In-laws (yes... in-laws)

Well we are technically on our trip but on a short stopover at the "family in the city" before we leave for our tropical destination.  It's always so good to visit with my husband's brother and his family.  They are so kind and gracious to us.  If I forgot to pack anything (hypothetically speaking), she rushes me into the city to get anything I might need.  If we have a birthday in the family, they pick the perfect restaurant to go to that embarrasses him sufficiently that we are all happy.  They quite literally put their own lives on hold to cater to us, their guests.  It's always a joy to come visit and even though we're heading somewhere much warmer and sunnier, I miss these guys once we leave.  I'm thankful for my family-in laws today.  (Oh and one more thing they do - they are planning on getting up at 4:00 a.m. to drive us to the international airport!!!  Now there's love!).  I hope your trip is going spendidly, J.  Miss you!  A.

Automatic Car Washes

When I was a kid, I used to love watching the bubbles slide over the windows of our car as we drove through the automatic car wash.  I still enjoy it!  The side blasters make you feel like your vehicle is going to take off; the rainbow coloured bubbles mix and merge into techno-coloured patterns which are eventually washed away by the next blast from the ultimate "water gun" machine.  And the best thing?  You sit entertained in your vehicle while all the work is done for you!  You've gotta love that!  Now if they could only make washing clothes and dishes that entertaining :)  A.
(We leave on holidays tomorrow.  There may be a bit of a break but I'll try to touch base as often as possible).

Crockpots

I had a busy day today.  A run till you drop kind of day.  When I have days like this, I always try to think ahead and get supper into the crock pot before I get started on my marathon.  Today we came home later than I anticipated (of course - it was that kind of day) and entered the house to the aroma of honey garlic pork tenderloin.  I am NOT blogging about food, I'm blogging about cooking food!  It's so handy to be able to do your preparation in the morning, leave it all day and come home to a meal, waiting to be devoured (which, once again, I am not going to talk about).  It was a good invention someone created.  Must have been a busy mom who thought of this one!  This busy mom is signing off - hope your trip is going well, J.!  A.

Time Off (for good behaviour?)

J. didn't mention the reason she hasn't slept in 3 days.  She's heading to Costa Rica!  In fact, she's probably just boarding the plane as I write this.  So don't expect to hear from her much in the next two weeks.

That's kind of what my blog is about today - time off.  For reasons too complicated to explain, I get two extra days off this week.  I'm so excited!  I feel like I've been given extra hours in my day, extra days in my month.  It's not that I have a shortage of things to do with this time, it's just the gift of time that's been given to me!  And in two days, I too will be leaving on a vacation.  I'm told that internet at our vacation spot is sketchy at best so there may be a short intermission in this thankful blog of ours.  Please don't give up on us and visit back at the end of our break.  J. said she'd try to blog in Costa Rica (yeah sure she will!) and I will try to get on at least a couple times on our trip.  But for now, be thankful for any extra time you have and try to not waste it on your list of things to do.  I'll do my best to do the same.  Happy spring everyone!  :)  A.

No Name Post!

So I'm so tired that I can actually feel the Earth moving right now. Actually.
In the past forty hours of my life, I have spent three sleeping.
Three.

That I why I haven't blogged in four days.
No. Actually because I'm lazy and forgetful and busy.

Anyway, because I need to go to sleep, this is going to be a very quick post:

Today, I'm thankful for dentists!
When I was a child, I feared them terribly, but now, I anticipate them eagerly.
I love when you leave and your teeth feel so smooth and clean.
And I love the fluoride foam stuff.

The fluoride foam stuff is so amazing.
Technically, fluoride is deadly and bad if you eat it, but it's so delicious!
 I prefer the orange flavoured one because it tastes like Froot Loops.

So yeah!
I like dentists!
And I'm still cavity free!
(Never had one, never will.)
J 

Knowing An Area So Well You Don't Even Know It

My neighbour and I went for a walk today.  While that is not the specific thing I'm thankful for today, it's definitely something to be thankful for.  I enjoy our walks together.  We walk quite often.  It's great to catch up (even if we just walked the day before).

