Creative kids

Acrylic paint splatter by Abi.

Acrylic paint splatter by Noah

Nothing like a little paint, a canvas and a lot of imagination!

Can't wait to hang them!

Proud dad!

Awesome breakfast with the kids

Waffles, strawberries, whipped cream, syrup and turkey bacon. Add 2 special kids, equals a perfect morning!

Yummy!

D

Early mornings at work

There is something about being one of the first ones at work in the morning. The school is quiet, no kids are around, no teachers to catch you with a question about this or that. I'm usually one of the first ones here in the morning but today I arrived even earlier than usual...right around 7:15. I could tell right off the hop that this was going to be a good day!

Now I'm not a coffee drinker but I did have time to stop at Tim Hortons to pick up a hot chocolate to reward myself for being such an early riser.

Laptop fired up, hot chocolate by my side, I was able to get a bunching loose ends tied up and planning for my classes next week done before anyone even thought about walking through the library doors. 

Ready for the day, and even more ready for the weekend! Here's to productive mornings!

Darryl

Spring-like days in January!?!?

Crazy weather in Saskatchewan! The end of January and the daytime high has been above the freezing mark all week!

El Niño, global warming? Call it what you want but I have got to say, despite not having much snow to go outside to play in with the kids, I've got to say, I'm really liking the fact that I don't have to shiver and freeze every time I go outside!  It feels like spring! I know we are not out of the woods yet and I'm sure we will get some -20 days yet but this has significantly shortened winter, just ask any Saskatchewanian!

Any time I can see that it's above 0 Celsius and it's into the evening, or even the day, I'll take it!

Enjoying it while it lasts! If only I could find my sunscreen! Lol!

Darryl

Icemen Hockey at its finest

It was one of those nights where I thought about not going. Still trying to recover from the weekend, playing 4 games in 48 hours. But, at 9:00 I get a text from "dad". Pick me up for hockey? Well, I can't back out now and anyways, maybe it'll help me loosen up a little. It looks like we'll have 3 lines so it won't be the toughest skate of the year by any means.

We arrive at the rink and the usual suspects are there already with some more trickling in shortly after our arrival. Pud, JC14, Dusty, Kards, Blondie, Jmo, Mitzy, Rogers, Rocket, Coach, Dad & myself (db6). Cowhead pulls the pin on the game last minute and Big Chris is out tonight (our goalie), so Blondie called up "the kid" to play with us. It's getting close to game time and still no "kid". We hear the door swing open and finally, "the kid" rolls in. Looks like we've got 12 skaters. That means 4 D-men, 3 sets of wings and 2 centermen. I play center so that means I'll be double shifting with Dusty all night. I think to myself "I hope I have enough gas in the tank!"

The last of the boys finish lacing up the blades and we hit the ice for warm-ups. Luckily we're playing the Hawks tonight (not one of the strongest teams out there) but they usually give us a pretty good skate regardless. As we warm "the kid" up (he looks pretty sharp between the pipes tonight), we notice the Hawks have a few new skaters on their squad...young, and fast. Well, I guess we'll see.

The puck drops and we quickly fall behind 1-0. The score stays that way for the first 30'ish minutes. The Hawks call-ups are good. In fact, I don't think we've played against a quicker line this year, their one winger is smooth and has had probably 10 shots on "the kid" in the first 30 minutes already but "the kid" is up to the test. Then, the Icemen get rolling.

We tie it up and it stays that way for at least 15 minutes. 1-1 and we're 1/2 way through the game. Not sure what it is, but I'm working like a dog out there. I feel stronger and quicker than I have in quite a while on the ice. Every shift, I'm putting in 110%. I'm here, I might as well right? I can't remember sweating this much in a long time. It's one of those workouts where you know you're going to leave it all out there and likely pay for it the next day, but it's so worth it.

The Icemen start clicking. We pour it on in the second 1/2 of the game and the final tally is Icemen 8, Hawks 1. I manage to slip a sweet backhand past the goalie for a Gino, ring another one off the iron late in the game and chip in a couple of A's for good measure. But the real star of the show tonight is "the kid" in net. Overall, a solid effort by every skater. Man, those beer taste good tonight after that skate! We knew that it would be a tough skate coming off the weekend tourney but everyone upped the ante and we showed why the Icemen are a force to be reckoned with when we play together like this.

Every one of these guys are a gem! Love playing this game with the boys!

DB6

Remembering that you forgot about that box of After Eight chocolates

Chocolate + mint = Heaven in my mouth!

