Speechless

The kindergarten went skating last week. In the dressing room afterward I noticed a line of about 5 of my little darlings, girls and boys, in front of the urinal. I casually asked them what they were up to.

"Just waiting to get a drink!" they replied matter-of-factly. 

Hmmm....speechless. And laughing with the other teachers for the rest of the day. Never a dull moment!

Frozen Puke

Being in Kindergarten, we were done two days earlier than the rest of the school. My plans were to relax, clean and, yesterday, to grocery shop in Peace River.  Clayton woke up complaining of a stomach ache. Selfishly, I really wanted to spend the day alone. But I also knew his class was not planning to do anything very celebratory, unlike the others. He was feeling a bit down I think and needing a day with mom. Last day of school is pretty much a write off anyhow.

So after dropping everyone else at school we headed off on our journey to No Frills and Walmart. We made it an hour and a bit down the road, just coming down the hill to Peace River. Clayton had fallen asleep, then suddenly sat up and rolled down his window with absolutely no warning.  Guess he wasn't stretching the sick stomach story after all.

If you've ever wondered what happens when you throw up out the window going 80 km/hr in minus 31 degree weather let me just tell you - it's kinda cool in a really disgusting way.  Puke frozen completely solid on the outside of my van and dripping down the inside of the door.

We pulled over as soon as we could (not soon enough, but road conditions and being on a hill surrounded by semi trucks kinda forced my hand!) and got cleaned up a bit. First stop - Walmart for a change of clothes.

Poor kid. What should have been a fun day out with mom turned into him wandering around looking Grinchy green or sleeping out in the van while I tried to hurry in the store.

As the saying goes: "It ain't Christmas til somebody pukes!"

Now we cross our fingers that no one else catches the bug...

Merry Christmas Me!

Today I am paying out a debt that has been haunting me for much of 2013. I can hardly remember feeling so excited. I am bubbling over! This has been a lot of work, but to be free of this will be amazing.

Good things have come from this experience though. I now have a job I really love at the school. I have learned to ask for help and take advice a little better. I speak up for myself a little louder. I am slower to judge others since you never know what they might be having to learn too. And I have felt the prayers of others as we work through this. The Lord really takes care of us when we try to follow the prophet and become debt free. We are so blessed.

Hoping to take pics at Christmas and in the New Year to make a better update. Kids will be attempting to break their first boards in Tae Kwon Do in January so I will try to keep up.

Love and miss everyone at this holiday time. Merry Christmas!

Full time???

I have been offered, and have accepted, a full time position working in the kindergarten classroom at our school. I may have had a brief lapse of sanity...

But how could I not do it? It is the most fun classroom in the school and they are all so adorable. And I get to work only when my kids are in school. No child care, holidays or summer. I am very excited.

I am also learning to let go. My house will not look like it does when I am home alone all day. And we all go to bed early.

But I get to see all my kiddos at least once during the day. That's awesome!

Back to Life...Back to Reality...

Sent the kids off to school today. I find it bittersweet this year. I wasn't really ready. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the slow pace of the summer and spending the days with my kids. They've only been gone for a couple hours and I already miss them.  The house is far too quiet...

Of course, part of this may be linked to the unforeseeable chaos my home is in right now. I was going to be so organized! (lol) We went to Grande Prairie on Saturday for a last day of summer swim trip and some grocery shopping. We took our time, enjoying every minute - then came home to an inch of water in our basement. A hot water pipe seems to have come undone or burst or...we are unsure at this moment. Long story short, my basement is now in my living room and Dan and I are visiting Clayton's room to sleep until it can get sorted. The landlord came and sucked out the water and has turned on quite a few fans/dehumidifiers, but they are waiting to hear from their insurance before they open up the wall and try to figure out what happened. Which means we are waiting too.  It's actually good the kids are back in school and that it is still summer-warm because otherwise we would literally be living on top of each other!

Otherwise, we are getting back into routine and schedules and all the structured parts of life that I don't do very well with. It stresses me out a little and makes me not very patient.  Also trying to organize piano lessons for the year.  I am only doing one night because last year was a little chaotic and I have to put my kids first. I am hoping to get on at the school again, so we'll see what happens.


Better get back to sorting out my main floor so we can move around...

Changes...

Dan was called and set apart on Sunday as the Branch President. I'm sure this will mean many changes - for the branch, but also for us!  Still taking it in...

