Showers.

Now, before you go judging me for posting about something twice *cough cough, A, cough cough* I need you to be informed that last time I posted about showering, I actually posted about cold showers and I am about to post about showers themselves so obviously they are quite different.
I'm thankful for showers. Why? Because, in these fifteen minutes, every day, something incredible happens: every day, in the shower, I can just think.
Now, this may sound weird, but hold on. See, when the rest of the world is gone, and there is nothing to think about (not even your clothing, teehee) you can just think. It's amazing. I'm sure I have just thought up the answer to world peace while showering... if only those thoughts would stay long enough to actually be put into action... oh well.
Anyway, this is a short post, so yeah...
Go shower people!
J

Viva la rose

I love the story behind "pink day".  I'm sure almost all of you know it but for those who don't - here we go! 
So apparently some guy wore pink one day to school and was treated horribly because of it.  He was teased and outright bullied because of his colour choice.  The next day, a group from the school wore pink and brought extra pink shirts for everyone to wear which completely shut the idiot bully up!  I love it when bullies are stopped.  There have been anti-bullying campaigns for as long as I remember but I actually think with all the celebrities and other big names pushing fair treatment of everyone, we may actually make a difference in this world.  I'm thankful for all those who are willing to go out of their way to stand up for those who are trodden on. 
Spread the love people, spread the love!  A.

Happy 100 Posts! And Almost Leap-Year (Almost).

This will be the 100th post on this blog.
What?
For some reason, this surprises me.
100 posts. Exactly. That is a lot of posts, guys.
Anyway, in the spirit of a special post, I have to blog about a special day, and what day is more special than leap year? None. So here it goes:
There are a lot of holidays out there.
Some of my favourites include Christmas, Easter, Hallowe'en (remember no judgement, A!) and my Birthday... oh and St. Patrick's Day.... and Valentine's.... and April Fools....
Anyway!
The lame thing about these holidays is that they happen every year.
Now, I'm only fifteen. A year is a long time for me. I've celebrated 15 Christmases, 15 Easters, 15 Hallowe'en and so on. But. But. 
Tomorrow will be just my fourth leap year, a year that only presents itself once every four years.
Now, a lot of you are probably take a more pessimistic view on this special day, "So what? It's just another day! No statutory holiday! Who cares!?" but what you don't realize is that this day only happens every four years! 
Very few people really understand how special this day is!
Most people of this generation will have about 90 Christmases, 90 Halloweens, 90 Easters... and some may even reach 100 or higher, but those people will only experience Leap Years Day about 20 or 25 times in their life! How incredible!

In most time zones, it is already Leap Years Day, however it isn't in mine yet, but I'm excited. Oh yeah, excited all right. Tomorrow, my friend's mother will turn the grand age of twelve, the exact age of her son. I find that really special, and I sometimes wish I had a birthday on Leap Years. How rare, to have a birthday on the most elusive day in all of humanity, how extraordinary.

So today, I'm thankful for leap year, even though many people don't care, I think it's special.
So ha.
J

Should I Be Concerned?

I'm writing my post early today because I don't want to forgot my topic - it's food again.  What's up with that?  Seriously, you'd think I'm an obese, food obsessed person!  (Food obsessed, maybe.  Obese - nope).

Today's mouth watering delicacy?  Greek yogurt.  Mmmmmm :)  I "discovered" greek yogurt not that long ago.  I'm not sure where it was hiding and why I hadn't tried it earlier - I've always been a fan of yogurt.  Now, I am truly a greek yogurt addict.  Yesterday I splurged on fresh berries (who are we kidding?  Fresh in Feb.?!).  Well, I splurged on berries and had them with my yogurt and granola this morning.  This will easily carry me through the day with a smile on my face.  Wow - should I be worried that food has this kind of power over me?  I may need to seek counseling!  A.

That Moment When You Are Certain You Are Going To Die Because You Are So Painfully Tired.

Sounds like and exaggeration?
It's not.
I've been through near death experiences before (I tend to be a reckless pedestrian), and I have had some pretty amazing moments, but none quite like this.
Hyperbole?
No way.
We've all had that moment when you are so tired, that your eyes hurt and you feel like you could just drop dead.
I guess a lot of people hate this.
Not me.
See, if you are anything like me, you would probably have A LOT of trouble falling asleep at night.
Things to do.
People to see.
New experiences to be had.
And yet, there I lay, uselessly in my bed.
Why?
Because biology tells me I need at least 8 hours of sleep to survive.
Sometimes, I get a little rebellious with my biology.
Oh yeah, challenge the system.
Always has these terrible consequences though....
Anyway, I'm thankful for that moment, when you lie down in bed, and you're instantly asleep.
Gone.
Into the realm of fantasies I wrote about in an earlier post.
No thinking, no random thoughts floating aimlessly through your brain.
It's good.
I guess, in a way, I like to be tired.
But... I like my sleep to.
And speaking of which, I'm going to go get some now!
Bonne soirée!
J

A, My last post was about productivity, while the other is about the moment when your homework is done, see, one is a generalized topic, while one is a particular moment/situation. Ha! (but I see where you're coming from *smiley face*)

We Pause This Show for an Advertisement

I warned you - I warned you that I would do a thankful blog on my new shoes.  Well today's the day. 

I "mile out" my running shoes about every six months.  Manufacturers have come miles in making shoes that last miles, but they still are not invincible.  After a certain amount of wear and tear, the support and cushioning is not what it should be to support a runner's body and it's time for new shoes.  And here comes the advertisement ....

