tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49403304500848916492024-02-07T18:57:04.821-08:00Coffee, Chocolate and WineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.comBlogger1069125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-88356260328905979022018-12-04T21:05:00.000-08:002018-12-04T21:05:03.590-08:00Dear DadDear Dad,<br />
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Another year has come and gone. And once again, it was a busy exciting year. Here's what you missed.<br />
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<b><u>December</u></b><br />
Ethan joined the Little Theatre's Pantomime production again this year. He had many smaller parts, but his big piece was playing a rat. His costume was unbelievably hot. Am sure he lost a few kilos with the costume and being under the hot lights.<br />
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December also means Christmas. This year, we decided to go home. It's been 5 years since we had Christmas in Canada. It was also the coldest Christmas in almost 10 years. Not sure why it picked this year to be so cold. We spent time in Ottawa with Rasool and the family, and we made great use of your condo. New Year's Eve, Karim and family, and Karima and family came over. We all went for dinner, then came home to hang out. All the boys had sleeping bags in the living room. It was great to wake up New Year's day surrounded by family. You and mum always said the way you start your year, is how you'll end your year. So we began the New Year surrounded by love. Good to know love is what we'll have all year. </div>
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<b><u>January</u></b></div>
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Afraaz came to visit Dar and taught a couple classes at school. He then performed a concert over the lunch break. </div>
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<b><u>February</u></b></div>
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Exciting news. Remember how I went back to Harvard in the summer. Well, I spoke to the dean of Project Zero about their online courses, and this month I have begun working for them! I am an online coach for their Visible Thinking course!</div>
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<b><u>March</u></b></div>
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You missed a milestone this month. Scott turned 50! Can you believe it? </div>
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Ethan decided he wanted to try skiing, so off to Switzerland, he went, on his own, well with some schoolmates. He had a great time and didn't break any bones!</div>
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This month, one of your nieces became an author! Faiza wrote and self-published a book. It's fantastic. Tell all your friends to get one. They can order theirs <a href="https://bornonafriday.com/shop/my-mamma-wants-to-eat-me-up">here</a>. </div>
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<b><u>April</u></b></div>
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April was a little sadder. Scott and Rehanna's house caught on fire. They have been living with Shelina since then. Could you pull a few strings there and ensure their home is finished in time for Khaled's birthday? Thanks</div>
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April was also Kids Rock time. This year I wrote the script for Peter Pan. I also directed it. Ethan was my Captain Hook, and as usual, he was fantastic!</div>
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<b><u>May</u></b></div>
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This month, Scott and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and Hailey turned 5. You were missed on both occasions. </div>
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This month also brought some changes. Scott accepted a new position, so we learnt we were leaving Dar and heading back to Lusaka, Zambia. </div>
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May also meant that your <i>other</i> granddaughter graduated high school. Imaan is off to BC come fall. You were greatly missed by her and everyone else at her graduation.</div>
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<b><u>June</u></b></div>
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June meant packing up our house in Dar, and then Ethan and I headed to Canada. Mum was already there, and Rasool and fam came to visit. We all had breakfast at Rashida Aunty's. Can't remember when we were all together. </div>
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<b><u>July</u></b></div>
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Ethan turned 12 this month. Can you believe I will be the mother of a teenager next year? We spent the day at the beach with the cousins, followed by dinner with the Maneks. It was a perfect day.</div>
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July was also didar in Portugal. Mum went with Massi. They then went to Spain. It was good she got a bit of a holiday. But, once again, you were missed. </div>
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July also means Theatre Camp for Ethan. This year they put on Aladdin. When Ethan was in the fifth grade, they put on a production of Aladdin. Ethan wanted to play Jafar, but as you may recall, he got the part of Aladdin. Well, this time his dream came true. And what an amazing Jafar he was! Once again, he was thrilled the Manek's were able to attend. </div>
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<b><u>August</u></b></div>
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This month brought new adventures. We moved to Zambia and Ethan started school here and Rasool went on a family vacation. They keep promising to come to visit us, but they opted to head to the East Coast this year. </div>
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<b><u>September</u></b></div>
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Our family grew this month as Amin-Mohammed became a dad. Welcome, Kin Jamani. We're thrilled to have the Jamani name continue!</div>
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September wasn't good weather in Ottawa. They had a tornado and the power went off. Some people didn't have power for nearly a week. Now, while I'm aware that those of us used to Dar life are used to this, Rasool and the rest of the city were not. So please, could you keep an eye on them, and make sure they don't have to deal with this again? Thanks.</div>
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<b><u>October</u></b></div>
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Zambia is ok. It's taken some time for Ethan and me to settle here. I'm not teaching at the school, but I found an amazing NGO, <a href="https://www.chance4all.org/?fbclid=IwAR35pxluk9Q2qY0Gt4VhOD3rsh3kRI8Sdw1mJOKkCPi1kh3Hil9lOqPDoJA">Chance4All</a>. They help get sponsorship for the kids of Bauleni so they can attend school. Every Wednesday we meet with the children and help with tutoring, homework, exam studying or reading. I'm working as their Reading Specialist. I love it. Wednesday's is my favourite day of the week. </div>
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<b><u>November</u></b></div>
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Ethan took part in the school play. The theatre teacher was putting on a production of Fame Jr. The high schoolers were given the leads, but Ethan's teacher was quite impressed with him that she wrote a part for him. He stole the show. You'd be proud. </div>
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So I had grandiose plans to post this yesterday, on the anniversary of you leaving us, but I had a very busy day and planned to post it in the evening. However, the power went off, but that just means I can share with you how my day yesterday went. </div>
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Remember how I told you I started working for an NGO. Well, every Wednesday we meet at the Bauleni Special Needs School. Some of our students go here. But we use their conference room to work with the kids. Yesterday we had a Giving Back Campaign. We fed 700 children and arranged for small Christmas presents for each child. You were definitely there, watching over us.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz4_-Mfv3nMHNbN3pqbQd-nIJmGnEimzQ5M4RLCPVG2JEt6NSQ4Y576JFPmE3l04YcdFogH67J-3BdoaWY30g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I miss you, dad. Not a day goes by I don't think of you. </div>
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With love</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-35057137715384247732018-06-25T15:59:00.002-07:002018-06-25T15:59:31.544-07:00Father's Day InterviewWe're a little late posting this. But better late than never. Ethan's much older now than when we first began this. The first time we tried this was in 2010 and Ethan was 4 years old. You can see his responses <a href="https://nisbetfam.blogspot.com/2010/06/interview-with-ethan.html">here</a>. Ethan's about to turn 12, so his responses are a little more thoughtful and mature.<br />
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<b>1. What is something Daddy always says to you?</b><br />
"Do your homework!"<br />
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<b>2. What makes Daddy happy?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Ummm people not stealing his stuff! I'm just joking. People who do their jobs right."<br />
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<b>3. What makes him sad?</b><br />
<b> </b> "When I don't do what he asks. Or when either Mommy or I get hurt. That makes him sad."<br />
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<b>4. How does he make you laugh?</b><br />
"He tells me Dad jokes. They're not funny. But it makes him laugh."<br />
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<b>5. What was Daddy like as a child?</b><br />
<b> </b>"All I know about him as a child was that he was really skinny. Oh and that he was born in<br />
Canada. And I don't think he wore glasses. He had a brother named Greg. And two caring <br />
parents. Boom! That's all I know." <br />
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<b>6. How old is Daddy?</b><br />
<b> </b>"50! Ha, I know that!"<br />
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<b>7. How tall is he?</b><br />
