Contacts!

Handsome J2, sans specs. First time in over a decade.

And at last... the brand spankin' new uniforms are unveiled introducing the new Tigers football team. Very sharp!

20 different directions indeed....

Number one current pet peeve: the phrase, "Wow am I ever busy!" Instead, I'm going to say, "Wow, what a ride!" Here's the rundown:
-Mrs. Jones is ending a wonderful time as conference coordinator for Gentle Teaching International (www.gti07.com). That means lots of press releases, info bulletins, creative creations of all sorts, web updates, registrations and conversations with people from all over Europe and North America, most of whom we personally know and are looking forward to reconnecting with next week. It also means a slew of details, details, details..... and therefore lists, lists, lists... delegation, delegation, delegation.... the help of an army of amazing volunteers... and lots of middle-of-the-night panics about who forgot to do what.
- Mrs. Jones began a very fulfilling contract coordinating training of practitioners involved in adult literacy programs across Saskatchewan. That means training the trainers, a little travelling, a lot of learning and hiking up a steep learning curve.
- J1 began grade eleven after having a terrific summer, some of which was spent as a leader in training at a summer camp which he really loved. It's great to see such a fantastic young man move into such a good space. Luvin' it!
-J2 is in high school, reconnecting with many friends from 4 different elementary schools. HE'S LOVING IT! Which means I'm loving it. Life is good.
-J3 is coasting right along, if you can call being EXACTLY where she wants to be in life coasting. Great school, great friends, great music program, healthy hamster... what's not to love?!
-Mr. Jones is still on a cloud over the Riders' last-minute touchdown to win during the Labour Day classic. And the fact that a picture of he and his buddies are on the jumbo-tron at every game as an example of the Rider Nation is pretty cool too. See if you can recognize him next time you're at a home game. (hint: there's a little green paint goin' on.)
- Our basement flooded. Gone are the plush rugs, the cedar walls, the gyprock beneath them, and some furniture. Please, Albertans, move back to Saskatchewan so we can get a drywaller in before spring!
- IT'S A BOY! Our German exchange student has moved in and is a terrific kid. Fun, chatty, exuberent (is that how we spell that? Brain fluff...) He wants to stay, as in, emmigrate. I'd be okay with that! He thinks I drive too fast though. This, from the guy that the football team has nicknamed Autobon because of his speed. Hmm... maybe I should slow down...
- 4 kids, 3 different schools, 3 boys on 2 different football teams, a house under renovation, 2 adults with full-day work weeks and a business on the side, a teen with a job, international friends converging in less than 7 days, and they all have my cell phone number ...
Other than that, we're pretty bored.