Today we were chatting away and a truck stopped and rolled down the window (the guy inside rolled down the window, not the truck itself).  He asked for directions to Jupiter Lane and we just looked at each with a blank look.  We both knew it was in the area somewhere but couldn't remember where for the life of us!  Combined, the two of us have lived in this area for 63 years.  One of us has lived here her whole life and one has lived here for 20 years.  (You do the Math).  We thought it was very funny that neither of us knew where this stupid road is!  We decided that when you live somewhere long enough, road names aren't important.  You know where everything is and that's all that matters!  I guess we've both been here long enough that road names are not crucial to our belonging.  I like that.  We've both put down some pretty major roots and we belong.  I know that because I don't have a clue where Jupiter Lane is!!!  A.

Lazy Sunday Afternoons

I'm a firm believer in the 4th commandment - keep the Sabbath.  It's very unfortunate that so many people have to work seven days a week because I think it's really important to have that day to rejuvenate, refocus, spend time together with friends and family, enjoy fresh air - you get the picture?  It's another beautiful Sunday afternoon.  The air is crisp, the sky is a brilliant blue and Monsters vs. Aliens is on TV.  There are so many things I could be doing and probably should be doing but I'm going to just take it easy and worry about my list tomorrow.  A.

Spontaneous Happiness

This afternoon I was driving down main street heading to yet another errand when I suddenly had a light, happy feeling.  Does that ever happen to you?  For no apparent reason, I suddenly realized that everything is pretty amazing and I felt good.  Really good.  I have many, many periods of happiness - coffee with a great princess, laughing at the supper table with my family, worshiping with my church family, enjoying a good run.  The episodes are often actually (hence this blog!).  But every once and awhile, just out of the blue, for no reason I can put my finger on, I feel happy.  I'm thankful for those times!  A.

Flying for "Free"

I'm trying to book a flight on airmiles.  Now there are a whole bunch of things I could be unthankful for right now (I was going to list them here but that would be unblog-worthy).  What I will do instead is list what is good about airmiles.

*  I'm going to use my credit card anyway (a lot!) so why not get a reward out of it?
*  When the online site does not work, you can always phone a real live person and today we got a human voice (not automated) in seconds!  Now that's enough to be thankful for all on it's own!
*  Flights out of our remote area are extremely, ridiculously expensive so if I can get a flight for just the price of the taxes, I'm all about that.
*  I can use my miles for merchandise as well.  I bought my daughter's first iPod with airmiles (don't tell her, J.  She probably thinks we spent a lot on her birthday present).
*  The consultants we talk to on the help line are actually very helpful and do their best to find us a way out of here.

I'm leaving on a jet plane ...  A. 

Grasse-Matinée?

Le grasse-matinée?
It's french!
Directly translated, it means "fat morning," but is actually how the french say "sleeping in."
I'm glad I could teach you something today!
I'm also really thankful for sleeping in!

I'm probably the only one who cringes at the sound of my alarm clock, but the noise is so annoying and... beepy. It's annoying and repetitive and beepy, I don't like it.
However, those special mornings (though few, and far between) are so wonderful!
Isn't it great to get up when you want to?
To not be controlled by a silly (but extraordinarily useful) man-made device?

So yeah,
sleep in everyone!
J

One Man's Junk ...

My class is hosting a two day garage sale at school.  I'm constantly amazed at what people donate and what people buy.  We had a Tiffany lamp and a stunning crystal vase donated which someone grabbed as soon as they saw it (and gave us a generous price for).  Someone else donated a beautiful planter which I had my eye on but someone else got it before I made up my mind (and they offered very little for it!).  It was very generous of those people to donate quality items to a school fundraiser.  Others donated their McDonald toys and old plastic figurines, but you know what?  They were a great item for the little children to buy for a few cents and even though it doesn't always seem like it, every penny makes a difference!  Regardless of the price tag on the donations, there was something there for everyone and I'm grateful for all the donated items and the volunteers who helped keep things organized and stocked.  We're still running all day tomorrow if you want to stop by.  Whoever invented the idea of getting rid of your old stuff so other people can buy it was a genius!  Yay for garage sales!  A.

The Encyclopedia Of Visages...

Where would we be without the Encyclopedia of Visages?