I forgot that I had that final box of After Eight chocolates in the cabinet above my fridge. Mmmmm....I could eat the entire box in 1 sitting! But I must restrain myself. I want to make sure that I stretch these little guys out as long as I can because Christmas is a long way away. 

There was logic in my putting them up there. I'm a pretty sharing type of guy, especially with my kids. I gotta say though, I'm a little stingier with these minty delights. Sure I gave hem a few over the holidays but let's face it, what they don't know won't hurt them!

They're mine! All mine! (Insert evil laugh)

Darryl

Those days where it's all worth it!

'Twas the last day of finals and all through the class, not a student was talking they were all focused on the task.

So, I teach a group of 8 struggling readers a literacy class and I have got to say that I, along with my teaching partner Mrs. P, have had many of those days where we wonder if we are making any progress at all. Some days banging our heads against a brick wall would accomplish more...ok, that might be a bit of a stretch but for those of you who have kids or have ever worked with kids, you know what I'm talking about.

Then, you read a students work and know that mid way through one of their sentences that every minute you've worked with them, gone to battle with them over completing an assignment or trying to get them to turn their phone off was completely, 100% worth it. Today our students had to answer 4 reflective prompts about the various things we did throughout the term. And, let me tell you, with no word of a lie, some days if we can get some of them to write 2 sentences, it feels like we've just successfully summited Mt. Everest!

Today we did not only summit Mt. Everest, but I think we successfully climbed the tallest mountain on each of the 7 continents! Without going into too much detail, J wrote about how much he liked this class and how much he has learned and improved over the past 4 1/2 months while at the same time admitting that he didn't always put much effort into some of his work or was not as cooperative and productive as he could/should be.

It's moments like these where I know that what I do makes a difference. Maybe not for all, and likely not every day but even those 2 steps forward and one step back days keep us moving in the right direction. It's  not about the money, the benefits, the holidays, the being able to make it to your kids game after school on time, teaching is about progress. Making a difference for a child, young or old, helping them build life long skills that will, one day, make a difference for them when they sit down to read a book to their own child. It's about not needing to hear "thank you for all you do", it's about reading that 1 sentence that tells you that doing what you do each and every day, has made a difference. It's about the relationships that we make with these kids and letting them know in whatever way you do, that I am there for you, I'll listen to you, I'll respect you (even when you drive me a little crazy! It makes me feel proud as I know I am a part of their lives when they tell me stories about their family, friends, relationships, problems, or even getting that nod from them when they walk down the hall with their friends. Because at that moment, you know that you're an important part of their life and yes, I have made a difference.

Today, that is what I'm thankful for...my students and what they do.

Darryl

NFL Conference Championship weekend

I like football.

I really like football playoffs. 4 best teams left in the NFL. Kicking back watching the games is a pretty good way to spend a Sunday afternoon/evening after a busy weekend!

Go Cardinals!

Darryl

Hockey tournaments

4 games.

2 wins

2 losses

Good plays

Bad plays

Lots of beverages

Tons of laughs

2 late nights

Little sleep

Good times!

Road trip with the boys

It's that time of the year again.

Road pops.

Cheese burgers.

The boys.

And some hockey.

#icemenhockey

Beautiful winter days

Some days you just have to love the way winter looks!

From an impromptu late morning trip by the kids school.

Outside my school.

One of those days where you wish you could have spent the day outside walking through the park enjoying a bright, sunny winter day.

D

This guy!

"Little guy", "Nono", "my special little guy", "little man", "NIB"...just a few of the names I have for my favourite little guy in the solar system...aka, Noah.

I always have fun with this kid! Today after school he made banana chocolate chip muffins....

No matter what is going on in my crazy world, this little guy can always put a smile on my face! He is such a kind, gentle, sensitive, athletic and fun boy. I'm truly blessed to have him in my life as he brings so much joy to my every day. 

Mini sticks, playing catch, shooting hoops, going for a run, reading, playing games, watching him play one of his many sports, playing the guitar, hanging out and cuddling with him. These are just a few of the ways I love to spend time with my little Nono. 

Tonight was a great night because I got to spend time with him. We roamed around the book store for a while and then came home to indulge ourselves in one of his muffins before he told me stories about his day and we laughed, giggled and cuddled in his room!

A pretty fantastic way to spend the evening if I do say so myself:)

I LOVE YOU NOAH, my special little guy! Always be yourself because I love you just the way you are!

Daddy Darryl

Colleagues who bake

It's mid-morning and my stomach is starting to rumble. I could sure use a snack to tie me over until lunch. 

"I just put some rhubarb cake and chocolate cake in the staff room." The perfect insider tip from my colleague who just happens to love baking and is often more than happy to share with her favourite teaching partner (that'd be moi of course!). Delicious! 

