Back in the Saddle

Yup, a blog after all this time! More importantly I am motivated enough to write a blog. After months of not feeling like doing anything (work, dishes, house cleaning, talking, facebook, walking... you get the picture), except of course sleeping, I am feeling like myself again and so happy about it! A little change can make a big difference!

This past weekend we had my whole family come to spend the weekend with us. My family are the most important people in my life, we see them often because we go into the city, it was nice to have them out here! I was a little apprehensive about it because my brother and sister-in-law have two big dogs. The dogs were amazing, they enjoyed our yard and were tuckered out after a couple of tosses of the ball, the slept in the shade. Joel and Ashley tented it on our front lawn because the dogs can't come in the house (Jay has wicked bad allergies). Mom and dad brought up their patio set (one of the many great items we get because of the move), so we enjoyed the sunshine out in the yard for most of the weekend. Bocce ball and games of "dice" were our main forms of entertainment. A great way to spend Father's Day weekend!

School/work is almost over and it is coming with a bitter-sweet ending. Of course students are happy summer is here (okay, so are teachers), but the knowledge that there won't be a next year makes this ending not so sweet. Sweet or not there is lots to be done in the next week (our last day is June 30). Report cards, finish up work, final tests, and, of course, picnic are all on my to-do list. It goes without saying that this blog is one way to procrastinate!

July will be here before I know it! With it comes our EMC Confrence, where Jay and I are helping to organize Childcare. After that it will be back to work for me. As teachers we have a lot of packing and such to do before the end of July. Jay and I plan to go camping, Jay hopes to take some Friday's off so we can spend more time relaxing. Joel and Ashley may join us for a trip as well. Jay has asked me to help with Space camp later in July, and I have committed to helping with DVBS out in Grindstone the first week of August. After that it will be time to prep for next year. I am excited to be teaching grade 4-6 at Morweena. I love those grades!

It will be a full summer! I look forward for being home for most of it as last summer was so unsettled (in winnipeg, at camp, on honeymoon, etc.). this summer holds much promise for relaxation and fun!

With that it is back to those pesky report cards!

The Secret is Out! and Link-up Day!

Last Friday I got a phone call from the Manitoba Coordinator for the Marsville Program. He informed me that one of my students had won the national writing contest to have a small planet named after them. All the Marsville participants had the opportunity to participate in the contest. I had all my students write a 300 or less word entry but they had the choice to enter or not, most of my students did. Of course I had to keep this information as secret as possible (although a few people needed to be told in order for the mom of this student to be there, plus I had a hard time containing my excitement!). I must say that I was a pretty proud teacher!

The announcement took place today, at Link-Up Day! Not only was it announced in the gym we were in but it was announced across the country in all the Marsville sites. I was so excited to see the reaction of this student. Surprises are so fun!

The student was pretty surprised! The media was there and there were interviews and conversations. It was pretty crazy for a bit! Congrats Sarah!

Of course Link—Up day was not just for the winning student but all my students, who worked hard on their Marsville projects. We set up huge bubbles and presented our projects. It was a crazy, busy day! At times a little unorganized but the end result was that we complete the Marsville Program. Time always becomes a factor when dealing with so many kids, and we didn’t have enough time for everything we wanted to get done. The morning was more productive than the afternoon. Time just flew by! The kids haven’t received their feedback for the galactic visitors but I have seen it and it was pretty positive. They get to read it tomorrow. I was really proud of how all of my students created their bubbles, presented their projects, and their behaviour. I was happy with the day!

We brought a bubble home with us and will be setting it up on Thursday evening at the school for parents and the community to see. Students will also be presenting their projects. This will give us all a chance to celebrate the great learning that has taken place.

About Time For An Update

No excuses but i haven't blogged in awhile! So here is an update (finally!)
Last week I enjoyed a wonderful Spring Break, it was busy, but not too busy! I enjoyed a day in the city with Jay (complete with the purchase of pink rubber boots and pink and black soccer cleats), I went cross-sountry skiing at Hecla by myself on Tuesday. I skied over 15km and afterwards my legs felt a little like jello! At about 10km I would have loved to stop, but it was either 10km back or 5 km ahead, I kept going forward! My dad came out for a couple of days to play in a curling bonspiel with Jay, and then Blake (my youngest brother-in-law) came out for a couple of days. Other than loosing (badly) at a game of Risk it was a good week!
Now back at work my students and I are grearing up for our Link-Up day and preparing for our "trip to Mars". After a week of panic we are on track and I am very much looking forward to seeing my students in a new setting!
Soccer season is gearing up so Jay will become super busy with painting lines, coaching and referee clincs, and organizing coaches and schedules. Next week he has a meeting every day of the week except Sunday! A little crazy if you ask me, but this too shall pass! :)
Of course Jay just bought me a new toy so next week, while he is at meetings I can move files from my old computer to my new laptop! I have wanted on for years now and my computer is dieing so it was time for a new one! LOVE IT!
That is life in a nutshell!

ANOTHER DAY OFF!

This is getting a little bit silly, I mean it is the end of March and we have another school day closed because of weather! Spring break is three days away and I am thinking it won't be springy, instead it will be snowy! I am sure my students don't mind another day off, but right now I do!

