Bummed

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 1 comment
I'm a little bummed, we found out today my principal is being moved over to another school to help with some achievement gaps (AKA, there are a lot of teachers there that have been there forever and don't want to change), and we are getting a new principal who is currently a Vice Principal. The principals being impacted didn't even know it was going to happen until yesterday, but the district made sure there was no going back, they already have letters out for the parents and principals etc etc etc etc etc, it's NUTS! I hate change, I had decided to give it one more year to try to avoid MORE change, but in the end I can accept it, that's part of life, the part that upsets me the most is how the head hanchos absolutely didn't listen to ONE person's opinion at all three schools that were affected. The principal leaving where Sandy is going, our school's staff, and the principal the VP is being moved over from. I hate not having a voice when we are just 'soooooo' important. We are planning on writing GRACIOUS, POSITIVE letters to the district, but I've seen where it has taken me in the past.....I don't fear next year as much as I'm frustrated over feeling ignored. It's a change none of the principals were for, and it just seems like there is another way, this has been something the district has done year after year, why not try fixing the schools that aren't working, as opposed to taking someone out of a school that IS working and moving them over....it seems like time after time, the school they go to improves, and where they leaves declines....there has to be a better, mentoring, positive approach! Hopefully we won't decline....we have almost achieved the goals we had set, and have been the 'model' school for those around with lower income families......blah.....

Congratulations!!!

Monday, April 24, 2006 No comments
Congratulations to Sandye and Wolf! They got engaged this last week on a family cruise! I can't wait for all the wedding details....I love wedding bells! I also treasure Sandye's friendship....and I'm so excited to see her happily ever after coming true :O)

Lucy Park Trail

Sunday, April 23, 2006 2 comments

Wichita Falls


This weekend my Mom, Aunt and I went to visit my cousin Holly in Wichita Falls (going West in Texas), just for fun. First off, I was told to absolutely NOT share any photos (see above shot of Lucy Park in Wichita, that lead to 'the falls').....but I have chosen MY favorite, and I've chosen to disobey those orders b/c A) They are NOT that scary and B) There is no sensible reason WHY I can't share a lovely photo op and C) If A and B weren't enough reasons, I never did listen well, why start now? We spent most of Saturday shopping, and swimming (and eating).....but we stopped to hike this trail in Lucy Park which leads to 'The Falls'....the original falls are now gone, but this is what the city built in it's place, the last time we tried taking this hike the falls were "turned off".....it lost some of the effect, this time they not only turned the falls on for our visit, but also turned on the sprinklers. BONUS nature walk!

Turkey!

Friday, April 21, 2006 1 comment

This evening I went out with 12 people from work to a Turkish restaurant downtown. It was a lot of fun. They had a belly dancer that got a quite a few people from our group up to work off some of the humus. For those of you who haven't eaten Turkish food, it's apparently similar to Greek food. It was something I'd definitely try again, they used a lot of orange spices. I got the most tame thing on the menu, it was supposed to be a pizza, but it tasted like cheesy breadsticks to me! It was really fabulous, but similar to lots of things I had before, so I guess I wasn't very adventurous! BUT I enjoyed dinner, and in the end, that's all the matters. I didn't get everyone in the shot, but you get the point! Carlos was a great sport (we LOVE Carlos) and Mike and I traded spaces after he saw he was easy access to get picked by the dancer.....he was a little too shy to show his moves.

Working 9 to 5....

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 1 comment
...don't I wish.....anyway, so TOMORROW is the Reading TAKS day (that's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Testing to those that perhaps don't reside in Texas, or watch education stories on the news)....it's pretty much the pinnacle of the year for the Texas intermediate teachers (though 6th grade 'graduation' will be right up there for me this year). I THINK they are ready, but I'll be glad when it's over and I can't do anything more to prepare for this test. My focus after TAKS is making sure my kiddos are ready for 7th grade and no 7th grade English teacher ever says "Who in the WORLD was YOUR Language Arts teacher last year?"...as they muddle through grammar, or try to say they've never worked with prepositional phrases, unless of course it is said out of gratitude and amazement at the sheer magnitude of knowledge they possess...I'll hold my breath for that one!

YIPPEE!

Monday, April 17, 2006 No comments
I've finally booked my summer vacation, due to some major hikes in airline prices, and hotels and everything else in between, I thought my summer would have a MUCH different look to it (like maybe a sprinkler and a Dr Pepper with a little umbrella), but we LITERALLY stumbled across a couple of FABULOUS deals that put my original plans back on track. My Mom and I are headed on our annual vacation this year (she got to pick, I figured A) It just so happens to be her year and B) If anyone deserves a vacation that doesn't involve major surgery it is her!). June 5th and Hawaii, here I come!

Happy Easter!