<b> </b>"I don't know...how about 6 foot? 5 foot 8?"<br />
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<b>8. What is his favourite thing to do?</b><br />
<b> "</b>Watch TV and play the racing game on his iPad. And swimming. And telling people what to do. He likes that!"<br />
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<b>9. What does Daddy do when you're not around?</b><br />
<b> </b>"I don't know what he does, I'm not around. He swims, plays on his iPad, tells people what to do.<br />
I don't know."<br />
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<b>10. If he becomes famous, what would it be for?</b><br />
<b> </b>"For telling people what to do. And for his swimming. He's a fast swimmer, like that butterfly guy. What's his name? I don't know. Oh ya, Michael Phelps. He's the next Michael Phelps."<br />
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<b>11. What is Daddy really good at?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Didn't I answer this already? He's good at running a trucking company. He's good at telling people what to do. He's good at swimming. He's good at driving. He's good at looking young. Yeah, I'm done."<br />
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<b>12. What is he not very good at?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Ummm....baseball. Hahaha, he's going to hate me for saying that, but it's all I can think of."<br />
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<b>13. What does he do for his job?</b><br />
<b> </b> "He runs a trucking company. Isn't he like a COO or something? He basically runs the place in Zambia."<br />
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<b>14. What is his favourite food?</b><br />
<i>thinking for a very long time...."</i>I don't know. I was going to say pizza but I don't think so. Maybe anything maa makes. He likes her cooking. And meat. Anything with meat. Like bacon. Yes, bacon. That's my final answer. Boom, got it right!"<br />
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<b>15. What makes you proud of Daddy?</b><br />
<b> </b>"How hard he works."<br />
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<b>16. If he were a cartoon character, who would he be?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Donald Duck!"<br />
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<b>17. What do you and Daddy do together?</b><br />
<b> </b>"We play board games, we talk, we watch football, we argue, we swim, we play football. We do stuff!"<br />
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<b>18. How are you and Daddy the same?</b><br />
<b> "</b>We're both smart."<br />
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<b>19. How are you guys different?</b><br />
<b> </b>"He's older than me, more mature, faster swimmer. He's smarter than me, even though I said we were both smart."<br />
<br />
<b>20. How do you know he loves you?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Because he tells me every day. He's a nice person, he hangs out with me, he does what I like to do. He follows my passions."<br />
<br />
<b>21. Where's his favourite place to go?</b><br />
<b> </b>"Work! Ha, no home. He likes to go home a lot."<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-35564994418721198802017-12-03T23:56:00.001-08:002017-12-04T04:34:09.993-08:00Dear Dad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Dad,<br />
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Another year has passed. So much has happened. Our family has grown. There's a lot of excitement and changes. But the one thing that's the same, is you're not here. You're missing out on these things. And that still bothers me. I was never given the chance to say good bye. That still bothers me. I still get upset by that. I still think you should be here for us. And, this year, I am still on my mission to recap the year, and tell you everything you've missed!<br />
<br />
<b>January</b><br />
January was the beginning of the baby year. We learnt that Faiza and Earvin were having another boy. (Thanks for that, by the way. Am pretty sure I asked you to pull some strings and give this family a cute little girl.) Haseena threw Rehanna and Scott a baby shower. They asked for books to start a library for the little one. You were on my mind an awful lot this month, so I bought the baby a book from you. I remember how much you loved to read to me, and talk about books and stories. I recall you especially like those true-touches-your-heart kind of books too. So this is the book I got them, from you. Hope it's ok.<br />
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So, in January, Donald Trump was sworn in as president of the United States. While I won't go into details about this, I thought I'd share with you, how much your stories, the stories of your family have influenced and shaped our lives. One of the first things that happened during Trump's first week, as a ban on Muslims from certain countries to enter the US. Because of this, many people were stranded in Canada. Karim opened his home to anyone who was stranded and needed a place to stay. If you click on his image, you'll see the article.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/stand-in-solidarity-canadian-residents-open-their-homes-to-those-stranded-by-u-s-travel-ban-1.3957626"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAX5koJxRuunV4IJ3mDw6wOoHoEyzpAzgnqOfRcrq4t9yL_y9sdOBpS_rlYKUhtPPHeYuv93C4hf9GO3B4IFolPKzuuhVk9wEqEwfHhmjQSb-L81aQ-DfTAKXy_xcD3X4_WPt4miz4W8VY/s320/karim-kanji.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>February</u></b></div>
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Back in September, Ethan auditioned for the primary school play. This is the first time since we've been back in Dar that the primary campus has put on a show. Ethan got the lead as Aladdin. There were three performances. He was great. Wish you were here to see it. Your grandson can sing! Not sure who he inherited that from. Mum came to watch the final show. We are all so proud.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Friday February 24, baby Malik Abel Venzant made his grand entrance into the world. He was eager to meet everyone, and decided to come early (27 weeks)</span>. </div>
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<b><u>March</u></b></div>
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March 6th saw your niece become a grandmother. Your great niece become a mother. Rehanna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Meet Khaled.</div>
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Shaheen came to visit mum this month as well. Mum took her for kebabs and they went to Zanzibar. One evening they saw an incredibly large star. They both say they felt you with them. Thank you for joining them in Zanzibar.</div>
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Did I mention how incredibly positive your niece Faiza is? She's amazing. Even Scott admires her positive outlook. In March, a month after Malik was born, someone asked Faiza how he was doing. Her response is beautiful;</div>
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<i>"Malik is taking baby steps everyday and growing and learning to breathe on his own. He's got pouty lips and long limbs and I think after this start at life, he may be a future marathon runner. He works hard and paces himself and is in it for the long haul."</i></div>
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<b><u>April</u></b></div>
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For the last 6 weeks, Ethan and 3 other classmates have been working hard at school. It's final X time. The students join into groups based on their passions, they come up with a central idea, lines of inquiry, they interview experts and research their topic. Ethan and his group looked into the performing arts. The final element of the PYPX is action. Ethan and his mates decided to put on a show at the Children's Cancer Ward at Muhimbili Hospital. Oh dad, you would have loved it. I hope you saw it. It made my heart melt. </div>
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<b><u>May</u></b></div>
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For the last few years, Ethan has been a part of the Little Theatre's Kids Rock production. He really enjoys it. This year was no exception. Once again, I helped out. This year I wrote the script and directed. But Ethan's the star. He's been taking voice lessons too. You can really see the improvement in this video.</div>
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May was also a great month for Faiza and Earvin. Thank you for watching over Malik. He came home this month. </div>
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<b><u>June</u></b><br />
June brought the end of the school year. And this year, the end of the school year meant the end of an era. Ethan graduated from the PYP. Which means, come August, I will officially be the mother of a Middle Schooler! Yikes<br />
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<b><u>July</u></b></div>
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Ethan turned 11 this month. Rasool and the family came for the weekend, and Rehanna and fam, and Nabeel and Emily joined us for his birthday breakfast. We called mum in the afternoon. You were greatly missed. </div>
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July also meant Ethan returned to theatre camp. This year's production was Hairspray and Ethan played the role of Seaweed. </div>
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While Ethan attended camp, I got some time on my own. </div>
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One night, I dreamt of you. We went to the Cheesecake Factory, ate cheesecake and chatted. It was a weird dream, as we never went out for dessert. Not just the two of us. And there's no Cheesecake Factory in Toronto. (At least not yet). </div>
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Then one day, I decided to stay in the Square One area, while Ethan was at camp. There's this dessert place across the street, and I've never been in. I decided to give it a try.</div>
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Well, I walk in and am greeted by the owner/manager. He reminded me of you. </div>
