Hung Over 120 Pieces of Children’s Art This Week

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Mama Cormier

…..90 of them were put up yesterday

I teach about 110 students art and I feel it’s important that every child’s work should be displayed. This week I knew it was time to take down some of the older work and replace it with newer assignments.

In grade 5, I taught the students about the colour wheel. Even though I’ve taught art as a prep coverage subject for only the last two years, when I had a grade 5 homeroom I always did my own art. So for the last 14 years, the colour wheel was always been an important aspect of my art program. This year I decided to change it up a bit and instead of giving them a prepared wheel that they added colour to, I had the students create their own wheels and I encouraged them to be somewhat creative while remaining true to the colours and placement of the colours.

Once the acrylic paint dried I had the students take it one step further and add a splash of Zentangle designs to their wheels. Zentangle is an art form using structured repetitive patterns to create beautiful images. It’s like doodling but more carefully applied. Here are a few examples of their amazing work:

The other 90 pieces that I hung yesterday were inspired by Picasso’s Peace Art. Here’s a sneak preview.

I’ll post the lesson in the next day or so. Have a great weekend!

No Sleep is Catching up With Me

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….partly due to the time change

It’s been an interesting week. I’ve definitely not had enough sleep. Twice this week I’ve fallen asleep in the middle of my favourite shows. Both times I woke up during the credits of the show and I had to ask my husband how the show ended. I don’t watch a lot of TV anymore so when I do the shows are important to me. I couldn’t believe that I fell asleep before 9:00 at night. That should have been my first clue that I need more sleep.

The worst thing that happened this week is that I almost burned down my house. For some reason I decided it was a good idea to start making soup at 10:00. I set the stove on high and went downstairs to do another load of laundry. I decided to stay up and transfer the wash over to the dryer. My biggest mistake at this point was opening up my laptop to check my emails and read some of the blogs that I follow. I completely forgot about the soup.

As I started to transfer the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer my noise started to twitch. OMG! I darted up the stairs and ran into the smoke filled kitchen. I pulled the pot off the burner, opened all the windows, turned on the fan and then removed the pot from the stove and placed it on the deck. At this point the smoke detector went off. I opened the front door and the back door and more windows on the main floor.

Luckily the smoke cleared up quickly but I was surprised that my husband slept through all of this. The smell hung around for a couple of days. The next morning when my husband woke up he searched the house looking for the offending smell.

Today at work I had a melt down. When small things start to bug you, you know that there’s more to it. I’m missing my friend CR, the kids are very talkative and unfocused (too much Hallowe’en candy), the staff is under a lot of stress over their report cards, I’m trying to finish projects for the Remembrance Day assembly on Monday and I have to change up my displays in the hall.

Tonight I was able to finish my paperwork for the book fair and before I left I put up some new work from the grade five class. A step in the right direction. Tomorrow’s another day but I have to admit that thoughts of retirement entered my head today. Maybe four days without meat is affecting me. Some of my friends think that I should add some animal protein to my meals.

Cheers!

A rare Beatles video from 1968: I’m So Tired Demo

The Kids are Back, Lucy Goes Home and My Baby Turns 34

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….November always evokes special memories for me

It was a cold grey day in November, 34 years ago when I finally went into labour with my oldest daughter. I say finally because my original due date was October 10th and it was November 4th, almost four weeks later before I went back to the hospital. I remember that my rosebush in the front yard still had a beautiful bloom on it. I think that’s why I took a photo of this rose on my walk on Sunday.

It feels strange to say that I have a 34 year old daughter. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. A and her partner went away for a couple of days so we haven’t celebrated her birthday as a family. We’re planning on getting together next Sunday for a special brunch at a restaurant she’s long wanted to try.

On Sunday our youngest daughter and her husband returned from their week long cruise in the Caribbean. It sounds like they had a good time. It was a very special reunion when they came to pick up Lucy. When they left for their holiday they got a phone call just before they were ready to board the plane that Lucy needed to have emergency surgery. It took a couple of days and a couple of phone calls to the veterinary hospital before they could really enjoy their holiday.

Lucy was pretty much back to normal when G and B picked her up Sunday evening. As much as our Frances loves playing with her buddy, Lucy, I think she was glad to have the house to herself again.

Day Light Savings – Part 2

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Mama Cormier

…..the downside is that it gets dark earlier

The day seemed exceptionally long but now I’m tired and it’s only 7:00 pm. When I leave work it will be dark outside and it will continue to get darker till December 21st.

