Creative Play - Dates

Thank goodness for helpful friends. It has been a very busy weekend for me. Getting ready for school this year is taking me a long time and I have been doing a lot of school work this weekend. Lisa and McKenzie came over Friday evening to play and then again this morning. This was perfect for Maks to spend time with his girlfriend and perfect for me to chat with Lisa and not worry about what the children were up to. It was easy to get course outlines, long range plans, and scope & sequence charts done while the children played. Lisa even offered to help me get work done. There was no way I was going to say no to any help. :) Unfortunately for Lisa, I have now come to the realization that she types much faster than I do and I may be begging for more help in the future.

A New School Year

Today was the first day back to work and it actually felt good to be back in my element. I am usually stressed and frantically trying to get everything done in time but this year I am feeling calm and relaxed. In this school year, I need to try and remain focused on my family and my health and not become instantly overwhelmed by work. This is a hard balancing act that I usually lose but I am going to try and remain conscientious of myself and the stressful events that always bring me down at work. I have a fair schedule but I am teaching four different classes at three different levels ( grade 9, 11 and 12) so, that could be a lot of prep work and marking. We were also told today that the average class size this year will be around 35-38. Ouch! That is crazy!

Maks the Artist

Maks painted a canvas the other day and he loved it. He kept asking to paint and I had only bought one canvas at the dollar store so I was looking around the house for something he could paint. He loved painting the cardboard and went through a lot of our recycling. Then I found an old Father's Day Bobble Head we were supposed to paint and he finished that project as well. I think we have another artist on our hands. Hopefully, he will spend more time on his art than I do.

I really have enjoyed this summer with Maks and Lawrence. Our son is at such an amazing age and he inspires me every day. He gives us lots of hugs and kisses, laughs with such heart that it is contagious to anyone who hears him, and talks and sings constantly. Hearing him sing along to the Cars movie or to Go, Diego, Go has got to be a highlight for anyone. I am going to miss being able to spend all day with Maks when I go back to school but, I know that Maks and his father have a great time together and I will cherish all the time I do get with him. I can't wait to see him tomorrow morning.

Did You Miss Me?

It has been a difficult couple of days and I am not too sure why......I have a lot of things going through my mind and school starts back too soon, that could be the reason. We have gone through a couple of the fertility tests but the most uncomfortable tests are still to come. I am thankful that all the tests will be done before I go back to school. I would feel kind of guilty going back and having to take days off right away.
I do have some seriously cute pictures of Maks when he was painting his canvas. I thought it would be fun for him to paint. What I didn't realize was that as an art teacher, it was really hard to not stop him from turning all the paint into a lovely mud colour. I will post some pictures tomorrow. In true "kari-style" I have no idea where the cord is that I need to transfer the pictures from the camera to the computer. Ooops. Well, I will find it tomorrow when I try and get some serious house cleaning done. Wish me luck.

New Haircut

Maks was starting to look like no one owned him, it was time for a new haircut. This is the result of a quick visit to Beaners and we have one adorable little boy. (Photo by the talented Mr. Carriere)

Look for some of Maks' amazing artwork tomorrow. Yea!

Our Garden

We have accomplished one of our many goals....a garden. With some help, Lawrence and Dad built the garden plot, my mom and son planted the seeds, and I well,....I have watered it a couple of times and pick the excellent vegetables from the ground to use. It has been great to pick fresh lettuce, peas, carrots and potatoes. Actually, the potatoes are for Lawrence's sister Colette, we are not big potato eaters in this family. I am excited to have the garden and proud that we have been able to keep it alive and thriving. If you have seen our house and our yards, you would quickly notice that we do not have "Green Thumbs" around here. So, the garden success is a big deal to me. We will definitely be planting another garden next year. Bring on the strawberries next year. (Another expert photo taken by my husband)

Day at the Zoo

Yes, it was very chilly and wet, but we had a great day at the Zoo. My beautiful niece Shelby, Maks' Girlfriend McKenzie and Maks in an artistic photo taken by my husband.