Going Paperless

I really want to go paperless.

I've tried to go paperless.

I have an iPhone, iPad, Macbook.

There's no reason I should still be using paper.

But I can't go paperless.

Am I too old?

I couldn't find a lesson plan book I liked,

so I made one.

It has my plans written all over

and sticky notes for other plans and ideas.

Then, when Scott gave me an iPad for my birthday,

I thought I'd use it for school purposes.

I even found a great app.

But, for some reason,

I prefer my homemade lesson plan book. 

It works better for me.

So, if I'm going to use paper for my lesson plans,

I figure I could go paperless for my student conferences.

And yes, there's a fab app for that too.

I started using it,

but once again, 

found my label stickers and notebook a better/easier way.

I know, 

shame on me.

My iPhone's great to write my appointments in,

but my Erin Condren Life Planner

let's me write all sorts of things down,

appointments, to do list, goals, exercise, food journal,

all in one place.

I know,

the paperless thing is just not meant for me.

I apologise. 

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 50

Last year, Ethan decided he wanted to take tennis lessons.

So I found a tennis coach, 

and Ethan and his mates started lessons once a week.

With Ethan's coordination issues,

tennis isn't something he can really play.

His upper and lower body don't always match up.

Which means he can either run after the ball,

or try to hit it,

but not both.

Eventually, the tennis lessons in Dar bore him. 

He was getting frustrated at not being as good as his mates.

In comes Lusaka.

There's a tennis court at school.

Ethan decides he wants to take tennis lessons.

Really?

Oh, ok.

Ethan has a 1/2 hour lesson each week.

I'm usually tidying up my classroom, 

so I'm not sure what goes on.

But his tennis coach seems happy with his progress.

Either that,

or he's happy with what I pay him.

I never saw Ethan hit a ball in Dar.

On Friday, Sydney asked Ethan to show me how he could hit the balls.

I was impressed.

Happiness is watching your son enjoy a sport.

Zambian Pride

Scott and I went to Cape Town in 2010

for the semi final match between 

Holland and Uruguay.

It was amazing!

It was my first football match I'd ever attended.

The electricity was thrilling.

To see all that orange,

was unbelievable.

Cape Town went crazy that night.

It was nothing like I could ever imagine.

I thought I'd seen it all.

I was wrong.

Last night was the finals in the 

Africa Cup of Nations.

Zambia vs Cote D'Ivoire.

Zambia's Chipolopolo

(the Copper Bullets)

brought home the cup!

Many businesses were closed today.

I had 7 students absent.

The mall even closed at 3:00 today

so that people could go to the Showgrounds 

to welcome the team home.

There were vuvuzelas at school.

Everyone wore Zambian colours

(green and orange).

I sat in traffic

and had a smile on my face.

It's a great time to be living in Zambia.

We're a part of history.

We feel the pride of all Zambians.

Cinder - Marissa Meyer

If you haven't figured it out already,

I love to read.

I challenged myself last year, 

and again this year

to reading more books.

Then I came across The Story Siren.

She has a reading challenge as well.

Her challenge is to create awareness for new

young adult authors.

She challenges you to read and review

a minimum of 12 young adult or middle grade debut novels

this year.

Now, did you know that I love

and collect

Cinderella stories?

Well, I do!

So when I heard about Marissa Meyer's novel Cinder

I knew it was one I should read.

Cinder is a cyborg living in New Beijing.

Her adoptive father died from the deadly plague

that ravages the world, 

days after adopting her.

Her step-mother,

or guardian,

hates her.

She is blamed for the illness and death of her

step-sister.

Cinder is a second class citizen and gifted mechanic.

She knows her place in the world.

But that all changes.

She meets Prince Kai.

Her stepmother volunteers her to be a guinea pig 

to scientists trying to find a cure for the plague.

She learns about her past,

all while struggling with her feelings for the prince,

and helping him conquer the evil Queen Levana.

The only thing I did not like,

is that I have to wait until next year,

when the second book comes out,

to get the happily ever after

all Cinderella books provide.

Time Management

How do you mommies do it?

Seriously.

How?

I have so much respect for you, and now need your wisdom.

How are you able to work full time,

come home, 

cook dinner, 

clean the house 

and spend time with your little ones?

I have the amazing Mary,

and feel like Ethan's being short changed.

I know Ethan has motor issues.

And he doesn't really have any core muscles.

If there was an OT here, 

I'd take him.

I found a PT, that we'll see next week.

But in the meantime,

I need to do more with him.

I have a list of the great OT exercises he should do,

and even have a yoga ball.

But how do I fit it all in?

This week, Ethan's been waiting for me afterschool.

We get home around 4-ish. 

We read, we write in his journal,

we goof off.

Then there's bath, dinner and bed time.

Do I take away just plain fun

to work on his strength?

And I have Mary!

I don't need to cook or clean.

And yet I can't fit in all in.

So how do you do it?

Seriously.

I'm feeling like such a bad mommy.

Help.

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 49

Scott has gone to SA this week for a mining conference.

Usually, when he travels, I don't tend to eat proper meals.

My housekeeper, Mary, seems to have picked up on that.

And she disapproves.

Today, I came home to some butternut risotto.

YUM!

I also, stupidly, volunteered to bake 25 cupcakes

for Ethan's 100th Day of School celebration.

After school today, Mary baked a batch with Ethan.

Mary is strict with Ethan.

She doesn't let him get away with spending his afternoon in front of the TV.

She plays with him outside in the afternoons,

after spending the day cleaning up our mess.

And still finds time to cook for us.

Mary is the key to my happiness!

Dance of the Gods - Nora Roberts

I think I found my new favourite trilogy!

Dance of the Gods continues where Morrigan's Cross ends. What''s great is the focus is now on another 2 members of the Circle, Blair, the vampire hunter, and Larking, the shape shifter from Geall.

The circle of 6 now move onto the next phase of their journey. They continue to train in Ireland, and then travel through the Dance of the Gods to Geall, the site of the impeding battle with Lillith, the queen vampire, and her army. We see Moira begin to prepare as Queen (the 3rd book will be hers), Blair and Larkin's relationship deepens and Hoyt and Glenna begin to help the citizens of Geall prepare for war.

I have goosebumps thinking of the 3rd, and last book.