Happy Chinese New Year

Just returned from an awesome course in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a little warmer than Winnipeg but somehow it didn't feel that way. The people there are just so friendly, but everyone said come back in Spring. Wasn't so bad, if you are from Winnipeg.

So today is the first day of Chinese New Year, Mum is making a feast and since we were away, we ate out lots and will be eating lots for the next 2 weeks.... I have to make sure I stick with my exercise routine...

Not sure if you have ever heard of Mall Walking. The old folks walk in the malls during the winter before the stores open as it is too cold to walk outside and they need some sort of exercise or socializing. In Phoenix, Arizona, they mall walk too as it is too hot outside. Well I didn't want to get a gym membership so I decided to mall walk with my parents. We go early as soon as the mall opens at 8am so I am home by 9am and Kyle gets the kids ready for school and doesn't usually start working till after 9am anyways. I do that twice-3 times a week. Sometimes I take the kids but it is not as productive as they start to complain after a while and it slows me down. I really enjoy Yoga to so I do that on the other days, I aim for 15 minutes and I feel better.

Here are some pictures of the kiddies.
Natalie, Matthew and Andrew posing for the camera!

Special dinner table for the kids, Natalie, Andrew, Matthew and Erin (Joel's daughter).

Chinese New Year dinner with me, Ah Koo(Dad's sister), Lita and Duluk (good friends of my parents), Dad, Mum and Joel.



Crazy kids singing the new year song and collecting their red packets from Daddy.
BTW they love the video and want to watch it over and over.

Assistant Water Safety Instruction(AWSI)

So I am in school again, taking AWSI at the Pan-Am Pool. AWSI is a course to teach kids and adults to swim. I wasn't too sure if we would be able to find a swimming instructor easily in CR so I decided to learn to teach, to teach them myself. It is so important for the kids to know water safety and know how to swim.

There are 10 students in the class, the kids range from 15-17 and me! Even the instructor is in her 20s. They say this is the next level so that is why most of them are doing it. Plus it would be a great job while they are in school. Why didn't I think of that before? Anyways, the kids are great. I don't feel old, just feel like I have a little more experience than them. I am old enough to be their mum!!

We had our first class on Sunday and we even did a impromptu presentation with everyone critiquing each other. I was nervous, not sure why, I guess I didn't know what to think, talking to a bunch of teenagers who are my peers. This was done to help prepare us to speak to a group of students that we will be teaching. Learning tips, how to talk etc. I think it is awesome, great experience for the kids. No peer pressure from their classmates, all the kids here don't know each other so it is a neutral environment. We need more of this.

Like what Matthew(7) said before, he can't figure out why adults have so much trouble speaking in front of people, he is only a kid and doesn't have any problem with that!

Photo Booth with Attitude

Check out this site for a great laugh, photo booth with an attitude.
http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/27/photo-booth/

How Precious

Back to school in the new year. At lunch today Natalie says that she doesn't want Andrew to go to school. She knows that she is going to miss him, her play mate, she'll never admit it. Funny, she keeps on telling him that she doesn't like him!!

Get a Normal Job

At Christmas Eve dinner, Matthew asked his cousin Erin why people don't get normal jobs. Kyle asked Matthew what he meant. A normal job like his parents, who work from the home!!!

I love working from home. I can play with the kids throughout the day and if they need help with something, I am there. I am fortunate and blessed.

Happy New Year

May all your dreams come true!
Another year of adventures...