Some funny things said on Sunday:

"Behind every good man is a surprised mother-in-law." President Hatch

"Do we have to call you President Dad?" Spencer

I guess the Lord needed us here longer. We were seriously considering other options, and they may happen sometime, but for now we are committed to doing as the Lord would have us do, and that means serving here.

It was a pleasure having my parents here for the weekend. Totally unexpected, but a pleasure anyhow. We don't get to see family enough, so even a couple of days is better than nothing!

Cooper reunion 2013

We hosted the majority of Dan's siblings for a family reunion here in the north over the weekend. It was a lot of fun and everyone seemed pleased with the area. We camped in beautiful Marten River campground in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. The downside - it rained pretty much the whole time we had everyone there (right on par with the summer weather we've had so far!). The upside - we saw everyone, had a lot of good laughs, good food and great fishing.  Here are a few photos from the event. 


It happened to be the Alberta Open Sandcastle Building Competition down the road at Devonshire Beach, so we went by to see the entries.  The theme was Jungle, and the pics don't do it justice.  It was pretty neat to see.

Uncle Dwayne brought his canoe, which all the kids loved.

And Brooklyn and Dan managed to catch us supper - 5 fish in all, 3 walleye and 2 pike. Brooklyn held the title til Dan pulled his biggest fish ever after many people had gone home.  It was so big he had to bring it to the shore to land it.  It was 81 cm long and weighed 8 lbs. 

 

Here is Brooklyn with her largest pike - 65 cm.  She liked fishing but didn't want to touch it for the picture, so Dan obliged by holding it up for her.

Lots of fun and so good to see everyone.  Thanks for making the trip!

Hell has frozen over!

In case any of you wondered when this would happen, I live there so I know. April 6 and we have more new snow. That alone wouldn't be too bad. A little spring snow is expected. Except we haven't seen the ground since the middle of October.

But on to the freezing over bit. Yesterday we had a high of -7, with a wind chill of -20. The kids are so put out. Some spring break!

Spelling Bee Honesty

Clayton participated in the school spelling bee yesterday. A handful of kids from grades 4-6 chosen, by their teachers, have spent every Monday noon hour quizzing each other on spelling to get ready for the big day. I was unable to be there, but Dan was and he related this story to me.

After a few easy rounds, Clayton was given the word "wrong".  He was really nervous (so he told me later) and began spelling quickly "r..o.."  Realizing he had missed the W, but not allowed to begin again, he simply finished the word and waited for the bell to ding indicating he had made an error. But no bell came. "Correct!" the judges said. He stood for a moment, then returned to his seat. Dan was confused, as was the father next to him (Clayton's friend's dad) who gave him a questioning look. Dan said he could see the conflict going on inside Clay's mind, but the bee had moved on.

On his next turn, Clay was given the word "youth". Without missing a beat, he blurted out "u-t-h", then with a big grin took his seat in the chairs reserved for those who have been eliminated from the competition. He was practically there before the bell dinged.  The father again gave Dan a very puzzled look and mouthed, "What was that?"

But Dan and Clayton knew what that was. I am so proud of my little man. His teacher recently told me how impressed she is with his strong moral compass. He doesn't seem to have trouble making those kind of choices to do what is right.

And there's always next year...

Snow, snow, go away!

I worked my first day as an aide sub at the elementary school yesterday. It was a pretty easy start - we watched a movie in the gym for the first hour and a half, then I just meandered around different classrooms basically providing crowd control. Throw in a little recess supervision and, all in all, it was a fairly easy day. I'm sure they won't all be that way...

The only complicated thing was I was in classrooms who also had teacher subs. Talk about mass confusion! They had no idea what I should be doing to help them, most of the time they didn't even know which child I was there for!  Oh well, the little kinks. 

The kids were good about me being there. I was even in Clay's class for the afternoon. I think they secretly liked it, but they would never admit it.

The snow keeps coming. We got more overnight and we are sitting at -17 degrees right now.  It feels like January, so everyone has the blahs. Where is spring???

I've been asked to speak in Stake Conference for the Adult Session. How mothers can teach their children faith at home.  Hmmm....anyone with insights is welcome to comment. 

Good News

Earlier this week I was offered a position on the Educational Assistant Sub list at our Elementary School. This is just the step I need to get on permanently down the road. Yippee! It will also be a much smoother transition back to working, considering I still have Spencer home 3 days a week. I can say yes or no for the next few months, then increase my availability next year.  Big thanks to anyone who was praying for this for me. I really appreciate your support!