Asics!  I've been assessed two or three times in my running lifetime and the "experts" always tell me to use Asics for my body type, foot type, foot strike, etc.  So now I don't even try on my new shoes, I just ask for my size and walk out with my new investment into my health.  Putting on those new running shoes is like putting on a fuzzy slipper and glove at the same time.  The support feels heavenly on my feet and stepping down on them is like stepping into cotton balls.  I swear I lose several minutes on my typical run just because my feet are so happy!  I know some runners can't wear Asics just like my feet complain when I try out New Balance or Adidas or something else.  They were made just for me and I'm tres thankful for my new shoes today (and for the next month or so until they get worn in too much).  A.

By the way J., your last post came dangerously close to copying a previous one (Hola Homework - early Feb.). 

Productivity, Efficiency, Capability.

That's our motto here at Jamie's brain enterprises!
We aim to be productive, efficient, and capable.
However, seldom that it is achieved, I'm thankful for days when I actually get stuff done.
Today, I managed to get up mere minutes before leaving for church, I got ready at church, and did my presentation. Later, at home, I cleaned my room, did all my laundry, and did a pile of homework. I even had time to watch the 84th Academy Awards (hooray!).
When I get things (oh, things... I hate that word...)
When I complete objectives, I have this wonderful feeling of euphoria... because.. well I don't know, but it's a really really good feeling.

I love feeling accomplished, knowing I made a goal and I completed it.

I also really really enjoyed doing my laundry today. Why? Dryers.
Flippin' drying machines make my life. I love when you open the door to check your clothing, and this cloud of heat radiates up from a black hole that leads to heaven.
Today, I actually climbed into the dryer and just kind of slept there like a house cat on the heap of cozy clothing, boy, it was nice!

Yeah, I had a pretty good day :)
Night folks!
J

Downed Walls

Today I am thankful for walls that are down.  Now you know I'm talking figuratively - broken walls are never good in the real world.  But today I'm appreciating when people show their vulnerability and let their walls down and show the world their true selves.  That's tough to do!  A friend did that tonight, shared something that was very heavy on his heart that was very difficult to open up about.  I feel so much closer to him and appreciate what he is going through because he allowed others to see through some walls he had built which weren't protecting anything at all except maybe his pride.  A dearest one also shared from her heart this morning and allowed people to see through into her real self.  That is so empowering to see others have the guts and courage to be real and not allow what others may perceive or believe to get in the way of being themselves.  Bring out the sledgehammers people, (and maybe a backhoe or two).  Things may get messy if more walls come down!  A.
(Good job on the chuckle-naming, J.  Very astute)

Challenge Accepted!

I happen to be one of those people who, the harder you push them, the better they do. It's something I'm thankful for, but it's not what I'm thankful for today.
Today I am thankful for the challenges themselves. I am the type of person who enjoys difficult things, I like to make challenges for myself, and I like to receive them from other people too.
I have a list that I make every year, a sort of new year's resolution, except there's seven of them... and they're more like goals than resolutions...
Anyway... A, I see you've challenged me to make a list of the different types of laughter, and to you I declare, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
*ahem*
The Different Types Of Laughter:
There's the infectious giggle.
The snort.
The smirk-but-kind-of-laugh.
The fake smile-and-laugh.
The high-pitched elegant, but not over-the-top laugh of someone impressive.
The WAY too high pitched laugh of very FAKE popular girls.
The chuckle.
The sarcastic "ha."
The "pfffft"
The smile and silent "heh" when you're thinking about the good times of the past.
The mind-laughter you have when you're silently making fun of someone in your head.
The dumbfounded laugh you let out when someone boring says something hilarious.
The LOL
The laugh that you fake when: someone tells a joke that isn't funny and/or you didn't get it.
The twisted-half-smile-laugh when someone tells a dirty joke.
The mountain of slowly building laughs that occurs only when you're in a group of friends at a time that you're probably not supposed to laugh, which normally leads to the:
Laugh of pure pain when your ribs start to hurt because everything is so flipping hilarious, which leads to:
Rolling On The Floor Laughing (ROFL) which finally leads to:
The silent fit of laughter when everything is so funny, you just sit there with tears of laughter rolling down your face, with your mouth wide open, silently clapping like a demented seal.

So there,
J

Laughter

Today I am thankful for a good laugh.  You know those people who have infectious laughs?  Those laughs you hear across a room and can't help but giggle along?  I wish I had a laugh like that.  There aren't many who have been blessed by the kind of chuckle that creates a wave of hysterics clear across a room.  Someone should name the different kinds of snickers (project for you - J).  There's the laugh the comes straight from the belly, deep and full of substance.  Then there's the cackle that almost sounds like a bird or a witch from a fairy tale.  My favourite is a child's giggle which starts quietly and unobtrusively and grows into a full blown laugh which can't be stopped (often accompanied by hiccups).  I'm thankful for those wonderful chortlers who make my day :)  A.

Oh, Cleanliness

Today I cleaned my room.
Oh Hallelujah! The heavens themselves have opened!

Actually though,  I'm a typical teenager when it comes to my room. I clean it.. eh... about three times a week, always messy though, always.
It's super annoying.

But today, like many other occasions, I managed to clean it pretty well.
It's nice to look at, sort of.. dizzying.

And, in another creative spurt, I've added some nice decor to the walls (odd flip-flops can be very nice!)