How would we find people from the past?
Stay in contact with far away friends?
How would we stalk people?
Or find out their interests?
Their history?
How do we connect with our family?
How else would we show people how amazing our lives really are (or aren't)?
How would teenagers spend the entirety of their day without it?
What would we do when classes are painfully boring?
How could we stay up to date with adolescent drama and angst?
And post pictures to let the world know how attractive we are?

It is the pamphlet of profiles.
The dictionary of disguises.
The silhouette scroll.
And the atlas of appearance.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the greatest invention of the twenty-first century:
Facebook.

Well, that is a bit of an overstatement.
But Facebook does have it's uses, that is, once you overlook the countless grammar and speling errors on the news feed.
If you caught the irony in the fact that I deliberately spelled "spelling" wrong, well... good job.

If you are a Facebook-free soul, I both pity you and envy you, for it is one of the most useful and destructive tools that mankind has to offer.

Let's go all post a status, hm?
J

Mileposts

 The months of February and March have brought forth a bumper crop of kids turning 16.  It's quite amazing how many birthdays there have been in the last six weeks!  I am really enjoying watching all these "nearly adults" stress out over taking their driver's exams and then proudly take the wheel with a silly grin on their faces.  Anyone who lives in our area should really keep their eye on other drivers these days.  There are a lot of new drivers out there!  It's a great thing reaching these mileposts in our lives and I'm thankful for the joy it's bringing to so many sixteen year old new drivers.  A.

Spontaneous Surprises!?!?

Have you ever gone home to find something amazing there?
Like someone sent you a gift, or a monthly magazine subscription, or something extraordinary that you ordered online waiting there- just waiting to be opened.
Well something like just that happened to me today... only it was vastly different... kind of...
Being that the countdown until I leave for my tropical destination is down to seven days (SEVEN!!!) my mother is set on making sure that we are 200 percent prepared. I mean it. She is doing the mom thing where she has to make sure that you have every thing you could ever use in a year-long trip through the desert. And we are only gone for twelve days (twelve!!!).
Oh.. when I say "we," I mean my sister and me.
Anyway, today my mom arrived home from a wal-mart shopping spree (the only kind you can have in this small, northern town) she had for me a flashlight, and umbrella, and a camera.
A flashlight.
And umbrella.
A camera.
I think if there were a list of my favourite things that was in order, all of those would be in the top ten.
Especially cameras, I now own like four of them.

This nice gesture actually made my day!
So I'm thankful for spontaneous gifts that just made you ecstatic!
Au revu!
J

Fake heat

This is a controversial post.  Today I'm thankful for tanning beds (gasp!!!).  I use them for a short time period approximately every two years (that would be how often I'm allowed to go on a tropical vacation).  We're getting ready to go on a beach vacation in a couple of weeks and I firmly believe that a few minutes in a tanning bed is healthier than burning to a crisp once we hit that tropical sun.  I even send my kids in for a few sessions.  We don't arrive at our destination looking like we've already been there for 3 months but we do arrive with some ultra violet exposure so that I can honestly say that none of us have ever burned on a trip. 
Enough of my justification.  Preventing sun burn is only one reason why I enjoy tanning beds.  When you come into the salon from a blistery, frigid wind with snow pelting your face and then have those heat rays penetrate the very core of your dermis (makes no sense - I know.  Trying to make tanning poetic here!).  Well, it's a very warming sensation, right to your core.  I leave happier (scientific evidence for that too but I won't go into that now) and warmer and for awhile, I have cheated winter.  I'll only do it for another week and then I probably won't see another tanning salon for two years, but for today, I'm thankful for that tropical heat in a northern climate.  A.

Spray Paint!

We all get bored of our space sometimes, or at least... I do!
If you are the kind of person who is constantly trying to change things up, I would like to recommend one thing-
spray paint.
Even one colour can make a huge difference!
Since buying a lovely can of metallic silver spray paint with A on Saturday, I have not only done a school project, but I've also decked out my coat hooks, my helmet, my trash bin, and even my phone case!

What a simple way to get creative!

All hail spray paint!
(and creativity!)
J

Purging

Before I start, I must state that being thankful for a best friend should be a daily thing every day of the year, J.  That's one that no apology is needed for.  (Now that I gave you that one, can I blog about food every day?).

