Home Alone will never be the same!!!!!
Haha - it was a grade 5 student who found Phil's doppelganger, Daniel Stern!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Remind you of someone?
Home Alone will never be the same!!!!!
Haha - it was a grade 5 student who found Phil's doppelganger, Daniel Stern!
They may not be rain boots, but.....
they're JUST AS GOOD on a rainy day in Kuwait! It's not everyday you have big puddles in the courtyard :)
KIDS RULE.
IF YOU WERE HERE FOR TEA.
Well, it is POURING rain outside and the wind is HOWLING. With Phil still out at basketball, I decided that it was time to sit down and catch up! Here are some odds and sods from this week:
* Saturday and Sunday were the "mandatory" days of the P.D. conference. I was really impressed with the sessions I attended - "Understanding by Design" and "STSE Education". I went away with some new ideas and things to consider. If Phil were writing this post, he would be using OTHER words to describe our weekend of learning ;)
* The grade 6 team went on our first field trip Monday morning. We went to the Scientific Center to see the IMAX movie "Arabia". The movie was in 3D which made the experience THAT MUCH MORE fun! Watching the kids reach out their hands - trying to catch objects "coming at them" was priceless. All in all, behaviour was superb and we enjoyed a pizza lunch upon our return to school.
* Phil's JV basketball team won their game this week! I was there to cheer them on - "Better 1/2" uniform included :) GO BULLDOGS!
* My students are busy working on their science fair projects. We have finally reached the experiment portion of the process - which is the absolute BEST part! They are SO excited to get to class each day and get to work. Although chaotic, I smile at the end of each lesson....SOMEHOW. Their enthusiasm is charming.
* Track and field try-outs finished tonight and we will work with Pat to choose our team over the weekend. We have some great kids to choose from and with my "let's keep everyone!" attitude, the "cut" process may take hours :)
* This weekend is a THREE DAY WEEKEND! After 11 days of school in a row, I would have to admit that this one is well deserved (yes - I DO realize that we are spoiled with holidays). I'm not sure what's on the agenda yet, but SLEEP is sure to be the priority.
Well, my hubby is home and I'm hungry!
DINNERTIME!
P.S. Fingers crossed that "The Bachelor" is ready before bed! Emily tells me there is HUGE DRAMA this week....YAHOOO!
* Saturday and Sunday were the "mandatory" days of the P.D. conference. I was really impressed with the sessions I attended - "Understanding by Design" and "STSE Education". I went away with some new ideas and things to consider. If Phil were writing this post, he would be using OTHER words to describe our weekend of learning ;)
* The grade 6 team went on our first field trip Monday morning. We went to the Scientific Center to see the IMAX movie "Arabia". The movie was in 3D which made the experience THAT MUCH MORE fun! Watching the kids reach out their hands - trying to catch objects "coming at them" was priceless. All in all, behaviour was superb and we enjoyed a pizza lunch upon our return to school.
* Phil's JV basketball team won their game this week! I was there to cheer them on - "Better 1/2" uniform included :) GO BULLDOGS!
* My students are busy working on their science fair projects. We have finally reached the experiment portion of the process - which is the absolute BEST part! They are SO excited to get to class each day and get to work. Although chaotic, I smile at the end of each lesson....SOMEHOW. Their enthusiasm is charming.
* Track and field try-outs finished tonight and we will work with Pat to choose our team over the weekend. We have some great kids to choose from and with my "let's keep everyone!" attitude, the "cut" process may take hours :)
* This weekend is a THREE DAY WEEKEND! After 11 days of school in a row, I would have to admit that this one is well deserved (yes - I DO realize that we are spoiled with holidays). I'm not sure what's on the agenda yet, but SLEEP is sure to be the priority.
Well, my hubby is home and I'm hungry!
DINNERTIME!
P.S. Fingers crossed that "The Bachelor" is ready before bed! Emily tells me there is HUGE DRAMA this week....YAHOOO!
Monday, January 30, 2012
CONGRATULATIONS DANA!!!
In addition to being an A+ pilates student (right, Megs?!), our sister Dana is a FIVE-STAR art teacher who will be taking her talents to the Philippines next year! WOWEEE! AMAZING!!! YAHOO!
.....crying as I write this. HILARIOUS.
YOU GO GIRL! We love you!
XOXO
WHO CARES?!
Here's a poster from the "sOccket" website outlining why YOU should ALSO BE excited about what I shared with you last night :)
Learn about how it works and how to help HERE.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
THIS IS GENIUS!
I am having a BIG AH-HA moment right now and I can't wait to get to school tomorrow and tell my kids all about it! Our current unit is ELECTRICITY and, as I've expressed before, SOCCER is always THE thing to do over here. Well - GUESS WHAT! I can now officially link the two with this incredible creation - the "SOccket".
Watch the video. My gosh. I'm amazed. Just wait until my students hear about this!!! Eeeeeee!
Off to find out more....
Saturday, January 28, 2012
GO TO GOOGLE!
Today marks the 125th Anniversary of the World's Largest Snowflake!
I like this day already :)
Weekend Development!
This weekend our school is hosting an international educator's conference. We are required to attend the conference today and tomorrow, although the session held last night was an optional one that I chose to attend. Phil decided to stay home and watch a movie, which was fine with me because I had the Hussain family by my side :)
Cathy, Shahid and I went to a session about organizing your life. The presenter also happened to be the keynote speaker and is someone that you could talk to for hours. He's been a high school teacher, police chief, hospital director, and hostage negotiator to name a few. In his opening speech, he told us about the 181 days it took him to hike the Appalachian trail and delivered his top 10 life lessons along the way. I really wish Phil had been there to listen to this part because it was incredibly interesting! In his session that followed, we learned how to differentiate between tasks that are "urgent" and "important" and had a mini lesson on how to use Google Calendar (<---- SUPER COOL).
