In No Time

The dog books that I have been reading say that your puppy will be house-trained "in no time" if you are attentive and don't let them have any accidents in the house.  I am not sure what they mean by 'in no time", but it is not what I mean by the phrase.

We have spent the first week of our holiday diligently running outside to pee (her, not us) twelve or more times a day.  We sleep with one ear tuned to puppy whines to make sure to take her out when she wakes up in the night.  It is an awful lot like having your ear tuned to baby cries in the night.

The nights seem to have settled into 5 hours of sleep, then a bathroom break.  After that she is primed to play.   We, at 4 in the morning, are not.  So there is an extended period of whining from the crate in the kitchen when we go back upstairs to bed.  And we don't really get any sleep during that time because we are worrying if she needs to go again, or if she is being scarred by our letting her 'cry it out'.  More flashbacks to the worries of my two human babies when they were learning to sleep through the night.

I am very hopeful that "in no time" will be before January is over.  LK and I are a little punchy due to lack of sleep.

Long Day of Firsts

It was a day of firsts for Astrid.  First car ride. First visit to town.  First visit to vet.

We have read hundreds of pages of puppy-raising books and blogs and articles between Fi, LK and I in the past three weeks.  (The intensely focused desire to research things to be prepared has been passed on to the next generation).  We have amassed vast knowledge in what we should do to avoid raising a Marley.  However, reality and what should be rarely coincide in my life.

First car trip should be short and to someplace fun in ideal puppy world.  In reality we drove 90 minutes to the vet and to do several hours of errands.

First vet trip should be cheerful and low stress.  In reality she spent the entire drive to town practicing her "I am dying of loneliness and fear" sounds in a small enclosed car.  40 minutes in Fi had her ears covered while she murmured, "Astrid, be calm,"  over and over.  It worked in short bursts and then the wailing began again.  By the time we arrived in town I felt like I needed an appointment for something to calm my nerves.

However, although reality is far from perfect it was also a great day.

Fi was amazingly mature and responsible.  She listened carefully and followed what I did with Astrid.  She sat patiently in the car with our Houdini while I madly dashed in and out of stores to do errands (because a 180-minute round trip cannot be done for only one reason).  She listened carefully to the vet and asked intelligent questions.  And when she heard me telling this to her father after we got home, she visibly walked taller. 

That was worth endless sleepless nights to this mom.

Houdini

The last two nights a new talent has been revealed in our little bundle of joy; escape artist extraordinaire.  We may have to change her name.

Her first two nights were as expected.  Lots of sad piteous crying when she was left in the kitchen while everyone else went up to bed.  My heart cracked into little pieces as the sadness she oozed at being asked to sleep all alone after eight weeks of a cozy puppy pile with all her siblings.  I even started to suggest that maybe letting her sleep in our room wouldn't be so bad.  I know, puppies, they make the hardest hearts into mush.  But the sad cries were shorter the second night and we hoped for a good sleep by Christmas Eve.

Her third night here she lulled us into complacency with a peaceful and quiet bedtime at 10:30.  Then we were awoken at 1:30 in the morning to her shrieking in what sounded like agonizing death and a strange scrabbling sound.  Then PIT PAT, PIT PAT of little feet climbing the stairs.  Astrid pushed the baby gate up and crawled underneath.  And at the top of the stairs she plunked her little bottom down and looked up at me as I came out of our bedroom bleary-eyed and stumbling.  "Aren't you proud of me that I could find you all by myself?"  those big brown eyes asked.

First thing in the morning a piece of plywood was fastened to the gate completely destroying any modicum of decor in both kitchen and living room.  Raw plywood is just not a look.  Of course, puppy toys strewn about the floor is not really in any kitchen decor book either...

Last night another deceptively quiet bedtime, and then in the wee hours we woke to more shrieking and a loud THUMP.  Then PIT PAT, PIT PAT.  Up the stairs came our little billy goat and plunked her bum at the top of the stairs.  This time she used the plywood to climb the gate and vault herself over it.  I know as I witnessed her do it right after I took her back to the kitchen.

She seemed so confused that I wouldn't be thrilled at her persistent faithfulness in seeking out our company.  Was that not her role as faithful canine companion and escape artist extraordinaire?

This morning, more plywood. 

And then there were five....

We have spent the past two weeks in much discussion.  Should we take the plunge?  Are we ready as a family?  When we decided to commit, the question became who?  How will we find a good match for the energy level and temperament of our family?  All those questions were slowly worked through and we are ready (I hope).

We spent this evening preparing our home for a new family member who will be joining us after school tomorrow.  The kitchen rugs were rolled up and put away.  A cozy crate was scrubbed of all its stickers by two diligent children.  A soft mattress was tucked lovingly inside.   A special tote was filled with chow.  Toys had tags taken off.  A brush, collar, and leash were placed carefully in readiness.

This is the first puppy adventure of my life. I am both excited and nervous.   LK has had many dogs growing up, including several puppies which are fond memories for him.  The Sprouts are thrilled at this new stage in our family life, having already fallen in love with Astrid at Nana's house.

Astrid is 8 weeks old and was born to my parents' latest rescue dog, Wasapiica, just before Halloween.   Her litter mates have been moved to foster homes waiting to find families who will adopt and love them.  She is the last puppy left at my parents' house, waiting for us to finish school so we can spend out holidays finding new family routines that incorporate the love and affection of a puppy into our life.

I am sure there will be many stories to share with you in the next few months.  Hopefully they won't be anything like those of John Grogan.

Bragging Rights

I have the most amazing spouse.  He is an artist of talent that has amazed me for 16+ years. 

When we met (soooo many years ago in university) I was awestruck by the way his fingers flew across a keyboard to bring life and soul to mere notes on a page.  His ability to lead congregational singing on an instrument is the most well-crafted I have ever heard in my life.  And he sings and composes too. 

It's no wonder I fell for him.

After our first Sprout arrived he picked up a camera.  And now he has become a craftsman with light and colour.  A perfectionist who is never satisfied with his craft, but a craftsman nonetheless.  I am blessed to have the results on my blog regularly.  As a family we have the most gorgeous family photo walls in our house.

Of course he doesn't believe me when I tell him that his pictures are amazing.  Or that he is creative, or really anything else.  I have to think so because I am his wife (is his thinking).

Well, the ultimate affirmation for an artist is recognition by other artists.  LK received that a few weeks ago with a request from a magazine to publish a photo of his that he had on Flickr. 

He told me about it just as I was falling asleep one night with, "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.  One of my pictures is going to be in a magazine." 

"What?!?!  You almost forgot?  Holy cow sweetie!  That is awesome!"

Can you tell who is the introvert? 

Yesterday in the mail the concrete evidence arrived.  My husband had his first photo published in a magazine!  And I am bursting with pride.

