It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

But seriously. It's beautiful out. Well, quickly turning into a mess, but lovely for a moment. It's quickly turning into a rain storm. You know, the kind Guns n Roses sang about at my jr. high dances. 

Besides the weather though, I've started shopping. I got s sweet outfit for the MapleLea dolls to share,and a neat little set of puzzles for the kids. W is super easy, she likes lots of stuff - dolls, anything artsy or for writing or crafts, Nerf weapons...K is trickier. He likes hockey sticks and skater shoes. I have a few ideas though; I think some of those perler beads, maybe some dominoes to build things. I'm trying to simplify. 

The man is getting a fancy coffee press and grinder. And some other things, as yet undetermined. 

5 more weeks of school until Christmas break!  Today was a hard day. One of our little (medium) people really lost his shit, and it's become quite clear that we are simply not equipped to serve him. We are teachers, and we are doing a great job, but we are not mental health professionals. It's very frustrating and disheartening and disappointing and sad for everyone involved. 

Going to snuggle my puppy. Or husband. Either way. 

But seriously.

In what universe do toy makers need to put this warning on toys??

Saturday, in the park

Just kidding!  I was at PD all day.  Or, sorry, PL.  Jennifer Katz, she's pretty with it, I'd say.  She's all about UDL (universal design for learning) which is a premise based on the idea that we design buildings to be accessible to all, which makes them better for everyone.  Like ramps, elevators, door opening buttons, braille numbers etc.  In education, it means understanding and building your lessons around the fact that you know you have learners who can't sit still, who can't read, who can't focus for more than 5-7 minutes, who just need that little bit extra.  As she put it, why are we designing lessons and units that we know full well half our class can't do?  Why do the unit plan, and then go back and say ok, for Johnny (poor Johnny is always the example kid) I'll do this, and for Sally, that, and for Beth, this, etc.  It's easier (long term) to think of that stuff and plan around it at the get-go.  More up front, but way less as you go along.

I agreed with like, 94% of what she said.  She feels that 1-1 EAs are not a good thing, unless the child is actually a danger to the other kids.  She also feels that all kids should be in the classroom pretty much all the time, and that kids will just adapt to the noise / threat of violence.  These are things I take issue with, but like I said, overall it was good, and I will buy the books.  And be reimbursed for them, obviously.

But back to the title, it's effing cold out, and I wish it *was* the 4th of July.  For reals.

And, I'm on day ... 4 of no coffee / junk / facebook, and I'm still here!  I'm thinking maybe I'll do like a Sunday morning mocha or latte or something, because that sounds nice.  I'm not missing it at all really, but I do enjoy the sweet latte cappuccino type things.  The candy / chips has been harder because that shit is everywhere this time of year, and will continue to be until like, January.  I'm going to be super strict for a bit, and then ease up a bit.  I'm having homemade treats, just cutting out store bought stuff which is fairly terrible anyway.    

On that note, I think I'll make brownies tonight.

Cleansing.

So. I'm taking a break from a few things. Coffee. I get a headache almost every day, and to be honest, it's become mainly an excuse to mix in hot chocolate and some cream. Not super healthy. Which brings me to my next break: from sugar. Junk, more accurately. Hallowe'en was like a month-long event where there was just candy and chocolate and chips everywhere all the time. I feel gross. I need a break where I eat real food. Gotta tell you though, today was HARD. I've gotten really used to just grabbing a little something like, 25 times a day. Thing 3 is Facebook. It's such a time suck. It's all bragging and complaining and over sharing. Some good, mostly waste. 

This could be interesting. So far, I've gone one day. Let's see if I can do 2!

More TV!

Basically nothing in November.

But December promises a new Toy Story special, AND (more exciting), Buddy the Elf's Musical Chritsmas. I can only hope that he and Zooey will finally reprise their version of Baby it's Cold Outside. Fingers crossed. 

Things dogs do not understand / give a shit about:

(not a comprehensive list)

snow days
time change
snow days immediately following time change

Fwinter

So as Rollo is running around like a crazy person in the snow, and then stopping to sniff each of his footprints on the way back across the yard, I'm thinking, 'cute, he must not remember the snow'. Then I think, holy crap, we've only had this dog 7 months, and there was snow for at least a month after we got him. That's like, 6 months without snow. 

That is not enough time without snow. 

Unless you live in Antarctica. 

I do not. 

