Off again...

Just getting ready for yet another Christmas celebration. This time with my brother and his family. We will be heading to my parents cottage some time this afternoon for the weekend. I have to finish some laundry, then we pack, and off again, off again!!

"Down" Day

Whew. It has been a few hectic days, to say the least. I am happy to say that right now, I am quite enjoying the sound of quiet as I sit here at the computer and sip my second cup of herbal tea. Oh, I still have TONS to do to clean up from yesterday's festivities, but today, there is no rush. Today, I can putter, and take my time. Today, I update my blog, and drink tea!

Okay, let's do a recap of events over the last little while. Saturday night we went to a fund-raising dance for the local fire-hall. We went with 5 other couples, and it was a nice night out. I was beat, though, and begged hubby to take me home around 10:30. (I had started to ask an hour before that... lol)
Sunday night was the night we had the A-man's Godmother and her husband over for a raclette. It was a really fun night. Neither had ever done raclette before, and all 6 of us were stuffed by the time we had finished. We never even got to grilling the pineapple for dessert!
Monday brought the day we had Christmas with hubby's family. It was SO nice to see my SIL that has moved over 'the big pond' to London, England. I didn't realize how much I had missed her until I saw her again. Hubby's brother and wife, and their two sons (aged 6 & 3) were there too. Our nephews are such a fun age for Christmas, however I think the youngest one was a little overwhelmed by the gifts he was expected to open, then not get to play with because he 'had' to open another one. I finally suggested to my brother-in-law that we just 'take a break' from opening so that the kids had the chance to PLAY with what they received. I think he was glad for that suggestion, and after a little while, we resumed the gift exchange.
After our family Christmas, we went to friend's for our annual Christmas Eve toast. We never stay long - maybe an hour - but it's nice to have that time with just our family and theirs. They have 4 girls - all play ice hockey, and therefore have crazy schedules - and we rarely get to see all 6 of them together now. Christmas Eve is something we all look forward to. This year was no exception.
Christmas morning was great. The A-man and S were thrilled with the Wii they found under the tree. S was SO excited on Christmas Eve - he made sure he left out the cookies and milk, and he swore he heard the jingle of bells in the middle of the night! My parents arrived early afternoon, and then hubby's parents and sister came for dinner. My aunt and uncle and their daughter and her family came over after dinner.
Yesterday was my Dad's annual family gathering. This year hubby and I were the hosts. My dad is the oldest of 9, and all but 2 made it this year. A few had a 4 hour drive, so it was nice they made it, too. In total, we had 28 for dinner. Not as big as other years, but this year we had some family members that haven't ever made it before. I wish my grandparents had been able to come, but I wasn't surprised they didn't.
Most of the party was held in the basement, so that allowed me to set up a table in the kitchen with the 'main course and dessert' food and the dining room was salads and 'starters' - all in a buffet style. I wanted to do a sit-down dinner, but decided to just keep it casual this year.
This morning over breakfast, hubby commented that this is the first year in a long time that I haven't been ill on Boxing Day. I guess I usually get myself all worked up over things, and this year I have been calm. The old lupus must really be in remission!
Now we are doing the general clean up from the gathering yesterday. Tonight we are going to Jazzy's house for dinner - all in a 'maple' theme, apparently. Salmon in a maple sauce, brie with a maple topping...that sort of thing. It will be nice to just be 'the guest' and not have to do the prepping or clean up afterward!
Then, tomorrow, we are cottage bound to see my brother and his family! Christmas lasts a week in my world!

Merry Christmas!

Today was, by far, one of the most relaxing, easy-going holidays we have ever had. Of course, I had the dinner rush, and the wrapping rush at the end, but that is part of what makes it a holiday. But, this morning, we were able to just spend some quality time together as a family. I had a wonderful Christmas - and I sincerely hope you did too!

Tomorrow will be a busy day as my dad's family will decend upon our house for the first time. I'm not sure how many will make it, but I have planned on 45. I have a roast that I will prepare in the morning, plus some turkey from tonight, and Mom made a few things... it will be fine - everyone brings a dish of some sort. We got the kitchen cleaned up with lightening speed this evening - should be a repeat for tomorrow.

All the best, everyone - I will write more later.

Merry Christmas!

Mobile Phone Company...grrrr....

This morning, I am fighting with my mobile phone company. When I got my bill this month, there was over $60 worth of roaming charges on it. When I got my bill LAST month, the same thing. Yeah, I wasn't 'roaming' last month.
I called to find out what is going on, and the person just did not seem to be able to explain to me how (or why) I am being billed like this. I expressed - quite clearly - my entire dissatisfaction with the situation, and that we would be rethinking both my plan and hubby's plan to switch to that provider. He, obviously, didn't have much to say about that.

S is beyond excited about Christmas being so close. It's so fun to see him this happy. The A-man is a tad more reserved - it's just not cool for a 14 year old to get excited about Christmas. I'm sure that will change on Monday night.

I was able to get quite a bit more wrapping done yesterday, and to review what I have, what I need, that sort of thing. Looks like the only thing left to do is purchase the food we will need! Hubby and I review the various tasks he and I have to complete over the weekend - such as rehanging the towel racks in the boy's bathroom, that sort of thing. He thought I would want to have the bathroom painted before our Family gathering on Boxing Day. I told him that I didn't think that would happen between now and then. I guess they will all just have to realize we are in 'renovation' stage.

I'm off for my nail appointment, then grocery shopping. Hubby and I are going to a Christmas dance tonight with 4 other couples. It should be fun. A last-minute gathering, but I always love going to dances. Tomorrow night we are having another couple over for a raclette dinner, which I know will be a lot of fun. Then, Monday is "Christmas" with Hubby's family. Whew - going to be busy for the next little bit. Probably won't be blogging much in the next week!

Have a great Christmas, everyone. I hope you are able to enjoy some down time, and some quality time with those you hold near and dear to your hearts.

Almost on Holidays

I have to work today until noon, then I will get a chance to do the final running around I need to do, and yippee - I am on holidays for a week!

