Okay I'm Pissed

No child left behind..... a great thought that lead to a great crock!

I was sitting with my youngest children (6 & 8) last night. They have been talking about the BIG TEST they are going to be taking soon. Their poor teachers have had to all but cease teaching at this point (its January), in favor of teaching the children how to take the TEST (its in April). My daughter who makes near perfect marks on everything is a perfectionist who puts constant pressure on herself. She is scared to death and cried repeatedly about not being able to correctly color in the answer bubbles. My son, who has some learning issues, flat out told me he couldn't do it. He is not only practicing at school for the test, but is now bringing home extra test practice to do at home. He is highly intelligent but, thanks to the TEST feels completely incapable.

No child left behind has not only failed our children, it is failing our teachers. The pressure they are under is incredible considering that the extra funding for their school is directly affected by these test scores.

Obviously there are some good things about the NCLBA, and the purpose of the Act cannot be dismissed (to raise the standard of education in America). However, serious reform is needed.

If you want to read more the link to an overview of the NCLBA along with concerns (pro and con) is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind

GUESS WHAT...

WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The kids won't know until tonight, but (being somewhat of a kid myself), I had to blab!

Happy Birthday Nathan

THE SHADOW OF A MAN
Yesterday you were a baby with a cheerful, jolly smile,
Then you grew a little, your personality grew a mile,
You ran and played with abandon caring not who would see,
Sometimes I wished there was more of this inside of me,
You grew a little more and it brought you into pain,
Even though you walked through with strength, the tears left their stain,
I see you now emerging, ready for your new experiences in life,
Working, laughing, loving, joined together with a wife,
One moment you were a child, running, yelling "catch me if you can"
But when I turned to reach you I saw the shadow of a man.

Happy birthday Nathan. I love you.

Just When You Think

Just when you think that your children are part of an elaborate plan to take over the world with a band of evil geniuses......

They have a picnic with their dog in the living room floor, and sweetly enjoy popcorn and a movie together.

It is a brilliant cover-up.

(Please ignore the pile of unfolded clothes in the background.)

Bucket List

The movie Bucket List, has started a wave of radio shows, tv shows etc. doing there own. For those of you who don't know, a bucket list is simply put: A list of things to do before you kick the bucket.

Here is mine.

See each of my children become a well adjusted adult.
Travel with my husband (anywhere and everywhere)
Find one thing I am exceptional at....and do it.
See at least one show on Broadway
Ride on an airplane
write a book (even if it is never published)
see the ocean
hold my own grandchild

This is a list I hope to add to (and more importantly subtract from), I like this much better than New Year's resolutions. It made me search my own heart for what it longs for. I don't do that often enough.

What is on your Bucket List?

The Battle Within

I HAVE YET TO HEAR A MAN ASKING HOW TO MANAGE A CAREER AND A MARRIAGE

I received this in an e-mail today, and it got me thinking.......Why do women struggle so much with these issues? I do, on a daily basis. I struggle with, "should I go back to work?" "are my kids better off with me constantly available to them?" "am I really satisfied with where I am?" "what could I do to reach my full potential...and not inconvenience my family." "Am I setting a good example for my girls?" The list could go on.

Does anyone else out there have this constant struggle, this tug-of-war within them. Truly wanting to do right by the family God has blessed you with, but wondering what is "right"? I know women who seem to "have it all", but do they? This has to be one of the things I battle with most often..... Any thoughts?

Democracy doesn't work

I am (as of yet) undecided on who I will cast my vote for in the 2008 presidential election. I am strongly leaning towards a candidate and when I reach my decision will definitely blog accordingly.

The democracy I want to share about is a much smaller one, it occurs regularly.... at my dinner table.

There have been many votes cast over the years. Decisions made regarding the fate of a recipe (was it liked or destined for the garbage). Whose favorite color is pink.... and many other very important issues have been decided in this family democracy of mine.

Tonight over dinner however, our democracy failed.... miserably.

I made a common dinner for our house (a combination of scrambled eggs, sausage and white rice), but instead of regular biscuits I tried something new. I rolled little pieces of biscuit dough into balls put three/four of the balls in a muffin tin and made pull-apart muffins. I then served each muffin, slightly opened, with a dollop of butter and jelly in each one. My children were blown away by my culinary masterpiece, and a spirited debate over the name of this new "recipe" ensued.

I will spare you the details of the mud slinging that followed.... but after a vote that ended in utter failure the name was decided.

Super-Palooza-Peek-a-boo-Bug-Face.

From now on I run a dictatorship.

Kids are sooo honest

My daughter picked out the funniest birthday card I received this year. Monkeys in tutus, it never gets old.