I'm back!

I can't come up with a song lyric for that. So be it. I'm thinking this might turn into a book blog. I get more and more uncomfortable all the time with sharing personal information about my family in a forum that can be seen/read by anyone. I use Facebook for sharing with friends and family, and just about anyone I'd want to see that stuff has a Facebook account (my sister is the only important person in my life who isn't on Facebook, I think)

So, having said that, one last update. All my girls are playing soccer this spring/summer, with the oldest playing at a more competitive level for the first time. She's also playing on a rep baseball team, so for the foreseeable future, I will leave town on weekends only for soccer and baseball tournaments. The middlest is also playing baseball, but just house league, so that's on weeknights and finishes just after school finishes. That's enough stuff to run around to, so the littlest is just playing soccer and getting dragged to her sisters' games and practices. Hubby is still playing pick up hockey through the summer and coaching soccer. I don't have anything scheduled right now but want to find something. I just can't decide what. I'd happily play hockey through the summer, but I can't find a recreational women's summer league. Besides that, I'm just working, taking care of my house and family and working through a big stack of books. I took some from my mom and dad's house last time I was there, and now have connections to get more - my brother-in-law's fiancee-who-doesn't-have-a-ring-yet is an avid reader AND a high school teacher who has access to the book room at her school. I recently finished three books I intercepted as my sister in law was returning them to her, and then stole another one this weekend that she was going to lend to my sister in law (the sister in law said she wasn't going to get to it for a while, so I could read it first)

My biggest news, though, is that for the first time I can remember, literally, I can see without glasses or contacts! I had laser vision correction a couple of weeks ago and I'm absolutely thrilled with the results. I have slightly better than 20/20 vision now and no real problems. I had some dryness for the first week or so, some feeling like there was something in my eye when there wasn't, but overall, as I said, I'm thrilled.

So, that's what's going on with my family. Next up: book reviews!

Merry Christmas

I'm sitting here enjoying two of my presents - a milk frother and a MacBook Pro. The milk frother was from my mom, and I've made a mocha latte, two egg nog lattes (with Kahluà) and a chai latte, and I absolutely love it. This is not going to help me lose weight but is going to save me a fortune at Starbucks and other fancy coffee places. The laptop is from Santa and I am in love - with the computer and the guy who gave it to me.

Christmas this year was one of the best in a while, despite it taking quite some time to get into the spirit of the season. Ryan was in California teaching a course for two weeks leading up to Christmas (he came back a week before Christmas) and it just felt like I had 800000000 things to do, and not nearly enough time to do them. But by 3:00 on Christmas Eve we were headed to Mass, and I just thought to myself, "By the time we leave here, everything will be closed. If I don't have it now, I'm not going to have it for Christmas and that's just too bad. So be it."

So. I made sure I had everything I needed for Christmas dinner and breakfast and Christmas Eve dinner on Dec 23. All three girls were participating in the children's mass on Christmas Eve this year, so we had to be at church for 3:00 for one last practice. I put a beef stew in the slow cooker around lunch time, got everyone bathed and dressed and got to church just slightly late. Friends joined us for the service, all three girls were beautiful and well-behaved angels (seriously - they were dressed as angels for the nativity story). Sam did a reading and did a great job - she looked so big and so grown-up (you know, for a seven year old) and read beautifully. After Mass we came home, changed and ate our beef stew (new recipe, quite yummy) and then opened our presents from each other. We checked the NORAD Santa tracker, then put the girls to bed and finished the preparations.

Hailey woke us up by running into our room and yelling, "It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" at reasonable hour (7:40, if I remember correctly). We opened presents, and Ryan and the girls spent quite a bit of time playing various Wii games. I started dinner at some point, with no real plan as to what time we would eat. It kinda went like this - I put the stuffing in the slow cooker and figured it could just stay there until everything else was ready. At some point, I put the turkey in the oven and said, "Okay, I guess we'll eat in about three hours." I made mashed potatoes, cooked some acorn squash, browned some buns, made gravy and set the table with Christmas stuff that I don't think I've ever used. It was awesome. The whole time I was just enjoying cooking and thinking, "Well, this should be pretty good, and hey, if it sucks, we have frozen dinners in the freezer." I was able to just relax and have fun with the cooking and enjoy the day and the meal with my famiy. It was very peaceful and relaxed and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves immensely.

