Friday, March 20, 2009

The Friday File

Friday here and the Professional Development that we were supposed to have today was cancelled because the facilitator couldn't make it. So this morning I took my medical papers into the lab here in Cold Lake and got blood drawn for my lab work instead. I guess we'll see if there are any concerns regarding the usual tests they do....I would seriously doubt it as I'm probably in the best shape I've been in ever.

I went to the optometrist since I have insurance for eye glasses and got new frames and the new progressive bifocals. I put them on and loved them right away. It's really nice to not have to hold things so far away when I try to read. I can even clip my finger nails and hang nails now without a second to focus.

I had a good weekend last weekend when I went back home for my doctor's appointment. I got to see lots of people I haven't seen in a while and visited with them. I decided to go back home to the doctor because of the foolish decisions the doctor's here have been making with some of my friends. I just don't feel like they really care here and I need them to care...this is our lives and health we are talking about.

The best part of the weekend was when my best friend and I got to sit around and talk while eating Nibs. We used to do it all the time and it was good to be able to do it again. Thanks Sr. Bag for the good time. I also appreciated that my very best baking friend went to the trouble to make her famous cinnamon buns for me. I only wished I had known so I wouldn't have eaten too much at lunchtime before that.

It's always tons of fun to go shopping with my mom too. We went to the big SuperWalmart that Camrose now has and looked around and bought a few fattening things to take home for later. I was able to meet up with my favorite aunt too while we were perusing in the big store. On Saturday night, mom and dad and I went to the Camrose Country Opry and enjoyed some good old local talent. It was lots of fun.

Until next time......

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I'm back

It's been a long time since I have blogged and I really didn't think anyone cared at all but I got reprimanded by my friend this morning for not blogging enough so I guess I'll start again.

I guess I need to tell about my job. It's been going very well and I have been enjoying it very very much. I'm with my little autistic boy in the mornings in preschool and then I switch from kindergarten to grade 6 the rest of the day. I'm getting exercise by walking the hallways every time the bell goes changing classrooms. It's been fun and I've had some chances to do small group work and do a little instructions too.

Today we had a spiritual development day. I still had to go in for preschool but then I drove to Bonnyville and met with the rest of Holy Cross School to talk about some things we were doing in school that were good for faith building and some suggestions for doing more. It was really good to talk with all the other teachers without interruptions from students. It was a time of peace and reflexion for us all. I had to miss the keynote speaker because of preschool and I have to say that I'm disappointed because he sounded like a really interesting guy. The other teachers confirmed my disappointment in saying that he really was interesting and had some really good challenges to issue. Many of them said that they complained about having to go there for the day but were blessed after his lecture. I was glad to see so many of my collegues blessed and happy today. God is good!!

My exercise regiment has fallen somewhat by the wayside since returning home from Christmas. I still am doing some exercising but not as much as I was because I just don't have the time to do it anymore. For Valentine's Day, Kelvin bought me a Rock and Roll Stepper made by the same company as my elliptical and it is really good for working on getting my quads in better shape and stronger for hockey. Speaking of hockey, I'm still playing twice a week and even though I still am pretty much the worst player out there, I am getting better. I'm even getting better at getting up in the mornings to get there. In fact, I don't have any problems at all with that anymore but more problems staying in bed and sleeping....maybe I'm getting old!!!

Back at the beginning of February, I had the privilege of going to an Autism Awareness Conference in Edmonton. It was a very timely course for me and very full of lots of information. I pretty much left there with my head buzzing with information and lots of good notes from the speakers. It was great that the school board would send me there and pay me to learn more about autism. I think I could be a conference junkie as I really did benefit from it and loved everything I learned. It was really a nice hotel that I stayed at and the conference was in the same place. I had a friend of mine meet me for supper the first night and my best friend came from back home to stay with me for a night with a couple of kids. It was a great time and we had lots of fun using the gym, swimming pool, hot tub and sauna at the hotel...and all on the school's dime!!!

This time of the year is a busy time for us. We have all of my family's birthdays in less than a month. As of yesterday, I am the mother of a 15 year old!!! I know I know, I look much too young to be the mother of a 15 year old but it really is a true fact.

Anyhow, I guess that is the update for this time, until next time......

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Christmas and back in the grind

We (Kelvin, myself, Clayton, Cody and Sam) went home to Camrose for Christmas on December 20th and came back on December 29th. It was a good time and we all enjoyed visits and too much good food. It does make me miss my hometown but also makes me appreciate my own domain here too. I missed having the Daniel, Emma and Maggie with us but I know they had a good time with their mom and nanny. We'll miss them when they move to Nova Scotia after the school year,

Well, I'm officially back at school from Monday to Thursday all day long. I start at 8:30 in the morning in the kindergarten room and then go to preschool at 9:00. When I'm finished there, I go back into the kindergarten for the rest of the day.

