Vaccine #1: check!

 It's hard to express the jubilation I felt at getting my first covid vaccine. My appointment was at our convention center downtown. They said not to arrive more than ten minutes prior to your appointment. I dutifully followed those instructions and was quite dismayed to realize how long the line was. It was like the worst kind of Disneyland line up with turns and twists. One minute I'd think I was almost there and realize that the line twisted off in another direction. In the end, it took two hours of standing in line. I felt a little irritated at that but had to reign in my feelings because I was finishing up a book as I stood in line that was about young Ukrainian people  during World War II. Reading about their struggles, sacrifices and how they were abandoned made complaining about standing in a line for a vaccine that would end a world wide pandemic seem silly to complain about. It has been a hard year. We have had to pivot again and again in schools and adjust what we're doing. Children have made many sacrifices and struggled through this year, but most of us weren't starved or abused. The idea that the vaccine could get us out of the measures Alberta Health Services asks us to follow is to me, exhilarating. The sacrifice we've been asked to make hardly compares to what others before us have made. This vaccine is a miracle. I'm grateful.

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!

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 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 105 Kids Book Club

I have more than one project going at school with books and reading. The favourite, for sure, is grade three book club. Today we had a small group (it's always harder to get kids to come when it is so nice out) to discuss Pax. We really had a great discussion. Those kids are brilliant. I love hearing their thoughts on books.

After recess, we invite all the grade three's to come in and hear the book talks on the next two choices. This month the two choices were The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Lightning Thief. They were very excited about the first one, but when I showed them The Lightning Thief, they went crazy! It won by a huge majority.

They all leave the room talking and excited and eager to get started.

I love it!!

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 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 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!

On judging.....

When I first read this story I was really focused on the siblings who are busy preparing gifts for their father. I wondered if I was like that: so caught up in my to do lists that I miss the real purpose of the pursuit. In many ways I am just like them. I need to not worry about my to do lists so much and focus on enjoying time with people around me more, for sure.

One day recently, I discovered I had someone who I thought really loved me (well, actually, if I were to ask that person they would vehemently declare their love, I am sure). The trouble is, apparently there are many things about me that are disappointing. I am apparently just not quite enough. Not good enough at cleaning my house. Not providing enough attention for this person. Not quite fun enough. Not quite conservative enough. Not fancy enough in my dress or my hairstyle. They use the words often, telling me that they love me. Apparently, though, their love for me is rather conditional. I could just be easier to love or they would like to spend time with me if only....

It took a toll on me for quite a while. One day, while I was walking, I was thinking about how sad and angry I felt about it all. My thoughts suddenly turned to this story. I realized that by focusing on those things, this person wasn't just being unkind, they were missing out. (There is much to appreciate about me!) But more than that, by focusing on my perceived inadequacies, they are missing out on recognizing God's hand in their own life. They are missing out on the sunshine. They are missing out on feeling God's love for people around them. Suddenly I didn't feel so bad for me anymore. I didn't feel angry. I actually felt sorry that they are not only so focused on negatives, but also missing out on the love God has to give. I no longer felt like I needed to straighten them out for their opinions about me. Instead I felt like the best thing I could do is not worry about it and instead show love. I am who I am. They are who they are....and what we, just like everyone else needs, is unconditional love. Not judgement.

The criticism wasn't just for me. It extended to those I love the most. My daughter is one of those people who truly do see the good in people. She is kind. She puts others ahead of herself. She is nice to those kids no one really seems to care about. Because of that, when people are critical of her it makes me a little crazy. She isn't perfect, but she is kind and loving - and surely that is more important than any weaknesses she may have. Put me down all you want. Once you start putting her down though, you have gone too far. I feel the same way about my son and my husband too. They are good men. They aren't perfect, but there is just so much about them that is to be appreciated and admired. To hear someone put them down gets my hackles up. (Yup. Don't mess with the Mama bear!)

This story is about an orphaned family who gets word they are going to be adopted. Their new adoptive father is a king! This is truly rare luck and they prepare for this great event as best they can. All the children prepare excellent gifts - except for one. She just doesn't have the talents the others have. She tries to learn, but it just doesn't work out. She, instead, worries that she won't have something good enough to offer.

The interesting thing is that although some of the children do not recognize him right away, he is patient and says that he will return and give them another chance to realize it is him. Yet in the meantime, they miss out on blessings they could immediately have. The story insinuates that they likely will, in time recognize their father. It made me think about how I don't want to waste any time. I would rather be living in a way that helps me recognize God in my life immediately. It is a great story.

I took this book to church the other day with plans to share it (isn't there always a picture book that makes every lesson just a little better?!) In the end, I didn't end up using it in my lesson. The interesting thing was during the next class I went to there was a perfect moment to share it. However, I didn't feel like I should ask to take over the lesson (could I just take 10 minutes and share this great story? Doesn't seem le a good idea when someone else is teaching). Instead I made a Book Creator video and publshed it.

Untitled from Dawn Ackroyd on Vimeo.

Interestingly, I think the Goodreads summary total has this book wrong. It says: 

One of the greatest gifts parents can give their children is the assurance that Mom and Dad love them just as they are, apart from anything that they do. But telling them once won't make it sink in

I really would disagree. That isn't at all what it is about!

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

Cincinero

I don't know if I spelled that right at all.

Tonight Jill got to go to a party for her friend Ana who turned 15. Apparently, in the Spanish world 15 is a big deal and you get a BIG party. It was a lot of fun!!