Other exciting things from last night include the temporary on-campus Starbucks (I've already asked them to stay permanently), the hallway "tea & coffee stations", and the gym full of vendors.
I hope today goes as marvelously as yesterday. Today there may be five times the number of people. Considering crowds are not our thing, it could be a tough one!
Alas, off I go to learn about "UbD" - Understanding by Design!
Cathy, Shahid and I went to a session about organizing your life. The presenter also happened to be the keynote speaker and is someone that you could talk to for hours. He's been a high school teacher, police chief, hospital director, and hostage negotiator to name a few. In his opening speech, he told us about the 181 days it took him to hike the Appalachian trail and delivered his top 10 life lessons along the way. I really wish Phil had been there to listen to this part because it was incredibly interesting! In his session that followed, we learned how to differentiate between tasks that are "urgent" and "important" and had a mini lesson on how to use Google Calendar (<---- SUPER COOL).
Other exciting things from last night include the temporary on-campus Starbucks (I've already asked them to stay permanently), the hallway "tea & coffee stations", and the gym full of vendors.
I hope today goes as marvelously as yesterday. Today there may be five times the number of people. Considering crowds are not our thing, it could be a tough one!
Alas, off I go to learn about "UbD" - Understanding by Design!
Friday, January 27, 2012
PHILLIP + LINDSAY = LOVE
Last night after basketball practice, Phil surprised me with a cup of coffee (and a peanut butter cup!) to enjoy while he made dinner. Then we got cozy in bed and watched American Idol together.
He's the best. I'm the luckiest.
Thanks for being so wonderful to me ALL THE TIME. I LOVE YOU!
XOXO
Thursday, January 26, 2012
This Thursday....
is feeling like the last day of the weekend instead of the first. A busy weekend of professional development awaits us. Thank goodness the next "weekend" is 3 days long!!! It will be well earned, I tell ya!
Here's to toughing it out, sucking it up, and putting an end to this pout.
Here's to toughing it out, sucking it up, and putting an end to this pout.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
11 MONTHS TIL CHRISTMAS!
BAHA - I had to! TOO FUNNY.
I will lay off the holiday chatter for a few more months at least....
On My Mind:
1) Today my kids told me that my hair was "curly". This lead to an in depth vocabulary discussion which included words like "wavy" and "straight". Perhaps I should throw curlers in my hair and quiz them tomorrow.
2) Bulletin board "wreckers" are at the top of my hit list. VANDALISM = not cool. Especially when it comes to student work and FUN arts & crafts.
3) Is it spring break yet? (half joking, half serious)
Anyways, so much for leaving work at work! Let's hope this post serves as a form of stress release! On the plus side, no one wascaught eating inedible objects in class today. WIN!
2) Bulletin board "wreckers" are at the top of my hit list. VANDALISM = not cool. Especially when it comes to student work and FUN arts & crafts.
3) Is it spring break yet? (half joking, half serious)
Anyways, so much for leaving work at work! Let's hope this post serves as a form of stress release! On the plus side, no one was
The Good Kind of Mice.
I don't think I could pull them off, but I'm hoping that one of my sisters chooses to purchase them so I can admire their CUTE-NESS in person!
Dana? Taylor? Please?
Haha....speaking of my SISSYS - I LOVE YOU GIRLS!
Off to school! Another busy day awaits :)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Did THAT Just HAPPEN?
During class today.....
Me: (noticing big chunks of green stuff in a student's mouth) HEY! What are you eating?!
Student: Ummm.....
Me: (angry) WHAT - IS - IT?!
Student: My Power Balance bracelet, Miss....
Me: Go spit it out right now!
Another student: (shyly) Miss, he also eats glue.
Don't watch this movie if.....
1) You're looking for a night of romance.
2) You hate the ending to "City of Angels".
3) You're feeling gloomy/sad/worried/anxious/stressed.
And even still....
Don't watch it.
Ya with me?
WORST CANADIAN EVER.
Or at least one of them! I am 100% certain that living in Canada is no longer an option for me. Why?
1) I don't think I will be welcome back. (I lead others to believe that Canadians are wimps).
2) If I find these temperatures chilly, my survival during "real" winter temperatures is slim to none. Today I was so cold I almost cried on the outside (<---- I was already crying on the inside).
COME ON SUMMER!!!!!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Music to HER Ears.
During our midday tea party.....
Me: I think I've given up on Glee. It got boring.
Emily: (Glee's biggest fan) YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ON GLEE! It's not fair! You stuck through Denny on Grey's, you have to stick with Glee. Denny was a GHOST! It was the worst time on television ever. You HAVE TO stick with Glee.
Gah - I heard about the proposals episode. FINE. Her speech has inspired me to take ONE MORE TRY.
P.S. Only TRUE Glee fans would take my comment THAT seriously. You gotta love passion :)
P.P.S. Is it sad that my passion lies with "The Bachelor"??? BAHA.
Me: I think I've given up on Glee. It got boring.
Emily: (Glee's biggest fan) YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ON GLEE! It's not fair! You stuck through Denny on Grey's, you have to stick with Glee. Denny was a GHOST! It was the worst time on television ever. You HAVE TO stick with Glee.
Gah - I heard about the proposals episode. FINE. Her speech has inspired me to take ONE MORE TRY.
P.S. Only TRUE Glee fans would take my comment THAT seriously. You gotta love passion :)
P.P.S. Is it sad that my passion lies with "The Bachelor"??? BAHA.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Mini Tickle Trunks?
I asked my students to bring in a shoebox for their science fair project.