I've had three days now with my little autistic fellow and enjoyed every minute of it. He is a very smart little duffer and extremely happy. Sometimes he looks so deeply into my eyes that I feel a very strong connection with him already. The time goes by very quickly and I am working hard on teaching him to meet his goals. I strongly believe that by June he will have reached them and can continue to strive for higher standards.

In kindergarten, I've been working mostly with small groups and giving them extra time with some of the struggles they have. It's been really rewarding and most enjoyable to do. Today, I got to read them their story after lunch time and ask them some questions, and wrote down their answers, about a subject that they are going to be studying for the next few months. After the subject is studied, we will compare what they knew at the beginning to what they know at the end. I can't wait to see what neat things that we'll all learn!!!

I'm still working out as often as I can by playing hockey twice a week and doing my strength and balance training the other days. I've also been boxing on the Wii and realizing that my regular strength training doesn't include my deltoid muscles. I'm hoping to be able to do my regular three miles on my elliptical on Fridays (my day off) after cleaning the house and getting caught up on errands. I really think that I'm looking much better from all the exercise because my 21 year old niece told her mom that I was looking pretty buff compared to what I used to be. Yay for nieces that love their aunties enough to say something nice!!!!

Well, that's it for now. Until next time.......

Friday, December 19, 2008

The decision is made.

Ok, so I went to the interview this morning at the Health Unit for the OT job. It went very very well and I was able to find out more information on what exactly the job was about. It sounds very interesting and like there would be lots of really cool learning to do.

When I got home, I was getting some things done before we leave for Camrose tomorrow when the school called and gave me the details on what job they wanted to hire me for, if I was interested. I would be an aide for a little guy in preschool with autism in the mornings and a classroom aide in English kindergarten in the afternoons giving specific attention, when needed, to three students with delayed language skills.

So after much consideration, prayer and taking into account which job I would like the most, I chose the school job. I still can't put my finger on the reason, but I just love being in a school. I start January 5th when the kids are back in school themselves. It's been very stressful having to make this decision and I'm really glad it's all over and now I plan to enjoy Christmas with my family and friends.

Tomorrow we leave for Camrose and I'm not too sure when we come back. I guess we'll stay until we get sick of family or family gets sick of us.

Until next time.....

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Decisions to make...maybe

Well today I got a call from the school telling me that my interview (for the job I'm currently doing) is tomorrow at 10AM. Then I got another call from another job that I have applied for saying my interview is on Friday at 11AM. Now, I'm not saying that I will be offered both jobs, but if I am, I have no idea which one to chose. I'll have to update when I can on what happened. Any of my friends who read this can pray for me that if I am offered both, that I will make the right decision one which one to take.

Until next time......

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Job

So I've been at this new job for a week now and it's pretty good. The little people are really cute and extremely creative. I've learned lots about the difference between boys and girls in personality and how everyone learns at different speeds. Anyway, they are cute little gaffers but I feel like a babysitter instead of a teacher. Hopefully, I can move up in the school system at some point in time and do what I'm passionate about.

Again, I'm still doing three miles a day on my Gazelle elliptical and getting in better shape all the time. The other day I had Kelvin cut off my hockey stick a little bit to improve my shot and I hit the top shelf twice in shinny the other morning...so it worked!!! It was a really great time and I had some really good opportunities and scored a couple of times.

I'm still not in the Christmas spirit at all. We don't decorate our house because we are never home for Christmas. I haven't bought a thing yet and don't intend to until we are in Camrose with a bigger section. It's gonna be pretty slim pickins this year in the Lockhart-Eastwood home for gifts since I was out of work for so long but we'll make up for it in fun things we do with the kids.

Until next time.......

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A job for a while

Well, I got a phone call yesterday from Holy Cross Elementary and was hired on the spot for a teacher's aide position in the pre-school classroom. This will only run for the month of December until a permanent person can be found. I did apply for the permanent position as well but they have to advertise and do interviews in order to make the right decision. So far the hours are Monday through Thursday mornings 8:45 until 11:15.

I've still been doing my exercising faithfully. I bought a really cheap elliptical that I do three miles a day on averaging between four and five miles per hour. It takes me just under 45 minutes for the cardio and 15 or so for the strength and balance part. I guess an hour workout is pretty good for this old gal. I still play hockey twice a week with all this too and have gained quite a bit of muscle and balance.

Until next time......