You can check it out here. 

Reflecting on Change

Big change is coming. 

LK's parents are about to embark on the step of downsizing from house to apartment.  LK's dad just started his retirement.  So they have a great big adjustment to make in the coming months.  We have been thinking about them lots in the past few weeks. 

The idea of retirement seems infinitely far away.  We both feel that we are still actively building our careers.  We have yet to set down permanent roots, having lived in an apartment in Toronto for ten years and then being guests here in a First Nations community for the past four years.  LK completely changed professions when we moved up here, from church musician to classroom teacher.  I never feel that I have 'made it' to mastering teaching (I suppose that is lifelong learning at work).  So we both feel that we are still working towards the peak of our professional lives.

Every once in a while we get the itch to find that little place in Ontario that will be our picket fence.  A community with a church that nourishes us deeply, a school system that will inspire our kids to grow into their gifts, and a little home that belongs to us.  We wonder where that place could be.  Will it bring us close to family in the south?  Will it keep us here, serving a community that we have grown to love deeply?

As we see, from a great distance, LK's parents move from the home that we have such wonderful summertime memories in to an apartment, we are reflecting on where we may be at that point in our own lives. 

Where will our adventure take us?

No Dynasty Here

As we pulled out of the Walmart parking lot in town.

LK:  Hey isn't that guy from that show on tv?

EK (searching for a celebrity):  Which guy?

LK (gesturing to a beat up minivan):  That one in the van.

The man in questions has long greying hair, a bushy streaked beard, and is wearing plaid lumberclothes. 

EK:  Do you mean Duck Dynasty?

LK: Yeah.

EK (looking carefully):  No, I think he's just Canadian.

'Jibway

Jo: Do you want to play 'Jibway?

Fi:  You can't play Ojibway!  You speak it.

Jo:  Oh, what do you want to play?

Ojibway is a descriptive language, with words often being poly-syllabic to include enough detail.  I find them very challenging to spell, pronounce and remember.  I have only a handful of phrases, mostly slang that I know.  My Ojibway vocabulary is pretty much like my Dutch vocabulary.

However, the Sprouts are regularly exposed to it in their second language class.  Jo was spoken to in Ojibway at the daycare before he came to school.  And to them it is natural.  Plus they have the advantage of young elastic brains that acquire new language far faster the my old inflexible brain can anymore.

At the dinner table, the Sprouts share what they have learned in Ojibway class.  Jo tells me the names of the months and what they mean in English.  October is "the leaves falling" and November is "time when the water freezes".  Fiona corrects him in getting the phrasing just right.  She is able to share complete sentences.  The words roll off both their tongues like water.  I have no idea how their exposure to this language will be a blessing in the future.  But it is awesome to hear my kids learn something that is completely beyond my skills.

Extra-Curricular

Since moving to a school where the  arts are not really big I have been trying my hand at a variety of different extra-curricular activities.  For the first ten years of my career it was all arts all the time.  That was my strength.  In the past four years I have had to try other avenues to support students outside thenc classroom.  From these I learned that cross country skiing is fun with all ages.  I am not any kind of soccer coach even though I love to play with kids.  And I love to encourage and support colleagues through mentoring new teachers.

A new year means new opportunities for challenge and growth.  So I am trying yet another way to meet my required hours for extra-curricular activities.

This year I am participating in Pow-Wow Club.  The goal is to support student in learning about traditional cultural celebrations of the pow-wow through designing and creating regalia, learning traditional dancing, drumming, and beading.  Now I don't have any of the traditional knowledge, but I can operate a sewing machine, and understanding clothing design and construction well.

Fi is also participating.

Tonight was our first gathering.  We had a cafeteria full of girls (and one brave young man) sketching and measuring and giggling over shared ideas.  It was absolutely lovely.

It was also lovely to stretch a little more in seeing students through fresh eyes.

Can I read now?

LK and I take turns doing tuck-in with the kids.  One night I read to Jo and he tucks Fi in, and the next night we switch.  Tonight was my turn to read to Jo.

After the requisite teeth brushing and face washing Jo was snug in his bed with me curled up beside him.  We opened the chosen story for tonight, which happened to be from a silly series of Lego books.  These are full of silly puns that LK and Jo find great humour in.  Jo loves to discuss the story lines and how they relate to the "real" adventures of his own Lego characters.

After I read the first page Jo turned and said, "Can I read the words now?"

Be still my beating heart!  My boy wants to read to me.  Happy Mama!

And he did.

I bit my tongue instead of jumping in to give him words when he got stuck.  It was quite wonderful to see him look at pictures and think about what was happening and use letters and sounds he knows to figure out words that make sense in the story.  I was amazed at the way he used so many clues to solve the riddles of reading.  If I had jumped in when I wanted to he would have been able to accomplish so much less.

I need to remember to sit back and let my kids do more.  They don't need nearly as much help as I think they do.

And this miracle that is a child learning to read never fails to astound me.

Car Troubles

Since we are about to reach 160 000 km on our dear Subaru it was time for some major work.  Fi and I combined this with a shopping trip to stock up on clothes for her for the next six months.  We had it all planned out.  The car would spend a day at the "spa", we would spend the day thrifting, and have a girls' sleepover in the city.  It was a much anticipated treat.

Then Thursday there was this freak storm right between home and Winnipeg.  Several people discouraged us from going, worried about the highway being closed and the conditions.  We went anyway.  On the way we passed twelve cars in the ditch and one 18-wheeler jack-knifed.  We soldiered on, albeit at 50km/hour.  After a five hour drive we arrived.

To allow enough time for all the work on the car we dropped it off at 8 am.  Subaru treats us well and usually there is a courtesy car for us to motor about the city while they tune our baby up.  The previous customer hadn't returned it yet (they must have been stuck in the snow) and so we were treated to a rental.  All good until 5pm when we went to pick up our car.  It wasn't done! 

Moment of panic.  I had family at home expecting to celebrate Thanksgiving together.

 I think Subaru felt bad about it not being ready and so when I said, with a lot of reluctance in my voice, "Well, I guess I could take the day off work on Tuesday or Wednesday..." they offered for us to take the courtesy car home for the week. And our car was promised to be done by then.

So we drove a lovely white 2013 Forrester for the week.  It was lovely.  And big.  And drank gobs of gas.  But it was quiet.  And had mp3 capability, which I like.  But I worried all week about scratches, and crashes, and all the things that could go wrong with someone else's car.

When I finally got our car back this weekend I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  Even though it is a bit noisier, and older, and dirtier it is ours.  And it runs beautifully now that it had two days of tune-up. 

