Birthday Boy

Celebrating my man's birthday this weekend. It's been sweet so far. Friday we had a family dinner. Yesterday, we went here. It was just what we both needed. Last night we went out for supper with friends and then had a Beatles Rockband marathon. And yet another cake, from here. Midnight Madness - awesomeness. Thank god we sweat so much at the spa...

Today is a packing and organizing day. Perusing the net for the time being. Slowly waking up. Need to get some coffee going. Need to stop drooling over the new iPhone...

Also, it is Father's Day! I made my dad a card and will see if he wants to go out for lunch. Sometimes I tend to leave my dad on the sidelines with all the stuff going on. But especially with all he's been through in the last few years, and how much he's supported me throughout my life, I need to treat him.

Love you Dad!

Have a great Sunday. Cheers.

The end is the beginning is the end

I'm standing at the precipice. In a few short days, all will change. Boxes keep mounting around me. The walls are coming down. The kids don't fully understand. I hate feeling like I'm dismantling our little haven - for some, the only truly safe and comfortable place they have. It pulls at the heartstrings for me to wonder where they will be - who they will become - how I have influenced them, if at all. I hope - pray - that they will have happy, fulfilling lives. I hope their memories will take some small fragment of me with them.

The coveted month of June is finally here but feels surreal. I was thinking about it today - how children grow slowly, gradually, in our peripheral vision, somewhat out of consciousness, until one day we look at them full on and are blown away by the transformation.

The past few weeks, we watched our caterpillars ever-so-intently, magnifying glasses in hand, yet never caught the change. It happened over nights and weekends - in those little moments between all the rush, when we were too busy to pay attention. But surely, willfully, those butterflies emerged.

We let those butterflies go last week. It felt strange, having seem them through from tiny larvae. Some flew off, eager, strong - but a good handful clung to that damn box. They did not want to leave; I had to coax them. Only now, upon reflection, am I realizing the symbolism.

Oh man, it is going to be so hard to say goodbye. I know I have to let them go. I just hope they will fly.

June is the crazy month

It's been a while and lots has been going down! I am gonna go ahead and launch myself into some random blathering. I apologize in advance for how ridiculously long this will be. I am taking a break from writing report card comments at the moment to record what's going on before this month is come and gone. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS ALREADY MID-JUNE!

Here is what's on my work to-do list:

1. Finish K reports

2. Enter marks for Grade 1

3. Finish photo-collages

4. Finish portfolios

5. Finalize Father's Day crafts

6. Buy giant bins and start packing my class

7. Make slide-show (if an ounce of time/sanity remains)
8. Photocopy books

9. Organizing K Grad in more detail

10. Student write-ups for files

Seeing it all written out like this, it doesn't seem completely terrible. It seems somewhat manageable, even, minus #7. I might not do that one. But I will probably succumb to it in the end, because I know it'd be worth it to have the memory. I have a sneaking suspicion that the scrapbooker in me will win.

Other than that, I am getting ready for my cousin's wedding. We leave for B.C. on the 24th. Between now and then, I need to get hair and nails done. Oh, and attend a house-warming party. And have Patrick's birthday. And Father's Day. And retirement and end-of-year parties. And graduations. LOL it's almost comical. I can't say I despise it. But I am looking forward to some down time in the Rockies, that's for sure.

This week has been super busy as well. Last weekend, we helped Cindy and Jay move into their brand-spanking-new (and super nice!!) condo.

Patrick was entertaining Jason's niece Heidi, lol.

And then there was Pat's dad birthday the next day.

We also went out with some work friends this week to this awesome live music show with reggae/jazz style of music. It was really fun and hopefully we'll make a routine out of it!

Even more exciting was the surprise Arcade Fire (FREE!!) concert on Wednesday in a parking lot nearby - totally wonderfully unexpected and random. But great :) Patrick and I have been huge fans since seeing them live years ago with U2.

You can't see much, but here they are:

There is so much more I could go on about but I really should try to get some work done! I have procrastinated enough. I was supposed to be getting right on all my tasks while Pat is with a client... but as usual, my Internet and photo obsession seems to have taken precedence. Aw well. Hope you all have a great weekend!! Cheers.