This afternoon I looked around my room and thought, "I really wish there were shoes inside!"
This afternoon I looked around my room and thought, "I really wish there were shoes inside!"
TOLD YA!
It was cold today. I've told you this already. But I feel like many of you are doubting my weather alert. And so....I feel the need to tell you this:
IT WAS SO COLD TODAY THAT WE HAD INDOOR RECESSES!!!
This confirms that it wasn't just me. KUWAIT was, in fact, COLD today!!!
IT WAS SO COLD TODAY THAT WE HAD INDOOR RECESSES!!!
This confirms that it wasn't just me. KUWAIT was, in fact, COLD today!!!
Breakfast Thoughts.
Well, it is 5:35 a.m. here. We woke up half an hour ago to one degree weather and put an immediate rush on the coffee & hot oatmeal! Now Phillip is watching basketball and I'm sitting here, procrastinating from putting on work clothes.
Other things on my mind right now:
1) Planking. Have you heard of it? If not, you must google it and give me feedback. We have confirmed that it is real with our neighbours from the south. In fact, a certain someone (AH-HEM, ALEX!) planked on our living room chair!!!! Apparently it was huge in the States last summer. WEIRD.
2) I wonder why we had never heard of Matt Nathanson before. We just downloaded his newest CD on iTunes and it is magnificent. I can't stop listening to "Faster".
3) I love our maid. You know, she surprised us with dinner yesterday! YUM! A Sri Lankan feast that will last us for days and days. I really hope that people find me to be as thoughtful as her.....it's a goal I think of often :)
4) Slumber parties are fun. Especially when they are with your BESTIE :) Last night we set up all of our blankets and pillows in the living room and watched the movie "One Day". Verdict on "One Day"? Good, but tragic. Not a film I would re-view.
5) This is one long week ahead of us. We have 5 days of school and then a weekend full of professional development. Fingers crossed that we both get the courses we asked for! If so, it may be the best weekend ever - a.k.a full of SCHOOL!!! (<----- you can't possibly forget how much I love school, right?!)
Okee dokee....enough slacking. Here I go! To prepare for this one degree weather.
LATER GATORS! :)
Other things on my mind right now:
1) Planking. Have you heard of it? If not, you must google it and give me feedback. We have confirmed that it is real with our neighbours from the south. In fact, a certain someone (AH-HEM, ALEX!) planked on our living room chair!!!! Apparently it was huge in the States last summer. WEIRD.
2) I wonder why we had never heard of Matt Nathanson before. We just downloaded his newest CD on iTunes and it is magnificent. I can't stop listening to "Faster".
3) I love our maid. You know, she surprised us with dinner yesterday! YUM! A Sri Lankan feast that will last us for days and days. I really hope that people find me to be as thoughtful as her.....it's a goal I think of often :)
4) Slumber parties are fun. Especially when they are with your BESTIE :) Last night we set up all of our blankets and pillows in the living room and watched the movie "One Day". Verdict on "One Day"? Good, but tragic. Not a film I would re-view.
5) This is one long week ahead of us. We have 5 days of school and then a weekend full of professional development. Fingers crossed that we both get the courses we asked for! If so, it may be the best weekend ever - a.k.a full of SCHOOL!!! (<----- you can't possibly forget how much I love school, right?!)
Okee dokee....enough slacking. Here I go! To prepare for this one degree weather.
LATER GATORS! :)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jump for JOY!
During our first track and field try-out...
Grade 6 Student: Miss....are long jump and triple jump like an obstacle course?
Me: Ummmm........if you have a good imagination, YES!
Grade 6 Student: Miss....are long jump and triple jump like an obstacle course?
Me: Ummmm........if you have a good imagination, YES!
IF YOU WERE HERE FOR TEA.
* Our last round of Parent-Teacher Conferences are OVER until next year! YAHOO! I had around 50 parents and Phil had a record-breaking 8! All of the parents were very nice and seemed appreciative of our efforts. Phewfff!
* Considering our school isn't really set up for track and field, the try-outs went well on Tuesday night! We have selected our sprinters and are looking forward to seeing some long distance runners next week.
* I'm not really sure what Santa Claus was thinking, but I'm pretty sure he delivered hormones instead of presents to my grade 6 students. Not all of them, but a SOME of them have started to turn into teenagers. They were only away from me for two weeks and....BAM! The inner teen has started to emerge! Several parents mentioned this to me this week. I suppose it's even tougher when they're in your house!
* The Christmas tree is still up......(I swear we are taking it down THIS WEEKEND)!
* Our flight home is booked! We are catching a cheap flight to JFK and spending a week in NYC before coming back to Toronto. Oh - and we extended the summer rental so that we have it the entire time we are home. We are so excited to have our OWN place this summer - it means suitcase-less visiting, minimal cat allergies, no car rental, and space when we need it. IDEAL, indeed!
* The only time Phil and I have ever truly considered a cruise, we find out that a cruise from the same company (Costa) crashed off the coast of Italy this week. I still can't believe it. I had already half-talked Phillip into the idea when we saw the "breaking news" on CNN.com. Eek! Despite the BIG SAVINGS advertised, the cruise doesn't appeal to us as it did pre-disaster.
* American Idol starts tonight! I can't wait to be cozy in my p.j.'s, sipping a tea and admiring J. Lo's fashion sense. Oh ya - and listening to the contestants sing their hearts out :)
Hmmm....p.j.'s and a tea sound good RIGHT NOW! Off I go....Phillip should be home from basketball practice soon.
XOXO.
* Considering our school isn't really set up for track and field, the try-outs went well on Tuesday night! We have selected our sprinters and are looking forward to seeing some long distance runners next week.
