Matt has heard back from 4 out of the 5 college programmes that he applied to and has been accepted to all four! Yay! How exciting for him. So, now he can take his time and look at the different schools and the different programmes and figure out which offer he wants to accept.
I'm so excited for him! I'm sure he's feeling pretty good right now.
********************************************************************************
Yesterday's funeral service was an amazing tribute to a wonderful lady. As I suspected, it was packed with people standing at the back. There has been a big hole left in the world with Kay's passing ... one that won't be filled very quickly. I know that she is with her Lord, but she will be greatly missed here.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Life
Today I will be attending a funeral, or rather a celebration of life of an amazing woman! Growing up, Mrs. Gage was a constant part of our lives. She was a beautiful woman of faith who helped guide and shape my life. I will always think of her as one of the key people in my life who really made a difference.
I'm looking forward to today. I know that it will be a celebration. It will be standing room only, I'm sure, as I know that she has impacted so many people. Mrs. Gage, I feel so blessed that you have been a part of my life. Until we meet again!
I'm looking forward to today. I know that it will be a celebration. It will be standing room only, I'm sure, as I know that she has impacted so many people. Mrs. Gage, I feel so blessed that you have been a part of my life. Until we meet again!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
13 Facts about Bullying
Thursday Thirteen today is devoted to bullying. Unfortunately, we know all too well what bullying is and how devastating it can be.
1. Bullying is not a normal stage that people go through. It isn't normal social behaviour. It is very damaging to the person who is being bullied. It leaves deep and lasting scars that will follow the person throughout their life.
2. Bullying occurs in school playgrounds every 7 minutes and once every 25 minutes in class, and quite often it is done right under the teacher's nose without the teacher knowing.
Bullying is often hidden from teachers. Teachers’ lack of awareness is evident in playground observations in which teachers intervened to stop only one in twenty-five (4%) of the bullying episodes
3. Boys report more physical forms of bullying. Girls tend to bully in indirect ways, such as gossiping and excluding.
4. Yes, exclusion is a form of bullying!
5. Bullying occurs when there is little supervision or when large groups of children engage in rough and tumble play or competitive sports. (this is something that I've witnessed first hand when Matt was on the playground, not involved in a football game, but was constantly tackled to the ground by boys who were.)
6. Bullying is reduced in a school if the principal is committed to reducing bullying.
7. Victims often keep their problems a secret: They feel they should handle bullying themselves; they worry about the bully’s revenge or other children’s disapproval: and/or they think that adults can do little to help them.
8. Boys are more likely than girls to be drawn into bullying episodes and actively participate.
9. 85% of bullying episodes occur in the context of a peer group.
10. Both boys and girls who are victimized, report symptoms of depression, such as sadness, and loss of interest in activities.
11. Bullying stops in less than 10 seconds, 57% of the time when peers intervene on behalf of the victim.
12. Adolescent bullies are often popular. “The popular kids are very likely to use their popularity in a negative way. They will use their status within the group to humiliate others. And because they tend to be psychologically stronger than their peers, they use that ability to control others. Bullies can enjoy a high social status.”
13. Encouraging children who are victimized to fight back may, in fact, makes the bullying interaction worse. We know that when children use aggressive strategies to manage bullying situations, they tend to experience prolonged and more severe bullying interactions as a result.
To join in on Thursday Thirteen, go here
1. Bullying is not a normal stage that people go through. It isn't normal social behaviour. It is very damaging to the person who is being bullied. It leaves deep and lasting scars that will follow the person throughout their life.
2. Bullying occurs in school playgrounds every 7 minutes and once every 25 minutes in class, and quite often it is done right under the teacher's nose without the teacher knowing.
Bullying is often hidden from teachers. Teachers’ lack of awareness is evident in playground observations in which teachers intervened to stop only one in twenty-five (4%) of the bullying episodes
3. Boys report more physical forms of bullying. Girls tend to bully in indirect ways, such as gossiping and excluding.
4. Yes, exclusion is a form of bullying!
5. Bullying occurs when there is little supervision or when large groups of children engage in rough and tumble play or competitive sports. (this is something that I've witnessed first hand when Matt was on the playground, not involved in a football game, but was constantly tackled to the ground by boys who were.)
6. Bullying is reduced in a school if the principal is committed to reducing bullying.
7. Victims often keep their problems a secret: They feel they should handle bullying themselves; they worry about the bully’s revenge or other children’s disapproval: and/or they think that adults can do little to help them.
8. Boys are more likely than girls to be drawn into bullying episodes and actively participate.
9. 85% of bullying episodes occur in the context of a peer group.