Sewing Frenzy

It started when I was little with a love of Little House on the Prairie. There was a scene where Ma made Mary a new stylish dress to go off to college and the dress was described in such specific detail.  I retread that description hundreds of times imagining the dress in my head.  It was fed by Jane Austen and far too much historical fiction with detailed description of gowns.

College didn't help with a four year stint as the Costume Room Coordinator and unhindered access to the entire costume department.  I used to go to class in jeans and tails or jeans and a French Revolution era bodice.  Once I even tried the full Victorian garb to see what it was really like to wear a corset for a day.  Uncomfortable, if you want to know.  But also elegant in a curious way.

I have a passion for historical fashion (as well as contemporary fashion).

For the years I taught in Christian schools it was fed in little drips and drabs with book character dress up days.  And now, it has been plumped into what some may see as obsession with the gleeful celebration of Halloween at my current school.

My kids may be happiest with store bought costumes, but not me.  This year I am revelling in creativity and personal expression.  I am indulging my inner historical diva.   I am creating the most awesome steam punk princess ever.  And I am having so much fun doing it.

I have had an entire education thanks to YouTube and Pinterest and google.  My sewing machine has been very busy on weekends.  I have learned through trial and error and many fittings with the Sprouts giving their two cents.   Last night I experimented with historical hairstyles and tomorrow night its make up time.  

I wonder what I can sew from my living room curtains?

Not Enough

The first few days of school I was missing the routines of the classroom.  I was sentimental about leaving the relationships that you build with students as a classroom teacher.  I was nervous about not having a clear expectations from administration.  I was worried about not being able to meet expectations of which I was unaware.  I lay awake at night.

Since I realized that I am not even close to enough for all that my students need or that my colleagues need I prayed and laid it all on God. 

Now I am just running and praying.  Running to learn about my caseload of students and praying to remember what they need in each moment.  Running to herd kindergartens inside after recess and praying that they will adjust to the routines soon.  Running to find resources and strategies for classroom teachers and praying that they will enjoy success in working with their students.  Running to meet with parents and administration and praying that we will be a team to serve the needs of their children.  Running to set up schedules.  And then change them.  And change them again and praying that the schedules will be right sometime in the next week.  Running to get responses quickly and accurately and that the words on the paper will be honest and loving.  And there is no time to worry or be anxious.  There is just trusting that God will be enough and use my hands and feet for serving the community that he loves.

It is exciting and fun, and there is a new adventure around every corner.  And even though there are many moments of absolute terror that I still won't be enough, it is wonderful!

Not Made for Walking

I am not always a practical woman.  Well, actually I am rarely a practical woman.  And this week I paid for it in pain.

After two months of living in sandals, bare feet, and wedges my feet have gotten used to being footloose and fancy free.  And I thoughtlessly tired them up in my prettiest, but least comfortable pumps the first three days of school.

Oh, what foolishness!

Well, the first week of school my feet always complain about how much time I spend on them regardless of the footwear I choose.  They are most unhappy about being sentenced to closed toes for the fall and winter.  And this fall adding insult to injury I didn't give them a gentle adjustment period, but went straight for the highest heels three days in a row.

I spent Wednesday night with my feet elevated, icing my left ankle.  And then the rest of the week was spent in flats.

This weekend I am researching pretty options for lower heels or amazing flats.  They just don't have the same boost to my self-esteem as 3-inch heels though, and so I am a bit mopey. Oh for mile-long legs.

First Day of School

What a wonderful day!  The very best first day back ever.

Lots of students stopped to chat with both LK and I, which always makes a teacher feel loved.  It is lovely to see them grow older and still share their lives with you.  LK even had some his former students who are in high school now lurking in the halls to touch base.

The energy in the elementary wing is positive and high.  Students were sitting on the porch at 7:30 in the morning waiting for the school to open.  And there were so many smiling faces.

My own kids had a great first day and were full of stories to share at dinner time.  After a full day of not having to play together, they played together beautifully both before and after dinner.  In fact, Jo asked Fi to read him stories instead of a parent.  She graciously snuggled up with him in his bed and the two of them read Richard Scary and hunted for Gold Bug on each page.

LK was grinning as he shared about his day while cooking supper.  He has moved out of the 'new teacher' zone of fear and into the 'maturing teacher' zone of confidence and joy.  It is really lovely to see him talk about his class.  I think he likes them already.  And they are a happy, cheerful group.

I don't have a class to get to know.  And that feels very odd.  But I have lots to learn and juggle, which will keep me incredibly busy for the next month.

It feels good to be back.  For all of us.

Back to Work

First day back to work. 

My room isn't ready.  There is still painting to be done, chalkboard and bulletin boards to reattach to the walls, and the floors need waxing.  But there is a brand new Smart board hanging on the wall waiting for my students and I to have a blast with our learning. 

Until then I am patching together a portable office and trying to get paperwork underway.

Tomorrow will be another busy day.

All Accounted For

My parents arrived home very early this morning.  LK mumbled it at 2 AM when we heard the dogs out for a pee break.  And then we went back to sleep anticipating a lovely day today enjoying having them home a full day earlier than expected.

Unfortunately that wasn't the end of the evening for my parents.

When they arrived on their front step their house key no longer worked.  So, in the middle of the night they were locked out of their house.  Rather than coming over to crash at our place (as they are very independent - and perhaps somewhat determined to sleep in their own bed after a very long three day trip) they broke into their own house.

Dad dug through the trailer to find tools and removed part of the front window.  Thankfully he had tools with him.  Otherwise he may have been just tired and frustrated enough to break in with a rock through the window instead.

By 4:30 this morning they were inside and crashed, only to be woken by grandchildren looking for hugs a short six hours later.  I supposed there are worse ways to be woken up.

My poor mother was sure that somehow she had messed up and that she just had the wrong keys.  Well, we both tried every key we could find and no key is opening any of their doors.  But the locks are the same.  And the house key goes into the lock.  Crazy.

But you know, I have realized that this is just life.  There is always another challenge to deal with around the next corner.  And there is always a way to deal with it. 

On a good day, you can see the humour in the situation right away.  Or within a few days.

Lunch Date?

I wandered through McDonalds with my tray perched carefully trying not to overbalance it and lose my lunch onto the floor. And I ran into our Director of Education.  Not literally, thankfully.  But she was sitting right under my nose as I tried to decide where to sit.  I may not even have actually have registered who is was if she hadn't greeted me (zoned completely out as I often am when doing errands all by myself).

After a brief hello I impulsively invited myself to sit down and join her as she was also eating alone.  We had a lovely conversation and enjoyed our matching salads while we shared the joys of other treats (praline pecans for her and the new cookie recipe I tried this week for me) and caught up on summer news.

As I drove home afterwards with a smile on my face I realized that there aren't many workplaces where you have that relationship with your boss.  I was very thankful to be working in a place where instead of a brief hello and finding a spot to sit far away, I felt comfortable to engage in a serendipitous lunch date. 