And to top it off, an hour before lunch she brings in a loaf of banana bread with chocolate chips to share with my students! I may have snuck a piece of that too!

#chocolatemakeseverythingbetter

#nothungryanymore

D

Watching your daughter ROCK it on the bball court!

My girl.

Yup, that's her, playing inside post. Ok, not just playing inside post, but being an absolute machine out there today offensively and defensively! She was all over the court, shutting her guard down while playing some relentless defence, rebounding like Scottie Pipen, and diving out of bounds for loose balls like a pitbull chasing bunnies in the park! Ok, the last one might be a bit of a stretch but everyone that was in the gym after school today knows what in talking about!

On the offensive end of the game, she was a force to be reckoned with. I haven't seen a girl play with that much intensity and fiestiness in a long time. And that's what I witnessed today on the court by my daughter! What she didn't have in size, she made up for in her toughness. She was working her tail off, sealing her defender and getting open on every offensive possession.

That por kid guarding her didn't know what to do to try and stop her!

She hustled, she battled, she rebounded, she shot, she scored and most importantly, she played the game with the most heart I have seen her play with in a long while. I could really tell that she was loving what she was doing out there today. And that's really what it's all about. 

I couldn't have been more proud of her than I was watching her today on the court. And to top it off, she did it with a smile on her face:)

I LOVE watching her play!

One very proud daddy,

Darryl

Primo parking spots

It is especially fantastic when it's one of those cold days and the last thing you want to have to do is drag the hockey bag across the full length of the parking lot. Yeah, I'm talking about that coveted spot as close to the doors as you can possible get. And, it's even better when you don't even have to wait for someone to pull out of the spot. Sometimes it's just sitting there waiting for you. It's like there is a big sign flashing your name with a neon arrow that just screams "park here". You could argue that you're better off being far away where you don't run as high risk of getting a door ding but what do I care? That ding would just add a little more character to my 2002 Subaru Outback, yup, old Suby would be perfectly fine knowing that it's taking one for the team today.

And, the best part is when you see that person who has been circling there lot for what seems to them like hours, just hoping for a closer spot than the one in the very last row so they don't have to walk through the -34 windchill to get into the cozy confines of the rink or wherever you may be going. For a brief moment you think to yourself, oh, that poor person, maybe I should let them have the spot....fortunately that feeling passes quickly though as you feel the wind nip at your exposed skin as you prepare for your 26 step walk to the door. 

It may seem like a little thing, but for today, you're lucky enough to enjoy the "rock star" parking that you stumbled upon. And, that's ok, because you know in the back of your mind that tomorrow, you'll be that person who has to settle for the second last parking spot that awaits you at the furthest possible point from the doors. But today, you can live with that!

Warm and toasty today,

Darryl & Abi

Movie nights

A cold January night it is! So, what could be better than cuddling up on the couch in your favourite bunny hug and sweat pants with the 2 best kids in the universe? NOTHING!

To make it even better, the fireplace was on, the lights dimmed down, favourite blankets wrapped around us, and home made blizzards to keep us from getting too warm! I LOVE it when they cuddle up to me and occasionally look up from the movie to give you that million dollar smile. There's nothing better that I could be doing at that exact moment. I know that those are the memories that will be forever imprinted in my mind regardless how big they get and how far away they are from me. You can't put a dollar value on that and I'd trade anything in the world for those special moments that we share. 

As for the movie, we watched Tomorrowland starring George Clooney. Great show for everyone as we all enjoyed it. 

Perfect night!

DB

Fire

-30 Celsius tonight...fire means heat! Enough said.

DB 

Strawberries, whipped cream & waffles

A great start to a Thursday...and this was the just the icing on the cake, or should I say the whipped cream on the waffles!

Yum!

Some days you just can't help but to get out of bed with a smile on your face!

Thankful for a great start to a great day!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Darryl 

Amazing students...and teachers

Tonight my school hosted an evening to showcase a project that involved over 250 students and over 25 teachers and their work about the Truth and Reconciliation Report on the impact that Residential schools had on aboriginal Canadians. 

Wow! Not sure I can say much more than that. It made me so proud to see students (some that I teach and many that I don't), so engaged and involved and proud to share what they have learned about this important Canadian historical event. There was public speaking, singing, videos, drumming and a packed auditorium full of proud friends, family and community members. 

