Henoch-Schönlein Purpura - Are You Freakin' Kidding Me? (Also known as my 200th post)

This is a post about HSP.  If you are reading this sometime in the future, and you have stumbled upon this blog, please know that I am not a health care professional, but I am a mom documenting our family's history.  So please read on, but know that this is our story, and should not be used to diagnose or treat HSP.  If you think you or your child has HSP, trust your gut and go to the doctor.

It all began a few days before Christmas. 

Miss A had a high fever one night (Dec. 23), and we decided that she should not come to the Nativity practice. 

On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), I called and arranged to have Miss A seen by the doctor at the clinic in town. 

School Christmas Traditions

What's not to love about Christmas?

Here is a recap of some of the fun things the girls got to do during Advent, leading up to Christmas.

Longtime Traditions.  

Still Laughing

Seven years ago, Eli and I made the best decision ever... and we're still laughing about it!

We got married following a great big nor' easter in Miramichi  with 90 cm of snow,

celebrating with our family and friends

(who came to partake in scarf-dancing, Bon Jovi-singing, and cowboy boot-wearing fun!). 

Daddy's Christmas Present

Christmas cheer is so much fun to share!

Once school was out, the girls and I found time to make Daddy's Christmas present.

The project was Miss G's idea.

An Angel's Work is Never Done

The girls were invited to join the Christmas Nativity Pageant on Christmas Eve night during the Children's Mass for our church.

We practiced a few nights over the weekend, and I made the angel costumes for the Nativity play.

Miss G was an angel.

Christmas Memories with Gramma and Grampum

Saturday was our first official day of Christmas vacation, and Gramma and Grampum invited the girls over to the house for a few hours on their own (without Mommy and Daddy).

The girls were very excited!

They helped to decorate Gramma and Grampum's tree, had hot chocolate WITH candy canes in the mug, decorated gingerbread cookies, and had plum pudding (actually, chocolate pudding, but Strawberry Shortcake has a strong hold on the girls!).

Miss G's Grade 1 Christmas Concert

Tuesday was Miss G's big Christmas Concert Day!

On Monday, the school got to see the dress rehearsal for the Grade 1 to 5 concert, and that's my big chance to figure out the best place to sit for the best concert pictures of my girl.

I managed to sneak down to the gym to catch her matinee performance, and Daddy got to see the whole afternoon show.

Miss A's Christmas Concert

I was just looking at the girls' Christmas Concert picutres from last year, and my-oh-my they were cute!

But some of these ones... well, it's just too hard to pick a favourite year, and so I won't.

This year, Miss A was in the Preschool and Kindergarten Christmas concert, "Waiting for Jesus... Songs from theh First Christmas," along with my Kindergarten class, so I went from teacher (directing the class in song with gestures and my off key voice, but with loads of enthusiasm) to Mommy in as much time as it takes to get 26 kids off the stage and for me to get my big camera hung around my neck.

Daddy was away this week, and scheduled to land in Yellowknife a few minutes before the concert began, so above you can see Miss A searching the crowd for Daddy. 

She had just asked me, "Mommy, is Daddy here?"

Miss A and the Ledge

Christmas traditions are repeating themselves once again this year, and Miss A got to go to the Ledge this year to decorate a Christmas tree, just as Miss G did last year, and as every Kindergarten student in Yellowknife has done for nearly 20 years.

The tree decorating for Kindergarten classes at our school was last Wednesday, December 5th.

I had a chance to come by in the morning to wish Miss A a fun time, but I had to stay behind at school this year, because I had a Kindergarten class of my own to take later that morning! 

Daddy's work is very close to the Legislature building, so he was able to meet Miss A at the Ledge.  This was taken at 9:00 am, dawn... before sunrise. 

Now, THAT'S cold!

It's been about 10 to 12 degrees BELOW normal temperatures for this time of year for weeks now, and you can imagine my excitement over breaking so many cold temperature records.

Apparently, last winter WAS abnormally "warm."

So, the lakes are frozen, the snow behaves oddly in the cold temperature: 

snow below -20 behaves like cold sand, it squeaks, and it doesn't get removed from the roads, so snow tires really are a necessity.

On Saturday, it was cold, and both Eli and his buddy, Barry, were off and eager to go on a long snowmobile ride... the first of the season.  The girls and I went shopping.

They left around 10:00 am and planned to be back around 3:00 pm, not-so-coincidentally coinciding with the only daylight hours we have right now.

 

Eli was back home by 3:00 pm, and had a warm-up shower before I got back from shopping.

Once I brought my shopping bags inside, Eli casually said,

"So, Barry fell through the ice today."