* I'm not really sure what Santa Claus was thinking, but I'm pretty sure he delivered hormones instead of presents to my grade 6 students. Not all of them, but a SOME of them have started to turn into teenagers. They were only away from me for two weeks and....BAM! The inner teen has started to emerge! Several parents mentioned this to me this week. I suppose it's even tougher when they're in your house!
* The Christmas tree is still up......(I swear we are taking it down THIS WEEKEND)!
* Our flight home is booked! We are catching a cheap flight to JFK and spending a week in NYC before coming back to Toronto. Oh - and we extended the summer rental so that we have it the entire time we are home. We are so excited to have our OWN place this summer - it means suitcase-less visiting, minimal cat allergies, no car rental, and space when we need it. IDEAL, indeed!
* The only time Phil and I have ever truly considered a cruise, we find out that a cruise from the same company (Costa) crashed off the coast of Italy this week. I still can't believe it. I had already half-talked Phillip into the idea when we saw the "breaking news" on CNN.com. Eek! Despite the BIG SAVINGS advertised, the cruise doesn't appeal to us as it did pre-disaster.
* American Idol starts tonight! I can't wait to be cozy in my p.j.'s, sipping a tea and admiring J. Lo's fashion sense. Oh ya - and listening to the contestants sing their hearts out :)
Hmmm....p.j.'s and a tea sound good RIGHT NOW! Off I go....Phillip should be home from basketball practice soon.
XOXO.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
TUESDAY, WA-HOOOO!
Today is exciting for a few reasons:
1) Taylor posted a video of Joycie singing "Pumped Up Kicks" - one of Phil's current faves. We're certain she has a career in singing ahead of her!
2) It's HUMP DAY!
3) The maid comes after school! (We are spoiled - I know).
4) Our first track and field try-out is today! Phil and I are coaching it together again, along with Pat! I know it will be a wonderful season as a trio :)
Wishing all of you a great Tuesday of your own!
XOXO
1) Taylor posted a video of Joycie singing "Pumped Up Kicks" - one of Phil's current faves. We're certain she has a career in singing ahead of her!
2) It's HUMP DAY!
3) The maid comes after school! (We are spoiled - I know).
4) Our first track and field try-out is today! Phil and I are coaching it together again, along with Pat! I know it will be a wonderful season as a trio :)
Wishing all of you a great Tuesday of your own!
XOXO
Monday, January 16, 2012
FATHERLY LOVE :)
Me: Daddy, I could come home on my spring break if you like.
Dad: Linds, you should save your money. Come home in the summer and you can take me out to breakfast. And I'll pay.
Me: DADDY! That is such a "DAD" thing to say!!!
Dad: Linds, you should save your money. Come home in the summer and you can take me out to breakfast. And I'll pay.
Me: DADDY! That is such a "DAD" thing to say!!!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
IF YOU WERE HERE FOR TEA.
* Cathy and Shahid's REAL daughter has arrived in Kuwait and will be tutoring/studying online during her stay. It's very exciting to have another twenty-something in the building and a SMILEY one at that! I am glad to have her here as part of our Kuwait family :)
* It took us about two weeks, but the last of the "Nepal Laundry" has been completed! Things sure do take longer to dry when it isn't 50 degrees outside!
* There's another Bachelor contestant we would like to add to our "favourite" list - Kacie! She was the southern sweetheart who taught Ben how to spin a baton on their one-on-one date. So friendly. So charming. Let's hope Ben sees it too!
* Going to bed REALLY early is REALLY AWESOME. This week we were ASLEEP before 9 each night. Sometimes.......it was before 8! Are you calling us OLD? Well, we're perfectly A-OKAY with it :)
* This morning Pat and I went for a nice walk to a nearby bookstore with the hope of finding some Lonely Planet books for our next adventure. Pat had some success with her list, alas I will have to keep looking for an NYC edition. Why?! Because we hope to be going there on our way home this year!!! (P.S. Following the bookstore excursion, we headed to Caribou coffee where I had the world's BIGGEST blueberry muffin. I SWEAR!)
* I know many people are showing great dislike for Beyonce and Jay-Z's "Blue Ivy" - but I'm IN LOVE with the name! I'm also in love with Jay-Z's new song "Glory" and CANNOT stop listening to Beyonce's "Love on Top". When it comes to these lovebirds, having a baby was an especially excellent publicity stunt ;)
* Our Christmas tree is still up. As is the rest of our holiday decor. I suppose we should take it down before we begin to be associated with "THOSE" people who keep their lights up all year long.
That's about it in our realm of the world. Wishing you all nice weather this weekend!
XOXO
* It took us about two weeks, but the last of the "Nepal Laundry" has been completed! Things sure do take longer to dry when it isn't 50 degrees outside!
* There's another Bachelor contestant we would like to add to our "favourite" list - Kacie! She was the southern sweetheart who taught Ben how to spin a baton on their one-on-one date. So friendly. So charming. Let's hope Ben sees it too!
* Going to bed REALLY early is REALLY AWESOME. This week we were ASLEEP before 9 each night. Sometimes.......it was before 8! Are you calling us OLD? Well, we're perfectly A-OKAY with it :)
* This morning Pat and I went for a nice walk to a nearby bookstore with the hope of finding some Lonely Planet books for our next adventure. Pat had some success with her list, alas I will have to keep looking for an NYC edition. Why?! Because we hope to be going there on our way home this year!!! (P.S. Following the bookstore excursion, we headed to Caribou coffee where I had the world's BIGGEST blueberry muffin. I SWEAR!)
