Miss Jaymi and The Final Goodybye

      So this is it, the final goodbye.  For those of you who don't know, I have decided to take a job at IU Health Morgan Hospital.  Its closer to home, a short commute, a new direction in life.  This change means many things for me.  It means new people, new experiences, and a new adventure.  It means a chance to learn a new field (Public Relations) and ultimately it means a chance to grow.  It also mean venturing into the unknown! SCARY!

The new place of employment, IU Health Morgan.

     The past three years at MPL have been filled with good times and great people.  When I started at MPL I never thought I would be able to accomplish all the things I have while also learning so much about myself.  When I came to MPL, we had a vision for early literacy and the importance we wanted it to have within the Mooresville Community.  I am so lucky that I was given this program and told to tackle it however I saw fit.  My creative juices started flowing and through a lot of hard work, determination, and word-of-mouth, Story Time programs at MPL spread like WILDFIRE!

I will miss this place.

     MPL went from three weekly early literacy programs in June of 2009 to nine weekly programs by August of 2012.  Besides Baby Time, 2s and 3s Time, Story Time, and Pajama Time, we have created partnerships with Mrs. Bungard at Neil Armstrong, Ms. Mosier and Children's Park, Mrs. Tiley at Waverly Elementary, The Jackson Center, Children's Christian Playhouse, The Preschool, Mooresville Head Start, and the list could go on.  We have offered special programming for Super Heros, Fancy Nancy, "If You Give" books, Teddy Bear Sleepovers, Mother-Daughter Tea Parties, Bubble Lab, Water Lab, Archeology Lab, Music Lab, and Campfire Tales.  We actually started a Baby Summer Reading program that other libraries across the state are starting to emulate! I have had the opportunity to attend Mother Goose on the Loose, CYPD, PLA, and ECRR.  When you spell it all out, boy was I busy!  But truthfully, I wouldn't have traded any of those experiences or relationships for the world!

Baby Time. 

Halloween 2s and 3s Time.

Story Time.

Fancy Nancy Tea-Party! Oooo La La!

Teddy Bear Sleepover.

Super Hero Party.

Bubble Lab.

Archaeology Lab.

Music Lab

Kinder Corner, Thanksgiving Pitch-In.

Water Lab.

Children's Park.

     I have said it numerous times, but I will say it again, the Mooresville Public Library is a GREAT place to work. MPL is a place filled with people who are kind, compassionate, caring, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, creative, and are truly invested in the needs of the community.  I am blessed to have worked in a place that has allowed me to flourish while also giving me an opportunity to find who and what I want to be.  Trust me when I say that leaving MPL was not an easy decision.  There are so many people I am going to miss at MPL, but none more than my Story Time kids.

Suzanne and I with our "Where the Wild Things" cut-outs.

     The children of my Story Time classes have truly touched my heart and I can honestly say I will never forget them.  Children like Elijah, who is the only kid to have attended all three stages of my classes to Brody, my little wild man!  Gabby with her enthusiastic outlook on EVERYTHING to Adalyn and her love of stuffed animals.  I have seen Emery go from being a big sister not once, but twice!  Then there are those that moved away, like Ella and Duncan, that I haven't forgotten.  Anna, Jill, Jack, Kalyn, Madison, Chelsea, Cody, Tucker, Sarah, Isaiah, and Joshua successfully completed my attempt at enhancing their Kindergarten experience through Kinder Corner, and boy did we all learn a lot through that one!  And, in true Story Time fashion, here is my valid attempt to list as many kids as I can remember, to not only "make it fair" but for my personal recollection as well.

