53!

Wow. I'm 53 now. I still can't believe I'm this old.

One thing is for sure, celebrating a birthday in an elementary school is one of the best places. Everyone is truly excited to wish you happy birthday. I was sung to about 5 times. I gave my class the night off for homework. It was a great day!

Tonight, the kids made dinner and Jill made an angel food cake. Yum!! I received some hair product that I love, a game and a new vacuum. Yea!!! I can't wait to use it.

I didn't take any pictures though. Silly me.

Learning From a Master

I've been visiting the hospital almost every day over the break. There is an old lady (83!) in our ward who fell and broke her ankle. I figured over winter break I have nothing but time, so I volunteered to visit her on quite a few days. I've known her for a number of years. I have always enjoyed visiting with her because we have a lot in common. She loves to read and she was an elementary school teacher. She's always super smiley and has positive things to say. Today when I visited she got talking to the husband of a lady in her room. It was amazing to watch her work her magic on him. She engaged him in conversation and was super interested in learning about him. She would ask him questions and compliment him and smile and ask him more questions. It was something to watch! It really made me think about how I engage people in conversation. Her conversation was really positive and kind. That's the kind of person I want to be.

Outer Order Inner Calm

I ordered a great book by Gretchen Rubin the other day that I'm really excited about. It's called Outer Order Inner Calm. I can't wait to get it!

I read her other book, Better Than Before, and I found it changed my life. It helped me realize what works best for me and to embrace that. I've always been a follower of Fly Lady but I found some of her ideas just didn't work for me.

This year  I decided I will commit to her idea of zone cleaning. I have one area of my house that I work on all week long for 15 minutes each day. It has already made me so happy! Today it was my bedroom. I tidied up, dejunked, dusted and cleaned up my shelving unit in my room. It's amazing what you can do in 15 minutes a day.

It makes me happy every time I go in there!

The End of Fall?

I'm writing this as it is snowing non-stop. I'm not ready for winter to start! Fall was way too short.

I decided I ought to post more about our life rather than just Jill's or some of you might think we have nothing going on.

A sad miss this week: One of my former companions, Sister Gibb (now she's Sister Bell), came to the Paris temple this week! Unfortunately, she didn't cross paths with Jill. She had been in Rome (I think) and had a long layover in France so they stopped by the visitor's center. I don't know what day it was - but she said Jill wasn't there. They went bike riding around Versailles after that. What a great thing to do!

This week at seminary they have to do construction on a water main or something. All I know is it means there is no water in the building - that means no toilets!! They were kind enough to bring us a port-a-pottie. I hate it. I think I have PTSD from when our school had port-a-potties. Although, I must admit, it fits well with the church history theme. They didn't have flush toilets :)  I guess I'll survive.

The construction was underway when I was leaving today!

Allen and I had a fun time this past weekend. On  Friday, we went over to the NAckroyds. I hadn't seen their new house yet. It is beautiful!! It was fun to visit with them. On Saturday, we went out with Amber and Kevin Walton. We went out for something to eat because it is Pizza Week here in YYC! We laughed and laughed and talked and talked for hours. Great times!

This past week at school we had our Terry Fox run. We go over to the middle school and so does the North East elementary. That means there are about 800 kids there. It's total chaos. I can't believe I can bring 21 kids over there and scatter them amongst 800 kids and not lose a single one. LOL A miracle! I got LOTS of steps in that day! This week is Learning Conferences. I have so much to do to get prepared for that! No time for rest, I guess.

Tonight at dinner Allen and Peirce and I were talking about getting ready for General Conference. I think I'm going to plan on prayerfully coming up with a couple questions and then looking for answers to those questions at conference. I love conference weekend!

Chico has not been feeling well today. He is walking strange and is very sensitive. He won't even come lay down with anyone. He wants to sleep alone under the desk in the basement. I have no idea how he got hurt. Oh dear. Poor Chico. You can't even take a grumpy dog like that to the vet so it's hard to help him.

It's time for a new book club month!! I really love buying all the books. It fills some sort of crazy book-buying need that I have. ahhhhhh!!

Smiling Through the Stuff

I borrowed this photo. It's from my dear friend who starts chemo today. She is such a champ. She is always goofing around. I know she will come through this with flying colors.

Day 128 Pre Mothers Day Celebrating

Jill took me to the best ice cream place: Villag Ice Cream! The line goes far out the door, but the wait isn't too long. They make waffle cones as they go and they're amazing! I had a double scoop of salted caramel and maple walnut. It is always fun to spend time with Jill. She is one of my favorite people. 