* I know many people are showing great dislike for Beyonce and Jay-Z's "Blue Ivy" - but I'm IN LOVE with the name! I'm also in love with Jay-Z's new song "Glory" and CANNOT stop listening to Beyonce's "Love on Top". When it comes to these lovebirds, having a baby was an especially excellent publicity stunt ;)
* Our Christmas tree is still up. As is the rest of our holiday decor. I suppose we should take it down before we begin to be associated with "THOSE" people who keep their lights up all year long.
That's about it in our realm of the world. Wishing you all nice weather this weekend!
XOXO
Friday, January 13, 2012
Freaky Friday!
I always tell people that I'm NOT superstitious. But waking up today, looking at the calendar, and having a not-so-tiny moment of panic has proven to me that lying simply won't cut it anymore! Today is Friday, January 13th. And I do NOT like it! The worst part is that I have to worry about it for more than 24 hours because so many of you are in other time zones!
Do me a favour and stay out of trouble today, please! :)
Do me a favour and stay out of trouble today, please! :)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
GAME DAY!
Today was Phil's first basketball game of the season. He's been preparing for this game since May last year - when he held try-outs and began practicing for the 2012 season. Well - after a night of ZERO sleep, a day of pure nerves, and THREE overtime's, his team won the game with a three pointer at the buzzer!
Talk about excitement! I showed up from tutoring in the third quarter - sporting my new "BETTER 1/2" jersey from Phil. Phil dressed up in a black dress shirt and a red tie - TEAM COLOURS! It must be true what they say, "if you look good, you play good!"
Way to go, PHIL! I am so proud of you and your team! I can't wait to cheer "GO BULLDOGS GO" at your next game!!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Bachelor is BACK!
More reality television has come our way! On the weekend we watched the premiere episode of "The Bachelor" and tonight we are urging the internet along as it attempts to secure a copy of last night's show. I still don't understand how Ben was REJECTED by Ashley last summer, but I know his wine-making, fun-loving, family-centered self will land him a wonderful woman this season. We've already picked our favourites - Lindzi C. and Jamie. If it's not them, let's hope it's ALSO NOT one of those crazies!
Ah - "reality" tv. Gotta love it.
A "Boredom" Activity.
Student: MISS! The next time you're sitting at your desk and you're bored...
Me: (interrupts) Bored?! That NEVER happens!
Student: Well, if it ever does.....I think you should make a catapult using your stapler.
Me: I will keep that in mind!
Me: (interrupts) Bored?! That NEVER happens!
Student: Well, if it ever does.....I think you should make a catapult using your stapler.
Me: I will keep that in mind!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Nepal Top 20.
1) Flying "Yeti Airlines" to Biratnagar - and seeing Mount Everest en route!
2) Our team bus. Purple on the outside. Lights of every colour and shape on the inside. Backstreet Boys blaring on the stereo. SO GOOD!
3) The local Habitat for Humanity host - Rajesh. Picture the happiest man in the world. And then make that man HAPPIER. We are so lucky to have spent our holiday in his care! Whenever he had something to tell us, he would say "BREAKING NEWS!" excitedly. I'm thinking of trying that one out in my classroom.....
4) My surprise birthday cake! THANKS, TEAM!
5) Playing the game "Pass the Ace" (or "card" as we named it!) after dinner. It's an easy one to play if you would like your main activity to be chatting :)
6) Whenever the power came on. Always random. Always a pleasure. Hello television, HEAT, hot water, and a couple of slow minutes on facebook!
7) Receiving a warm welcome and happy farewell each and every day. The kids in the community were the best! They would always stop by before and after school for games, dancing, and singing!
8) Working two weeks for a high five from the home owner's son......and getting JUST THAT on the final day!!!
9) Camaraderie on the work site. Going to work each day was actually fun! In fact....Phil and I wished we were back on the build site during our designated "R&R"!
10) Finding Skippy peanut butter at the local department store. The only other thing you need is a spoon!
11) Mudding with reindeer antlers. "Prancer" was a hit!
12) Church on Christmas morning. Where should I begin? There was a dancing Santa with a Spiderman umbrella, a mosh pit and a band, a random "hey - let's make these white people sing Christmas carols in front of all of us" moment and happy birthday balloons all over the place! It was the best.
13) Watching Christmas episodes of "Home Improvement" after church. We had power for almost 2 hours!!!
14) Constructing a "gingerbread" house using nutella, cinnamon cookies, and any candies we could find!
15) The dedication ceremony - where the house was officially handed over to the home owners. It was an emotional gathering, with lots of thank you's and tokens of appreciation. Many people from the community were there and the kids skipped school to attend! We were able to do one final hokey pokey before boarding the bus and saying goodbye. Tear. My eyes get watery just thinking about it!
16) Brain Games (a.k.a. a book of crosswords, word searches, sudukos and more!). So fun for long car rides, extended periods of time at the airport, and for when there's simply nothing else to do!
17) Shopping for souvenirs with a flashlight. As I said before, power comes and goes without warning!
18) Our flash mob at Durbar square. Especially the moment where a man tried to hit Phil with a cane and then proceeded to vomit right beside him!
19) The moment a plane FINALLY landed to retrieve us from Kathmandu!
20) The moment our retrieval plane took off with the two of us on board!
2) Our team bus. Purple on the outside. Lights of every colour and shape on the inside. Backstreet Boys blaring on the stereo. SO GOOD!
3) The local Habitat for Humanity host - Rajesh. Picture the happiest man in the world. And then make that man HAPPIER. We are so lucky to have spent our holiday in his care! Whenever he had something to tell us, he would say "BREAKING NEWS!" excitedly. I'm thinking of trying that one out in my classroom.....
4) My surprise birthday cake! THANKS, TEAM!
5) Playing the game "Pass the Ace" (or "card" as we named it!) after dinner. It's an easy one to play if you would like your main activity to be chatting :)
6) Whenever the power came on. Always random. Always a pleasure. Hello television, HEAT, hot water, and a couple of slow minutes on facebook!