A Phone Call Brings A Sister!

On Wednesday morning around 11am my father called me at school. I returned his call and discovered that my little brother was going to get married in Mesa, Arizona, this weekend! Ashley and Joel were planning a wedding for a year from now, but things were getting out-of-control and they were not planning the wedding they really wanted to have. So a quick change in plans resulted in a fairytale!

The biggest problem in all of this was the lack of passports for Jay and I. My parents, her parents, and the bride and groom were already in Mesa for their vacation. Jay and I just needed to get there. With a lot of help from great friends (Sheri, Lorna, Stephanie, and Mark) we got our passports in just over 24 hours! I didn't even know it was possible! Dad booked our flights, and we arrived here at 3:00pm on Saturday afternoon! Of course it was a little crazy on Wednesday because I couldn't get in touch with Jay (who had a surprise meeting). Dad booked our tickets without Jay even knowing about it! It all worked out, and we made it!

I quickly got ready for the wedding (I found a little brown dress in Sears on Wednesday night) and we were off to the wedding location. I could not believe the location of this event! WOW! It was a castle! AMAZINGLY beautiful. Pictures won't do it justice but here are some anyways:

The Reception

The cemony

They planned the entire thing in three days! The dress, the flowers, the rings, the entire thing! They wouldn't have had a more perfect wedding if they planned it in 3 years!

Here they are getting married! I was upgraded to Maid-of-Honor becasue Mel couldn't be here, my dad was the best man. There were 12 guests there to honor this wonderful marriage Ashley's parents, my parents, Jay and I, Ashely's sister and three kids, and my aunt and uncle)!

The food was AMAZING! I don't think have ever had a meal as good as this dinner!

Stonebridge Manor did an amazing job of pulling it all together. They even had a cake for the reception!

I have always wanted a sister! I never imagined I would get such a great one! Isn't she beautiful!

So after the tears (I didn't think I could be there at first), the excitment, and the whirlwind, it was a great wedding! I was so glad to be there and be a part of my brothers wonderful day!

The people at the condo complex that my parents live in put on a reception at the pool when we got back.

We are still in Mesa. Today we are enjoying wearing shorts and doing some shopping! It is nice to finally see the condo my parents bought last year. When they talk about it I now know why they like it here so much! My aunt and uncle have a condo in the same complex and have let us sleep in their spare room (Joel and Ash are in my parents spare room tonight). We head home tomorrow; I like being warm so I wish we were staying a little longer!

My Life Has Been Overtaken By Aliens!

Okay not really, but close! My students and I have started a new unit on Space. I figured I could teach it the old boring, read this, answer these questions, way, or I could do something neat! I chose to have some fun and we are now embarking on a trip to Mars. Okay, not really, but close!

We are part of the Marsville project. A project sponsored and put on (for free, teachers like that word) by the National Research Council. Throughout the next three months we will be learning about Space, Mars specifically, doing crazy, but interesting experiments, learning about Space Travel, talking about nutrition and fitness (astronauts need to be physically fit), and building life-support systems. Students even blog and make their own mission patches. In the end we will spend a day “on Mars” with the rest of the Manitoba participants. We build massive bubbles (I built one on Friday and it was big, trust me!) and present our projects inside of them (“on Mars”). Already it has been lots of fun, and we have only just begun.

Of course a project like this means a little more prep for me to do, but the smiles and excitement of students is worth the late evenings! In fact I am becoming very interested in Space too. It was really never my thing until now, but wow are there some interesting finds out there in our big, wide universe. God created Earth, which was awe-inspiring. But WOW!, He also created so much else, all of which are also awe-inspiring! So while Aliens have not really overtaken my life the study of Space (which does not include aliens) has me hooked!

New Hobby and COLD Days!

Over Christmas I invested my Christmas gift money in a pair of Cross Country Skis. Mom had gotten some for her birthday in November, and after a ski with her (I rented skis) I was hooked! I went out and bought a nice set and have used them a couple of times already. I have made a loop around the school yard; it was tough to plow it out the first time (and then it snowed a ton the next day), I have since made my track again. I have also been to Windsor Park a couple of times with mom. It has been fun, and a great way to get active! I do have a rule though; I won’t go out if the wind chill is below -30!

I guess that brings me to the cold day topic! I am currently on day 2 of no students. The wind chill has just been too much to have kids driving to school. When it hits -45 they get to stay home. From the phone calls I made today I gather they don’t really mind. Yesterday was extremely productive. I am participating in a very cool space program (Marsville) with my students starting this month, and I managed to get it all planned yesterday! What a great gift to have a whole day to work on it. If only I could start already (I am a tad excited about it!)!! Today I set my sights on the pile o’marking! I managed to get some of it done, plus a few random things that have been on my to-do list. These days are really blessings (except of course for the walk to and from school, which is a little cold!). Tomorrow I want students in desks here at school though. In order to start Marsville we need to finish our current unit in Science, plus three days at work without students will be very boring!! We have work to do!

When the cold comes I think about next February! I am already dreaming about warm beaches!!

Those of you going to Mesa, don’t rub it in! You will be warm, the rest of us won’t be, I already know that!