Today was the first full day of my new year. I was blessed to get a year older. Some of my friends and others I know are not too keen on the number climbing in relation to themselves. I am not too keen if that number is my weight but that is a different story. I was recently reading in the book of Proverbs and came across a verse about grey hair being a blessing. I think I will have to go back and look at it again. I might even memorize it as an explanation as to why I am not dying my hair. Those who know me best would know that the real reason my hair is not dyed is that I just can't be bothered. I would forget to return to the salon for the touch ups and it would probably look worse. If Bruce starts complaining, I'll consider it although that is not likely to happen either.

With the New Year and my new year so close together, I have been pondering and contemplating. What plans do I have for this coming year. I refuse to set myself up for failure with resolutions. I am not going to exercise every day. I am not going to suddenly change and do everything right. At the same time, I do not want to not even try to change those things that bother me about me. I want to be able to look back at 2010 and be able to say that it was a good year. I want to be able to see the things that I did with and for my family. I want to have an impact in big or small ways on my community. I do not know what that looks like yet. I hope that I have a positive impact on the kids I supervise at school each day. I am trusting that the time I spend with my girls is time well spent.

I am curious about many things and I like to learn. Yesterday, I finally opened a book on HTML that Bruce signed out of the library for me. For some reason, I have been resisting learning this. I had decided that I could not do it. As I started with the "I can't..." it expanded. All of a sudden the list of things I didn't think I could do grew and grew. My girls started using the same type of language and it bugged me. I am still not convinced I can do it but at least I am trying which is what I expect from my girls. For January of 2010, my goal is to learn enough HTML to put together a basic website. If that works, I might try for a more sophisticated website using some of my graphics and design knowledge but for now one step at a time.

In 2009, I had some health challenges. The ones that are of most concern to me are the ones I did to myself. If I do not drink enough water, get enough sleep or eat well, I can not expect to have high energy levels. I need energy in order to enjoy all the things I like to do. I do not want to be left behind on family hikes. Well, if Kathryn decided to run, I'll be left behind. We like to go tobogganing. I want to be able to climb the hill. I want to play ball and not be winded running to first base and the list of things could go on. I am trying to re-establish my routines of regular sleep and healthy eating.

While I start on these things, I'll keep contemplating and pondering. As the year progresses, there are likely to be more changes needed. I do not know what is yet to come but I am looking forward to discovering it.

The kids are back to school and our routine is staring to return to normal. We rang in the new year with friends and family. Instead of making resolutions, our family talked about the things we like to do and want to make sure we take time for. With that in mind, hopefully there will be more family game times, more photo walks and photo opportunities. The girls would like to create more art including painting. We want to try some new recipes so we don't get tired of the old standbys. Maybe we will find a new favorite.

I realize 2010 is 3 days old already and has a good start on the fourth day but today I am thinking about the things I want to do in 2010. What are my goals and challenges for the year. Last year as a family, we completed a photo a day challenge. We missed a few days but only one was completely missed with no representational photo for the day. Most of the photos were documentary in nature. "This is what we did" This year Bruce would like to include more artistic shots in the mix. Yes we are attempting to do another project 365. All four of us will be responsible for the photography. I will scrap book it into a summary of our year. I thought I had successfully completed last years project. I have 52 double page summaries. A year is 52 weeks plus one day. I need to scrap the photo for December 31, 2009. I think I will pick out a few of my favorite photos from the year to finish it with a overview of the year so my book will have 53 double pages. Then I will get Bruce and the girls to proofread the journaling and we will figure out how we are printing it. I am excited to see a completed book. Last year I scrapped the equivalent of a page a day plus some extras. I did not scrap every day. I will not scrap every day this year. I think I will try to scrap regularly. I want to tell the stories that are contained in shoeboxes and computer folders full of photos. I think I need to set a goal to help motivate me. Both Digitals and Scrappity Doo Dah have some challenges that could help trigger stories when I am feeling uninspired. One of Digitals challenges is a Scrap 365 which is to scrap the equivalent of a page a day each month. I did it last year I think I can do it this year. Summer might get hard. December was hard. I am allowed to miss the goal but if I don't even try then the stories will remain untold.