And, in other random thoughts, is anyone else out there hating Daylight Savings Time? I much prefer my light in the morning, thanks, since I prefer my children (and myself) in bed at a decent hour. I'm so tired! My circadian rhythms are apparently suffering immensely.  But we shall press forward!

Huge apology

Sorry. I lost my mind. I let my emotions run wild. It was not the right day to blog and, well, TMI error to everyone. I appreciate all the concern and love I felt tho. Maybe that's why I needed to say it. To know how many people really care. I have figured things out. I have a solution. I am making it work.

If I ever need any of you, don't worry - apparently I know how to find you!

Lunch for Mom and Dad

Yesterday the school phoned to inform us that Spencer had won a prize (a major award! lol). We had no ideas what for, but we went down to the Children's Resource Council to find out. Turns out he drew a picture at kindergarten that was chosen as the winner for "What I Love to do with My Family." He won a $20 gift certificate to Smitty's, which shares a parking lot with the CRC. So he called Dad and asked him to come to lunch with us today.

I now realize that this 4th child has pretty much never been to an actual restaruant where he gets to choose his own meal. He was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He even ordered his own orange float. The waitress thought he was so funny she gave him a toonie to put in the prize machine at the front. It was the best day of his life!

And lunch was pretty good too. Thanks Spencer!

This is the pictures, but I can't figure out how to rotate it...

My Life with Boys...

I grew up with sisters, except my little brother who was 13 years younger. so I was gone before he really got involved.  Anyone with sisters knows about cat fights - mean words, the silent treatment, exclusion, maybe someone got their hair pulled or earned a scratch.

I am now a mother of mainly boys - 3 lovely, very boyish boys. I have had to learn that boys fight very different from girls.  Sure, exclusion and cruel words come into it, but boy fights escalate to violence at a much quicker rate. Girls use words and/or silence, boys duke it out.(Side note here: girl fights last forever. Once boys swing it's usually over.)

Last night Clay and Mac got into it over something trivial - lego, I think. Before I knew it, they had each grabbed a cutting board (plastic and flimsy, not hard) off the counter and made their strike.  I pulled them apart and gave them the look. Fast forward one minute: one kicks the other, the other kicks back, one throws a punch at the arm...Mom rushes in and tears them apart, taking one out of the kitchen to cool off.

Meanwhile...

The other was standing on a small step stool through all of this and lost his balance grabbing at whatever was on the counter in an effort to stop his momentum toward the ground.

That item was my deep fryer.

Oil.

Everywhere.

This is the point where mom gives herself a time out while the boys run for cover.

Oh, and dad came in from shovelling the snow in -40 weather.  Not happy.

An hour of clean up and two boys in their beds later we were able to discuss the consequences.

Today there was no school.  First, these lovely boys got to sit with mom and read scriptures about not having contention in the home, loving others like the Savior does and the Golden Rule.  Then they were able to discuss with each other what they each could have done differently last night, as well as come up with a plan for future discipline relating to cruelty and violence in our home. Then they got the talk about what happens to people who can't control their tempers when they grow up.

(Side note 2: making boys talk to each other is almost worse for them than just punishing them. It was a very torturous half hour.)

After the discussion, they were assigned jobs to complete together. Two reasons: first, to make up for the hour I spent cleaning the kitchen floor and counters last night; second, to learn to get along.  Because therein was the catch.  They were not done working til they could work without fighting or biting remarks.

I've never had a cleaner pantry, more folded laundry or beautifully shovelled walks/driveway than I do today.

I grew up a child with sisters.

I am now a mom of boys.

Maybe one day I'll figure this out...

Soft, and ok with it!

I was accused of being "soft" today for allowing Clayton to stay home. Why? His regular teacher is out for 3 weeks with surgery. They have had a sub in now for two weeks. This morning he refused to get out of bed and was near tears when he explained his sub yells at them and refuses to do much more than hand out the work sheets. She also told all of those precious grade fours that it had been a long couple of weeks and that while some of them she could handle, there are a number of them she can't. How's that for your self esteem?

And so yes, much to the disappontment of Dan's aide, i let him take a day off. In her opinion we need to learn early to just stick it out.

Hmmm. So oyr kids should learn young that adults have the power to demean and belittle them? That emotional and psychological abuse in any form is ok if it comes from someone in a position of authority? That you should just put up and shut up to maintain the apoearance of peace?