Sometimes as an educator we question ourselves and wonder if it is all worth it? Are we making a difference? After being a part of this evening, there is not a doubt in my mind that every second we pour into our students is worth it. Sure it's frustrating at times and we don't always get the results that we're hoping for but sometimes they exceed our expectations and surprise us. This is what it is all about. Seeing that our work is making a difference. Seeing the pride on their faces as they show family their work and explain the importance of what they believe in. Today, they blew me out of the water!

Today I'm thankful for the students and teachers that I'm so blessed to work with each and every day.

Proud to be a teacher,

Darryl

Yummy leftovers for lunch!

Mmmmm....I, unlike some people, LOVE leftovers! Perfect for a cold day, hot leftover lasagna. Delicious! Just as good as out of the oven.

Thanks C!

D

Monday night hockey

Some days you just need something to clear the mind and for me this was the perfect end to the day. Technically I'm a little late on hitting the Monday post but as far as I'm concerned, it's still Monday night since I haven't hit the hay yet. 

It's nice to have a team like we played tonight. Despite the bitter cold and not wanting to leave a warm house, I'm glad I did. The Icemen were victorious quite handily and captain had a good night both on and off the score sheet. There's something about getting a bunch of guys together and getting back to the basics that puts a smile on my face...the handful of post game beverages certainly doesn't hurt either! A few Gino's and an apple or 2 and a convincing W can turn a somewhat blah day into a pretty darn good one.

Well, now I'm tired and need to air the gear out to get ready for Tuesday. And, you know what Tuesday means? Yup, I get to do it all over again! Tomorrow may very well be thankful for Tuesday night hockey! We'll see, we've got the pesky Cowboys tomorrow...or should I say later today!

Sweet!

DB6

Cold winter nights with games and good company!

You know when it's too cold to stray too far from home and you just want to kick back and have a nice quiet evening having fun, laughing with good company? A sure fire way to have a blast is to hang out with someone special, break out the cards and get ready for some fun! 

It doesn't matter who comes out on top in the games (spoken by someone who got their clock cleaned in pretty much every game!), but instead it's the company that makes it such a great night!

You know who you are!

The guy who "let" you win, nothing up my sleeve,

Darryl

Coaching my kids

It was a BIG day today! Head coach Jason was out of town so I had to step up and guide the undefeated Warriors to hopefully their 8th consecutive victory of the basketball season. 

Ok, perhaps I need to clarify things a little before I go on...see, Noah is 10 and loves playing basketball. Win or lose. To give you a little more background, I'm probably one of the coaches that cares the least about wins or loses. You see, I'm of the philosophy that these are KIDS, not young men who are destined to one day play in the NBA. First and foremost, these little athletes need to be having fun and secondly, they need to be developing their skills so they have the opportunity to continually improve. 

I've spent countless hours coaching many sports from basketball, to hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, and flag football. Not sure if I've missed anything or not but that's not really important. I love watching and coaching my kids play anything. As a parent there is nothing better than seeing your son and/or daughter playing a sport it taking part in an activity they love. And, I'm so blessed and thankful that I have had and continue to have the opportunity to coach and help coach my my kids. There is nothing quite like seeing them make a great play and quickly glance over to the sideline and flash you a smile that reaches from ear to ear.

Oh, and for the record, the Warriors are still undefeated.🏀🎉

Coach Darryl

A must read for all you coaches and parents of little athletes is "The Matheny Manifesto". A great read that really puts things into perspective for our little players.

Home made cinnamon buns

Mmmm....there is not much better than some home made cinnamon buns for breakfast in the morning. My kids devour them while I savour every bite of my mom's home made delights. It's funny to watch how my kids eat them...Abi is very much like me, eating every piece from the bottom to the top, saving they gooey top for the last while Noah does the opposite. Accompanied with a tall glass of milk, I'd say this is a perfect way o start off a Friday!

Bring in the weekend with a belly full of cinnamon heaven!

Thanks mom!

D

Great lunch time workouts

I don't get them in very often but I did manage today. I may have extended my lunch a little but I have to say, it was worth every minute. 55 minutes on the treadmill and then my regular 20 min workout that I usually do after the kids have gone to bed. And it felt grrrreat! And the bonus is that I don't have to do it tonight! There's nothing like a good sweat to break up the work day!

Until next time gym!

Running like the wind,

D

Really good books!

I just finished this one 

And it definitely fits the category of "really good books". Granted I'm a teacher librarian and it's in my nature to love books but there is nothing quite like reading a great book that you never want to put down. Call them what you want, page turners, classics, gripping, unputdownable, compelling, absorbing, engrossing, captivating,riveting, consuming, addictive, and the list goes on. 