We decided after Rylee was born that we weren't going to run all over the province trying to get to everyone at Christmas. We celebrated with my parents and sister the weekend before Christmas, and will celebrate with Ryan's family tomorrow. Now we're building our own traditions, and I think we may have started some this year that I'd like to keep. The dinner in the slow cooker on Christmas Eve worked well, because we needed something that we could leave alone for about 3.5 hours and have ready as soon as we got home. It might not be beef stew every year, but for as long as the girls are involved in the 5 pm children's mass, I think we'll stick with that.

Dinner was also great. I did pretty much all of it, and actually really enjoyed doing it. Ryan did the vast majority of the shopping, which I think he enjoyed. I liked using my Christmas dishes and serving utensils and tablecloth. I have other Christmas things that didn't get used this year, but maybe next year. The fact that it was just our little family was nice, too - very low stress because I wasn't worried about impressing anyone or what anyone would think or how my kitchen looked (it was a disgrace by the time we sat down to eat) I think that now that I've done the whole thing, I could do it for others, but it was nice to not have to worry.

Overall, I think that's what made the day so wonderful. It was peaceful, no stress. I hope that whatever you celebrate this time of year, it was/is/will be peaceful and joyous.

Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one

A photographer took this picture of my beloved and our baby (who will be THREE in a few weeks) at my cousin's wedding. I had to share.

Everything's better down where it's wetter

I went for a dive under the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia with Ryan and some people from the Sarnia Underwater Club on Friday night. For the first time ever, someone took my picture underwater and I thought I'd share it. Here I am!!

Knowing my fate is to be with you

I haven't watched American Idol in quite some time, but I hear that this week they have to sing a song that was released the year they were born. This sounded interesting, so I did some research, and I would like you all to know that if I'm ever in a contest where I have to sing a song from the year I was born, you can expect three things:

1. I will sing ABBA's "Waterloo",

2. I will belt it out at top volume.

3. I will lose the contest.

I'd love to hear what my friends/readers would sing from the year of their birth. Wikipedia has a list of hit singles from each year - check out the year of your birth and tell me what you'd sing!

All-Acadian, northern lady-an, a real Canadian girl

Really, I've just been dying to use that as a post title :)

Tonight I played hockey at 8, and had a lot of fun even though we lost (again) and I didn't score any goals (again). We voted tonight on most improved player and most sportsmanlike, and I think I have a good shot at most improved. I'm not sure when the results are made public.

After hockey I drove very slowly home on an expressway that was so covered in snow you couldn't see where the lanes were. It's been snowing since Wed or Thurs. Ryan left Tues. I haven't been shoveling the driveway and obviously, neither has he. Tonight I decided it's time, so after playing hockey, I shoveled the driveway.

Now I'm having a beer. It doesn't get much more Canadian than this.

And we'll have fun, fun, fun

Everyone in my family is sick except me. I still have a wicked cough, and who knows, probably something else too, but I'm too busy to be really sick right now. Monday was a holiday, Family Day (thank you Mr. McGuinty, I still think you're a weenie but I appreciate the long weekend in February), so this was only a four day work week to begin with. I only worked (at school, anyway) one and a half days.

