Friday, October 23, 2009

GLEE


I have found my new favourite TV show. If you have not watched this show - you must!! It is on Wednesday nights at 9:00. I love that fact that it has all the old songs from when I was younger, that my whole family sings out loud along with the cast, that there is at least 2 song/ dance numbers per show and they really do sing. It is just a feel good, happy show- maybe a bit silly or cheesy but oh so funny- watch it and let me know what you think.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Thanksgiving

Next To Christmas I think Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. I love Fall and the colours, with the crisp cleanness of the air. I don't like to days and days of rain we have had this year but Saturday was was perfect for our annual plans.
We host Thanksgiving dinner every year for both sides of our families. We are luck that everyone lives in Kitchener or very close by. One of the reasons I also love this holiday is that other than Katie's cranberry sauce- Shawn does ALL the cooking. I get to piddle around setting up the tables and making centre pieces while he does all the hard stuff- I love it!!

We start of with a family hike, for the last few years we have been going to Huron Natural area as it is only a couple minutes from our house. It is a great place to get photos. Above is my brother Paul and his daughter Jadyn. Below is me and the girls.
This was our first year with Josie - she will be one in a couple of weeks. My brother Adam is very lucky to have a wonderful wife, Teresa and 3 beautiful daughters. This year was a bit strange in that my parents were not here. They go on a trip down south every Fall but are usually back by Thanksgiving, this year they left later and will not be back until next week. They certainly were missed. My sister-in-law and her husband have a farm near by and my nephews and they were busy doing some excavating so they missed our walk and photo session but did make it for dinner. Popa stays behind and helps Shawn out in the kitchen and Nana didn't want a photo so it was just my side getting photographed but they all love it as you can see.
I am very thankful for my family and friends. I couldn't do it without them!





Friday, October 9, 2009

Camping with the Grade 6's

This past week I spent 3day out at Camp Ki-Wa-Y wiht 75 grade 6 students from my school. I enjoy going to camp for a few reasons, it is a great way to get to know the students on a more personal level, you get to see how the kids react in different situations- not just sitting at a desk and you get to see different sides of the kids. I personally like that fact that we go to Ki-Wa-Y as it is the camp my girls work at so I get to see a bit of that side of their life.
Unfortunately this year the weather was not the greatest. It didn't stop us from doing anything, it just made it a little bit more uncomfortable. We went canoeing, rock climbing, learned how to use compasses and did the high and low rope courses. My highlight of the trip was when I did the log walk. I had to climb up a 20 foot tree then walk across a 15 foot log that was suspended between 2 trees by a wire on each end. I was only being held up by a very small rope and harness attached at my waist- what a rush. It is amazing what you can make your self do when a group of kids are cheering you on. I was very scared and swearing under my breath but I did it and when I got down and got those high fives and fist bumps I was pumped- another thing to cross off my bucket list.
This was my home for 3 days. I shared it with 10 girls. It is the cabin that Katie spent most of the summer in. It is made from straw hay bales covered with mud. It was heated by a wood burning furnace system located outside the building. It was pleasantly warm and dry. My kids were great, asleep by 10 and I had to wake them up in the morning- not a typical camping experience let me tell you.

I love my job. I am grateful everyday that I get to work with children and a fantastic bunch of teachers. Everyone should be lucky enough to love what they do- I know I am.


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Shout Out to Katie's MSIP!!


MSIP stands for Multi Subject Instructional Period. At Katie's school each student has one MSIP period a day. This is a time that they can work on homework, projects, assignments, get help from teachers- you get the idea.
It is actually a great program. It allows the students to book appointments or see guidance councillors with out actually missing any class time. For every MSIP period there is an MSIP class being taught by a teacher from every subject, a math teacher, english teacher, science teacher and so on -so if you need extra help there is a class somewhere in the school that you can travel to to get help- it may not be with your exact english teacher but it will be with an english teacher and sometimes hearing things said a different way by a different person may help you to understand what you need to learn. Also each MSIP class consists of students from every grade -9 through 12. This allows older students to help younger students and peers to help peers. You can also travel during MSIP to other parts of the school such as the library, science rooms or say the computer lab.
Apparently this is what Katie and some of her friends have been doing lately- travelling to the computer lab to read my blog!! Not sure that that is their best use of time but I said I'd say hey to them in here so -hey Guys ( Paige, Taylor, Katie & Mr. Kennedy), hope you like it!!! Feel free to leave a comment :)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Updates


Wow I can't believe it has been 2 weeks since my last post. September is always a busy month for me- getting back into work and morning routines always takes a bit of getting used to.

Katie has started in right away with field hockey. She plays 2 nights a week with her school team and I try to go and see all the games. I have been watching the team for a couple of years, since Nicole was in grade 10 so I know quite a few of the players and have gotten to see the team grow and mature and build their skills. We went from not scoring a goal in the first season to actaully winning some games now! Katie is also on the student council so she has early mornings and late nights with that activity as well.

Nicole is doing great at university, she has really settled in, gets along great with her roommates and has done well on the couple of tests she has had so far. I am glad that she is so close by and I love that she comes home every weekend. It means I am driving back and forth to Brantford a couple of times a week but we usually have some great mother -daughter discussions on the way so it is time well spent. Nicole and I have always watched Gossip Girls together, it is our show, so last week when I took her back I got to watch it with her in her apartment- that was fun!

I am co-chair of the high school parent council so I had a meeting for that this past week, I joined a camera club with another teacher from my school so I had that meeting, I had book club, an eye doctor appointment, a Patrick Swayze DVD night & did some scrap booking with friends and also Nicole's graduation- I have been busy- But I love it!

Nicole's commencement was a wonderful night. The high school the girls go to has only been open for 4 years, this was their first ever graduating class. The school opened with only grade 9 & 10. Nicole was in grade 10- a senior student! Being the oldest students in the school for the past 3 years gave these kids a lot of leadership opportunities that they would not have had in another school. Nicole was on student council in grade 10, Co-Prez of the school in grade 11, she played on the field hockey, rugby, swimming and softball teams, she was in the drama production and was the school Premier for Fed Prov. Commencement was a very personal experience for the graduating class as well as the teachers. They have come up with so many new and unique traditions at the school that they have built from scratch together. Each graduate had a personal note from past teachers read aloud at the graduation- it was great to hear, some were funny, some were amazing in their accomplishments but all were encouraging and appreciated by the students. I had fought very hard for the 3 years previous to the school opening to get the school built. It was a long hard battle that meant I spent every Monday night at School Board meetings listening to plans, delegations and presenting my own speeches on why our area of town needed and deserved a new high school. At times I wondered if it was worth it but as I see how both my girls have thrived at the school I know it was.