S was beyond excited this morning. He was singing carols, showing me the various Christmas crafts they made in school, wrote out cards for the child that is his secret Santa recipient...and had his coat on ready for the bus about the time of the morning when I am usually saying to him "Get up, NOW!"

Today at the highschool, the A-man will be enjoying a "civies day" - which means no school uniform. They will be watching the school talent show this morning, then this afternoon they will be going to the movie theatre to take in a flick. Geesh - when I was in highschool, we simply do school work on the day before Christmas break.

I had my work dinner last night. It was at a great Italian place. I had the mussels to start, then this amazing pasta dish - it was a ravioli, stuffed with lobster, shrimp and scallops, served in a rose cream sauce....a meal I would repeat!

On the school front, I wrote a two page letter the other day, outlining the various concerns hubby and I have with respect to the EA that is currently working with S. I sent it to both the acting Principal and the superintendent. I cited various examples of events that xx happened, and EA did YY... and then reiterated what the specialist had indicated was necessary for the EA to have both training and practical experience in. I also said that the EA wouldn't have done YY, and YY, had she had the training the doctor requested.
I got a phone call from the acting Principal yesterday. He told me that I made very valid points, and he had made a number of notations in the margins of the letter to either remind him of what type of questions, or follow up, he would like to see happen. Now here is the big kicker - as of yesterday morning, he didn't know if he would be returning in the New Year, or if it would be our 'real' Principal, or another acting Principal. I guess the decision has not come down from the Board as of yet. How messed up is that?
Here is a case where the entire staff is in limbo! He told me that he would be more than happy to meet and discuss our concerns, but he can't do that right now because he doesn't know what will happen in two weeks time. This is EXACTLY why I contacted the superintendent on Monday - to simply raise the concern that the lack of knowing is terrible. It's hard to plan for anything, and the lack of follow-through is terrible. The acting principal told me he would let me know the outcome as soon as he was advised by the Board.
I sure hope we don't get our 'real' principal back - she is like a poison in that school. I think the Board knows this, but I'm sure there are legalities that have to be followed. Bureaucracy... oh, how fun.

As a side note - the acting principal indicted that my letter pointed out some very valid concerns and issues, and he would truly like to see them addressed.

I don't have much to report today. I was a terrible, horrible mother last night, and went to complete my Christmas shopping right after work. I didn't get home until just before bedtime! But, that said, I would be very surprised if either boy had homework this close to the Christmas break...I think most of the teachers are already on down time.

I did complete one school-related task yesterday, though. I wrote a very long, very detailed letter explaining the concerns hubby and I are experiencing with respect to the EA that is working with S. I cc'd it to the superintendent. I have also contacted the superintendent with respect to the prinicipal's return.

Just stirring that pot...

Family meeting

On Sunday, I noticed that the A-man suddenly came upstairs and started to work on some homework. Actually, he did that a few times through out the day. Since I was absorbed in my painting efforts, I didn't really think too much about it.
Probably around supper time, I realized that he was working on a Geography project that was due on Monday. A geography project that he had been assigned on November 23. Maybe a little bit of a "Johnny Come Lately" effort, I suspect. But, he did it.
Just as hubby and I were putting up the final trim, etc., I could hear the A-man getting a little frustrated with what he was working on. He needed our atlas, and was very upset when I told him that we didn't have one. I told him to look it up online, when I was informed - quite loudly - that he had been doing that for half an hour, and that was not available on the Internet. (Ha...yeah, right!)
So, I came upstairs, went to google, typed in "atlas, ontario" and low and behold, tons of usable, printable pages!! Quite sheepishly, he thanked me, gave me a hug, then asked me how the trimming was going. Anyway, he got it finished, and printed before bedtime. Since yesterday was a snow day, I encouraged him to use that time to review the project, but I can pretty much guarantee that didn't happen.

Last night we held a family meeting. I decided it was necessary when hubby lost his temper about the state of the boy's TV room. Hubby does not lose his temper, but when he does, it takes a lot to get him to that point. He was livid. I called the meeting, and I could tell the boys were hoping it would end quickly, but we worked very hard on making sure the solutions to the problems were things that were workable for all of us. Hubby explained that he and I could dictate how things were done, but if the boys didn't agree, they simply wouldn't follow the rules. I think they understood by the time it was all done, and I am hoping we have a working solution. Time will tell, I guess.

Two final things - we ordered new front windows last night. Pricey things, windows. But, the ones we have in the living room and dining room are the original wooden windows, and I have really been noticing the cold this year. If that much cold is coming in, how much heat (and money) is going out? They should be installed by the beginning of February.
Secondly - Cuz posted a comment to yesterday's blog. Darling Cuz - you can't use words like that to describe the snow. This is a family blog! tee hee... But, seriously - I know you guys got a lot of snow, and the big problem is room for it all. When I got to work yesterday, the snow that hadn't been cleared from the driveway came up to my mid-thigh. Yes, truly! And it continued to snow all morning yesterday. Unreal. And here is the kicker - they are calling for above freezing temperatures tomorrow, and RAIN! Crazy, crazy weather.

Painting - and more snow

Whew - what a busy weekend! I'm quite tired, truth be told. The worst part about it all, though? We weren't busy doing fun stuff. Oh, no - we were busy with plastering, sanding, cleaning...and painting. Well, I was busy with the painting - hubby did the bathroom steaming. With S's help.

The foyer is done! There are some final brush-required touch ups to be done, but for all intense purposes, I have finally succeeded in getting rid of that TERRIBLE wallpaper! The wall is now a beautiful hue called "Roasted Pepper," and it is a red that is very warm and inviting. Which, considering that it is in the main entry way, is a good thing. Hubby got all the trim and baseboards back on last night (that didn't crack when he removed them), and the colour of the walls with the oak trim is amazing. I thought it would be, but seeing the finished product always gives a feeling of relief. Tonight I will wash the floors, finish up the touch-up areas, then onward to the boy's bathroom. Ugh..my poor wrist and hand - the joints are not impressed.

