The dreaded staff Christmas party.

I have never been a fan of socializing with the people I work with. I don't go for lunch with other colleagues, I don't text or facebook with them after work hours or on weekends. I like them all well enough, but lets face it. I see them 8 (or more) hours a day, 5 days a week. I really don't want them more than that.

Well, 'tis the season for the dreaded staff Christmas party. In the past, I have definitely been that person who never went to anything. I decided that this year, I would go. Josh and I got dolled up, drove into Dartmouth and were, of course, the first ones there and had to make awkward small talk with the owners of my daycare for about 40 MINUTES while other colleagues arrived. 

The free drinks/appetizers and full on meal were appreciated, although the group games (complete with the drunk owners yelling instructions through a microphone) were not. Also, I did love getting a Christmas card from said owners with $10 in it, "a token of our (the owners') love".

All in all, I (we) did it, it was not horrible, and I was home and in bed by 10:15. Until next year.

Ready to go.

Our tree!

Josh & a really big chunk of PB/mallow bar.

(Not) too cool for school!

New regulations in Nova Scotia tell me that I will become a student once more! If I want to keep my job and continue working with children in the future, I need to obtain my Level 1 classification within the Early Childhood Education sector.

To become a Level 1, I need to take 3 courses:

-Intro to Curriculum planning
-Behaviour Guidance
-Child Growth & Development

Each course is 60 hours (10 weeks), and is held in Halifax at the Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education.

Starting April 12, I'll be starting Child Growth and Development, which runs until June 15. Classes are every Tuesday and Thursday night, from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Then the next class, Behaviour Guidance, starts June 22 until August 25, once again on Tuesday/Thursday evenings. I also need to take an orientation module which is a 10 week at-home study. I will do this in the fall. I will also need to complete a "guided workplace experience", which I can complete at the daycare I am currently working at. I'm not sure when exactly I will be doing this - I think at the end of all of my course work. I will start the Intro to Curriculum course in January 2012, and then I can apply for my Level 1 classification.

I am a bit overwhelmed with this...I was initially told I wouldn't have to start all of this until the fall. After doing some research, I found out I could start now in April, and I figured I may as well get cracking. It all feels a bit fast, but it has to happen sometime, so may as well do it now, before the babies start arriving! The courses are quite heavy duty, and they power through a lot of material in 10 weeks. I haven't been a student in quite a while and am a tad nervous about the homework and studying I'll have to complete. Hope it won't take too long to get into the swing of things again. And of course, I'll be loosing a lot of free time, which I do value! I don't always do too well when I am feeling bogged down and busy...I am definitely not someone who thrives while being pulled in a million different directions. I love having down time, because that is when I recharge. So adding "part time student" to my list will take some adjusting to. I am praying for strength, courage for this new adventure, and trust that God is going to bless me with amazing homework/studying skills!!

The best thing about these courses is the need for school supplies! Today Josh took me to Staples and I got the following:







I feel like I'm in Grade 7 all over again, and am worried that I don't have the right "stuff" to fit in with the others!

So, here's to the coming adventures!

New things are the best things!

I have three new things to announce!

1) I bought new shoes today at The Shoe Warehouse. My quest for new shoes is ongoing. I am always looking for that perfect pair of shoes that will end the relentless search. I am not convinced that that pair of shoes is even in existence, beyond what I envision in that (unrealistic) head of mine. So not saying that I settled today, but I certainly just lowered my expectations and went ahead and made the commitment to a size 9.5, which is unreal!! I have NEVER been a size 9.5 shoe (or anything else, for that matter) - I can almost always grab that size 8 off the shelf and it'll fit. But I suppose some brands/styles fit differently.





These Sketcher sneaks are what I went for today, as I thought they would be appropriate for my NEW JOB!!.....

2) I got a new job! I have been working as an Educational Assistant substitute since fall, but the hours and therefore the money were too inconsistent for us. A few weeks ago I applied and got a full time job at a daycare/pre-school in Dartmouth (between a 10-15 minute drive from our place). I will be glad to get into a more regular routine and have the full time money to live the life we want! I will be speaking with the Director of the pre-school on Monday and I will find out then when I can start working - hopefully this week sometime. Although I love the "school work hours" (coming home at 2:30), it just wasn't enough for us, especially as there are (hopefully) flights to Manitoba to pay for in August 2011 and the fact that our car might die any second now. Life must continue to be lived and I want to play a part of bringing home the bacon that can support that life.

3) Josh has also gotten a new job! On January 24th, Josh will be starting full time at Xeos Technologies, which is located in Bedford (he was working in Dartmouth). He has been hired on as an Engineering Technologist, which is more in line with his schooling than the job he has been doing for the last 2.5 years. I really can't tell you anything more about his job because I truly have no idea what it involves! Something about "underwater telemetry" and military/government projects, etc. Josh is very happy about this switch and he's excited about the new work he'll be doing. It is, in his words, "what I thought I'd be doing when I graduated from college". I am so happy to see him so happy.

We hope and pray for good things to come from these new adventures!

the second week

I have been at my new job for 2 weeks now. I love it. I love every minute of it. Well, every other minute of it, which is more than I've ever been able to say before. And more than most people would say.

Here is what I love:

-helping kids with math (math I can actually do!)
-marking spelling tests
-silent reading time
-moving desks around
-sitting at my little table
-having kids call me "Mrs" instead of "Miss"
-watching "Bill Nye the Science Guy" videos (which were SO cool when I was in Grade 5, but now are just horribly outdated, although still very informative)
-taking kids into the library to help them with something
-when kids draw me pictures that say "Your the Best" (they haven't quite grasped the your/you're concept yet)
-checking to make sure they have their homework gathered together for the end of the day
-school picture day!
-being done at 3:30 every day
-getting weekends off