The other day….at the end of the hallway in the bright pink room with the brown twin beds and the flowers scattered on the carpet…..
…..school was in session.
Two tiny teachers with blonde ponytails and big blue eyes were holding class. Each instructor had a whiteboard and was busily scribbling and circling and drawing arrows with verbs and adjectives and adverbs…..intent on passing on all the knowledge one could ever learn in elementary school to the next generation of stuffed animals.
All the students were present and accounted for.
The whole class was there….the two frogs and the bear with the bonnet and the furry one-eyed cat and the monkey and the zebra and the dolls……
……even Santa Claus.
The students never moved.
They just sat there quietly and stared in rapt attention as they were diligently taught the lesson of the day.
They learned that swept is the past tense of sweep and that in the future you “will sweep” or some time long long ago you “might have swept.”
And that sweep is definitely, undeniably, without a doubt….a verb.
The class was intense.
And fast-paced.
A few more classes like this and I think the monkey and the furry one-eyed cat were talking about applying to an ivy league institution of higher learning.
Later that night….when school was finished and the chores had been done and a long day of intense education was coming to a close…..I tiptoed quietly past the pink bedroom.
There were the teachers.
Sound asleep and tucked snugly into bed.
Dreaming of pronouns and nouns and conjunctions.
I smiled to myself and turned to go….and then…..
…..I saw the students.
There were the two frogs and the bear with the bonnet and the furry one-eyed cat and the monkey and the zebra and the dolls and Santa Claus.
Snug as a bug in a rug.
Laying in bed and tucked in tightly for a long winter’s night.
I tiptoed down the hall and whispered to my husband, “You have to see this.” We walked to the room and I pointed…..and together we stood in the doorway….our shoulders shaking with silent laughter as the monkey glared at us for disturbing his sleep.
Then my husband turned to me with a twinkle in his eye and nodded toward the stuffed animals. “Of course they are tucked in for the night. Didn’t you know……
…..it’s a boarding school.”
I hope they all paid full tuition. 🙂
PS The bear with the bonnet told me that she wasn’t even sure if “fastly” is a verb.
I told her I would check with the teacher. 🙂
Thanks for the chuckles this morning! So cute :)
"Fastly," if it were a word, would be an adverb. That'll be $350.00--;)
Oh KariAnne! This reminds me of myself as a little girl. I did the exact same thing every live long day and enjoyed every minute of it. I grew up to be an elementary school teacher of K, 1st and 2nd grades for 12 years before moving on to use my teaching skills to be the Director of Children's Ministries at our church. Teaching is born in the hearts of the young for sure! Your sweet girls play is so precious and I love their sweet students! I wanted to tell you too CONGRATULATIONS on the magazine article! That is fabulous nd I see more magazine articles in your future! I hope that you have a terrific Thursday!
Ah, I love this, KariAnne. Such precious teachers and students. I used to love to play school, too. My favorite thing to teach was diagramming sentences. Wow, that dates me, doesn't it?!!!
Oh I remember doing that in high school and our teacher telling us it wasn't taught anymore but by golly we were learning it because it was the only way to make sense of a sentence!!! My girlfriend slept away!!! And got asked to come up to diagram the next sentence but her sweet perplexed looks saved her!!!
Adorable story! I remember so well the hours my kids played school....and playing store was another big favorite.....sweetly innocent times..
Another fantastic post! Love the story of your little ones, it reminds me of my girls when they were younger, and I LOVE their bedroom. Such a sweet space for them to enjoy and be creative in! Thank you for sharing! You brought a smile this morning. Have a GREAT day!
I am a preschool teacher and my heart smiles every time my little students pretend to be "Miss Kim" during free playtime. Love it! ~ Kim
Oh, Karianne! What a precious memory! Love the delivery. Thanks for sharing this with us.
It's its precious!! Cute, cute room too!
I'm laughing that the dog was described as "beautiful." I've heard cute. Cuddly. Furry. Snuggly. But beautiful? That's a new one. What a darling story, but Mr. Monkey is scaring me ...and is Santa wearing a sleeping mask? LOL! :) me
Awwww, how sweet! I did the same thing and went on to get my Master's in Education. You may have two budding teachers! I love their room! The colors are wonderful! I adore the monogrammed beds! It's a perfect room for two girls!
So precious, so delightful, so heartwarming!
How cute. I hope they paid for full room and board.
How sweet! Yesterday my two girls decided to play with their stuffies too. However, they did not teach them the ways of the world, no, no. They decided to make a stuffy carpet. This means they took every one of their MANY stuffies and layered the floor of their room with them. They then proceeded to jump upon their beloveds, as it was soft and fun. Poor stuffies. My children are animals, apparently.
