Pass The Honey, Honey!!

My niece and I were talking one day about natural alternatives to OTC meds, and she told me that her Mom always used honey whenever she and her sisters (all adults now) had sore throats. So when I saw this article in the Vancouver Sun detailing the antiseptic properties of honey I read it with interest.

An amusing aside is my own daughter's ploys to get more of the sweet stuff:

A: "Mommy I have a sore throat!! I think I need more honey!!"

Uh-huh.

Me: "Would you like some ice water? You can gargle with salt and warm water, too, if you like."

A: "Um, no, it's ok - it feels ok actually"

RIGHT. Sore throat, or sweet tooth??

My Singing Daughter

Awwww.... so cute..... they're learning "O Canada" in school now. She and I surfed the net to see what was out there, and found this You Tube clip of Avril Lavigne when she was a child, singing our anthem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kXnyGUb5r8

Alyssa LOVES it, and asks for it repeatedly, and sings along with Avril. It takes me back to when I was a kid and we used to sing it in school. I don't know if I feel proud, or really old!!!

lol

To Skate... Or Not!

The kids started their current skating set on Saturday... or at least Alyssa did. She LOVES to skate, but Joseph has always been reluctant.

This time he wanted his skates off almost immediately, but I managed to keep them on with this deal: "you go out on the ice just today, and if you really don't like it you can come off and Mommy will cancel your lessons."

Things actually started off OK - his teacher got him on his plastic chair and lined him up with the other four year olds, and proceeded to start the "this is fun!! C'mon, everyone!!! Let's lie down on the ice!!" bit (they start on small chairs, then get down on the ice, and then learn to stand up with the aid of the chairs). At one point I looked over to see Joseph sitting on his chair smiling at the teacher, but not five minutes passed before he was crawling off the ice looking for me.

I kept my word - I tugged off his skates and helmet, returned them to the rental counter, and then asked him if he wanted to watch his sister. He agreed, and we went to the Plexiglas.

"Look! He fall down!!" Joseph squealed at the sight of a tumbling toddler.

"See Buddy? Everyone falls down when they're learning. It's OK to fall."

"Yes, Mommy, and that's why I no like it!!"

Good point! Can't argue with that...

French Immersion Help

I can't recall if I've mentioned that Alyssa is in early French Immersion. The benefits are many - I won't go into them here (that's another post!).

It has required of me that I brush up on my high school French from, uh, a "few" years ago. (Hey, they had electricity back then, so cut me some slack).

Anyway, I just did a quick Google and found a page:

http://www.bonjour.com/index.php

I haven't explored it in too much depth, but what I like about it so far is the help with pronunciation. There is both audio help as well as phonetic spellings.

I'm definitely going to bookmark this page for future reference...

Full Day Kindergarten

Our government is considering implementing full day kindergarten to begin in 2009.

The more I sit on this idea, the more I think that I am opposed. Not from a logical and rational perspective, but from an emotional one. I don't think I'm ready to spend a whole day without both of my kids yet!!

I was gearing up for September 2009 when I'd walk both kids over to the school, send Alyssa off to her grade 2 class, and send Joseph off to Kindergarten. Then, 2 1/2 hours later, I'd walk back and get my little man. We'd go home and hang out, and then return a few hours later to pick up big Sis. Now the thought of being without them BOTH for the whole 6 hours makes me a little sad.

Not that it wouldn't be convenient!! WOW the stuff I could get done... wahooo!!! I could even... (shockers) NAP or something. Shop, watch tv, clean the house... (ok maybe not THAT).

LOL

Plus I think there are social and educational advantages to all day Kindergarten that shouldn`t be ignored.

But.... awwww... my little boy!! What will I do without him!!

Not yet. Let me keep my baby a bit longer...