7) Receiving a warm welcome and happy farewell each and every day. The kids in the community were the best! They would always stop by before and after school for games, dancing, and singing!
8) Working two weeks for a high five from the home owner's son......and getting JUST THAT on the final day!!!
9) Camaraderie on the work site. Going to work each day was actually fun! In fact....Phil and I wished we were back on the build site during our designated "R&R"!
10) Finding Skippy peanut butter at the local department store. The only other thing you need is a spoon!
11) Mudding with reindeer antlers. "Prancer" was a hit!
12) Church on Christmas morning. Where should I begin? There was a dancing Santa with a Spiderman umbrella, a mosh pit and a band, a random "hey - let's make these white people sing Christmas carols in front of all of us" moment and happy birthday balloons all over the place! It was the best.
13) Watching Christmas episodes of "Home Improvement" after church. We had power for almost 2 hours!!!
14) Constructing a "gingerbread" house using nutella, cinnamon cookies, and any candies we could find!
15) The dedication ceremony - where the house was officially handed over to the home owners. It was an emotional gathering, with lots of thank you's and tokens of appreciation. Many people from the community were there and the kids skipped school to attend! We were able to do one final hokey pokey before boarding the bus and saying goodbye. Tear. My eyes get watery just thinking about it!
16) Brain Games (a.k.a. a book of crosswords, word searches, sudukos and more!). So fun for long car rides, extended periods of time at the airport, and for when there's simply nothing else to do!
17) Shopping for souvenirs with a flashlight. As I said before, power comes and goes without warning!
18) Our flash mob at Durbar square. Especially the moment where a man tried to hit Phil with a cane and then proceeded to vomit right beside him!
19) The moment a plane FINALLY landed to retrieve us from Kathmandu!
20) The moment our retrieval plane took off with the two of us on board!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Reasons our next holiday will be FIVE star....
1) It's tough to navigate an airport that lacks heat, lighting (at certain hours), and working staff. These same factors contribute to chaos during flight delays and cancellations.
2) When you want a steak, you want a steak. Not a hamburger patty on a fancy platter.
3) In the winter months, heat is a GOOD thing. I say this in terms of room temperature and water temperature.
4) Speaking of water, it's nice to have some.
5) Lost luggage happens. But flirting, bribing, and breaking rules to get it back shouldn't.
6) We like when people turn on their headlights while driving at night.
7) It's a pain asking your husband to wipe the mouse poo off your bed every afternoon and evening. (Even though he's happy to do it for you! LOVE YOU HUNNIE!)
8) Starch, starch, starch does not a meal make. Although delicious, vegetables and meat are a nice way to decorate a plate, too!
9) I think we've retired from our mission to "find the dirtiest bathroom on the planet".
10) Waking up to bruised hips can't be normal.
11) There must be a "sleeping in a moldy room" quota that we've surpassed. Phil used his puffer four times each night and we avoided our room like the plague during the day.
12) Clean tap water is AWESOME. Enough with the bottled water brushings!
13) I don't want Phil to use a "ladder" - or wobbly, triple stacked tables - to reach high places.
14) We want to shake hands with children whose hands are razor-blade free!
15) We like our milk un-chunky.
16) Our odds of people puking on us seems less.
17) We deserve it!
Haha. All jokes aside, these are the sorts of things that create a true adventure! From our past experiences, we have learned to laugh off absurdities and embrace the different. And we did that over the holiday. But, like other things, tolerance has an expiration date, too! Recall: I managed to hold off tears until the taxi ride home to our apartment.
Back to reality and I like it! We had a relaxing weekend in our cozy apartment and I can't wait to plan a 5-star experience for us next. Please note how I chose to use the word "experience" as opposed to "adventure". I think we've had our fair share of those for the time being :)
2) When you want a steak, you want a steak. Not a hamburger patty on a fancy platter.
3) In the winter months, heat is a GOOD thing. I say this in terms of room temperature and water temperature.
4) Speaking of water, it's nice to have some.
5) Lost luggage happens. But flirting, bribing, and breaking rules to get it back shouldn't.
6) We like when people turn on their headlights while driving at night.
7) It's a pain asking your husband to wipe the mouse poo off your bed every afternoon and evening. (Even though he's happy to do it for you! LOVE YOU HUNNIE!)
8) Starch, starch, starch does not a meal make. Although delicious, vegetables and meat are a nice way to decorate a plate, too!
9) I think we've retired from our mission to "find the dirtiest bathroom on the planet".
10) Waking up to bruised hips can't be normal.
11) There must be a "sleeping in a moldy room" quota that we've surpassed. Phil used his puffer four times each night and we avoided our room like the plague during the day.
12) Clean tap water is AWESOME. Enough with the bottled water brushings!
13) I don't want Phil to use a "ladder" - or wobbly, triple stacked tables - to reach high places.
14) We want to shake hands with children whose hands are razor-blade free!
15) We like our milk un-chunky.
16) Our odds of people puking on us seems less.
17) We deserve it!
Haha. All jokes aside, these are the sorts of things that create a true adventure! From our past experiences, we have learned to laugh off absurdities and embrace the different. And we did that over the holiday. But, like other things, tolerance has an expiration date, too! Recall: I managed to hold off tears until the taxi ride home to our apartment.
Back to reality and I like it! We had a relaxing weekend in our cozy apartment and I can't wait to plan a 5-star experience for us next. Please note how I chose to use the word "experience" as opposed to "adventure". I think we've had our fair share of those for the time being :)
How to Build a Bamboo House.
(After the foundation, beams, and tin roofing has been done for you!)
1) Find yourself some BAMBOO!