Japanese Celebrity

I am fully aware that I have been slacking off of the blog postings lately.

I have a few explanations:

1. Report Cards (my teacher friends will know that this is the only explanation necessary to inspire a full whirlwind of procrastination techniques)

2. Three-Way Conferences with parents and students

3. Advent activities leading up to Christmas

4. Weird stuff

This week, it is my goal to update you on the weird stuff because, let's face it, that's why you love me.

So, today, I will tell you about my day as a Japanese reality TV star.

Konnichiwa!

On Monday, a Japanese film crew arrived to follow around me and my class.  I knew about the filming in advance, as a child in my class is a member of a family that agreed to the filming.

The Japanese show that the crew was videoing for is called... and, truly, I can't make this stuff up...

Miss A's Rabbit Camp

Miss A went on her Rabbit Camp this week.

Last year, you might remember Miss G going on her Rabbit Camp in November.

It was so memorable for her; she still talks about it all the time.

This year, I also went on a Rabbit Camp with my own Kindergarten class.

We went last Thursday.

Eli went with Miss A on Tuesday, and he took some great pictures of her and her classmates learning about the snowshoe hare.

Daddy arrived at school before the bus arrived, and got to see all the Kinders getting their snow gear on.

It was COLD.  Below -30.  COLD. 

Presenting...

When I called Eli in Winnipeg, after I discovered Twofour on Friday afternoon, he said, "But, Shannon, we need to have bunnies."

It's true.  The more I thought about it.  It is totally true.  I've ALWAYS had bunnies in the house (since my first apartment when I was 18, going on 19...).

We've never been bunniless, not even for a night, as we've usually had bunnies in pairs. 

Twofour's buddy, Scooter, did not make it to our move across Canada, and we didn't want to have a baby bunny make the long trek as one of their first experiences...

We'd had told ourselves at the time that we'd get a northern bun later. 

But we hadn't gotten around to it.

Eli was going to Edmonton for the night before flying home (flight times are a little weird, sometimes), so he said that he would look around in Edmonton for a bunny (selection and supply is limited in Yellowknife).

I told him to look for two.

(Picture drawn by Miss G.)

Poor Little Twofour

When we came home from school last night, Twofour was having a very long sleep.

Poor Little Twofour.

Twofour certainly wasn't our longest-living bunny, but he is the bunny the girls had the strongest relationship with. 

I have written about all of my pet bunnies before.

My Flowery Birthday

It's my birthday!

The girls were excited to make cupcakes but we ran out of time after school.... The weekend!!

Eli is out of town on work stuff in Winnipeg. Exciting stuff, no doubt.

We'll celebrate on the weekend.

Gramma brought over these beautiful flowers from all of Eli's siblings and our siblings-in-laws.  Thank you.  So pretty on a cold, snowy day!!

Miss G's Journal

It's -20 outside.  -26 with the windchill.  Just thought you should know.

Miss G came home with a collection of school work on Monday.

I want to share with you her school journal.  I love it so much.

I used labels to record precisely what she intended to say in the journal, but I LOVE her phonetic spelling.

Today is Tuesday, September 18, 2012.

Santa is coming to town.

Why can't she write that in September?  Don't even pretend that your kids don't watch Christmas DVD's all year long! 

Miss G's Tooth!

Miss G lost her first tooth!!

Last week, she discovered a loose tooth.

It was only barely wiggly, but definitely wiggly, and we rejoiced!  This is a BIG deal to a six-year-old!

Last night, on her way to bed, Miss G was wiggling her tooth, and after she had been in bed for a while she popped out to show me just how wiggly her tooth was...  She had made a major jump in wiggliness!

This morning, Daddy told her that, if she wanted, he could use pliers to take out the tooth.

"Daddy, do you mean tools?"

Yup.

She thought about it, smiled, and decided on "maybe," but she wanted to try on her own.  No rush, after all.  Daddy is so funny!

There is no school on the days after Halloween here. 

The school district strategically plans professional development days after Halloween, and the parents seem to love it. 

This year, it is two back-to-back days, so it's a long weekend for families. 

This morning our girls went to Jaime's house for the day, our lovely neighbour in the court with the girls' good friends.

When I arrived to pick up the girls, Miss G had a brand new smile!

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween is SO MUCH FUN in a school.  I almost wish it were twice a year... Halloween in April, anyone?

My teaching buddy, Holly and I dressed up to celebrate with our Kinder Kids. 

Miss A was Super A. 

Miss G was a rainbow butterfly.  The Big Kids in the school put on a great Halloween carnival for the Little Kids, and Miss G had her face painted there!

