deb's random rambles

A little bit of trouble

2010-02-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

Now that my son is in school full time, he occasionally gets himself into trouble. He is a gentle and kind soul but, wow, does his like to get crazy when he plays! Talk about rough and tumble.

I went to pick him up from the after school care and the leader very seriously asked if I had a moment. Yikes I thought.

She explained that my son has received a time out and was spoken to for hitting the other coordinator with his snowpants. Apparently he had been whipping them around while playing with the other boys and caught her full in the face. When asked to explain his behaviour he replied, "I didn't meant to."

Oh good, I'm thinking, it was an innocent mistake.

Then he continued, "I was aiming for the back of her head, she shouldn't have turned around!"

Oh boy!

Retinas and Rectums

2010-02-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

I have so many funny moments in my day between my kids and my students. I NEED to start writing them down as they happen. This may come as a shock - my memory isn't what it used to be.

For those of you who don't know, I teach Math and Science to grades 8 and 9. So many stories...

This past week I have been teaching the Light and Optics unit to our grade 8s. One of the things they need to have a grasp of is the comparison between a camera and an eye.

I was teaching the tough class - yes - there is one every year. They were actually sitting rather quietly (for them) as I was trying to help them see the similarities between the eye and camera.

I started with the first part - camera shutter - opens and closes... eyelids! Wow, some were listening. Then our next part, the hint was "captures the image". I gave them film - the world of digital has made this a slightly tougher connection. I started to prompt them for the eye part... we had covered it the day before. At this point my colleague that I teach math with wandered in to ask a question.

One of my really tough students looked up from his paper and started to listen. It starts with an R, I prompt. Assorted rumblings - nothing concrete. I prompt again, come on guys, what part of your eye captures the image. One student guessed - optic nerve. No I explain that sends the signal, close though - remember it starts wit an R. From the side of the room, my tough students shouts out, The Rectum!!

Class dissolves into laughter. All I can say in response is, "Now I understand why your view of the world is so different."

Sigh, "Retina."

Resolution Check In

2010-01-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

1. Exercise more - started off strong - then got way laid by stress and sleep - will be a bigger focus for Feb.

2. Eat better – Plan meals, pack snacks- so far so good. Fast food – maximum once every two weeks - so far so good. Need to focus on cutting bad snacks out of the eating!

3. Cook better - Joshu has been helping me meal plan and then I shop for the week - this has been extremely successful.

4. No credit cards - one purchase and I transfered money before. More cutting still needed to accelerate the pay off. Up side, tax return looks good and got a better rate on both cards.

5. Blog more – Twice a week. Worst resolution... must focus!

6. Drink more water – One full glass with my pills in the morning - this is the only one I get for sure. Will try and add one more into my routine each week.

You?

2010 Goals

2010-01-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

Slightly tweaked...

1. Exercise more - 3 times a week; treadmill, run, swim, or bike. Innisfail Sprint Triathlon in September with Melody!

2. Eat better – Plan meals, pack snacks in my lunch so I have energy at the end of the day. Fast food – maximum once every two weeks. (This may be overly ambitious.) Remember to serve a fruit or vegetable with supper – ie. add a side fruit to our lasagna to maximize the family intake.

3. Cook better - This ties into #2. I need to spend a little more time planning so that we eat less pizza and cereal for supper. (Although, I really like cereal for supper and so does my son!) With planning I can use my slow cooker more often and remember to defrost the meat ahead of time!

4. No credit cards - my goal is to be debt free other than the mortgage by Aug 7, 2012. My first commitment is to stop credit card use. I also need to find a few little areas to cut back spending. I have stuck to my budget for 5 months, now I need to get serious and find areas to trim.

5. Blog more – Twice a week. I will use Catherine’s suggestions. Wordless Wednesdays and Family /Funny Friday.

6. Drink more water – One full glass with my pills in the morning, 20 oz. at work, full glass when I get home, and a full glass before bed.

First week of every month I will check in and see how I am progressing!

Dad

2009-12-30T08:48:00.001-08:00

Sigh... this is a great photo taken of my dad at my brother's wedding. When I first saw the photo, I had tears come to my eyes.

Now that the day has unfolded, I have learned that an old high school friend's dad has passed away. I am grateful for a photo that has captured my father so well. Grateful more for the chance to tell my parents how much they mean to me and how much I love them.

Hold your family close and remember to tell them you love and value them.

2010

2009-12-27T19:22:00.001-08:00

Thinking forward...

I am starting to make a list of goals, I'm posting them here so I can find them and track them. January 1, 2010, I will come back and make these firm commitments or change them. For now I am musing.

1. Exercise more - I'd love to do once a day, but I have three kids... so I am setting a goal of 3 times a week.

2. Eat better - I'm not sure what that will look like. I will ponder for a few more days and then set a concrete goal.

3. No credit cards - my goal is to be debt free other than the mortgage by Aug 7, 2012. My first commitment is to stop credit card use. I also need to find a few little areas to cut back spending. I have stuck to my budget for 5 months, now I need to get serious and find areas to trim.

4. Cook better - this ties into #2. I need to spend a little more time planning so that we eat less pizza and cereal for supper. (Although I really like cereal for supper and so dos my son!)

5. Blog more - I am pleasantly surprised how therapeutic writing can be. I need to ponder on how much detail to give about the family as I am married to Mr. Private! I also need to be aware of FOIP when talking about students.

6. Drink more water.

What to do, what to do - The Flu

2009-10-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

So, I have been asked again and again if I am going to get the flu shot for myself and my children.

