Saturday, 28 June 2014

Home Improvement

Hello everybody!  It’s been quite some time since I updated you on our happenings so I will let you in on all of the latest details:

Currently, Lee and I are residing in our first house.  We are still very happy with the location and the neighbours have been so friendly—and friendly neighbours were hard to find in the last two places we lived.  

Our neighbourhood is very quiet and within a mile, we can get to the beach, a park and a golf course along with a variety of little shops, so there will always be something to do.  We’ve made ‘Howard’s DIY Centre’ our #1 place to go since with any house, there are approximately ten things to do at any given time.

Most recently, we’ve built an arbour for our front garden to adorn the entrance pathway.  This, along with the installation of Venetian blinds and a weekend of building IKEA furniture, was a true testament to our ability to make it through anything.

My first year of teaching is coming to an end in three weeks and as I was writing the student reports (report cards), I was getting a bit teary-eyed.  I truly have had a dream-team of students.  There were a few challenges in the beginning of the year, some big ones in fact, but all 32 of the children are now really well-behaved and very hardworking.  I forget sometimes that they’re only eight and nine.

Next year, the head teacher has asked me to teach a year five and year six class (fourth and fifth grade).  Of course this will bring new challenges because these children will be the oldest in the school and it’s amazing how different their attitudes can change.  Because being the oldest, to them, obviously relates to being the coolest.

Lee is doing really well at Wyzowl and learning to create 3-D animation.  He’s also been working on projects around the house and practising with power tools, tooth saws and hammers.  We both wish that we had taken woodshop in school—as well as plumbing, electrical work and masonry.  Watching Trading Spaces every weekend for two years was not enough training in preparation for owning a house.  I think I picked up a few helpful pieces of advice from the HG channel, so Lee and I are using the Internet along with our little background knowledge to decorate bit-by-bit.

Below are some photographs from our new house and neighbourhood.  I hope you’re all having a great summer!

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.778582477902.1073741829.59102651&type=1&l=1ee8d83109  You will be able to see the pictures even if you do not have Facebook.  Enjoy!