Backstage blur

It's that time of year again folks... it's the annual school musical. This is the time of year where I foolishly volunteer to be the back stage lady. Fortunately, I have such a sweet crew of girls (I call them ninjas because they dress in black and move the set with great agility). Silly back... I can't lift of move a thing. I feel like the stereotypical union supervisor... I do a lot of delegating and not a lot of the labour myself.
This weekend was a bit of a blur... I spent it all at school. Two late nights this week and I'm done!
Well, I hope the kids break legs and the show's a success.

Pain in the...

I woke up on Tuesday morning and could barely move to get out of bed. I stumbled around my room and the walls of my house getting ready for the day. Owch! Trevor was so sweet and helpful!
I have insane back pain. There had been tension there before and a stabbing pain every now and then but, this was pretty bad.
Now, I know that pregnancy does cause some back pain. I don't think that this was normal. I spent the rest of the day walking and moving like an old lady. My co-workers suggested that I was suffering sciatica. I looked that up and panicked... I do not want sciatica. I found pelvic girdle pain and hoped for that instead. I also booked in with my doctor to solve the mystery.
Today was much better. I have the slight twinge and I need to think through my movements (I'm getting good on pain avoidance movement strategies) but, it's not constant. I also talked to my doctor. She suspects an inflammation of my SI joint. This is related to my already uneven hips not reacting well to the 8 pounds I've gained so far. I get to continue with my pain avoidance strategies, do some stretches and see a massage therapist on a regular basis.
Poor baby, he or she finally starts to make an appearance and I can finally start to feel him or her move :) and all I can think of is "my baby is a pain already..."... what an introduction to motherhood.

Wide Wii Mii

Trevor and I really like our Wii. My favorite game is Wii Fit. Lately, Wii Fit is making me a little sad. The little version of myself (my Mii) is gaining weight... all over. My Mii does not have a cute little bump like I have. Instead, I am a chubby Mii. The game told me that I'm close to overweight. :( I feel fine, I look fine but, this game is making me sad.
So, I wrote an email to Nintendo asking them to put a pregnancy setting on their next release of WiiFit. I know it will happen... most major corporations tend to do everything I ask. :) A girl can dream...

Sustainable

Today, my enviro club and I went to a cute little prairie town to see their sustainable living project.
It was an amazing trip. We learned about composting toilets, solar energy, straw bale walls (insulation), non-chemical water treatment, geothermal energy and local dining. My kids were riveted. I came home with a pile of ideas. If I had a million dollars, I'd build the most amazing little house... (Right now, we'll settle for some new siding in the spring... maybe.)

Today was also cool because as our van drove down the highway, the kids sang and sang (they're also the choir kids) Christmas carols. This was the perfect way to usher in the snow of winter/08-09. This made me think that when this snow melts... I'll be closer to being a momma. :)

I ended this fine Wednesday with a high tea at the church's Pioneer Girls Gal/Pal night. My little pal and I dressed to the nines (I realized that I'm growing when I could barely find a bridesmaid dress or other fancy dress that fits). A fabulous evening to a great day.

The bump that is our baby

The day we found out!

Excited shock???!!!!

7 weeks

12 weeks - we could finally tell people

16 weeks

Well, here is the bump, in all it's splendor.   I'm not really showing all that much however, I'm not my normal skinny self either.  I'm in the "in-between" stage of looking "chubby" but not quite pregnant.

Whump, whump, whump

Today, Trevor and I met with the doctor who will delivering our baby. She let us hear the baby's heartbeat. Definitely the highlight of my week! :) The baby was there and then disappeared so that we couldn't hear it anymore. It's cool to think that I have a little person swimming around inside me.
I also checked out a local store that sells cloth diapers. I've been doing a lot of online research but, it was really great to actually talk to someone and see and feel the diapers. There are these great diapers called Bummis.
There was no school today. Actually, I'm not going back to school until after Remembrance Day. :) Today was payback for our absurdly long hours on Monday and Tuesday when we were conducting parent teacher interviews (11 interviews in 8 hours - lots of prep time for Jill). Today makes up for it.
Now, I get 4 days with my sweet man! Yippee!

Auntie Jill and Uncle Trevor

Yipppeee! Not only do we get to be Mommy and Daddy this spring, we also get to become an Auntie and Uncle for the first time!
Congrats to Tim and Karri! They're due in late May. This will be one fantastic spring for my family. :)

By far not the worst...

For those of you who remember my Feb/o7 field trip from Hades, today made up for it.
Today, I took 14 lovely Senior students to see Midsummer Night's Dream. My students were fabulous. We discussed the characters during intermission and I watched them take in a new experience. There were no fires lit, no change thrown at other audience members and, we didn't have to haul the kids back to school during the second act.
Unfortunately, there were about 13 other classes from my school with us. I ended up having to sit by a little yahoo who couldn't figure out why his loud whispering was being heard 10 rows down. We had to relocate a few individuals and one of my colleagues had the pleasure of taking one student out for his own foyer field trip.
My question is this: WHY? Why do we as educators do this to ourselves? We get excited about introducing the students to a new experience. We discuss what a great cultural opportunity this is. We plan and invest. Then, ~18% of the students we take wreck it. Why?
I always want to err on the side of the positive and think that, even though we don't see it now, the kids will take something away from this experience. They will have grown through a cultural field trip. Today, we gave them an opportunity some of their families might never have provided. However, tonight, I have a splitting headache. I loved the theatre's rendition of this play and the acting was delightful. Why am I still so disheartened?