One of the things that made everything hard this fall and early winter was my sagging energy levels. Late last summer, I had a minor surgery. Unfortunately I got a rebound infection after that further sapped energy. It may have also triggered the start of a mild depression. I stopped taking care of myself. I ate junk and knew that I would feel tired after. I stopped walking. I stopped using the treadmill. I stopped a lot of things. This year I want to restart many of those things. They are things that make me feel good. They give me energy. I need energy so I do not miss out on the blessings that are all around me. I need energy to keep up with my two very curious and inquisitive girls. I want to be healthy. I am not going to judge the success of the changes to my health by a number on the scale though if the number gets smaller I will not complain. I am going to judge by the amount of energy I have. By the enjoyment I am able to get from doing things with my friends and family. Doing things that I love doing like playing games, reading books, riding bicycle, playing ball, exploring and discovering new things.

"tis the season to be overwhelmed"

When did the season where we celebrate the arrival of the Prince of Peace, become one of constant running. There are school programs and banquets and concerts and shopping. I am looking forward to going to Victoria's first band concert. I love listening to the Christmas carols play. The girls have learned some on the piano so I have been enjoying "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Christmas Tree" over and over. I have heard "Jingle Bells" on the trumpet and many others play on the the radio on CD player or rather DVD player. I could have a custom playlist on my ipod if I had one. I don't think I want one. Sure it would be fun to take my favorite tunes with me as I run errands but that is the problem. I don't want to run. I want to take the time to sit back and enjoy the season. I want to create memories instead of playlists and shopping lists. I want to curl up with my girls on the couch and listen to our favorite tunes while reading our favorite books. I want to enjoy the tastes of the season instead of racing from one stop to the next. If I spend all my time in the car going from one store to the next before running home to get ready for a concert, when do I get to sit and sip a hot apple cider.

Instead of running, I want to sit and reflect. I want to enjoy and make memories that the girls will savor in the years to come. Hopefully, tomorrow afternoon, we will put up the tree. I do not have a decorator tree where all the ornaments fit a theme. I have a memory tree. The ornaments have been gathered over time. They tell a story. Little hands fashioned some of the ornaments, others were selected by loved ones. I expect we will sip hot tea punch while reflecting on seasons past as we trim our tree. Bruce will help to carry out the boxes, then sit back with the camera. He always does now that the girls can help with the tree.

Victoria and I have already had the privilege of attending the Festival of Trees. Tonight, Bruce sings with the Bethany choir. I am looking forward to each event but long for those moments of quiet reflection. I think I'll find them by staying out of the stores. I hope to find them by being careful of what I add to my to do list. Do I need to make dozens of goodies for Christmas eating? Would it be better if we each pick one favorite and just make those? Do I really need that one more gift that is going to end up at the back of the girls closet? Probably not. The carefully selected gifts are usually appreciated more than the last minute after thoughts. And so, I work at trimming my list and expectations, leaving time for the most important parts of the season. The time with family and friends. The time reflecting and enjoying.

This year, I also want to record some of the memories before they fade into the past. I have seen some really interesting ideas. Ali Edwards is working on a December Daily album. I thought of making up one of these, but I am already doing a year long daily project. I also have been working digitally and didn't figure out how to pre-make the album digitally so I could add to it. Again, I considered my expectations and the demands on my time. I do not need a daily record of December. I will already have that with my other projects and journals. I need or rather want a few pages to showcase the highlights of 2009's Christmas season. I have decided to use some quick pages mixed with some from scratch pages. At Scrappity-Doo-Dah they are giving away 5 Quick pages made with the December mega kit. At Digitals they have a gift with purchase Christmas album. I have some favorite Christmas kits so far this season. Beth Rimmer's Dashing through the Snow is one of them .

Instead of being overwhelmed, I plan to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of this seasons.

By choice, I spend an hour a day with grade two to eight students. I start inside the school with six classes of kids. This is where I see the younger kids. The grade two and three kids generally still like school even if they struggle with it. As the work gets harder so does the attitude. Once the kids go outside to play and run off so of that wonderful excess energy that I am jealous they have, I am out with the senior students. Supervising the grade 5 to 8 group after the first snowfall and cold day is challenging. Well everyday is challenging in its own way. The older girls are too cool to mess up their hair with a hat even if their ears are turning purple. The group we have in grade eight and in grade five this year are extremely competitive. When they play football it is not just a game they play as if it is the final game of the playoffs. Same story if they play soccer or hockey or ball or just about anything else. This means they are active which is great. It means that fights break out which is not so great. In general it is just typical interactions of this age group and I love being in the middle of it and watching the kids grow and learn. When a person who struggled with staying within the acceptable boundaries, starts making better choices and realizes that "I can do this, " its huge. I suspect that is one of the reasons teacher teach. They get to see that sense of accomplishment in so many different areas. My choice has enriched me because of the kids I spend time with for an hour a day.

