Routines Coming Along While They're Continually Changing

I'm starting to get a groove with working at home. I'm still getting my walking in in the morning - although, I feel like I should be able to get in more steps than I am. My regular life involves being on my feet all the time and this life is way too sedentary. I have been trying to pay close attention to my fitbit to make sure I at least get 250 steps every hour - but that sure isn't much. I should really go take a quick walk around the block every hour - but I can't seem to tear myself away from my computer and lose moment on things I'm working on.

Peirce is getting way more hours these days. Next week they have scheduled him for 36 hours! I was really surprised at that and not quite sure how I feel about it. In some ways, working might be a good way to make him use his time more wisely. In other ways, he's 17! Should he really be working that much? I guess all we can do is see how it goes. These are strange times, for sure.

Tonight we did some test runs with all my book club ladies to see if we could do book club on Zoom. I kind of felt having to do a test run was silly. Of course it will work. However, most of them have not had any experience with Zoom type platforms so it was good to show them the ropes a bit. I would have never thought I'd get as much experience as I'm getting with Zoom, Google Meet, Office 365 video calls, etc. I have 2 or 3 a day - and I'm not even doing them with students yet!

My mantra, it seems: These are strange times, for sure.

Friday Fun

Woke up this morning to a text from someone who had visited the Paris Temple Visitor's Center. Love it!

Allen has gone to Lethbridge this weekend. Peirce is out with a friend and so is Tony so I'm home with the oreos and a book. Life is good!

Peirce went to a cafe where they had live music tonight. He bought the CD and I like it!

Reading

One of the best things about my job is hanging out with kids who are as obsessed about reading as I am.

This month our book club book is James and the Giant Peach. Our meeting is next week but we decided to have a get together to watch the movie with those kids who finished reading the book already.  It was so fun! There was lots of "That isn't how it happened in the book!" And "No way. That isn't what that character should look like."

It was delightful to see them so engaged in the story and able to compare it to the book. 

 

Day 124 Reading

This year I resolved that we would read a picture book every day in our classroom. It has been such a great experience. I am amazed at the wonderful discussions we have had about personal experiences that relate to the stories, at the vocabulary we have learned, at the connections we have made between texts, and how the children have taken these stories and read them to others. Today we read Monsters. When I pre-read it it seemed to me it might be a little young for my class. Not so though. They loved it. After we read it, they wanted to write their own monster stories.  We will start n them tomorrow! The interesting thing to me is that if I had suggested we write monster stories, there would have been groaning and, "Do we have to?!" ....instead an idea gets in their heads from a story we read, and we are off and running on a week long writing project! There isn't anyone who hasn't bought in. I love it!!

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 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 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 78 Picture Book a Day

We have been reading a book every day in my class. Well, almost every day. These pictures show how we are keeping track of it. 

It has been a life changing experience for me. We have been able to have many discussions that we never would have had. We talk about words that would have never come up otherwise. My students have moments when we are learning something in language arts and they make a connection back to a story we have read. It warms my heart! I may read a book a day with kids for the rest of my teaching career. 

Day 69 Stake Work

Having a stake calling is interesting. I have a greater appreciation for what people do on a stake level.  I have continually been impressed by out new Stake President's mantra: to love the people we serve. That is he true gospel. It is what matters most.

I had to chuckle at this. While I was wasting time before the meeting started I came across this sign. Someone has named their child Fudge?! Influenced by Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing??

Day 52 Music

Wow. I have surprised myself by sticking with this goal to post a picture every day. I read a blog post today that said many things that I am finding in my own life from this project. It is starting help me focus on what is important about each day. I think about what I would want to share. The truth is, there are many things, but trying to whittle it down to the one best thing has been a good exercise.

You can read it here: 

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/15-reasons-i-think-you-should-blog/

I snuck this one in at church. It may be a little irreverent to take a picture during Sacrament Meeting since I was the organist for Sacrament Meeting. Forgive me, please.