I am so glad I went grocery shopping on Saturday night. We got about 16 inches of snow yesterday. I understand (from the radio) that the big city area got really dumped on - which always causes problems because a) they don't know how to drive in it and b) there is no where to PUT the snow! I had thought I would go and see Cuz on Saturday, but then decided I really needed to dedicate my time to getting that foyer done, and since we (and she) got all that snow, I'm thinking it was better that I did stay at home.
I was amazed to watch the accumulation on the hot tub cover yesterday. When I got up yesterday morning, there was about 2 inches on the cover - which had been cleared off the previous night when Hubby and the A-man had a tub. By about 9am, the amount of snow had doubled...and then, dump. Again - so glad I didn't have anywhere that I had to go yesterday.

Hubby called me about 20 minutes ago to see if I was going to go in to work. I am. It's another snow day - I don't think we have ever had this many snow days in December before - but I have a couple of deadlines that I need to meet, and today is it. Boss will be leaving the office around 2 or so today to head off for meetings, so I think my assistant and I will be calling it a day then, too. Hubby's big concern when he called was to make sure I stuck to his tracks in the driveway. It drifted last night and it is quite thick towards the end of it. (He even backed up a couple of times this morning to make a path for me - isn't that sweet?)

Only 8 more shopping days until Christmas! I have to get finished SOON.

It's Saturday!

When I turn on my laptop, there is this little weather feature thingy that tells us the current weather, what to expect for the day, and then gives a 3 day forecast. This morning, at 8:37 am, it was -15 with a wind chill that makes it feel like -22! -22?!!??? Okay - it is only December...we are not supposed to be having weather this cold yet. Whatever happened to that whole 'global warming' trend everyone has been talking about?? Geesh. -22. Crazy, I tell ya...

On Thursday evening, the boys and I were all watching a Christmas special together. It was nice, I will admit. Towards the end of the movie, the A-man turns to S and says, "Are you going to tell her?" and S's face transforms into that well-known 'little black rain cloud' we are all so used to. He replied - with a grunt, I believe - "No." Feet go up so knees are at the chest, arms are crossed. (He had been quite relaxed prior to this.) My internal warning bells start flashing and screaming in my head. The A-man then informs S that he will tell me if S doesn't.

A few minutes later, S tells me that he is going to ask the principal if he can go back on his regular bus - no longer take the mini-van. The regular bus was not a good thing for S. Far too much stimuli, and non-structured time. I asked why he would want to do that, and it seems he had another problem with the other boy that rides with him. I mentioned another issue a few weeks back, actually.

After a bit of time, I was able to determine that the other boy had been 'bouncing' for the whole ride home, and by the end of it, S had enough. He had asked the boy to stop, he had given the boy warnings... really, he did all that is to be expected. Unfortunately, this boy also has low social skills, and either simply didn't get it, or simply didn't care. Anyway, S lost his temper. When the van stopped to let the other boy out, S took off his seat belt and grabbed the other boy in a choke hold. I guess he held him like this for a few moments, then let go. The boy cried, but after the driver reprimanded S, the other little boy gave S a taunting "Nah nah" as he was getting out of the vehicle.

I still maintain that this entire problem could be completely resolved if S would be allowed to ride in the front seat of the van, as he used to do. For whatever reason, our 'normal' principal decided S couldn't ride in the front because of the front air-bags. He's 12 years old - he weighs almost 70 pounds. Front air-bags are not a concern, but I guess the other kids were wanting to ride in the front, and rather than have an argument with all of them, she simply deemed that no one was allowed in the front. Stupid woman.

Yesterday morning, I tried to call the principal before school began, but he was in a meeting. I sent an email to the SERT to let her know what had transpired, and to request that she talk to the principal and see if together they could override the whole front seat issue. I know he would be fine if he could just have some distance from this other boy. When she wrote back to me, she told me about an incident that had occurred in the French class that morning. Another bit of a blow up, but this time, he simply got extremely agitated and eventually left the class and went to the special ed room.

This is actually a very big improvement for him. Very little upset to the others in the classroom, no insults or injury to anyone...he simply... left. The SERT's main concern was not the behaviour - it was the level of frustration poor S was enduring. Of course, with S, you can never get to the root of the entire issue right away. It takes a very long time, and often a very long and drawn out conversation. I did make mention the SERT (in my reply) that it is a week to the Christmas holidays... it is the time that we will start to see more escalations in his behaviour, simply because of the excitement brought on by the holidays. Predictably unpredictable is my wee guy. We know it's coming - we just never know what "it" will be.

S would not talk about it last night. To be honest, I was okay with that. I ended up working an extra hour last night - missed my dinner with the jury - and by the time I got home from work it was almost 7. I was tired, the weekend was upon us, and I knew I would have ample time to review the situation over the weekend.

As I have been typing this, I have had to chase the cats out of the tree - three times - and I have had a conversation with S about the events of yesterday. Of course, the actual 'incident' was simply the result of a number of weeks' frustration. I will have to have a good chat with both the SERT and the principal about this. Short version... I don't think the EA 'gets it.' Truly. Now I have to make sure I get this dealt with right away, because once the New Year hits, the 'regular' principal will be back - oh happy day.

Anyway - enough blogging for today. I have to finished sanding and prepping the foyer walls - we begin to paint today! And I think my new mantle is scheduled to be installed over the weekend, too!!

Passing Time - and the IPRC

How is it that I have been writing this blog for nearly 4 months? How has the time gone by so quickly? I was having this conversation with a friend on mine last night, and after we got off the phone, it really started to hit me.
I have a dinner tonight with the people I sat on the jury with - two years ago! It doesn't seem like two years since we all met for the first time. We were only on the jury for two weeks, and that time seemed just as long as the two years that have passed since.


Anyway, enough "deep thoughts" for so early in the morning.