Last Saturday Ryan finally succumbed to the flu. He was dizzy, achy, feverish - flu-y, really. It made for a lovely Valentine's celebration (he tried to force himself to be well all day, and finally passed out on the couch after dinner). He remained sick for the rest of the weekend. On Monday, Sam and Rylee developed fevers again, and by Monday night were still not well, so I booked the next day off. By morning Sam was a bit better, but Hailey was worse, so it was good that I was home. Tuesday morning Ryan left for California. As he left he said he felt much better and that his fever had finally broken, so I was happy for him. Wednesday morning Sam still didn't feel good, but I told her to try going to school for the morning and I'd see if I could get a substitute for the afternoon. I managed, and took both Sam and Hailey home at noon. At this point I suspected pink eye because both of Hailey's eyes were so bloodshot, but as it turns out, I don't think that's what she had. Thursday I managed to put in a full day at work but by the time I picked Hailey up she was complaining that her tummy hurt but she didn't want to go to the doctor on call because she didn't want to miss swimming lessons. She fell asleep on three very short drives that night, and finally fell asleep on my lap while I talked to my mom on the phone. Sam also fell asleep on the way home from swimming, then tried to curl up in the La-Z-Boy and fall asleep when we got home. I made her go upstairs, put on jammies and brush her teeth. By the time I got off the phone with my mom (around 8 pm) Rylee was the only kid still awake. I should have known at that point to book a substitute for Friday, but I thought maybe they just needed some extra sleep and that would take care of everything. Friday morning I asked Sam how she felt, and she said good, but after 10-15 minutes of arguing she still hadn't gotten out of bed to start getting dressed. I gave in, called my principal and took yesterday off too. By 9 am I had a doctor's appointment for all three kids for that morning. We picked Hailey up at school (she was well enough to go, and it was Toy Day - who wants to miss Toy Day?) and headed to the doctor. I fully expected to be told it's just a cough, caused by a virus, you just have to let it run its course, but instead was told Rylee has an ear?throat?both? infection and Sam and Hailey have pneumonia. So they're all on antibiotics now, and I'm hoping that medication + a weekend of resting will get everyone healthy enough to allow me to work next week. Ryan is still in California until next Saturday, but my dad has offered to come help me out next week if I need it.

And Ryan? Poor baby. Every day/night this week, he's told me he's still not well, still coughing, still achy. Yesterday he finally got medical attention and it turns out he has acute bronchitis. No antibiotics, but some kick-butt cough medicine that will hopefully FINALLY bring him some relief.

In the meantime, Ryan bought me a gift card to try out a day spa here in town. The card had to be used within four months, and he bought it last fall, so he finally booked the appointments for me because he wanted to be sure I actually went. Unfortunately, he booked them all while he's in California, which will present some child care issues, but dang it, I'm going!! I rescheduled one because it conflicted with swimming lessons and I couldn't get a babysitter to take them to swimming, but last night I went for a manicure. My nails are lovely now. Next week I get a pedicure, a hot stone massage, and something else, I forget what. I have also booked a babysitter for tonight so that I can get out to play hockey. Gotta take care of me, too!

Anyway, that's what's up here. I feel bad that I skipped my annual Ystavanpaiva post, talking about how fabulous my friends are. Rest assured, my friends, I think you're all fabulous and am grateful to have you in my life.

I don't remember, I don't recall...

the last time an illness knocked me out of commission for three days!

It was probably inevitable. All three of the kids have been sick at some point in the past week or so, and I have ended up doing most of the caring for the sick children (please note: I did not say ALL. Ryan did some too, they just seemed to get sick when Ryan had prior commitments)

It started on Fri Jan 23. We had Rangers tickets and Sammie and I were supposed to go. However, after school, she was in bed instead of helping to clean the toy room. I told her if she was too sick to clean up she was too sick to go to the Rangers game, thinking surely that would get her out of bed, but she just went back to sleep. She developed a fever, and we realized that she really was sick. So Ryan stayed home with Sammie and Rylee, and I took Hailey to the game.