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Then, as I look over the scrumptious menu, I noticed that some cheesecakes had a little asterisk. Looking down, I see that these cheesecakes are Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes. </div>
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Well, needless to say, I have found my perfect spot. Thank you. </div>
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I also made a point of leaving one bite behind, so you could have your piece.</div>
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If you remember, two years ago I applied to attend a summer program at Harvard. I applied again this past winter and got accepted. So July was an exciting month, ending with me returning to Boston. Registration took place in the Law School, and my study group was also there, so I'd like to say "I went to Harvard Law School"! This time around, I got to talk to a lot of faculty members, so it was incredibly exciting. </div>
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And since it was the year of babies, we got to spend some time with some!</div>
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<b><u>August</u></b></div>
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August means back to school. Ethan has moved to the secondary campus. Can you believe it? He's in middle school!</div>
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<b><u>September</u></b></div>
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September was a month of Ethan being a risk-taker. First, he set off for a 3-day camping trip to South Beach. He had a great time. You can read about his adventure <a href="https://theamazingadventuresofe.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/south-beach/">here</a>. Later, he auditioned for a solo singing part in a music concert to be held next month. Unfortunately he didn't get it, and was utterly gutted, but if he hopes to pursue theatre, he's got to get use to rejection and take it as a learning moment. Hopefully he'll not let this disappointment steer him away from his passion.</div>
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September also marked Bahadur Papa's 80th birthday. While we missed the party, I thought you'd like a picture. </div>
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<b><u>October</u></b></div>
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October was steady. Ethan was enjoying school. I got some more hours, and am still enjoying it. We started Wednesday dinners with mum, but then I got involved in a play at the Little Theatre and had rehearsals, so we switched it to Sunday breakfast. </div>
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As you may know, Minaz is our family environmentalist. I like to think we do a decent job with recycling and thinking about our planet, but she puts us to shame. In fact, she won Environmentalist of the Year! woohoo! You can see it all <a href="https://youtu.be/WN-IFW9Q0Tg">here</a>. </div>
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<b><u>November</u></b></div>
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Ethan's had a few firsts this month. Who would've thought an 11-year old would experience firsts! But yes, he had his first Middle School dance (and got all dressed up) and his first G6 field trip. This year they headed to Zanzibar for a week. Five days. No phone allowed. Because of rehearsals, my evenings were busy, so it wasn't too bad, but am glad to have him back home. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyluKWW7LXOaJqUr0QXEb45UN1vNt-SSMqpkNV7ehqPS7XrFctl7f3Xn6PFBnNyeB4dQQzD5DTiTi6_FWkLZ4Ziu9sQiTKOHkuOUnM1l7cMWpTmb49hhYAsEyQUtAXiPAEsVo4k4R-z0cs/s1600/IMG_1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyluKWW7LXOaJqUr0QXEb45UN1vNt-SSMqpkNV7ehqPS7XrFctl7f3Xn6PFBnNyeB4dQQzD5DTiTi6_FWkLZ4Ziu9sQiTKOHkuOUnM1l7cMWpTmb49hhYAsEyQUtAXiPAEsVo4k4R-z0cs/s320/IMG_1051.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ethan and Jaiden, heading to the dance.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, in one of the plays.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjRJTqzNqwagxmWxTBxwCe-wxdC_dQhGquOdgthxRKvq6CleURMpgs11GQPN98sIlcjK2WiV-YqaXdxPVzlRDEA05ucXMloQ6QfjrNF_WD2fC-8vkSaUaHjc9nmQodshJZ0zk9BDsq_Gy/s1600/IMG_1182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjRJTqzNqwagxmWxTBxwCe-wxdC_dQhGquOdgthxRKvq6CleURMpgs11GQPN98sIlcjK2WiV-YqaXdxPVzlRDEA05ucXMloQ6QfjrNF_WD2fC-8vkSaUaHjc9nmQodshJZ0zk9BDsq_Gy/s320/IMG_1182.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ethan and Avery, back from Zanzibar</td></tr>
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<b><u>December</u></b></div>
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The month has just started, but already we know it will be an exciting one. Ethan has once again joined the Little Theatre's Pantomine production. Scott and I will go watch later this week. I'm really excited as I'm not a part of it this year, and have no idea what to expect. Except pure talent from Ethan.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJz_3tHt-9YfsOg_Fb5e5lN-AumD1fHCzDSDPoLbB6wRNuRQ_IffItd5JVfHLJ03bMzKVlkn0tssPiyCwHUwlDuwgOIu69s_SyfYMJoYuqFpvKqQFBkJTSby9CYlS6rbDJb016euyOMwF/s1600/IMG_1451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="453" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJz_3tHt-9YfsOg_Fb5e5lN-AumD1fHCzDSDPoLbB6wRNuRQ_IffItd5JVfHLJ03bMzKVlkn0tssPiyCwHUwlDuwgOIu69s_SyfYMJoYuqFpvKqQFBkJTSby9CYlS6rbDJb016euyOMwF/s320/IMG_1451.JPG" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ethan in one costume. He apparently also plays a rat. </td></tr>
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Yesterday there was carol singing, to get us in the Christmas spirit. Ethan was asked to read a poem. That meant for 30 seconds, Ethan was in the spotlight. Of course he loved that. </div>
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There's still so much more happening this month. The Nisbet clan is heading home this Christmas. First Canadian Christmas in 5 years. And then there's a whole new year ahead of us. But you won't be here. For any of that. </div>
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I wish you were here.</div>
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But I know, even though you may not be here with us in physical form, you're with us in spirit. Please keep watching over us. It's good to know we have our own personal angel.</div>
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Love always,</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-17083912388068919252017-09-20T10:12:00.002-07:002017-09-20T10:12:28.752-07:00Max the Mighty - Rodman Philbrick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_8PBT6Esfa9tM-wYRwEdqwzsT0pfXnqXpiNn2QVysKS3PJ0nrDOo4CJ6JUZuSIB1o8Axej6xpY9CwUZUWbefjcuJ3tsXA8cEwwqLCkXKy-vhx2au36aaqxxm8wBjHTBXGwcvtH4znlPe/s1600/max.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="291" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_8PBT6Esfa9tM-wYRwEdqwzsT0pfXnqXpiNn2QVysKS3PJ0nrDOo4CJ6JUZuSIB1o8Axej6xpY9CwUZUWbefjcuJ3tsXA8cEwwqLCkXKy-vhx2au36aaqxxm8wBjHTBXGwcvtH4znlPe/s320/max.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
I absolutely loved <a href="http://nisbetfam.blogspot.com/2017/09/freak-mighty-rodman-philbrick.html" style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Freak the Mighty</a>. So much so, that when I saw our library had <u>Max the Mighty</u>, I knew I needed to get it.<br />
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Max seems lonely, once again. He's still being teased for being tall and looking like his dad (the felon that killed his mother) and once again, he's not feeling smart.<br />
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One day, Max is just walking, minding his own business, when he hears a girl scream. This is when he meets Rachel, also known as Worm (named this for being a bookworm).<br />
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Later, Max meets Worm and her mother, and learns the "Undertaker" is her step-father. The Undertaker is a large, mean man, who drives a hearse and "threatens" people using the bible as his defence. Feeling uneasy about it all, Max finds his way to Worm's house where he sees her mom, crouched down, beaten, and he hears the screaming. Max bursts in, grabs Worms, and runs off.<br />
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Max believes he can take Worm home, and his grandparents will help, but when he gets there, he finds the Undertaker has called the police and have accused Max of hitting his wife and kidnapping his step-daughter.<br />
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Thus begins the adventures of Max the Mighty and Worm. Worm believes her father can help, and not wanting to leave her alone, Max accompanies her on their adventure, hitchhiking, riding a train, and meeting people, good and bad, along the way.<br />
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This is another one of those awesome, feel good, easy reads.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-44824760620074656632017-09-10T10:25:00.001-07:002017-09-10T10:25:44.194-07:00Freak the Mighty - Rodman Philbrick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDByd-uxYYxyklSlaP0XF10AFRSnuYw1MIr7YJfJtIOfBty2fAG8O1pDC2Sn2Z7bdq38ofVs6CZyoZz2s-bIY8S5ghL0xy1eCuSBCEQBsV5aECbdfGqRBHeaSjUhBxNOknCmOIgGHOdL01/s1600/Freak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDByd-uxYYxyklSlaP0XF10AFRSnuYw1MIr7YJfJtIOfBty2fAG8O1pDC2Sn2Z7bdq38ofVs6CZyoZz2s-bIY8S5ghL0xy1eCuSBCEQBsV5aECbdfGqRBHeaSjUhBxNOknCmOIgGHOdL01/s320/Freak.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
I recently joined a book club. I'm terribly excited, as it's been years since I've been part of one. We shall meet the last Wednesday of every month, and the hostess gets to choose the book.<br />
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September's book is <u>Freak the Mighty</u> by Rodman Philbrick. It's a YA book, so I got a copy from our school library, but hadn't gotten a chance to read it. On Friday, I covered a G7 class, and students had 30 minutes of reading their assigned books. I figured, if the students were reading, so should I. And wouldn't you know it, there was a copy of the book in the classroom.<br />
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So I started reading. And then I was upset that the 30 minutes had gone by so quickly, as I was really enjoying it, so of course, I had to come home and finish it.<br />