I went to the IPRC meeting yesterday. As we were heading in to the meeting, the principal informed me that the "inappropriate comments" made by the EA had been addressed. Of course he wouldn't (and couldn't) share the outcome with me. Geesh - I wish I knew how that all went down.
The meeting itself was simply a formality. His IEP has been written and prepared based on S having "multiple exceptionalities" so we just needed to get the proverbial 'ducks in a row.' For those that aren't aware - the outcome of an IPRC meeting is very significant for the school board. Basically, the IPRC - more so the results of an IPRC meeting - put a legal obligation upon the school, and therefore the school board, to ensure that all educational requirements and accomodations must be made for the child's exceptionality.
Once a board recognizes that a child has a 'different' educational need through the formal IPRC process, they are then legally obligated to do all that they can to ensure that this child receives the necessary educational supports. If they try this, and it doesn't work, then they move on to the next step, and so on and so on, until the child finally achieves success. (This is why so many boards are trying to avoid the entire IPRC process - it can cost them too much in many, many ways.)
As a result of S's parent knowing how this entire legal-entity process works, and working the system in a well-thought and designed plan, S now has his special bussing, his laptop, and his EA. The bussing was an issue - there were problems there. The school tried a), then b), then c), and when none of that worked....special bussing was the only option that had not been attempted. And so it went with all of the other accomodations he is currently receiving.
The problem with all of this uptopia-like plan, however, is that the schools will not just move to the next step willingly. Sometimes, I am sure there is a principal and/or SERT that will move to that next step without proding, but in every single step of the way for S, I have had to read, and research, and consult with higher-ups to find out what else could be done. It has literally taken years to finally get to a stage that hubby and I feel could even remotely be successful for S. Like, 5 years.
How many parents are willing to continue to write letters, read, research...write more letters, make countless phone calls, send tons of emails, and on and on, for the better part of 5 years? Sad to say it - but not that many. Most either change schools with the hope that this school will be better, or end up doing homeschooling, or send their child to a private school. I will admit, all of these have been options we have considered.
We have (twice) even gone so far as to looking at our budgeting to see what we could do about one particular school. One we looked at - which I'm sure would have been great - was $25,000 per year. Another one - which we did seriously consider - was more resonable at $3,000/year. But, we are fortunate that we could consider that one - there are so many families out there that could never fathom that much money for education for their 8 year old.
Something I thought of, as I am writing this - please note that I am speaking only for the current Ontario legislation with respect to the IPRC. I don't know how it works in other provinces within Canada. And, I say current because I think the Ministry of Education is looking at melding the two steps (ie. IPRC and IEP), but I don't know where that has moved to within the legislative houses.

(whew, that was a tangent I hadn't planned...)


So, we had the IPRC meeting then discussed how S is doing over-all. It appears that he is doing well for the most part. The teacher said she had noticed that he is starting to come to her with things a little more often now, which means he is feeling comfortable with her. We are still waiting to get that 'voice to text' option fixed, and that was brought up twice at the meeting. I guess they know that I won't back down until all is moving smoothly!! And, the second term IEP has been developed. I have been given a copy to consider and sign off on. This is the first time I have ever been given a term-by-term IEP. She is really on the ball this year!

more from the party

I decided to be brave, and try to upload a few more pictures from the company Christmas party on Saturday.

When I saw this jumpy/bouncy thing, and saw what it was called, guess who I thought of right away? It was the Disney "Princess" castle...

Then Mrs. Frosty happened by, so I snapped a quick picture of her, too...

...tried to upload a couple more, and it just won't do it... guess that's enough anyway.

Christmas Concert

S and I went to his school's Christmas concert last night. He has been so excited about it all this week. I've heard about every single rehearsal, every single skit... so, needless to say, he was just pinging off the walls by the time I got home from work last night.
Funny thing about the school concert - even though he attends a Catholic school, very few of the skits actually focused on what Christmas is really about. The littlest ones - Junior Kindergarten - sang "Away in the Manger" and there were a few that maybe mention Jesus' birth (maybe), but for the most part it was just.... fun. I really don't understand why the public schools aren't allowed to have Christmas concerts anymore. Well, I guess some of them just have concerts, and the songs and skits are based on popular songs or things. Anyway, I just found it strange.
The A-man opted not to come to the concert with us last night. S told me on the way to the school that the A-man has sworn he will never set foot in that school EVER again. I guess to say he really didn't like his time there would be an understatement.

S handed in his history project yesterday, and got his mark back already. He was happy to have received an A on it. I was a little surprised, truth be told. I mean, I am thrilled that he got a good mark, but.... well, maybe I just don't know what the curriculum is really wanting. I have started to realize that.

I have an IPRC meeting late this morning. The EA has been invited to attend the meeting, but when I told the SERT the latest, she was not very impressed (to say the least) and asked if I still wanted the EA in attendence. She will be there.
On the up side of that nonsense - her 'factured' thumb no longer requires a splint of any sort. S told me last night - "She's all better, Mom." Hmmm...when I fractured my wrist last winter, I needed 6 weeks in a cast, then a couple months of therapy... interesting....

I didn't have much time yesterday morning to blog, and then last night we had some heavy snow, so the satellite was covered - therefore no internet. When I switched on the laptop this morning, it was working. Must have warmed up or something.