I'm too tired to go on.
Goodnight,
J

Running

I know J. already blogged about this but I don't think there are any rules about us being thankful about the same things, we just can't individually blog about the same thing twice.

I've been sick.  Soooooo sick.  I've tried to get my runs in here and there but they have been pathetic, sorry little runs.  For those who know me, running is an integral, essential part of my day.  Without a decent run, I become quite whiny and difficult to be around.  So I've probably not been a ray of sunshine in the last while.  BUT (big but) today I felt strong enough to try a longer run and I didn't have to take walk breaks every ten minutes.  It felt so good!  There's nothing like the feeling of finishing a good run all sweaty, empty yet exhilarated,  sore but proud.  It felt good to have one of those runs again.  Oh - and I bought a new pair of shoes (which probably helped the run greatly - physiologically and psychologically).  But that's a whole new topic - must remember to write on that someday.  A.

Dreams!

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet! Oh wait- Have I?
Hope not, because I'm going to blog about them anyway.

Ahem!
Dreams people. Dreams.
Reveries.
Specters.
Fantasies.
Hallucinations.
Chimeras.
Fool's Paradise.

I think that last one could not be more accurate.

I love dreams.
I think that I am specially gifted -
No, not gifted, but lucky.
Yeah, lucky, that I can remember almost all of my dreams (for a while, anyway).
When you remember your little 'chimeras' (I've never heard that one before, I like it), sleep is no longer sleep. Sleep becomes this magical land, where absolutely every bizarre thing that your mind can conjure dwells and thrives. It's a Narnia, a Hogwarts, Alice's Wonderland, Emerald City, and a  Citàgazze, all blended up and baked into this clever device known as a brain.

I've dreamt up some strange things in my fifteen years on Earth, it's kind of incredible.
Sometimes, I can remember more than one dream, that's kind of amazing too.

One day, I'll post one of my dreams in detail, so that you can all see how marvellously messed up my brain is at night.

I'm off to explore some mystical realms, I'll come back after a successful reality check!
YAY CHIMERAS!
(doesn't that sound like a type of Mexican food to anyone?)
J!

Big Steps of Faith

My baby girl princess is taking a big step this weekend.  I've been watching her growth over the last year or two and it's always so exciting when she takes a big giant step forward and demonstrates her belief and determination to stick with her faith.  I'm so proud and so very thankful for her and the journey she's on.  A.

My Window

It's a gorgeous day today.  Too gorgeous of a day to be stuck inside.  But if I must be stuck inside working, I'm thankful for my window.  I have a very large, bay window in my classroom and from it I can overlook a field which usually has two or three horses in it, a rustic yet beautiful log church and the lake.  I'm really very fortunate to have this view from my class - I don't take it for granted! 
Now that I'm thinking of it (and starting to get all profound) I can also see a septic transfer station, a very run down gas station and a parking lot.  But I think we can make the choices to see what we want to see out of our windows.  Those horses are really enjoying the sun today - I can just feel them soaking up the rays.  The sky is so incredibly blue and it makes the brightness of the snow on the lake that much more brilliant.  Sometimes there are a lot of vehicles parked at that log church because it tends to get used for funerals a lot but today there are just a few vehicles there.  Maybe a paid pastor but probably more volunteers giving of themselves and their time for a worthy cause. 
I'm thankful for what I'm seeing out my window today.  May your windows all bring you sights that make you thankful too!  A.

Reminiscing On Them Good Times :)

This is going to be a short post, because I'm so tired that I'm about to collapse into fits of spasmodic activity.

I'm thankful for the past.
I'm thankful that (for the most part) I can look back and smile.
I'm a very nostalgic person, and even though it often gets the better of me, I'm glad for it.

A, I just finished my testimony, so I'm going to go die and/or sleep now!
J

Fireplaces

As much fun as yesterday's post of "things I'm thankful I'm not" was, I'll stick to what I'm truly thankful for.
After supper today, I mentioned that I was a little chilly.  My awesome, phenomenal, thoughtful husband immediately built a fire for me.  When we built our house, we had a brief discussion/ disagreement on whether we should go with a gas fireplace or wood burning.  I won't go into the reasons for and against each one but suffice it to say, we went with the wood burning fireplace.  (I also won't say which side I was for).  We enjoy our fireplace so much.  No matter how hard manufacturers work to create natural looking fires through unnatural means, there is nothing like the crackle of the wood and the dancing flames to make a person thankful.  Thus - my thankfulness of the day!  A.

A New Way to be Thankful!

On the way home tonight, I was thinking about what I should blog about and I started noticing things I was thankful were not in my life.  Is that legal J?  I hope so - here goes:
*  I'm thankful I'm not a truck driver
*  I'm thankful I'm not in the hospital
*  I'm thankful I'm not mad at anyone
*  I'm thankful I don't work nights
*  I'm thankful I don't have to work away from my family
*  I'm thankful I'm not having a baby right now
*  I'm thankful I'm not bald
*  I'm thankful I don't live where there are hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanoes (although it would be pretty wild to experience something like that just once - as long as I live through it).
*  I'm thankful I'm not a fish
*  I'm thankful I don't have to grow/ kill/ catch everything I eat
Boy - I think I could go on forever!  We should do a year's worth of things we're thankful we're not, J!  (By the way J. - a lifetime of Saturdays?  What a way to think about eternity - I like it!).  A.

Spurts Of Bizzare Creativity!