There’s always a lot of discussion around whether we need daylight savings time. In the United States, Hawaii and Arizona don’t change the clocks and in Canada, Saskatchewan has opted out of using it. It does play havoc with the body’s internal clock and it takes about a week for some people to adjust.

I think I’m tired because I had a lot on my plate. I got out this morning for a short walk with Lucy. We put our patio furniture away and I cleaned up some of the weeds from the garden. I dusted and vacuumed the living room, cleaned out the jam cupboard, cleaned the fridge, cleaned the bird cage, vacuumed the upstairs, stripped the beds and did four loads of laundry.

I tried a new recipe tonight, cauliflower couscous. My husband and I are trying to eat less meat. I checked out a few recipes on the internet and then gathered up the ingredients I had on hand. After a few modifications I came up with my own version of this tasty dish. If you’re trying to cut down on carbohydrates or need a gluten free recipe you’ll find that this recipe covers both bases.

Carol’s Cauliflower Couscous

1 medium size cauliflower

1 sprig of rosemary

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds

3 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 red apple, skin on, diced

handful of finely chopped chives or green onions

handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

pepper to taste or a splash of your favourite hot sauce

1. In a food processor place the cauliflower flowerets and pulse till the cauliflower resembles couscous.

2. In a flat bottom saucepan pour just enough water to cover the bottom with a sprig of rosemary and 1 tsp of salt.

3. Bring the water to a boil and add the cauliflower couscous. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. After 5 minutes remove the couscous from the pan and spread onto a baking dish to cool.

5. Add oil to the pan and toast the chopped almonds for a few minutes. Add the celery and cook for another 5 minutes till the celery softens.

6. Add the garlic, chopped apple, chives, vinegar and parsley. Continue to cook just to warm the mixture and season to your liking.

7. Serve warm or cold.

Day Light Savings

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Mama Cormier

…..moved the clocks back last night

One of the benefits of changing the clocks back one hour is that you get one extra hour of sleep the next morning but the best part for me is that I won’t be driving to work in the dark. This morning the sun cast a beautiful light over the backyard that I just had to capture with the camera. In fact, so that I wouldn’t miss it, I went out wearing only my pyjamas. I forgot how cold it can get in November.

After ‘quickly’ getting shots of the garden’s remnants and last blooms I ran back into the warmth of our kitchen where my husband lovely made me my morning smoothie.

Life is good!

An Emotional and Fruitful Week

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Mama Cormier

…..said goodbye to a good friend and colleague today and packed up a very profitable book fair

The week started with emergency surgery for Lucy, five more days of book fair, an all day workshop on Tuesday, report cards, Halloween, and ended with an assembly and tearing down the book fair. There was so much going on that no one had time to think about CR leaving us and moving to Portland, Oregon.

When she did come by after school today to say a personal goodbye I was stunned and unprepared, even though we had taken her out for dinner the week before and presented her with a farewell gift.

Eight years ago I sat in on the interview for a new grade 5 French teacher. I was so glad that CR accepted the position. She was young and inexperienced but her French was good. She fit in immediately and the students, staff and community loved her. It turns out that she is the same age as my youngest daughter and she had gone to school with my daughter’s best friend. Over the years I saw her blossom and become an amazing teacher. We went on numerous overnight field trips, and coached soccer and Girls on the Run together. She’ll tell you that she learned a lot from me but I learned as much from her.

I didn’t know how difficult it would be to say good-bye. Even as I write this my eyes are starting to well up. I will miss you Claire.

As I said earlier, the book fair was extremely successful. We surpassed our goal and the library and school will receive 70% of the sales in product from the book company. I thought it was originally 60% but because we booked early we received an additional 10%. I pulled books for all the teachers to use in their classrooms and had my library helpers deliver them after school. I just hope that I didn’t miss anyone.

I’m looking forward to the weekend. I have to proofread some report cards but other than that I’m free to enjoy my neighbours annual turkey dinner on Saturday. My daughter and her husband will be returning from their cruise vacation on Sunday and will pick up Lucy from our place. I’m hoping to finish reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and if the weather holds out I should start putting the garden to bed for the winter. At least I can put the patio furniture into storage until next year.

As my friend P says, “Keep it fun!”

Cheers!