Between last night and the night before, S finished his History report. I think we have seen the reason why he needs another software program (called Keirzwell) installed on his laptop. Reading the text book was quite a struggle for him. But, with my help, he was able to finish the assignment. Some of the reading was done by him completely - with some assistance - and other parts I just read to him.
Of course, the voice-to-text still isn't working, so he had to type out the passages. There were times when he got frustrated with that, so I would type what he was saying. I didn't think that was cheating because that is what the voice to text would have done, had it been working. I was very careful to type exactly as he spoke - even only putting in punctuation when he said to!
I did notice that he can become frustrated quickly, but at least I was able to steer him away from that. I can see, however, how he tends to get away with minimal effort in school. I'm sure neither the EA nor the teacher will insist on the extra effort that Mom insists upon. But, he needs to be pushed as any 'normal' child would be. He has the IQ - it's been proven - he just needs some extra assistance to make it a level playing ground.
In S's IEP, it has been stated that he will be given extra time for assignments, or reduced work load. The teacher and/or EA (I'm not sure which) took the time to highlight the sections of the project that S was to do - maybe about half of the other students - and I took that to mean that for this assignment, he was being given a reduced work load. Yet S claimed the teacher said he had another 5 days to do the project. No way. I told him that if the class had to hand it in today, he handed it in today. If he wanted to wait until Monday, I told him that I felt he should be required to do all of the questions. He is handing it in today.
We have a team meeting tomorrow to review S's IPRC. I know that I won't really have the opportunity to discuss this with the teacher, but the second term IEP will be worked on soon, and I will be sure to address it then. It needs to be one or the other - not both. He can DO the work, but he will take the easy way out any way he can. That is typical for any kid, isn't it? Then you add in the ADHD...yeah, he'll be as lazy as he can be when it comes to school work.

The A-man had a Science lab to work on last night. It took him a fair bit of time, but he was very good to sit and make sure he completed the entire lab. The template he is using was revised to better reflect what the teacher was expecting in a lab, and he used it. Of course, there were a couple of things he noticed after he had printed it out, but he was quick to change them and reprint.
He had a drama assignment yesterday - he had to sing. Poor class. On the upside, when the A-man sings, (if that is what you would call it...) the lovely Tourette stutter goes away! He thinks he should be living his life like a musical where everyone just breaks in to song and dance whenever they want to talk. (I laughed so hard when he said that last night at the dinner table.) At least he isn't going to allow the TS to stop him from doing the things he wants to do, and he is able to put the humour in to it. He wasn't quite there last year when it was all so new to him, but I guess he really has matured in more than just his height. I really am so proud of him. He has come a very long way. Trust me.

I have added a new feature to my blog - a weather pixie! So, if you are reading this blog and don't live in the 'great white north' we call Canada, don't forget to take a look at the right hand side, around the middle of the blog, to see what great types of Ontario weather you are missing out on!!

Yesterday and last night

I will try and load a few pictures from the Christmas party we went to yesterday. The system was quite slow yesterday...

Okay...so, this is two of the 4 stray kittens we have living under our shed. I noticed they were heading back 'home' just as we were leaving for the party. The black one has been dubbed "Skinny Dude" by the A-man, and the orange one is Puss, I think.

We arrived at the party around 2 pm. This is held on the arena floor, but the entire concourse is also games and activities for the kids. We passed karaoke machines, virtual hockey games, car races, face painting, cookie decorating...and then there were the 'rides' in the centre of the arena on the ice surface.

The company does not hold back for the kid's party, that is for sure.

I've tried to get a couple more on here, but it's jst not working! I think I will try again on my other computer later - the laptop doesn't always have the highest of connections.

After the party, Hubby and S and I went Christmas shopping. S had about 8 people on his list, and he was able to get quite a few things. I think it's great that he thinks of so many others, and wants to buy things for them. I was able to squeeze in a few more things, too.

After supper, it was History project time. S claimed he was done the section he needed to work on for the weekend, but when I looked it over, it was quite obvious that he just skimmed the book and just pulled what he thought was the correct answers. After I READ the book to him, he realized his answers weren't correct. So, together, we modified his answers. I say "together" because the voice to text part of his laptop is still not functioning, so I was his scribe when it came to the longer written sections.

I then showed him a way to have both a 'working' draft of each question, and then how to start putting it all together in to the final draft. He will need a cover page, and a table of contents... all of that can be started even before he is done the project. It was great to see this little light of dawning come across his face when he saw what I was suggesting. I think I may see him use this idea in the future!

And so, life is back to normal once again. Boss is back from his conference some time today, so there will be buzz about the office. The storms seem to have abated for a while...and hubby is on the afternoon shift again!

Award

I have been given a blogger award...by two different people! I feel so loved! A very special THANK YOU to Singapore Connection, and to The Artist Princess for presenting me with the award!

This is another, very special award that I have been given from The Artist Princess. She is a very talented 5 year old - and the daughter of my online friend I call My Singapore Connection. This one is called "World's Best Friend" and here is the poem that goes with it:

Do you know the relationship between your 2 eyes? They blink together, move together, cry together, see things together and sleep together. Even though they never see each other, friendship should be just like that! Life is like Hell without FRIENDS. Its ‘World Best Friend Week’. Send this to your best friends to let them know you appreciate them.
Your Love is Ur Heart,
Your heart is Ur Spouse,
Your spouse is Ur Future,
Your future is Ur Destiny,Your destiny is Ur Ambition,
Your ambition is Ur Aspiration,
Your aspiration is Ur Motivation,
Your motivation is Ur Belief,
Your belief is Ur Peace,
Your peace is Ur Target,
Your target is Heaven,
Heaven is no fun without FRIENDS.

Thank you, Princess, for being my online friend.

I share these awards with you, the reader. Since you have taken the time to read my blog, I would think you deserve these, too.

Photos!

I have been promising to put up some pictures of the snow. It's just so hard to get a good picture that shows the true depth of the snow. You can't, of course, feel how cold it is, but that's okay. Today was -6 degrees Celsius.
This first photo was taken on Tuesday morning after the big snow fall of Monday. We had the freezing rain on the Sunday night, then a bunch of snow. It snowed even more on Tuesday, but I thought this might give a pretty good idea of the drifting that occured. This is of our deck - just off the dining room. I opened the door, which is why the snow is all straight up at the very front. The A-man shoveled this off the deck this afternoon.

Today was hubby's company Christmas party for the kids. Here is a picture of S getting ready to go to the party. You can see the deck just to the upper left hand side of the photo. Hubby has used the snowblower to clear a path to the deck so that the propane truck can deliver propane for the fireplace in the basement. That is why S is not actually standing in snow that would cover his boots. I am standing on the driveway to take this photo.