YES

I have done my research - not just listened to friends and the news.

This is what I have found.

WASH YOUR HANDS!! General hygeine is an extremely effective method in preventing transmission (this is true for all flus and colds).

http://www.gsk.ca/english/docs-pdf/Arepanrix_PIL_CAPA01v01.pdf

Read pages 22 and 23. You can read all the scientific info (especially if you have insomnia!) It contains good information regarding the side effects, studies done by the company and by others. It tells you that the dosage contains 2.5 MICRO grams of Thimerosal,a mercury derivative added as preservative.

Then I looked at the WHIMIS data for Thimerosal. Thimerosal: ORAL (LD50): Acute: 75 mg/kg [Rat]. 91 mg/kg [Mouse]. So that means that to kill an average of 50% of the rat population, they needed to ingest 75 mg/Kg. (A MICRO gram is 1/1000 of a mg.) Extrapolate the data and a 200lb peron would need to ingest almost 7 litres of Thimerosal to have a 50% chance of mortality. The dosage in the vacine is 0.0000003 of the estimated lethal dose. I get one, maybe two shots per year that have this as a preservative.

Tuna has 0.000118 (FDA website) - I eat tuna more than once a year.

World Health Organization

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/vaccine_preparedness/safety_approval/en/index.html

"Thiomersal does not contain methyl mercury, which is a naturally-occurring compound and whose toxic effects on humans have been well studied. Thiomersal contains a different form of mercury (i.e. ethyl mercury, which does not accumulate, is metabolized and removed from the body much faster than methyl mercury). " WHO - see above link.

As of 25 October 2009, worldwide there have been more than 440,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and over 5700 deaths reported to WHO. http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_10_30/en/index.html

Meanwhile, if you choose not to vaccinate yourself or your family. If you do get sick - please stay home and keep it contained!

So Thankful...

2009-10-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

What an amazing and busy year. I am so thankful for the love and support of my mom and dad - kids watching, painting, reapirs, advice on raising kids... the list goes on and on.

I am thankful for my amazing family. three very cool kids, and super-dad fantastic husband - three happly married sibs, new cousins - the family continues to expand and I couldn't be happier. I just wish we could all live closer!

A satisfying and challenging job that is bringing me joy this year (last year had me scared), I am sure I have found myself in the classroom again.

New and old friends - reconnections and strengthened connections.

A wonderful new house that is almost fully finished... two more weeks and I'll be able to park in the garage.

Life is good and I am thankful.

Paint and organize!!

2009-09-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Wednesday and Thursday we primed and painted the big bedroom in the basement. The chosen colour is BLACK - teenagers!! I was very resistant to the idea, giving in only because I remember wanting a black bedroom at the same age. Now that we have the first coat on, she is less sure and I LOVE IT!!

Today - buying hardware to put up a closet bar in the storage space under the stairs and bringing down the luggage to the same space. Then if all goes well (the three year old does not have a melt down) I will bring some shelves from the garage to the box room and see what can be moved down for storage. I am hoping I will be able to turn around in the garage with out getting a bike handle up the behind! Seriously we have six bikes, a wagon, and a pull along bike cart in addition to all our stored items!

Busy little bee

2009-09-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

I have decided that all my friends that write witty and amusing blogs are either much organized or dedicated than me. Finding the time to clear my mind and type is a challenge!

This weekend and last were spent driving and driving and driving!! To Wetaskawin and back on Friday and Saturday this weekend and last and an additional drive to the airport and out to Sylvan last Sunday. Coupled with a killer cold and daily tasks I was exhausted!! A few nights I was in bed before my little ones!

So onward up upward - the major goal for this week - other than keeping up will be to get the basement painted! I have ordered the carpet, so I really need to get moving!

2009-07-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

KISS IT!!

When my son was little we decided we didn't want to go broke buying band-aids. He had started a phase where he always had "owies" and wanted band-aids so We started to give him a quick hug and a kiss on the "owie" and off he would go. Some days he needed many kisses as everything seemed to hurt - other days he was a tough little guy. As he got older he needed the reassurance and comfort less and less.

When he was three and a half, I enrolled him in gymnastics a.k.a. super-hero training school! He is an energetic kid and this seemed perfect for him. I wanted him to learn to line-up without pushing or cutting in front of others, to listen to an instructor, I saw this as training for entering kindergarten.

In the beginning of the session, he had bumps and bruises from his "enthusiastic" behaviour and came to the side to visit me for his kiss and hug. As the session progressed so did his confidence and he came to me less often.

One day he was walking the balance beam and feeling pretty confident. OK, he was over confident. The next thing I see is my son falling on the balance beam - one leg to each side.

Yowl!!

We all heard the yowl! People in the next town heard the yowl!

He came running over to me, holding his favourite appendage and was yelling, "KISS IT!!"

Wow - never saw that coming. Kiss it? Here in front of all the people?

"KISS IT!!"

I blew kisses. Nope, not good enough.
I blew more kisses... nope.
I kisses him on the tummy, nope.
Lots of hugs, almost.

"Why won't you kiss it?"

Hmmm. "Hey, how about we go and get a candy from the machine?

"Candy?"

Phhew!

2009-07-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

i finally decided to enter the land of blog... so far so good.

i've always been curious about writing and let's face it - my kids provide me with tonnes of material. i am hoping that this writing format will provide me with a much needed outlet and a method of recording and capturing the hysterical (both funny and insane) moments in my life!