My Classroom Pumpkins

I told you that I would show you my classroom pumpkins.  We PAINTED them this year!

It was the best decision I ever made... carving pumpkins with a large group of kids is hard work!

Pumpkin Time!

On Friday, I decorated six pumpkins with my class... I forgot to take pictures of the finished pumpkins, so hopefully tomorrow I'll have some to share with you, because I think they are really great!

Eli bought me some pumpkins for my class, and the girls picked out their own pumpkins at the same time.

We promised the girls that we would carve pumpkins on Saturday, and we kept our promise. 

Miss G wouldn't let us forget, anyways! 

Can you see that is is night outside the window in the drawing? 

It is dark here a lot more, now.

On our weather chart the other day, Miss G asked me where the "dark" picture was for the weather. 

I told her that dark wasn't weather, it was more about time, and in Yellowknife winter means dark, and summer means sun.

She agreed, and settled on "snowing" for the weather, since that is a continuous state outdoors now, too.

We're already two weeks into one-piece snowsuit weather.

The girls helped Daddy scoop out the insides... a bit.

Mommy's Classroom

My girls are so well trained at school.

When the bell rings, Miss G walks over to Mommy's Classroom to bring her backpack and outside gear (and usually Kid Doggie).

Miss A waits on the bench outside Mrs. F's classroom for me to come once all of my students have been picked up by their parents, and then she carries her things to Mommy's Classroom, too.

You see, the perk of having Mommy as a teacher is Mommy's Classroom, and all that comes with it!

Every Thursday, there is early dismissal for staff meetings and professional development.

The girls LOVE it when they get to stay in my room on their own on early dismissal days. 

I pack them a tasty snack, put on a movie, and they get to have fun.

Sometimes, other teachers' kids come to play, or the girls go play with them, and other times, they play on their own in my room.

I lock the classroom door from the outside, and they stay inside unless they have to use the washroom (right across the hall) or go to see the secretary in the office for help for very important things like for crayons or tape, and sometimes stickers or balloons.

Bus Tour of Yellowknife

On the last weekend in September, in between Eli's two back-to-back work trips, we took the girls and Papa on a bus tour around Yellowknife with another family we've met two ways...

The two men of the families work together, and their son, Mr. A, and our Miss A were in the same preschool together last year, and now I teach Mr. A!

The girls were PUMPED about the bus tour.

As children of a teacher, the girls don't get to take a bus to school, and so, of course, they covet the school bus.

This bus tour was on a school bus, which was perfectly fine with them!

Mr. A and Miss A loved giggling and playing together and bouncing from seat to seat whenever they had a chance.

Autumn Craftiness

Autumn brings out the craftiness in us.

It also brings out snowsuits and parkas... back to the front closet. 

They are there.

The girls had them on the other day.

Today, it snowed, and the kids in school were pumped, but it melted before recess... Our days are, quite literally, numbered.

Actually, we are pretty crafty any time of year, but the autumn here is cold and grey, so crafting it up inside is always fun.

Now, the girls have a pretty good base on crafting, so now they usually come up with the ideas based on things we have in our craft drawers or that we find in our outing to the store (Walmart... we work with what we've got, and Walmart has great craft ideas!).

How Gramma Got Her Groove Back

Gramma's got a new hip!

This was another big event happening in Yellowknife within the past two weeks.

Gramma got a new hip on September 25th.  Eli was out of town for work, and so was John.  I was happily able to go to the pre-surgery appointments with Gramma (to be an extra set of ears), but could not come to the hospital for the surgery itself.  Luckily, her pastor's wife, Lisa, was able to bring her to the hospital, and I was able to stop by the hospital several times that week.

Here is are some excerpts from the family email I sent out following the surgery:

Miss G's Great Race

Holy Busy, Batman... 

Eli has been away for the past two weeks, with one day and two nights in the middle at home, which really just messed up any sense of irregular regularity I managed to establish.

The girls have been busy with school.

Autumn Family Pictures

I've been slacking... clearly...

I have no really good reason not to have updated the blog.

You know, except for having a full-time job, and being a full-time mom, and a full-time wifey, and a full-time Shannon...

Oh, I've played around with the layout of the blog a bit, too... it's more like a magazine, and you click on the story to read more.

I like it because I can scroll down on the main page and see the posts with a picture each.

Speaking of pictures, this has been a picture perfect day.

Not a cloud in the sky, beautiful and warm...

Squeezing the Last Bit Out of Summer

We are approaching the end of our second week of school, and it has been eventful, let me tell you.

Lovely, in almost every way.

