Fun at SEQL!!

For the past two weeks I have been in Rolla, MO at a Mathematics and Science teachers SEQL workshop. It has been so much fun and very good for me! I have gained so much and got so many great new ideas to integrate into my classroom this year. I am very excited for school to get started this year. I know my second year will be so much more smooth than year one! ha! Year one was great, don't get me wrong. But, year two will be even better! Here are a few fun photos from SEQL.

Welcome Molly Claire

Josh's first cousin Amanda and her husband Chip had their precious Baby Girl: Molly Claire at 9:42 a.m. this morning. Molly Claire weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. This baby girl is something the Wren and Miller families have longed for. We are very happy for Amanda and Chip and the rest of their family. We cannot wait to hold this precious joy!

Josh and I are both away...(more to come about that later) and couldn't be there, so we sent this baby girl arrangement!

Congratulations to the Miller's!

5th Grade Teachers Luncheon

A couple of Friday's ago we had a 5th grade Teachers Luncheon. Hosted by one of the sweetest ladies I know; Jodie. Jodie was actually my 5th grade teacher and I am so lucky to get to work with her now. Our 5th grade team is pretty young...We will have four teachers (including me) that are either first year or second year teachers! Its so exciting! One is a brand new teacher to our district this year and we are so happy to have her. Jodie hosted a wonderful lunch for all of us to get together and discuss this years theme and other odds and ends about the upcoming year. She made many delicious salads, sandwiches, etc. I made a fresh strawberry pie! :) I just love summertime food. It was a wonderful get together! I am getting really excited about the upcoming year. I just know my second year will go so much more smooth than my first year!

The hostess; Jodie and I!

Our 5th grade team!

Stephanie and Kendra!

Lately...at the Hamby House

Lately...at the Hamby House we have been tremendously busy busy bees! Once Summer School was over I had a HUGE to-do-list for Josh and I. There are just some things that must wait for Summer break! Prepare yourself for a long post!


We attended a beautiful and fun wedding on July 2nd. My dear friend; Mary Louise married her long time sweetie; John. I do receive a little credit for hooking these too love birds up! Mary Louise and I went together to a Thayer party one night, the night she first met John. They were youngsters, and their romance didn't blossom right off the bat, but HEY! I helped introduce them from the get go! I got to see some great friends who live in different areas, it was great catching up with them! The wedding was perfect. It was hot, but what did we expect with the wedding being July 2nd!








Also that same weekend Josh and I hung and painted two new interior doors in our home to match the rest. We also put up four new light fixtures! We had 1920's ceiling fans in each room, they had to go! We are very happy with the way they look! I also cleaned out cabinets, washed down our cabinets, cleaned our closets (for our upcoming yard sale) and touched up some interior paint that had been scuffed up! It was definitely a productive weekend at our house!

Monday night we went to our friends; The Gleghorns for a bbq and fireworks. Josh and Chad grilled burgers and squash on the grill. Kendra and I prepared some yummy dishes inside! She made the BEST lemonade I have ever had in my life. It was freshly squeezed and so sweet! mmm! She even served it in mason jars! We also celebrated by birthday with them that night too. I got a cute Vera Bradley frill wallet. We had some other friends join us for fireworks. We had quite the show! I love sparklers...they have always been my favorite firework.

I attended a two day Whole Brain Teaching workshop at our school. There were 450 people representing many states; Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Florida and many more. There was a group of teachers from London, England and Ontario, Canada there also. I learned a lot of great instructional strategies to use this year! I think it will make my classroom run so much smoother! :)

My good friend; Tiffanie and her husband Seth (my assistant principal at school) had their sweet baby girl; Roxie Paige on Friday July 8th! I got to meet her last Saturday! Such a sweet girl with LOTS of hair!

I also got to work in my classroom for many hours over the past couple of weeks. My goal was to have it done before I leave for the workshop....and I MADE IT! yay! Its done and ready for August 18th to arrive!

Josh left two weeks ago to work a hail and wind storm in St.Paul Minnesota so I have been spending a lot of much needed time with my sweet Mom. She is someone who I never get tired of, I could be with her each and every day and be as happy as a lark! She is one hardworking gal too. She helped me stain our back porch in 100 degree temps. It has never had a drop of stain on it, so you can imagine how much time and stain it took to cover it. Wheww...is all I have to say. But it looks fantastic. We also stained our picnic table that my Grandpa made us when we got engaged! It looks great! Mom and I also made three new curtains for my classroom. (I will post a picture soon) We joke around and say we are going to make new ones each year...so far that is how its been. I am really happy with these so, it will be awhile before I have her make new.

Mom and I also went to a nearby Lowes twice this week...I purchased two new bi-fold closet doors and a new ceiling fan to be installed by our handyman; Tom this upcoming week. My Mom and Dad are also doing lots of renovating in their home. They are getting new concrete counter tops, new appliances, new back splash, light fixtures, door knobs, etc. I am so happy for them! The counter tops are going to look amazing! I just love projects!

I am now preparing for a two week workshop at Missouri S&T. It is a Math and Science workshop. Two local teachers and myself are going to attend. I am excited to learn new things!