A little batty

We went to Pumpkin Hollow last weekend. It was warm and the sky was blue. The kids rode the cow train, jumped on the bouncer, met farm animals, climbed bales, got lost in the maze and checked out the pumpkins. It's hokey and I love it.

I went to 2 Children's Used Clothing sales in the past 2 weeks. I LOVE getting quality clothes for just a few dollars!

I'm presenting tomorrow at our Professional Development Day. Basically, I'm Book Talking with a colleague. I'll be introducing graphic novels to a lot of middle aged ladies. Should be fun! :)

We're hosting Thanksgiving for my family this year. I've never cooked a turkey before. Should be a good little adventure.

I finally tracked down a bat costume for Simon. Who would have thought that a bat would be such a hard costume to find in this city? Now, he never wants to take it off. We've negotiated a deal where he can't wear it to bed but, he can sleep with it beside him. Silly bat!

Arena Bound

I read The Hunger Games series after Christmas break. Every time I stuck my nose into the books, it felt like I was submerged under water and I could barely breathe until I had to break the surface back into my reality. It was that intense, folks. If you haven't read it yet, where have you been? under a rock?

Normally, I would read the series and be done. However, I teach Middle Years now. I have built this elaborate community of readers (my students ROCK) and they watched me read The Hunger Games series during our Silent Reading time (any teacher who doesn't read during Silent Reading is missing one of my favorite parts of the day - yes, I am modelling and yes, I am reading for my own pleasure - it's awesome). I have Book Talked the series with every kid that has read it in my room. We have had the best discussions about love, family, the Roman Empire, government, power and sacrifice. Even better, all these conversations have been student led and we've been equal participants. (The girls and I have held lengthy debates about who's cuter and better: Peeta or Gale. It can get quite intense!) It's a level playing field when you talk to someone about a mutual love for a book. That makes it real to life instead of just something the curriculum requires. I love it!

Now, I've been roped into leading a Hunger Games Book Club at school. A bit of a challenge as all my participants are in varying parts of the series. Our first meeting is tomorrow. I have a cornucopia of ideas planned (literally). Should be fun.

Today, I booked tickets for Trevor and I to go to the movie. (It was supposed to be a surprise but I don't have a poker face and my husband can read me like a book.) Date night + a movie version of a book that has played a huge role in my 2012 so far = a very happy me!

Boy-Mania

We just got back from lunch with some friends. We all took our little boys to DQ. It dawned on me just how many baby boys around Simon's age that we know. It's like 2009 was the year of the boy. I think our 2-3 year old Sunday School teacher may retire when she sees the crew she has coming in the next year and a bit. Yikes! I wouldn't blame her one bit! It's a good thing that Simon will have a pile of little guy friends. I pity this group in Jr. High when there are maybe one or two girls to flirt with between the lot of them.

On the same subject but, a completely different note, I just finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. It took me over a week to read because it was such a hard story. I'm still upset when I think of these lonesome little orphan boys who wound up fighting in the "army" in Sierra Leone. They were pumped with drugs, given guns and forced to go and shoot the enemy. The brainwashing and abuse the author went through was atrocious. As a Mommy, I held my little son a lot closer this week and continued to thank God that we live in such a safe place. Unfortunately, Ismael was one of many, many children to whom war and atrocities happen to. I don't know what I can do to help other then to hear their stories and to pass them on.

The Happiness Project

I'm reading Gretchen Rubin's book called The Happiness Project. I read a lot of random things and this had a very favorable review in Maclean's (which I read religiously) so I thought I'd check it out of the library.

I'm pretty impressed with it.

First, she started her project, basically how to make her life more happy, not because she was unhappy but rather because she just wanted to milk as much happiness from life as possible. I really like this idea. I'm a pretty happy person but, it's good to think of ways to be happier rather then just to coast through life.
She chose a different part of her life to focus on every month for a year. My favorite chapters so far have been about her marriage and about being a Mom. Currently, I'm reading her chapter on leisure. It's about how we "play". One of the things Gretchen had to realize about herself is that things that may give other people pleasure don't always work for her. One of her golden rules is to always stay true to
"being Gretchen". This is a good realization for me.

I'm coming to accept that I'm a little quirky and what works for some, doesn't work for me. For instance, group sports tend to cause me performance anxiety. I'd much rather walk the park with Trevor and Simon. I HATE going out with groups. There's too much conversation and I never know where to focus my attention. I much prefer quieter outings with one or two friends. I love creating things, making the mundane into an adventure, being silly, baking and ice cream. I LOVE stories... a good book, a good TV show, a good movie, a sermon with a story to illustrate a point, a good radio broadcast, a good... well, you get the point.

So why, except when absolutely obligated, do I put myself in situations I don't enjoy? I guess I do it because these situations are supposed to be "fun". I think that this book has been a good reminder for me to just be me.

Anyways, if you're in the mood for a really good read that will make you contemplate life a little, check out Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. The library has a few copies kickin' around. I think you'll be glad you did. :)

Twilight

I'm not usually a trend follower but, as
a teacher, I always like to read what
my kids read.
This has led to a lot of interesting discoveries.
I've discovered Jodi Piccoult, graphic novels,
the Ender's Game series, Nicholas Sparks, etc.
My newest "find" was the Twilight series.
I loved it!
I'm not really into vampires and werewolves. I
gagged over Edward's schmaltzy lines and the
love triangle between a klutzy girl, a werewolf and
a vampire.
However, the plot was fast and the action was good.
There were quite a few non-predictable twists.
I think it ended really well.
Maybe, I'll watch the movies... maybe.