Actually, I'm thankful for purging today.  There is a garage sale happening later this week and we cleaned house - literally!  We took a van full out of our house of things that we have been holding on to for way too long.  It feels quite liberating to get it out.  Someone once told me that people should move every five years to keep from accumulating too much junk.  I think there's wisdom in that!  I may not want to move on a regular basis but I really should do a "house purging" once a year at least!  I'm thankful it's done, and I'll be even more thankful once it all gets bought and the proceeds go to a great cause.  A.

Best Friends!

Though I've blogged about friends before, I'm pretty sure I've never blogged about my best friend before, so this is very very different.

I think that we all need one special friend. One who will push you through tough times, or tell you what's on your own mind when you can't figure it out for yourself. We all need the person who will go to the ends of the earth with you because they know you'd do the same for them.

My best friend, has a very special talent:
She knows exactly what to say when I'm having a mental breakdown... and pretty much every other time too.

I thank God for her more than anything else on Earth, I think.


Here's to best friends!
J

I Will Not Blog About Food!!!!!

I had the best bruschetta tonight!  A little bit of balsamic vinegar brushed on the bread, just the right amount of minced garlic, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese (the real stuff) and of course the tomatoes and basil.   MMMM!  But I will not blog about food again.  I must not ...

Today's thankful blog is about raking!  Without stating the obvious, if you're from around here, you know that raking your lawn is either a sign of spring or fall.  I saw a man raking his lawn yesterday and it gave me absolute joy!  I think he is greatly premature in his endeavor to rake winter away and banish it from his brown lawn, but it still made me happy to see someone with such hope and optimism.  I usually don't attempt this spring ritual until May (seriously - we have snow often until May - even in May!).  So even the thought that spring may be around the corner with warmer days and flowers and budding trees, well it just caused my heart to burst into a Disney song (not sure which one, but it seemed appropriate).  I'm sure raking will not be part of my thankful blog come September, but today it is!!!  A.

Reality TV

"I swear on my beloved cat's soul!"  That's what the Sasquatch searcher is claiming right now as she stands in a dark field in the middle of the night, swearing that she hears and sees the Sasquatch right ahead of her.  Who comes up with these things?  "I think that was a squatch".  Are you for real?  When I really need a mindless half hour or so of television watching, I'll find the most ridiculous reality tv show and laugh at the absurdity of it.  It's mind-boggling how many new television shows there are on the most random themes.  I find it very amusing and amusing things make me thankful! 
("This is the sasquatchiest place ever!!!).  A.

Tears

Once again, I think J. beat me to this post idea but mine is a little different so it's okay!

We had a ladies movie night tonight.  There was quite the assortment of progesterone in that room - from newly married to a grandma many times over.  We had a little spa party first and gave ourselves some pampering before we settled down to watch the movie.  I had seen it before so I knew where the emotional parts were and I made a point of glancing (very discreetly!) around to see the reactions of the ladies in the room.  Now I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't shedding the odd tear (or more) myself but in the midst of my emotionalism, I was thoroughly enjoying watching all these ladies cry.  It was hilarious and wonderful and magical.  God made us with all those extra hormones for a reason.  What reason that is, I haven't figured out yet.  But until I do, I'm going to embrace that we cry during a well produced commercial and we weep over a sentimental movie.  It's what makes us who we are.  At least that's who this crybaby is!  

J. would know all the Scientific reasons why tears are therapeutic but I'm just going to say that a good cry is good for the soul and I enjoyed crying with my soul sisters tonight :)  A.

Afternoon Zs

Remember when you were a kid and your mom wanted you to take a nap, and you were like, "No! I don't wanna!" But she made you anyways, and you sat there, trying to make pictures out of the patterns on the ceiling and wishing that you could just go play?
I think we all regret abusing that privilege.
Naps are magical in a weird sort of way.
Sleep is like food for your brain, and so, when your running low, you can just sleep! For free!
Of course, there is the consequence of never being able to fall asleep at night, but really... who cares!? You can always just have a nap to compensate. It's a vicious cycle, but no matter how you slice it, naps are the best.
So today, after coming home from a crappy Friday at school, I can be thankful for naps, because now my Friday is that much less crappy!
Take a nap today!
J 

Picea Pungens!

