Personal training has started

First off, thanks again to all my friends and family who contributed to my very nice tenure gift. I have started with my new personal trainer this week.

Being at a university, there is a really good gym on campus and it is the most convenient place possible for me to work out. Teaching at a university means that the gym is crowded with undergraduates who know who I am which is a bit weird at times. Like the change room when I am naked. Please don't talk to me now. So, it is no surprise that my trainer is indeed, an undergrad in my department, in one of the programs I teach in. Lucky for me, she has never actually taken a course with me but the whole professor-student thing is still a bit odd. She does add on "you probably know this already" to a lot of the information she provides but I just say "Oh good to know" even if I do. I don't know everything and its better she tells me.

The first week was some fitness assessments and apparently I am much more flexible and have better mobility than she expected. I have a stiff rotator cuff that she needs to work on but mostly, I am in better shape that I thought and she expected. It was good to hear "Wow! that's great" during my assessment.

This week, I am learning the work out plan. Cardio for 20 minutes 2-3 times a week, upper body weight training one day a week and lower body weight training one day a week. Surprisingly, I have been doing too much cardio and for too long. She has me doing interval training which turned out to be wicked harder than I thought but cuts my workouts shorter, which is greatly needed on some days. The weight training is tough and I am very sore for the next day or so.

Part of this is sorting out what I can and can't do. On Tues, I dropped a weight on my head because I had too much weight for a shoulder press. The trainer grabbed it pretty quick so I didn't hurt anything, just a slight, glancing blow to the head (sounds great, doesn't it?). Clearly, too much weight. Yesterday, I was doing squats and ended up sitting down with the weight instead of coming back up and I swear I had the sensation that my legs were jello after many lunges. But so far, she has been very smart and planned a workout that leaves me sore but mobile the next day. She completely gets that I can't be in immense pain the next day.

I can see already that the trainer will be very helpful in planning my workouts and figuring out what I need to do in the gym. I'll have her do a travel workout for me too, so I can transition to Sweden and still work out. Thanks!!

Raynham in Figure Skating action!

Galen in hockey action!

Seven Years Old!

Happy Holidays!

We'll be living in Sweden for a year!

My lovely wife is now a tenured Associate Professor. Officially, this doesn't happen until July 1, 2012 but we are already celebrating. With the promotion comes Joanna's first sabattical, a year long paid leave to perform research at another institution. She has selected the laboratory of Dr. Malin Celander at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. So, as of July 1, 2012 we will all be living in Gothenburg, Sweden for one year and will be renting out our house to someone spending the year at McMaster. The good news is that we have already secured housing and almost have the school registration for the kids. We'll be living in the old, cobblestone section of Gothenburg in a 2-story, 3-bedroom condo. There will be a guest room! Here are some pictures and maps.

Drottninggatan Street View.

View Gothenburg & Sweden in a larger map

Our Place in Gothenberg!
Drottninggatan

3 gold stars

Our household appears to be super-achievers this week. The highlights...

Ray - skater extraordinare; was invited to a special "Talent Night" (although it is not at night) for figure skating. It looks like an indoctrination of young skaters into the sport but she was one of 2 children from her learn-to-skate program invited this year to 2 one-hour skates. Ray is thrilled and will tell you she will represent Canada in the Olympics at some point in the future. She is also trying to convince me that this is a team sport because she plans to skate with a boy, although in pairs or dance is not yet clear.

Galen - hockey superstar; won the golden jersey in a vast marketing ploy by a certain burger joint that is underwriting uniforms for atom hockey this year. The golden jersey is awarded for best performance in the game and is to be worn at the next practice. Galen got this honor because he skated his butt off and showed the most amazing hustle, stick handling, passing and defensive play of his team yesterday. It was enough to invoke a "Holy CRAP!" from the opposing bench's coaches when he wove down the ice between several players using both stick and feet to advance the puck. No goal but that was because of superb goaltending on the opposing bench, not for lack of many excellent shots.