She's a messy eater still though. :) Funny girl. She attacks life (and food!) with with vengeance!

Day 120 Volunteers

One really great thing about my school is we make a concerted effort to work with parents. Parents are in on decision making. They volunteer in the classroom. They are very present....and it is a wonderful thing. 

This month our grade was in charge of the character bulletin board. I had parent volunteers cut out a billion hexagons. I had them trim around half a billion bees. Then another volunteer came in and put it all up. 

If we didn't have volunteers I would have spent hours in the evening and on the weekend cutting, then half a day on a Saturday putting it on the bulletin board.

It says BEE Responsible. On the white hexagons I had kids write down ways that they show responsibility. 

Now we just have to come up with something to do for an assembly!

Day 119 Sick

Does this count as a picture for today?

I was ok until this evening......must.stay.very.still.

Day 118 Sewing

Let the good times roll! It is time to start on Jill's grad dress.

Pray for me. 

Day 117 Battle of the Books

This year I have headed up a little venture with grade four students. We made teams and all the teams were to read the same four books. Tonight we got together and had a battle!!

It is amazing how excited is can get over books!!! It really was a great time. I was so proud of them all.

Our surprise judge/scorekeeper was Sandra the Great! We sure have missed her this year. Everyone was thrilled to see her there.

Day 114 Fernie Meet

Every April, for years, we have been going out to Fernie for a swim meet. It is a really fun weekend because they plan team building activities along with the swimming. The kids all hang out all afternoon, checking out Fernie and having fun together. Saturday night they have a pizza party and games night. This just may be our last time going to this great event. I will miss it. I found myself wondering how I could get a vacation in Fernie once we no longer have this tradition. It is a beautiful place!

A few years ago we had some parent discord in the club. It was then that I discovered the Fernie library (had to get away from the angst!)  It has become one of my favorite places to spend a little time. It is a beautiful building! It does my soul well to hang out there. I'll be forever grateful for those tough years in the club because I found a real treasure because of it!

Day 113 Happy Earth Day

Today Jill and I ventured out to Fernie, BC. It is SO beautiful to drive through the mountains! All along, Jill would see some beautiful scene and shout out, "Happy Earth Day!"

Day 112 Learning Conferences

Learning Conferences days are long ones, but great ones. Nothing like teaching all day and meeting all evening! 

I love the feeling of being a team with parents. I care deeply about my students and want them to succeed. I have had some wonderful relationships with parents and with students in my class. I'll be forever grateful for that. I'm pretty sure I have the best job ever.

Day 111 Getting Ready for Ed Camp

Dr. Glasberg was one of my professors. I'll never forget him. He taught a General Studies class and used to come to class in character as major thinks through history. He was amazing.

His TedTalk is on the website for the EdCamp that I'm going to on Monday.

Day 110 Learning at Chapters

Tonight Becky and I ventured out and joined a book discussion group at Chapters! It was so interesting. They are studying and discussing Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly. I loved the experience!

Day 109 You get a book! And you get a book! And...

This is my favourite thng to do!! I go buy book club books for kids and the next day I get to hand out all the books. It is so fun!! I feel like Oprah.

Day 108 Music

Today I did what I do quite often: I played the organ for the Sunday sacrament service. I really enjoy doing that. I try to be thoughtful about the settings, the volume and more. Today someone thanked me for being a part of the music. I was touched by the comment. 

Day 107 Study Time!

Jill and I hung out at Starbucks today. A little Crenshaw, a little Lightening Thief and a lot of Notice and Note and Math 30. It was great!!

Day 106 Quiet Night

Allen isn't feeling well at all so he went to bed early and I spent the evening with a book.

It could have been beautiful.....it seemed like a great book....but blech!! What a waste of a Friday night!!

Day 104 Single Adults

No picture today. Taking one would have seemed kind of weird.

I went to a meeting with the single adult committee for the region. They ask for the Relief Society's support and I guess our stake is the host stake for the region. Sounds like a big meeting...but it wasn't. It was just me and another guy. It was interesting to learn about the single adult organization. They serve everyone who is single from age 45 to ???. They don't get a lot of people coming out, all for various reasons.

It's a weird spot for me to be in because when I've had an assignment to organize activities for people my goal is to always try to get a lot of people to come out. They don't seem to worry about that - which I understand.

This is going to be interesting to be involved with!