Oh how I love Teacher Appreciation Week. There are many teachers in my family and the love of teaching runs thick through my OWN blood as well. I have always had a PASSION for teaching and a great love for just about EVERY teacher I have ever had in my life. In my eyes, teaching is the most important profession there is...and the most underappreciated. Pathetic statement about our society, if you ask me. I LOVE TEACHERS!! So you can imagine how excited I get when May rolls around and it's time to show the teachers of my dear little ones just how much we love and appreciate them!
This year, for Kaden's wonderful teacher, we decided to do what we did a few years ago for his Kindergarten teacher and do "The 5 Days of Teacher Appreciation Week." However, this time around, we decided that all of our little prizes would be things to pamper HER and not school supplies like we did in Kindergarten. After talking to my sister Kim, who has been a teacher for many many years, we decided that personal pampering after a long year, is a FABULOUS idea! And thanks to an amazing Room Mother in Kaden's Class, we were provided ahead of time with a list of all of Mrs. Lewis' favorites...including everything PINK, Diet Pepsi and Salsa...which you will soon see appear in our fun week of gifts. So without further ado, "The 5 Days of Teacher Appreciation Week" from Kaden to Mrs. Lewis.....
Inside of the Sombrero were 4 salsa bowls, salsa, chips and chili pepper napkins! So fun. However, I also included my ALL-TIME favorite recipe for HOMEMADE SALSA (since there's simply NOTHING better than a fresh homemade salsa...and this is the best recipe EVER - THANKS BEN!!)!!
For the 5th Day of Teacher Appreciation Week, Kaden and I made a book for Mrs. Lewis, illustrating the 5 things he loves the most about her. I made the front and back covers and then Kaden drew the title page and all of the pages in the book. He did such an awesome job.
When it came to the 5th thing, I said, "Ok Kaden..this is the last one. What is the VERY VERY BEST THING about Mrs. Lewis? What is the thing that makes you love her the most?" I just about cried when he wrote out his #5...what he loves the most about Mrs. Lewis. Happy happy day!!
The very last page was a little thank you note. As he was drawing, I smiled to myself....he is so much like me in so many ways. He couldn't just scribble a thank you note and leave it plain with the black pen. He had to do shapes and squiggles and "decorations" around the entire page before it was "perfect." He is always so detail-oriented..just like me. Love that. And as for the smiley face in the "O" - awwwwwwwwwwwesome! I so love my little bud!!!
This week has been so much fun. Each day, I delivered Mrs. Lewis' gift to the office and it was brought into her classroom during school. And each time, Kaden would sit there smiling to himself knowing that it was from US..and no one knew. I love surprises...and I'm finding that Kaden loves them too! So much fun to do this happy little project together. Today was the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week and Kaden was so excited to give Mrs. Lewis his book that he made and let her know that all of the little prizes this week were from HIM!
I happened to be at the school anyway this morning, so I captured the happy moment. Kaden is so cute. He is so outwardly excited at home and can't stop talking about it...and then when it comes down to the actual moment, he is so sweet and shy about it. LOL! He very quietly walked up to Mrs. Lewis and handed her the book he made, trying hard not to show her how much his heart was jumping up and down with excitement inside of him. LOL! So cute!
Mrs. Lewis was so excited and I could see that smile on Kaden...that smile that he gets from his Daddy....that shy and coy little "trying not to show how happy I am, but it's so hard to contain it" smile. I love that. And then, Mrs. Lewis wrapped him in a big SQUEEZE!! Happy day! You KNOW how I feel about HUGS!!! I love this picture below....it actually made me a little emotional looking at it. How we love Mrs. Lewis!
As for my sweet and spunky little Seneca, she too, is blessed with an AMAZING teacher at her preschool...Miss Whitney. Miss Whitney is the cutest little thing, I could just squeeze the crud out of her. I have to admit, I used to be a little prejudice when it came to choosing teachers for my little ones. I steared completely clear of the cute young ones and sought out the older, more experienced and even a little more strict teachers. And both of those teachers KADEN had in preschool were AMAZING. Unfortunately, neither of those teachers were available for Seneca this year and we were assigned Miss Whitney. I admit, not proudly, I was skeptical. Shame on me. It took about 30 seconds to turn my skepticism around. I so LOVE Miss Whitney!!!! And the best part is, Seneca loves her too. Since preschool is only 2 days a week, we just came up with a little gift for Miss Whitney ALL in Seneca's favorite color....PINK!!! A t-shirt (the same one we gave Mrs. Lewis), earrings, nail polish and lip gloss. However, in addition, Seneca also worked very hard on a book for Miss Whitney....to share the 5 things SHE loves about HER teacher.
Seneca worked really hard. She and Kaden worked side by side, so you will notice some similarities in their designs. She always wants to be just like her big brother and I have explained to him that it is such a high compliment for her "copy him" - showing him how wonderful she thinks his work is. :-) My favorite of all of Seneca's five things is #5...LOL. Hilarious. I so love this little girl!
They say that "it takes a village to raise a child." Next to parents, teachers are some of the most influential members of that "village." Thank heaven for good teachers who love our children. What an answer to many prayers and a comfort to know that they are so well taken care of when they are not under our supervision. We sure love you, Mrs. Lewis and Miss Whitney. Thank you for loving our little ones and for teaching them well! ALL of our lives are definitely touched forever, because of you!!
*All of the digital tags and the covers of the books from my kids were designed by me, using the fabulous digital scrapbooking kit, "Chirpfest"by Heidi Larsen. Heidi is a dear friend of mine and literally one of THE most talented designers I know. How fun to be able to use her elements in designing the tags, etc. for this fun week!! THANKS HEIDI! You are an inspiration!
i just finished 2 taw (one for a,b,c tracks then a seperate one for d) and i am so happy to see moms who care! for my own sons class, i was one of 3 people who sent in anything! (a thank you note is free people!) and i had 2 room moms who refused to do doors or the activities we set up (one of them was to babysit while the teacher got an extra 30 minute lunch. seriously-i had to babysit 4th graders and I DONT HAVE A 4TH GRADER!). most of the room moms were amazing but the few who were total loosers bummed me out. im glad they have you!
Posted by: ba | May 14, 2010 at 01:51 PM
I want to be your kids Teacher!
Posted by: Heather Hubrich | May 14, 2010 at 02:17 PM
Oh my goodness! What fun! Where did you find that cute t-shirt?
Posted by: Raquel | May 14, 2010 at 03:39 PM
That last comment was supposed to go on this post - so again, you're amazing! Next year I would love to glean this idea and be a better room mother!
Posted by: Andrea Scott | May 15, 2010 at 08:00 AM