The next day Hailey woke up and said her tummy hurt. I suggested that maybe she was just hungry, or it was the result of too much sugar at the game (she ate most of a bag of cotton candy) Ryan was in a curling bonspiel that day, so I took all three of them to gymnastics (after asking Sammie how she felt, hoping she'd say she was still sick so I could sleep in!) At gymnastics, Hailey finished her class and said she was cold (which was Sam's first symptom) and her tummy hurt. She ended up falling asleep in my arms, and throwing up the minute we walked in the door from gymnastics. I spent the rest of the day checking temperatures (Sammie still had a bit of a fever, too) and checking on a sleeping Hailey to make sure she was still breathing. Sunday both girls were mostly better, and by Monday they were fine to go to school.

Ryan had a day off on the Wed, so I called home after school to remind him to turn the oven on and put dinner in. I expected to get the machine, thinking he'd be working in the basement (he's in the process of finishing our basement), and told him so when he answered. He said he'd done very little work in the basement because the babysitter had called and said Rylee was throwing up. He'd spent most of the day cuddling with her and cleaning her up when she threw up. She threw up again through the night, so I took the next day off as a family care day (bless whoever came up with those!) She seemed fine that day, no fever and no more throwing up, so on Friday, which was a PA day, I took all three of them to the sitter and went off to work.

So that night I was on the phone with a friend trying to make vacation plans when Rylee started crying. Ryan was on the couch with her and asked her if she was hurt, but she just kept crying, until she threw up. I hung up, we cleaned everything (I cleaned and changed Rylee, Ryan cleaned the couch) She threw up again the next morning, right after I said I didn't think she should go to gymnastics. She threw up again while I was gone with Sam and Hailey, so I took her to the doctor on call and sat with her on my lap for about two hours before we saw the doctor. I think that was the final straw.

On SuperBowl Sunday I woke up feeling not quite right, but not terrible. However, as the day went on, I felt worse. I could barely focus at church, and by the time we got home, I could hardly function. I tried giving myself a stern talking-to, saying, "You're not sick, you're just being lazy because you don't want to make the Key Lime pie," but the truth was, I could hardly stand upright. Sammie and Hailey pretty much made lunch for themselves and Rylee (Ryan was out buying last minute supplies for our SuperBowl party).

That day was also our priest's last day at our church, so Ryan went to the farewell celebration (I was in no condition to leave) He didn't get home in time to take Sammie and Hailey to hockey, so I did, and took Rylee with us, too. We realized we didn't have their sticks, but couldn't find them, so I figured they were in Ryan's car and maybe he was meeting us at the rink. We drove over and didn't find him. I asked if there were extra sticks, but no luck. We drove home, where Ryan told us he had just sent the sticks to the rink with friends of ours. The friends showed up back at our house shortly after, followed by another friend who was coming to the party. I sat down on the couch, barely aware of what was happening around me. My friend suggested I looked like I needed to go to bed, and I decided he was right, so I walked upstairs and did just that. That was around 4 pm, and I didn't surface until about 7:30. I walked downstairs with about 5 min to go in the first half, and most of our friends left at halftime. I then fell asleep on the couch, and finally went to bed around 9:30.

At around 11:30 that night, I heard Rylee crying. I heard Ryan walk into her room, then heard a curse word. I got up and joined him in the girls room, where I saw that Rylee had thrown up. Again. I cleaned her up, Ryan cleaned the bed up and we decided to put her in our bed for the night. At about 3 am I realized that even if I felt better, I wasn't sleeping well, so I should probably take Monday off. I woke up every time Rylee coughed, thinking she was going to throw up in my bed, but she never did. I stayed home yesterday, and since Ryan didn't have a call, he was here, too. We also kept Rylee home, just in case.

Last night I was on the phone with my sister, the nurse, who recommended one more day off. I decided that was good advice so I called in sick for today, too. This is the "I don't remember" part. I seriously don't remember the last time I even took one sick day, let alone two.