Some days, I wonder why do I do this. One of the common themes on those days is wondering why the other adults made the choices they did. The worst group to deal with is the parents. Yes, Mrs. M, I understand your child is special. In fact that is the reason I am here, all these children are special. They deserve a safe place to eat and play. They need a chance to learn and grow and make choices. No Mr. Z I can't be in two places at once. That's unfortunate that that happened Mrs. B, I'll keep my eye open for it in the future and hopefully it doesn't happen again. And on and on. Thankfully the administration and teachers are a buffer for us between most of this. As a buffer though they have to talk to us as well to make sure we are on the same page.

I don't like the word deserve. It has been used to justify all kinds of things. In this case though, I do think it is appropriate. I think all children should have an opportunity to learn and grow and play. They should have good food to nourish their growing bodies. They need safe places to try new things. Sometimes home isn't that safe place. Sometimes, kids come to school without a lunch, maybe because they forgot and maybe because there was no food at home to bring. That is a hard part of my job. Seeing the needs that are around us and being limited in how I can help. Will my kind word help when a stomach is empty. Will my encouragement keep someone warm who doesn't have a warmer jacket to wear when it gets colder. There are some who refuse to admit this happens in our neighborhood. We don't live in the inner city, we live in a middle class neighborhood. Our kids play hockey or soccer, they dance or twirl baton, they take music lessons. We have nice houses and drive newer cars, maybe even two of them. Our kids have nice clothes sometimes even brand name stuff. What do you mean kids don't have food in this neighborhood. The reality is our neighborhood has a mix of people in it. Some are probably richer than we might guess others are one paycheck away from disaster. Some live in subsidized housing, some live in brand new houses they built.

As Christmas draws near, I have been trying to figure out wish lists for myself and the girls. Victoria has a short precise wish list. She wants flannel sheets, some art supplies and new socks. One of her friends is in a foster home and probably has new socks and a jacket on her list. Kathryn's list is a little longer and pricier. She wants a camera, a laptop, some Webkinz and books. My list so far is non-existent. A new camera for my purse might be nice but last year I spent all of December convincing Bruce and the girls that I didn't need it. i still don't need it. I just got new socks. My art supplies have not run out. I would like to see my sister for Christmas but that won't work with either their schedule or ours because of the cost and distance, so I will have to be satisfied with a phone call. This year more than any other year, I have felt little need for new stuff. There are so many people who have so little compared to what we have that it is hard to get excited about going shopping for more new things that we might use.

These thoughts are some of what makes dealing with some parents hard. Yes, your child is special. So are all these other children including those who don't have a parent who will come in and ask questions. No your child should not be bullied. I could not do this job if bullying was tolerated or if I didn't think everyone of these children had something to offer. Even the kids that repeatedly get into trouble. Four years later, some of those troublemakers are the leaders of the school. They aren't troublemakers anymore. There is hope for each child. I only hope that as adults we don't give up that hope. I hope we don't stop caring about those who are struggling, who are lacking things they need. I can't feed all who need it, nor can I provide for all their material needs. I can sometimes help them access resources that are available. I can always try to encourage them and give them a kind word. I can always let them know they have value and they have choices. I can hope that others will fill in the gaps that I am unable to fill and as a community we will all be stronger for it.

Princess Grace is a dreamer and an artist. She is often found reading and daydreaming. The clouds intrigue her as she puts her vivid imagination to work describing the scene.

This is the second sister in the princess story that was started yesterday. While the princesses in this story are for my girls they are also becoming their own characters. Maybe my imagination is running away. I love to read. I love to read not only fiction but biographical information about the authors. It fascinates me that some of my favorite characters in books came alive for the author and sometimes turned out differently than the original idea. I have never written much except for in my journal and on my scrap book pages. Occasionally, I have a character that I am crafting start to become real. I will start to worry about it if I start talking to myself and answering, unless I am creating conversation for a story. I am excited and nervous to see where this short story goes. I am excited because the girls are excited. I am nervous because I have never done anything quite tlike this before. Then the "What if's" start. What if they don't like it? What if I don't finish it? What if ....?