First off:
My "Profound Thought Of The Day" is: A, imagine when this life is over... and everyday is Saturday.... just saying, we could eat as much bacon as possible and never be fat!
Second:
As my glorious title obviously stated, I'm thankful for my random bursts of creative awesomeness! Not their potential and unwanted side effects though... but let me get there.
If you know me well, you might understand the way my brain works.
No wait - Even I don't understand the way my brain works....We'll say that you would know how life goes for me...
I'm a phase person. I go through these weird phases. Last year, I went through I metalwork phase, a woodwork phase, a painting phase, a writing phase, a duct tape phase, a photography phase, a knitting phase AND a guitar phase.
Yes... duct tape.
Seriously though, one day I'm really into something, and the next day I'm just not. It's weird.
but- BUT!
The outcomes of these hobbies can be so nice!
When I look around my room, I see my own paintings, photos, carvings... and this super awesome pattern of colourful duct tape on my roof (understand now?) and a scarf that I made myself (Ravenclaw themed [from Harry Potter] because I'm a nerd).
AND (drumroll please!) the newest member:
I'm laying on what I have lovingly named the 'Pillow Of Gods'.
Tonight, while cleaning my room, I found this soft baby blanket I bought on a road trip last year. It didn't really have any sentimental value, but it was just too soft to throw out!
So... I looked around and realized that it was the perfect size to make a pillowcase with... so now I have the best pillow ever.
Also, I have a new little box (for keeping my makeup and other things in probably)... it was just a shoebox...  but now it's a shiny silver shoebox! And that old pair of flats that I found? They're now silver and shiny too!
See I found this can of metallic spray paint and... well yeah :)
I sprayed them in the garage but (stupidly) brought them back to my room too early.... now my room is fume-filled and a bit unpleasant to breathe in.

ANYWHO
I'm thankful for my whimsical craze-phases.
Yahah!

Saturdays!

It's obvious but since I have to find 365 things to be thankful for this year, I'm afraid some of them will have to be obvious.  I'm thankful for Saturdays.  Especially Saturdays when everyone is home and we have no big commitments.  Sure, there are still the usual things to be done around the house but we have all day to do them and if we want to take a break to do something else, we can!  We can sleep in, over-indulge in a big "Saturday only" breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs, get things done that have been begging for attention all week, and end the day with a family movie night (yes J., family movie nights are wonderfully special).  Pretty sweet way to finish off a week.  We could use more Saturdays in a week - hmmmm, whom should we talk to about that?   A.

Family :)

I took a sick day today, as you already know, I was a non-instructional day, so I didn't have to go to school, and my wonderful co-worker offered to take my shift. Instead of school or work, I spent the day playing the piano, cutting my hair and walking my loyal dog.
It was kind of like a Sunday on a Friday.
My little sister left today, for a town a few hours away with a friend of hers for a volleyball tournament, and since my dad is away on work, it was just me and my mom.
She got home from her work, complete with a frozen pizza, around 6:30.
While she put it in the oven, she suggested that I find a movie to watch while we ate.
We ended up watching Breaking Dawn Part 1 on "Shaw On Demand".
If you know me, you would know that I'm not really a Twilight fan, and that I normally wouldn't mention it on this blog, but watching it with my mom put something new into perspective for me. I guess I realized that, just because I say I don't like something, doesn't mean I have to hate it and it also doesn't mean that my own opinion can't change. My friends would probably tease me if I said I watched Twilight with my mom during the long weekend, but I realize that it doesn't matter, because I don't really care. I enjoyed watching Breaking Dawn with my mommy, sue me.

It's nice to have a family. To have people who you can just be yourself with. No makeup, sweatpants and messy hair while chowing down on pizza kind of lets you forget about the stereotypes that we work so hard to keep up with. It's frightening to realize how quickly you can forget who you really are, but I'm thankful that I have my family to turn to.

Goodnight,
J

Passionate Experts

Today was a pro-d day (professional development day for those non educators out there).  It's a day to improve on our skills as teachers and support staff.  Now normally I'm at "stay in the class" kind of gal.  I wish people would leave me alone and let me do my job.  But every once and awhile someone comes along with a new concept or even an old concept revisited which makes a lot of sense and causes me to re-evaluate the way I teach.  Today was one of those days. 

The presenter of the workshop I signed up for has dedicated her career to teaching other educators about this method of learning.  It's backed up by huge amounts of scientific research and is being practiced in classes world wide.  It's one of those things that makes you think "now why didn't I think of that?". 

But anyway, it's not the topic of the workshop that I'm thankful for today (although I will do my best to put it into practice immediately!), it's the presenter of this workshop and many others like it.  I appreciate when someone finds something they believe in and practice what they preach.  They don't just do it lip service, they actually dedicate large chunks of their lives to help others catch their passion.  I think it's a true testimony to what we believe if we're willing to share those thoughts and beliefs with others instead of hoarding the precious information to ourselves.  I'm thankful for those out there who can't wait to share their wisdom and expertise with others.  Thank-you for your time and dedication in making the world a better place!  A.

Kick back and relax!

So, hey.
Guess what!?
I'm sick.
I haven't been sick in almost a year, and yes, I remember every time I get sick.
If I could eliminate one section of my life, it would be sickness.
I hate feeling stuffy and claustrophobic, it actually drives me insane. I also hate my lack of energy and having to lie around all day. I was not meant to be lazy, that I can tell you for certain.

