What's a summer break?

In May, when the weather begins to get scorching hot (at least here in texas), teachers across the metroplex are filled with joy for the summer break!  Many (or at least I hope many) absolutely love their jobs, but are certainly ready for a little vacation from the classrooms of stir crazy munchkins, especially those 6th grade ones....

Change is good and necessary for sanity, in my opinion.  TOO much routine can begin to drive a person batty.  Such is this final stage of my summer break. I am ready for October, where I can get into a new, but familiar routine. Although, a break is not exactly how I would describe my summer.  I have a summer job, where I run a personal business that I own. Many teachers have second jobs or little startup businesses, but I'm banking on the idea that they don't spend 8-9 hours of their day working at these jobs 6 days of the week, all summer long.  Most at least.  

I own a snow cone stand, which is open from May 1st through September 30th.  Yep. You read it right....May and September are both months which overlap with my teaching schedule, meaning that I am a maniac those months.  Mostly in May, when the art show is usually held or coming down, amongst the chaos of general end of the school year madness.  I am sort of a grouch during this season of life.  My poor husband. :-P  

The past month, I have been diligent about getting my lesson plans ready for the first 9 weeks back to school, so I will actually have an hour or two with my husband, in the evenings.  Waking up and busting my booty on classroom organization and sample art projects, then sitting at the snow cone stand from 12-8 and then driving my 30 minute commute home.  It is a strange schedule, where I eat late, go to bed late and get up (decently) early....not great for the metabolism or my sleeping patterns!  

This week is my final week of "summer break" before returning for a week of staff development and art room preparation.  I am excited for the change of routine and I am excited for a new year to begin.  This will be my 3rd year at the school, and I guess technically my 4th year teaching (I did long term art subbing for a year prior to landing a full time position).  We have a whole slew of changes at our school this upcoming year, including a new principal, counselor, nurse, receptionist, and 15 other new staff members!  We are a pretty small school and so that is about half the staff changing.  I love it though.  I like meeting and working with new people, and I'm glad that these people have an opportunity to work at the best school on earth! (or at least in my district :))

I will post soon some of the funny little art room organization things I've been working on this summer.  While sitting at the snow cone stand, I have had loads of time to surf pinterest....and it is so much easier than the old google search method.  

Fare the well!