A whole new world

Today, I am typing from my bed... on my spiffy new Mac lap top.  It's so sweet.  We ordered it on Friday night and here it is today... in my house already.

I already love how cute it is (it sleeps when we leave it alone) and how shiny and durable the aluminum case is.

We're livin' the high life.  We may even have to watch a movie this weekend... anywhere we like!

Feist

Feist was pretty awesome last night. She had some really neat visuals that made the concert an excellent experience. I liked that this set her a part a little from any other concert I've seen. She's also quirky cute and I always admire that.
If she comes to town again, count me in!

Yummy...

Tonight, I'm making roast (organic, free range, locally grown) chicken from http://www.farmgatefood.ca/. It was going to happen last night and didn't... ah well, nothing like a slow Sunday for a chicken dinner. It's a good way to celebrate the Riders' win.

Tonight, we're going to rock out to FEIST! I took a good nap. This is the latest I've stayed up in a while. I'm pumped!

Well... the cat's out of the bag

It's nice to finally have our big "secret" out in the open now. :)
Baby is now 13 weeks along and all is going well. I'm now finding all the locations of all the bathrooms in malls, restaurants, truck stops and grocery stores. I still long for naps (mostly during P5 French) but, I'm hoping now that I'm in trimester 2, I should get some of my energy back. I've developed a little pooch belly that I notice. I don't think I'm really showing but, it's strange to have a little belly... I'm sure the big belly will be only stranger.
It's been fun telling people. We can hardly wait to introduce our little person to the world...

Grateful

My 200th blog post happens to fall on the Thanksgiving weekend. I've decided to write about what I'm most thankful for.
1. My most excellent husband! He always knows how to make me smile and brighten my day.
2. Family - I've been so lucky to have such great parents and kid bro (and his little wife). It's cool to be an adult who's friends with her family.
3. Family-in-law - Not only do I have great in-laws but, Trevor comes with this AMAZING extended family. This past weekend, we were able to go to Winnipeg to celebrate his Oma and Opa's 60th anniversary. How awesome is that?
4. Fergus - Enough said, his little fur face is great (even when he's grumpy).
5. My job - I love what I do; how many people get to actually go to work every day and have crazy adventures?
6. My friends far and near - I never get the time I want to spend with you all.
7. My little house - it's cute and cozy (and now that there's snow... warm).
8. My church - I was away this weekend and I missed it lots.
9. My health - I know I was complaining a few weeks ago but really, that's pretty minor when I think about it.
10. Our BABY! Yep... you read right. My little bambino was officially 12 weeks on Friday and all is well! We're excited (and nervous and scared and then excited again) about his/her arrival in our lives in late April/09!

This girl's life can't get much better! :)

Open Letter to My Body

Dear body,
I'm not very impressed with you. Don't you realize that I have to teach tomorrow? I'd rather not do it while hopped up on Pepto-Bismal and Tylenol. Because of you, I think I actually have to take a sick day! Do you know how much prep work is ahead of me? I'm guessing at least a 45 minutes creating a detailed lesson plan, at least 7 emails to colleagues who will have to cover responsibilities for me and a 1/2 hour calling and calling and calling someone to sub for me. Bah! I know that, in most professions, a sick day would require just one phone call to the boss. Not so for teachers! Body, do you understand the mental (as well as physical) stress that you are putting me through?
I really hope that tonight, you let me sleep soundly and don't wake me up with disturbing gastro-intestinal issues again. I did not appreciate at that in the slightest! If you think I'm grumpy with you now, what until you see how irate I'll become if you get any sicker!
Due to your extreme behaviour, you're going to bed right after Amazing Race and don't count on much besides crackers and water for supper!

Tagged...

Amanda tagged me. I need to list 5 unusual things about me.

1. I don't like purple candies. I give all my purple Skittles to Trevor (poor man). Synthetic grape flavoring SUCKS!

2. My high school buddies still make fun of the way I say "spooky" or "milk" or "toilet" or "minute". Something about the way I elongate my vowels.

3. I work through my lunch. I'm kind of a lame teacher that way. Instead of cavorting in the staff room, I'm the hermit in my room marking and prepping. (I just don't want to take anything home).

4. I'm not a phone talker. I always struggle with what to say. I always just want to get to the point so that I can hang up. It's weird.

5. If I eat after supper, I have a 75% chance of 1) getting a stomach ache, 2) having weird dreams or 3) a combination of 1 and 2.

Great... now you know my quirks. I tag...
Laurie
Brandy
Jackie
Colleen

It's apparent that I'm no longer on holidays...