No thanks. I only wish he had the forum to vouce his concerns and advocate for all the kids in his class. To be able to say "when you yell at us it does not help us be better, it only make us resent you more!"

So if I'm soft for wanting to give my child a day of refuge from the storms of life, so be it. The love and respect he feels from his dad and I will resonate far further into the future than anything he might miss out on at school today - especially the yelling.

Where can i start a movement toward quality teaching in this public school system that only seems to squeeze the life and happiness out of our kids?

New Beginning Hits Full Swing

What a week!  After making an unplanned trip down south during the holidays (which was great) and coming home with Dad and 2 kids sick, the transition back to routine has been chaotic.  Piano lessons are back in full swing and we're desperately trying to reimplement regular bedtime/wake time.  Finally starting to turn last night.  But I'm sure that is the same boat as everyone.

In the middle of it all the Branch Presidency decided to ask me to head up the primary as its president.  And start cubs.  And try to be to church 15 minutes early to play 10 minutes of prelude. And say a talk in two weeks.  And plan the sacrament meeting music for the year. I have to admit I almost cried.  I feel so out of control in my own home I don't know how they think I'm gonna run that chaos.

Deep breath.

One step at a time.  This week I will just start by planning a sharing time and a senior primary class. And we will try to have scriptures before bed at least twice.  And we have had family prayer every day.  And I will try to keep my voice down - at least for the rest of the day.  Oh, and maybe I will put the hymn numbers up on Saturday night instead of in the morning.

15 minutes early for church?  That might take a little more time...

Hold your kids a little tighter today...

As I was giving myself a pity party for having 4 kids home with stomach flu all week and no time to myself, I heard the news about a Connecticut Elementary school.  Possibly 18 children killed at the hands of someone who probably had no connection to them at all. And early news indicates it involved a kindergarten class.

Those poor parents.  My heart aches for them. 

Maybe I will stop whining about cleaning up puke and hold my little ones a little longer today.

Time with them is too precious to waste.

Dan as Santa

There was no one available to act the part last night, so the role of Santa went to Dan.  Here are some pics we can use to blackmail him later.  Have a good laugh at the one that makes him look like a demented clown.  What a good sport!

Still Here...

Apparently my parents are concerned that we are still alive.  Maybe some of you blog followers are too?  It's pretty nice to think anyone out there cares that much about us!

Well, we're still here.  And very busy, like everyone else.  Or maybe I haven't written much because not too much has been happening that felt worthy of chronicling.  I still get kids and hubby out the door every morning, volunteer at school, teach piano Tues-Thurs, cajole kids into doing chores and reading and piano practicing, go to church, read, play piano, make too many puzzles in this cold weather, and spend too much time on pinterest.

As for anything new, I have a piano Christmas concert coming up on Friday.  Hopefully all the kids are ready (I think they are!).  Dan's Festival of Trees is this week and Friday can't come soon enough as far as that is concerned.  It has snowed for almost 2 weeks straight, so we are doing LOTS of shovelling.  Thank goodness for a great neighbor with a snow blower!

And I am hooked on Sherlock from the BBC.  Unfortunately, no new seasons til next fall!

So there's a quick update. And hi mom!

The Parable of the Wide Load

We have been looking for learning opportunities with our kids and the Lord pretty much dropped one in my lap today.  We had to get to the dentist and, with the roads being less than ideal, we left a little early.  And found ourselves behind a very wide load (see above pic, sorry for the quality).  Someone was in the process of moving an entire house.  It was wider than the highway, so not only did opposing trafffic have to pull off and let it by, they had to stop whenever there was sign in the way and move it.

Very slooooooow....

Thinking we could possibly beat the house, we turned off and took a detour around the country mile block.  We felt pretty smart and smug.

Until we got to the highway again.

There sat the house completely obstructing our approach, and, to add salt to the wound, they were allowing all the traffic that had been following the chance to go around.

As we sat waiting I asked the kids what we could learn from this.

Patience was the big answer.

But we took it even further.

Sometimes in life you have to make choices regarding which path you are going to take.  Will you stay on the road you're on - the one that looks long and difficult, where the end is unsure?

Or will you take a detour on the road that appears to be faster, easier, the more sure thing.

Chances are it isn't all it's cracked up to be.  And here's the kicker - you generally end up right back where you started having only taken the scenic route.

And that, my friends, is now our family's "Parable of the Wide Load".

Hope it helps someone else more than it helped us today!