janice's mash-up

wordle of the month

 

quote of the month

 

i wore the wrong shoes for today

Today was a LONG but rewarding day...but my feet hurt! I had the writing celebrations for the two writing programs I do for the district today. On my feet for 7 hours! It was a great day though - it has truly been my pleasure and my privilege to work with such amazing students! Then I zipped home, did home stuff for an hour like bring in the garbage cans, unloaded the dishwasher, etc. I took my shoes off but they went into shock and cramped up which made things worse! Then I took the boys with me to a school that I have been working with for two years for their math night. What an inspiring evening with over 200 children and parents coming out to have fun with math! The boys were great and helped stack all the chairs afterwards. Me and my feet are dead tired so I thought we all needed a little pick me up on the way home. The boys have been wanting to try frappuccinos...

I think I might need more than this to get me through all the work I still have to do tonight though...there might be chocolate involved! 

ten on tuesday

1. Today is only the second day of a ridiculously busy work week for me. I was up til almost 1 last night typing up a document and the rest of the week is crazy including two evening work events. I am SO looking forward to something a little more "normal" next year.

2. The boys are busy at school with Track Attack getting ready for their meet in May. It could be Adam's last track meet...grade 7 is bringing all sorts of possible "last things". I missed his last band concert last week when I was in San Diego but luckily Neil made it to that one.

3. I think the spring is my favourite season in the garden. Everything is so fresh. I LOVE my tulips! I missed the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival again this year...hopefully next year!

4. I also love ranunculus. I think they are such unique, pretty flowers. We have been to Carlsbad three times in the spring and I have seen the amazing colourful ranunculus fields from afar and hopefully one year I will get to walk the rows!

5. I just found out yesterday that Lasting Memories in Lynnwood is closing. I only went there a few times a year but it was a great store. We often did a weekend trip down to Lynnwood which included a Saturday visit to the store and lunch at LnL. The only scrapbook store now within reasonable driving distance is out in Langley. Hmph.

5. I found this great site full of fun free craft ebooks. Lots of great classroom ideas including seasonal stuff and recycling crafts. I downloaded the Mothers Day Blogger 2010 book for a couple last minute ideas.

6. Adam went back to Kendo last night for the first time since breaking his collarbone. He didn't do any direct contact with his sword though - I think we will wait on that a bit. He's hoping to play a 3on3 hockey game this weekend too.

7. Colin has sabre tonight. This session there are two other boys in it as well, although they are a few years older. I was googling Colin's name (something I do every once in a while for both the boys just for internet security reasons) and found out that he is provincially ranked 4th (tied) in his division for fencing! Who knew?!

Youth Ranking

Y10 Foil Mixed     Competition4   DYN#1  PM#1  DYN#2   Total Rank  Name   Club   1 1 1 3Level 1 Farlinger  Elizabeth  DYN   3   5 8 2 Paiuk  Quinn  DYN   3   3 6 3 Ralph  Elijah  DYN   5     5 3 Wilkie  Noah  KCFC    5    5 5 Delbruck Danielle  DYN   2   2 4 5 Go  Matheson  KCFC   4     4 5 Kamide  Colin  DYN      4 4 5 Kwan  John  KCFC     4   4 9 Cuenca  Virgilio  DYN      3 3 9 Gorodetsky  David  KCFC     3   3 9 Kwan  Paul  KCFC     3   3

8. Neil's dad finally got moved from UBC today. Luckily he has been moved to an assisted living facility here in Richmond. He is able to move his own tv and recliner and a few other things in to his room which is great. We are heading over to see him before his dinner time. I am glad he will be so close.

9. This is a hard week in our school district. Over 100 layoff notices are going to be handed out in the next couple of days, admin cutbacks are being made and there are all sorts of cuts to resource teachers, librarians, elementary band, etc. We found out last week that Neil is being moved to a different high school and well, who knows where I will be! Lots of change.

10. Can I just say that these are like fireworks for your mouth!
  Love them and my stash is running low-eeks! What I have left is going to help me    get through this week...nothing like a fruity sugar burst for a short-term fix!

what's in your bag?

So over a week ago, Stacy Julian offered a blog challenge for people to dump our their purses and record what was in them with a photo. She was inspired by an email that she got from PHOTOJOJO (I get these too...its a fun photography site). The challenge was to take two photos- one of yourself and one of your purse contents and put them together to represent you at this moment. Well, you know me, I am all about mash-ups and capturing the moment so I was in! I did add a third photo to my Picasa collage because I love my Lug bag so much that I wanted to highlight it too. It was one of those perfect gifts chosen for me by Neil and the boys.

The Persona Project suggests that what we carry in our bags/purses is a reflection of our persona. So here is what was in my bag yesterday...

 So what do you think this says about me?!

pea planting and garden update

After lunch out with Grandpa, the boys and I got the snap peas and sweet peas planted today.

 

We checked on other areas in our garden...looks like we will have lots of quince and blueberries this year. The strawberries have lots of blossoms too and the herbs are filling out- we have rosemary, basil and cilantro so far.

       

And the carrots are coming up too!

After a visit to DQ, a walk around Garry Point and bball in the driveway, we're ready for the game!

Go Canucks!
 
 
 
 
 

peanut butter cups and taxes

Saturday in the spring is such a great sleep in day. No Saturday morning soccer to get up and ready for! The boys did their room and washroom clean ups and then after lunch Adam and I made homemade peanut butter cups. He's been asking to make these for awhile now...he found them on the instructables website. He's also found a homemade Snickers bar that he wants to try! The cups were quick and easy to make but I think we needed a higher ratio of the peanut butter filling. Next time!

 

My parents just got home from Arizona so we are going to take a couple of pb cups over to them and then come home to make tacos for dinner. And then Neil and I have a romantic evening planned doing our taxes together! ;)
 

a little chocolate pi

It is so good to be home. I loved seeing the boys waiting for me through the glass doors as I walked into the airport. Big hugs all around!

You find unique things at a math conference...I couldn't resist this cookie cutter because well, I have a cookie cutter collection and well, it almost screamed at me to buy it! 

 

I made my favourite chocolate cut out cookie recipe this afternoon and the boys and I had these with afternoon tea. Adam also chose a pi but Colin had a heart :)

The pi guys at the booth where I got this cookie cutter were very funny and passionate about pi! They look forward to these math conferences all year to be around others who "get it". In case you are so inclined, check out their website at www.pidye.com

I am looking forward to a quiet evening at home on the couch watching the Canucks game and catching up on some work. I'll need a distraction if the third period gets as intense as Wednesday's game did!

happy earth day!

In appreciation of this amazing planet we live on...

 

 

 

 

take care!

wild weather in san diego

 The wind has been roaring and the rain just pellets down and then all of a sudden the hot sun comes out. Its been back and forth like this all day. You can't really tell in the photo (this is looking out the window from my hotel room) but the sky was dark grey, the palm trees were swaying and the rain was bouncing off the roofs!

I attended two great sessions at the conference centre today and inbetween I picked up some treats for my feet and some treats for the boys before heading to my hotel room to work for a few hours.

 
My family and friends often tease me about the photos I take...but I didn't hesitate to take the following two photos today and being at a math conference, no one gave me a second glance. 

 

And can I just say how much I love Skype. Colin has been "calling" me using his itouch and we have all been chatting each night on video chat. 

Although the conference has been great, I can't wait to get home!