Almost There

Today was my last day with kids in class all day, even though it was just two kids.

Teaching:

We spent the morning doing a virtual field trip to the Amazon Rainforest since we learned about rainforests last week. We also did some fun puzzle and colouring sheets.

After recess the kids helped create our posters for the car parade. Then this afternoon we watched the movie, Monsters Inc. I always love this movie!

It was an incredibly low key day though I did spend some time starting to switch over my word wall from tattered white letters to bright magnetic letters. Amazingly the different colours don’t bother me.

After school we had a teacher car parade. I went in the backseat of my teaching buddy’s car and her husband drove us. He made it very fun! We were yelling happy summer and waving to the kids and he kept honking the horn and yelling, more parade. He’s so crazy, but I think everyone had fun and there was a really good turnout.

Exercise:

I met up with Sarah for a run around the river and we ended up running in a rainstorm. There was a mist coming off the water. The skies opened when we were 3/4 of the way, but hopefully it helped with the humidity! We only did 4.4km so I desperately need some mileage over the next week as I’ve only done about 84km this month:(

June is always a tough month for exercising and eating and I am definitely noticing that:(

Reading:

I am trying to force myself to read this book, The Doctor’s Husband, but it is painful! I don’t know how my mom read it?!?!

Well that’s it for my day- a very boring last day!

Oh and I didn’t have to do housework as I did my Wednesday job on Monday this week and I am purposely not grocery shopping this week.

Have fun!

AJ

Stretching My Skills with Sally

Baking (Stretching My Skills with Sally):

Last year I tried a few of Sally’s Baking Challenge items and quite enjoyed the challenge of trying new things. Most of the people in my life asked why I was doing this, thankfully there are people like Abbey! I was talking with Abbey of Three Cats and a Girl and we decided to both try these challenges and then link up to talk about our results, so please check out her attempts too. I was really interested in doing this because I knew she would be doing the recipes as called for while I would need to convert them to gluten free and dairy free. I should say that I change as little as possible and just sub in gf and df ingredients to see if the recipe will still work.

For April the challenge was flatbread!

I had actually forgotten about it so was praying hard that I had all the ingredients I needed at home.

And thankfully I did!

The recipe only requires yeast, sugar, water, flour, oil and salt. My recipe was only different in that I used Bob’s redmill All Purpose Gluten Free flour.

I found the recipe very quick to put together and boy is that ever lucky!

For the first batch I made the batter, spread it into two long baguette styles on a cookie sheet and threw it in the oven for fifteen minutes. Well they were flat and well done:(

I have to admit I’ve been binge watching The Great Canadian Baking Show and it must be rubbing off on me as I actually redid the flatbread.

The second time I left the two “baguettes” to ride for the 45 minutes called for in the recipe and they did turn out better.

I have definitely eaten more than I should have!

It is so cool that when Kathy read about Abbey’s and my challenge she decided to join us so make sure you go read about her flatbread adventures too:)

Thanks Abbey and Kathy for taking on this challenge with me:)

Reading:

I did finish Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen today and I really enjoyed it. I may have been unduly influenced by the cute puppies in the story, but it was a lighthearted story that made me giggle out loud a few times. I also love the strong friendship group in the book. The conflict was annoying, but I guess it can be forgiven as every book has to have one and it was short and not overly dramatic.

I would recommend this book, but would definitely read the first in the series beforehand.

My mom just finished it too, so o should ask what she thought of it.

Exercise:

With the rain this morning I was glad not to have to run!

I did force myself to stop watching baking and go do 38 minutes of yoga.

I was thinking that I’m unmotivated to get healthy right now because we can’t go out, but as I was finishing up my yoga, I was thinking that maybe I need to turn it around and say I have tons of time at home to get healthy!

I do think I need to maybe change it up so I am running one day and working out the other because I’m feeling like I’m not doing very much exercise right now:(

Knitting:

I did some more knitting on the Floridian cowl and am now 2/3 done so hopefully you will see a finished product tomorrow!

Eating:

1/2 banana with Pb

Shrimp plate

Caesar salad (with lettuce from the garden-YUM!!)

Flatbread

Not exactly what I was planning. I’m proud of the breakfast and the salad, but the rest needs help!

Well I have a run in the morning so I’m off to bed.

Have fun!

AJ

First This Way, Then That Way

I would just really like answers, though I suppose that’s asking for too much right now.