If you were ever a kid, and I hope for your sake that you were, and you are under the age of... 10, then you probably did not own a cell phone in the best days of your childhood.
Or a laptop.
Or an iPod.
Or have a television in your room.
Why? Because that is not what the cool kids did.
Well, the cool kids probably did have cell phones and laptops and iPods... but the REALLY cool kids didn't. Trust me.

The really cool kids spent their time bicycling, playing hopscotch, jumping rope... and my personal favourite:
Building tree forts.
Because the really cool kids had a home away from home, in the forest.
In a tree.
Kids were free to explore, get dirty, and not worry about scratching their cell phones.

Heck yes.
And of course, the had to be as secretive as possible, so you would scout for hours in the local park until you came upon the most perfect tree EVER, one that none of your mortal enemies (the other neighbourhood kidses - yes, kidses) would ever DREAM of trying to conquer.

After the fort was properly assembled, with random materials you would find in creek beds, deserted construction sites and ally ways, you would have to create a proper arsenal of various weaponry in case any of the other clubs tried to attack.

That is why, today, I am thankful for trees, yes - trees. Not because my house is made of them, not because they contribute to the global oxygen system, but because they were such a huge part of my childhood.

Climbing trees, building forts, making swings and hammocks... what great times we had!
So hug a tree today!
J

Family

I'm sure in 365 days that I will duplicate the "Thankful for Family" post but I will do my best to make it distincly different each time so the blog police (cough - J) doesn't get all ornery.  Oh wait - that's me that does the policing!!! :)

We're having a family birthday party tonight.  My whole extended family still lives in the same area, within half an hour of each other.  We try to get together at least once a month to celebrate all the birthdays of that month.  Tonight we're celebrating two nephews, one niece and an uncle.  I didn't have any cousins, aunts or uncles around when I was growing up so I'm very possessive of these parties for my own children.  I think it's priceless that we can spend so much time together as a family and celebrate each others' special days.  One brother-in-law and a husband (that would be mine) like to complain that we get together to celebrate when someone sneezes but I think this time together will always be an integral part of our lives and our children after us.  I'm thankful for family birthday parties!  A.
(coffee Sat. J?)

Simple Snacks.

Today, I decided to follow in A's footsteps and (no, not protest) write a post about food!

Let's play a game!
*Saw voice* I wanna play a game.
Just kidding, this isn't Saw.

What I'm thankful for is quite common.
It can be eaten both cold and warm - normally microwaved.
It isn't sweet.
It is a rich food.
It is made of two different foods put together.
It is DELICIOUS.
It is bad for you.
It makes my day.

If you guessed crackers and cheese, you were right!

It is possibly the best snack out there.
You can eat it all hours of the day!
Best food ever.
I particularly like Breton™ crackers. The vegetable kind.

So yeah, while I sit in my bed, watching the Encounters with Canada video, I'm drowning my sorrows in crackers and cheese... and missing my friends. :'(

J

Big Hearted People

I protested today.  Really - I joined a protest.  I'm not normally a protest kind of person and to be honest, I don't really even believe in everything I was protesting.  I did it more to show support for a certain community.  Two hours of marching back and forth in -20 (or more - it was windy) weather - boy did I show support!  Did you know that you can get a stiff wrist and shoulder from carrying a picket sign for two hours?  New found knowledge for me!

I digress - I appreciated several people today.  A member of the "opposing" group beat us to the protest site and set up a burning barrel for us - complete with extra firewood.  He even got the fire going for us!  A member of the same community as us who has made a public choice to not be a part of us brought out fresh muffins.  We also had doughnuts dropped off by one lady, hot chocolate by another.  It goes to show that we can disagree on things in life but it doesn't mean we can't be civil and even outright gracious with each other.  Human nature doesn't have to be petty and stubborn.  We might make a bigger statement by handing out some fresh banana muffins.  Thank-you to those big-hearted people :)  A.

Once Upon A Time, A Year Ago Today...

