One size fits all, a good lesson and I am just saying, words and wisdom from the week 31 Carr family blog with a just a light snow covering.
Wrong Size
Last Sunday the reason we had to race back to Mississauga from our Christmas shopping trip in the US was to get the girls to a skating party to celebrate Julia’s little friends birthday. With an excitement and smiles, the girls dawned their skates, and with trepidation and a smirk, I laced mine as well. The trepidation from the fact that in the last maybe 20 years, I had only been on ice skates for about 15 or 20 minutes, and these 40-year-old bones are fragile after all. Julia made it to a “two-fall” count and a little over 15 feet and called it a day but Jordyn lasted a lot longer, making a whole bunch of trips around the rink escorted by the guy with the shooting pain in his feet. I think in the end, we settled on the idea of lessons for both and perhaps some new skates for daddy that hopefully will be the right size.
Classroom
It has been a very long time since I was officially a student, but this week I have the pleasure of saying I actually learned something in school. At the end of any semester, especially the fall semester, the energy and camaraderie in the room is something to behold and Thursday during the practical radio tests I give all my first semester students, I took a moment to watch, listen and think about the tests from the past. This group, not much different from those over the last 16 years of teaching, in a few short minutes reminded me why I love teaching so much just by singing and dancing and having fun in the classroom. Yes, I get a lot out of teaching, in the sense of an awareness of skill in my trade, but I was reminded this week, if you ever want to feel good about aging, do yourself a favor and spend some time with those younger then you.
On Friday, I got to test this theory even more, by spending the day at the girl’s school, recording the primary kids for their Christmas Music CD. I had a blast and will hopefully have the CD mastered and ready to go for next week, but what spending the day with more then 150 kids under 8 reminded me is that you need to remember that at some point in your life, perhaps way back in grade 3 or 4, you where fearless and joy was simply making your best friend laugh with only a funny face. I think all too often, we forget to have fun, and my lesson this week is to try to do just that.
I am just saying
I am not proud of it, but sometimes I loose it. In the car with the girls, I listened to them arguing about what drives me the most crazy. Comparing who got what, and playing the “well you got this and you got that game” and I lost it. “Stop it girls, you know I don’t like you fighting over or comparing what you have with each other. It was the gift bag from the skating party that was the subject of the discussion and on it went. “STOP it, what did I get? I drove you all the way to the party; I paid for your skates. I was the one who went all the way around the rink with you and held you up and brushed you off, and what did I get? How does that sound? WHAT DID I GET? Julia puts up an imaginary hand and is looking for a chance to jump, and finally fits in “Daddy, I am just saying, but you could have had a hot chocolate, they had lots there”. If I only had known!
Lawyers
Last week, I posted a video of Julia on Youtube, and featured it in my blog, but never mentioned it to the kids. That is until, a trip home from the sitters this week. “So Julia, I posted that video of you singing on the Internet, and talked about it in my blog last week. Jordyn in her best “Agent to the Stars voice says; “Daddy, you should have asked her permission before you did that.” I guess you are right, Jordyn, so what would you have said Julia if I asked to use your video? Without a hesitation, she says “NO!” Great, now I have some kind of diva lawsuit on my hands, but as long as neither of them can spell “Lawyer” I guess I am safe (for now). Let’s hope that no one comes up with some kind of first-amendment violation by blogging about my family and friends.
Birthday, Birthday
Next to April and May, the busiest months around these parts as far as birthdays go, are November and December. My Dad, my sister-in-law, my nephew, my aunt and of course my twin sister (and me!). So this week, I wanted to say a big happy birthday to my little buddy Colby for turning 6 years old. I hope you had a great day!
In closing
This week, Nathalie gets the last word. After a small disagreement, and the subsequent lets call it “discussion”, I do what any smart husband does, recognize the error of my way and apologize. “Sorry for being an ass” I say, but there is something to be said about jumping in with two feet and landing on that grenade. It sets you up just a little bit. I don’t think she meant her response to come out the way it did, but ouch just the same. “Sorry for being an ass, Nathalie”. “It’s ok Jim, you can’t help being what you are”. What does that mean?
Thanks for reading and have a great and safe week!
Jim
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