Exercise:

I went for my run this morning even though I didn’t want to go in the rain, but I am so close to being caught up on mileage, that I had to go! It was much slower than normal, but I’m going to blame that on the slippery wooden pier that I added in so I wouldn’t have to run the parking lot at the end🤣

This evening I did a new workout on YouTube that a parent recommended to me. It was fabulous! I have not been that sweaty of a mess in a while. It had a ton of abs at the start, then a ten minute cardio bootcamp component and then yoga, so I got it all in. I think I’m going to feel those ab exercises tomorrow!

Teaching:

Today was a day of being on FreshGrade. I responded to the assignments at the start and end of the day as I am trying to keep up on them so they don’t overwhelm me. I spent the rest of the day creating activities for next week. At one point I had to go change my shirt because I was doing a video for a different day. (I did put on my newest handknit so they could all see it😜). I also had to send a video to a parent today telling her I was still her teacher and to get to work. Mom said she started the day by bursting into tears and saying she didn’t want mom to be her teacher anymore and she wanted to go back to school right now 🤣🤣🤣🤣I feel for some of these parents!

I watched the webinar at noon but I think that will be my last one unless it’s on FreshGrade or something I use. My brain is hurting too much from all of this learning and I’m working longer hours than I do when I go to school!

Knitting:

Tonight I have been working on a cowl for my secretary, but I’ve just had to tink back so it might be time to quit for the night.

Well that’s my spectacularly exciting day (sarcastic voice).

Have fun!

AJ

Snow Day

Well I got my third snow day in 35 years today. I wanted to go back to sleep this morning, but I was just too excited!

Knitting:

I have spent a lot of today knitting. I finished a second version of the thistle seed beanie for my co-worker Liane. This one is made with yarn from my deep stash and is still quite chunky, but I think it may just slouch for her. I did he decreases but haven’t tied off yet in case she wants it longer.

I have started the sockhead slouch toque for myself in some yarn I picked up in Seattle last summer. I realize I’m going to end up with yet another blue toque, but I think it’s the best option I have. I am a little worried about how big it is looking. I tested gauge and was right on, and I am using a smaller yarn as it’s light fingering instead of fingering, but 144 stitches seems huge!

I just hope I come up with my next project while I’m working on this one!

Reading:

I am still reading Seduce Me With Sapphires by Jane Feather. I have previously read some Jane Feather and really liked it, but this book has been a slog for me!

House:

I made myself get up each hour and do something around the house. My dishes got done, all counters wiped down, kitchen floor washed, bathroom wiped down, bedroom floor swept. It’s not everything I want to get done, but it’s at least a start!

Movie:

Today’s movie was Christmas at Dollywood and it was super cute. I always like Danica McKellar, trough I have to admit that she kisses weird!

Exercise:

With all the snow we’ve been having today, I couldn’t see going for a run. I decided to put on my new snowshoes I got last year, but never got to use, and try them out. The first thing I learned was to make sure you wear waterproof pants when snowshoeing as the snow kickback got me soaked in no time. I loved being out but I did sink into the snow. I don’t know if it was just because the snow was super light and fluffy or if I’m too big for my snowshoes. If you know, please let me know.

I also got a hallmark workout done. I did a minute of high knees between each of these: squats, reverse lunges, crunches, bridges, burpees, dips, reverse crunches, Superman, mountain climbers, pushups, and curtsy lunges.

I really need to sit down and think of some new moves so my body doesn’t get used to these.

Trivia Tuesday #33

It was a crazy day full of one time a year events!

Teaching:

I did teach the children how to print the letter “d” this morning, but that was the end of my teaching.

We had a painting workshop with an actual artist, Lauren Albrice, which went really well! I will take a photo tomorrow, but it’s amazing what she can get the children to accomplish!

Finally this afternoon we visited the Holiday Market. The children have the opportunity to buy Christmas presents for their families. The children were extremely excited about this and couldn’t wait! Surprisingly, it went quite quickly and we finished the day with centres so I could do some decorating for the holidays in my classroom.

Exercise:

I forced myself out for a run in the pouring rain. I did 4.68km and didn’t feel too bad, though I did learn that I have to wait for my watch to get GPS before I start my run.

Knitting:

I continued to work on my Head in the Clouds sweater. It’s going well so far.

Trivia:

There were four of us for trivia tonight:)

In the first round, we knew:

Which tree grows from an acorn?

Oak

What is the official Canadian animal?

Beaver

Who wrote The Divine Comedy?

Dante

Which two countries were involved in the Falkland wars?

Argentina and the UK

We found the music round tough as usual:(

The Kahoot! Round:

How many degrees is 3/4 of a circle?