10. Both boys and girls who are victimized, report symptoms of depression, such as sadness, and loss of interest in activities.
11. Bullying stops in less than 10 seconds, 57% of the time when peers intervene on behalf of the victim.
12. Adolescent bullies are often popular. “The popular kids are very likely to use their popularity in a negative way. They will use their status within the group to humiliate others. And because they tend to be psychologically stronger than their peers, they use that ability to control others. Bullies can enjoy a high social status.”
13. Encouraging children who are victimized to fight back may, in fact, makes the bullying interaction worse. We know that when children use aggressive strategies to manage bullying situations, they tend to experience prolonged and more severe bullying interactions as a result.
To join in on Thursday Thirteen, go here
Monday, February 23, 2009
FOR TODAY, February 23
Outside my window... the sun is shining and the sky is blue. For those in the great white north, you know that means that it's bitterly cold outside.
I am thinking... that I need to get into the boys dressers and see what clothes need to be tossed and what they need. I need to check out their shorts and t shirts to see if there's anything they need before our vacation.
I am thankful for... Cameron has agreed to get a laptop for school. As I posted a while ago, the Occupational Therapist wrote a prescription to the school board for Cameron to get a laptop. He has been fighting it as he is worried that it will make him stand out at school. Without his cooperation the whole thing would fall through. Thankfully, the teachers, the SERT, and us have been talking to him about it and how great it would be. He has agreed. Now, we wait ... for likely about 8 months.
From the scrapbook room ... I scrapbooked this weekend. I participated in an online crop and got a few layouts done. Now I have a huge mess in there!
From the kitchen... I think I'm going to make enchilladas for supper tonight. It's always a favorite around here ... and means I should have leftovers for my lunch tomorrow.
I am wearing... a sweat shirt and comfy pants.
I am creating... today I need to work on the layouts from the last two weeks of my project 365. I'm still enjoying this project. I really need to keep up the momentum of the picture taking.
I am going... to the dentist tomorrow. I hate going to the dentist. I always have a bad headache afterwards.
I am reading... nothing right now. I finished Escape and have been looking for another similar book, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I'm not much of a reader so a book really has to interest me.
I am hearing... the TV blarring the hockey scores. Matt watched the game last night, but he still needs to watch all the replays this morning.
Around the house... are huge piles of messes ... a sign that the boys have been around, and mom has been otherwise occupied.
One of my favorite things... is having my breakfast (a bowl of cheerios) and a cup of tea while I check my email and surf the web after the boys go to school in the morning.
A few plans for the rest of the week: other than the dentist appointment, it should be a quiet week. The weekend, however, will be a busy one. We have an anniversary celebration on Saturday and then a band practise and concert on Sunday.
Here is picture thought I am sharing... this is a layout I completed yesterday:
If you want to participate in this meme, go here
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Quiet weekend
My weekend plans changed. We were going to go to Kingston to visit Joanne and Bruce yesterday but unfortunately Joanne had a work emergency come up and so we had to postpone the visit. Maybe it was a good thing because we ended up getting snow ... although it would have been fun being snowed in there and having a whole weekend with them.
The first one was an ad challenge that I posted. The top is the ad and the second is the layout based on the ad.
So, yesterday I was content just to stay home and play in my scraproom all day. One of the online forums I frequent is having an online crop so I worked away on some of the challenges there. I think I'll spend some more time this afternoon working on some more challenges. Tonight Spencer has a DYB practise in Toronto so that means no Oscars for me ... although I likely wouldn't watch them anyway.
Here are the challenges I did yesterday:
The first one was an ad challenge that I posted. The top is the ad and the second is the layout based on the ad.
OK, time to go and get everyone out of bed to go to Church. Have a great day everyone!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Catching up
Wow! This is the first chance I've had all week to sit down and spend some quality time with my lap top. I feel bad because it's been feeling so neglected. LOL!
We had a wonderful time in Buffalo together. We didn't really buy much ... some much needed clothes and shoes, a little bit of scrapbooking stuff, and John got some stuff for his computer habit. Other than shopping we had a great time just hanging out together and enjoying each others' company. Have I ever told you how much I love hanging out with my family?
On Tuesday I went along as a parent volunteer with Cameron's school bands. They went to Music Fest to compete. Both the concert band and the jazz band played very well. Cameron did a great job on his solo. Both bands came home with silver. After coming back with Cameron's school, I had to get Spencer and go right back (about 45 minutes away) with Spencer as the High Rendition Jazz Band was competing there as well. This was the first performance this year for them, and they were awesome. They came home with a Gold.