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<u>Freak the Mighty</u>, is the story of best friends, Kevin and Max. Kevin walks with leg braces but is super intelligent. He reminded me a little of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Max is on learning support, and a very large boy. He looks like his father, who is currently in jail for killing his mother. He's being raised by his grandparents, who seem to be a little afraid of him. These two boys are as opposite as they come. And yet, they become the best of friends. Max often carried Kevin on his shoulders, and together they are <i>Freak the Mighty. </i>Together they go on quests and fight dragons. As a team, they are unstoppable.<br />
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This is a book for every Middle Schooler. Just make sure you have tissue handy.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-1377060233862495422017-08-03T11:57:00.001-07:002017-08-03T11:57:31.066-07:00How to Eat a CupcakeSo how do you eat a cupcake?<br />
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Are you the kind that peels off the wrapper, and takes a huge bite? If you are, I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong!<br />
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Maybe you are a neat cupcake eater. You have a plate and cut it half and eat it with a fork or spoon. Yeah...I'd hate to say it, but that's really wrong!<br />
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You might be the kind who does not think they can eat a whole cupcake, so you portion it out, and then eat one piece. And then another. And then another. Well, despite the fact that you misleading yourself into believing you won't eat the whole cupcake, you're still eating it wrong!<br />
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You may be the kind that loves creamy frosting, so you choose to eat the bottom first, make your way up, and devour the frosting bit. Well, asides from sounding a little crazy, it's also not the right way to eat a cupcake.<br />
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So now you're probably wondering how does one eat a cupcake correctly? Well let me tell you. You sandwich it! Yup that's right. You twist off the bottom part, place it on top and smush it together!<br />
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Confused, well Ethan and my cousin are here to help;<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-13322339188267986442017-07-29T14:19:00.001-07:002017-07-29T14:19:02.592-07:00milk and honey - rupi kaur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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During my first day at Project Zero, our study group looked at a poem for a text rendering protocol. Here's the poem we read;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfZy1NmdwGahw2tvP0iZ6Ru-_GE5QWmfmyWdar2wlQhBVqj8cG6RJLYIRawKe7dkRvv6KGhYJVN0T6IOSwNt4aJMb0c64-yZtAsA_N-OkH4vYueLgzOm5xlrHM_vrq0ZjNyloRcOMfCZX/s1600/rupi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfZy1NmdwGahw2tvP0iZ6Ru-_GE5QWmfmyWdar2wlQhBVqj8cG6RJLYIRawKe7dkRvv6KGhYJVN0T6IOSwNt4aJMb0c64-yZtAsA_N-OkH4vYueLgzOm5xlrHM_vrq0ZjNyloRcOMfCZX/s320/rupi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the protocol, the poem is read silently. Then, 3-4 people are asked to read it out loud. We are then split into 3 groups. One group creates a musical interpretation, one group a dramatic interpretation and one group a visual artistic interpretation. At the end of the study group, our fellow mentioned she chose this poem because most of her 8th graders carry around a copy of the book.<br />
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Needless to say, I had to look this girl up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjNj_4xq_PIFq1h0RxRrQwgMCIRYccPzPVAhgLKakWxgWi-U6oGZ7is9jhlqUFIde4_QV-eW-g0Ho8VM1sLUG9UrIOVi5RaWwakCpaviarGvbQOSxMnuSa5CrbyIehwbztK_VeQZUrrJ/s1600/Milk+%2526+Honey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjNj_4xq_PIFq1h0RxRrQwgMCIRYccPzPVAhgLKakWxgWi-U6oGZ7is9jhlqUFIde4_QV-eW-g0Ho8VM1sLUG9UrIOVi5RaWwakCpaviarGvbQOSxMnuSa5CrbyIehwbztK_VeQZUrrJ/s320/Milk+%2526+Honey.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<u>milk and honey</u> is a collection of poems split into 4 sections/chapters; <i>the hurting, the loving, the breaking, the healing. </i>Each poem deals with some aspect of love, femininity, abuse and violence. Some poems are sweet. Some are harsh. But they all connect in some way to what a lot of teenagers are going through.<br />
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Our fellow mentioned all her eighth graders loved this book. While I did too, I'm not sure all those poems are appropriate for 13 year olds. But then again, am I trying to shelter them?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-67458580111410460572017-07-15T18:17:00.000-07:002017-07-15T18:17:14.937-07:00TLOS6 Worlds Collide - Chris Colfer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86xBTY5U7wQgX4kruEYVLmsFL17T2cwYTh_AeEJzHazd7Ve7zt3KytvfXtfUd-vL9UFnFXwHaa0r66prUBKY6wiQKq4GNFWyqbJxLJI4dYOvm_DtWkhH7RSianUnII-SXYCZ-ILIwGn7M/s1600/TLOS6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86xBTY5U7wQgX4kruEYVLmsFL17T2cwYTh_AeEJzHazd7Ve7zt3KytvfXtfUd-vL9UFnFXwHaa0r66prUBKY6wiQKq4GNFWyqbJxLJI4dYOvm_DtWkhH7RSianUnII-SXYCZ-ILIwGn7M/s320/TLOS6.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
Chris Colfer's <i>The Land of Stories</i> has come to an end. And while it's sad, the conclusion was fabulous.<br />
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When we last saw our beloved twins, Alex had been placed under an evil spell and was wrecking havoc. So now it's time for Connor and his army to try to save Alex, fight the witches AND beat the Grand Army. Phew!<br />
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Chris Colfer does an amazing job of tying up all, and any loose ends. All our characters are revisited. Any questions you may have had are answered. Characters you may have wondered about, or forgotten about, are back. And we even get a glimpse into the future.<br />
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<i>The Land of Stories</i> has been amazing for a couple reasons.<br />
1) I absolutely loved the series. I would mark down the date for the next books' release and anxiously wait for it.<br />
2) Ethan discovered the series last summer. We spent many days discussing it, making predictions and sharing our favourite moments. This time around, we argued over who got to read it first, and then shared our favourite moments.<br />
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What will we do now?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-62711907167965729602017-07-15T17:47:00.001-07:002017-07-15T17:47:36.575-07:00Blood Betrayal - Tessa Dawn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvJcSbRZflCH8w4lK2nEuh9eC0AZILijNaoYOfe-AVE2wP1gO7D9OYRB_mz-mFYzR6EmdiGkax_OcsuiX9PA5FzBWNy1_q1nHqBbHuXEWlB7kmHIx2dIglzx-prJBX2nXdSYjWD63ZUcl/s1600/Tessa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvJcSbRZflCH8w4lK2nEuh9eC0AZILijNaoYOfe-AVE2wP1gO7D9OYRB_mz-mFYzR6EmdiGkax_OcsuiX9PA5FzBWNy1_q1nHqBbHuXEWlB7kmHIx2dIglzx-prJBX2nXdSYjWD63ZUcl/s320/Tessa.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
I love the <i>Blood Curse Series</i>. Every book has been wonderful. I dive into them, and gobble them up.<br />
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But <u>Blood Betrayal</u> was the first book I cautiously read. Not because it wasn't any good, cos it was awesome, but it also made my heart race and my palms sweaty. Yes, it was that good!<br />
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This is the story of the Sentinel Warrior, Saxon Olaru. He finally gets his Blood Moon, but as all other books, things don't go smoothly. Kiera is his Destiny. However, unbeknown, to her, her twin sister, Kyla, is a vampire hunter who knows all about the curse and the Blood Moon.<br />
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When the Blood Moon appears, Kyla realizes that her sister is the new Destiny, and this is also her chance to take out the clan. She arranges for Kiera to be kidnapped, and had the celestial constellation tattooed on her arm.<br />
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So, while Kyla tries to infiltrate the house of Jadon, Kiera is being tortured by the vampire hunters. See...now you get why I had to read cautiously?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-27900940025391125872017-07-04T17:31:00.001-07:002017-07-04T17:31:29.988-07:00Spelled - Betsy Schow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlc1Is7hyphenhyphenmHTpeyRY61F0QWN0ZJUjvukgxlKgTf9hf_mWGPt8qNsTy5Nt4vx2LJQKm5OmmVt0KKilIjGCEO9IhSR7-zB9PUTL-ahgbkpAsbBG39EfIkh3UwvV0XuyWH4y9kZUpLb_MApN/s1600/Spelled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlc1Is7hyphenhyphenmHTpeyRY61F0QWN0ZJUjvukgxlKgTf9hf_mWGPt8qNsTy5Nt4vx2LJQKm5OmmVt0KKilIjGCEO9IhSR7-zB9PUTL-ahgbkpAsbBG39EfIkh3UwvV0XuyWH4y9kZUpLb_MApN/s320/Spelled.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<i>"Girl of Emerald, no man can tame. Burn down the world, consumed by flames."</i></div>
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This is the curse placed on Dorthea's family. And because of this curse, our dear princess has never left her castle. And this has also probably been the reason she's turned into an incredibly self-centred brat!!!!</div>
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Like all fairytales, Dorothea's parents would like to see her married. They arrange a marriage between her and a prince, she's met once and thought he was the gardener. Needless to say, she's furious!</div>
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Wanting to escape this nightmare, Dorothea makes a wish from some orb thingy that was given to her by the Grey-Witch-disguised-as-a-child. Have you ever heard, "be careful what you wish for?" Yeah well, that's an understatement. The wish causes her parents to disappear, protective barriers to be broken and her would-be-husband into a chimera. </div>
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So now Dorothea, Kato (the dog-groom) and Rexi (think she was the cook) are on a quest to fight the evil witch.</div>
