Ryan is just saying and doing things that surprise us everyday. While we were in Catalina Ryan slept in his pack and play and everywhere we went we were sure to put a hat on him to keep him out of the sun a bit more. Well today he saw his hat and the pack and play and he put his hat on and grabbed the pack and play to go bye bye. We think he wanted to go back to Catalina.
Then today the little guy peed in the potty twice! he went in and tried peeing like dad standing up but that didn't work out too well then sat down and made it happen. He loved flushing the toilet. This may be the start of something good . We wont push him... but who knows maybe he will keep doing it.

Endless Summer Just Came to an End

Walking on the beach as a family

Ryan liked the fish but didn't want to touch it

Katie and Ryan on the pier

Ryan loved to dig in the sand

Our dirty little boy after a long day of playing

Well the summer has been the best summer ever. Ryan is growing so fast and it was so much fun watching him talk more each day and just be a cute little boy. We had a great end of summer trip. We were able to go on the annual Doyle Catalina trip. It was the greatest trip ever. Ryan loved the water and finally warmed up to the people. We were able to snorkel, climb the rock wall, swim, go fishing and just relax. The Fields family adopted us or maybe we adopted them and we had a great time with them playing games and hanging out. Ryan loved Austin and Chris.

Ryan's week

Here are just a few pictures from Ryan's week so far. We have been taking it pretty easy because Mommy still doesn't feel too great.

Here is Ryan riding his bike and watching TV, he just looked too cute to pass up a picture :)


Tuesday morning Ryan and Mommy went to help Daddy with the bulletin boards in his classroom. Daddy made Ryan a robe with an extra scrap of material, Ryan loved it!


On Monday Ryan got a haircut from Grandpa, Ryan is always a good boy for his haircuts. This time he got to sit all by himself on the booster seat and didn't have to be held by Mommy or Daddy. His new haircut looks so handsome!