I do feel better today. My chest still hurts from coughing, but a long bath helped the aching in my hips (caused, I'm pretty sure, by all the lying around) I didn't sleep well again last night, because I was worried about Ryan missing his 8 am meeting and not getting up in time to get the girls off to school/daycare. However, I woke Ryan up at 6:05, and he left in plenty of time for his meeting, and the girls all made it to the bus stop/daycare - we were even early for the bus. I told the sitter that I'm home today if she needed to send one of the girls home, but so far, so good. So since I came home from dropping them off, I have acccomplished the following:

-checked email, Facebook and the blogs I read
-finished my book
-had a cup of tea while watching a show I recorded last night
-had a long, hot bath (with a new book)
-spent three more hours in bed, most of that sleeping
-written this blog post

Now, because I actually feel a little bit hungry, I'm going to go downstairs and have some toast and tea. I am giving myself permission to do nothing but get better today - as far as my students are concerned, I've been off for the last three days. I still feel kind of fuzzy-headed, so I think more relaxing is in order. Also more water, and maybe some food.

I'm walkin' on air

Tonight at hockey the head of all the refs was watching our game for a bit because he's friends with my coach. My coach told me later that he had pointed me out to the ref and told him it was my first year playing hockey. The ref was shocked that I had never played before. He said I was doing really well.

Yeah, I pretty much rock.

But my dear, how 'bout you?

Okay, so I didn't quite make every day for NaBloPoMo, but I did blog more frequently than usual - almost half of my posts for this year are in November. I will try to write more frequently, but I'm never really sure who I'm writing for or why I'm writing. If it's just for me, then I'll just write whatever I want and not worry about my "audience". But if I'm writing this for others, then is it just to keep people updated on my family? Or to share my "random neural firings" about whatever pops into my head? Or for some other reason?

There's a big storm predicted for tonight, and for a while it looked like it was going to happen, but I think the worst of it may be over already, with nowhere near the 20 - 30 cm (8 - 12 inches) that was predicted. There was hail or something for a while, but I don't think it's going to stick around long enough to give me a snow day tomorrow. Sigh. I should probably do some marking, in that case.

I watched Sam and Hailey play hockey today. Holy moly are they ever cute! Everything is big on Hailey, so Ryan tucks her jersey into her pants, and you can't even see her number. I was picking out my kids by their skates (all the kids have matching jerseys, and most of them have black pants and white, black and gold socks).

Ryan, Rylee, Hailey and my dad came to my game last night. Ryan said he could really tell how much I'd improved in the short time I've been playing, which was nice to hear. I had a good game last night, so it was a good one for them to come to. I like when the coach is able to make it (he missed a few games due to the death of one of his parents) because he doesn't just say, "Good shift, D'Arcy." He tells me what I did right and why it was a good shift. If I did something wrong, someone on the team will usually let me know (in a nice way).

Sammie brought home her first term report card on Friday. She earned A's in everything except phys ed and art or music, I forget which, both of which were B+, if I remember correctly. Her learning skills (things like homework completion, cooperation with others, goal setting, etc) were all Excellent or Good. We're very proud of her.

I have nothing interesting going on in my head, so I think I should end this here.

I'm going slightly mad

That was my first thought upon shovelling all that snow I was rhapsodizing about in my last post. It's the only logical explanation.

Now I'm going slightly mad dealing with report cards. I handed them in last week, and got them back today with my administrator's comments. Why couldn't she read them before I handed them in for the final merge? I just want to be DONE with the darn things and now they're back to haunt me again. I've made the changes she suggested, and don't get me wrong, they were valid comments and I agree with the changes she suggested. I've just had enough of the stupid things. Now I get to prepare for report card fallout - they go home next Monday, and then parent-teacher interviews are on the following Thurs/Fri.

THAT should be fun. If I'm still only slightly mad after that, I will be happy.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I have just come to a rather startling realization. I just put the girls to bed, and was walking into the office to sit and finish up report cards. I looked outside at the snowy scene that will be my reality for the next few months (unless it suddenly gets warm again) and I realized that I love this weather. Not the white out blizzardy type weather, but nights when it's all white and quiet outside and snuggly and full of love inside. I don't think I could ever permanently live somewhere that didn't have snowy winters. If we ever do move to California, I think I will acutally really miss the snow.