Lame. 

C'est l'halloween (hey!)

Had a lovely, fairly quiet evening. The girl child went as a zombie (I score points for her not insisting on being a princess, right?) and the boy was an old man, in a super creepy mask. 

We had fewer than 100 kids, and it had petered out by about 7:45. I was thinking that Friday would be busy, but I assume a lot of the bigger kids (and some of the smallish ones) went to parties and stuff rather than trick or treating. End result is a huge bowl of candy leftovers, that I will eat more of than I want to. 

November is coming in with a bang - we've had a snowfall warning all weekend that kept getting pushed back, but now it's here. Messy freezing rain and snow mix. Hoping that it stops soon and they get it cleared up, or that it goes all night and the busses can stay off the roads. 

Friends and my sister came over last night, and we had a few beverages and played Cards Against Humanity.  On the box, it says "a party game for horrible people". It really is. But it's also incredibly fun. We will be looking to play it again sometime soon. 

Hockey.

For real though. 

Teacher win

That moment when your super chatty bunch quiets down, however gradually, and then the bell rings, and they don't move because they're listening to you so intently. 

Birthday supper

Out for my dear sister's bday celebration. For the first time in my life, I'm early, and nobody else is here yet.  This will be a relaxing change from yesterday's family photo fiasco. Honestly. There were tears and screaming and sitting in the middle if the path refusing to move and ABSOLUTELY I WILL NOT HOLD HIS HAND and so on. But the setting and the subjects were beautiful, so despite their best efforts at sabotage, I got my pictures.  

Jerks.  I'm going to make a couple of collages and actually print them off, and I'll be good with my dear mother-in-law again. She's not so much a fan of the digital pictures as the real deal hang on the wall ones. 

Running in the rain

I think it's a bad sign when you head out for a run (even a run for a good cause) and you are already so wet and chilled that you're thankful for your thighs rubbing together because they're creating some warmth. 

Did not set any time record that day, my friends. Or PB, as they say in the biz. 

All my scheduling woes have settled, I've made a good one. People are relatively happy, there's a bit of tension between some of the teachers and EAs, but basically these ladies (and gentleman) make the teachers' jobs possible, so they'll manage. We do have a job that nobody wants,which is challenging, but there are basically no casual / supply EAs, so people can afford to be choosy. 

Onward. 

We went to see Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. It was great, as expected. The fake butter at Cineplex is gross. Kind of like salty water. And they've changed (mostly) over to their own brand of seasoning. Assholes. W was hoping the popcorn would knock out her super loose tooth, but so far no luck. 

Turkey weekend! I'm making pie so that I can justify maple whipped cream. We're staying put rather than heading to Hali because the boychick has comp hockey tryouts all. weekend. Outlaws will be up for turkey on Sunday. I'm hoping to get some family pics done too.  

Losing sleep

So I have redone the EA schedule for the 754th time. I am so worried about hurting people 's feelings that I am lying awake trying to think if I can change anything else for the better. Sigh. 

Fantastic children

My dear boy ran 5K in 27 minutes.  TWENTY SEVEN.  That's way faster than most of the moms who ran it, and only a couple of minutes longer than some of my middle schoolers who ran 3K.  He's doing cross country every Wednesday, and last week came in 12th overall, and this week came in 9th.  Atta boy.

The day before, they both ran a 1K "fun run".  Willow got a cramp and was super unimpressed that Grant wasn't running with her.  They both got medals, so I think everyone came out ok.

Today I went to pick Willow up at her friend's house, and she was telling me about the walk that they're doing tomorrow at school for Teriyaki.  I was like, Teriyaki is all the way up at the mall, they can't be walking that far.  But she was adamant, so I thought maybe Teriyaki was delivering?  I know they did something like that with Booster Juice last year.  Then she continues to explain, "he lost his leg, you know", and I have to put my hand on her head and turn away because I'm laughing so hard (silently) and also I can't even think what to say to her because I have realized that she is actually talking about Terry Fox.  They're doing the Terry Fox walk tomorrow.

I love that my kids are awesome, and entertaining.