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For a YA book, it was ok. The best parts were the cute references to modern day things (flitter for twitter, Hans Christian Louboutin shoes instead of Christian Louboutins). Each chapter also starts with a quote from another (made up) book which was quite amusing. </div>
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But Dorothea was a brat. And I really struggled to find any redeeming qualities in her. Yes, she does grow up, but it comes really late, and suddenly. Even as fun as Rexi was, she irritated me. Actually, come to think of it, when Dorothea got on my good side, Rexi not so much. Hmmm.....</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-41549871710826915432017-07-02T19:03:00.000-07:002017-07-02T19:03:01.304-07:0030-Day Fitness ChallengeI'm part of a fun Facebook group, which is about fitness and fun. This month we have a lovely challenge to share some stories. Day 1 is a little long, so I've decided to blog about it. I may even decide to blog the whole month. We shall see.....<br />
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<b><u>Day 1 - Your Fitness Story</u></b><br />
So this is a long one.<br />
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I was always a skinny child. But I don't think I was ever overly active. I preferred to be inside with my book. As a child, this wasn't a big deal. As a teen, I was still skinny. And even as an adult, I was thin. Then one day, I noticed I was not.<br />
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Over the years, I've been to the gym, gotten myself a collection of DVD's and gotten trainers.<br />
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My last trainer was the best. I miss her. She knew how to motivate me, show faith in me, get me eating right, scold me when I messed up, but never made me feel like a looser. She moved last summer to Dubai and I was sure that was the end of it. Without her, how could I go on? I'm one of those people that need to be help accountable. Having a personal trainer kept me accountable. If I missed a session, she knew, and she was on top of it.<br />
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Then a Facebook friend introduced me to Beachbody. She had lost a lot of weight, and while I<br /> didn't ask her her secret, I did comment on how inspired she made me. She reached out and we chatted a bit. She got me to try 21-Day Fix. I loved it! It fit me perfectly. It was 30 minutes. Seven different workouts, so everyday it was something new. I loved it.<br />
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Since then I've tried a few other Beachbody programs. I'm hooked. I love them. I look better and I feel better.<br />
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And everyday, I text my trainer in Dubai. She still holds me accountable.<br />
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<b><u>Day 2 - Your Fitness Goals This Month</u></b><br />
I'm on vacation. I always have grandiose plans to workout everyday. But I'll be honest, it's not that easy. You're sightseeing, or visiting friends/relatives, or taking E to camp or traveling to Ottawa or Boston or something or another. I know it sounds like excuses, but I know me. So the solution I have is to keep active.<br />
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I bought myself a FitBit, and can I say I love it. My goal this month, really, is to keep active. Get my steps in. The days that are quieter, I don't want to spend the whole day with my coffee and book. Just half the day. The other half, I need to be out and about. Enjoying the weather. Enjoying the neighbourhood. Getting myself moving.<br />
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Thanks <a href="http://www.hustleandheartfitness.com/blog">Nicole</a> for this month's challenge. <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/hustleandheartchallenge?source=feed_text&story_id=1558454574228268" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">hustleandheartchallenge</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-80508098240030836862017-07-02T18:12:00.001-07:002017-07-02T18:17:10.726-07:00Happy Birthday Ethan<div style="text-align: center;">
My little munchkin turned 11 today. </div>
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I can't believe how fast the years have gone.</div>
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I'm enjoying the moments,</div>
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because before I know it,</div>
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he'll become a young man.</div>
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Happy birthday Ethan.</div>
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Love you bunches. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-25502211090155460012017-06-29T12:13:00.000-07:002017-06-29T12:13:16.238-07:00Lost in a Book - Jennifer Donnelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What's the opposite of Death? Think life? Nope, it's Love.<br />
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So I'm a huge Belle fan. Love her! My biggest disappointment last week in Disney was not being able to meet her. And yes I'm totally serious.<br />
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<u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Lost-Jennifer-Donnelly/dp/1484780981/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1498762559&sr=8-1">Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book</a> </u>begins with Love and Death. They are sisters and the total opposites of each other. (In case you didn't get that with their names.) They have been watching Belle and the Beast and Love is confident the spell will be broken. Death, as you can imagine, would prefer not. They wager, and Death decides to cheat.<br />
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Meanwhile, Beast tries to make Belle more comfortable in the castle and gives her his library. We all know how much she likes books. But Death has a plan. She plants the book <i>Nevermore </i>in the library.<br />
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<i>Nevermore </i>is an enchanted book. You don't just read the book, you enter it. Belle enters the book and meets wonderful characters who treasure her, value her, make her feel like she has friends. But it's a trap that Death has set, in order to capture Belle and keep her there, preventing her from returning to the Beast, and possibly breaking the spell.<br />
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While we all know the story of Beauty and the Beast, we know that the spell eventually breaks, but what's wonderful here is watching Belle struggle with her two realities. Are her friends in <i>Nevermore</i> real, or her friends in the castle?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-57755784056528550292017-06-27T17:46:00.002-07:002017-06-27T17:46:35.698-07:00The Chosen - JR Ward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfLswWTdNvjRlmzT1GamAEs3sod5CSOP_8RbxLej8wxmJTVCP9eE-a7Ej6B7zKNhWaWrA1xr11o69GNxx7QvIQaKJxMq3E92GIjH5FqVXfUSYzknIGUDa_HSeQ6H9Pxt8b_iQIuJC3Oqi/s1600/chosen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfLswWTdNvjRlmzT1GamAEs3sod5CSOP_8RbxLej8wxmJTVCP9eE-a7Ej6B7zKNhWaWrA1xr11o69GNxx7QvIQaKJxMq3E92GIjH5FqVXfUSYzknIGUDa_HSeQ6H9Pxt8b_iQIuJC3Oqi/s320/chosen.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Ok, let me start by saying that I love the WARDen and I love the Brothers. However, I do not like Layla, nor did this book get me to like her, so understandably, this was not my favourite of the series, cos I do not like her!<br />
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So now you know, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Novel-Black-Dagger-Brotherhood/dp/0451475194/ref=sr_1_2_twi_har_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498610400&sr=8-2&keywords=the+chosen" style="text-decoration-line: underline;">The Chosen</a> focuses on Layla and Xcor. And their "forbidden love". Cos you know, Xcor is the badass that tried to kill Wrath. And Layla, well, she's one of the Chosen. Blah.<br />
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But, I have to give it to her. She goes from weakling to a strong woman who takes shit from no one. Not even a Brother.<br />
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However, I did have some issues here. First off. Xcor tried to kill Wrath, and not only is he forgiven, but his Band of Bastards get to move into the house while Tohr who has ALWAYS been loyal gets put on probation! WTF???<br />
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But you know, Lassiter does bring some laughter to the whole scene, so all's forgiven. Sorta. Kinda. Let me think about that one.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-44997644461940367452017-06-27T17:28:00.000-07:002017-06-27T17:28:31.504-07:00The Playbook - Kwame Alexander<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kwame Alexander has become one of my newest favourite YA authors. I truly believe all Middle Schools should not only have his books in their library, but that his books should be added to the curriculum.<br />
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Unlike the other two books of his that I read, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Playbook-Rules-Shoot-Score-Called/dp/0544570979/ref=sr_1_1_twi_har_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498609045&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playbook">The Playbook </a></u> isn't a novel written in prose/poems. Instead, each page contains one rule. While it seems these would be rules on basketball, they are in fact amazing life rules. Each rule is an inspiration for life. Each rule is accompanied by an amazing photograph as well as some inspiring words from athletes and role models. There are some great biographical stories to inspire students to never give up, including one autobiographical snippet.<br />
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It's one of those books you want to give to teachers and coaches. It's one of those books to give your child when s/he's feeling down and defeated. It's one of those books your students will love and gain some inspiration and motivation from.<br />