270

Which state is close to California?

Utah

Name the girls in the Brady Bunch?

Jan, Marsha, Cindy

Which Starbucks drink is 16oz?

Grande

We really felt like trivia was tough tonight:(

Well that’s it for me.

Have fun!

AJ

Trivia Tuesday #32

I can’t believe I’ve gone to trivia 32 times! It so doesn’t seem like I’ve been going that long!

Teaching:

It was a bit of a mixed up day because I was given some extra time by my principal to learn about how to do the report cards, but it all worked out in the end:)

We got through printing the letter a, a math worksheet on place value and an activity on reading vocabulary. I really need to assess my students in place value so I can determine if they need another week on it or not. I’d better add that to my list for tomorrow.

On a side note I was talking to a friend the other day and we came to the realization that the only day we won’t have a list is the day we die!!! I even left a list for my students while I was away from them🤣

They actually managed to earn themselves twenty minutes of centre time this afternoon 🎊

Exercise:

I got myself out the door for a run right after work. It was amazing that a half hour earlier meant I ran into 25 people! I got 4.55km in. Right now I’m just trying to get as many km’s as possible as each km means less to run on Saturday!

Trivia:

It was a theme night on movies. I actually looked some stuff up! Not that it helped me:(

What was Stifler’s name in American Pie?

Steve

What was the name of the father dog in 101 Dalmatians?

Pongo

What was the number of the character in Ben Hur?

41

Which number bachelorette did Lord Farquois take in Shrek?

3

Who was the character name of Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean?

Elizabeth Swan

Who was the King in The King’s Speech?

King George VI

I really didn’t know much:(

Have fun!

AJ

Friday Fun

Thank goodness it was a better day, or at least a little bit!

Exercise:

I dragged my butt out of bed for a workout with L this morning. We had a very fast run followed by three hull repeats. We then had body exercises to do. I definitely hate getting up, but I love how I feel at the end and I definitely like seeing my running pace improve! I guess I’d better keep this up🤣

Teaching:

We had a better morning, then a troubled midday where I had to wait for 7 minutes for my students to finally stop talking and listen. This afternoon it was better, but they learned the natural consequence of my having to wait is that we finished our math this afternoon rather than having centres. Ugh! I guess I should just concentrate on the fact we had no physicality today and leave it at that!

Socializing:

I met up with five other teachers for a lovely wine and treats get together. It was a lot of laughs and a great way to start the weekend. Who you work with definitely makes a big difference in life!

Reading:

I have to admit I have laid on my couch like a slug reading since I came home. I have finished my latest ARC and am starting to see the end of the tunnel where I can go back to reading whatever takes my fancy:)

I finished the fourth Misfit Inn series book, Bring It On Home by Kait Nolan.

This book is the final in the series and was a lovely conclusion. It’s the story of Maggie and Porter that we have all been waiting for and it was well worth the wait!

The characters are very complex and interesting. I love the strong female character. She isn’t slowing down for anyone, at least until she comes back to Porter.

The trope of unrequited love on the male side is one of my favourites and it didn’t disappoint in this book!

The book is also full of swoony moments!Thanks the author for a free ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Well, have fun!

AJ

Thank Goodness for Friends

I am truly thankful today for the friends who fill my life. I’m a super family- oriented person so it’s always tough for me not to be with my family at a holiday (it doesn’t seem to bother any of them though 🤣), so I was really happy to have a couple of events with friends today to keep me busy and not alone.

Exercise:

This morning the group run started from a coffee shop right by my place so it gave me a few extra minutes. Yesterday I had felt like doing a second run and was all energetic and feeling svelte, but today, I felt blah and lifeless. Maybe it had to do with dreaming that one of my students pushed my down the stairs, or maybe it was just one of those days. Dennis, of course, kept me going and didn’t let me turn around and go home. I did end up getting 5.34km in and just squeaked under the 7min/km average so it can’t be called a bad run, but it definitely wasn’t fabulous. Maybe I should have just ran twice yesterday and skipped today.

The group was hilarious at coffee so it was a great way to start my day off. It’s nice to hang out with people you know well and who don’t take themselves seriously or allow you to take yourself seriously!

Since I have eaten a turkey meal today, I decided that I had better do a bit more tonight. I got 3 sets of 12 of the following done:

Squats

Dips

Front kicks

Side kicks

Calf raises

High knees

Crunches

Reverse crunches

Banded side steps

Pushups

It probably didn’t work off the meal, but it made me feel better🤣

Knitting:

I woke up to an email from the designer of the toque test knit I’m working on, saying that she had the wrong needle size in the pattern. I found myself once again frogging the toque and starting over. I have made it to row 50 of the body and I’m not pulling this out again! In fact, I’m hoping to finish it tomorrow.