Oh Kari...how cute...these are the memories you will hold dear to you forever!...Boarding school...?...now that something my hubby would have said too...so funny!!!...I never tire of seeing that gorgeous room!!...Have a great day!!!
How sweet KariAnne!
Oh, you're making me miss having little ones at home.
Where did you find that gorgeous rug?
So cute! My daughter does the same thing, it's my way of learning what they did in school that day :) I love the monograms on the beds!
Too cute! My girlie and her best friend used to play school too! I miss that!
HAHA! Oh those teachers are very good to hold the attention of there students and then to tuck them in so snug and sound! Do you think your boarding school has room for one more? I would love to attend. Thank you for sharing. :)
They are just following in the footsteps of some great teachers who have shared their love of learning and teaching with them. Precious girls and whoever has them including the stuffed animals as teachers is truly blessed.
What a precious memory for you and your hubby! I like "Boarding School"! Haha! ;)
Maybe your two cute little teachers can teach that bear not to..... oh never mind, if a bear didn't do it in the woods where would they? Bliss
I have been there....with two little blondies. :) Ahhhh...this life has so many perks...ain't so? ;) k.
Priceless and beautiful. Moments like that remind us of what truly is important, how blessed we are, and what really makes our hearts sing. Thank you for the sweet reminder, KariAnne.
This story is darling...and you tell it so well. Having daughters is SO fun! It would be hard not to play all day in that adorable room! I know I'd stay in it if it were mine :-) Thanks love, Ashley Rane Sparks www.makeitrane.com
Cute post! Brought a smile and a chuckle to my heart. Nice way to start the day!!!
How very sweet... it makes me smile, as I am reminded of my daughter and her friends not so many years ago. Those times are so very precious, I am so glad for you. Thank you for sharing your blessings with us. Many kind regards...
Kari Anne, you have this retired teacher teary eyed this morning. This is the sweetest post I've read in a long time. Honest! You already know that I adore your writing style. You have the touch! But this one......this one touched me on so many levels. First the thought of those two little blonde ponytailed teachers made me smile with delight, for this now retired former blonde ponytailed teacher fondly remembers holding class with the ancestors of these students. And yes, they too were boarding students, all snuggly tucked in each night. One such student continues to live in residence! '-) Then there is the lesson! Oh, that students can identify and mark the parts of speech. Of course, in the olden days, we diagramed all this, but I know boxes and circles are the way to go these days. I haven't been retired that long! '-) And those parents peeking in on this scene.......the world needs more parents like you two who nurture their children and see the value in the little things in life. Two little blonde ponytailed teachers, modeling what they have learned, using their imaginations, being creative, not connected to some electronic tool. The apples don't fall far from the tree! Thank you for sharing this little moment in time. It's a BIG one! ~ Sarah
Karianne, Someday your children will read these posts and relive their childhood - perhaps with their own children. Many of us wish we had this medium when our families were growing up. As a Nana of 4 teenagers I decided to journal my experiences with each of them. Having had them almost all their preschool lives you can imagine how fast those journals filled up. I can't think of a better gift we could give children than the small stories of their lives.
Chris - I TOTALLY agree -- it's the stories that matter. The stories, the memories, the moments. My wife and I have two boys (12 and 17). The oldest will be off to college next Fall. Oh. My. Time moves so quickly, doesn't it? Journals and scrapbooks are two perfect ways to capture those life-moments. My wife is working hard to catch up on Nate's scrapbook before he graduates high school. Seeing all those pictures and newspaper clippings really takes us back. Indeed: stories are so, so important. For the story teller and the listener. : - )
Good Morning KariAnne, Thanks for sharing your really cute story. I love your style of writing and seriously if you have not already started one I think you should be writing a novel. I know that I'd buy it. Oh, and I must say those boarding students look adorable except for one. I'm afraid the green monkey is a bit creepy for me. lol Joyous wishes, Linda
This is wonderful, KariAnne! I used to play "school" constantly when I was about their age. My sister didn't enjoy it as much - I made her be my student. :) My daughter and BFF invented "Camp Fun" for the BFF's little sister. Them being in charge was the only way they would deign to play with one so young . . .. LOL Enjoy this time, and keep those stuffed animals warm! ;)
Aw the memories of days when the children were young. You will cherish them, hold on to them since they go so fast. Beautiful post, karianne! So well written. Debbie :)
Ha ha!! I LOVE this!!! First of all, I'm so jealous of your girls' room! I so wish I had a room like that growing up, or even girls to give a room like that too!! You think my boys would mind if I painted their room pink? Hmmm.... I totally remember doing this as a kid. I couldn't wait to grow up and be a teacher. After 13 years of teaching, I think I prefer teaching the stuffed animals.. they listened, didn't talk when I was talking, and never talked back. :) Hugs!! Claire
That is just precious! Thanks for sharing...I loved to play school as a child...coloring books were workbooks...my dols were students. Good days:)
What a great memory! Where did you get the darling pillows? I especially like the appliqued ones on your daughter's bed.