Well, if I look at the last date of my last blog, it's apparent that I am no longer on summer holidays.
School has started of relatively well this year. There's something quite wonderful about returning to the same school and to a set-up classroom instead of the stress of trying to lobby for a job and then start fresh. I teach Senior Modified English, I team-teach Psych 20 with a fabulous colleague, I split some Student Support Services time between a very large Foods 10 class and a very large Visual Arts 10 class and I teach Senior French. I actually really enjoy the flexibility and diversity of my schedule.
I've also started up with extra curr. This year (fingers crossed), I will try not to overwhelm myself. So far, it's just a RISK board game playing club, my environmental club and co-coaching Improv. It's busy but, it's manageable.
For the past two weekends, Trevor and I have been at Dallas Valley Ranch Camp. Last week, we were at the 25th reunion. That was a pretty neat time. We saw a lot of people that we grew up working and camping with. It was pretty awesome.
This weekend, we headed back out to DVRC for a Small Group Leaders Retreat. Trevor and I have been leading a small group since the beginning of 2007. It was really good to get together with other leaders and pray for one another, learn from each other and just goof around together. There was a lot of food for thought this weekend. I know that I've taken away a lot to think about.
Our days are full. Between our small group, my night class and staying on top of school work, we find that our time is just flying away on us. The past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind.
Hopefully, next weekend will find us at home, relaxing.

Lu Lu Loopy!

I stood in line for a 1/2 today. I was waiting to get in to the Lu Lu Lemon Warehouse sale. Honestly, I am not a lulu lemon nut. My only yoga is with Wii Fit. I bought a pair of capris in the spring and wore them all over Europe and LOVED them. I thought I could get a pair of pants at the sale.
I was wrong.
I overheard in the line that one woman camped out at 3:45 AM just to be the first there when the doors opened at 9 AM. I also heard that another woman spent over $3 000???? That's an insane price for any shopping trip let alone for just one brand of clothing.
I didn't find any pants.
I bought a touque. It's cute and blue and wool. It was under $10... and 45 minutes of my time.

Open Letter to Summer of 2008

Dear Summer of 2008,
I know that today is just the first day we have parted company yet, I miss you already. I miss getting up slowly and eating a leisurely breakfast. I miss reading in the backyard while watching Fergus chase his squirrel. I miss my Mom's random drop ins and her pool.
I will never forget my trip to Germany with Trevor or the rainy Radiohead concert.
I will always cherish the BC trip and the wedding week of Shiya and Marshall.

How come you went by so fast? Where did all those lazy days go?

Ah, sweet summer. Farewell.

P.S. - To all of you non-teachers out there, sorry... I remembered today how much it sucked to get up to an alarm.

Last Hurrah

This weekend is my last hurrah. :(
School starts for teachers on Monday.
I love my job, honest I do. I just love my summer as well.
Sigh...

Some wedding pics

Shiya's dance troupe took her for a pedicure and then made her walk around downtown Victoria in this delightful hat.
The beautiful bride. Look for her cute little side curls!
Lacing her in. Love the black accents.
Shiya and her family (Nathan, Cindy and Dick).
The newlyweds.
Making our own breeze. We loved our twirly dresses and fab scarves.
Pucker up Marshall!
Mel made these fabulous cakes and and cookies.Happy honeymooning guys!

one hot wedding

YEAH! Shiya and Marshall are married and off somewhere romantic for their honeymoon.
I spent ~ 5 days in Victoria cooking for the couple and helping with some prep there. Then (after my second ever ferry ride - prairie girls get excited about ships), we headed for Abbotsford to do last minute stuff to prepare for the big day.
I bet no one could have predicted the incredibly INSANE heat.
The couple was beautiful, the bridesmatrons (yeesh, that sounds old) were delightful, the groomsmen were hot (poor guys in the suits) and the MC was amazing (yeah Trevor). I sadly have very few pics from the actual wedding day but, hopefully I will be sent a few. I'll try to post some a bit later this week.

Remembering...

I'm in Victoria at Shiya's cute litte condo, helping her get ready for her wedding (just a little over a week).
I'm remembering our last week of singlehood...
-we had just bought our house, Trevor had taken possession and, after finding out that all walls were plywood, Trevor was busy drywalling
-we wanted a contractor to mud, tape and sand the newly dry-walled walls and do our ceilings while we were on our honeymoon, so we scraped off all the painted over stucco
-crazy decoration making madness
-signage
-organizing and making food for my lingerie shower
-hosting friends and family
-living in the blur that I exist in for the first few weeks of summer holidays (when that cold catches up and the shock of not having to mark or be "on" every second of the work day hits me)
-longing just to be married

Being back in wedding prep mode has reminded me how HAPPY I am that we're married. Not as glamourous as being the almost married couple but, that's the way I like it. I wouldn't go back for a second!

Jill's Bakery

3 saskatoon berry pies
2 rhubarb custard pies
6 dozen whole wheat muffins
2 dozen bran/saskatoon berry muffins
(3 dozen cookies - maybe...)
Whew... it's been a busy day. I'm so glad that my house stayed cool (I didn't even switch on the AC).

36 hours until I take off to Victoria (and then Abbottsford) to be Shiya's matron (it sounds so old) of honour.