The party was way over in the NE. While Jill was at the party, I snuck off and spent the evening reading at Chapters. It was wonderful!! I spend a lot of time driving and waiting for kids. It is great reading time! Love it!

Reading Fits Anywhere

My Saturdays are pretty full - kind of. It isn't really anything for me....it is kid activities. I have things that fill my time. We get up early and leave for the pool at 6:30 am. Jill's practice is from 7-9 am and Peirce's is from 10:30-noon. We decided I wasn't going to run up and down Deerfoot shuttling kids back and forth. We bring stuff to work on or read and we wait there while one kid practices. I get to watch some swimming and do some work. Last week it was marking. This week I put the RS newsletter together. And I always do some reading.

This afternoon Jill and I volunteered at the Dino's football game. (More swimming responsibilities.) Today, though, they put us up in Cardel. I love it when that happens!! It isn't very busy up there so I sit and watch the game a little and do a lot of reading. Today I finished Son by Lois Lowry. My dad is probably rolling over in his grave. It's okay though, dad!! One CAN watch a football game and read. Seriously! :)

Tonight Allen took the kids to a hockey game (Thanks Curtis Kruschel for the tickets...in a booth no less!) I opted to stay home and....you guessed it: read.

Well, I will try and stick it out for a while. At 8:00 I am giving myself permission to turn the lights off and succumb to my exhaustion!

Fabulous Day and a Lovely Night

Today has been a great day. I love PD days. I love being able to have more time with the people I work with. They are great people. I also love learning. Today we got to spend some time working too. We are changing report cards slightly and so we did some work to prepare for that.

Tonight I took the kids to their mutual activity. I had a wonderful evening. I made a phone call to the bank that I have been dreading doing for a while (why do banks get my stomach all in knots?) I said a prayer, then did it - and it went famously. I would even say the guy I talked to was nice! After that, I did a  little marking and then a lot of reading. There is nothing like sitting and reading for an hour or two straight.

I read a book called Awake and Dreaming. It is tearing up my heart!!

Accepting Life

I decided a while ago to not complain about things I needed to do, no matter how dull or uninspiring they may seem. I used to hate having to make lunches. I decided to try to make lunches more interesting and tastier. I also decided to make them at night before I go to bed. Somehow, those two little things have made it more than something I complain about or endure.

I also decided that I would not complain about all the driving I have to do. There must be some advantage to the time I have in a vehicle. One of the things I do a lot of is read in the van. I know how to get perfectly comfy. I keep a blanket and a pillow in there and when I drop off my kids somewhere I often just go around the corner and hunker down for a good read. And you know what: I love it! Now waiting for my kids is a moot point. I am not just waiting. I am doing something I really love!

This was my scene this morning while I waited for Jill during seminary. I have been reading Somewhere in France (Jennifer Robson). Sitting in the van, with the rain tapping on the windows and the world getting a good cleaning, seemed just the perfect setting for the story.

Bliss!

Cleaning or Reading?

Cleaning carpets is boring. It is much better with a book in hand!

 Ivan and I.....we're gettin' the job done.

James and the Giant Peach

This weekend while Jill and Allen were away at a meet, Peirce and I had some Storybook Theatre fun. We just read James and the Giant Peach with my Gr. 3 book club. A number of kids went to the play. It is especially fun to watch it when you have just read the book!

I won tickets to James and the Giant Peach on Facebook, so Peirce and I used those tickets. Then we got to see the play again while we were volunteering. 

Waiting for patrons to arrive....yucking it up with his volunteer friends.

It was really well done! I am always so impressed with Storybook Theatre. Never a disappointment!

This was the cast: James, grasshopper, earthworm, centipede, ladybug and spider. They were cast perfectly!

The set was awesome. I was curious to see how they would have the peach roll down the hill and squish Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, how they would show the sharks and the seagulls, how they would land on the Empire State Building - but they did it! Nothing was left out. It was amazing.

We brought our copy of the book and got the actors to sign it. So fun!!

Back In the Saddle

Must be February. Oh wait....February is over. Thank goodness!!

For the past few years February has been crazy in our house. Allen is very busy with RSP season, and for me it is report card season. We do our best to keep up with the rest of life, but the truth is, it becomes really tricky (and stressful!) in February.

I am back in the saddle though. Time to get back to cooking, keeping up on the house, doing more reading and definitely more blogging!!

Today I was a guest blogger on Kirby Larson's website. I fell in love with her book, Hattie Big Sky and also The Friendship Doll, and have followed her blog ever since. She asked, once, on her blog, for people to let her know if they would be interested in blogging, and on a whim I replied. This week my time came!! You can read the post here.

Nerdlution

Exercise every day. Good goal.

That's all fine and dandy to say when you have a week off of school. So far it hasn't happened.

So, I'm a little leery to join in the nerdlution.
And I'm really eager to join the nerdlution.

What's the nerdlution? I heard about it on Twitter. I read about here and here and here and here and here.

Basically, it's a bunch of people committing to a new habit for 50 days - from today until Jan 20th.

I can't help it. I'm in. There is a long list of things I should do. I'm trying to keep it simple. For the next 50 days I will:

1. Spend time on my SS lesson each day - even if it's just 10 minutes. I will think about it and work on it a little every day.
2. Read for at least 30 minutes a day.
3. Plan something every school day to share my love of books and reading with my class.

I'd like to put exercise in there too....baby steps.

...and I'll blog about it. Here goes!