Who knew?

Goin' to the chapel

Just a quick post while writing report cards - my baby sister called last night to say her boyfriend proposed! No date is set, as they have made a pact not to discuss a wedding for six months and just enjoy being engaged. Whatever. Probably sometime next year.

Congratulations Meaghen and Ryan!

Time keeps on slippin', slippin'...

Okay, well, I've missed a bunch more days. I'm here now.

We've set up Rylee's "big girl bed" in Sam and Hailey's room, so all three of them are sharing a room now. The room formerly known as the nursery is going to be a toy room. Rylee's bed is a toddler bed that looks like a train. We bought it when Sam was getting ready to move from the crib to a bed, and Hailey was coming soon to take over the crib, not that she slept in it for the first few months. When we told Sam and Hailey we were going to set up the train bed again, both girls started talking about how much they loved that little train bed, it was their favourite. This is proof that they have no memory of anything before the age of 2 or 3. Sam slept in the bed for a little while, but she soon decided she preferred the "big bed" (a futon) that was also in her room. When Hailey moved out of the crib, we tried to put her in the train bed in Sammie's room, but she wanted to sleep with Sammie, so it was the big bed for her, too. Happily, Rylee seems to like the new bed. Last night she didn't get out of bed once (that I heard, anyway)

It's report card season. First draft is due on Monday, and I have a fair amount of marking downstairs. I was all caught up and ready to start reports, but I wasn't counting on the students at my new school being near psychotic when it comes to marks. One grade 8 student almost got down on bended knee to ask if he could do some other writing assessment, because his mother would shoot him if he came home with the mark he had currently earned. It was a B+!!!!! So, I caved and gave all the gr 8's an optional assignment which they could use to bring up their reading mark, writing mark or both.

I have learned that if I don't get my caffeine until noon, I'm cranky.

I also decided this week to stop feeling sorry for myself that I haven't gotten close to anyone on staff at my new school yet. There is another teacher who is new to the school who hasn't really bonded with anyone else either, so this week I decided to make the effort to connect with her. We chatted a bit, shared chocolate and coffee, and I think I've made a new friend. I knew she was a graduate of the same teacher training program as me, but I found out this week that she went to the same university that I did for the mandatory third-year-at-a-francophone-university, and even lived in the same residence.

Today is the first time we've attempted to get Rylee to nap in the big girl bed. It doesn't sound like it's going very well. I should probably go look into that, then go do some schoolwork. And drink some more tea. It's chilly and raining here today, so tea is definitely in order.

I remember

Today is Remembrance Day. For as long as I have been teaching, I have cried at Remembrance Day ceremonies. Today was no exception. I was doing pretty well until the little speech after The Last Post - the one that starts, "They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old..." At my grandmother's funeral, when a member of the Canadian Women's Army Corps started to read that passage, she broke down. She explained that that was always the part my grandmother read at other funerals.

Let me back up. When I started teaching, in 1998, Remembrance Day was a reminder that my grandmother and grandfather both served in WWII. The next year, a friend started dating a military man. She married him in 2002. In 2005, my grandfather passed away. In 2007, my grandmother passed away. Also in 2007, my sister-in-law married an army man, and in January of 2008 both he and my friend's husband were sent to Afghanistan. Thankfully, they both came home safely, but it's a lot to process each November 11.

I remember learning about conscription when I was in grade 10. I remember thinking that 18 was plenty old enough to go overseas and fight. Then the Persian Gulf conflict broke out when I was in grade 12. I had friends who were 18, and the thought of them going off to fight was horrifying. Some of my classmates said they were going to enlist as soon as they turned 18, and I thought they were far too young to make that kind of decision, that kind of commitment. Now, in my 30's, I look at my brother-in-law, who is 22, and think _he_ is far too young to be serving overseas. And then you realize that boys even younger were lying about their age and serving in WWI and WWII.