Already?

Really? It's August? Already?
Shucks... I'm already missing the lazy bliss of July.

the berry and the squirrel

In the mornings, I let Fergus outside to play (read "stalk bugs and eat grass) outside. Lately, he's found a new "friend" to play with. For the past 4 mornings, Fergus and this little squirrel have been chasing each other up and down our big maple. They'll take breaks to natter at one another and then the chase is on again. I wonder what Fergus will do if he catches the squirrel?

Before supper, he was such a whiny cat, we put him in the spare room. Here he is trying to make his escape.

Today, I went out to my a farm near my parents and picked saskatoon berries with Karri and Mom. We picked like fiends. I have over 24 cups! On top of the rhubarb Karri gave me last week (21 cups), I'll be busy baking sweet treats for a while. Rhubarb and saskatoons... definately some of my favorite things about living on the prairies.

Confessions...

Things I've learned about myself in the dog days of summer.

1. Since coming home from Germany, I lack motivation. Motivation for doing my class, motivation for re-doing our siding, motivation for doing my hair, motivation for most things except reading like a fiend.

2. I have a serious guilt complex so, the lack of motivation isn't helping. (The most pressing guilt I'm currently feeling is the amount of crazy weeds in my back alley...)

3. I LOVE grocery shopping. I love pushing the cart through the aisles and reading labels and price checking and looking at all the produce and imagining what great things I could cook if I'd only get motivated.

4. My cat is a wee beastie. I think he scared our house-sitter with his demanding cat-ttitude. What will we do when we go away at Christmas?

5. I dread the fall. I love my job but, I love sitting on my butt more. How do I get paid for that?

Any confessions you'd like to make?

humdrum

Returning to the routine of things has been a little bit of a comforting struggle. My body is still having its ups and downs recovering(?) from this flu bug that seems to be attacking my sweet husband again (poor man... should have thrown up when he could instead of endure the crampy ravages of this beasty of a bug).
I'm trying to find a routine.
"Ah, you teachers... what do you do all summer?"
I power walk and garden and try to get into discipline to take my correspondence class (blech). I lounge in my mother's pool and haul my cat out of trees. I try not to read all day (but I would if I could). I plan the garage sale (that I'm afraid I'll never have) to try and get rid of all the junk in the basement. I watch the days tick by on the calendar and wish we could have July forever.
It's a busy, difficult life. It's one of the perks to my career that I wouldn't trade for the world!

2 1/2 weeks of travel bliss

We're back!
We had an amazing trip. I loved traveling with my sweet husband!
We arrived in Hamburg at 9:30 am after flying all night and made ourselves stay up all day to ward off jet lag. We hung out in an awesome park, ate hamburgers, went on a canal tour (in German - not really too sure what we saw) and went to bed early!
After another day in Hamburg, we spent 3 glorious days on the island of Rugen in the sea-side town of Binz. We played in the Baltic Sea, took a boat out to visit the famed White Cliffs and generally had a mini-beach holiday.
Next stop was Berlin. This was my second time in Berlin and I still feel like I need to go back to see it all. We had 3 crazy, crammed days. Highlights included the Sony Center, the Reichstag, Schloss Sophie-Charlotta and piles of history. Of course, the biggest highlight was the Radiohead concert. Amazing! I don't even really like Radiohead (Trevor's favorite band) but, it was still the best concert of my life.
The morning after the concert, we bordered a train and left Germany for the Czech Republic to visit Prague. We toured Prague Castle and enjoyed the city. We made sure to eat goulash but, passed on the pig knuckle.
Our next stop was Nuremberg where the Old City is still walled in. Although it rained a lot, we were still able to relax and see quite a bit. This was our favorite hostel. We were given the "Honeymoon Suite" and we spent our evenings hanging out with other backpackers.
Lastly, we ended up in Munich where we power-shopped for souvenirs and endured the rain. Fortunately, on our anniversary, the sun came out and we headed to off to see Newschwanstein with Mike's Bike Tours. In the morning, we biked to an lake and rode and alpine slide. In the afternoon, we toured the castle itself. Amazing!
We're kind of sad to be back and done our European adventures. However, it's also nice to have our home and our own bed and food in the fridge. It was also good to see our parents and Fergus.
Unfortunately, we have the flu. I yakked up my Mom's welcome home supper while trying to show my parents pictures and I'm still a little leery of food today. Trevor's currently napping through a pretty bad stomach ache. Not the best kind of feeling to combine with jet lag. Ah well...

and we're off...

Tomorrow morning, we get on a plane and fly to Germany. Why Germany? Why not? We want to backpack Europe a bit and, with limited time, we thought one country (with a jaunt to Prague in the Czech Republic) would suffice. Besides, there's way less train time and way more adventure time this way!
First stop - Hamburg. Goals: eat a hamburger and tour the canals
Second Stop - Binz. Goals: suntan on the Baltic coast and see chalk cliffs
Third Stop - Berlin. Goals: Radiohead concert and see the Wall
Fourth Stop - Prague. Goals: see the castle and visit the squares
Fifth Stop - Nuremberg. Goals: tour the medieval wall and eat ice cream
Sixth Stop - Munich. Goals: eat a pretzel and see the big cuckoo clock

We'll be back by mid-July!