Except for my cell phone being stolen. 

Oh, and I confronted the thief (who was in my classroom), but didn't realize he had stolen my phone until after he'd bolted from the school.  Nice.  Classy.

I tell ya, Pumba, if I weren't the size I am I would have pummelled the guy.

Now, on to the whole point of this blog post... summer is slipping away.

It's true in every way.

We are losing a steady 6 minutes of precious daylight every day now.

Three whole hours will be gone in a month.  Six hours in two months... 9 hours in... oh, forget it, the stats are bumming me out.

The temperatures have dropped.  But, nothing negative.  Yet.

The leaves are DEFINITELY changing.

And, we have toques by our front door for the morning air.

Last year, I wrote about Autumn in August, and it is just oh-so-true.

We'll have snow on the ground in about a month.

And, by the end of October, Eli might try to get in one more boating trip, and find the lake frozen, just like last year. 

(Don't worry, he has a boating trip planned for later this month!)

The girls and I are more prepared for the winter this time around, but I must admit that I cringe when I see "normal" daylight hours whip past me in a month, and lead into... "The Dark."

Miss G knows how to take advantage of the last days of summer...

A picnic!!

Sharing Mrs. F with Miss A

Miss A is an official Kinder.

This means that she has Miss G's favourite Kindergarten teacher (from last year), Mrs. F all to herself (so to speak) this school year!

Last week, I was busy doing the Kindergarten teacher thing, and Miss A was doing the Kindergarten student thing, which was pretty special.

So, last week, Miss A and Daddy came in for Kindergarten interviews, which is a chance for the parents and child to meet the Kindergarten teacher in a one-on-one visit before school really kicks into gear.

 I came down the hall to meet them for our interview time, and this is what I saw...

Miss G, First Grader!

I handled this first day of school better than last year.

I think it's because the teachers are no longer strangers to me, but colleagues and, most importantly, ridiculously awesome people.

And, I haven't JUST moved across the country.

Nor am I teaching middle school for the first time.

Nor am I returning to full time work for the first time since the girls were born.

Man, it's a miracle I survived last year at all!

Greenhouse in Yellowknife

The girls and I have been putting in a few hours at school each day, so I'm not too rushed when school begins, and so that when Eli comes back from Inuvik and the girls are having long school days, we can have regular evenings without me being overwhelmed with start-up school details.

That's the plan.

Happy Birthday, Nanny!

Nanny celebrated her birthday today in New Brunswick while we were up North, with Papa visiting, but we managed to meld the celebrations together.

The girls called Nanny in the morning, and here Miss A is laughing pretty hard at the talking card we sent Nanny with a knock-knock joke inside.

Play Hard, Sleep Hard

I snapped these pictures before Eli left on his trip to Inuvik.

Oh, as a side note, Eli took our new favourite indestructible shock-proof, water-proof, sand-proof, everything-proof digital camera up North, and is documenting everything.

Just wait until you see what he saw in Tuktoyaktuk yesterday on a flight up to the "other" ocean shore of Canada.

And, yes, he did dutifully take off his military boots and socks to walk around in the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean.  Love it!!

Anyways, you'll have to wait with me for a complete post series on travelling to the north-North, as in North of Yellowknife upon his return in less than two weeks.

I digress.  I do that a lot.

Each night, before we go to bed, we check on the girls sleeping in their beds.

All day, they approach life at 110% enthusiasm.

The play hard right up until that moment when sleep comes to them.

Once they are asleep, an elephant could dance in their room, and they'd hardly open their eyes to check it out.

I can flick on the light, mop, put laundry away, and tidy toys while they are sleeping.

When we go in to to check on the girls right before we go to sleep, this is what we find.

Usually, Miss A still has her flashlight on, with a book discarded close by that she was reading (see The Three Little Kittens?).

We dutifully slide books from underneath them, turn them around, adjust their pillows, snuggle and tuck them in. 

In short, we love them and hug them and call them George. 

When Daddy is home, he sneaks them to the bathroom for a sleepy potty break.

I take over on nights when he is not around, and while the top bunk poses some challenge, I have it down to a science.

They usually stay asleep, and give the best hugs to and from the bathroom.

Sweet dreams, Sleeping Beauties...

School Supply Shopping

I love school supplies.

My girls do, too.

We've got school on the mind, since the girls have been "helping" me as I set up the classroom and clean all of the toys and learning materials (I'm a germ freak, what can I say?).

This morning, after breakfast, we packed up to go to Staples to take in Teacher Appreciation Day, and to get the girls their school supplies.