Now, imagine I have turned 180 degrees from the last photo - S is now to by back, right hand side.

Here is how the snow makes the poor branches on the evergreens bend and strain. They are such hardy trees, and they really do look so pretty with the snow on them...but, the weight must be incredible.

I have tried a couple of times to download a few other pictures tonight, but for some reason the connection just isn't working all that well. I was going to put some up from the party, but maybe I will be able to do that tomorrow night.

Not a photo journal today

Apparently my idea of a photo-shoot/outside play is not being well-recieved by my children today. They have alternative plans. WhatEVER. I will get a few on here, this I know, and promise.

My mom and I are going to go to the city today. We are going to a cosmetic sale, then we are going to stop by Cuz's house to see the patient. Apparently he has been quite grumpy with the limitations that have been placed on him, but when you have blood clots (yes, as in, "more than one") in your heart, the doctors feel it's quite serious, and make you limit a number of things. Salt, fluid intake...all the fun stuff. Since there are 2 clots, he can't have the defibulator put in place, so now he is on a ton of medications to try and break up the clots. Blood thinners, that sort of thing.
It's incredible to think that a healthy, active man, with no history of heart problems can be going through all of this. And he's only 52! The doctor says he sees this sort of thing all the time. This has convinced Cuz and I that it really does not matter what you do - when your time it up, it's up. Look at Blinky.
So, again, LIVE YOUR LIFE people! Do what you want to do - when you can. I was planning on doing some housework and paperwork today. When my mom suggested this impromtu road trip, I declined at first. "Too much to do..." Then, I thought..."You know what, that housework will be here tomorrow (or the next day)... that paperwork won't do itself...it will wait...but the opportunity to see them is here. Now"... and, so, I am going.
---------
Talked to the principal yesterday. I had called to follow up on the discussion we had about the inappropriate comment made by the EA. Apparently he has not talked to her about it. He said, again, that he felt it was a "heat of the moment" thing, and I disagreed with him. I told him that I felt it was a deliberate gesture on her part - meant to punish and upset S.
He said he will address it with her, but didn't give me a time frame as to when that would happen. I guess my conversation with him on Monday it was a bit of lip service to keep me happy. He has assured me that he is monitoring the situation, making sure the trust level between S and Mrs. A is still there...that sort of thing. Blah, blah, blah... (sigh) When will I learn?


S is going to be participting in a Christmas Concert on Wednesday night. He is very excited about it - I have been hearing about the practises every day. He is started to rev up more and more about the holiday. The build up is almost too much for him, sometimes, I think. He is still so cute about it all.
He wants to believe, but he's at that age where he is questioning... I wish they could stay in that "believe" state for so much longer. Heck, I wish I could still be there. The whole idea of a total stranger wanting to shower people with gifts...I wish more and more people had that spirit.

We adopted one family for Christmas this year...the donation of $$ was all that was needed, but it just doesn't seem like enough. The year that we bought the gifts for the children and the mom, plus provided everything for a 'traditional' Christmas meal...I think that was the year Hubby and I remember the best, and with the fondest of memories. That year, that mom was so surprised and grateful. She had not gone through an agency - we just took it upon ourselves to do what we could for her. I think we may do the same again this year. This is something we have done a few different times, and every time we have felt an amazing sense of joy and happiness over the holiday.
I have one lady in mind. She has 4 children with a very limited income. We will have to do it annoymously, though. She is far too hard-headed to accept it if we just arrived at her house. I'm not sure how we will proceed. Hubby and I have a few ideas we are working on.
THAT is what Christmas needs to be about. This years the boys will be active participants in our "adopted family's" Christmas. They need to realize how fortunate they are. They know they are more fortunate than some, but I often wonder if they really 'get it.'
I think they do. I know I sure do.

Till next time...

Back at the grind

Yesterday was, as I expected, a very hard and emotional day. We were not able to make the long journey in time for the visitation on Wednesday evening, but from all accounts, the family was so overwhelmed by visitors anyway. There was a one-hour line up for most of the evening.
We arrived about an hour before the funeral, and were able to spend some time with our friend's husband. He is, to say the least, devastated. 43 years is a very long time to have been married to one person and to have that person gone in just a blink of an eye... well, I just can not imagine how terrible and shell-shocked the entire family is.
Her youngest son did a eulogy... he wasn't able to write anything down, he said, and so he just spoke from the heart - until he couldn't do it any longer. The thing that got me the most was the ending - he said it what he was doing was hard, but he hadn't had the chance to say good-bye, and he felt doing that would give him the opportunity. I think that is how we all felt - we didn't get to say good-bye.
When I heard of her passing on Monday, my first thought was, "Did I hug her good-bye the last time I saw her?" I know I did - I always gave her a hug when we were parting. But still, if I had known that was the last hug I would have given her, it would have been longer. And much harder.
I'm going to miss you, Blinky. We all will.

-------------

Tomorrow will be my 100th post. Since it will be Saturday, and I will have some time, I think I will do a photo journal tomorrow. I want to get some pictures of the boys playing out in the snow - they have started making a snow fort - and I really want to show my Singapore Connection - and anyone that doesn't live in this area of Ontario - what our snow is really like. (The pictures from the other day just don't give a full visual.)
It's so difficult getting a true feeling for the amount of snow without having people and objects in the picture to compare it to. And the funny thing is, my one friends that live about 3 hours north of here just laugh at me when I say we have a lot of snow. Again, it all a matter of perspective. If you live in the city, we have TONS of snow. North...a skiff...

Until then...

Job Description - PARENT

This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way, I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, Often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.
And don't forget the free admission to the retirement home of their choice!!

and finally, back to school...