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It's one of those books you'll want to read again and again.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-64222232841813046802017-06-27T17:11:00.001-07:002017-06-27T17:11:48.946-07:00Secret Lies Dirty Little Alibis - Jamie Blair & Dawn Rae Miller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWhZYn0p4UEJAOwD0P89nzzSutxJfE4bJcwRpqjWG1YBhuAOywGfOdbnNkUeC1HB8nPfTFcQN0S3-GiKuGLQUiq3lTMO9vZfxLHNXaCiozDwvCf1S_iNydfeBrgbYq44FSMdk-BF_KB0o/s1600/Dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWhZYn0p4UEJAOwD0P89nzzSutxJfE4bJcwRpqjWG1YBhuAOywGfOdbnNkUeC1HB8nPfTFcQN0S3-GiKuGLQUiq3lTMO9vZfxLHNXaCiozDwvCf1S_iNydfeBrgbYq44FSMdk-BF_KB0o/s320/Dawn.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
There is nothing that Dawn Rae Miller writes that I do not like. And thanks to her, I've discovered another great author in Jamie Blair.<br />
<br />
<u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dirty-Little-Alibis-Still-ebook/dp/B06XY9RKJN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498608031&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+lies+dirty+little+alibis">Secret Lies Dirty Little Alibis</a></u> is the final instalment in the <i><a href="https://nisbetfam.blogspot.ca/2015/12/kiss-kill-love-him-still-jamie-blair.html">Kiss Kill Love Him Still</a> </i>trilogy.<br />
<br />
This one picks up where book 2 ended. With the psycho Chloe causing havoc on our 4 beloved....friends??????<br />
<br />
It continues to shift POV between the four ladies. Ladies! Yes, that's the word....cause really....were they....are they friends????<br />
<br />
Anyways, I digress...<br />
<br />
Each girl shares her thoughts about Chloe and who killed Jackson. Every time you think you know, another twist comes around the corner. We learn more about Haddie's dad and Livie's mum. We even get some insight into Val's parents. And it gets all wrapped together with a pretty bow that laughs at you when you reach the end and yell "But wait!!!! What about....."<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-762764803271233442017-06-27T16:54:00.000-07:002017-06-27T16:54:40.490-07:00Eleventh Grave in Moonlight - Darynda Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1e9HMjpXVNFymxDmN-oMQ5C3Zc79yRuz1sAtvoXuekzxD9AyE-_fB_2F1Jz65GmH2GOZFRCsoorobZgtWd1jdHFdUc30_wqvbcs1TY7U47sn31bj8JIjX1FACIvSGGyw1ps7WHfbdjkZU/s1600/11th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1e9HMjpXVNFymxDmN-oMQ5C3Zc79yRuz1sAtvoXuekzxD9AyE-_fB_2F1Jz65GmH2GOZFRCsoorobZgtWd1jdHFdUc30_wqvbcs1TY7U47sn31bj8JIjX1FACIvSGGyw1ps7WHfbdjkZU/s320/11th.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
I use to be great at blogging about all the books I read. But this year, I seem to be lacking. Time to catch up!<br />
<br />
I have been a huge Charley fan from Day 1. What's not to like about her? She's a spunky Grim Reaper/Private Investigator who learns she's also a God and is married to the Devil's son. Follow that?<br />
<br />
This time around, Charley helps out Amber who is being stalked. She also gets hired by Reyes' adoptive brother..... is he considered a brother when the people who kidnapped Reyes then gave him away then go and kidnap another child? SMH It sounds hard to understand, but it's really easy to follow. :)<br />
<br />
Charley also learns some new bad-ass powers she possesses. Told ya she was cool.<br />
<br />
Often with series, after awhile, you can get bored of them, or you can start predicting the events. Not here. The book was exciting from start to finish.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-88537719852116879172017-06-27T07:37:00.000-07:002017-06-27T07:37:16.350-07:00Father's Day InterviewFor the last few years, I've interviewed Ethan, about his dad, before Father's Day, and it's been fun to see how his responses have changed and evolved. You can see last year's responses <a href="http://nisbetfam.blogspot.ca/2016/06/fathers-day-interview.html">here.</a> Now I know Father's Day was last week. I was actually semi-organized. I interviewed Ethan before we left for the summer, but then realized I did not have a recent picture of the two of them. And while I did get some great ones of them in Disney, I was utterly too knackered to upload them. So, sorry for the delay, but here's this year's interview....<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is
something Daddy always says to you?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Go to bed!</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What makes
Daddy happy?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">People doing their jobs.</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What makes him
sad?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">People not doing their jobs. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What does he do
that makes you laugh?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He tells funny jokes. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What was he
like as a child?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don’t know…..funny, I guess</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How old is
Daddy?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know this…I know this… 49!</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How tall is he?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ummmmm……daddy…..oh no, he’s not here….ummmmm, 5 foot 4, I know that’s
short, but…..<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is his
favourite thing to do?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let’s think…..He liked being with his family. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What does he do
when you're not around?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Work.</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
(That hasn’t changed!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If Daddy was
famous, what would it be for?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His amazing swimming. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is he
really good at?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Swimming</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is he not
really good at?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chess</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What does he do
for his job?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He does something about trucks. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is Daddy's
favourite food?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ahhhhh…..ummmmm…pizza….I think…I don’t know….pizza….</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What makes you
proud of him?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He works hard</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If Daddy was a
cartoon character, who would he be?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Baby Robin……no it’s Robin from Teen Titans go!</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What do you and
Daddy do together?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Swim</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How are you and
Daddy the same?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We’re both part of the Nisbet family, we both like swimming, we both
like pizza… yes, lots of things, do I have to name them all?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How are you
different?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He’s older, he’s taller, he has a job, he’s better at swimming than me. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How do you know
he loves you?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He says so</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where is
Daddy's favourite place to go?</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don’t know…I
really don’t know… I should probably ask him…</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToUUrVKkScVTTTeSgkbV6u9O-ohQJjhH3MIJtl8CaJ1aKtRsQSBdyO76w2NC_VBoPFCtw12VTrtaDUMS9Pzf3eAibftXAmW_jTGrqlazigZ8GkVTrUKEF_JNcWb5IC7PNj9G2fENLpOf5/s1600/image1+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToUUrVKkScVTTTeSgkbV6u9O-ohQJjhH3MIJtl8CaJ1aKtRsQSBdyO76w2NC_VBoPFCtw12VTrtaDUMS9Pzf3eAibftXAmW_jTGrqlazigZ8GkVTrUKEF_JNcWb5IC7PNj9G2fENLpOf5/s320/image1+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p> <b><i>Happy Father's Day Scott</i></b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><b><i><br /></i></b></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><b><i><br /></i></b></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-8452946960379959922017-05-22T23:14:00.002-07:002017-05-22T23:14:37.140-07:00Happy Birthday Dad<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
You came into this world,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so many years ago, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
bringing with you</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
your ever special glow.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So full of love</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and with a big heart.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We're thinking of you today</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
even though we are apart.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I know you're watching us, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
even though you're not around.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today we will celebrate,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and try our best not to frown.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You are always in our thoughts,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
you are always in our prayers,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy birthday to my dearest dad,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
my angel upstairs.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-5325704665688561802017-03-24T03:45:00.001-07:002017-03-24T03:45:12.198-07:00Birthday TraditionI know you've all been wondering whatever happened to the birthday tradition of matching shirts! lol No I have not forgotten. In fact, Ethan choose the shirts this summer, that he actually forgot what they were.<br />
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But how could we celebrate Scott's birthday without the whole matching t-shirt tradition? Well of course we couldn't.<br />