But.

I do like to relax sometimes.
Sometimes.
So tonight, in the spirit of sickness, I curled up on the couch with a bag of cough drops (I ate them all and now I need more *frowny face*), then I poured a steaming hot bath, made some NeoCitran™, lit some candles and grabbed some immune system boosters (I don't know what they actually are, my mom told me to take them) and then... Did them all at once!
A candle-lit bath, complete with NeoCitran™ and "Immune System Boosters"... I'm lucky that I didn't fall asleep!

I am so thankful for all of those things (especially the drugs... just saying)

Hopefully, my quadruple whammy will knock this stupid cold right out of my system and "Straight to the moon Alice!" I don't know what that is either, my Nana says it a lot...)
I'm feeling a lot better, and I can breathe again!
So hopefully (fingers crossed) I can get back to my normal, whatever my normal is... tomorrow, after a good night's sleep and even sleeping in (I haven't slept in for over a month due to my work schedule, but there's no school tomorrow, so this is pretty exciting - I need my beauty sleep people!)

Haha, I am so bizarre...
Good thing you love me... right?
RIGHT!?
I love you all!
(even when I'm sick!)
J

I Must Be Hungry

Today's post is about food too (just like yesterday's).  I'm not abnormally hungry - I'm not sure why I have two food posts in a row.  Quite frankly, I'm amazed that I've managed to wait 1 1/2 months to post this one.  Today I'm thankful for chocolate!  (Yes, I waited 46 days to tell you this).

We had two chocolate dishes for supper tonight.  And no, we did not have dessert for dinner.  I found a recipe for chocolate pork chops and a chocolate/ balsamic dressing on spinach and pears.  You couldn't really taste the chocolate but just knowing it was there made it all the more delicious!  Now that I know chocolate is essential for breakfast, snacks, desserts and main meals - I'm overjoyed!  A.

Woah There Friend! You Might Need To Slow Down!

Where'd you go?
I miss you so..
Seems like it's been forever;
 that you've been gone...

If you're unfamiliar with this tune, it's called Where'd You Go, by Fort Minor.
*caution* this chanson may contain foul language!
I still love it... why?
I love slow songs.
Only at certain times of the day.... or week, or year.

I like slow music.
It's just nice :)

I also like them because they tend to sound more lovely on the piano, yeah man; I rock the keys.

The thing about me and slow songs, is that if I really like them, I'll listen to them....
over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again until I find a new one.

So yeah...
Yeah that's it..
Bye...
J

Manna from Heaven

There is a treat I allow myself only on rare occasions.  There is absolutely no nutritional value to these morsels of delight which is why it is not a regular part of my diet.  I'm talking about Salt & Vinegar Chips.  They have been my favourite flavour for as long as I can remember.  I nibbled on a handful tonight and savoured every salty, tangy bite.  I wouldn't put that combination of condiments on any other food item except deep fried potato chips.  I mean, really - salt and vinegar as a combination?  Only on chips my friend, only on chips.  And I'm thankful for those artery clogging treats today.  A.

Illegitimate Excuses

So, as promised, I'm writing two blogs today because I was physically incapable last night.
 You heard me.
I forgot what I was going to right about.
You heard me.
Last night I couldn't blog because I was too busy online shopping.
You heard me.
Just kidding, I wasn't online shopping.
My excuse is that, in the winter, my hands get really really really badly chapped, and sometimes they crack and bleed. I know, it's gross. It's true though. So yesterday, I was just chilling, minding my own business when BAM! The palm of my right hand just started bleeding!
So last night, I went on to post a blog, but my right hand had a nice thick coating of vaseline and was wrapped up in a giant cloth, and it's kind of hard to type like that....
So that's why I didn't post a blog last night.

Ha.
J

Valentine's Day

Oh hey! Didn't see you there!
Probably because visions of sugarplums were dancing through my hea-
wait... what!
Wrong holiday!
I'm thankful for Valentine's Day! Even though I'm not as "non-conforming" as A, I do try to mix it up (and when I say mix it up, I mean not be super over dramatic about Valentine's) a little bit. I did pass out valentines to a few certain people (and to people who begged for one because they loved the picture so much). What I love about The Day Of Love, is that you can be romantic, mushy, over-the-top poetic and spin what ever kind of love-crap comes out of your brain and not be judged for it! Today we gave a standing ovation to some random dude as he gave flowers to his dudette... he then bowed to us profusely, it was pretty funny.
But honestly, have you ever noticed that Valentine's Day is never a bad day, maybe it's the copious amounts of chocolate running on high in our blood streams...

No matter what you did for Valentine's, I sure hope it was good because now you have to wait 365 (it's a leap year) for it to come again!

love always (especially today!)
J

Board Games

Tonight we played a board game.  It was fun - I didn't lose and I didn't win.  The winner won graciously and the loser didn't act like a loser.  I think growing up playing board games helps you play the game of life better (notice I didn't capitalize that - therefore I'm not referring to the actual board game of Life, I'm alluding to the actual process of living life).  It's really important to learn how to be a great winner and a great loser.  Kudo's to the makers of fun board games and the lessons they teach us.
(If you are talking about the word "journaling" J, I checked it several times and it's spelled with one "l".  Or did I misspell another word too?).  A.

dear anyone

i promise to write two blogs tomorrow because i have one in mind, but I'm almost completely unable to type right now...
p.s. A, you have a spelling error in your last post, and that chocolate dessert was rather delectable!
J

Rising to the Occasion

This will be a very cryptic post today.  It's more of a journaling exercise for me than informational for you, I think.