2) Saw off any "bad parts" and cut each piece into the appropriate length.
3) Split the bamboo into 4-6 pieces. This requires some serious tools - a rock, a block of wood, and a "khukuri" (scary knife). Once you hear a certain sound (this is all very specific, right?!), you can stop using the block of wood and khukuri and use manpower to complete the splitting process. Be sure to watch out for young children and wild animals!
4) Do the hokey pokey. It's a fun way to teach English to the local kids :)
5) Use a khukuri to shave each piece of bamboo until it is thin and flexible. The pieces must be "weave-able" after this not-so-enjoyable cleaning process is finished. [Sidenote: the house we built required 1431 bamboo pieces! That's A LOT of shaving!!!!]
6) If your khukuri gets dull during the process, find a rock and try to sharpen it yourself. If you fail to do so, ask a friend to try. If your friend fails to do so, become BEST FRIENDS with the mason and use sign language to explain what you need!
7) Take a tea and cookie break. At least twice a day :)
8) Use the clean pieces of bamboo to construct the skeleton of a wall. Begin to weave the pieces into the wall following the pattern laid out by the mason. Green side up times two. White side up times two. Alternate thick ends up and thick ends down to keep the wall even. Use a "whacker" (a.k.a. wooden block) to hit the bamboo pieces into place. Your wall should have as few gaps as possible!
9) Play a game (or two!) of badminton! It's impossible to say no to a birdie made of chicken feathers!
10) It's time to MUD! But, first you have to make it! A truck will bring you the dirt and a person who likes to pump the well will bring you water. A team is also required to break up any major chunks of soil or clay before it can be turned into a useable building material.
11) Add some straw to the mixture, take off your shoes, roll up your pants, and start dancing! That mud needs to get mixed and the "I Love Lucy" approach seems to work best!
12) Put the ready-to-go mud into small bowls. Be sure to judge the strength of the designated "porters" prior to doing so. Little strength = little mud. Great strength = lots of mud. Oh - and LIFT WITH YOUR KNEES! When those start to hurt, trade off!
13) Put on some medical gloves and start the application process! The mud must be smeared onto both sides of the wall - but you only do one side at a time. Once one side has dried up, the other side may be mudded too. Despite your attempts at making the wall as smooth and thin as possible - you will likely be criticized by the local professional, who will "fix" your work with her BARE hands.
14) Clean up, recruit the team, gather the community and celebrate the house you built together!
P.S. A second coat must be put on all of the walls once they are dry. However, the second coat does not involve mud and rather involves manure. Coincidentally (haha), our time on the build site was UP at this point!
1) Find yourself some BAMBOO!
2) Saw off any "bad parts" and cut each piece into the appropriate length.
3) Split the bamboo into 4-6 pieces. This requires some serious tools - a rock, a block of wood, and a "khukuri" (scary knife). Once you hear a certain sound (this is all very specific, right?!), you can stop using the block of wood and khukuri and use manpower to complete the splitting process. Be sure to watch out for young children and wild animals!
4) Do the hokey pokey. It's a fun way to teach English to the local kids :)
5) Use a khukuri to shave each piece of bamboo until it is thin and flexible. The pieces must be "weave-able" after this not-so-enjoyable cleaning process is finished. [Sidenote: the house we built required 1431 bamboo pieces! That's A LOT of shaving!!!!]
6) If your khukuri gets dull during the process, find a rock and try to sharpen it yourself. If you fail to do so, ask a friend to try. If your friend fails to do so, become BEST FRIENDS with the mason and use sign language to explain what you need!
7) Take a tea and cookie break. At least twice a day :)
8) Use the clean pieces of bamboo to construct the skeleton of a wall. Begin to weave the pieces into the wall following the pattern laid out by the mason. Green side up times two. White side up times two. Alternate thick ends up and thick ends down to keep the wall even. Use a "whacker" (a.k.a. wooden block) to hit the bamboo pieces into place. Your wall should have as few gaps as possible!
9) Play a game (or two!) of badminton! It's impossible to say no to a birdie made of chicken feathers!
10) It's time to MUD! But, first you have to make it! A truck will bring you the dirt and a person who likes to pump the well will bring you water. A team is also required to break up any major chunks of soil or clay before it can be turned into a useable building material.
11) Add some straw to the mixture, take off your shoes, roll up your pants, and start dancing! That mud needs to get mixed and the "I Love Lucy" approach seems to work best!
12) Put the ready-to-go mud into small bowls. Be sure to judge the strength of the designated "porters" prior to doing so. Little strength = little mud. Great strength = lots of mud. Oh - and LIFT WITH YOUR KNEES! When those start to hurt, trade off!
13) Put on some medical gloves and start the application process! The mud must be smeared onto both sides of the wall - but you only do one side at a time. Once one side has dried up, the other side may be mudded too. Despite your attempts at making the wall as smooth and thin as possible - you will likely be criticized by the local professional, who will "fix" your work with her BARE hands.
14) Clean up, recruit the team, gather the community and celebrate the house you built together!
P.S. A second coat must be put on all of the walls once they are dry. However, the second coat does not involve mud and rather involves manure. Coincidentally (haha), our time on the build site was UP at this point!
X Factor Finals - Chris Rene and Avril Lavigne -- Complicated
We are FINALLY caught up on X factor! The guy we were rooting for didn't win the 5 million, but he sure did raise the bar with the following collaboration. WE LOVE CHRIS RENE! Watch and you will too :)
Friday, January 6, 2012
IF YOU WERE HERE FOR TEA.
* Our luggage arrived on Wednesday afternoon! YAHOO!