School's out for the summer

Alice Cooper was playing "School's Out" on the intercom.
Some were dressed up in crazy drama dept costumes.
We ran a lap of the school halls as a breakneck pace.
Today, the teachers did the good-bye lap.
We looked kind of like this.

My smile can't get any bigger.

Con"grad"ulations

Last night I dressed up and went to the 2008 grad. I watched ~150 young people walk across a stage and receive their passport to their future.
Grad is a beautiful thing... full of hopes and dreams and the idealism of youth. Nobody walks across the stage thinking, "Gee, I can't wait to get my welfare check" or "Yeehaw, now I can get a dead-end job". Instead, it's all about being as successful as possible. It really is an uplifting event.
Strangely, I sat alone in a crowd. Trevor's been to enough grads for kids I teach, I let him off the hook this year. I walked in and I could not find one single teacher I knew. I sat with some kid's family. I cheered loudly for the 20 kids I taught this year and I went home. As lonesome as it was, I don't think I'd want to miss it. Grad is the icing on the cake for a high school teacher.
Tomorrow is my last day of school for the year. Just 4 more sleeps until our big trip...

How I...

Every few nights, Trevor and I watch the adventures of Ted Mosby and his buddies Marshall, Lily, Robin and the legen-(wait for it)-dary Barney. If you haven't yet watched How I Met Your Mother, I seriously recommend it. Last night, we watched Marshall and Lily get married. It made me happy.

Sweet Summer Breeze

Today, we ripped out a half dead bush and replaced it with a rose bush.
I weeded and watered and Trevor mowed the grass. We chased Fergus up and down our big maple tree.
I trimmed and deadheaded my flowers.
I love being outside. I love that it is Saturday and I have NO school related obligations. I have nothing to mark and I have no more uni assignments stealing my time.
Nothing but the sun and the sweet summer breeze.

Last night, we had the teacher I share a classroom and his wife over for supper. Nice veggie kabobs, feta and herb potatoes and a yummy roast (no school = Jill cooking). He's a great first year teacher who's temporary contract wasn't renewed. I don't understand why. He does a great job with the kids and makes math fun (who knew that could happen?). I feel bad that his contract wasn't prolonged. I know exactly how he feels. It sucks that sometime administrators let good people walk out the building. I don't think I'll ever get it. I really hope he hears something so he can stop worrying.

Yipppeee!

Today was the last class day of the school year. I played many rounds of Mafia, facilitated a sharing circle, reviewed and reviewed and reviewed, hosted 2 very intense games of Final Jeopardy and witnessed the annual grade 12 lap around the school. I ended the day with the happy dance.
Tonight, I handed in a major project, wrote an exam and did a major presentation. I walked out the doors of the university with a smile on my face.
Now, my greatest stress will be finding cool tunes for my IPod, prepping for Europe (maintaining calm because I am soooo excited), battling the canker worm invasion and hauling Fergus out of trees.
Bring on summer because I am ready! :)
P.S. - If you know any cool summer tunes to add to my summer bliss, let me know.

Almost

Almost:
-the weekend
-the last day of school (this coming Tuesday)
-my last uni class (also this coming Tuesday)
-our trip to Germany... we leave the 30th

My Mom always told me to enjoy today and don't spend my time wishing for tomorrow. It's hard to follow that advice right now!

29 and holding

Yesterday, I turned 29. People keep joking that I've now had my final birthday and that I will be 29 and holding from now on.
I'm actually okay with my age and approaching the big 3-0. I'm liking the way I'm living my life and I'm getting adventures galore so, I'm happy.
This week, we also celebrate year 2 in our happy little home. This year, we plan on a major exterior face lift. Pretty good for a 67 year old.
This coming Sunday is Trevor's B-day as well.
Tonight, we dined at Zest, this amazing little restaurant. It's one of my favorite places to go for special occasions. Trevor bought me a nice little GPS unit and some LuLu Lemon pants. Lucky me!

Why I Love Teaching

I have one of the most eclectic and adventurous jobs I could ever think of. Even when I teach the same subject two hours in a row, it varies enormously. Teaching is always an interesting job.
It's just Wednesday but so far this week I have:
-researched serial killers (yucky)
-had those crazy "too much cleavage" conversations
-had a professional evaluation
-held a goat (seriously - my env't club and I toured an organic farm)
-watched Simpsons (the cults episode)
-killed Macbeth in 32 seconds
-evaluated and plotted Final exams/projects
-broke the photocopier and then fixed the photocopier
-danced a little
-cried a little

It's just Wednesday. Only 9 more class days to "enjoy" (then it's the most wonderful time of the year - Final Exams time).

