The Rink

I always said we would NEVER put our kids in minor hockey.

My words taste not bad.

Some of my best memories are of the rink. My skates were of the figure skating variety, but I don't think that makes any difference. Although when I offered to come out and help at hockey, Rory DID laugh. Apparently Moms in figure skates, no matter how well they can move their feet out there, are not cool.

AND...MY BIGGEST PET PEEVE IS "GIRL'S SKATES and BOY'S SKATES" so don't EVER refer to them as such in front of me.

ANYWAY..back to my thoughts.

I pull into the rink parking lot, I follow Rory in, I help him put on his hockey equipment and I curl up in a chair to visit with anyone else or I grab a cup of hot chocolate. I visit with Kennedy or I wave at the Rory Crosby on the ice. I am in my happy place. So is Rory.

My parents created me and molded me into the person that I am ...but the rink built me. The man I married...the curling, the skating, the carnivals...the friends...the determination...the disappointments...the scars...came largely from the rink.

I have a massive scar on my knee from the day I fell on Austin's natural ice during melting time. I was electrocuted alongside my best friend when we tried to play music on the same melting ice. This still makes me laugh.

I had my first 'real' kiss at the rink.

Junior High and High School drama class was at the rink.

I met the ice caretaker one year. We started curling together after he quit at the rink.

I married him. Although I am pretty sure he almost dated the aforementioned best friend. She never did like cows so I guess it worked out.

I still rate songs on the radio as, "If I were in Stars on Ice, this is what i would skate to" I still think the song "Higher" would be perfect...even though I can no longer tell you who sings it.

Once, we were the Beatles on Ice.

How the years go by. I am so grateful for our small town ice surface and all of the wonderful memories I have from the rink. I watch with pride as Rory makes new friends and is able to move and express himself in a way that makes sense to him. I can't imagine being a snowbird because winter is a part of me. It is a part of us.


See ya at the rink !

A+

I am feeling a tad cranky today. There is something nagging at me. It has been bothering me for quite some time and I am sure my teacher friends will disagree, but I just need to tell you anyway.

Teachers complain too much about report cards.

Okay okay. I am a teacher. AND I DO think the new report card is slightly over the top. AND I do not hold that every teacher is to blame for my crankiness. But I have noticed a trend that I believe I can offer a solution to.

Get some kids.

The ones that live in your home.

24/7.

Life somehow takes on a whole new perspective when you have little creatures in your house....or maybe it is that I am getting old. Truthfully...I am worried about these new teachers who have taken report cards to a whole new level of sleepless nights, long hours in front of the computer and a lack of personal life. You will get it done. Believe me. It should not be at the expense of your loved ones and your own sanity. Your health matters.

I think what bothers me is that I don't see any of my doctor friends (because I have literally THOUSANDS of doctor friends) posting on facebook that they were up all night long helping a Mom give birth. Steve doesn't post every day about the HOURS upon HOURS (and HOURS) he spends harvesting food for the world. The caretaker at my school did not post on facebook that he cleaned up vomit today. Know why? Because they know it is part of the job. I choose to smile and be so very thankful for a job I love for all of its pitfalls and celebrations. I choose to get 'r done. Lousy days happen. So what. You have 2 more report cards sessions to get through. Is it the ONLY thing going on in your life? If so...get some perspective.

Tonight, I played Trouble with my kids.

I may do some report cards now.

It is so awful. Feel sorry for me? Of course not! You have a busy life too and a job that keeps you hoppin'. So cheers to whatever you do to help make this world go 'round.

Teachers do work incredibly hard. They walk a crazy blurred line between work life and school life. They take hours of work home every night... But we CHOSE this lifestyle. No one wants to hear us complain about the choices WE made. Report card stress = first world problem.

And if you want to borrow some perspective...I can rent mine out for a few hours....delivery, sauciness, hockey practice, dance parties and lunch making included.

The iKid

Someday we are going to fight a lot. A LOT. But most days I can appreciate the strong willed, independent nature of my daughter.

