Outdoor Classroom is a Reality

This morning I found a Brunswick Electric Letter in my teachery mailbox at school.  I was slightly shocked as this was my fourth year in applying for this grant for an outdoor classroom and garden.  This year my letter was in an 8 x 10 burnt orange envelope as previously they had been in a standard white envelope.  I was kindof grumbling into work for many reasons. 
1.  I was running late, compliments of my sleepy husband and need to get two precious girls ready for preschool.
2.  My Sundrop had not fully kicked in nor did I have breakfast.
3.  It was our third grade annual Pumpkin Day, in which for the love of learning, we teachers would prepare a chaotic day of pumpkin learning based activities..... FOR THE LOVE OF KIDS!!!!!
4.  I didn't have jeans that fit properly because I'm losing weight, but that's a whole 'nother story....
5.  My sudrop wasn't working yet...

So I really can't wait for a surprise, so this bad boy was not walking all the way down to my room.  I put down my belongings and slowly (and unexpectedly) opened the envelope.  I knew something was really different when I opened a blue folder and spied a gleaming certificate inside.  Overwhelmed with joy, I was totally jumping up and down, saying "Oh yeah, who has a piranha gun now" (Despicable Me)  I'm just kidding, I was happy, excited, jubilant, elated, screaming "we have our outdoor classroom"  whoooo hooo!!!
I was hugging teachers, high fiving people, and even hugged the PE teacher.... saying--- "get ready, I'm gonna hug you."

Now is the 'put the money to good use part'.  I'm so excited.  We have used this area as a means to teach science for plants and soil.  Now however, we will be able to properly outline the sun and shade gardens, have durable picnic tables for outdoor lessons in ANY subject and a composting bin for great soil.  I plan to post pictures of the garden as we make our way into this great journey.  For now this is green thumb Tara---- OUT!