Open Letter to the Young Ladies of this World

Dear young ladies,
I enjoy teaching. Being a high school teacher was my career aspiration and I am very passionate about it. I also like teaching adolescents. I know that some people think this is crazy but, a little crazy is all it takes.
Unfortunately, every spring, I am disappointed in the young ladies who walk through the corridors of all three institutes of learning I have worked in. For 6 springs, I have had to have uncomfortable and incredibly awkward conversations with my female students about boobs. Yep... boobs.
Please, when you are in a place of learning, make sure that your shirt fits you properly. Please avoid clothing where cleavage plans it's escape. This is not what I want to see when I tell you to turn to page 84 or when I have to stand by your desk to explain your assignment. It's weird and gross. Save those tops for, well... not school.
I don't enjoy those conversations. It's probably one of the worst things about my job. Ease my pain and wear modest tops.
Thanks,
Your very annoyed teacher

green

It's raining. I love that it's raining.
Last night, Trevor took me for a walk around our neighbourhood in the pouring rain (to test my new rain jacket of course). It was good to smell that fresh spring rain smell.
My yard is bright green now.
My little plants are sighing with relief.
I expect them to be bright and cheery when the sun comes back.
I expect to see my little seeds popping up.

It's crazy how exciting I find gardening. I always thought that my mom was a little wacky. Now, here I am, dreaming of rhubarb and sweet peas. I guess the apple doesn't fall that far from the tree...

...up to

Slogging my way through a sea of assignments for my class and then ones I teach.

Gleefully planting a pile of fleurs and waiting (not so patiently) to see them pop up.

Waiting (also not so patiently) for rain.

Curious about the Wii Fit sitting in it's box daring me to scrap the marking and play.

Catching up with Fergus as he bounds through our yard.

Missing out on frisbee to do homework.

Booking hostels for our upcoming German adventure.

Craving chocolate but settling for tea.

That's what I've been up to...

A New View

Today, our new windows were installed.
Fergus spent the day in the garage.
It's nice to look out from windows from today instead of 1951.

Crest Kid

I've always been a "Crest kid".
I've been a good brusher and I floss daily.

On one of my regular checkups, the dentist noticed a (gasp) cavity!

Goodness, I've never had a cavity before.

Today, I got my first filling.

Ow!

The freezing is weird and strange.

It hurts to open and close my mouth.

My bagel was a challenge!

I really am a big wimp!!!

Adventures of Student Jill con't

Biked to the university. Found my class just in time. Only, it wasn't my class... or my section of the class.

Found my right class and walked in late.

Desks were filled with young, young students.
I'm only 28.

When did 28 feel so old?

Just 3 other practicing teachers.
The rest are preparing for their internships.

Please, please - no group work.

Fascinating information. Stimulating discussion.
Had to find a way onto some WebCT portal for discussion.
Goodness, I have to add a post after every class.
What do I write about?
Making things up again therefore,
I must be back in university!

Student Jill

Today, I start the first of 10 classes that will qualify me to teach Special Ed. It's called an Inclusion Certificate. It will knock me up a pay bracket. More importantly, it will help me understand my highly entertaining modified students. Instead of always asking "why" when they say and do things, I'll be able to say "ah ha... that explains it". If all goes according to plan, I should be finishing this certificate in two years.

I'm really nervous about the whole back to school thing. I know, I teach; I should be good at the school thing. I was... kind of. I just remember a blur of notes and binders and crazy, make-work projects that had maybe some relevance to my career (maybe not).

15 night classes this spring. Wish me luck...

Celebration

Last spring, I was pretty down about leaving my inner-city high school. I liked my job there and I was sad to leave. It all worked out and I love my new bedroom community school.
I'm still on a temporary contract... that ends in June. An unknown autumn in the future.

This afternoon, I got a call offering me a continuing contract at the school I'm at. YEAH! This is job security in teacher-land. This is continuity in my work life. I'm sooo pumped!

LOL

I watched this twice. I laughed so hard I was crying at the end. (See April 4th post for why I cry at funny things.) Hope it works. Hope you laugh too.

Spring!

For most people, spring arrived a while ago. On Monday, we reached a high of ~27. I was in parent/teacher interviews all evening and missed it. My windowless classroom didn't help much either. The only way I knew it was hot was the scant amount of clothing on my students.
Today, I didn't have school. Today, I lazed and read in the sun with the Ferg and the husband.
Today, I watched the leaves of my big maple slowly uncurl.
Today, I counted tulips, daffodils and paperwhites popping up in my yard.
Today, Shiya and I got pedicures.

I hear that Calgary's getting a pile of snow. Guess I should enjoy my spring day all the more.

Hallmark is not me

It's birthday season for Trevor and I.
Every time we buy or make a card, I always try to think about something good to write. My brother usually comes up with great one-liners. I usually stick to "Happy B-day (insert name)! Hope you have a great (insert age)th year."
Blah.
Do you have anything better to write?