Tate, Taylor, Ryleigh, Molly, Maddie, Avery, Rockford, Jensyn, Paul, Jacob, Willow, Bradley, Drew, Derek, Hudson, Sawyer, Ben, Jack, Joslyn, Carrie, Kane, Sally, Veronica, Brody, Elijah, Kalyn, Vivian, Cooper, Jesse, Patrick,  Madison, Parker, Kallie, Chelsea, Kendall, Abigail, Oliver, Emma, Harper, Scarlett, Henry, Arianna,  Melissa, Tait, Julian, Harrison, Carly, Allison, Malachi, Shaylee, Emma, Caraline, Kera, Wyatt, Emery, Ella, Maggie, Alaina, Sheldon, Lydia, Julia, Annabelle, Ashlyn, Dax, Kate, Carson, Truett, Gabby, Adalyn, Zane, Ryan, Katelyn, Jill, Azalia, Jack, Brendan, McKenzie, Anna, Allie, Evan, Ethan, Silas, Meike, Peyton, Arralynne, Jackson, Trey, Addison, Sarah, Maelyn, Cody, Faith, Izzy, Quinn, Rayah, Calvin, Elliott, Amara, Sydney, Vince, Adam, Noah, Nicholas, Lily, Lincoln, Aubrey, Elenai, Colton, Amelia, Stephan, Laney, Owen, Kennedy, Aaron, Zoe, Wren, Alec, Ezra, Ezekial, Jolie, Evie, Alice, Bastian, Ryder, David, Kaylee, Ava, Lacey, Sadie, Madeline, Wade, Connor, Scott, Colin, Ruby, Carter, Grayson, Amylia, Bella, Isaiah, Tyler, Sophia, Zach, Rebecca, Gracie, Sammy, Dylan, Logan, Jamie, Larissa, Lynnsey, Genevieve, Maren, Brooklyn, Leila, Landin, Lucas, Nolan, Jillian... and I am sure there are more.

(I will probably keep adding to this list as I remember more!)

And one more, because I can.

     The time has come to close out on my last post as the owner of the Explore to Learn: Early Literacy blog.  What started as a way for MPL to connect with parents and other libraries quickly turned into a place for me to collect memories.  At the end of each week, I looked forward to being able to get it all out and hope that someone, somewhere, was able to use it.  In closing, I simply ask one thing.  Give the new Early Literacy Assistant as the MPL a chance.  

Remember, give the "New Miss Jaymi" a chance.

     I have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into creating an educational and fun early literacy program at MPL, and it is my hope that the new assistant is able to take all of the things I have accomplished, and do MUCH MUCH MORE!  As we all know, the little children of today, are the doctors, teachers, nurses, lawyers, police officers, firefighters, ballerinas, astronauts and anything else you can think, of tomorrow.  And in my (humble) opinion, it all starts with EARLY LITERACY!
     This isn't goodbye.. just a see you later!  And in the words of one of my favorite movies, "You've got a friend in me."

Once Upon a Story... Summer Story Times Week 3 and 4

     Still in catch-up mode, but I think I am going to accomplish my goal!  Hopefully I will be caught up by the time August comes to a close!  I can’t believe I just said that!  Where in the world did August go?!  Oh well, let’s get back to the task at hand, Summer Reading Story Times weeks three and four!

Week 3- SLUMBER PARTY!

     No, we didn’t really have a slumber party!  But believe me when I say I think the kids would have loved it!  Instead of having a slumber party, the kids were told to come to the library in their pajamas.  We made slumber party crafts and read books about pajamas!  It was a lot of fun and fit perfectly with the “Once Upon a Story,” theme.

This book is SO CUTE!  It is great for both boys and girls.
I was able to discuss colors and patterns and the kids were able
to yell out the answers!  Nothing is better than yelling out an answer!

The kids made these sleep masks out of
felt and sequins.  Our weren't as fancy as these,
but the kids still seemed to enjoy them.

Oh My Goodness!  This book is TOO CUTE!
It has a great moral lesson about listening to one's
parents and all the kids in class loved it.
One little girl wouldn't leave the library unless I let her check it out.

I had the bigger kids make something similar to this.
I gave each kid a piece of felt rolled to look like a bag.
They were then able to add hair, googly eyes, and a smile
to make it look like themselves in a sleeping bag!

Week 4- GLOW IN THE DARK!

     I don’t know about you, but I was always interested in things that can glow in the dark.  When I found out that Summer Reading was a night theme, I just knew that I needed to end Story Times with this theme!

This book went PERFECT with our summer theme.  It also
had both fireflies and owls to go with our crafts!
WARNING:  This book is faith-based.  However, I was
able to gloss over the faith-based portion by only
reading the letter and what it stood for.

What kid doesn't love Band-Aids?
Glow in the dark Band-Aid fireflies!  Enough, said!

I stuck with the glow in the dark theme for our second craft.
I had each kid color an owl.  Afterwards, they brought the owl
to me and I painted around its eyes with glow in the dark paint.
The kids LOVED it and we couldn't keep the bathroom lights on
with all the kids desperate to see their owls glow! :) 

Lastly, I just couldn't find that perfect glow in the dark book.
So, I went the easy route, a back to school book.  The kids at my last Story Time
were headed back to school and this book was great for getting them excited
to go back, and for some, start school for the first time! 