False Start

I went to school yesterday with the intention of getting some work done in my new room.  We don't officially go back to work until next Monday.  I am changing jobs into the resource department and have a big learning curve.  I was anticipating gently gearing up with a couple of hours moving furniture. 

But the room isn't done. 

And I was a bit relieved. 

There isn't much I can do until I dig out the files to start developing IEPs from my spring meeting notes.  And they are buried in a box in the pile of furniture from my room.

Usually I am chomping at the bit to get back to work.  But each summer for the past five years I have engaged a bit more in my family life during the holidays (you have heard of football widows?  my children are teacher-orphans) than the previous year.  I disengage from work more completely and come back to work better fortified for the challenges ahead.

This summer I disengaged completely.  I didn't even read a teacher blog over the summer!  It was really wonderfully refreshing.  And very much needed.

The room can wait until Monday.

Running From Dogs

On Friday morning my beloved spouse came home from his run looking for Polysporin and Band-aids.  Curious, I asked why on earth he needed them, assuming that he had a blister or some such minor injury.  Nope.  He was sporting a pair of puncture wounds on the back of his calf courtesy of a nasty little yapper up the road.

"Can I put some Poly and a band aid on it?" he pleaded with hope all over his face.

"I am pretty sure that a dog bite requires actual medical intervention.  Those look pretty deep, sweetie.  You better go to the Clinic."

An  hour later he returned with a lovely stitch in one puncture and bad news.

"They are out of  tetanus shots and I have to go into town for a tetanus shot between now and Sunday."

Alrighty then.  There is no walk-in clinic in Kenora.  If you don't have a doctor of your own the Emergency waiting room becomes a place described in Dr. Seuss's The Places You'll Go.  Since the Emergency room is busy on weekends, we decided that getting in on Friday morning was likely to be when the lines are the shortest.  Ah, sweet naivete.  Sprouts, Kindles and iPads packed up (essential to any trip when a waiting room is involved) and we hit the road.

We parked the car and tromped in.  LK registered, got a green arm band (meaning he was low priority) and was told the wait was four hours long.  So, the Sprouts and I went off to pick up a lunch for him and left him to his waiting.  After dropping off his lunch we wandered into to town to while away the hours.

We took a pizza picnic to the park.  We played on the play structure.  We waded at the beach.  We walked up to DQ for ice cream.  We did the school clothes shopping for fall jackets and pants that fit little people who seem to grow several inches each summer.  We went for a long walk along the water.  Then another one.  We started thinking about what to do for supper.

Five hours later LK had the 30 second shot to protect him from tetanus.  He also had a prescription for antibiotics that have proven to be much more miserable than the bite itself. So off to the pharmacy for another hour of waiting.

Now most of the rez dogs are very nice.  In fact we have made running buddies with some, enjoy the occasional visits of others to us at home, and are sorely tempted to adopt one each time students bring an adorable puppy to school.  But there are just a few that are a wee bit feral and scare the living daylights out of me.

I have run twice since Friday.  The first time I forced myself to do my normal route right by those dogs.  But I made sure to be well armed with rocks in both fists, just in case.  The second time it took an hour to screw up my courage to go.  Then I just drove the car off reserve and ran on the road to town.  It was a lovely run with no concerns about dogs.  And the bears, they just look at me and then trudge off on their berry hunting.

Baking and Breaking

I have been working on learning to bake bread the old fashioned way as we crave fresh bread but have neither a bread maker nor a bakery around the corner (or 50 corners for that matter).  I have the assistance of my lovely stand mixer, which has become my assistant in much of my baking in the past year.  For the rest of it I have to use patience and scour our recipe books for just the right recipe. Patience not being my strongest suit.  And careful attention to detail hard for me to have during summer holidays.

I should have known there would be a few bumps in the road.

My first attempt was taken from Michael Smith's Best of Chef at Home cookbook.  This book has the world's best brownie recipe.  So it should also have some other solid stuff (my logic).  However, the recipe for City Bread was far too moist (yes, I checked the measurements twice) and our bread had a lovely crust, but a damp inside.  5 cups of flour and 2 cups of liquid are not quite the right proportions.  In fact, now that I think about it, I seem to have had the same problem with this exact recipe before.  Better write a note in the book.  Despite the dampness we ate it anyway.  It tasted okay, and "waste not, want not".

My second attempt was started yesterday.  Traditional bread baking has a long rising for the first rising (8-12 hours) and so there is some forethought required in planning.  I was all into getting pizza dough mixed for dinner and had the mixer out anyway so I started a few hours earlier than was perhaps wise.

Here is my thought process that I worked through after starting the dough. 

"4:30 PM plus eight hours is about midnight.  Hmmm, not the ideal time to knead bread dough and set it for the second rising.  That would mean the third is a 3:00 AM.  Not quite perfect.  But wait, 4:30 PM plus twelve hours is 4:30 AM.  That is just a few hours before 7.  Surely I can get up at 7."  (During the summer holidays?  Dreaming, girl!)

As it turns out a few extra hours (it was 9:30 before I got to the dough this morning) doesn't do the dough any harm at that stage.  Good to know.

However, it is really important not to leave a glass baking dish in the oven while preheating and then putting hot water into said dish to provide steam during baking.  Just in case you didn't know, that makes glass baking dishes shatter all over the inside of a very hot oven.  I'm just letting you know because I didn't even think about it until there was already glass everywhere.

After cleaning up the glass shards and preheating the oven again it all went quite smoothly.  We enjoyed lovely fresh bread for lunch and had a half a loaf left for lightly toasting for breakfast tomorrow.

Holiday Interlude

We have been away for almost six weeks.  It was absolutely lovely to see family and friends.  And we take lots of pleasure in exploring different communities that we travel through each summer.  But really, it is loveliest to be home again.

Travel makes me appreciate the comfort of my own bed, the freedom of cooking in my own kitchen (or, in my case, my husband cooking in our kitchen), and the quiet of living way out in the bush with few neighbours. 

I intended to keep the blog updated with anecdotes while we travelled, but I didn't.  I needed to just be in the moment and leave it at that.  I am refreshed and looking forward to another year of adventures.

Empty Room

The room is quiet.  There are no students left. Artwork is gone from classroom walls and the hall.  All the books are stored away.  Shelves are dusted and garbage-bagged.  Furniture is stacked in one corner.  My personal possessions and teaching paraphernalia are boxed and stacked in the Resource room down the hall.  All that is left in this room that speaks of that past ten months of work and learning is a tree filled with butterflies hanging from the ceiling. 

We are done.  Students left yesterday for their favourite time of year.  The end of year to do list all checked off.  I am not a classroom teacher anymore (for at least a year anyway). 