As the girls were getting in the car, I passed them their supply lists, which were in their report card envelopes in June, and happily have photos of everything on the list, so the girls could follow along. 

Once we arrived, the girls consulted their lists.

Not surprisingly, they wanted to get everything in order, so we did. 

And, as we went, they each got to check the items off their own list.

We got things for my classroom after the girls had everything on their lists.

Have you gone back to school shopping yet?

Are you as excited as the girls?

Our Busy August Weekend

This weekend was busy.

I didn't realize it was busy while we were in the middle of it, but it was!

It all started on Friday with Papa's birthday!

On Friday, after swim lessons, I took the girls out to get Papa birthday presents.

They had VERY SPECIFIC ideas about what Papa would like for his birthday, and couldn't wait for Papa to arrive home on Friday evening from work. 

Miss A wanted to get Papa a robot.

"Miss A, why do you think Papa would like a robot?"

"Um.  Papa likes robots.  And, Papa can share his robot with ME!" 

Miss G wanted to get Papa a stuffy to sleep with, and she picked this soft and cute puppy dog.

His name is Patch. 

Patch has yet to spend a night in Papa's bed, because Papa tells Miss G that Patch really likes all of her doggy toys in her bed.

She has yet to argue with his about that! 

Eli and I picked out Papa's cake... any guess who got the duckies?

Papa, Miss G and Miss A. 

We thought about switching the numbers around to read 26, but Papa is very secure with his age and was like, "No way!  I'm 62!  Put 62!"

Excellent attitude! 

I don't think Papa managed to blow out either candle on his own. 

The girls are fast at candle blowing! 

Birthdays bring their enthusiasm for life up about 10 notches to beyond extreme.

Friday night, Daddy snuggled with the girls. 

Please note that Miss G is snuggling with Patch (and her owl), and Miss A has Robot (and her seal, which you can't really see).

Last night Miss G sighed and said, "Papa really loves his presents.  He loves to share them, too!" 

Daddy got some extra special snuggle time on Friday night, because on Saturday morning, I drove Eli to his work early in the morning so he could meet up with the rest of the crew heading to Inuvik (which is far North in the Northwest Territories) for Operation Nanook.

He'll be in Inuvik assisting with the air operations for Op Nanook for 18 days in total, returning the day before the girls' first day of school.

He says the weather is about 2 or 3 weeks ahead of us in Yellowknife, and it is cooling off.

I'm not surprised, because it feels like some autumn air is pushing in here, too!

He is sharing a tent with six other guys, and he says that it is luxurious by many other military standards.

Eli packed well, and sent me this picture of his cot and space within an hour of landing in Inuvik.

They have good food services within the operation itself, and Eli brought his little mini burner for making coffee and other snacks, too.

And, last night, he went fishing with some rare downtime with some of his buddies, so I think he'll manage just fine.

Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, Papa and I ordered in.

On my way back home from picking up our supper, I saw this parked close to my house, and it totally cracked me up. 

Ah, Northern humour.

After church on Sunday, I stopped by my classroom to drop off the puppets and stuffies (reading buddies) I took home to put in the laundry, and to bring home another bag of toys to clean. 

I've been in the school a few days so far to set it up, and I had help on the first day from a good friend Michelle who volunteered to help me move my furniture around. 

Any teacher friend of mine know that Michelle must be a good friend!

It's coming together nicely, and I'll take you on a full tour once it's all set up. 

Later on Sunday, Papa introduced the girls to Jiffy Pop.

They were totally amazed and pumped to pop popcorn this way!

Usually, we just use our popcorn popper (we don't own a microwave, and haven't for many years).

They polished off almost all of the popcorn, and had some help from Papa.

Then, I moved into the kitchen to make a tuna casserole for a family in the community who needs a little extra lovin' right now. 

I'm sure they would appreciate a prayer from you, too.

When I returned from my supper delivery, the girls were on the front deck with Papa and our neighbour friends, all drawing in notebooks.

This is Miss A's Giant.  He's grumpy.

This is Miss G's bird in a bird house.

Maybe next year a family of birds will move into our bird house in the tree in the front yard.

And, on Sunday evening, I finished these dresses for the girls.

This was my weekend project, and likely what made the weekend so busy when I looked back over it!

The girls love looking at fabric, and this was picked by Miss G.

I had to modify the pattern a bit, because the girls are to teeny tiny.

I fully lined the dresses, and I loved the ruffle (called a flounce) on the hem of the dress. 

I'm so impressed with myself!

I had to bind every hem because the fabric was challenging to work with, but the final product looks great and the girls love them.

Oh, and they think they should be fashion girls.

What do you think?