     Well, that seems to be the end of Summer Reading Story Times.  For those of you who don’t know, this is also the end of my time here at the Mooresville Public Library.  I will be posting one more “Goodbye” blog with a few more details about my newest adventure.  Don’t worry, though, the new Early Literacy Assistant will take over right where I left off!

     I hope you have enjoyed all of the hard work I have put into this blog.  My biggest wish is that this blog was able to spark an idea with someone, somewhere!  Stay tuned for Miss Jaymi’s LAST INSTALLMENT!

Sammy-grams: Sammy's Weather Report

     So Sammy has decided he wants a career change!  Ok, maybe not a career change, but he definitely wants something to fall back on in case this library things doesn't work out.  Let us know what you think about Sammy the Toucan, the meteorologist.

Once Upon a Story... Summer Story Times Week 1 and 2

     Things around MPL have been a bit CRAZY since summer began!  As I write this, summer is already OVER and the kids have gone back to school.  Thus, I am going to play a quick game of catch-up!

     At MPL, we have Summer Story Times every other week.  This means that instead of having eight, or one per each week, we only do four.  This gives me a bit of a break, as well as giving parents more time to enjoy the GREAT outdoors with their kids.  In attempt to get this posted before August finishes, I am going to show you what we did in Weeks 1 and 2 of Summer Story Time with my next post wrapping summer up!  I hope you enjoy the new format!

Week 1- MONSTERS!

     What kid doesn’t love monsters?  Sometimes they are scary and sometimes they are nice, but I have yet to meet a child that isn’t a little bit interested in monster tales.  Monsters also go GREAT with our Summer Reading theme.

The kids loved this book.  They thought it was funny
that the little girl annoyed her brother ALL DAY!

What kid doesn't like monster feet?
I know mine LOVED walking around in these.
Find this craft here.

To the tune of, "If You're Happy and You Know It."
No kid I know can sit through this story without
wanting to get up and dance!

Another fun craft.  The kids liked making these,
but they enjoyed chasing each other around
as monsters more!

Week 2- OUTERSPACE!

     Just like monsters, children love learning about the unknown, and space is definitely an unknown frontier.  Yes, scientists and astronauts have learned a lot about space, but kids still seem drawn to learn more.  What a better time to teach them a few things about space than Summer Reading!

This book was cute.  It covered quitea bit of basic
space terms and the kids really enjoyed it.

We did this craft a little different than described,
mostly because I have too many kids to let play with paint.
Instead of paint, we colored our rockets then glued
them to an outserspace themed paper.
Find this craft here.

This book is quite tricky!  It explains that we
all live in space, even humans!  The kids were a little
confused, however once explained, they began to understand
that humans live on Earth, which is a planet in space!
This leads into the solar system craft smoothly!

The solar system craft was quick and fun. The kids liked it and their
parents liked that they were making something educational.
Find it here.  My suggestion?  Make the planets a bit larger!

     That seems to be it for the first two sessions of Story Time.  I can tell you, the kids absolutely loved both of these themes.  The stories were fantastic and the crafts only enhanced the experience.  Summer is a great time to try something new, so don’t be afraid and jump right in!  I know the kids you work with will appreciate it!

Summer Reading 2012 is HERE!

     SUMMER READING IS HERE!  From newborns to adults, there is a summer reading program for everyone at the Mooresville Public Library!  Interested in getting involved in a reading program or event?  Visit our website at www.mooresvillelib.org or give us a call at 317-831-7323!

Meet our intern: Alicia S.

     Hi everyone!  Hope your summer is getting off to a great start!  I just wanted to take a quick minute and introduce you all to Alicia, the Children's Department Summer Intern!  Alicia is currently in school to become a librarian!  Isn't that awesome?  You should definitely stop by the Moorseville Public Library and give her a little hello!  We hope to see you soon!

Happy Birthday, Sister!

     Today is my sister’s 30^th birthday!  Let me just say a few things..

1)    We are NOT twins.  We get asked that a lot!

2)    She is 4 years older than me, though she doesn’t look it!

3)    I hope I look as good as she does at 30!

4)    Happy birthday, Erika!

With that said, I guess I should tie this post into early literacy somehow! HAHA!  So how about a picture montage of great books to help celebrate a birthday! 

Hilarious! That is all that can be said
about the Bad Kitty series! 