My Grandma said today that no wonder Rory is so free spirited...I have been raising my kids to explore and be be adventurous and to be....free spirited...

Um...so I am a bad parent?

She assures me I am not, but that I am always much too worried about being one.

Tonight I got a text. I opened up my phone to see it was from DeDe McGee. There is a voice mail attached. So clever she is to have figured out that she can just record herself and send it instead of texting. 

She begins by explaining that Rory really wanted her to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I know that this REALLY means that Kennedy just wanted to play on the iPad because that is where the book is. She goes on to say that since they were reading it without me (because we have been reading it together), she would just tell me everything that happened in the chapter they had just read. She then decides that maybe she should just READ me the chapter (this is all decided in her very long voice message). She then proceeds to read.

"Rory..LET....GO"...keeps on reading....."LET GO!!!!" ..... keeps on reading....in the background I hear..."KENNEDY LET ME HAVE IT!!!"  fumble, rustling, mumbling...keeps on reading.

And then I get this text after the voice message:

"Sorry about that Mom, Rory thought he should have the iPad, but I explained to him that you needed to know what was going on in the story for when you come home."

Wow. Defending the iPad from a perilous journey into the room of Rory, keeping me up to date on Mr. Wonka, AND a typical bedtime routine despite miles between us. Guess my free spirited children aren't turning out so badly after all. What a wonderful way to end my trip to Winnipeg. I can't wait for morning to see them and hear all about those silly little "Oompa Loompa's" in chapter who knows what.

This is Rory.

So Rory, What did the principal say to you today?
I dunno
Oh good, I am sure he will be happy to tell you again tomorrow. I will let him know you have forgotten.
Oh. Actually.....
And Mom...he likes the Leafs....he has Leafs stuff in his office.
You aren't supposed to be in his office. Tomorrow is a fresh start. Please let it be filled with good choices.
I love you anyways Mom. I love you anyways too Rory.

My son is the most remarkable young man. As remarkable as every other son to their mother.  He is remarkably frustrating, loving, anxious and beautiful in the same breath. He causes me so much stress that sometimes I just sit after he goes to bed and worry. Sometimes I laugh at the things he has invented. Sometimes I have to get angry because he sneaks out of bed because he "just has to tell me something." His view of the world is always skewed from the angle of a small boy who views the world as a happy place where Mom and Dad love him and will always hug him goodnight despite the day he has had. This is Rory.

A boy whose arse is often glued to a bike seat with a dog running along beside him.
A boy who struggles to sit and do school work in a classroom full of noise and distraction.
A boy who is already capable of seeing that he would work best alone, could he just bring his school work home everyday?
A boy who loves spaghetti...but without anything on it. Macaroni...without cheese.
A boy who when he IS in a bit of trouble, begins every apology with "Mom, Your hair looks really nice today."
Believes that the first day of hockey is a national holiday.
A boy who loves his baby cousin so much that when he hears we are visiting her, he jumps and cheers.
A boy who pretends not to notice when his friends leave him out but cries before bed after it happens.
A boy who knows that with each morning is a fresh start.
A boy who wants to save the world by taking photos on his ipod of people running the stop sign beside the field that he and Daddy are in.
A boy who forgives and forgets in a second.
A boy who loves to cook in the kitchen, learn by doing, and create with endless supplies.
A boy who will stop anything to cuddle on the couch to hear a chapter of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
A boy who is giving his teachers a lot of gray hair but who loves them dearly.

Is it Friday yet?

On turning 29 and 363 days

I am not in my 30's. Just for the record.

I did, however, enjoy a good giggle this morning when my sister in law texted me "Happy Birthday". I was practically on cloud 9 to write back "Thank you, but it is not my birthday."

But turning 30 is better than the alternative. And I always felt that 30 would be the ideal age. Too bad I am not 30.

Steve has been 30 forEVER. He seems to be handling it well.

I used to lie about my age so people would take me seriously. Now I realize that not many will ever take me seriously...but I am going to keep lying about my age so that I can at least be ID'd.