So, now it is summer time for real.

Let the fun begin!

Not My Mama

"Mama, you're not my mama today!"  has become Fi's refrain at school this past month. 

On Tuesday my class and I spent eight hours on the bus to spend six hours in the city exploring the Manitoba Museum, eating out together and celebrating the end of a successful school year at am amusement park.  Although it is a crazy-long day it was also a lot of fun. 

What is funny is that even though I wasn't allowed to be her mom all day, Fi chose to sit with me on the bus for a chunk of the drive, and she hung out with me the whole time at the amusement park. We played a round of mini golf together and road the bumper cars.  We drove a double rider go-cart around the race track (although I wasn't allowed to go too fast).

It was a really great day.

Henry and Mudge

Jo is just starting to read.  To encourage a love of reading and a sense of ownership of books, LK ordered him several books from a series called Henry and Mudge.  They are a lovely series for beginner readers about a boy and his great big dog.  The stories are very simple, but they speak to Jo.

He tells me as we start a 'chapter' what he likes about that chapter and what is funny in it.  He wants me to point to the words so he can see the ones that he really likes. 

The magic of a good book is quite amazing.

And as we read together tonight before his bedtime, I realized again that this boy really needs a dog.

Sunday, Cranky Sunday

"This was the worst Sunday EVER," was LK's summary of the day.  He was right.

Jo was up several times during the night afraid and needing comfort.  That is my job as LK gets up with him in the morning.  And then, as usual, he was also up at the crack of dawn.  Usually he goes downstairs and LK makes him breakfast and I never hear a thing. I am completely pampered, I know.  Anyway, this morning he didn't go downstairs.  Instead he snuggled up with me. Not to sleep, mind you.  Really he wanted to tell me stories, play with his cars, and generally BE AWAKE.  That was not at all what I wanted to be doing.  I was tired.  And cranky. 

Well, I had a list longer than my arm of stuff that needed to get done in order for the week to go smoothly (this last week of school in insane with field trips and report cards and packing up classrooms and...).  It just was not to be.  Right after breakfast, and BEFORE MY CUP OF TEA the power went off.

And stayed off.  All day.

And we stood in the living room window and watched the heavens open and deluge us with more rain that we have seen all spring.  It may even have been more precipitation than we had all winter.  The road was a river.  Jo was aching to go out in it.  But not until the lightning stopped.

So we were all cooped up in the house.  And there was no power.  So no tea.

And LK and I have report cards due tomorrow which needed a few thing finished.  And there was not enough laptop batteries charged to get them done.  Or enough quiet.  And mine are very handily stored in my Dropbox in the big filing cabinet in the sky (Web).  So without power I couldn't access them anyway.

We don't do particularly well with forced inactivity.  Chosen inactivity is another matter entirely.  But when there is a list not being able to get things on it done makes me a bit crazy.

And there was a lot of sibling bickering happening.  We would have about 20 minutes of reasonably peaceful play and then it would sound like a war had erupted upstairs.  Toys were thrown, voices were raised in screaming (not by me).  My usually wonderful children had been driven mad by spring cabin fever. 

But then the rain stopped for a short while and they went outside.  And the house was quiet for a short little while.  And they ended up at Nana and Pop's house for an hour.  And we pulled our cranky selves together.

After a dinner of peanut butter and grape jelly, the Sprouts went happily enough to bed.  And we watched the clock tick away our time to get the work done before our own bedtime loomed.

The power came on at 8:45 and all four of us are still in one piece.  And we even stayed up later to get the reports done.  They might have a few typos that I hope our admin will catch, but my eyes are crossed with tiredness.  I need to go to bed.

And heaven help anyone who wakes me before 7:00 tomorrow morning.

Exhausted but Happy

As the bus rolled up to the house I ran out to meet my boys.  They both stepped off the bus looking rumpled and tired.  But their faces were lit with great big grins.  The field trip was lots of fun for both of them.

It was a treat to sit around the table listening to both of them tell stories about what they saw and learned and tried.  And Jo had sleep in his eyes from falling asleep on the bus for most of the trip home.

Check out LK's blog for pics in the next few days.

Counting Sleeps

Jo is counting sleeps until his class field trip.  They are going to the fire station in town, glow-in-the-dark bowling, and for dinner at Mickey D's.  What a brave teacher to take a bunch of four- and five-year olds bowling!  He fell asleep after calling down to me several times tonight, "My teacher says I need to wear white tomorrow.  My teacher says I need to have a bath or shower before tomorrow."  LK is going on with his first field trip as a parent chaperone.

Fi is counting sleeps until her mother isn't her teacher any longer.  She has done great, but having so much overlap in our relationship has put a strain on her this last couple of weeks.  I am glad we had this year together as I got to know her at an entirely new level.  And I appreciate her incredible, amazing intelligence so much more.  But we are not going to do this again.  Once is enough.

LK is counting sleeps until he gets to start his summer adventure.  Although he did mention in passing earlier this week that he might send us on vacation without him and just stay home for a month of peace and quiet.  He is depleted and needs to refill his energy with lots of quiet and picture-taking.  I hope that we can convince him that we will not chatter endlessly for the entire trip (wait, what am I thinking?).  Well, I hope he comes anyway.

I am counting sleeps until school is done.  It has been a very busy, challenging year in both my personal and professional lives.  I am ready for a rest.  I am ready for no report cards or lesson plans.  No mentoring chats.  No hunting for materials or resources.  Just light summer reading, lots of time in the sunshine, playing with my kids, running for sheer joy, and a trip that takes us away from daily life.  I am ready for vacationland.

How many more sleeps?

The Times They are A-Changin'

Well, there has been change happening all over the place in the the two months.  Some of it has been very difficult, and so I have refrained from blogging about it.  There are some things that I just can't share with you virtually; they require face-to-face interaction and a hot cup of tea.  Some of it is exciting.  Some of the difficult has been mixed with the exciting to make it all a bit messier to deal with.  Now that the dust has settled (and I hope the changes have stopped for at least a few months) I am ready to share the exciting stuff.

After 15 years in the classroom I am leaving it.  I have been offered the position of Head of Resource for September and have accepted.  I am happy about the change, although it took a bit of convincing from family and colleagues for me to let go of the classroom that I have put so much work into making pretty and welcoming.  Now that I am doing things like ordering for next year and starting to pack up my things in the classroom I am also getting very excited.

I am one of those sad cases who always needs a challenge, and gets bored if there isn't a learning curve.  So, this change means a big challenge and a fabulous new learning curve.  And it will be interesting to see if working outside the classroom is a good fit for me, or if I miss it terribly and cannot wait to go back.