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This year's theme is inspired by our plans to head to Disney this summer, and Ethan's newfound respect for the "evils".<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-25072575587916321062017-03-16T09:39:00.000-07:002017-03-16T09:39:11.293-07:00Accepting ComplimentsI have this wonderful friend named Hilary. She has no idea I'm writing this about her. Bur recently she taught me an important and valuable lesson.<br />
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So Hilary is funny, talented and ever-so helpful. She's Ethan's voice teacher, and while I've seen Ethan sing in shows before, I was blown away with his performance in Aladdin. And yes, I think the directors/teachers deserve credit, but so does Hilary. When you first meet her, she's there. You can't help but notice her. But she's also extremely humble.<br />
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A few months back, I saw her, and she had this awesome glittery makeup. It was so cool. She sparkled. And I let her know. She started telling me about it, but stopped. "I'm trying to accept compliments" she said. So, she said thank you, and then told me about her makeup.<br />
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I really didn't think much about it.<br />
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A couple weeks ago, she had the coolest red lipstick. It really made her pop. I rarely see her in lipstick, so a red really stood out. I told her so. She started to speak, but stopped herself. She shook her head, and said thank you. She said how it's still something she's working on, accepting compliments.<br />
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This week, I saw her at school. Her hair was shiny and gorgeous. I recently cut my hair, so think I was a little envious of her long locks. She started telling my friend and I what she's been doing. She suddenly looked at me. "Nope, thank you. Need to take the compliment!" and then she shared her secret.<br />
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Now, I'm not trying to embarrass her. But to share the lesson she taught me.<br />
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The same day I saw her at school, and admired her long hair, another friend saw me, and complimented me on my haircut. I started telling her about the style I was thinking, and what I did, and what I might do next time. When she left, it hit me. I never said thank you. I didn't accept the compliment, but instead gave the credit away.<br />
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Today my trainer sent me a message telling me how proud of me she was for my weight loss and how good I look. I texted back, "Am almost at my goal". But before I hit send, I realized I didn't accept the compliment. I didn't say thank you. So I made a point of saying thank you.<br />
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Why is it that Hilary and I have difficulty accepting compliments? I know I'm not the only one to give her one. And I know I've received them before. Is it us? Or women in general? Do we not know how to take a compliment? Do we feel the need to explain ourselves?<br />
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Thank you Hilary for teaching me a great lesson. I will make sure I accept compliments from now on. I never realized how hard that was before.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-21949928972210457692017-02-26T07:42:00.001-08:002017-02-26T07:42:33.263-08:00The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I need to say a huge thank you to my dear friend, Hamidah, for telling me to read this book. She didn't just recommend it, she harassed me for a good 2 weeks. Each time I saw her, she'd ask if I'd gotten the book yet. Even though many people have recommended this book, as my other mate Louise said, "there aren't any vampires, are you sure you read it?", it's not one I would've read on my own. And to quote another friend, Juliet this time, <i>"We are too far removed from war to really know the horrors it brings. It's so important that we read these books both as a remembrance and as a warning." </i>So thank you dear friends. I loved this book. Despite it having broken my heart and had me in ugly sobs.<br />
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In <u>The Nightingale</u>, we meet sisters Vivianne and Isabelle. They are as different as sisters can be. Vivianne married her love and lives in the French countryside with her husband and daughter. Isabelle has been kicked out of, gosh I cannot recall how many, boarding schools. She's a true rebel.<br />
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During World War II, their father sends Isabelle off to live with her sister. Unlike Vivianne, Isabelle cannot sit quietly and watch her country being destroyed. She feels she must do something, and soon she becomes <i>The Nightingale</i>. She helps fallen soldiers make their way from France to Spain.<br />
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While Isabelle felt her sister "gave in" and accepted the war, women like Vivianne were left behind by their husbands, who went to fight. Vivianne, like many other women at this time, was forced to house two Nazi soldiers and was manipulated into betraying her friends. She then went on to save many children.<br />
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<u>The Nightingale</u> is a moving story of two completely different sisters who did what many women had to do. They survived and fought back in their own way.<br />
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<i>"If I have learnt anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are."</i></div>
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<i>- Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-64229039643207340892017-01-26T20:49:00.002-08:002017-01-26T20:49:20.052-08:00Crank - Ellen Hopkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Life was good</i></div>
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<i>before</i></div>
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<i>I met</i></div>
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<i>the monster. </i></div>
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<i>After,</i></div>
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<i>life</i></div>
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<i>was great</i></div>
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<i>At least</i></div>
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<i>for a little while.</i></div>
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It seems I have a thing for books written in poetry. Although this one is <b>not</b> meant for your middle schooler. </div>
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Written in prose, <u>Crank</u> tells the story of Ellen Hopkins' daughter. At age 16, Kristina starts her downward spiral into the life of drugs. She discovers the <i>"monster"</i> and develops an alter ego named Bree, who is sexy, confident, everything Kristina is not. </div>
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This is one of those books that has mixed reviews on Goodreads. It's also one of those books that I was unsure what rating to give it. Finally, I decided, if a book can have this kind of effect on me, it's a darn good book.</div>
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I read <u>Crank</u> in a day and a half. It's poetic nature makes it easy to read. It also makes you feel. You feel sick. You feel frustrated. You feel scared. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-44115318383572036092017-01-22T06:35:00.001-08:002017-01-22T06:35:03.123-08:00Booked - Kwame Alexander<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYaNQ9VEGczpzwDLqojjPyVWsloOwIYL7_zqZHud4M1KcolCov8yTShowHMgGKI2yhpHFmB4cC0ANoYsO0kjBNdSu5-bxHPgAf7qgnXymXykLHQhyphenhyphen4X8owDe7g4_wlkyfC0sIyIA2p_Jo/s1600/Booked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYaNQ9VEGczpzwDLqojjPyVWsloOwIYL7_zqZHud4M1KcolCov8yTShowHMgGKI2yhpHFmB4cC0ANoYsO0kjBNdSu5-bxHPgAf7qgnXymXykLHQhyphenhyphen4X8owDe7g4_wlkyfC0sIyIA2p_Jo/s320/Booked.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Kwame Alexander</div>
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has done it again.</div>
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He brings a heartfelt story</div>
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written in prose.</div>
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Twelve-year old Nick</div>
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is a book-hating,</div>
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soccer loving boy.</div>
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He has an immense</div>
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vocabulary;</div>
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Thanks to his dad's requirement</div>
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that he read the dictionary,</div>
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from A-Z. </div>
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While soccer may be his life,</div>
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Nick does attend</div>
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Etiquette classes. </div>
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Here the focus is on</div>
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good manners,</div>
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proper etiquette</div>
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and dancing. </div>
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And it allows Nick to get closer</div>
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to his crush.</div>
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But things are not always rosey.</div>
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He has a difficult teacher.</div>
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He has an annoying classmate.</div>
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And his bike gets stolen</div>
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by bullies!</div>
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And then...</div>
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Mom moves to Kentucky</div>