I started taking piano lessons when I was in grade two.  I loved it. I practiced dutifully....most of the time. Now that many years have passed since I took lessons I continue to play. Pretty much every Sunday I end up playing in either sacrament meeting or relief society. I am also about to teach paint lessons again. I donated three months worth of free lessons to the online auction the swim club just held. I spoke with the lady who bought the lessons yesterday and she told me that if her son likes the lessons they will likely continue with me after three months. I didn't have the heart to say right then that this is only a three month deal. At this point, I don't want to continue after the three months. We'll see what happens! I am pretty excited about implementing some of the things I have learned as a full time teacher to my hobby of teaching piano though. 

I also ran across a really fun YouTube channel. The artist is Emily Arrow and she writes songs about great kid's books! I have to find a way to incorporate this into my teaching and our Book a Day goal! 

Day 46 Family Day

Swim practice was scheduled for a leisurely 8 am today. Nice!

Jill got her special hoodie from Coach Dave for Westerns.

Nicest hoodie ever, I'd say!!

While Jill swam I read Bridge to Terabithia again. I am starting to really appreciate the value of re-reading books. I think this was my third time with this one.

After, Jill and I went fabric shopping. We should save about $900 by sewing her dress ourself. Wowza!!

"Don't make me carry it mom. It will wreck my taper."

We bought the fabric at Fabric Warehouse. What a place!!

Then we went and volunteered at the Flames game. Jill stays in the car and reads as long as possible.

 After, we celebrated Family Day with dinner out at Smash burger, Peirce's favourite place. I should have taken a picture of Peirce in his fancy new cardigan he bought today. He looks totally scholarly in it.

Finger lick-in' good!!

Day 45 Day of Rest

After church and a big roast beef dinner, this was my view of the world:

Laid on the couch and read Danny Champion of the World.

Bliss.

Day 42 PD Day

There isn't a topic I would rather spend the day on! Today has been a great day. I find it have to tell myself to dial it down otherwise I will just take over the conversation in my enthusiasm. It is great to hear that there are some things are doing right and also to get some more great idea. We had some fabulous facilitators today.

Tonight I was mom taxi and started and finished one of the grade 3 book club books for this month. I love evenings like this!

Best news of all: the is one more day of this!

Day 27 Meetings Meetings Meetings

I still have my ward calling. Last night I had a meeting with the RS activity committee. Tonight I had a stake meeting to go to. Tomorrow there is a ward RS presidency meeting (I have to miss that one because instead I'm going to be doing parent/teacher interviews all evening). Then Saturday we're having a stake RS presidency meeting. That's a lot of RS for one week!!

I was really tossed about the meeting tonight. It is book club tonight. I really love going to book club. I didn't commit myself until today. In the end, I gave up going to book club and did my duty. It was a spirit filled meeting, so it was a good choice in the end.

I thought about taking a picture of the crowd at my meeting tonight when I played the piano. Seemed like not a good idea.  This is all I got.

On the way, I consoled myself about missing book club by stopping at Chapters and picking up the books for the next two months. Nothing warms my heart like a new book or two!

Day 12 Grade 3 Book Club

My favorite day of the month is when I get to go to ULS and pick up books for Grade 3 book club. There's nothing like a bag full of multiple copies of a book. It is symbolic of great discussions just waiting to happen!

I love this place. ULS! They give us a discount when we buy multiple copies of books. I should get a summer job there. Imagine being able to hang out in this warehouse? 

Christmas 2015

GIn November, as a last minute pull the rabbit out of the hat and make a good RS activity night, we had a class on planning for a stress-free Christmas. Turned out to be the best thing ever. I think from now on, in November, I will be sure to take some time to think about what I really enjoy and focus on that for the Christmas season. There is so much to do that sometimes I get bogged down in to do lists and don't enjoy this season. This year I didn't do that. I enjoyed the music more. I enjoyed the social gatherings more. I enjoyed my family more.

