Dear Summer 2010

Dear Summer 2010,

I have truly enjoyed our time together and wish it could have lasted forever. I will treasure the memories we made and I am sad to say goodbye. Thanks for being so relaxing and rejuvenating.

With much appreciation,

Pamela

Changes

September is a always a month of changes but this September brings some big changes. Lucky for me, my only change this month is the changing of my classroom. I am still teaching the same grade but I moved a new room on the other side of the school. The room comes complete with a smart board (yay!) and is right next door to the bathrooms (double yay!) Even though the move was just slightly inconvenient, it is an easy inconvenience, and certainly one I can happily endure because it could have been a bigger change if I had not been able to stay at the school.

We have the usual changes, new clothes and supplies for school, new routine from summer (we are in the process of weaning the kids off their late nights and late sleep-ins), new flyer route days (the kids have been delivering flyers Sunday and Thursday for the last 3 years but this will switch to a Tuesday/Thursday route this month), new extracurricular activities and teammates, and new grades and teachers for the kids. This year will hold an even greater change for the kids because in June they agreed to leave their current school and come with me to my school. They have all been at that school since Kindergarten and I know this is going to be a HUGE change for them. We did make it their choice to change schools and the Principal of my school graciously arranged a "visit" day last June where they spent a day with the students that would be in their classes. In the end, they all decided to come. So, this year my kids will also change schools, friends, and their mode of transportation to school. (I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to holding them hostage....uh, I mean enjoying their company... on the way to and from school. One of the things I really missed last year was being with them before and after school and I am thankful that the time will be uninterrupted time with my kids. I am thankful for the school that I teach at and the wonderful staff and learning environment and I know that it is an amazing school and to have my children be able to have that experience is awesome. However, it is a big change that I hope goes smoothly for them.

I "made" a gym bag!

First I bought 2 black pillow cases. ($8.00)
Then I had Kezia and Kaden pick some images and a font for their name on the internet
I used the leftover transfer paper from when I made my grad shirts (already at home)
I printed off the images and then ironed them on to the pillow cases
I cut holes into the seam at the top and thread ribbon through it for the drawstring (Kezia-already at home, Kaden-$3.00)
and done! Personalized gym bags! (I think I may take them to my parents' just to run a quick seam at the bottom to make the bag a little smaller but they are not too bad just the way they are too.)

What is wrong with this picture?

It's August...
and 31 degrees...
at 6:00 in the evening?
No! It is that Kaden is in his Hockey Equipment!!



(and humouring his mom with this picture)

Or maybe what is wrong with this picture is that we (after saying we would NEVER let Kaden do a hockey camp) have let Kaden do a hockey camp. *sigh*

I. lose.


On a funny side note about hockey, Kaden told us recently that his biggest fear is that when he is drafted to the NHL that he will be drafted to the worst NHL team. (That's his biggest fear, lol!) There's a reason we chose this poster for him and also because of this too.

Bedroom Make-Over

Kezia has been patiently waiting for her room to be redone. Kiandra had the chance to choose her colours a few years ago and now it was finally Kezia's turn. We had painted the room when we moved into this house 8 years ago. Kezia chose to do her room in blue and brown. Here are the BEFORE and AFTER pictures:

Kezia was very pleased with the final result. We still have her shelves to hang and some pictures and frames. It was a fun make over! It seems like it was a summer for painting because I did some painting in my classroom this summer too.

This is the before and during (I don't have a final "after" yet!). I just did not think I could deal with the bright peach counters for a whole year!

I also painted a bulletin board and some trim in my room. I think I am through with painting at least for now. I know Kaden is already dreaming and planning for his room make over!

Girl Peeps Head South...

...and return with multiple pairs of shoes!

Oh deer...

Conrad and I seem to have this "tradition" of a vehicle accident every 2 years. It's not a tradition we were hoping to continue but yesterday we were driving home from picking the kids up from camp and a deer jumped in front of the van. Con swerved and just hit it on the side of the bumper but it did damage it. I am so glad Conrad was driving (I have an irrational fear of hitting deer and now it doesn't seem quite so irrational!!). He wasn't even supposed to come along, but at the last minute he was able to sneak away. If I can been driving, I don't know if I would have been able to continue home. I am thankful that Conrad saw it when he did and that it only hit the side and did not go under (or over!!) the van and cause even more damage or even cause us to be injured. Thank you God for keeping us safe!