Do you want to be a princess? I probably would have answered that question with a no when I was little, except that living in a castle might have been fun. Cleaning a castle on the other hand probably would not be fun, which is why I don't expect I will ever live in a castle. My girls would like to be princesses. One loves Cinderella, and Aurora. The other likes Belle.

Since we have no shortage of imagination in this house, we decided to write our own princess story. The girls picked their princess names and have promised to help with the story in places where I need help. Victoria is going to edit for spelling mistakes. It seems I should have had here spell check the first page since I posted it in my gallery at Digitals with a mistake in the journaling. There is a villain some adventure but we are not sure yet just what as the story is still being written. It may never be finished. There are many partially finished projects in this house. Perhaps that is one of the drawbacks of creativity or perhaps it is just one of my character flaws. In any case, some projects are getting finished this summer. Others are being started.

Hopefully tomorrow you can meet the 2nd sister. She likes... Oh wait I don't want to give away the story.

For those family members who look for the weekly summaries, here is week 27 of 2009:

There is so much around us to be thankful for yet sometimes, it is easier to complain and grumble. We are in the middle of bathroom renovations. Renovations cause chaos as everything gets pulled out of place and moved around. We have been without a shower for a week now. Last night the grumbles started. Victoria does not like chaos, she likes order. The girls want to shower to wash their hair instead of use the tub. I am thankful that we have a second bathroom that has a tub, so we can still wash hair. I am thankful for the ability to help Bruce as we work together on the renovations and that the girls mostly willingly help when they can.

I had been feeling overwhelmed yesterday. I have many partially done projects. Some need drying time between steps others need supplies that I ran out of. Some just need me to take the time to sit down and do them. But I have ideas for more things. I have many stories I want to tell on my scrapbook pages. With the girls home and the weather nice, I feel guilty if I sit at the computer and work on my pages. I should go outside and enjoy. Last night I took some time to do a few more weekly summary pages. The girls were in bed. Bruce was working. I had time to myself. Then I used that as a jumping off point to work on a page about thankfulness using recent photos. It felt good to get some things done and create. With rain in the forecast for later today, I may get another chance.

week 26 of 2009 (June 25 to July 1):


Give Thanks:


What are some of the things you are thankful for today?

The weather has been unusual this spring and early summer. Some would say the weather is always unusual. We were looking at possible drought conditions (and parts of the province are still low on moisture) and then we had so much rain a week ago that part of a major highway was closed because of flooding. We have tried to take advantage of whatever opportunities we have to go outside and enjoy the weather. Sometimes this includes playing ball in the rain other times riding our bikes or going for walks. We decided this year we are going to explore close to home and we have not been disappointed yet. There are so many things to see and do right here.

week 24 of 2009:


We did venture to Winnipeg for a weekend to visit family and attend a wedding. We had fabulous weather for our trip and a wonderful weekend.

week 25 of 2009:


Bruce and Victoria have been exploring with their camera. I need to figure out a way to display some of their more interesting photos. Sometimes I am able to create a scrapbook page to showcase them. Other times I fear that the scrapbook bits would distract from the photos. This page came about from a photo they took at our lunch stop on our trip to Winnipeg.

What month is it and who set the clock on fast forward. This year is just disappearing way too fast. I am so glad that I started a photo a day and weekly recap. They have helped me try to keep track of what is happening in our busy lives. I have not completed all of my pages yet but have been trying to make journal notes as we go along. I have also noticed that I am scrapping more of my recent photos when I can find them and know what was happening. I wish I had a book like this as a bit of an index into previous years.

week 22 of 2009:


week 23 of 2009:


As can be seen from the above photos, ball is a large part of our spring and early summer. It is great to get out and play and visit with friends. It would have been nice to win a game or two other than be default. Maybe next year.

The year is half over. School is out and the days are hot. We are trying to spend time outside enjoying the sun's warmth as much as we can. The calendar is not quite as full with places to be.



On Wednesday, we started the day with a pancake breakfast in our church parking lot. It was a cool morning and the clouds were threatening rain. In spite of that, everyone seemed to have a good time. The kids enjoyed the bounce around while the adults visited and listened to live music. Late afternoon, we headed out to Diefenbaker Park. We had a picnic supper and played frizbee, catch and monkey in the middle. Then ended the night with fireworks.