We have a few traditions. We go to the First Presidency broadcast the first Sunday in December, then we go to our friend's, the Hawryluks. We had my work party, Allen's office party, a RS party (missed that one, although I did help organize it....it conflicted with my work party) our ward party, and we usually help serve at the other ward's Christmas party. I even went to my friend, Kim's, Christmas  concert. It was amazing music! I went alone...and that was just fine because I gave up all the expectations (it is okay to do some seasonal stuff without family!) and just did what I enjoyed. It was great! We went to Storybook Theatre's Christmas play.....loved that. We usually go to the Hudsons for a carol singing night, but this year they didn't have it. We would have missed it anyway because that was the day we celebrated Christmas with Grandma.

 

We had Christmas Eve at home. Usually, we go to the nativity pageant, but it was really cold, so we just enjoyed ourselves at home instead. I learned the joy of teenagers on Christmas morning: they slept until 8:00!! This year we didn't seem to do as many presents, but it was still great. Just perfect actually. We had The NAckroyds over for dinner the afternoon of Christmas Day. A lovely day!

I always have a long list of housework things to catch up on over breaks from school. This year I decided to just do one little thing each day to make our house a little nicer.....something I had been neglecting. It worked! Usually I have these long lists and never quite get sound to any of t because I really don't want to spend my whole time cleaning. That makes me feel a little bitter. This one little thing each day seemed to work much better. I might even continue it after school starts up again! I also did a little bit of school work - even though people like to lecture on how important it is to leave all work behind. Just a little bit now and then is what I did...and I think that will make going back to work even better. And the truth is, I don't hate the work I do. I enjoy it.....so why not?!

Peirce got a pet sitting job over the break so we have spent a lot of time driving him to the house of pets. They have a dog named Draco, two cats and a bearded dragon. I has been a good responsibility for him. Good $$ too, I would say!

Jill did a fair bit of homework and studying (still finishing up English 20!) She has some swim practices, worked a few days at Brokin Yolk, and did a lot of fun friend things. She pretty much never stops!

We tried to immerse Bobby into his first Christmas experience. He wasn't that into it. I decided I would just invite, and after that, not worry about it if he didn't participate. It was, however, very interesting to have someone who has n emotional connections to Christmas. That is a subject for a whole 'nother post!

I also spent a lot of time reading. I hoped to do a book a day (inspired by Donalyn Miller) but I got stuck in a couple books I wasn't that enthusiastic about. Didn't quite meet my goal, but I did get some great books read! I also exercised every day over the break. Every day!! It has been fabulous.

Looking back, we really did a lot. It didn't stress me the same as other years though. I think there are a few reasons. I decided to be conscious about simply enjoying the moment. I decided to not worry about expectations, especially when it comes to gift giving. I just did what felt right, not what I figured others expected me to do. I chose to not do some things that I just don't enjoy. I filled my days with things I love, rather than duties. 

I lived to feel the joy.

Really, I think that is what Christmas is all about.

Challenge Accepted: The Blogger's Desk

I love 100 Scope Notes. I thought I would also write about where I blog.

I don't really have a blogging 'desk'. Instead, I have a spot where I usually read and where I also blog. 

The view is fantastic.

I think of this spot as a little like Roald Dahl's hut where he did most of his writing...I only wish I was    1% as brilliant!

Where do you do your blogging??

Shhhhh! I am Reading

I was excited about the two hours I had at the pool today waiting for Jill. I had a meeting on the other end of town and decided to just stop and wait for her rather than drive all the way home. I settled down with my book and was enjoying an extended period of reading. 

Along comes the coach. 

"Are you doing anything?" he says. 

"Uh ya, I'm reading!!" 

"Great!" he says. "Would you mind attending a meeting that is about to start?" 

I had to laugh. 

Why do people think I'm not doing anything when I'm reading?! LOL