With S having a PA day on Friday, then the two snow days, he has been home for 5 full days. Now he is worried about the amount of work they are going to have to catch up on. I told him that I'm sure the teacher will make adjustments.
Hubby and I will be leaving late this afternoon to our friend's funeral. The visitation is tonight, and I am hoping we will be able to get there in time. I just can't leave work early... well, I'll see how the day goes.
We have made arrangements for S to go to my MIL's - my parents will be at the funeral, also - and the A-man will be hanging out at Jazzy's house. (He was actually quite annoyed that he didn't get to go home on that bus tonight. He and Jazzy's brother are such good friends - it's nice to FINALLY see him with good, true friends.) The funeral is tomorrow morning, so we will be home some time tomorrow - late afternoon, early evening. Guess we will have to get dumb beagle back too at some point...
What a week it's been. I got a bit more decorating done yesterday - couldn't get the garland I wanted, but I got a nice alternative. I'm even going to do a little village area heading down the stairs. It has been quite a while since I was this excited about Christmas...it's nice. Just feels so odd with know what our friends are coping with...

Noticed this morning that I have almost made 100 blog notes. That's pretty neat. Should do a special "100" recap or something on the weekend...you know, like they do for TV shows....lol

Still snowing

There is a snow drift on my deck that is actually above my waist. Now, all the snow on the deck isn't that deep, it's just the way the snow blew off the roof and around the deck. (And for those of you that are thinking "Well, that's not too much - she's short..." I stick my tongue out at you!) :o)~
The drift is deep. I have tried to take a picture, but the depth perception just doesn't quite work in a picture.
Today is (yet) another snow day. I am going to go in to work today, though. The winds have died down enough that I think it should be fine. Yesterday I couldn't see the cars on the highway. That is always my gauge for the winds. Today, as I look out through the trees and to the horizon, I can see the headlights moving along. They are moving a wee bit slower than normal, but at least I can see them.
I'm sure the boys will be happy - I will now be able to get to the grocery store. We ran out of milk last night, we are low on bread, and have no lunch meats... Time to restock the "just in case" supplies. Again, I ask, "Why do I live in Canada in the winter?"

Talk to the Principal yesterday regarding the comment the EA made to S. He is going to speak with her about it. He agreed with me that it was inappropriate, but he also felt it was likely said in the heat of the moment. I explained that I realized that, however, it was still not a professional thing to say/do, and it needed to be addressed. I felt like a big weight had been lifted after my conversation with him. S seems to have been able to use these extra days off to get himself back to his normal self, and he is no longer complaining of the butterflies being sick in his tummy.

Going to stop on my way home to pick up some garland. New store not far from work actually braids their own triple blend of evergreen branches, then sells them in 25 foot lengths. I'm going to put them around the bannisters tonight, and then once the mantle place in the basement is done, I'm going to do down there, too. Decorating both floors this year!

Another snow day

Since today, has been like this:

and like this:

The A-man and S helped me with this:

A matter of perspective...

This morning, around 7:30, I received a very distressing phone call from my mom. A very close friend has passed away. She was not ill - to my knowledge - and had not been in hospital. She went in her sleep, which I guess is a blessing, but hearing news so sad and heartbreaking just helps put things in perspective.
The day to day "stuff" is often times just that - stuff. The things that really matter - love, and happiness, and health - are what has just been brought in to the proper perspective for me.
My cousin will be going to an angiplast today. Cuz was very shell-shocked when they received that news on Friday. Depending on the results of this test, my cousin may be needing a heart transplant. I will be waiting close by the phone to hear from her later today.

Yeah - perspective is what I have been missing this past weekend. THESE things are important. An EA that may not know her job, in the grand scheme of life, is not a big deal, and I had better learn to stop sweating these things. (which is what hubby has been telling me all weekend...)

Hug those close to you. Never miss the chance to tell them you love them. And don't take the chance to think you can do it "later." That said, I am not going to work today - freezing rain and snowsqualls. I am not going to risk it. There is nothing in that office that is that important.

Tag - you are it...

A fun "getting to know you" type post. I was tagged by my "Singapore Connection," and although I have never been tagged before, I gather I am supposed to answer the questions, then tag other friends to do the same. I don't really have a number of friends that blog, but I know I have some regular readers. I will tag them at the end of this...

W H O . W A S . T H E. L A S T . P E R S O N

1. You hung out with? Last night - Hubby and 2 other couples.
2. Saw you cry? my friend Laurie.
3. Went to the movies with you? Hubby and sons.
4. You went to the mall with? Don’t remember last time I was in a mall.
5. You went to dinner with? Hubby and 2 other couples!! lol
6. You talked on the phone to? My mom
7. Said ‘I love you’ to you and really meant it? Hubby
8. Made you laugh? My youngest son

W O U L D . Y O U . R A T H E R?

1. Pierce your nose or tongue? If I HAD to pick, I would say nose, I guess
2. Be serious or be funny? Usually funny – I prefer laughter
3. Drink whole or skim milk? 1% - so, I guess skim
4. Spend time with your parents or enemies? Parents for sure! I will be doing that this afternoon!!

D O . Y O U . P R E F E R.

1. Flowers or candy? Flowers
2. Gray or black? Depends on mood – today – black.
3. Color or Black and white photos? Love them both
4. Lust or love? Love is the best
5. Sunrise or sunset? Sunsets – they are so peaceful
6. M and Ms or Skittles? Hmmm…never really thought of it before…probably M&M’s
8. Staying up late or waking up early? Late for sure – air is not natural in the morning

D O . Y O U . P R E F E R.

1. Sun or moon? Sun
2. Winter or Fall? Fall over winter. HATE winter
3. Left or right? Left
4. 10 acquaintances or having two best friends? Two best friends that will love me despite all my craziness!
5. Sunny or rainy? Sunny – rain can make me sad
6. Vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream: Vanilla – but strawberry is the best!

A B O U T . Y O U

1. What time is it?: 12:22 pm
2. Nickname(s): Jori
3. What is your birth date?: September 11
4. What do you want? A normal, CALM life
5. Where do you want to live? On a beach – I love the water
6. How many kids do you want? I have the perfect number for me - 2
7. You want to get married? I don’t think Hubby would like that… ;o) - too much competition!!