Rain, Rain Go Away

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….it poured down all day and just before our Hallowe’en parade was to start it stopped

The only thing worse than indoor recess all day is indoor recess on Hallowe’en. The kids are already excited and when they can’t run off that excitement during recess it’s hard to keep them focused on their work. On top of that the book fair is still going but I have to admit that business was considerably slower today.

Someone was looking out for us today because just before our parade was scheduled to start the rain stopped. Hooray! We didn’t have to parade up and down the halls but we actually got to go outside and show off our costumes for the parents and the community.

Some of the costumes this year were very creative. The homemade ones are always the best. Here are a few that I can share with you.

: Homemade Candy Machine

: Homemade with a metal bowl and a garbage can

The teachers at our school also get into the spirit of Hallowe’en.

: Our music teacher dressed as the gym teacher

: Our gym teacher as Wolverine man

: Football player

: Mother Nature

: Paper Bag Princess

: The Library Witch

Unfortunately when I got home tonight it started to rain again. I managed to carve the pumpkin but only 16 children came to the door. They actually didn’t even come to the door. My husband and I stood out in the rain and took the candy to the few children that walked past our house. A very sad Hallowe’en night indeed.

Happy Hallowe’en

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….the scary librarian is on her way to school

Pretty Lame!

Hope the rain stops. Doesn’t look like a great night for ‘trick or treating’.

No Time to Breathe

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….to say I’m busy is an understatement

I don’t remember last year’s book fair being so busy. In fact I don’t remember having to fit in report cards during the book fair. I booked the fair for the same week as last year. Maybe report cards are due one week earlier. That would make a difference.

On Tuesday I went to an all day workshop on restorative circles and I left the book fair to my good friend, B, who did a great job. Whenever L or I have to be away from school we always ask for B first to be our supply teacher.

B didn’t have to do the book fair but she accepted the challenge. The first thing she did was rearrange my yard duty so that she could be in the library and invite students to browse. Secondly she got on the intercom and made an announcement to the entire school informing the students that despite my absence the book fair would be open. She worked all the recesses and part of her lunch hour and stayed an extra half an hour after school.

At the end of the day B counted the money, put some of it in the school safe and she wrote me a lengthy note explaining exactly what she did throughout the day. Thanks B, I can always count on you to do the best job.

Tomorrow is our Hallowe’en parade. I’m not 100% sure what my costume will be but I’m leaning towards being a school librarian. I know it’s not very original but it’s all I can think of for the time being. I have my granny glasses, jacket, pearl necklace, skirt and tights ready to go. In the morning I’ll pile my hair into a bun and collect a pile of books to carry around. The look should be everything I’m NOT.

On Friday the book fair ends. There will a draw near the end of the day where one student and their teacher can win up to $25.00 each in books. Then the hard work begins. The money has to be added up and all the books have to be packed away and the cases closed to be ready for pick up on Monday morning. Once the cases are gone then I have rearrange the library and put things back the way they were.

I’ve started putting aside some of the books that I want for the library. When I figure out our total sales I can calculate what 60% of the sales will be. Every year I go over the teachers’ wish lists and pick out some of the books and then donate them to the classrooms. I also prepare little thank you bags for my library helpers with pencils, erasers and sharpeners from the book fair, along with some sweet treats.

I’d better get to bed. Tomorrow is another long and busy day. By the way, Lucy is doing well. Only one little accident today. Given her condition I think we’ll forgive her and let it slide. Good night!

Who works harder than Olympic athletes? Men at Work at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Enjoy!

Welcome Home, Lucy

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….a little sore and very dopey from the meds

This afternoon my husband, K, picked up Lucy from the emergency vet hospital. When I got home I was somewhat surprised that she was up and about. She was moving somewhat slower than normal but she came to the door to greet me.

K brought Frances’ bed up from the basement for her to lie on in the kitchen while we ate dinner. She loves that old bed and Frances has been pretty gracious in giving it over to her best friend. It’s funny how dogs can sense that something is not quite normal and how well they can adapt. We thought that we might have to ship Frances out for a few days so that Lucy could rest but so far it hasn’t been an issue.

It’s hard to tell with Bassett Hounds how they’re feeling but every now and then she wags her tail so I know she’s on the mend. G and B wanted to see the obstruction so the clinic gave us the piece of ball that they removed from her intestine. Here’s the nasty offender that caused so much pain and grief.

At the moment Lucy and the bed are downstairs with us as we’re watching TV. She’s sound asleep. It’s a shame that we have to wake her in the next half hour to give her more medicine.