I was discussing the words to In Flanders Fields with my homeroom, and explaining that those who died are asking us in that poem to continue their struggle. One student asked why, if we're supposed to be promoting peace, we would agree to continue that struggle. I asked the students what they thought, but they couldn't come up with an explanation (one student went so far as to say that there is no quarrel to be taken up anymore). To me, we agree to take up the quarrel because there are those who insist on quarreling. As long as people are willing to take away basic human rights from other people, as long as people are willing to maim and kill in the name of country or religion, we have to be prepared to stand up to them. We have to continue to struggle against injustice. Standing by and allowing it to happen is the same as perpetrating the injustice ourselves.

Today, even more than usual, I am grateful to those who chose, and who continue to choose, to risk their lives to fight against what is wrong, and to protect the freedom we enjoy in my country.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Yesterday came suddenly

... and went suddenly too! I meant to post last night, but by the time I got the littlest monster to bed, I was toast. T-O-S-T-E, toast, as a friend of mine used to say. We're going to set up the toddler bed this weekend, I think, and then at least I won't be worried about her climbing out and breaking a limb.

So anyway, Ryan will be home tonight. Yay. Today is a PD Day, and we have the option of working off site for the afternoon. I went out for a working lunch at a coffee place (I sat and marked while I ate and drank my mochaccino) I still have some work to do, but will post again later. I'll try to make it something more than, "Here's what I did today."

Someone took a doody in my sandbox

It really is a song lyric. I don't remember the name of the song but Daph will.

Today was marginally better, but only marginally. I dropped the girls off early at the sitter so I could take the van for an oil change. I just missed the shuttle, so I had to wait for the next one, and therefore ended up being 10 min late for work. I called to warn them, so there was someone to cover my class, but honestly, you'd think that dropping my vehicle off at 8 am would allow me to get to work, a 10 min drive away, by 8:40. Not so.

After school, the shuttle picked me up, I picked up the van and drove home, then walked to get the kids. We got home, I made dinner while Sammie did her homework and then played outside with Hailey and a friend. I was so pleased because we got the homework taken care of before I took Sam and Hailey to a friend's house while I took Rylee to swimming lessons. We got away from the house on time, I dropped the girls off, Rylee and I were on the pool deck at 6:28 for a 6:30 class. During the lesson the instructor asked me to remind her of Rylee's name. I told her what it was, and after class she pointed to Rylee's name on a list and asked if that was her. I said, "Yep, that's her." She said, "Yeah, she's actually in the 6:00 class." I'm pretty sure that at some point we made it to a 6:00 class, but I know a couple of weeks ago when I was out of town on a Wed night, I helped Ryan make arrrangements for the same friend to watch Sammie and Hailey, and arranged for him to drop them off at 6:10. So Carrie, if you read this, next time we ask you to babysit during Rylee's swimming lesson, if I say the lesson's at 6:30, smack me upside the head.

Anyway, we came home, I put Rylee to bed, she was being quiet, and I thought all was well. I had put her in pyjamas after swimming, hoping she'd fall asleep in the car, but that didn't happen. Then, as I was reading the bedtime story to Sammie and Hailey, Rylee started coming down the stairs. So much for my hope she'd forget she figured out how to do that. So, we put the big girls to bed, then I sat with Rylee in the rocking chair and rocked her for a while. At about 9 pm I was able to put her down, and she's been in bed ever since.

I was just talking to somebody at work about how just when you think you've got everything under control, it all falls spectacularly apart. That's what today was like. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on things, I find out I've been taking Rylee to the wrong swimming lesson. And then she refuses to go to sleep again.

So, the dishwasher got emptied, two loads of laundry got folded, another one went through the machines (diapers - we were getting low), and some marking got done. It's not everything I was hoping to accomplish, but it's a start. AND I posted again, so I at least seem to have a handle on NaBloPoMo. If nothing else, my misadventures this week are giving me something to write about!

Help! I need somebody!