This week I am reading Special Education catalogues instead of fashion blogs, IEPs instead of magazines, and creating more sticky note lists that I can possibly keep track of.  But, my heavens, am I ever a-twitter with excitement over the new challenge.

Running Together

Usually LK and I run solo.  Someone needs to stay home with the Sprouts while the other gets out for a run.  So we find ways to take turns and we both get the exercise that we have come to crave (if I don't run my legs get the twitchies and I can't sleep).

This morning the Sprouts were away for a sleepover.  So we went for a run together.  It has been several years since we ran together.  Back then I was the slowpoke huffer.  I always felt like I was holding LK back from a real run.

We are better matched now for running together.  LK needs to have someone remind him go a little slower and run longer.  I need someone to encourage me to push myself to move a little faster.  We are more in sync with one another.  And we not only love the time to talk a bit, but also the time to be quiet together and enjoy the scenery and company without words.

Anniversary Bliss

LK and I enjoyed an absolutely lovely anniversary thanks to a sleepover with Nana and Pop for the Sprouts.

Yesterday they packed their bags and skipped down the road to Nana's house after lunch (I love payday Fridays).  They took "friends" (stuffed animals for nighttime snuggles) and toothbrushes and a clean change of underwear.  They were anticipating a movie night, a special dinner, and a hike with Pop. 

LK and I were anticipating a relaxed trip to town with no complaining about the choice of food, talking over us, or yelling at their sibling because they were being too loud or too quiet.  I anticipated a creamy chocolate martini and walking with my sweetie holding hands.  He anticipated my undivided attention and a chance to take pictures.

I think everybody got what they were looking for.

After a lovely dinner at a grown-up restaurant, some shopping at a grown-up pace, and a trip home in the golden hour we enjoyed the quiet of the house until after lunch today.  I made breakfast for a change.  We went for a run together.

Life is unbelievably good.

I am deeply thankful for my husband who I still feel head-over-heels in love with after 16 years.  I am thankful for parents who love their grandchildren and make sleepovers with them a lovely treat. 

Feeling Draggy

Getting back into the swing of things after being sick is taking a little longer than I want it to.  I feel like I spent too many days off my feet last week, so I should be all raring to go again.  Shouldn't I?

Well, my butt seems to be having a bit of trouble with getting rolling again.  On Tuesday we had our girls workout after school.  I felt draggy and tired.  I usually love it and come out totally pumped.  Then yesterday my run home from school also felt draggy.  A nasty dog who nipped me in the calf right at the last corner didn't really help the enthusiasm levels.  I was moping about not getting all my energy back right away.

Today I had a huge lift.  I had to come home early and so anticipated missing our girls workout (we workout together two days a week).  I promised my workout buddies that I would do something at home to move and that I would be there in spirit.

After lunch recess (and mail delivery) LK came into my classroom with a box.  Inside was this...

I put it on my Pinterest wishlist a week ago and he promptly ordered it for me.  Thanks to the most fun workouts I have ever tried (other than running) I am out of my draggy funk.  And I am looking forward to adding another day or two of exercise to my schedule.

Sick Leave

I had my first week of doctor-ordered sick leave this past week.  It took me a full day to get over feeling guilty for not being at work.  Then I moped around feeling miserable.  Once I started feeling better the guilt returned. I know that I needed the rest.  I feel vastly better, both physically and emotionally. But I always struggle with feeling like I am letting my students down when I am not there. However this is the very first time in fifteen years that I have not dragged myself to work still sick and as a result extended my recovery time significantly (and probably shared my germs with all my students).

Usually we think that the real troupers are the employees who drag themselves into work if they can stand.  I have often been heard to say, "If I can stand, I can teach,"  But I realize after this week that I had it all wrong.  To teach really well, I need to be whole, healthy, and strong.  Only then am I in good enough shape to be sensitive to the emotions and needs of my students.  Otherwise I am too  immersed in my own misery and symptoms to really be tuned into them.

So, I am changing how I do business.  When I am sick, I will take the time to get better without feeling guilty.  I will honour the rights of my students to a quality education by staying away when I cannot truly give them a quality day. 

Jackpot

My DH has never lost the love of LEGO from his childhood.  It is part of why his kids think he is the best papa in the whole world.  On rainy days he always seems to have a set stashed away somewhere for them to build together. 

(Sidebar: that man has an inhuman capacity to squirrel away surprises to show his love)

Over the past several years has purchased some for his kids and a few just for him; for silly pictures and to build while de-stressing in the evening.  Its kind of like scrapbooking is was for me.  Well yesterday he got a bee in his bonnet and dug his collection all out from its corner in his side fraction of the closet and gave it to the Sprouts for their amusement.  He walked away mumbling, "That's what it's really for."

Both Sprouts had eyes bigger than saucers.  Papa giving them his LEGO?  For keeps!  What a jackpot.  His is built and ready to make into towns and cities and create adventures for all the little LEGO people.  They spent yesterday afternoon in both their rooms creating a massive LEGO adventure story.

Right after he finished his breakfast this morning, Jo ran upstairs to wake up his sister by whispering in her ear, "Remember, we are going to play LEGO today!"  And they did.

Celebrating

After a very long Monday (some Mondays are just that way) I came home to two very cheerful Sprouts and a little neighbour who, nervous of encountering bears, wanted to be walked home.  As the sun was shining and the air was crisp it was a pleasure to help her be brave as she went home.  And on the way back the Sprouts and I took our time and enjoyed the simple pleasures of tossing rocks along the road and trying to find the exact one we tossed.

Now that the Sprouts are tucked safely into their beds I have sat down at the computer to tackled the work of the evening.

The first task was to check on the status of my online course.  I handed in my last assignments late last week and have been waiting for the intsructor to evaluate and post final feedback.  She posted it today and so my first "work" was to read that I am now a Special Education Specialist.  Woohoo!

So, I am celebrating the achievement of a big professional goal; earn a Specialist designation.  And I am inordinately pleased with myself.

Now, what next?

And Another

Thursday after school LK came into my room and said he had a present for me.  I have the most wonderfully generous sweetie who expresses his love for his family with random gifts.  So, full of anticipation, I followed him down to his classroom (this is done at school because our mail is delivered to the school and he seemed to be impatient about sharing this gift).  He handed me a package that was beautifully wrapped and tied with a bow.

Unwrapping it I found this inside...

It is a copy of a book that I use to introduce the reading strategy of inferring each school year.  It is a beautiful picture book with the most lovely watercolour illustrations.  It has a magical quality that quiets every class as they wonder at the identity of this mysterious man.  LK had listened when I mentioned that I wanted to order a copy for my classroom instead of hunting someone else's copy down every year.  And then he hunted it down online and ordered it for me.

