Growing Up

#1 is definitely growing up.

He is now at least two inches taller than I am.

This afternoon we were at the church for an inter-generational Palm Saturday event. The event finished with a closing prayer in which we all stood in a circle holding hands. #1 just happened to be standing beside this girl who is just a little older than he is and is very pretty (but is absolutely and completely aware of it, if you know what I mean.).

I was giving him the gears about it on the way home. I said,"I noticed you happened to be standing beside someone interesting when we all got to hold hands at the end."

With eyebrows going up and down and a huge silver bracey smile he replied, "I know!"

Main Man was also giving him a hard time over it at supper. His advice was, "Be careful. You don't want to be just the flavour of the week."

#1's reply? "Oh, but what a week that would be!"

Kindergarten Wisdom

I had the kindergarten students in for story-time this morning.

I told one of the little guys that I liked his shoes.

He informed me that he had much nicer ones at home. He called them his wedding shoes.

I asked if someone special was getting married.

"No, no one is getting married," he replied, "but my grandpa got dead."

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful...

...for the new minister at our church. Her induction ceremony was on Sunday evening. #1 was a server for the ceremony. I was very proud of him. I digress, though: our new minister is fabulous. She seems to be really interested in youth, which suits our family perfectly. This Sunday, she's going to join the youth group in a rousing game of lazer tag!

...for #1's curling season, which wrapped up yesterday. He had a great time, and it would appear that he is hooked. He's already talking about gathering together a team for next year.

...that I've managed to shake most of this terrible cold I've had for the last week. My energy level is beginning to pick up, and I no longer go into full-out panic mode if there isn't a box of tissues in my line of sight, so I guess I must be getting better.

...for #2's dedication to his Tae Kwon Do. He tested on Tuesday, and we find out tonight if he passed onto his first official belt. He was pretty nervous before his test, but he did a great job.

...that #3 brought home the right rubber boots after Beavers on Tuesday. We got an email this morning that one of the little guys went home with someone else's boots (a common occurrence at this time of year when just about every 4 - 11 year old wears standard issue Wal-Mart $8 wellies), so I quickly checked, and we're in the clear.

...for my Mp3 player, which I dug up and re-juiced on the weekend. I hadn't used it much through the winter, and I'm so glad to be using it again. I love the feeling of being totally immersed in my music. I've taken to wearing it when I mark books and papers in the evening. Now, that sure cuts down on distractions!

...that daylight once again shines through the kitchen window while we eat supper. I love when the days begin to get longer. I always look forward to that first morning of work after the Easter break, when my alarm is greeted by daylight.

...that April Fool's Day falls on a weekend this year. As a teacher, I consider this occurrence a special gift from God!

Have a great week, everyone!

High Beams

It's been a while since I've posted. It's also been quite a while since I ventured out to visit any of you.

Report cards and parent teacher interviews seem to act as high-beam spotlights, highlighting my inadequacies - to myself anyway.

When life is that busy, my children are neglected. I spend hours and hours out at that school in report preparation, not to mention the extra evening hours spent conducting the interviews themselves. As independent as my boys are, it simply isn't fair that they are sacrificed in order for me to help other people's children. They would never speak a word of complaint, but I can feel it.

I would love to be that mom whose kid has new rubber boots to wear to school on the day of the first big thaw. Instead, I'm the one waiting for the weekend for the time to drag the old ones out of that big bin o' boots in the basement. "If the old ones don't fit, maybe your brother's old ones will."

I would love to be that mom whose kid never has a hole in his sock at Beavers. Nope, that's not me. I would love to be the mom who has the perfect outfit ready for each kid to wear to school for St. Patrick's Day. Instead, I had to shake out green t-shirts from the massive pile of yet-to-do laundry, hoping beyond hope no spots showed.

And my house? Whoa - that's a story I simply cannot tell. As well as the aforementioned laundry, my kitchen floor badly needs a scrub and the boys' rooms need a bull-dozer.

You would think that a three day weekend would cure all, but frankly, I spent the weekend doing things with my kids, not necessarily for them. I took #2 to the National Tae Kwon Do competition held in our city. I took the boys to the Science Centre. I played cards with #3.

I was a mom.

Next weekend, I'll be a housekeeper.

Minor Victory

We caught one.

But only one.

And I know there are more.

Hopefully not too many more...


Update: Saturday morning

2 more!

Further update: Sunday morning

1 more.

(This is really starting to creep me out.)

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful...

...that I'm starting to see the light through my two whirlwind weeks of work. This bout of report cards and interviews is almost over. Whew!

...that I made it through half my parent-student-teacher conferences and no one has yelled at me yet.

...that I made it home last night. By the time we were finished interviews at about 8:00 p.m., a wicked spring blizzard had blown up. Many teachers on staff had decided to stay overnight in the small town in which I teach. I was determined, though, to make it home to my family. I have to admit that I am more than slightly resentful of these evening interviews. I work so many hours beyond school hours already that I really resent being told that I have no choice about these interviews. I have a six-year-old, dagnabit! He needs his mom around.