I almost went to bed without blogging, but then remembered I'm doing NaBloPoMo. This was a terrible night. I went to the visitation for C after school, which is not a great way to start an evening. When I tried to call my dad to wish him happy birthday he wasn't home, so I chatted with my mom. By the time we got off the phone it was past Rylee's bedtime, so she was wired and over-tired and went hysterical. Called my dad, the girls sang happy birthday, put the big girls to bed. I went into my room and heard Hailey talking to Rylee. I came out fully prepared to get angry with her for getting out of bed and going into Rylee's room, when I saw Rylee standing in the hall beside Hailey. She had climbed out of her crib.

At this point I did what any self-respecting, independent woman would do. I called my mommy.

At Mom's suggestion, I took Rylee downstairs and put on a Baby Einstein, while I fought with the crib to figure out how to lower the mattress. After a series of events that I'm sure I'll find funny someday, I finally got it lowered. I cuddled Rylee, kissed her and put her to bed amid loud protests.

Can you see where this is going? A minute or two later she was staring at me from the middle of the hallway. And by this point I had moved the footstool that was just outside her crib, so she managed to get over the side rail and then lower herself all the way to the floor.

Naturally, I called my mommy again.

I put Baby Einstein back on and had something to eat (it was after 10 pm and I hadn't had dinner yet) Then I brought Rylee upstairs and rocked her to sleep. When I put her down in the crib she opened her eyes and looked at me, but all she said was, "Want blanket." So I got her one and walked quietly out. It's been about half an hour now and there's no sign of her, so I think she's down for the night.

I have four class sets of marking to do, about three loads of laundry to fold and put away, the dishwasher needs to be emptied, the counter is full of dishes and a load of clothes needs to go from the washer to the dryer. I will get the clothes into the dryer but the rest will have to wait.

In addition to the regular hockey (me), swimming lessons (Rylee) and skating lessons (Sam, Hailey) this week, we had/have two after school meetings (me), hockey pictures (Sam, Hailey), an oil change/service appointment (van) and visitation for C (me).

This was maybe not the best week for Ryan to go away. At least there's lots of chocolate around.

When the dog bites, when the bee stings

Last Friday, when most kids her age were excited about trick or treating, counting down until they could start the festivities, little T was at the hospital waiting to hear if her sister was going to be okay. At about 5:45, when other kids were getting their costumes on and planning their routes, T got the news that her only sister had died.

I wish this was the germ of an idea for a novel for NaNoWriMo, but it's the true story of one of my former students. I taught T for four years at my last school. Her older sister had a stroke five years ago, the year before I arrived at the school. If I understand correctly, she had another one on Friday and didn't survive this one.

I can't even imagine this family's pain right now. The parents split up some time ago, and they had just the two daughters, T and C. Now C is gone. And every year, on Hallowe'en, the ghosts will be all too real for T.

C was only 12. T is in grade five. Both far too young.

Raindrops on roses

The title has nothing to do with this post - I just couldn't come up with an appropriate song lyric. Suggestions are welcome in the comments.

Welcome to NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month. I have decided to follow Daph's example and take on the challenge. I would love to think I could take on NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - but I just don't think I have it in me. I'll leave that one to Em. For this year, at least. This means I'm supposed to post every day this month. I know, I missed yesterday. I only decided today to take it on. I'm cutting myself some slack and starting today.

On Friday, I gave two of my grade eight classes a test. This week, the other three classes get their tests, plus all three grade seven classes will be handing in an assignment. I really need to get all my marking done this weekend so I'm not overwhelmed again, like I was when I had all five grade eight classes (average class size: 30 students) hand in a writing assignment on pretty much the same day. I'm posting now just so that I have posted something, and will attempt a better post later, if I have time. I had hoped to leave you with some Halloween adorableness, but I still don't know where the cable is to upload pictures from the camera.

Ryan is off to Calgary for the work week tomorrow morning. I'm so looking forward to five days of single parenting. How do people do this on a full-time basis?