New Toy

I have been having a fun time on FourSquare today with my buddies GH and NF dropping hints about our new toy.

They definitely came up with some pretty interesting guesses and called me mean for not telling then what it is.

I suspect they will now be disappointed with the reveal........

Allan We have long wanted a good digital SLR and we have prevaricated for months, maybe a year or two actually, about a) spending the money and b) what to spend the money on if we had it.

I have not been the driving force of this discussion as I am in love with my digital canon 14x optical zoom that fits in my jeans pocket and/or my purse and takes extraordinarily good shots.   Not as good as a good DSLR ,of course, but close, and for a fraction of the price and with less hassle.

But Allan recently signed up for a photography course (more about that in another post) and it didn't make sense for him to use our older (but still very serviceable) Canon DSLR (with a dirty spot on the lens we need to get cleaned).

So after much research and the realisation that Allan's schooling precludes a summer vacation (and therefore no expenditure of travel funds saved), we decided to dip into the savings and buy a......

Nikon D5100 body plus 2 lenses.

It's a beauty, we got it on sale and I think we are all going to enjoy owning it.  Allan spent ages pouring over the manual yesterday and I am sure when he completes his course he will know so much more.

I think it makes it sweeter that we had to wait, to save and work hard to afford it........It certainly makes us appreciative of what we have and determined to take good care of it.

Now to see how good we are at sharing our toys.

London Calling

London
Ontario
Canada....to be precise.

I will be jetting off to the "other" side of the country on Tuesday to attend a Leadership Institute and Study Tour on Creating structures that support ongoing Professional Development......... phew that is a mouthful!

I am super excited.......and a tad anxious.

The organisation I am visiting is similar in structure to my own and I am excited to learn much from them on how to sustain curriculum and staff pro-d over multiple sites.

And I am over-the-moon excited to hear the keynote speaker Ann Pelo who was a visionary staff member at Hilltop Children's Centre in Seattle for many years and whose philosophy and practice have heavily influenced my own.

I think it will be an intense but inspiring 4 days.

I am also a tad anxious - there will be a ton of smart and experienced people there (almost all Executive level folks) and I always doubt that I will be able to hold my own, be articulate and smart and cogent......I don't love going to something where I know nobody.  There is a high degree of participation expected and there will be lots of small group work so no hiding in the back row at this event!  In this field people are usually friendly and inclusive so I am sure it will be just fine....as long as I don't spill coffee on my crisp white shirt the first day.....(Please tell me other people worry about things like this??)

I am excited to go to a new place.....it looks like a lovely city on a river....and its 30 degrees and sunny there today!!!  A king size bed in a Hilton for 4 nights will be enjoyable.  Due to silly flights I have almost a whole day to explore and get oriented before the conference and I have already picked the things I want to see and do.

I will miss my family.......5 days will feel long without them.

Here's to learning and adventure, on-time flights, long bubble baths, new connections, some "down" time for rest and reflection and lots of inspiration to bring home.

Wordless Wednesday - Saturday Sunset in Steveston

Thank the Staying

As word gets out that Allan is leaving his current school after 13 years he has reflected that people have been saying the nicest things about him.

He has been so taken aback about what people think about him as a person and a colleague and a teacher (all good and positive and some very touching). 

He is surprised to know what people think and a little sad, I think, to only know it now, as he leaves.

We have wondered together how it might be to say these things to ones colleagues as a regular, intentional practice?  Allan is certainly determined to foster the disposition in himself to be more intentional in affirming colleagues and co-workers and even students as much as he can in regular daily school life.....and in the rest of his life too.

I recently wrote this post on bringing affirmations to my workplace and although I highly value the practice, I find it is easy to lose in the busy, day-to-day-ness of life and work.

I encourage us all today to affirm, thank, connect with someone in your life or your workplace.

Don't wait until they either do something extraordinary or leave to say it.

Super Silly Saturday

Yesterday was off, odd, the earth was a little off kilter.......something was in the air.

1. David was last up......WHAT......our early bird slept in and stayed in bed until after 10am.  I know there was a time I dreamed this would happen but now....I am not so sure......this teenage metamorphosis is ....disconcerting.

2. Our sleeper was up early to go grocery shopping with her Dad.....WHAT.......up and dressed before 9am......hmmm

3. I went to work, Allan and Lindsay did a big grocery shop, David mowed the lawn and trimmed the edges and got an injury, Allan and David installed the new water tank in the garden, Lindsay got a hair cut and Allan, assisted by Lindsay and I made an amazing dinner.

So we sat down to a lovely, civilized, unhurried dinner.....I was looking forward to some great conversation, catching up with everyone, talking about the next couple of weeks....


A Mom can dream.

Within seconds of sitting down........

1. Lindsay and David told an unbroken string of Chuck Norris jokes........seriously.......where do they find these?  Gone instantly the refined atmosphere not to mention the the peace and quite.  I will admit they were funny......"Little kids wear Superman pajamas, Superman wears Chuck Norris Pajamas"....."Chuck Norris counted to Infinity....twice".

