Learning Still

Just because we have Grampy visiting doesn't mean we don't still have to get our work done.

Still.....we need to break out some fun once and a while. So on Tuesday we're going to the zoo....woohoo!

Stand by for much more exciting pics.

 

I Need A Nap

I was ready to try the Ontario Science Museum again (last time was too busy).
With the place to ourselves we went back to the rocket section to try and make the best/fastest.
 

Somehow by the time we were working on versions 2, 3 and 4 of our original designs we had spent almost two hours in that section.

 

Leaving us just enough time to catch a demonstration on electricity.

Seeing as how E and A were the only children in the audience .... they were both able to participate in the experiments. 

 

They did this part a few times.

Luckily the museum closes at 4p.m. so we were able to get home, get fed and get to Cubs for their first meeting of the year. This is the only year they will be together because E progresses next year.

Pick A Lane

You know those mornings when you wake up and you just have SO much energy that you can't sit down and start school? Well we had one of those this a.m. So we hit the subway.

 

Bowling. It has been far too long since we did this.

 

We'll Always Have the ROM

Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law M and I had the weekend to ourselves.
We did some chores of course. But we also went downtown ... ate at a pub ... wandered through the ROM .... saw a movie ..... and did a little shopping.
So fun. Thanks J&E
 

 And since our neighbours were on their way through town we capped off the night with a little pre-bedtime visit. Good to see them.

Point AirForce

Each Thursday there is a dinner at the mess. This week it was hosted by the AirForce members.
They hit it out of the park. Good music, good food, good fun for everybody.

Hard to tell under all this gear but this is A.
Fully kitted up and ready to fly.
 

Here's A in what they apparently call the 'hero's pose'. 

 

And we are definitely getting our money's worth out of the pool.

They boys are getting to be stronger swimmers by the day.

School Work

One of our activities today was to create a cartoon strip about smoke signals.

(It's part of our spy/communication unit study)

This is A's contribution.

And E's.

And mine.

It's a hit!

Finding the right fit for friends can be difficult.

We've been signing up to participate in a variety of activities ... looking for friends.

Sometimes it's a little to the right and sometimes it's a little to the left of the bullseye.

We tried out a homeschool gym class today. BINGO!

We will definitely be doing this every week.

 

The other thing that can be difficult to locate after a move is a church.

In every instance the kids have basically been the deciders.

If they love it, we love it. And this time they love ...

Willowdale Church.

Row Row Row Your Boat

Wondering what we're up to?

Well it's part of our recently finished unit about early explorers. You know that part in every explorers story where they finally spot land ..... it wasn't always all good news! 

There might be rocks, shallow waters and/or angry natives. And these would have major consequences.

Just ask Ferdinand Magellan, well actually you can't because he was killed by natives who waited patiently on shore while he rowed in and then attacked him. He wasn't able to escape back to his big boat because it was too far from the shoreline. Sad but true.

So they each created their own shoreline.

We took a look at how it would appear from their boats. And A showed what would happen if reckless sailors decided to come ashore anyway. That rowboat didn't have a chance.

 

Here's E's imagined shoreline. Looks calm, no sharp rocks, healthy vegetation.

From the boat there is evidence that an earlier settlement may have been here. See that abandoned looking fence structure? Wonder where the original settlers went? Maybe they'll find out when they row ashore.

 

Resident Builder and GAD2

We have deemed a need for an extra table. I need somewhere for my puzzle and my laptop.

I found just what was needed at the Target store.

And since E has designated himself the resident handy-man he got to work.

 

Voila!!

GAD Part 2

So what does it mean exactly for my day-to-day when symptoms are flaring.

 

It means that I when I'm feeling restless and agitated I need to breath deeply and calm myself down. I need to go for walks and meditate.

And it means that when I'm feeling exhausted I have to ask myself if I'm legitimately tired, and if not, get my butt up and force myself to do something.

It means I'm startled by noises and changes to the environment. That I can't read a newspaper or watch the news because my reaction to anything negative will be severe.

It means I have to avoid chocolate and diet coke (due to caffeine) and watch that I'm eating enough because I tend not to be very hungry since I feel nauseaus.

It means I may be standing speaking to someone and not hearing a word they are saying because I'm feeling sweaty, and my heart is racing and I'm lightheaded and I'm trying not to hyperventilate and pass out.

It means I need to talk myself rational when I start to worry about something and to monitor whether I'm overreacting.

It means I have to think about what I'm thinking about and stop my mind from wandering with 'What If?" scenarios that will render me wild with worry.

It means that while I go about driving and teaching and parenting and cooking I'm also doing all of the above activities. Typically this means I'm basically incapable of making a decision because I can't see through all the cr*p going on in my head to decide anything.

Which means that by 3:00 I'm so exhausted of thought that I'm pretty tired physically as well.

The Ark



Take the 401 to the 404 to the 407 until it becomes the 7. Keep going until you see the ..... camel.

You'll know you have arrived at Nova's Ark.

Check to make sure the lady who holds the fox and carries around the monkey is there.

 



Resident pig wandering around the grounds? Between naps of course.

Giant bald eagle looking fierce and majestic. Yup.

 

Take the chance to feed some animals. Goats, sacred cows from India, camels, zebras.

You know ... the usual.

  

Or if you're feeling exotic you can pet the kangaroos.

If you're into the creepy-crawlies ... there's the scorpion with the babies on it's back.

Or the golden-knee tarantula.

 

My favourite? The tortoise that has free reign of the yard. Mind you he has to keep his pylon on top so they can find him on the lawn.

So you're thinking .... camels, fox, monkeys, lemurs, kangaroos, llamas, porcupines, zebra, boa constrictor, tortoises, goats, pigs, bald eagles ..... what were the kids to be found for most of the visit?

At the guinea pig pit.

 

And it truly was a pit of guinea pigs.

 

  

In the name of authenticity I'll fill you in on the rest of what's going on around here.

It's not all fun and rescue farms you know!!

I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). I was diagnosed years ago. The majority of the time it is managed with medication, meditation and other strategies including the adherence to a predictable routine. 

However, major stress .... causes a flare up of symptoms. This move has been a major stress. But I'm working with the system, I'm leaning on my amazing family and I'm waiting for time to pass. Patience, patience.



There's a website that pretty clearly describes what it feels like to have GAD.

*Feeling by turns restless and agitated, but also exhausted and unable to cope.
*Unable to 'switch off' and relax.
*Always being 'on high alert'.
*Difficulty sleeping.
*Difficulty eating, digestive problems.
*Other physical symptoms of stress such as raised blood pressure, palpitations, sweating, rapid shallow breathing.
*Anxiety about everyday routines and circumstances, health worries, finances.
*Worries seem to be out of proportion, meaning other people may be at a loss to understand just what is bothering you.
*Worry seems to switch from one thing to another.