The Egg vs. RoboBaby

I teach Psych 30. It's developmental psychology where we look at how a person develops psychologically from conception until death. It's a pretty neat class. We just finished up the Infancy section.
While in Lanigan, I always had my kids carry "baby eggs". I know that they aren't very realistic but, they are fragile and you do have to handle them with care. Last year, in the 'hood, I skipped the Baby Egg part because so many of my students either were parents already, pregnant or had friends with babies. The egg seemed a little strange in that setting.
This year, my new school has the RoboBaby. She's the coolest thing ever. I program her and then, for 24 hours, she cries to be held, fed, burped or changed. Her diapers and bottle have chips in them that record the student's actions. I love it... I program her and then the kids look after her.
It's awesome except... she creeps me out. Her eyes don't blink and she makes weird breathing noises. I find myself talking to her when I hold her like she was a real baby.
I still don't think either of these is realistic but, I think it gets the idea of responsibility across.
What about you? Did you have to carry an egg in high school?

Weakness

When some people get angry, they yell or throw things. I know cold malice where people wait years to exact revenge. I know others who have biting tongues and cutting sarcasm to express their displeasure.
Contrary to all these powerful displays of anger, I cry.
Yes, I admit it, I am somewhat of a crybaby.
It's not just in anger either. I cry when I am sad (logically). I cry when I am embarrassed, frustrated, scared, disappointed or overwhelmed. Crying usually indicates that I am uncomfortable or stressed.
I also cry when I'm happy, during worship, proud, excited or surprised. (I'm also one of those saps who cries during movies, TV shows, books and long-distance commercials).

I get really frustrated that this is how I express emotion. My embarrassment usually just leads to more tears. It's annoying.

When it comes to fight or flight, I always flee. Usually, I have to talk myself into going and having a confrontation. No matter how good the pep talk though, it tends to involve tears. This doesn't always send the right message.

Today, I was a mess. Some colleagues and I experienced a difference of conduct. I was pretty angry with them. Rather then yelling or saying nasty things, what do I do? I cry. Blech... how weak and pathetic am I? We sorted it out. Still... they were in the wrong but, I'm the one who looked foolish.

Any other cry-babies out there?

Line please!

I'm in full rehearsal mode now...
Our show is Monday night. Today we hung lights, set up chairs and moved set.
Tomorrow is the big dress rehearsal.

It's kind of fun to direct plays. I like the process of watching the kids become their character. I like watching the words pop off the page and on to the stage. I love the stage high the kids get afterward. I love how proud they are of themselves.

I also love when it's over so I can have my life back again....

Sunbeams...

I love Easter holidays... no matter how early they may be.
Trevor and I hosted both sets of parents, my Grandma
and Jared for a tasty Easter dinner. (Our other
siblings were in exotic locales.)

The Wii just gets more and more fun!
One of my favorite things to do is to have
all my guests make Miis of themselves.

"It must be nice to be a teacher and get all this time off."
This is kind of funny. I'm spending most of
my holidays marking, prepping and
hanging out with my kids as they rehearse for our One Act Play.
All this "time off" is definitely unpaid.
Ah well...

Fergus loves sunbeams. He's a happy cat lazing
in the warm spring sun.

Dog Diary vs. Cat Diary

My friend Amanda sent this to me. It made me laugh hysterically. Makes me a wary of my little dictator cat.
( DOG DIARY )

8:00 am - Dog food! Myfavorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

(CAT DIARY) Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with
bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates
and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations
perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.The
only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again
vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet.
I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am
capable of. However, they merely made condescending commentsabout what a 'good little hunter'
I am. There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary
confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means,
and how to use it to my advantage.This morning I was almost successful in an attempt
to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as hewas walking. I must try this
again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him
communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors
have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.

For now...The Cat

Open Letter to My Favorite TV Shows

To: My Favorite TV Shows,

Remember when you'd come into my living room every week and tell me tales that kept me entertained and amused. Remember when I based some evenings entirely around you. Thursday night was especially enjoyable. I loved the drama and the comedy you brought into my home.

Last fall, you went away. Something about your creators not getting paid well. Fair enough. People have a right to strike. However, I was left with a void. For a few weeks, I found myself lost. I wondered what in the world I could watch while correcting papers. Reality TV tried to fill the void but, I found it was a little too melodramatic. I tried watching re-runs of you, my favorite shows but I found myself getting bored. You left a gap.

Gradually, I moved on. I spent more time on the phone. I paid better attention to my marking and worked much quicker. I spent quality time with my husband. Fergus got extra play time. I discovered LOL cats on the internet. Trevor and I started watching all 5 seasons of The Wire (our guilty pleasure). You were no longer a part of my life and I was okay with that!

Now, you are appearing in commercials while I'm watching the news. You're trying to return and draw me in to your completely superfluous plot lines. I'm not sure what to do. Should I welcome you back with open arms or cautiously check you out, one at a time. It just depends...

a hodge-podge

1) Today, we said good-bye to Shiya. She was here on a whirlwind, wedding planning jaunt. Here's a new pic of her and her man Marshall.

2) I went to the dentist today. I found out I have a cavity. I've never had a cavity in my life. I'm a vigorous flosser. I'm very sad. I'm also very afraid. May 8th, I get my first filling. How afraid should I be?


3) I had my 5th weigh and measure day at Curves. I've gained weight and lost inches. I'm trying to remind myself about muscle weighing more then fat but, it's still psychologically daunting.

4) Fergus is taking little adventures outside on his leash. He likes his little adventures when I'm there but, he's a whiny baby when we leave him alone for a few minutes.

