Made it to Half-Term! Acca-believe it!

Hello all...

This past week has been pretty good...with the Olympics on we had lots of reward time watching different events with the kids.

It's been crazy stormy here for the past while, but this week got really bad...flood warnings/flooding in parts of the city and suburbs, crazy winds. Wednesday at both schools Sam and I were at a warning went out to leave ASAP after school because of flooding...Sam's school kids were allowed to go after lunch because of it.  Sam had to walk an hour from her school through very flooded streets to get to a bus that was running, and the Thames river was up almost to the road where I was. 

Sam had a busy, but good week...Monday she had a chattyYear 6, Tuesday she had a very long commute (2.5 hours up to the NW) to do PPA (prep) cover in Years 5 and 6, Wednesday a Year 6 class that she got to use some of her own lessons (Canadian money? Olympics? Sure why not?!), Thursday and Friday was a Catholic School in Year 3 and was an amazing school that she really loved being at. 

My week was kinda crazy...Monday and Tuesday I had pre-booked from Friday so I knew where I was going which was nice. Monday was a crazy Year 3 class, Tuesday was Primary PE cover (one of the best schools/positions I've had since being here!!!)...on my way home Tuesday I got pre-booked for Wed-Fri at a high school teaching science about 2-2.5 hours away from home. Left home at 6 Wed morning (this was the crazy wind/rain/storm day), got to the school and had a horrible day. Rude, disrespectful kids, first time crying because of teaching EVER. I called after school and said I wasn't going back.  I got put at a school I really like for Thursday, show up and sign in, then get called saying that I've been sent to the wrong place, they've made a mistake, and I'm needed somewhere else...so have to leave there and race to another school (another of my favourites though).  Got there and had an AMAZING day with a Year 2 class...watched Olympics as reward for them working so hard because I'd had them before and they were off the wall.  Friday I had my first day off since being here.  It was nice...read a bit, did a work out, cleaned up the place a bit, and picked up a package from my momma at the post office.

So, because of our blog post begging for ranch and food from home, this week I got 2 packages.  A surprise one from Matt (my wonderful boyfriend)

containing a bottle of ranch and 3 packages to make ranch

and then a giant box from my momma

containing 2 giant Costco size bottles of ranch, 6 boxes of Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup, about 30 packages of real instant Oatmeal, Cliff bars, Neocitran, some Ziplocs, and a few little treats. 

Sam and I were so excited to receive this that we've basically had some of everything already.

Also, this week we were really good at getting some exercise in...we swam Sunday and Thursday, and I dragged Sam out to the gym to kick her butt Tuesday (she did awesome!).

Happy Valentine's Day to my SFLR, Sam!

Friday, being Valentine's Day, we decided that a girls' night in was needed. We invited some of the girls that we know here, both from home and that we've met here.  Mary, Brianne, and Meghan were able to come :)

We had a great time...lazy clothes (meaning onesies for Sam, Meghan, and myself), taco salad for dinner, more junk food than even I could eat (everyone seemed to think more was better), and just some awesome girl talk.

 We found Reece's!!!! Mini ones in a heart box, but still...so exciting.

Meghan ended up staying over and we had an awesome lazy Saturday...

Made bacon, eggs, and a baguette for breakfast, then ate some of the open junk food (couldn't let it go to waste), then had some Chicken Noodle (thanks momma)

then some more junk, then some potatoes and tzatziki.  Meghan headed up to a friend's place that evening and Sam and I had pizza for dinner and watched a movie.  It was a great start to our half-term break (week off). 

Today we've ate real Oatmeal

watched Olympics, went on our first run (to Asda...UK Walmart...to get a vacuum), watched some more Olympics, did some stuff with our payslips and banking and trip, and now it's HOCKEY TIME!!!!

Woot! 2-1 in OT! Go Canada!

Time to pack :)

Tomorrow we head to Paris for 3 days.  Fly out tomorrow afternoon/evening, see Paris and go to some of the big attractions Tuesday, Wednesday is Disneyland Paris, and Thursday we will see anything else we can before flying out that evening.  It will be a jam-packed few days but so excited!

Can't wait to tell you all about it when we return!  Au revoir!


We out!

Sam and Lisa