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to take a job as a horse trainer.</div>
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And Nick has feelings</div>
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of abandonment</div>
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he must face.</div>
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Soon Nick discovers</div>
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that language can help him</div>
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charm a teacher,</div>
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impress a girl,</div>
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deal with menacing bullies</div>
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and help him express his emotions</div>
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when his parents' marriage</div>
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falls apart. </div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>"The poems </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>were cool.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The best ones were</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>like bombs,</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>and when all the right words</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>came together</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><i>it was like an explosion."</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09423358205279071977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940330450084891649.post-85056466840091483562017-01-02T03:20:00.001-08:002017-01-02T03:20:24.333-08:00Dear DadDear Dad,<br />
<br />
I'm so sorry I did not post last month. It was not because I don't think of you, cos I do. Often. But I had a hard time writing it, and it never seemed right, and I wasn't happy with how it looked or sounded. And well, as we all know, when I'm stuck, I give up. But, mum always use to say, <i>"The way you start your year, influences how the year will go." </i>So I'm stating off the year right, with my letter to you.<br />
<br />
Better late than never, I suppose.<br />
<br />
I don't want you to think I don't miss you. Because I do. Everyday. And while I'm not quite as angry as I was last year, I'm a lot sadder. Mainly I'm sad because you have two amazing grandchildren growing up into amazing human beings, and you're missing it.<br />
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Ethan is in the fifth grade. Which means in May he will graduate from primary school. Next year he starts middle school, so he will be on the secondary campus. Can you believe it? I can't.<br />
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Ethan still loves drama. This past year, he has been in three shows. He was in Kids Rock at the Little Theatre, he played Captain Hook at theatre camp and he was in the Christmas show at the Little Theatre. He's also currently in rehearsals for the school musical. He plays the lead character in Aladdin. He's really into the whole drama/acting/theatre thing. He's continuing with guitar lessons, has joined the school band and choir and wants to start voice lessons this year.<br />
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But asides from the acting thing, he's doing well in school too. His teacher says he's got a lot of empathy in him. This year, he helped another student with her reading and fluency and wrote a script for his class assembly. He's also doing well in Maths. Scott says he gets that from him, but I think he gets that from you. Ethan's also taken a leadership role at school. During the first semester, he lead an after school activity, Rock Climbing Club. He was really good. You'd be proud. Ethan's been gobbling books this past year, like they're going out of style. This Christmas, 80% of his gifts were books.</div>
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Speaking of Christmas, we went to London this year. We got to spend some time with Shireen. She ended up spoiling Ethan. It's quite possible she bought him more gifts than we did. </div>
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Not sure if you know, but Minaz works for Parks Ontario, or Toronto, or something along those lines. Yup, she's not going to be impressed I've messed that up. But my point is, this summer, while in Toronto, she, Karim and Kahzmir took Ethan to some wonderful events in different parks. One of the things Kahzmir and Ethan did was join an outdoor workshop on game designs. Ethan loved it, that we made sure to go back into the city the following weekend so he could continue. The children invented new games, refined them, came up with rules and tried them out. If you have wifi, please check them out <a href="http://handeyesociety.com/dorset-park/">here</a>. <i>(See....it's these things that break my heart that you're missing.)</i></div>
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Speaking of the Kanji's. Karim had a podcast. I'll admit I haven't listened to them all (he's not going to be impressed that I just admitted to that), but the ones I've heard are fantastic. I can honestly say I've learnt a lot from them. You always believed we should keep up with the ages. Karim embodies that. And he uses it for good. (I'm making him sound like a super hero.) If you can, please take a listen to it <a href="http://karimkanji.com/category/podcast/">here</a>. </div>
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Faiza is another one who I see a little of you in. She organized a cousins' get-together over Christmas. For Qayam's first birthday, she asked friends and family to write him a letter, and the plan is to give it to him on his 18th birthday. The idea reminded me of the letter you wrote me on my 1st birthday that I got on my 21st. I know if you were here, you'd write Qayam a five page letter, filled with history and advice and love. I can only hope I've represented you well in my letter to him. Faiza also has this incredible ability to see the good in everyone and everything. I definitely need to spend more time with her when am home. She makes me want to be a better person, and not such a negative ninny. She is most certainly a reminder of what you held near and dear, and of your greatest qualities. She's an amazing mother. You would love Qayam. And guess what, she's expecting another bundle of joy this summer.</div>
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Speaking of babies, I'm incredibly upset that you're missing out on an amazing opportunity. Rehanna is about to become a mum. Yes, your great niece is having a baby. That means you could've been a great great uncle! We don't know the sex of the baby yet (well at least she hasn't shared with me), but if you have any pull, we could use some more girls in this family. There are an awful lot of boys! </div>
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Keeping with the Manek family, Haseena is in Wales this year, finishing her Masters. This summer, the Manek family took Ethan to the aquarium for his birthday. Ethan bought a stuffed animal which later that evening went missing. Haseena went back to the aquarium to buy him a new one. She is incredible. But you already knew that. Nabeel is beyond amazing. Ethan had a rough time at the beginning of the school year. And he really wouldn't open up to Scott or I. But he and Nabeel email each other constantly. He's the big brother Ethan doesn't have. And I know as long as Nabeel is an email, or text message away, Ethan will never be alone. He's found himself someone trustworthy to rely on, to give him advice and help him through the tough times. And I cannot be more grateful for that. He may be the quietest one in the family, but he is a true gem. Shelina and Akhter continue to be the rocks we need. When Ethan and I are in the city, they check on us, and their door is always open. It reminds me of growing up, where that house was always open and the fridge could always be raided. It's nice to know Ethan can walk in there, hang out, eat and relax. And when mum's in town, Shelina always checks in on her too.</div>
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Shelina could use you to watch over. The last few months have been rough. I know Papa is there with you. His passing was hard on her (and mum). She then lost her grandmother. She's always been there for me, and I feel like I need to be there for her, but am so far away. </div>
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Rasool continues to amaze me. He is so you. I know I've said that before, but it's true. I always thought I took after you and he after mum. But I am most definitely mum, while he is you. He is calm, rational, prioritizes family and does not hold a grudge. I really could learn a lot from him!!! Hayley is the cutest. She's funny and has developed a unique personality. I cannot wait to see what trouble she causes Rasool! She has him wrapped around her finger, and it makes me giggle when he tells me how he's given her a time out. Like you did when I was young, he sits with her at breakfast. Like mum, he encourages her to help him cook, and she is not a picky eater. Think Ethan needs to spend more time with her. Not only are you missing out on seeing your granddaughter grow up, but you are also missing seeing your son grow. I know you constantly worried about him. But there was no need. He is a mature, incredible <strike>young</strike> man. He knows that family is the measure of a man's wealth. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfZ-b4aGwuSfvXUxW_zDEieK59eybhVqQFfX5HxWyAp0L58__FEcjDieNrOIm6e7WvweenDSzJykePtUyDNm5f2oaU0-mNBvHIuUwT_Qjao96kB5MqSyClxrSnGIld3fzAqAiRvphxBAm/s1600/IMG_5497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfZ-b4aGwuSfvXUxW_zDEieK59eybhVqQFfX5HxWyAp0L58__FEcjDieNrOIm6e7WvweenDSzJykePtUyDNm5f2oaU0-mNBvHIuUwT_Qjao96kB5MqSyClxrSnGIld3fzAqAiRvphxBAm/s320/IMG_5497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I still do not understand why you had to leave us. There's so much you're missing out on, and I cannot believe you would willingly want to leave us. But I know you were there for Papa, and that brings me some comfort. Maybe I'm finally growing up?</div>
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Love you lots. Miss you loads,</div>
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