U N I Q U E

1. Nervous habit: don’t have a nervous one… strum my fingers, and hum absent mindedly sometimes…
2. Are you double jointed? No
3. Can you roll your tongue?: Yup
4. Can you raise one eyebrow?: oh, yes. This is what my eldest son calls my "Momma eye..."
5. Can you cross your eyes?: Yes
6. Do you make your bed daily?: Yes – unless hubby is still in it!
7. Can you draw? Define “draw”…I doodle nicely…

R A N D O M

1. Which shoe goes on first? Usually the right one, I think
2. Ever thrown a shoe at someone? Why would I do that?
3. What is your craziest experience ever? Too many to share! Lol…nah, I’m pretty tame…but there was this one time…

F O O D

1. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Twirl
2. Have you ever eaten spam? Yes…did I like it? No.
3. Favourite ice cream: Either strawberry or Maple Walnut – depends on amount of strawberries in the mixture!
4. How many kinds of cereal are in your cabinet? About 6 right now. Okay – correction – there are 4 today.
5. What’s your favourite beverage? Depends on the mood. Love wine… love Perrier…
6. Do you cook? LOVE to cook

IN . T H E . L A S T . M O N T H . H A V E . Y O U ?

1. Bought something: uh, yeah…it’s almost Christmas
2. Sang: For sure – love to sing – just not good at it!
3. Been hugged: Yes
4. Felt stupid: a very common feeling for me
5. Missed someone: no one I can think of right now
6. Danced crazy: No - but would really like to.
7. Gotten your hair cut: Yes
8. Cried: Yes - too much
9. Lied: No, I don’t think so – I’m not very good at lying.

Okay, so now I am supposed to tag others to answer these same questions. For this, I tag the following people:

• Bear
  Hammy
• Cuz
• Heath
• Kat

You guys can email me with your answers.

Today... today I feel deflated- warning..it's long today.

When am I ever going to learn? When am I going to STOP jinxing things? Yes, today (and yesterday...) I feel completely and totally deflated, defeated, and just, well, sad.

The other day I mentioned in one of my posts that S had not had a good day at school, that he had to come home, etc., etc.. I was hoping this was just blip in the day-to-day life of S, but, of course, that is never the case. There always has to be some sort of CRAP to follow us around.

Wednesday morning, I took S to school. We reviewed the events of the previous day, discussed it with the principal...on and on. Wednesday there were no problems at school. Thursday, there were no problems at school. Friday was a PA day. S came to work with me, and we had a meeting at the school to go over his report card. First meeting was with the French teacher. It was fine. Next, S and I go in to our meeting with the classroom teachers, and the SERT joined the meeting, as well.

For the most part, all was good. S has been working hard in class, needs to put a bit more effort in to the written work. The laptop has been very useful, the SERT wants to see him using more of this certain program...yadda, yadda, yadda....going along as expected.

I mention that S has really been enjoying learning how to do sign language, and ask who has been teaching him that. I am told it is his EA - Mrs. A. Then, suddenly, the SERT says, "But she is going to have some difficulty with that for the next little while, isn't she S?" I look over at S, and his head is hung in shame. Confused, but innocently, I say, "Oh, has she hurt herself?" The answer to this question blows me away.

I am informed that Mrs. A has fractured her thumb. I guess when S had been resisting her attempts to bring him to the office - she had taken his hand - he actually pulled/resisted her to the point that her thumb was fractured. I was speechless. My heart dropped. I didn't know what to say. I just said "Oh, dear. Oh, S." He looked ready to cry. After a moment of silence, and uncomfort all around, the meeting resumed.

When we left the meeting, and started to head back to my office, I questioned S about the injury to his EA. I asked if he knew she had been hurt - he did. I was just about to ask him why he hadn't told me she had been hurt when he said something that sent me realing. He said, "She told me that she had to work really hard to convince her husband to not call the police on me."

WHAT?!!???!!!

Of course I am very, very upset that he has caused an injury to his EA. Of course I realize that his actions were very serious, and the fact that he harmed someone - even unintentionally - is very serious. I would never dismiss that as being silly or absurd. Had that happened to me, or anyone I loved, I would also be very angry and upset.

But there is something here that has me even more upset. How could she have felt justified in telling S that her husband wanted to have him charged with assault??!! Firstly, I feel this is very unprofessional, and secondly, I question weather this woman has any clue about both the inability to self-regulate, and/or the anxiety disorder that affects him. If she did, I don't think she would have said this to him. I agree it needed to be addressed - but to ME, and hubby - but NOT to S. I had not even been informed that the EA was injured. (side note - the EA didn't go to hospital the night of injury, but the following night.)

I have been stewing about this since Friday. I have had a lead lump in my stomach since then. I have talked with (many) other EA's, I have emailed S's doctor about this, and I have emailed a police officer friend about all of this. I guess my next step will be to talk to the principal and SERT to go further. If she is going to share this sort of information with S, I don't think she is qualified to assist him. The doctor's specifications were very, very clear on the type of EA for S, and this would NOT be a comment made lightly. The doctor is very upset that the EA would say something this detrimental to S.

I do not think this is appropriate. At all. The one (retired) EA I spoke with told me that when she had a child such as S, she knew that it was possible to undergo issues such as this one, and she also realized that in the heat of the moment, an injury such as this could be possible. Her husband said that he would have put such an injury off to "part of the job" and would have realized the child had not been intentionally causing harm.

The police officer said it is a very difficult situation, and he also questioned weather it should be more a 'school' isuse than a legal issue. He feels that the courts are a place for CRIMINALS, not 12 year olds with "behavourial concerns" - his words, not mine. (Officer did not know of other issues, but legally, that would not matter - which is why I didn't go in to the that.) My email to his approached it simply on a "facts" basis.

I am supposed to have an IPRC meeting one day this week, and I think I will wait until to broach this subject. I want to go charging in there and shout "How dare she???," but I do not think that would be helpful at this point.

And, again, my tummy hurts. And I want to cry.

I'm curious to know - what do you think?