This book comes STRONGLY recommended by
librarians and parents alike!

Who doesn't love a good pop-up book?

This book is for our younger readers!
A good board book is always a great present for babies!

An oldie, but a goodie!

What's a birthday without a little Seuss?

     Well, that seems to be it!  I just want to wish my sister a very happy 30th birthday!  I am super lucky to have such an amazing sister!  I love you very much, Erika!

Last Day... Fun Day!

    So this is it!  The last day!  I always look forward to the last Story Time of the year for many reasons.  The biggest reason that I love the last Story Time of the year is that it is the most fun class of the year! 

     I always try to do a food craft on the last class of the year.  I NEVER tackle food crafts due to all of the allergies out there.  It is really hard to foresee every possible allergy, so I usually stay away from food.  However, this time, I decided to do bread painting.  Never heard of it, me neither!  I found it online and knew it was perfect!  All it takes is white or wheat bread, food coloring, and milk.  Mix the food coloring with the milk, give the kids a paint brush, and let them paint the bread!  I also brought my toaster oven so that we could have toast! So fun, so easy, and pretty good in terms of allergies.   

     The other fun craft we made was a pinwheel!  We have made pinwheels at the library in the past, but I have always been too nervous to try them with 4-6 year olds.  I found a simple and easy pinwheel on Pinterest that I knew we could accomplish!  You can find it here.  The kids loved it and felt like they had accomplished something once it was complete!  And let’s be honest, it’s pretty stinking cute!  **Note: The picture below is not the pinwheels we created.  To see mine, watch the video! :)

     When it’s the last day, I don’t really care if my book choice matches the theme.  I like to pick fun books that might make the kids laugh.  Interactive books are great as are books that make the kids think.  I chose The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds because it has a great message.  If you haven’t read it, you should!  Every small child should read this book some time in their life.  It is uplifting and encouraging for any aspiring young artist.

     I also chose to read This is the Teacher by Rhonda Gowler Greene.  Not only did I think my kids would really enjoy this book, I also could commiserate with the poor teacher.  I was right, though.  The kids thought this book was hilarious!

     That’s it!  We made it!  The last Story Time has come and gone and now it’s time to get ready for summer!  Summer Story Times are a bit different than those during the year, but don’t worry, I will definitely be blogging our extra special projects!  Stay tuned!

Time to Celebrate… MOM!

     Ok, ok!  I know Mother’s Day is long gone, but oh well.  I’m still playing catch up and I want to celebrate my mom.  As I said in the letter X blog, my mom is pretty fantastic!  I know I already posted a picture of her, but here’s another one just in case you missed it! And this time, my sister, Erika, make her blog debut!

     As you know, we have completed our alphabet crafts for the year, so I am going to continue this week with theme crafts. Below is the craft my two and three year olds made for their mothers.

     Mother's Day is a tad bit hard to celebrate at the library because most of the kids come with their mothers. I always try to add a surprise element, though. This year, I had the kids and their guardians cut out their hand and then give it to me. I had already prepared the poem, so it was easy to step out of the room for a couple of minutes and glue the hand down. I then gave the kids their hands back and asked them to give it to their mothers. So, there was a little surprise in it and the mothers' loved the cute little poem attached.

     As for my four to six year olds, I wanted them to be able to give their moms a bouquet of flowers.  Now I thought this would be a little bit difficult, however, after a quick little search on the internet, I took two different ideas to create the bouquet below.  It turned out great because each mom got a bouquet of flowers they could put on their tables that would never die!

Cut flowers out of pretty paper and punch a hole in the middle.
Have child put a "bendy" straw through the hole for the stem.

Cut a "vase" out of cardstock and have the kids decorate it.
Tape the vase to a toilet paper tube.  It is important to tape
the bottom of the toilet paper tube so that the flowers
do not fall through.

Place the flowers into the vase and VOILA!
A beautiful vase of flowers that will NEVER DIE!

     There are a lot of great picture books in the world about mom, and why wouldn’t there be?  Moms are REALLY important.  Here a few that I read to the kids.

     Lastly, I found a really great song on iTunes about Mother’s Day.  It’s very cute with a good beat. Here’s a quick little video I made.  Can you find my mom and sister in it?

     That seems to be it for our extra special Mother's Day post!  I hope you and your family had a fantastic Mother's Day!  Remember to appreciate your mom every mother's day, not just on Mother's Day.  Thanks and see you soon!