Today I'm thankful for maturity when I least expected it.  I had the dilemma of making a decision that didn't necessarily have a right or wrong answer and I then had to uphold that decision by making an ultimatum (did I mention this might not make complete sense today?).  I wasn't sure how the person on the receiving end of the decision would react but after a brief time of pulling away and reflection, we were able to discuss the issue and the aforementioned recipient of the consequence accepted the verdict with a maturity I did not expect.  Even though at this point we are agreeing to disagree, we are both moving on and accepting how things turned out.  I appreciate that - it gives me pride (not in myself!).

Oh, and by the way, I'm also extremely thankful for a great chocolate dessert after a delightful supper with a special person.  And I reserve all rights to use chocolate as a thankful blog on some other date.  A.

Summer :)

I was going to write a *heart* symbol, buuuuttt...
They don't let me use the "less than" symbol for some weird reason...
Quel queers.

So you'd think that with all this mushy, over-the-top, lovey-dovey family stuff I've been posting recently, that I've been frolicking carelessly through fields and having picnics with cucumber sandwiches and pink-lemonade.
But no.
I've been stuck in that same ol', same ol' regimented schedule that runs my life.
Mind you, I don't mind the timetable, but I'd rather be wearing aviators and blowing bubbles off of a cruiser bicycle... if ya know what I mean GURLFRANN.

I'm really starting to miss green luscious grass, cool breezes, black licorice ice-cream, days by the lake, late nights by the fire, outdoor concerts, long-boarding,  fireworks, road-trips, weird indie-summer playlists,  spontaneous shopping sprees, tank-tops, and the feeling of life that poises itself in the air that is just unmatchable.

I'm really, super, extraordinarily, uncontrollably excited for summer.
And it's February.
what. the. heck. 

So yeah, all those things I mentioned above?
That's what I'm thankful for today, something to look forward to, right?

So long!
:o

Now it's time for so-long,
But we'll sing just one more song,
Thanks for doing your part!
You sure are smart!
You know, with me and you and my dog Blue...
We can do anything... that we wanna do!

J

Northern Fun

We had a wonderful day today for which I am thankful.  Want to know what we did?  Well of course you do or you wouldn't be reading this! 

We went sledding.  For those of you who aren't northerners, sledding does not refer to tobogganing, it refers to snowmobiling.  It was such a gorgeous day and we took full advantage of it.  We spent time on the lake,  tried out some trails into the cliffs and forests and ended up at the end of the lake where we went miles down a creek.  My machine behaved beautifully.  She was very happy to "burn some carbon" and show everyone else how fast she could go.  My sled and I understand each other.  She hasn't had much time out this year yet so she was really happy to let go.

We finished off the day with a wiener roast.  We haven't had an outside wiener roast since .... well Christmas.  I know that's not that long ago but it was a great way to finish off a fabulous day.  There were so many other things I probably should have been doing but sometimes it's important to let everything wait while you seize the moment and take advantage of a phenomenal day.  Carpe diem!  A.

Silly Dads (Part 1)

This post isn't going to be as long as it deserves, so I'm writing a bit, then I'll write some more later.
I'm thankful for dads, specifically the sillier ones.
Today was one of my great friends' birthdays, and she was sick.
Being the amazing person that I am, I went to visit her after work. When I got there, her dad opened the door and oh-so-lovingly said "we didn't ask for you!"
A bit later, after singing happy birthday, he turns to my friend and says "only two years until you can leave!" followed by a justifying high-five.
To some, this would sound mean, but this is just her dad's way of being a dad.
My dad isn't particularly silly (except for when he goes around singing Ke$ha songs)but I still admire him! Dads are pretty brave characters!

That's all I have to say for now!
J

To be continued...

Bleach

I'll admit it - I'm a closet bleach user.  I love the smell, I love that everything it touches is disinfected and I love that all germs are gone!  (Which is the same as saying disinfected but it's so important it's worth saying two times).  Once (don't read this part J.) I even tried it on my hair.  I was young, someone told me it would turn my hair a lovely blond.  I only did one strand - I was going for the streaked look.  Oh boy was it!
Back to my main topic of the day.  Today I bleached my house - door handles, cupboard doors, telephones, TV remotes, pretty much anything anyone sick (me) has touched in the last week.  Now the house is officially healthy so I will be too!  Do your stuff oh potent liquid!  A.

Don't Pop My Bubble

We had family night tonight.  A cousin from the big city came to job hunt.  Apparently he can make up to three times as much doing the same job here in our small community as he makes in the big city (where he can't find work).  I know that our home town would not appeal to many people (his wife for one) but to me it has so much to offer.  I like that I can get from one destination to any other in less than twenty minutes.  It's special that our children are growing up in the same neighbourhood as I did.  They say our particular area is in a bubble right now as the rest of the world is in an economic slump and we are thriving.  So today, I'm thankful that I live in my little idealistic world where I'm choosing to ignore that we also have drug wars and corrupt business men and rough winters (and no Costco - gasp!!!).   Let me live in my dream - don't pop my bubble :)  A.

ORANGE You Glad I Didn't Say BANANA!?