Sunday, April 16, 2006 2 comments

Happy Easter! This morning we all met up and attended church together, which was a great way to start out the morning. Lunch went well, though we missed Jimmy and Lydia (I took a picture of what it would have looked like if you had been here, it's a rice crispie treat, covered with white chocolate, with a decorative face, the reflection from the camera doesn't lend well to getting the 'full effect' :O)). Everyone had a good time, and enjoyed a great meal, and a game of BUNNY basketball afterwards (Horse, to those of you who haven't participated in holiday 'sporting' activities at my house, the name just changes to a seasonal character, or birthday person's name). Brian is probably tired of winning and would like some real competition to visit again soon (though I got CLOSER this year than in the past, watch out.....I might start practicing before the next holiday, and then who KNOWS what sort of chaos will come down). Jason enjoyed consulting with the Easter bunny this year and purchasing goodies to leave for Xavier and Taylor.....ironically, the tooth fairy had to come the same evening....I would have liked to have seen that match up. I hope that each of you had a peaceful Easter and a chance to reflect on the history behind the holiday, and the blessings it brings to our future! I can't wait to hear what the bunny brought you, and how you each spent your day!

These are a few of my favorite things :O)

Saturday, April 15, 2006 No comments

Nicole and I closed down Cold Stone tonight eating ice cream and chatting until well past bedtime :O)....some of my favorite memories include an ice cream or a salad (OR BOTH!) with Nicole....it's nice to just TALK....as much as I hate time and space that sometimes creeps into friendships at life gets hectic....it makes it so much sweeter to finally get a chance to catch up and remember how time and space never really effect friendship if you don't let it! All it takes is an ice cream get together to fill in all the spaces that went between.

Scarborough Faire


It's not every day you see a man in swim fins walk a tight rope and juggle knives......this is just one of the things my cousin, Mom and I saw today at Scarborough Faire, it's been quite a few years since I went....the food was fabulous, and odd, the shows were entertaining...and per usual, I think the most interesting element happened to be the other attendees ;o)....I was going to post jousting pictures or the buildings....but I figured you probably have seen those :O).....but maybe you haven't caught this act yet!

Mom Update....

Thursday, April 13, 2006 No comments

Thanks for all the calls and emails regarding my Mom, she is doing fabulous....and is planning on returning to work next week full time (the whole lottery thing apparently didn't work out, so she's figures it's about that time). BUT.....I found this picture on the camera (not the most flattering, but SOOOO THEM!).....she said she snapped it one day while she and the dogs were hanging out....apparently this is what they did ALL day together...lay around and watch court shows.....Max and Lilly are going to be in for some big surprises next week....who will change the channel for them from Judge Judy to Judge Alex mid afternoon?!?!? With the way things are going, they will be taking ME to court sometime soon....

Congratulations Carrilee and Tim!....

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 No comments
...on a PRECIOUS baby boy! Henry came into the world a few weeks early, I guess he heard he had two fabulous parents waiting to meet him :O). I'm working on his Baylor letter of recommendation now....sing him the fight song for me! I can't wait to meet him in person! He's a cutie :O)

Ranger's Game!

Monday, April 10, 2006

This weekend I went to my first Ranger's game of the season....I also got my first burn, everyone needs a funky burn to start out the summer, I got mine, half my body is crispy, the left side is still pasty white, I think my eyeballs are even burnt.....boy is it painful, just another reminder to WEAR SUNSCREEN. OK....back to my 'boys'....I knew very few of the guys playing :O(....though Detroit was in town with their new pitcher (our OLD pitcher, Kenny Rogers, who attacked the camera man last season.....how proud we were), he was booed. Pudge Rodriguez also plays for the Tigers now :O(.....he was cheered. Can you believe it, we actually WON!!! I think it's like the second win of the year....we are just warming up...of course. The next game I'm headed to is May 6th, I'm taking Taylor, Xavier, and the rest of the family (Jason, the sports fanatic did NOT want to be left out)....we play the Yankees, maybe I can bring some good charma (just fyi, positive Yankee comments are NOT permitted on this blog ;oP).

My first quilt

It is finished....my very first quilt, as some of you know, I cut and sewed the blocks together over Christmas Vacation, and then I left it to be quilted a few months back (Who knew it took so long? Or cost so much!). Here it is....my very first experience quilting....I already have the fabric to make another....this one will be for me :O). The quilt in this picture is going to be a Mother's Day gift....you can't really tell, but the flowers are really 'Hawaii' and my Mom has always loved green, but she's added pink to her list the last few years, so it suits her. My quilt is going to be lavenders and blues (which suits me more). I have a few projects to get work on before I go back to sewing...like cleaning the dust bowl I live in.

IKEA

Sunday, April 02, 2006 No comments
Today I did a 'first'.....after teaching Saturday school, I ended up getting lost on the way to the mall I wanted to visit, and since I had to be back over here in time to go to a birthday party this evening I just decided to do something I've never done before----->Shop at IKEA, when the store opened awhile back, I remember hearing murmurs from Houston friends when they got their store, and it was all over the news here, about the hours people spent in line etc.....and lines that were a mile long blah blah blah. So....today I went. It was very crowded, but nothing like the opening day.....but, wow, what a great store! It would be even more fabulous for someone with a modern house, but I still managed to spend a pretty penny, but I got great value for my money...everything was SOOOOO affordable, it was shocking to see such great prices on some pretty cool gadgets. It's definitely worth seeing at least once....