One of my students guessed my age to be 50 today when I received a beautiful bouquet in my classroom.

I kindly explained that it was a celebration of my 29 and 363days birthday.

Okay, so if I ever do turn 30, here is what I want for the day:

1) It to be on a Sunday so I can sleep in and be at home with my awesome kids.
2) For it to be during the most beautiful month of the year.


I am not hard to please.

But I am not 30.

Helter Skelter

None of the song actually applies to my life. But today was just one of those days where the intro to the song has me going "Yes...that is EXACLY how I feel today." And Helter Skelter is EXACTLY the mode I am taking when I type this blog post.Helter Skelter


So here is my summer full of wisdom...or wisecracks...

1) The whole world is not, in fact, "falling in love with the One Direction movie." I just saw the commercial and it made me roll my eyes...and then giggle at the realization that I was likely first in line for the Spice Girl movie, a way back when.

2) Sometimes fridges quit..in the middle of the hottest day ever...and you have to buy a new one...this sucks.

3) My new fridge is very pretty.

4) I have been without internet for almost the entire summer.

5) Xplornet does have good customer service on the phone.

6) I am pretty sure boys turn into wild animals over the summer. True story. Pretty sure he has stripes and a growl now.

7) Kennedy thinks ANYTHING that has stripes is beautiful. Maybe even with polka dots. Yes. Definitely stripes, spots and zig zags combined. Perhaps she will be a fashion model with this new found appreciation for the beauty of all animal print put together in one outfit.

8) Hope PETA doesn't get a hold of her, or WHAT NOT TO WEAR.

9) Paul McCartney puts on the most amazing concert you will ever see.

10) My Grandpa turned 80 and my Grandma turned 70 and we celebrated like crazy. First time that all of the cousins had gotten together in a picture with our kids. Roy turned 60 and I hear two men in our lives are turning 40 this year...I am pretty sure we are skipping my birthday, because I don't want to turn 25.

I am sad to see summer end and I feel like I accomplished nothing except running all over the place this season. I am (without sarcasm) very excited for autumn. There is something magical about September and harvest and school starting and the leaves turning beautiful colors. I hope that all of you enjoyed your summer and have not had to blow your entire income on school supplies. Happy Fall Y'all!

Composting Crazy

Many moons ago I thought I would be very GREEN and buy myself  (from a friend's garage sale) a large composting bin. I had no idea how to use it. I mean really...things that are biodegradable turn to dirt eventually..I just huck everything into the bin and voila!

AND...the bin sat for years with absolutely no one going in it except some very scary looking spiders. How quaint.

Then today I was working with my Grade 3's and we were learning all about composting (yes...great teacher that I am..I was learning right along with them). I just HAD to figure this out. I got home around 5:15 and the kids ran to greet me with requests for pizza and bike rides and jumping on the trampoline. IMAGINE their excited little faces when I asked "Wanna learn how to compost?!?"

Blank stares.

Eye roll.

"Oh here she goes again."Awesome Kids Composting Site

Kennedy put on her bike helmet (look at me not breaking any laws out in Firdale) and marched over to get her bike.

I promised Rory he could pour some water in the compost bin with my ultra cool plant watering can. He agreed.

We talked about nitrogen, carbon, brown stuff, green stuff, things we can compost...and worms. Which of course we had to look for. Now if you were fence sitting with the whole compost thing, I am telling you now that it is a MUST for any household with kids. As soon as I said worms I had 2 kids up to their elbows in the garden fishing out worms for the compost. And now that there is something LIVING in the compost bin...it is way more fun to 'feed it.'

They were especially excited when I told them (in my 'engaged' voice from above) that we should label 2 buckets and give one to Grandma and Grandpa to use and after supper every day they could take our bucket and Grandma's and it could be their chore...I mean...fun game...to empty the veggie peelings, etc, into the compost bin.

Rory CLAIMS he can't open the lid. (But he HAD to follow me out after supper in his P.J's ...AKA...gitch...to see if the worms liked what I gave)