Cooking:

I spent some of the day making my contributions for the dinner tonight. I had bought one of each vegetable to roast and it still turned out to be a huge amount of veggies. I also did the dressing, which thankfully my dad called and walked me through. It turned out a lot drier than his ever did so I will need to watch him make it so I can see what I did wrong.

We ended up with an awesome dinner of turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberries and roast vegetables. We still had enough food for about six people though. I will have my turkey sandwich tomorrow and then I’ve actually gotten four lunches out of the leftovers too!

Brenda and I managed to eat in ten minutes, but at least neither of us spent all day cooking for those ten minutes. We knitted while watching the James Bond movie, Skyfall. I still think that Sean Connery was the best James Bond, but feel free to argue with me.🤣

Well I think that’s all I’ve done today so I’ll go back to my podcasts and knitting now.

Have fun!

AJ

Trivia Tuesday #25

Remind me not to wear four inch heels to work! I think it was the walk to and from and demonstrating relays in them that did me in!

Exercise:

Not a thing! I flaked out this morning and then when I got home I had sore feet so I guess today became my rest day.

Teaching:

Today was better than yesterday. I had another meeting, but hopefully that’s the last one for a while!

We only had ten minutes of math before we went to gym for our relay races, and after lunch we tackled a class book about what we are most thankful for.

Trivia:

After a bit of couch time and a massage, it was time for trivia.

What we knew:

Where are the next Olympics in 2020?

Tokyo

Where does cashmere yarn come from?

Goat

Who said “you’re a wizard” in Harry Potter?

Rubeus Hagrid’s

What was the first name of the Martian in Bugs Bunny?

Marvin

What is the official language of the Bahamas?

English

What did Captain Cook name Australia?

Botany Bay

Where was Anne of GreenGables set?

Prince Edward Island

Put these cities in order from North to South.

Port Alberni, Bellingham, Victoria

What was Bruce Springsteen’s back up band?

The E Street Band

What was John Cleese’s comedy group?

Monty Python

Which defense man played the most games?

Chris Chelios

Where is the Greenwich meridian?

London

What is the name of the funny bone?

Humerus

What is the name of a company’s private server?

Intranet

Eating:

Not a bad day.

Oatmeal, grapes, slice of pizza, slice of vegan cheese, salmon and veggies

Ok that’s it for me.

Have fun!

AJ

A High and a Low

Exercise:

The only movement I did today was some foam rolling and stretching after my Epsom salts bath. I am trying really hard to be a responsible body owner and listen to what my body is telling me. However, it has been absolutely gorgeous here all day- that perfect crisp, fall day- and all I can think is, why today of all days can’t I run??? You can bet it will be pouring the next time I run.😖

Teaching:

We had music this morning so didn’t get anything else done other than calendar. We got a dot-to-dot to 29 done and it seemed like only one of my children had real difficulty. This afternoon we started talking about rights and responsibilities. I think it’s going to take us a week to do the booklet I thought would take two days🤣

I got through testing one child on his sight words and amazingly he knew all the words to grade two, except for six. That’s a nice start, but I think he’s my top student so we’ll see what happens with the rest.

The best part of the day was that there were no problems at recess or lunch and at the end of the day outdoor playtime I got two girls playing together who usually just wander around by themselves. It felt so great to hear them laughing and giggling as they ran down the hill and did “meditation”. It was the best teacher moment I’ve had yet this year❤️❤️ Now I remember why I do this job!!!

Blog Hop:

New friends are always tough for me as I am very shy. People who meet me at work never believe this, but I put on a teacher persona in the morning just as much as I put on clothes. I definitely have the tendency to have a few good friends over a lot of friends, but once I’m friends with you, you’re stuck with me!🤣🤣

Thanks Teacher Turned Mommy for hosting this fun blog Hop:)

Knitting:

I was home early after doing a few puttery things around my classroom and spent the evening listening to podcasts and knitting on a Fall cowl for my HPKCHC class. It is blocking right now as it has a tendency to roll and hopefully I’ll be able to show it off tomorrow.

I’m down three more skeins, unfortunately I’m still +93 for the year:(

Well I’m off to bed in the hopes of being able to run tomorrow morning.

Have fun!

AJ