Mom - tenure. After a very ambiguous letter for the university, it was clear I'd made it past the faculty of Science and the senate appointments committee. The Senate meets on Wed but I have been told by my department chair that the ambiguous letter was as good as gold, go ahead and tell everyone. And my research leave has been approved!

Halloween Parade

Every LEGO houseboat needs a bathroom

Raynham's latest LEGO project is a houseboat. Ever practical, she is covering every detail...

The run

It is fall Cross Country Running time here in Ontario. The grade 1-5 classes have been practicing - Galen before school, much to his dislike since it requires getting up early. Ray has been practicing at lunch. They had their school race last week and both placed well.

Ray, to my surprise, loved the running and placed 5th or 6th (depending on which parent she spoke to). The uncertainty in her placement is lost when you ask about how she placed compared to the girls (boys and girls run together in grade 1 and 2). There was only 1 girl ahead of her. Her attitude was typical Ray. "All my friends are complaining that the race is too long. I don't know what they are talking about. It is fine!" (visualize eye roll and look of disgust). Quite the little competitor this year. In soccer too, she was right in there. So it seems, our daughter has found a love of sports. Yippee!

Galen has been working very hard because in his grades, the top 12 go on to the regional race. Since grade 3, he has just missed that goal, hovering in the top 15 but just out of the top 12. This year? He was 11. Yesterday was the race at a local conservation area. Galen ran his heart out and placed 61 out of a pool of over 150 kids. He was in the top half of the pack the whole way and did great. He is becoming super competitive and wanted a top 30 finish. Not quite there but luckily, his competitiveness is balanced. He had fun, ran well, and ran hard. Satisfaction can be had, even when you don't get the result you desired. I love the attitude. The chocolate milk, provided by a friend's parent, at the end of the race, the football game after with the boys, the half day from school, and money from dad for the concession stand (slushies and bubblegum) were adequate enough to provide a great day for G! Best of all? I got to watch and cheer.

Back to School 2011!

End of the School Year

Schools Out!

Today is the last day of school and Ray has "graduated" from kindergarten. That means:
1. All day at "galen's school" next year
2. No more day care (we LOVE not writing that check!)
3. Playing on the big playground (this is a very cool, big deal)

Ray had GLOWING, spectacular report cards from both public school and the SK program at the daycare. Nearly all C's (this is the top grade - consistently performs skill) from public school.

Galen has really recovered from his hard year. The decision to push for a classroom move was a very good one. He is ending grade 4 loving school again. He got straight B's, so passed well in all areas. He has set himself a goal to get some A's on his first grade 5 report card because he was disappointed by his grades (Perfectionist? Absolutely!). I LOVE the goal setting. Next year is his LAST in elementary school. Can you believe it?

For now, school is nearly out for summer and they head to Green Bay, WI for their first week alone with Nana and Poppa. Not sure who is more excited for this but it will be a great kick start to their summer!

JB and the glamour queen

On a recent trip to for summer hair cuts, I decided that the faster we got through the salon, the better. Each kid got a different stylist and were in the chairs at the same time. Doubt I will be doing that again- unless they are side by side. Seated across the salon = bad idea.

Galen shed his long shaggy locks to avoid the sticky hair that comes with sunscreen + long hair. He wanted to keep as much length on top and ended up with a haircut that makes him look like Justin Bieber. No joke.

Ray is still trying to grow her hair as long a Rapunzel and avoids the cut at all costs. Just a trim and the smaller the trim the better. She figured on getting my money's worth though. I turned back from checking on G and found the hairdresser with the flat iron. Don't move! super HOT! I was freaking out a bit. "Is this her first time getting her hair straightened? You don't do this at home?" asked the hairdresser (with a faintly vacant look on her face). DUH. Who straightens hair for a 6 year old? That seems like something more related to someone 16, not 6. A little late, hairdresser asks for permission. Ray was in LOVE. She got a tiny french braid across the top of her forehead too. Guess what she will be asking for from now on?

Bunny bathing day