Today, I went back to the same Music Fest but this time with the Halton Junior Jazz Band that Cameron plays in. They also played very well and came home with Gold.
Lots of music this week, but I loved every minute of it.
Yesterday I had to take my sweet boy Oliver to the vet again. He's been sneezing a lot. One cause for this could be a tooth absess and since he has bad teeth, I wanted to have him checked out. Fortunately there is no absess, but his teeth are in very bad shape. Poor kitty! The vet thinks that he must have had some kind of virus or something when he was a kitten that caused his teeth to be so weak. (since he was born in Barbados, we don't know what the real cause is.) Anyway, he needs to have a few of them taken out.
So, my busy week is finishing. Tomorrow I need to spend some time on the house, and getting some groceries.
We had a wonderful time in Buffalo together. We didn't really buy much ... some much needed clothes and shoes, a little bit of scrapbooking stuff, and John got some stuff for his computer habit. Other than shopping we had a great time just hanging out together and enjoying each others' company. Have I ever told you how much I love hanging out with my family?
On Tuesday I went along as a parent volunteer with Cameron's school bands. They went to Music Fest to compete. Both the concert band and the jazz band played very well. Cameron did a great job on his solo. Both bands came home with silver. After coming back with Cameron's school, I had to get Spencer and go right back (about 45 minutes away) with Spencer as the High Rendition Jazz Band was competing there as well. This was the first performance this year for them, and they were awesome. They came home with a Gold.
Today, I went back to the same Music Fest but this time with the Halton Junior Jazz Band that Cameron plays in. They also played very well and came home with Gold.
Lots of music this week, but I loved every minute of it.
Yesterday I had to take my sweet boy Oliver to the vet again. He's been sneezing a lot. One cause for this could be a tooth absess and since he has bad teeth, I wanted to have him checked out. Fortunately there is no absess, but his teeth are in very bad shape. Poor kitty! The vet thinks that he must have had some kind of virus or something when he was a kitten that caused his teeth to be so weak. (since he was born in Barbados, we don't know what the real cause is.) Anyway, he needs to have a few of them taken out.
So, my busy week is finishing. Tomorrow I need to spend some time on the house, and getting some groceries.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Doing a fly-by
I don't have a lot of time right now, so I just doing a quick post to leave you with last week's last week (as Cameron would say ... meaning two weeks ago) project 365. It's a little late, I know. Now I need to start working on last week's pictures.
After Church today we are heading down to Buffalo and staying over night. We are going to spend Family Day tomorrow together as a family shopping and hanging out.
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
After Church today we are heading down to Buffalo and staying over night. We are going to spend Family Day tomorrow together as a family shopping and hanging out.
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
John has been away on business again this week. This time it will be 5 days in total. As much as I love him, this list is dedicated to him being away.
Thirteen things that I enjoy about John being away:
1. We eat earlier. Usually John gets home from work around 6:30 and so by the time we all sit down and eat, and then clean up, it's close to 7:30 by the time we're done. Eating earlier somehow makes it feel like we have so much more time in the evenings.
2. We eat simpler meals. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom I feel that it's my job to have a big, cooked meal on the table for supper when John gets home from a long day at work. (call me old-fashioned.) When John's away, we enjoy much simpler meals ... and sometimes order in.
3. I seem to get more scrapping done as I'm not too worried about letting other things slide.
4. I don't have to keep telling someone to roll over all night because their snoring is keeping me awake.
5. I don't make the bed.
6. My bathroom stays clean.
7. I don't wake up cold because I have no covers.
8. I have a couple of boys who automatically step into John's shoes and try and take care of me, and their brothers. It's so cool to see them do it automatically.
9. There's one less person to trip over in the morning.
10. We actually save money on groceries. Now, I have three teenagers in the house so they still eat us out of house and home, but since I make much simpler meals we save money ... and I don't have to keep running to the grocery store.
11. The house is so much quieter! Yes, it's true ... even with the boys around. There's no big screen TV blarring up from the basement, there are no cupboard doors slamming shut (because somehow he doesn't know how to close them quietly.)
12. There's no one for Matt to argue with about taking the garbage out, and so he just does it without complaint.
13. There's one more computer to use so there's less fighting over who's turn it is on the computer.
With all that said, we are always happy to have him come home.
Thirteen things that I enjoy about John being away:
1. We eat earlier. Usually John gets home from work around 6:30 and so by the time we all sit down and eat, and then clean up, it's close to 7:30 by the time we're done. Eating earlier somehow makes it feel like we have so much more time in the evenings.