There was an excited ginger girl, anticipating her favourite thing in the world:
Aeroplanes.
She strode through the airport, head held high, eating chocolate clodhoppers and tropical skittles with reckless abandon. She spied a boy, and knew instantly that he was a lot like her, she later learnt his name was Anthony, he was from Vancouver, B.C. That night, she would meet one hundred and forty one incredible people, five of which, she met in the airport that night, and became best friends with, in a matter of minutes. That night, she would sign in, take her bags to a dorm room, eat spaghetti and garlic toast, aimlessly talk to people in the hopes of winning "person bingo" (a game everyone was supposed to play to learn more about each other), then she would go back to her bunk, meet her bunk-mate Davis, and then collapse only to be awoken in a few short hours. After those few short hours, she would meet (and get to know) one hundred and forty one of the most incredible people of the face of the earth.

A year ago today, I went to a youth forum called Encounters With Canada. If you don't know what it is, let me explain:
After being accepted and registered, you will spend months filling out forms and mailing checks.
Then, you will leave on a certain day (a Sunday) and fly to Ottawa.
There,  you will meet many people.
Because no one knows anyone, there are no cliques, or mean people, or... anything bad.
You will make friends with everybody. Everybody.
You will spend a week doing workshops, eating junkfood, shopping, and most importantly... making friends.
Then, on a Saturday, after dancing all night, you will leave.
You will leave your new best friends.
If you are like me, you will cry... a lot.
And it will be the best week of your life.

I met the most wonderful people.

I try to keep it pretty anonymous on this blog (a first name, or even an initial basis) so it's hard for me to describe all these people, but I'm going to try.

The first person I met... let's call him... Mitchell.
Mitchell lives in Alberta.
Mitchell was hilarious.
We had known each other for all of five minutes at the airport, but we still sat beside each other on the bus to the Terry Fox Centre (where EWC is held) talking like we'd known each other for years. Mitchell and I still talk and skype frequently.
Incredible.

I met Davis, (I already gave that name away, so ha)
Davis lives in Ontario.
Davis was a lot like me, and very different from me too.
She is a ginger, for one. She was so cool.
But she was artistic, and composed.
She was my bunk-mate, and I could always rely on her to shake me awake in the mornings.
I miss her.

I met Brandon (fake name)
Brandon lives in Alberta.
He was so funny.
He could be telling the story of of someones gruesome death, but if he wanted to, he could still make you smile. He has a special gift that I like to think I share with him:
He always had energy.
He never needed to stop, or slow down.
BAM.
Constantly in motion.

Aiden. (fake name)
Aiden lives in Saskatchewan.
Aiden is different from anyone else I have ever known.
He's super smart, but not a nerd.
He's the kind of person you want to talk to, because you just want to know what they have to say.
Aiden taught me standard protocol of how to handle a hangover. Apparently there's more than one use for gatorade.
Props to Aiden.
I miss him.

Then the trio, Raye, Jordin, and Ash.
All from Alberta
They came from the same town, so they actually knew each other.
They were inseparable, but they still allowed me to join their trio.
I was able to visit them this summer.
It was possibly the second best week of my life.

I'm thankful for our anniversary, a day I'm going to spend deep in thought and longing for my friends from Encounters With Canada.
I love you all.
Solidarity Forever.
J

The Great Search Engine

I've spent the evening researching lesson plans on how to teach the Canadian Charter of Rights to my students.  To put it tactfully, the textbook for this grade is BORING!  If I truly want the students to get something out of this unit, it has to be interesting and pertain to where they are at today.  I found some great games and activities that will make them adopt these rights as their own and hopefully also cause them to realize how they also have responsibilities as Canadians to not take away these rights from others.  If I were teaching these lessons fifty years ago (or even twenty years ago) I'd be stuck with antiquated textbooks and encyclopedias from which to gather information.  Maybe I'm just lazy, but I'm thankful that I can share (steal) ideas from creative teachers out there and tweak it to make it my own.  I wonder who came up with the name "google"?   A.

Anticipation

My husband often says it's a shame that we wish our lives away waiting for something to be over with.  But I think there's something different about waiting for something to come.  Like a child (or adult!) waiting for a birthday party or Christmas.  That anticipation is wonderful and makes the end result that much sweeter.  Right now I'm eagerly anticipating our spring break vacation.  I can't wait to get away from responsibilities and pressures and enjoy ten days on a sun warmed beach.  Mmmmm, that's something to be thankful for!  A.