2. Shortly after that episode Allan broke into song ......and old song he couldn't remember the words to so he played it on his iPhone - its a lovely Celtic ballad that my sister sings beautifully..... the children rolled their eyes and gagged silently as Allan and I croaked along ........

3. It made me melancholic......I poured a second glass of red wine.

4. Lindsay begged for some upbeat music and a 4 minute conversation broke out using only song titles.......again.....how do they know all this stuff?  Used to be all they knew was "I love you, You love me, we're  a happy family" and now its rolling in the deep, lighting the rain on fire, are we dancers or are we humans?, we built this city on rock and roll, it's all alright now, pumped up kicks.....boom boom pow........

5. While this was happening Allan now having tapped into the sappy ballad genre on his iTunes played "You light up my life" .....the children now made audible gagging noises.

6. By the time he found "Wind beneath my wings" the children decided interpretive dance was in order and began doing "suicide dancing" as they call it.........there was absolutely no decorum, or dinner, left at this point.

David being the wind beneath Allan's wings

7. I thought I could redeem the moment by playing "Let the River Run"" from the movie Working Girl (worth watching the music video just for the 80's hair....and Harrison Ford) but , as much as I loved it, the children returned to their eye rolling as they cleared the table.

So the dinner I imagined and the dinner that actually unfolded.........not even close.....but that's all alright because the one that happened will likely be remembered far more .......

I love my family

Mr. Dad Byres

Now that we know Allan will be teaching at the kids highschool next year and that Lindsay is currently slated to take two courses with him...... the actual reality of that is settling in and some of the conversations have been totally hilarious.  

Lindsay has a wicked sense of humour and a dry wit and has created some fairly hilarious (and completely fictitious) scenarios for how things could play out next year when Mr. Dad Byres is her teacher....although there is one scenario I really like......

Scenario 1:
(Context - Mr.Byres is known for being a stickler for the rules - especially intolerant of late arrivals).
Goodmorning Miss Byres - why are you late for class this morning?
Umm my Mom forgot to wake me up.
Correct Miss Byres......in fact I woke you up at 6:35am....you are now in detention for being late and grounded for lying.

Scenario 2:
Ummm Mr. Byres I do believe I should be getting a better grade on this project.
Really Miss Byres....let me point out my marking rubric to you once again.
I am going to call my Mother about this.
Go Ahead.... but I am sleeping with your Mother so I win.

Scenario 3:
The dog ate my project.
We don't have a dog.
Riiiight - wrong class.....

Scenario 4:
Could I do this as a take home project please, my Dad has a workshop at home and tools.
Your Dad has a school workshop and tools too - so no - get to work Byres.

Scenario 5:
Great - Parent/Teacher night  is either my Dad talking to himself or it just turned into date night  for my parents- could my life be any more tragic. ( Bonus - Allan and I could actually have a scheduled 15 minute discussion  or we could kiss  the thought of which caused Lindsay to fake throw up....LOL)

Scenario 6:
I am not, under any circumstances - eating lunch with you...... unless you have better food....or a microwave.....or money....hey this could really work out!

Scenario 7:
Can I get a ride to school ?
Sure Honey - leaving at 7am.
ARE YOU KIDDING - who goes to school at 7am?
Maybe I will walk with you and your friends - get to know them? or Longboard with David?
Is it too late to transfer schools?

Ahhh....life is going to be fun next year with my 3 Wildcats..... most of the time :)

Joy on Stage

Lindsay had her Musical Theatre Showcase performance last night - a mini version of Thoroughly Modern Millie - and it was lovely.


What warmed my heart the most was to see her joy in performance is back.

We switched studios this year to a musical theatre only focus without competition and what a lot of fun it has been.  Lindsay was so over the competition drama and all the dance pre-requisites.....she was also smart enough to know that getting a gold medal when noone was competing against you is a hollow victory - she really wanted a more authentic experience of the theatre.  And so we gave up a beautiful studio space close to home and went to a really much less beautiful and polished space but in many ways a way more authentic theatre experience with a Broadway acclaimed instructor who has no ego, no pretension and demands hard work and flexibility and fun.

We had some concerns about the big age range in the class at first but it has turned into a huge plus as the little girls adore the big girls and the big girls got to be leaders and chaperones when needed.  There were also many weeks that they were separated into their age groups to work on pieces.

They were offered an intensive course in tap dancing which Lindsay loved - just as an extra in class - no extra time or money - just a desire to offer a well-rounded experience.

And so last night a group of varying ages of girls took to the stage with some new skills, a great short, well-prepared piece of musical theatre, a play, some great singing and dancing and SO MUCH JOY in their performance and in their friendships.

I wish there were more places children could just enjoy an art, or a sport where competition was not the focus - where the experience itself was valued for what is gives to the child intrinsically, where the pressure to perform, to have the perfect costume and make-up, or brandname equipment was not the focus.  Not all children derive pleasure from a medal or a ribbon....some just want to do these things for the joy it brings their heart and soul.

My thanks to Diana Kaarina at Broadway Edge Performing Arts Studio for her unpretentious studio, her rigorous but joyful instruction, her flexibility and skill and her obvious delight in her work and her students.