Swinter

So I have mostly recovered from this morning's shockingly sock-and-ice-scraper-inducing weather.  It turned into an absolutely beautiful (October) day.  I have definitely mostly succumbed to a cold, which is annoying as all get-out, but not surprising given how I spend my days.  I got a few good bits of news at work (assistive tech arrived, and mostly works, we should be able to get an excellent communication program for my newest, very special student, and we are getting not one, but [basically] TWO additional EAs [one to come with a soon-to-be-returning student], and have the new schedule almost hammered out (no small feat, I promise you).  Tonight's plans include lying on the couch and drinking tea and neocitran.  In sweats, obviously.

The thing I'm most looking forward to though, is climbing into bed at a reasonable hour and snuggling up under the comforting weight of the now seasonally appropriate quilt+comforter combo.  The comforter is in the dryer as we speak, as it had a mild case of the "has been sitting in a pile in the basement all summer"s.   Extra laundry: worth it in this one case.

Woah.

So this morning I have to wear socks and  use and ice scraper on the car. hello fall. I mean hello late summer. Jerk.  I did manage to scrape I love you and my husband's windshield though, so that's fun!

Fall with dog

Went for a walk with Rollo today. He was so excited to be out, all the new smells. He couldn't even walk in a straight line - he'd sniff along the ground back and forth and then his head would go straight up to catch a whiff of something blowing past. I told him fall will likely be his favourite season. It is mine. 

Super adorbs new babycousin

Right??

Kelly Belly and Jason were here for a family visit. It was also John's 70th (!) birthday. Smith made his grand entrance on May 22nd, so he joins the league of spring babies.  

Blues-ing it up

Went to see the Perpetrators and Ross Neilson.  Good shows!  The Perpetrators sang a fun song about getting robbed, and having to tell the guy he spent all his money on smokes and chicken.  Started the evening out with friends and munchies and drinks, and finished it off with chicken shawarma (when they say garlic sauce, they mean it!)

Now to start planning my birthday extranaganza!

Look at me, still awake!

And in honourable tradition (although TV Guide has much simplified things by making an actual calendar, saving me to process of copy / pasting things, but also making it almost impossible to showcase my favourites...), the season premieres!

September

October

Facebook Privacy Dinosaur

I don't even really know what dinosaurs have to do with Facebook, but apparently they thought that was a good match.

In other news, it's Friday, thank GOD.  I'm really loving my job, but holy heck I'm tired.  Like, falling asleep in the chair in the waiting room at the dentist at 2:30 in the afternoon, tired.  No cavities though.  I'm learning a ton - about proprioception and brushing and joint compressions and heavy work and play therapy and zones of regulation and therabands and sign language.  The differences between OT and PT and what they and SLP (through the ESS and in keeping with the SIP and the DIP) can do for our kids.  And what they can't.  Even when they really want to.

It's Harvest time.  Hubs and a couple of his man-friends have gone to see the shows tonight.  I mainly want to go to bed, but there's supposed to be some wicked Northern Lights action around midnight.  Rollo and I will do our best to stay awake.  The kids are long snoozin. Maybe some sweet paranormal vampire romance novel action will pass the time.  I had to dig out my furry Merrils to take the dog out tonight, so my hopes for one more last gasp Indian Summer type deal are pretty much dashed.  

In 2 weeks, I'll be 35.  I'm fine with that, obviously, but at the same time I kind of feel like it's significant.  It rounds up, right?  I'd like to do something, but I don't know the first thing about planning any kind of event beyond ... like supper at Papa John's, so that's fairly limiting.  Thoughts?

on love and loss

that sounds super dramatic hey?  I was using this great app, Day One, to do a #365grateful daily thing.  I had one for all but probably 10 days since January 1st, and then I restored my phone, and that did not restore, and it is lost, and I am just...indcredibly disappointed.  Should I have backed it up somewhere other than iCloud?  Apparently.  Live and learn.  Life lessons don't really help get shit back though, right?

Anyway.  I have gotten back into the groove of (almost) daily posting, so I'm thinking this is a better, more secure way to do things.  I can't believe it's been 3 years, and really 5, since I was posting.  That's just silly.  The kids are enormous now, 9 and 6.  We have a dog!  Rollo!  Who is also enormous, at almost 8 months of mostly-black German Shepherd Beast Dog.

I'm still at the same school, and have gotten back to Resource.  I'm really excited about the move, but MAN it is busy.  Schedules and emergency response, but when things settle in I'll be helping all over, co-planning and teaching in classes, working with groups of kids, advocating for kids to get the services they need from the district and the province.  Pretty cool.  That said, I have work to do, so this'll have to suffice for my grand re-opening post.