Rosy Cheeks

It's a stupendously beautiful day today.  The sun is brilliant, the sky is magnificently blue and there's just enough breeze in the air to give you rosy cheeks.  It's still not warm but who can bare being inside when it's so stunning out?  I love the way everyone comes in slightly flushed with a smile in their eyes and on their faces.  It's a beautiful thing.  A.

Awe, Shucks.

So,
I have this thing, where I feel the need to impress all of my teachers. I don't really know why, but I've never really had a teacher who hasn't liked me.
Then, came along my gym teacher...
If you read our blog frequently, you might have read my post about my gym teacher. She's awesome, but she's also really tough, and I thought she didn't really like me, that is, until today...
Friday in gym class, is called "Fitness Friday," which is where both gym classes (grade ten and eleven) join up and do some hardcore stuff and then usually play dodgeball.
I adore playing with the older class, partly because it's mostly boys (not because they're boys, but because boys actually participate) and they get really intense while playing dodgeball, and when they're intense, I'm intense.

Anyway, we're all playing dodgeball, and some important dude from the school district (principal, head of something-or-other, I don't know) came in and watched us play. Just before the end of class, when we all went to get changed, my gym teacher called me to the side and told me that the man had said that he thought I should try out for track and field, because of the way I stand while playing dodgeball.

I was like, "YES."
Up on cloud9 for the rest of the day.
Still am in fact.
I don't know why, but this just made me so happy.

So, I'm thankful for that moment when your teachers give you praise that actually matters to you.
Teachers can ramble on forever about wonderful things, but when they tell you exactly what you want/need to hear, it's thee best.
(I know I spelled 'the' wrong, it was to add emphasis)
So yeah,
Teachers, take notes.
J

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My post will be much like one or two of J's previous posts combined.  I've had an exhausting day physically and mentally.  I'm so ready for bed!  But first I have to tell you about my bed!

I've stayed at the Westin hotel several times when attending conferences and they have the most amazing beds and bedding.  How amazing you may ask?  (go ahead, I'm waiting ....).  Well, their beds are so amazing that a couple years ago I convinced my husband to buy one as a Christmas present for each other.  So we now have the Westin bed and bedding and I still smile every time I sink into my own personal piece of luxurious comfort.   I'm so thankful for my place of retreat at the end of each day and I'm off to appreciate it now.  Good night dear readers!  A.

Ohlàlà!

People. I have an addiction.
I love dresses.
I have like... seven of them (here, in a northern Canadian town, that's a lot), unfortunately, I can only wear them like... four months of the year, tops. Dresses are a summer thing. That's what I like about them.
Today, in the spirit of summer approaching (it's March 1st, people!) I tried on all of my dresses and danced around in them, it was.... uplifting.
However, I feel the need to have more... yes, I need to buy more dresses.
(If you know anything about Internet humour, you might say, "Buy ALL the dresses *thrusts fist into air*)
So yeah, I'm thankful for dresses. Because they just rock.
J

Compliments

It was -20 (celcius in case we have any American readers) this morning so I decided to have my run on the indoor track.  Running indoors around, and around and around the same track rates just above running on a treadmill for me (J. loves treadmills - just goes to show how seriously ill she really is).  Treadmills and tracks do not thrill me.  Too monotonous.

Anyway, this is a thankful blog!  I did my time on the track, feeling slightly sorry for myself that I wasn't running outside, enjoying sunshine and fresh air.  I am by nature a people-watcher so the good thing about running indoors is the chance to appreciate the others who are also forced indoors to get their exercise.  There was one woman this morning who was obviously new to running but she was trying so hard; alternating her walking and running but pushing herself without a doubt.  We happened to stop at the same time and she complimented me on my stamina and strength.  I realize she is no expert on running, nor is she a world class marathoner but the compliment still felt great.  It made me realize how easy it is to share a compliment and how much it can mean to the person receiving it. 

I sense a challenge here, J.  I need to try harder to make the lives of others passing by me in life a little cheerier by giving compliments.  Or at the very least, I can give a genuine smile to try to lift a spirit.  So to all our readers out there, you all look fantastic today!  A.