...that#3's jazz band is performing at a festival this evening. Of course, I'm unable to go see the performance (I have the last half of my interviews.), but I'm grateful that he has the opportunity.

...that I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. I always get a new lease on life with a new haircut.

...for the church St. Patrick's Day Irish Stew night coming up on Saturday. It's a hoot! They even serve Guinness. I go to such a cool church!

...for what we hope to do after the church stew night. Main Man and I have plans to go to our favourite Irish night-time establishment and celebrate St. Patty's Day in true Irish fashion. We can't wait!

Have a great week, everyone. Thanks for hanging in there with me through the rough times.


9:20 p.m.
Addendum: I am ever so thankful to be all finished parent-student-teacher conferences. I'm enjoying a glass of wine, preparing for a bubble bath to celebrate. Hip-hip-hooray!

Book Review: Post Mortem

Patricia Cornwell's Post Mortem is a fairly old book, but I'm one of those people who likes to start reading a series of books from the beginning.

It is the story of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Richmond, Virginia's Chief Medical Officer, and her quest to find the serial killer who has raped, tortured and killed four young women. In addition to Kay's gruesome job, she's also dealing with her ten-year-old niece, Lucy, who is visiting. Lucy is coping with a little emotional baggage of her own.

I listened to this book on CD as I drove to work and back over the last couple of weeks. Perhaps had I actually read the book, I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, I found stretches of it unbearably clinical and technical, and I simply clued those sections out as I tussled through the traffic.

I didn't care for the voice of the woman reading onto the CD, either, which is rather odd since it's the same woman who reads the Janet Evanovich books on CD, and I love when she reads those. I just got the feeling that she was finding Post Mortem as dull as I was.

I'll probably give the next book about Dr. Scarpetta a chance, but I don't think I'll listen to that one. I'll try reading it instead and see if that helps.

Just a Quick Note...

...to check in and say hi to everyone out there.

I've been working really hard. Reports go out tomorrow, and I will be ready.

I was out at the school from 8:15 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. yesterday and I got so much done. Still, I have comments to finish up on the cards. I hate writing them, but, as a parent, they're my favourite part to read on my own kids' reports, so I will keep slogging away.


Just wanted everybody to know that all is well, and that I really appreciate those who are still stopping by and are still commenting. Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply here or to return the favour on your blogs.

This will be another busy week, with Book Fair in my library all week, and with Parent-Teacher Interviews Wednesday and Thursday evenings, but I do get Friday off in lieu of working both those evenings, so #3 and I have big plans. He keeps asking, "How many more sleeps 'til you get to spend the morning with me?" He'll be in kindergarten in the afternoon, so we have to jam all our fun into the morning.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is: if you don't hear much from me this week, I'm fine, just busy, and I am thinking of all of you.

Take care.

Book Review: Sadie the Ballerina

The new Willow Award nominees are out! The new Willow Award nominees are out! And I can't wait to read them all.

I decided to start with a little tale by Joan Betty Stuchner called (warning, there are spoilers located in the following link) Sadie the Ballerina, and I am so glad I did. Not only is it a delightful story, but Bruno St.-Aubin's illustrations are enchanting - all pink and swirling, just like a ballerina.

Sadie desperately wants to go to ballet school. She loves to point her toes and twirl and dance. Her mother, however, simply does not understand and says things to Sadie like, "Wouldn't it be more fun to go to clown school?"

When the ballet comes, though, her parent do take Sadie to see The Nutcracker. I especially like the description and the illustration when Sadie and her parents are walking through the lobby of the theatre. When the show begins, Sadie is entranced, especially with the lovely Sugar Plum Fairy and the handsome Nutcracker Prince. She becomes so overwhelmed, in fact, that she does something only Sadie would do. If you want to know what that is, you'll have to read the book. ;-)

If you have a girl who dances, or, even better, one who longs to dance, you must read this book to her. I read it to my younger boys, too, though, and they enjoyed Sadie's spirit and spontaniety, as well.

Idol Wisdom

#3's comment as Antonella sang her farewell song this evening:

"She's hot, but she sucks at singing."

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful...

...for my job. At this crazy, hectic report card time, I often forget how much I truly love it. There isn't a day goes by that these students of mine don't make me smile.

...for my husband. Again, he often bears the brunt of my busy-ness at this time, but I do truly appreciate how he takes up the slack with things around home, even though it's often a busy time for him, as well.

...for #1. Last night I was telling him that I was getting too much attitude from him, but, all things considered, we probably get a lot less than the average family.

...for #2. Somehow, without our realizing it, he has grown into the most responsible of the three. He is meticulous about getting his homework done, he is usually patient and guiding with #3, and he actually cleans his room when he is asked to. Who'd 'a' thunk it?