But the sweetest part of the gift was the inscription on the title page.  He emailed Barbara Berger and asked her to autograph it.  She went to the local bookstore and signed it before they wrapped it and sent it.  Apparently she doesn't usually do that.  But she did.  Just because my love went so far out of his way to show how much he cares. 

Much sweeter than any chocolate!

**Please note that the poor quality photos are mine, not LK's. 

The usually fab pics you see on my blog are all his. 

The slightly-grainy-not-always-in-focus ones are mine (see above).

Sweets of One Kind

Today was our weekly trek into town.  For most of the winter LK and I have taken turns going while the other stays home with the Sprouts (who are very happy not to be stuck in the car for hours) and gets the majority of the weekend housework done.  With spring we have made more trips with all four of us hoping for days that are perfect for wandering along hiking trails or waterfront and licking ice cream cones. Unfortunately most of those days are during the week so far this spring.

Anyhoo... at the end of the errands, feeling a we bit grounchy I succumbed to temptation and bought what could be my very favourite chocoate EVER.  It is absolutely divine.  Dark, ever-so-slightly bitter, laced with a fruity depth and a hint of nuts.  Grown-up chocolate.

Very good medecine for a grey skies grouchy day.

Worry

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;

or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food,

and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air;

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not much more valuable than they? 

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" 

Matthew 6:25-26

I worry endlessly about the future; will my kids be okay, will I have a job, will we have a home, where will be put down roots, will we be far from family always?  And then there are the big questions and worries; have we slipped off the knife's edge in climate change, will there be a future for my children, will First Nations and the rest of Canada ever be at peace with one another?  And silly selfish worries; will my husband still love me, will my colleagues still respect me, will my parents still be proud of me? 

For much of my life I have escaped from the demands of the present and my worries about the future into the world of fiction.  It has provided a place where everything ends happily and I know that there will be resolution.  Bad guys get what they deserve.  Good guys are rewarded with some kind of happily ever after.  But that just isn't how it works in this broken world.

How do I let go of anxiety and fear and trust that I am far more precious to my Heavenly Father than the birds of the air. How do I relax into the protection of His hand, at peace with His provision?

First I remind myself constantly that He has never let me down before.  He has always been faithful.  In the story if God and his people He has consistently kept his promises and provided.  After thousands of years of faithfulness, do I really need to worry that he will suddenly stop now?

Second, I will watch the birds as they gather around the lakes in greater numbers after the winter.  Eagles rebuilding nests damaged in winter snow.  Ducks chasing away competition as they search for spots to lay eggs.  Woodpeckers drilling holes in telephone poles. Robins hopping across the lawn looking for the juiciest worm.   I will remind myself with each one that I am more precious to Him than any of these.  He will provide for my needs. 

TGI March Break

A few weeks ago my dad commented to me, "You can always tell what kind of shape Em and LK are in by how often they post on their blogs."  He smiled while he said it, but there was a shadow of concern on his face.  He had obviously noticed our rather limited posting of late.

Yesterday was the first day of March Break.  My parents had come down with a nasty stomach flu and Mom called in the morning to warn the kids to stay away while they were germy and contagious. I was a bit off on the phone and later in the day my dad called back, "How are you guys doing over there? "  with a note of concern in his voice.

Well, we are all right.  But we are stretched to our max and flat out exhausted.  We are deeply thankful to have made it to the March Break this year and are looking forward to a whole week of slower pace without dealines or expectations to meet.

So, without further ado, I have a sweetie to snuggle up with and a novel to read for the rest of the evening.

Saying Goodbye

One of our neighbours is moving away tomorrow.  This neighbour is the one who dropped off a Christmas hamper last year just because we are a family and are here in the community and he felt we should be included in the community hampers.  This neighbour stopped by periodically with a dozen fresh eggs from his chickens.  This neighbour has always had a friendly wave and time to chat.

This neighbour also lost his partner less than six months ago.  She lost a short battle with a brain tumor.  Her death was a great loss to the community as she was important in the lives of many young people and lived traditional ways as well as sharing them with the kids.  Her death was a greater loss to her husband and three kids.  He is moving south to take his kids to be with his family on his home reserve. 

We are not close to this family in terms of hanging out together and such on, but we will feel the loss of their presence a great deal.  And LK and I were both surprised and touched when he made a point to stop by both of our classrooms on Friday morning to say goodbye in person.

I pray that God will guide and bless their journey.  And that they will have people who bring them Christmas hampers and eggs in their new home.

Procrastination

Well, I am just not doing so well with the blogging right now.  My mind is elsewhere. 

Things are work are busy and last week was challenging in the classroom.  I am in the midst of my Spec. Ed. Specialist course, which was frustrating for the first several weeks as much of that content was not particularly applicable to my current teaching situation. 

Whenever I have a free minute I just want to escape into a book.

Well, things in the classroom are a bit better.  And thanks to some great ideas from fellow course members I have some new strategies to try in addressing the challenges there.  The new module we began this weekend is really relevant and I am finding myself having lots of "Aha" moments. 
That has me encouraged to carry on.

I still want to bury myself in a book constantly.  And I am not sure why that feeling is so intense these days.  Procrastination, thou art mine enemy!

I'm Baaack

Jo has been counting down sleeps until Valentine's Day for over a week.  Last night after supper the Sprouts and I sat around the table and made Valentine's for their classes. 

Jo had requested store-bought and they had to be Mighty Machines or Transformers.  So his were easy to label.  We had to go by his memory for his classmates' names as teachers at our school don't send class lists home to help students label their Valentine's.  We did pretty well, and I was impressed with how many students in his class he remembers.

Fi's were a little trickier.  She had insisted that she was going to make her own homemade ones.  But she didn't start until six o'clock last night.  So, there were a few tears as she worked through the challenges.  However, she ended up with a bag ready to go before she went to bed.

As a teacher I have always encouraged my students to give valentines to either everyone in the class or all the boys/girls.  That way no one feels like Charlie Brown and ends up with no cards.  For many years it worked well.

This year I saw the other side of the coin as Fi was struggling with giving a valentine to someone who is often unkind to her.  How do I insist that my child extend that kindness to someone who repeatedly shows a lack of respect to her?  I need to teach her that loving others means even when they are mean, annoying, or just plain miserable.  But it isn't easy watching her take the risk of having it smushed in her face (metaphorically).

As I write this I am humbled by how hard this walk is.  I am not even close to capable of the love and compassion needed to meet the needs of the people around me.  Only when I count on the love poured out by Christ can my love overflow out to others.  And lately I have been pretty stingy with that love.

Sigh

For years I have been reading American teachers blogging about the testing madness that has gripped American education for the last decade. I have waited with concern for when that madness would cross the border. It's here. Sigh.

Missing Papa

As we left the airport today Jo piped up from the back seat, "Are we leaving Papa at the airport?"