Sometimes the book plays like a movie in your head as you read it and sometimes you feel like you personally know the characters, and sometimes the story just leaves you wanting more. I know I'm not the only one out there that feels this way and I hope you can relate. If you can't, you seriously don't know what you're missing! 

Grab a book, cuddle up in your favourite chair, couch or bed an lose yourself in a book. I double-dog dare you! Yup, I just did just double-dog dare you to read a great book! 

Did I mention I LOVE reading?

In search of my next great read,

Darryl

Raspberries in January!

Sounds simple enough doesn't it? But let's think about it....grown 1000's of kms from home, picked, transported, put in grocery stores and finally sold. That's quite a lot of travelling for those little guys to get to my belly! Sure we pay out our noses for these little guys in the middle of winter but man, they are good! And, they contain strong antioxidants that help fight against cancer, heart and circulatory diseases and age related decline (thanks Wikipedia!).

So, if you're undecided at ther grocery store between those delicious looking red raspberries and the bag of chips, go for the berries every time (you can still get the chips too if you'd like, I won't judge)!

Today, I'm thankful for raspberries in January....in Saskatchewan!

Yours in health,

Darryl

Argh! I missed Monday!

Maybe I'll change the name to Darryl's 364 Thankful Project....my excuse....first Monday back at work in 2016! Perhaps Monday will be my blog-flex day!

Regardless of being Monday or not, what I was thankful for yesterday was going back to work. Yup, hard to believe for many of you but I'm definitely one of those people who really enjoys their job. Don't get me wrong, if I won the $50,000,000 jackpot, I'd be out of here pretty darn quick, but I didn't and I really do love my job. 

After 2 great weeks of holidays, I think I was ready to get back to work. There is something about the  routine and the fact that no 2 days are ever the same that makes my job so interesting. Sure there are days when you wonder if it's all worth it, but the interaction with so many different people, students and adults, is something that I find refreshing every day.

Make today great!

Darryl

Beautiful, sunny winter days!

How can you not be outside and soak in the winter sun on a day like today? Be it going for a walk, run, tobogganing, or SNOW FOOTBALL! Heck yeah! What a great day to be alive and outside!

What a day!

D

Outdoor rinks!

Today was the day for the annual "Bussiere Winter Classic". Donning our NHL jerseys, for all anyone could tell, we could have been playing in any NHL rink, but nope, our ultimate rink was a quick 4 minute car ride away tucked intimately between 2 neighbourhood schools.

"Let's go dad...before anyone else is there!" See, the kids love having the ice to themselves and as we pulled into the parking lot, cheers erupted throughout the car. "YES!" They cheered...the rink was all ours. After a quickly lacing them up, they were off!

The ice was carved up from the day before, there was too much snow on the ice, there was still a cold nip to the January air, but there is not a single place that the 3 of us would have rather been at that moment! I quickly grabbed the shovel propped up against the far boards and cleaned a couple dozen strips on the ice so we could get our Winter Classic started! 

I can't help but feel nostalgic on days like today. As a child I spent so many hours on the outdoor rink with my friends and family. From early in the morning until late at night when the lights were turned off, there were many epic battles that will live on in my memory forever! I love that my kids are creating the same memories with me!

Today's game was no different in the sense that it was another great time on the outdoor rink but it was also very different as I was having the time of my life with my kids in a game where the score really didn't matter. I know that the next time we hit the rink, all the memories of this morning will come flooding back to all of us just as they did this morning when we were on our way to the rink!

A perfect start to a perfect day...today I'm thankful for outdoor rinks!

DB6, NB93, AB17

Go for a skate on an outdoor rink! You'll know what I mean!

D

My Kids

My kids...they also happen to be the best 2 kids in the world (ok, I guess I'm a little bias). What can I say about these 2?

Abi...your creativity, sense of humour and inquisitiveness are just 3 of the qualities that make you the amazing little girl that you are. I couldn't be more proud to be your dad and couldn't ask for anything else in a daughter. I love that even though your are 12 (ugh!), you'll still curl up with your dad on the couch as if you were 3 years old. From the day that I set eyes on you when you were born, I have loved you more than I have could have imagined. Keep being you, I love your goofy, fun personality as you light up any room when you smile and are being yourself.

Noah...my special little guy. A dad could not be any more lucky than I am to have you in my life. You're smart, athletic and have that contagious smile and laugh that puts a smile on everyones face when they're around you. Whether it's coaching you, watching you play or playing with you, I love spending time with you and know that you'll always be my little buddy no matter where you are and how old you are. You are everything that a dad could ask for in a son and you bring me so much happiness in my life. I love you my special little guy!

Day 1....I'm thankful for Abi & Noah.

Darryl