This upcoming school year will bring with it a lot of uncertainty and unanswered questions. Teachers will be taking strike action in the form of enhanced work-to-rule, our school will be saying goodbye to cherished staff members and we will be reorganizing class locations throughout the school. On a good note, we will also begin implementing Google Apps for Education and, while I have a Google Educator certificate, I am still trying to envision how to deliver new French curriculum within thirty-minute French periods while equipping students with the 21st century knowledge and skills they need to succeed. I will admit that I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything I can to be a better French teacher but there are those rare moments when I think how easy it would be to quit teaching altogether and pursue a different avenue. No more report cards, no more marking, no more late nights planning the perfect lesson. But then I think about that card I wrote to my grade 6 French teacher, the one in which I thanked her for inspiring me to pursue a career as an FSL teacher. You see, I never chose teaching. It was never just a job. It was my calling, and it chose me. 

10.

12.

I found this photo in my stream today. My guess is my son was playing around with the Photo Booth on my iPad. Either that, or he had a growth spurt and oddly resembles Jay Leno.

Last weekend, I was lucky to have attended the World Congress of Modern Languages Conference which took place in Niagara Falls. It was a chance to learn and collaborate with educators from across the globe, an opportunity that doesn't come around very often. Next year, the conference will take place in New Orleans. I'm not sure I will be able to make it out there but can you imagine how amazing that would be? The place is rich with culture!


While I ruminate on how I could possibly make that happen, you should watch this video taken during Friday night's reception. It shows Etienne performing one of my favourite songs "Aller" while conference attendees attempt a simple line dance for the first time on stage. Myself included! Avoir II is still my favourite and funny enough, it happens to be Justin Bieber's go-to French song, too!

Joining in for Wordless Wednesday this week? Link up your post below.

Over the March break, the kids and I were invited to spend a morning at Wizard World Fun Park here in Toronto where we were able to enjoy an exclusive media preview of Mario Party 10. My Nintendo Kid Reviewers have both loved playing Mario Party 8 and 9 so they were eager to see all the new features. My son really seemed to enjoy it and thought it was neat that you could play as Bowser to prevent Team Mario from stealing the Star. The game still has the traditional Mario Party mode as well as new features, boards and mini-games, my son's favourite. It was our first time playing a game on the Wii U console and I see why my husband is bugging me to trade in our old Nintendo Wii for an upgrade. He's a big fan of Mario, as am I. I've always had a thing for Italian men in overalls...

By the way, if you're thinking of throwing a Mario themed party or are just looking for some fun printables, check out the Mario Party 10 Party Planner site.

To help promote the joy of reading, Kumon and First Book Canada have joined together in a literacy campaign during which they will distribute more than 10,000 books to schools and community based programs in Canada. As a part of this initiative, Kumon and First Book have been hosting reading celebrations in February and March at high needs elementary schools throughout the country. They were also so kind to send a small donation that I could give to my school library. This isn't the first time our school has been the recipient of donated books since First Book has provided our students with books on more than one occasion over the years. The students in our school community have greatly benefited and so it was an honour to be able to help make a small contribution on behalf of Kumon. The stuff is like paper gold!

If you would like to help spread the joy of reading, I am giving away a Kumon gift pack full of brand new books and supplies. (Open to Canada only.)

Stopping in for Wordless Wednesday? Feel free to link up your post below.

As part of our March Break tradition, my kids and I meet up with my friend and her two girls. We live in two different cities so it is always a sweet reunion. For the past few years now, we've made it a part of our tradition to take the kids to Crock A Doodle and paint some pottery. The kids never tire of the idea and it is really neat to watch their painting skills improve year after year. These photos were taken during our first time there four years ago when my son was two and my daughter was five. Look at how cute they are in these pics! Looking forward to making more precious memories...

Remember when we set out on a last-minute family getaway right after New Year's? We stayed at the Forks in the Trail Bed and Breakfast and, well, I can't stop thinking about it. The place was just gorgeous and our hosts were really nice. I can't wait to go back in the summer and enjoy a swim in their outdoor saltwater pool!

Last month, our family spent the day marvelling at some of the world's most stunning creatures as guests of African Lion Safari. This year, we made a point of heading out to the Birds of Prey flying demonstration and were not disappointed in the least. Such majestic birds!

I know we've pondered about what the fox says but has anyone ever asked themselves, "What does the squirrel say?"

*** Pssst! I have a giveaway going on for my readers in the US and it has really low entries. It's a Barker Creek Back to School prize pack containing some cool educational resources! ***

A few weeks ago, our grade eight students went to Montreal and I joined them as a chaperone. One of our stops was at the Biodôme. Of particular note were the lynx. Not just because they were so cute but because everyone was so fascinated with their dinner.  

Warning: The last photo is not intended for those with a weak stomach.

For the past four years, my friend and I get the kids together during the March Break for our annual tradition - painting pottery at Crock a Doodle. The kids love it and we enjoy watching their artistic talents mature year after year. My kids had an added bonus of painting during our Summer at Blue stay at Blue Mountain in Collingwood. The projects in the photo have yet to be kiln-fired and glazed but they still look cute, don't you think? If you live in Toronto and want to check out a Crock a Doodle studio, the nearest location would be in Oakville. But rumour has it there will a couple of studios opening up in Toronto soon! By the way, check out this cute idea for an Easter-themed mug. 

I was browsing through some of my earlier card designs on my craft blog and saw these two personalized Disney-themed cards I made for a co-worker's twins five years. They were fun to make but, boy, they sure took a lot of time. You see Ariel? Each coloured area is a separate piece of paper, including her lips, the blue of her eyes and the white part, too. And McQueen was made using several printouts that I cut by hand and layered with foam dots. Clearly I had more time on my hands back then.

Today, my daughter turns 8 years old. Oh, how I wish I could turn back the hands of time...