So here is a little anecdote to describe what I am thankful for today:

Upon arriving home at (yeesh) 9 o'clock this evening, I announced to my mommy that I was going to have a shower, as I do every night. Using her mother-knowledge, she knew I hadn't eaten very much and therefore proclaimed: "Not until you eat young lady!" So, I reached into the fruit bowl, grabbed two oranges and ran to the bathroom. As usual, she used her mother-hawk-eye and spotted me instantly.
"You're going to eat those in the shower!?" She called after me.
"Yep!" I called back sarcastically.
But being the weird being that I am, I thought "Hey, why not eat them in the shower, I can save some time and get to bed earlier!"
Into the shower I ventured, oranges and all.
I regret nothing.
It was like a tropical sensation!

So that is the story of my shower tonight.
The moral of the story?
I'm really weird.
Who in the world thinks of eating oranges in the shower?
Well, apparently I do!

So I'm thankful for my own weirdness.
Because weirdness leads to creativity, which leads to discovery!
Now I know that if I want to eat oranges in the shower, it won't be a terrible experience...

So yeah.
Party on, party rockers. Party on.
J

Posies and Tunes

I have two things I'm thankful for today! 

The first is flowers.  My husband also refuses to conform (read my last post).   We both feel it's pretty ridiculous to celebrate your true love on one day a year (on one specific day to be exact).  So he usually gets me flowers sometime around Valentines Day but almost never on Valentines Day.  I love that about him.  I got the most beautiful arrangement today.  And not one rose in it!  It took many years but he finally heard me when I said I wasn't all that crazy about roses.  Tropical flowers - yes.  Spring flowers - yes.  Exotic flowers - yes.  Roses - not so much!  This is a beautiful arrangement (did I mention that already?).

I'm also thankful for new songs.  Inspired songs.  Songs that you want to sing along with again and again and again.  I'm thankful for the artists who write those songs, for YouTube for making it easy to learn them and for great teams who come along side me, learn them and embrace them along with me.   If you want a song running through your gray matter for the next week, comment to either princess J. or myself and we'll let you know which one I'm talking about.  A.

OOOHHH I Don't Feel Like Blogging, No Sir, No Blogging Today!

So, ha!

Early Valentines Toast

I'm against conforming.  I will not post a lovey blog on Valentines because it's what is expected.  So I'll do it now and maybe on Valentines Day I can blog about how I'm thankful for mud or something (not really - it's not a passion of mine).
I'm very thankful for my husband of many years.  He takes care of me when I'm sick (right now - argh I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired!!!) and works so hard to provide for our family.  I made a list once when I was a teenager of all the things my future husband would have to be or not be.  My man obviously didn't read that list!  He is some of the things I thought I wouldn't want in a life long partner and he doesn't have some of the qualities I thought were utterly important.  And yet someone, we're a perfect fit!  He is truly my best friend and after all these years I still love seeing the sight of him when he comes home.  I love you forever, hon! xo   A.

Robots In Disguise!

I hope that you read the title of this post the way I said it in my head, the Transformers way. If you know what I mean, mega props man, mega props.

Anyways, today I'm thankful for technology!
I find it amazing that I can lie right here in my bed, and write a blog post from my phone! Then it becomes viewable to the whole world! Right with the press of a button.. Er.. Touch screen. People say that just because I'm young, technology shouldn't be a surprise to me, because I grew up with it! That's the really interesting thing about technology though, it's always changing! Go humans!

So I'm thankful for the new things in this world, the ever changing rate in which technology advances, and my supercomputer telephone that (hopefully) one day will be the new Optimus Prime.

Go humans!

J

No Title

I didn't give you a title because I figured anything I write may come across as... creepy.

Today, I'm thankful for my gym teacher.
I may just love her.
Before this semester, I had heard a lot terrible things about her, and I was a bit apprehensive to be in her class.
No.

I admire her a little bit. Yes, she is a bit strict, but nothing compared to past teachers.
I think I hold her in high regard because I fear her.

Every single person that I have serious amounts of respect for, I have always feared.
People like my old volleyball coach, or my boss? I'm deeply afraid of them, and because of that I give them mad props.

Back to my gym teacher!
I actually think she's kind of cool.
She's taking 40 students to Vancouver in May.
I'm sooo down for that trip.
And I think she's a good teacher!
So far at least, I've only had her a week and a half.

The one bad thing about having gym in the morning, is that I'm red until the afternoon.
That's one of the worst things about being ginger is that after ten minutes of activity BAM. Beet red.
I happen to be rather competitive.
So 'going easy' in gym class is no option.
I scored two out of three goals today in soccer.
WUTUP.

So. Yeah.
J

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you smell it?  I just pulled a batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.  I'm about to pop one of those ooey gooey "melt in your mouth" delicacies as soon as I'm done this post.  With milk of course (think back approximately one month ago - thankful item of the day was milk).  No time to chat, must snack!  (And then apparently join princess J. for a run to work off the cookie!).  A.

Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle YEAH!

Today, I finally ran again!

If you have known me for five minutes, you would know that I am incredibly hyper-active. I am a non-stop machine from dawn till dusk everyday, and sometimes, from dusk till dawn too.
So I try to spend a fair amount of time burning off all this pent up energy by running, well at least I used too. I used to run for four or five hours a week. And then (dun dun dunnn) one day I just stopped.
Today I ran for the first time in a month and a half.
It was a much needed endorphin rush!

It felt so good to just move again!

I'm thankful for running, and energy, and just plain movement.

Definitely getting back into my running pattern.
P
R
O
N
T
O

SEEYA KIDDOS!
J

If it ain't broke ...