I never tire watching the imagination of children. My grands love to include their stuffed animals, Super heroes, dolls, etc. and usually when I'm playing along, I get to talk for them. I read somewhere a quote, "Imagination opens up the windows of the world for children!." I believe that with all my heart, XOXO
How cute is that!!! My daughter used to play school too.What a beautiful pink room!My daughters doll room is that color! Oh yes she has her own doll room.With 16 dolls she needed a room just for them LOL! xx Anne
So cute. We have a restaurant running in my basement. With plastic necklaces and money for spaghetti and meatballs. The stuffies love it! They come back again and again for plates of "African Salad" and "Turkish Surprise".
Hahaha! What a great (and very sweet) story. Someone already told you, but fastly would be an adverb. And of course it is a word...I love (made-up) new words. As a high school English teacher, believe me, I have to allow for "new" words all the time!! I only wish my HIGH SCHOOL students were as good as your daughters about learning and knowing their grammar. I guarantee you my students do not practice it at home!! Thanks for the great story. Lori Lucas
Well, you know how I love kids and all their quirky little takes on things. I think this is one of the finest posts you have ever doe. I used to play school all the time when I was a kid and my brother was my only student...and a NOT very cooperative one at that...lol I should have chosen the quiet types like your daughters did....I guess I wasn't that smart...lol LOVE it, Kari-I just love it! xo Diana
Awww too cute!!
What a cute post. I know a lot of people who could stand to be in that class :)
Love that room KariAnne and love your post ... in fact, I could sit here all day going over all you older posts, but I have a Dentist appointment ... I will be back to visit more. Thanks for sharing your talents and inspirations. Audrey Z Timeless Treasures
OMG...what a cute story! Just precious!!
What a delightful post!
Too cute!
How sweet! Made me smile and miss my little grands. Here is cute story... my granddaughters were packing their "friends" for a winter ski trip recently. The youngest was using every bit of space she could find to pack her friends. After packing all she could, she went to the friends left behind and apologized that they would not be able to go on this trip. How sweet is that! Love your style of writing.
Cute story..well done
i love your story telling!!!! and your husband is funny too!
Now that is a posh school. C:
do you homeschool, friend? love your heart for your kids....and your spaces. :)))
I wish her teacher could see this post...the highest form of a compliment is mimicry and her teacher, wellllll she may have felt that no one was even caring about her lesson...that anyone was even listening...and if I were your daughter's teacher, this whole post would go in my star file...the file we teachers keep to read on days when we wonder if our job really matters. The governor blames us. The parents blame us. And we are working very hard and taking our job so seriously....and we pull out a story like this and remember yes, we ARE making a difference!!! So could you please share this entire post with her teacher because me, now disabled from a brain injury while in my classroom, says so? Not because you want to brag but that I, a now confined disabled used to be teacher just knows its the right thing your daughter's teacher needs to hear and file in her own star folder.... Thank you so much And my writing, grammar and spelling errors? An area that was affected so I can use that as my excuse! Lol
Wonderful story, beautiful room and great blog!
I would have loved to hear that lesson! So cute!
BFF, you make me smile. Their room is beautiful and I'd love to go to "boarding school" there too! I'm so happy that you're capturing these memories because I know, all too well, that when it comes to children...particularly the small blonde ones, they grow up far too "fastly". xo
Oh KariAnne, you made my day, thanks for sharing your family with us...
I definitely think that the bear might be on to something. It sounds like a pretty advanced lesson. I'm glad that the teachers and students could all keep up! The room is beautiful. I love the mix of pinks and browns as well as patterns. It looks like a beautiful classroom and place to sleep and play.
So sweet! I love the way kids play!
What a sweet, precious post! My sister and I played school all the time too, though I was always the teacher because she is younger. :-) I love your girl's room with all the bright colors and patterns.
Absolutely too cute! I love your beautiful stories of your adventures at home! So many special memories! Leslie
What memories this brought back!!! You girls are SO BLESSED to have the parents they have. What wonder fills their loves. I love hearing these stories and will NEVER tire of seeing that room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XO, pinky
Haha, too cute. The bedroom is awesome.
Grammar and Monkeys? Sing, again, my love. Doth thou know of thy true joy that springs within my heart, the light of such that the sun cannot compete?
Q: The movie follows Princess Leyla and Prince Auda, the children of the two rivaling leaders, as they marry, in hopes of bringing their families together and end the violence in their land. Now you are probably wondering about Gold Mines and Elixir Collectors. He was an outcast from the Ford circles, and a somewhat-acceptable outsider who could enter the Chevy clans on a temporary guest pass only.
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