* Things that I like: brushing my teeth with tap water, the option of heat, un-moldy pillows, eating vegetables and meat in addition to "starch, starch, starch", having milk in my tea that DOES NOT chunk up, and the security of a cockroach, mice, spider, lizard, and flea-free apartment :)
* Phil has returned to good health and spirits, although my stomach is still battling against me. Alas, I made it through the week and have the weekend to rest up for the next one!
* Last night we watched the "Survivor" finale. It was the only episode I truly watched but I could tell by Phil's reaction that he was not pleased with the outcome. He tells me that he thinks a new Survivor begins on January 6th. I wonder when (or if!) it will ever stop.....
* X-Factor is waiting to be viewed on Emily's hard drive. Until we get up to date with this program, I have boycotted People.com, Good Morning America, and E! News. I am pumped to get back into my entertainment gossip! My only piece of celeb controversy came to me via newspaper at the Bahrain airport - Russell and Katy! WOWZERS!
* I know I need to blog about Nepal. And I'm procrastinating. But I will. Soon. Inshallah.
* Emily is coming over this afternoon for tea and some pillsbury goods! It will be our first tea party SANS time restrictions since we returned from the break. I am so excited to just BE with her.
I think that's it for now! I am off to tutor!
Blog ya later ;)
* Things that I like: brushing my teeth with tap water, the option of heat, un-moldy pillows, eating vegetables and meat in addition to "starch, starch, starch", having milk in my tea that DOES NOT chunk up, and the security of a cockroach, mice, spider, lizard, and flea-free apartment :)
* Phil has returned to good health and spirits, although my stomach is still battling against me. Alas, I made it through the week and have the weekend to rest up for the next one!
* Last night we watched the "Survivor" finale. It was the only episode I truly watched but I could tell by Phil's reaction that he was not pleased with the outcome. He tells me that he thinks a new Survivor begins on January 6th. I wonder when (or if!) it will ever stop.....
* X-Factor is waiting to be viewed on Emily's hard drive. Until we get up to date with this program, I have boycotted People.com, Good Morning America, and E! News. I am pumped to get back into my entertainment gossip! My only piece of celeb controversy came to me via newspaper at the Bahrain airport - Russell and Katy! WOWZERS!
* I know I need to blog about Nepal. And I'm procrastinating. But I will. Soon. Inshallah.
* Emily is coming over this afternoon for tea and some pillsbury goods! It will be our first tea party SANS time restrictions since we returned from the break. I am so excited to just BE with her.
I think that's it for now! I am off to tutor!
Blog ya later ;)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
GOOD NEWS and a CLICK!
Some of you may already know that on the way to Kathman-don't we lost our luggage. This made for a freezing first night in Nepal (re: no heat in hotel) and a very anxious Parkinson family. Well, it was eventually found and the long johns, wooly socks, and sweats were worn happily throughout the trip.
Fast forward to our flight home and.....our luggage was lost again! We called the airport yesterday and they kindly informed us that it may never be found - but they will call us if they hear anything. I wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh. So first I cried. And then I laughed. And then I went on the treadmill to sweat it out. Well.....good news (sort of)! This is the phone call we received last night:
Phil: HELLO?
Airport People: Is this Mr. Phillip?
Phil: Yes...
Airport People: Your luggage is here.
Phil: THAT'S GREAT!!!!! How...
Airport People: (click).
Who delivers fabulous news and then hangs up the phone?! We tried to call the airport back many times, but it was "busy" until we fell asleep. Will they deliver the luggage to our apartment (without an address, baha)? Do we have to go and pick it up? Maybe the luggage isn't really ours and it only occurred to the airport person mid-phonecall. Who knows! Oh the adventures that traveling brings :)
Just a heads up - I'm going to need some assistance in getting Phillip to board another aircraft in the future. Just wait until you hear about the 42 hours it took us to get home from Nepal. In fact, you may not even hear that story because it's not hilarious to us.....yet.
But the trip was AMAZING!!!!!!
Off to get ready for school. As for Phil, he's staying home - in an India-like state of sickness. (Yep, your help will be warmly welcomed and greatly required in encouraging him to board another plane in his life.....haha).
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!!!
xoxo
Fast forward to our flight home and.....our luggage was lost again! We called the airport yesterday and they kindly informed us that it may never be found - but they will call us if they hear anything. I wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh. So first I cried. And then I laughed. And then I went on the treadmill to sweat it out. Well.....good news (sort of)! This is the phone call we received last night:
Phil: HELLO?
Airport People: Is this Mr. Phillip?
Phil: Yes...
Airport People: Your luggage is here.
Phil: THAT'S GREAT!!!!! How...
Airport People: (click).
Who delivers fabulous news and then hangs up the phone?! We tried to call the airport back many times, but it was "busy" until we fell asleep. Will they deliver the luggage to our apartment (without an address, baha)? Do we have to go and pick it up? Maybe the luggage isn't really ours and it only occurred to the airport person mid-phonecall. Who knows! Oh the adventures that traveling brings :)
Just a heads up - I'm going to need some assistance in getting Phillip to board another aircraft in the future. Just wait until you hear about the 42 hours it took us to get home from Nepal. In fact, you may not even hear that story because it's not hilarious to us.....yet.
But the trip was AMAZING!!!!!!
Off to get ready for school. As for Phil, he's staying home - in an India-like state of sickness. (Yep, your help will be warmly welcomed and greatly required in encouraging him to board another plane in his life.....haha).
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!!!
xoxo
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
WE ARE HOME!!!
Although we thought we'd be stuck in KATHMAN-DON'T forever - WE MADE IT HOME LAST NIGHT! The trip was fantastic and we can't wait to share it with you! Alas, right now we are two tired construction workers and the blogging will have to wait for a more restful time. Thank goodness the weekend is only two days away!
Stay tuned!!!
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