Less than two weeks to go

I don't know where the summer went. I know it is still technically mid summer, but I will be at school full time this week, meetings start next week and school on the 27th. My classroom is looking much better, but I still feel woefully unprepared for the new year. I have been focusing on making the room look nice, some organization, thinking about routines and procedures, meditating on some curriculum ideas...but generally feeling that I better get on the ball and start some planning because a cute classroom will only occupy 6th grade minds for so long. On a positive note, I enhanced the window covering situation considerably, I have my actual bulletin boards covered even if I haven't decided for sure what to put on all of them yet, the carpets have been cleaned, I set up desks (might be a new students coming though), and I have many things ready to set up. I will start posting some photos of things I have accomplished this summer, but first a photo of a very good reason why I haven't gotten even more done:

I had a lovely visit from my adorable granddaughter (and my daughter too). I know everybody has cute babies in their lives, but I don't get to see this one very often, and she's my first grandbaby (interesting juxtaposition since I still have one of my own babies at home). Anyway, I didn't do any preparing for the new year at all for a week or so, so now I will be paying the price. But it was totally worth it! She turned 9 months old while she was here, and I hadn't seen her since she was a newborn. I thought I would get some work done during her visit, but how can you resist that face?