...for #3, who can make me smile through anything. Last night I was at the kitchen table, books spread all around, red pen in hand, when he came in and asked me for a snack. I snapped, "Please get your father to get you a snack. I'm too busy." Seconds later, he was by my side, asking in his wee voice,"Are you too busy for a hug?" Priorities, priorities...

...for my dog. I often have trouble sleeping at report card time. You know, you've all done it - you wake up and you stew about unfinished things, will you have enough time, will you find that paper you lost, blah, blah, blah... Anyway, I have found that if I can touch the warm fur of my dog, it relaxes me and helps me settle back into sleep. And luckily, he's a bit of a cuddle-pup, so it works well for him, too.

Have a great week, everyone, and take some time to ponder what you are thankful for.

Energy Boost

I went to a seminar yesterday on "Increasing the Effectiveness of Your School Library Program". It was spectacular. I always consider a professional development opportunity a success if I learn one thing I can use the day I go back to work. I probably learned at least a dozen at this one.

The presenter was dynamic and had us rolling in the aisles with some of her stories. She works in San Diego, California, but she is actually, in her own words, "a Southern Belle from South Carolina." The best part? She actually is a teacher librarian. She actually knows what she is talking about. I think that is what made her stories so incredibly funny; we've all been there, done that.

We each received a handbook of ideas she had compiled to help with all aspects of teacher-librarianship. I expect it will be dog-eared and well loved.

This handout includes pages and pages of lists of great books for kids. I've already started putting some on hold at our public library so I can preview them. I'm so excited!

It was great to have an energizing day like yesterday to get me through this terrible period of report cards. 5 more sleeps - if you can call them that. I didn't sleep very well last night. I just have to keep telling myself - this too shall pass. In a little over a week, when parent-teacher conferences are over with, I'll be sleeping like a rock.

I think...

...we have...

...a mouse...

...in our house!


(Any tips out there?)

"The Elephant Man"

Our family caught a little more than half of The Elephant Man on television Friday night. I had never seen it before. I suppose that's not especially surprising, considering it came out when I was in high school and lived out in the boonies, a hundred miles from anything resembling a movie theatre.

It was an awesome film. Main Man was actually heading out to do some errands after supper when the boys and I started watching it, and he stood with his coat and boots on at the door, entranced with the story. I bet he stood like that at least twenty minutes, unable to draw himself away. (Too bad it was on a no-commercial channel.)

What really amazed me about the experience of watching it with the boys, though, was their reaction to the way John Merrick was treated. #2 and #3 were particularly vehement in their contempt of the people who mistreated him.

After watching that famous scene in which Merrick shouts out, " I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!", #3 spontaneously shouted out, "Good for you!" I actually think he had tears in his eyes.

It is extremely gratifying to think that my boys might actually "get it". You know, you work so hard to instill values, and you hope and pray that it might actually be taking hold. Sure is nice when a simple, unexpected time like this shows you that you might actually be on the right track.

Wasting Time

I snuck out of the house this morning before anyone else was up.

Report cards go out in ten days, so I'm in cramming mode. I wanted to get out to the school early to get some serious work done.

I worked for a couple of hours and I found myself very hungry, so, even though it was only 11:10, I decided to have my lunch. Well, it's now 11:30 and I'm finished my veggies and dip and my rice cakes and tuna. With a lunch like that, I'm going to feel like picking up a burger at about 2:00!

I'm not quite ready to delve back into the books, so thought I'd visit good ol' blogger and say hi to everyone. If you're reading this, please leave me a comment. I'm looking for lots of little diversions today.

Sitting here in this isolated classroom crunching numbers, I'd really like to know that someone's thinking of me.

Thankful Thursday

This week, I am thankful...

... that our Oscar party is over for another year. After 17 years of putting on a certain type of party, you would think that it would be just a mere hiccup in your week, but it's always a major cough, almost a gag, no matter how successful. It's so much work.

... that Main Man is making more of an effort to turn lights off when he walks out of a room.

... that #1's braces are more manageable for him now. I was getting a little worried about the number of Advils he was popping.

... that #2 had a fabulous time on his Cub Scout ski trip, and that, unlike his father on his first foray onto a ski hill at age 10, he did not break his leg!

... that #3 had such fun on his first sleepover Saturday night. I think the family might be vegetarian. He said they had peanut butter soup for supper. He wasn't all that impressed with that, but had a great time otherwise.

... for movie nights with the girls. Even if the movie isn't all that great, it's nice to get out.

... for supper out with the girls. (Yes, I've had a big week!) Last night a group of us teacher-librarians got together and attended a fundraising dinner for the Willow Awards. It was an evening of delicious food, delightful conversation, and divine literature.

... that March has arrived, which must mean that spring is just around the corner. We did, however, have a major snowfall last night, so that corner may still be a little far away yet.

... that, even with report cards less than two weeks away, panic hasn't set in yet. I'm sure it will soon, though.

Have a great week, everyone!