5) My One-Act is looming. Just 2 more weeks until we take the stage.

Have a Good Wii-kend

Last Saturday we bought a Wii. We'd been talking about it for a bit. I actually searched for one most of November and December to surprise Trevor with for Christmas. Alas, it was elusive.
Now, we are busy making Miis, bowling, racing cows and hanging out in Mario Galaxies.

Our Special Needs class at school just got a Wii. I walked by the room to see one of our wheelchair girls batting in a baseball game. She's probably never played ball before. It's awesome.

I love my Wii. I am NOT a gamer but, I love the Wii. Congrats Nintendo for making something that really is "E" for Everyone.

P.S. If you have a friend code and want to share Miis, contact me on Facebook.

Busy = Good???

Last night, Trevor and I were out a function and I ran into an old acquaintance. As we shook hands, his greeting of choice was "Busy?" to which I responded, "Busy, busy!". "Good!" He said.

Really? Is busy good?

I thought about that driving home from work today. All day, I talked with colleagues who compared levels of busy-ness with each other. Oh, we don't do it directly but, we still do it. It sounds like this:
"How's it goin'?"
"Busy, I got those papers to correct."
"Really, I've got a lot going on too with the play and all."
"Yeah, the play. Almost as busy as I was with basketball..."

Why do we think that the busier we are, the better we are? Is it the association of busy-ness with importance?
Why can't we just all slow it down and enjoy?

Earthlings

Today, I watched Earthlings with my Environmental Club. The reason our group chose to watch such a controversial and shocking video was based on an ongoing discussion we keep having about where our food comes from. As a group of young people, I find it fascinating to see them question the status quo and ask really big questions.
Watching the movie really made me think about the sacrifice that went into my Subway sandwich or my plate of BBQ. How was this meat raised and killed? Was there humane treatment of an animal or was it just feed, cage, slaughter and kill?
If you're interested, check it out on YouTube (the complete movie is there on three parts). Be aware that it is a little disturbing.
Earthlings

Another adventure without the Mrs.

A couple of weeks ago, Trevor and some good buddies took off in my little Mazda to Fernie for some powder.







They found their powder and had a good time playing.

They made good time and were home by 10 pm. Their wives weren't up late worrying.







Trevor and Fergus napped much of the next day.



A few days later, Trevor's toes started to turn colour. His boots were a little too small. We think he'll lose his nails.




(That's what he gets for leaving his wife to go and play... just kidding... poor baby!)

Tag... you're it

I was tagged by Amanda

The Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people.

I thought I'd pick up my nicely autographed Stuart McLean book. Here goes:

"She was planning to do it after supper. But, before she could do that, the doorbell rang and there was Gerta - standing on the stoop with a wagon full of presents. Christmas cookies."

I tag:
Kim
Elenore
Crystal
Brandy
Wanda

Happy reading ladies!

Drat the blushing...

Yesterday, at convention, I went and saw Stuart McLean speak. (If you've never heard of Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe then you are seriously missing out.) I took one or our Stuart McLean books for him to sign. Like a blushing ten-year-old, I asked for an autograph. He was very pleasant and gracious and signed. I'm sure that I was as red as a tomato.

On Moral Education

It's teacher convention time. Today, I chose to go to a seminar about teaching the Holocaust in the morning. In the afternoon, I went to a seminar and Character building and Moral Education.

I believe that all of our children need to be taught values, virtues and morals. I believe we need to teach our children to view history from the point of view of the people who lived it and understand why they made the decisions that they made. I think we need to teach our children to see differences and look at the positive benefits of living in a society where individual differences are embraced and tolerated rather then subdued and "shushed".

It was a good day. It was good to get out of my classroom and to think about what I do.

This is a quote that happened to be in both seminars I was in. I don't believe things like this happen by chance. There's a lesson for me to learn in the words of Chaim Grinott.

"I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness: Gas chambers built my learned engineers, children poisoned by educated physicians, infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot and buried by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education.

My request is:

Help your students become more human. Your efforts should never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmans. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they serve to make children more humane."

Congratulations

My beautiful best friend Shiya and her Marshall got engaged on Saturday.
I take full credit for being the official matchmaker who invited Marshall to Canada Day fireworks while Shiya was visiting. I also cooked a darn good meal and hosted a fabulous fire-side conversation in order for them to "get to know" each other further.
After that, the ball was out of my court and Marshall did an amazing job of pursuing Shiya.
The wedding will be in August and I'm excited about my pretty dress!

See... for all you scoffers... match-making DOES work!

Succulent

Last night, we had an adventure in eating. We cooked some King Crab legs. We made some rice and a nice salad.
At first, we were a little nervous about the crustaceans in our dining room. Then, we tasted our first piece of sweet meat. I've never described meat as heavenly before but, these little pink guys were divine. I don't know who the first brave soul to eat a crab was but, the discovery is priceless.
Here are a few shots of our culinary journey. I also put in a shot of wrestling the Ferg (pink glove for protection). This is our every day, home from work routine. He's such an aggressive little guy!