I've noticed a trend lately in music, movies and television.  Truly brilliant people are reviving the oldies.  Tried and true television series, hit movies and music that never gets old are being remade or even just brought back from the dead.  We've been enjoying the old war series "Hogan's Heroes" and the priceless "Beverly Hillbillies".  You can't beat that humour!  Some of the music I rocked to as a teenager, my daughter is now rocking to!  (She doesn't know they are remixes, she thinks they are original.  Don't tell her or they won't be cool any more).   Tonight on the Super Bowl (do you know where I'm going with this?  Do you?) the half time show was Madonna!!!  How's that for reviving something from the past?  I thought she was great.  I'm thankful that things I enjoyed when I was growing up, my kids can now be enjoying with me all over again.  Diiiiiis-missed!   (y'all come back now, ya hear?). A.

So thankful and grateful for them

This is hockey tournament weekend.  For anyone who knows me, you will know that on a list of 10 best things I'd like to do on a weekend, a hockey tournament rates at about a -43.  So in the spirit of finding something to be thankful for every day and every moment, I've discovered the best part of hockey.  The volunteers!  I'm sure this is true in every sport but it seems to be that community sports would be extinct if it weren't for volunteers.  From the mom selling 50/50 draw tickets to the coaches; from the first aid parent to the volunteer in charge of goodie bags for the kids.  It can be overwhelming to see how many people are involved in putting on a weekend tournament.  I'm very thankful for those people who see a need and jump in to fill it.  You are greatly appreciated!  A.

Walking On Sunshine!

Today I am super super SUPER thankful for something I've mentioned before, but never actually wrote a post about, so it's still legit.

I wanna play a game.
No this isn't Saw, but you are going to guess what I'm thankful for!
Or if you'd like to cheat, you can just skip to the part where we reveal this magical item!

So, it's... small.
Soft.
Comfortable.
Comes in a pair...
Has a native name..
Made of... rabbits?

Yes! They are my mukluks.
They are an invention of God for sure.
I don't know if I could safely survive the winter without 'em!

Cuz' I haven't for the past fourteen years ya know.

They're so soft I could sleep with them.

I should name them!
Now that I think of it... I can't believe I haven't yet.

Okay!
Commence thinking motion!
GOOOO!
bye bye!
J

Ditto!

I signed on knowing exactly what I was going to write today and see that J. already wrote it as yesterday's post!  But mine will show up above hers so it will look like I wrote it first, unless you look at dates or understand how this whole post thing works.  Then I'm hooped!

Anyway, before J. stole my idea, I was going to write about how great it is to finish your "list of things to do".  I had a long list of marking, planning and photocopying this afternoon.  It was so tempting to put it off and try to get it done this weekend but I persevered and buckled down to do it and was triumphant!  And J. is right.  It sure feels great to get that stack of work done and out of the way.  Kind of like you conquered Mt. Everest or discovered some important thing.  I'm thankful for a workload done and out of the way.  Enjoy your weekend!  A.

Say Hola To Homework!

No hola hello - hola goodbye!

I love that moment when all your homework is done, and you can pat yourself on the back and say "Wow, I am a model student. I am AWESOME".

It's truly one of the best feelings in the world.

I also love the beginning of the month!
See, I give myself a sort of allowance, at the beginning of every month...
So right now, I feel kind of rich...
That's also good.


Another good thing is funny teachers.
The really cool, charismatic ones.
I have a few of those... I kind of like them... a lot.

One last good thing?
Sleep.
I think you know what I'm thinking...
yeah - you do...
Hola world!
Not hola hello, hola goodbye!
J

British Baristas and Italian Chefs

When I'm sick, I get weird cravings.  No, I am not pregnant, J!!!  The cold germs in my body make me salivate for interesting combinations of food.  Usually it's pretty simple - salt & vinegar chips.  Today I was craving London Fogs and Caesar Salad.  So of course I had to give in temptation.  What else does one do?  Aren't you supposed to feed a cold?  And you don't want to make a cold angry so you feed it what it wants!  It's only common sense. 
The London Fog was delicious (one extra pump of vanilla syrup - taste buds aren't working so well) and I'll admit that I picked the dressing laden leaves of Romaine lettuce out of the salad.  It's a good thing I can't smell or I'd realize I probably have horrific garlic breath. 
The combination of tea and salad hasn't made me any more healthy but it made my happy!  Oh, and thankful - and that's what this blog is all about - evermore thankful :)  A.

Shakespeare, Woodsworth, Poe and 11 year olds who have found their voice

Today I had a coffee shop in my grade six classroom.  We've been working on poetry for a month and today was the day to bring in our parents (and others) and share our home made poetry with them.  The kids were very excited about the coffee and snacks (oh yes - we had coffee.  Starbucks would be jealous we had so many options!) but I was having to force most of them to share just one eenzy, weenzy poem with the group.  By the time each one had a turn and I allowed for volunteers to share second or third poems, we had to keep going double the time we had already gone.  Everyone was suddenly thrilled to share their poetic thoughts!  It reaffirms in my mind and teaching practice and life practice that sometimes we need a little (or big -  "do it or you fail" push) to take that leap of sheer terror and try something new.  Most of us will find out that it's no so bad after all, some will sigh in relief and try it again and some will embrace the new found skill and not let go!  So watch out world, I've just released 30 new budding poets who are going to take the world by storm.  A.  (good to see you back J.  You had me concerned!)