2. We eat simpler meals. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom I feel that it's my job to have a big, cooked meal on the table for supper when John gets home from a long day at work. (call me old-fashioned.) When John's away, we enjoy much simpler meals ... and sometimes order in.
3. I seem to get more scrapping done as I'm not too worried about letting other things slide.
4. I don't have to keep telling someone to roll over all night because their snoring is keeping me awake.
5. I don't make the bed.
6. My bathroom stays clean.
7. I don't wake up cold because I have no covers.
8. I have a couple of boys who automatically step into John's shoes and try and take care of me, and their brothers. It's so cool to see them do it automatically.
9. There's one less person to trip over in the morning.
10. We actually save money on groceries. Now, I have three teenagers in the house so they still eat us out of house and home, but since I make much simpler meals we save money ... and I don't have to keep running to the grocery store.
11. The house is so much quieter! Yes, it's true ... even with the boys around. There's no big screen TV blarring up from the basement, there are no cupboard doors slamming shut (because somehow he doesn't know how to close them quietly.)
12. There's no one for Matt to argue with about taking the garbage out, and so he just does it without complaint.
13. There's one more computer to use so there's less fighting over who's turn it is on the computer.
With all that said, we are always happy to have him come home.
Monday, February 09, 2009
For Today... Monday February 9th
Outside my window... I see grass! The snow is melting.
I am thinking... that purchasing the wii fit was a good thing.
From the scrapbook room... I'm going to be playing all week since John is away on business. I'm going to get everything out and make a big mess and not feel guilty about it.
I am thankful for... the opportunity to be able to stay home and raise my boys ... especially when they are in the teen years and need me more than ever.
From the kitchen... I've been very focused this week on making everything nutritional.
I am wearing... do I have to say it again? I'm wearing yoga pants and shirt.
I am wearing... do I have to say it again? I'm wearing yoga pants and shirt.
I am reading... Escape. A book about a woman who escaped the Polygamist colony, the FLDS
I am hoping... Matthew to recieve a few offers on the colleges that he wants.
I am creating... a big mess ... or at least I will be shortly.
I am creating... a big mess ... or at least I will be shortly.
I am going ... to the doctor tomorrow to talk over some test results.
I am hearing... beautiful silence.
Around the house... I want to start painting the basement. We have three rooms and a bathroom downt there that I neglect in a big way.
One of my favorite things... is to play in a band with my husband and three boys. It's great to share that passion with them.
I am hearing... beautiful silence.
Around the house... I want to start painting the basement. We have three rooms and a bathroom downt there that I neglect in a big way.
One of my favorite things... is to play in a band with my husband and three boys. It's great to share that passion with them.
A few plans for the rest of the week... just the regular routine.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
To participate, go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
For my Star Wars loving Family
Heather sent me this on Facebook. (well, she sent me a different version). I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but I knew that many of my family would enjoy it.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Yikes! It's been a week since I posted last. How fast time flies.
A few things that have gone on this week:
-Matt has applied to 5 different programmes at college. Finally! He feels a lot better now that he has a direction. He applied to some biotechnology programmes and some Chemical engineering type programmes. Now we wait.
-Cathy rented a cottage up a Jackson's Point for a week so I went up for three days this week. It's so nice to be able to do stuff like this now that the boys are older. We scrapbooked to our hearts' content.
-Second semester has started for Matthew and Spencer. Matt has a fairly easy work load this semester, and Spencer will be working his tail off.
-the battery died on the van at the beginning of the week ... the day I left for the cottage, doesn't it figure! So I had to spend 2 hours at Canadian Tire on Monday morning getting that changed before I could head north.
Before I sign off, I will leave you with last week's layout for project 365.
A few things that have gone on this week:
-Matt has applied to 5 different programmes at college. Finally! He feels a lot better now that he has a direction. He applied to some biotechnology programmes and some Chemical engineering type programmes. Now we wait.
-Cathy rented a cottage up a Jackson's Point for a week so I went up for three days this week. It's so nice to be able to do stuff like this now that the boys are older. We scrapbooked to our hearts' content.
-Second semester has started for Matthew and Spencer. Matt has a fairly easy work load this semester, and Spencer will be working his tail off.
-the battery died on the van at the beginning of the week ... the day I left for the cottage, doesn't it figure! So I had to spend 2 hours at Canadian Tire on Monday morning getting that changed before I could head north.
Before I sign off, I will leave you with last week's layout for project 365.
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