"Yes, sweetie.  He is flying on a plane to be with Oma and Opa for Grandma D's funeral."

"Oh."

Ten minutes later we were in the middle of the city and I was stressing about the check engine light that came on as we left the airport.  And I missed my turn-off and wasn't quite sure if I was heading in the right direction (having no co-pilot to read the map).

"I want to go with Papa." said a sad little voice from the backseat.

"I do too." was all I could say.

Halfway home we were all doing okay, I thought.  No breakdowns - either the car or in tears.

With a hitch in his voice and tears welling up, "I miss Papa."

"Me too, sweetie.  Me too."

We arrived safely home, unloaded the car, loaded the washing machine and started to unwind.

"I miss Papa!" was sobbed from upstairs as Jo tried to clean up his toys before supper.

I have new appreciation for my life.  I get to spend every day with my partner and best friend.  We commute to work together, support each other as colleagues, and have rich time every morning and evening as a family.  We actually get to eat two whole meals a day together as a family, every day!

I am so grateful.  We are very rich indeed.

Resolution Update

Well writing down everything that goes into your mouth is certainly very revealing.  It is already making a substantial difference in how much I eat every day.  This is a great exercise.  I highly recommend it if you are struggling with eating at all.

The biggest change that has happened in my eating habits over the first two weeks of the month is that I am no longer snacking in the evening after the Sprouts have gone to bed.  That was my crashing and noshing time previously - particularly during the holidays when there were yummy treats available in the house all the time.  As a result I have felt more energy in the mornings and am really hungry for breakfast.  Both good things.

I am not doing quite so well with the phone calls.  I think that I will amend my goals to two phone calls a month rather than weekly.  Small steps...

There's an App for That!

The littlest Sprout has been bumped from JK to SK. Overall this is a good change for him. But there are sad aspects to it, as with all change. Socially it is a good shift. He is also ready to read, so he will continue to be challenged to stretch and grow there.

One thing that we are concerned about is his handwriting. Four year old hands are not always ready for the demands of five year old curriculum. So we have started to work on fine motor skills with him at home.

Thanks to a great PD last year, I have an arsenal of tools from Handwriting Without Tears to support him in this. so tonight we started working together. HWT is a fabulous program to develop neat, well formed handwriting in children.  It also has lots of fun activities to make the learning fun, particularly for the littlest learners.  One example is using slates to practice letters in a large size before transferring skills to the smaller scale of paper.

I ran into a little problem when we had no chalk at home for the mini slate. But fear not, there's an app for that! A lovely little app called Slate works beautifully with just fingers. Jo was thrilled and very interested in practicing if it included the iPad.

Date Night

Heaven is date night.

Living in the middle of nowhere with no family for many kilometres means that leaving Sprouts with a grandparent for a few hours to have a date or run errands has been outside our experience for all our Sprouts' lives (with the exception of visits).  Now Nana and Pop lie just down the road and they kept the Sprouts yesterday afternoon while LK and I went to town, did groceries etc. and had a date.  BLISS!

After the necessary groceries and errands were done we ate at the Southview Inn & Bistro, which was new to us.  It has been on our list of place to check out, but is not on the child-friendly side of the list, and so has languished untasted.  No more.

We started with a bread plate.  Crusty bread with oil and vinegar, hummus, and roasted garlic for tempting the palate.  I added a creamy chocolatini to that.  My new favourite bevvy (better than Bailey's) that requires lots of water to balance the kick it carries.

The soup course was  chicken with wild rice (wild rice being a local delicacy).  No can compares to homemade soups. We both "mmmm"ed our way through the soup with smiles growing ever wider as we sunk into the quiet and pleasure of the meal.  No asking people to stay at the table.  No reminding people that there would be no dessert if they didn't eat their dinner.  No interruptions to our conversation before even a sentence was out.

The main course was a stuffed tenderloin with a fig reduction and roasted seasonal vegetables served over a mountain of garlic mashed potatoes.  A wintery food hug.  Zucchini, red peppers and sweet potato have long been under-appreciated and should be lauded for their gorgeous colours as well as the variety of nutrients hiding inside.  And what can be said about garlic mashed potatoes?  These were even better than LK's version; and his are incredible.  The tenderloin was a rich mash of earthy flavours that matched the rest of the plate beautifully. 

We shared a slice of chocolate cake for dessert since we were both really enjoying ourselves so much and couldn't bear to end the meal quite yet.  And really, every meal should end with chocolate.

I walked away from the meal feeling sated physically and spiritually.  That kind of a meal should be a regular part of live to help me remember to appreciate what good ingredients and relaxed enjoyable company make.  Because this date made real that food and love are one.

Yard Duty Sunshine

Yard duty has not always been my favourite part of teaching.  When the weather is nasty and cold, or I have a To Do list as long as my arm I bemoan it.  But today it was a wonderful lift.

First, my teaching day was pretty much done.  I had my prep at the end of the day, which meant that after recess all I had to do was walk students down to their Native Language class.  That took the pressure to urgently accomplish anything off.

Second, the day turned out to be sunny and warm.  Well, warm for January in northwestern Ontario.  I bundled up before going outside, expecting to be chilled even though I was wearing my puffer coat, a hat, scarf and gloves.  This morning was chilly!  Instead I stepped outside to sunshine that warmed my face and blue skies.  Since blue skies have been scare this past two weeks, it was a sight for sore eyes.

But the icing on the cake was a little boy all dressed in a blue snowsuit who has just moved from JK to SK.  The JK students are only allowed to play in the front playground with very careful supervision.  The SK students have more freedom to move around the whole elementary schoolyard.  This little guy was spreading his wings for the first time today.  When he saw me on duty he smiled a very special smile (reserved only for his Mama) and ran full-tilt at me.  I caught him and swung him around in a great big hug.  Then he wandered off to play with his new SK classmates.

What a treat to be able to watch my own kids play with their peers as they grow up.  Plus I made some new SK friends myself today who were most curious about my relationship with their new classmate. 

"Are you Jo's mommy?"  they queried repeatedly.

"Yes I am," I replied, proud as punch.

Resolution Ammendments

I have already been reflecting on how to ensure that I suceed in my resolutions (chronic achiever that I am). Many many bloggers post resolutions. In exploring some of these I have realized that my resolutions are not SMART. I have learned that mine are far too vague to be achievable goals. So, I will set a habit to support each resolution each month, a la Gretchin Rubin in her book The Happiness Project.

With the goal of eating healthier in mind, I am planning to keep a food journal for the month of January. This will, I hope, enable me to be more mindful of what I eat. And I will be able to see just how crazy-too-much chocolate I really eat. It should be revealing to say the least.

With my relationship goal in mind I will make a phone call to someone who is not in my daily life once a week to stay more in touch.

Fingers crossed!