Jill asked for an update on Rai - the man we know that was hurt in the fireworks accident. He got out of the one hospital and has moved to Craig Rehab. Hospital. His wife is living in an apartment in the Denver area and his kids, I believe are going back and forth between the grandparents here and their mom. There were apparently a number of scary moments - his face was so injured that there was an issue as far as infection getting into his head and brain. At one point a lady that I know said that they were worried if he was going to make it. But it seems that he has turned a corner and is recovering now. I saw on the news one evening a press conference that his wife did and she thanked the two MP's that first helped him and then took them up to his room for him to thank them too. There have been quite a few different fund raisers for the family although, I am sure that it is a huge financial burden along with all the other problems that this has caused.
Let's see what else have we been doing??? Remi has finished all his sports camps that he did this summer. He love them but I think he is reasy for a little down time. Last week he got to opportunity to go to see the the Rockies play the NY Yankees and they saw Roger Clemens ptch. He was thrilled! As was my dad - sort of one of those never forget grandpa/grandson things. And Remi turns 9 tomorrow!! I can't believe it! So we are in party mode this week trying to get all the plans made and things done for the party.
Peyton is doing swim lessons and loves it! And I have thouroughly enjoyed hangin at the pool with my book! I have even convinced Peyton that when it is adult swim she should sit on the lounge chair next to me and read her books. LOL! It is awesome! Love the pool days!
And we are also getting everything finalized for our trip to Disneyland in July. Made reservations for meals this morning. Need to call the shuttle and the hotel later this afternoon.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
7 Random Facts
Melanie tagged me on her blog, so here goes...
My 7 random facts:
1. While I don't consider myself much of a cook, I love to try new recipies.
2. I actually worry about the fact that there are so many more books that I would like to read then I will ever have time to read.
3. I always wanted to have a boy and a girl and now I do!!!
4. I only got in trouble at school once and I was mortified! And it was just the teacher telling me not to talk while we were walking in the hall. But I still remember that to this day.
5. I did the triple jump in high school. It was the first year that they had that event for high school girls so my friends figured that even not very athletic me could do that! LOL! And I was pretty good at it.
6. I have twin brothers that are a year and two weeks younger that I am. Now, I look at how my mom did three kid basically the same age and can't imagine.
7. I really want to take a photography class and learn how to use my camera better.
My 7 random facts:
1. While I don't consider myself much of a cook, I love to try new recipies.
2. I actually worry about the fact that there are so many more books that I would like to read then I will ever have time to read.
3. I always wanted to have a boy and a girl and now I do!!!
4. I only got in trouble at school once and I was mortified! And it was just the teacher telling me not to talk while we were walking in the hall. But I still remember that to this day.
5. I did the triple jump in high school. It was the first year that they had that event for high school girls so my friends figured that even not very athletic me could do that! LOL! And I was pretty good at it.
6. I have twin brothers that are a year and two weeks younger that I am. Now, I look at how my mom did three kid basically the same age and can't imagine.
7. I really want to take a photography class and learn how to use my camera better.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
So I forgot my blog password ;)
I guess that is a sign that I have not been here a lot lately. But I have successfully logged on now - there is no stopping me. LOL!
We are in the midst of the summer time busy at our house. I keep thinking that something will let up but not so far. We had our "Disneyland fund" garage sale last weekend. The first actual garage sale I have ever done on my own. We really needed to do a husg overhaul on Remi's room and he was not at all in favor of it. So we told him we would have a garage sale and any money he made he could have to spend at Disneyland. We also had a few other larger items haning out that we really needed to get rid of and of course a bit more scrap stuff from my big room clean out. I tried to convince Peyton that she should clean out her toys to get some money for Disneyland, but she just told me, "No, mommy, I'll just use your money at Disneyland and keep all my toys!" I really had no good argument against that logic - it is the logic I would like to use. LOL!
We are also in the middle of all Remi's summer camps. Last week was golf - a great camp and a new teacher this year who was really good. Remi, being fresh from end to school year teacher gift season, told me that he really thought Garrett was a great teacher and we should get him a gift. Welllll, what do you get a very, very young good looking single golf pro??? Not, having any very young good looking girls available we settled on a Starbucks gift card - I had noticed that he had a cup of coffee from Starbucks each day. He was actually a bit taken aback by it. I am sure he had never gotten and "end of golf camp" gift. But Remi felt good about giving him something. I suppose I better think about what we can get the more middle aged, less good looking baseball coach from this week's baseball camp. LOL! Yes, we have moved onto baseball this week. Remi has a number of kids from school and former baseball teammates along with one kid from last week's junior golf in this week's camp so he is loving it. Oh, yeah, he is actually learning a lot too.
Next week, Remi is at baseball camp all day for Mon to Thurs and Peyton starts swimming lessons (she is soooooo very excited!!) Oh, and Peyton started her kindermusik camp last Thurs.
So, basically, just call me Madam bus driver!!
And just beacuse we have not had much going on my dearest hubby invited his brother and his son's basketball team to stay at our house last Fri. night. They are great kids but man, can they go through the food!!!
Next up, we are going to get ready for Remi's bday party at the end of the month and then get ready for Disneyland. WOW! Summer is really going now!!!
We are in the midst of the summer time busy at our house. I keep thinking that something will let up but not so far. We had our "Disneyland fund" garage sale last weekend. The first actual garage sale I have ever done on my own. We really needed to do a husg overhaul on Remi's room and he was not at all in favor of it. So we told him we would have a garage sale and any money he made he could have to spend at Disneyland. We also had a few other larger items haning out that we really needed to get rid of and of course a bit more scrap stuff from my big room clean out. I tried to convince Peyton that she should clean out her toys to get some money for Disneyland, but she just told me, "No, mommy, I'll just use your money at Disneyland and keep all my toys!" I really had no good argument against that logic - it is the logic I would like to use. LOL!
We are also in the middle of all Remi's summer camps. Last week was golf - a great camp and a new teacher this year who was really good. Remi, being fresh from end to school year teacher gift season, told me that he really thought Garrett was a great teacher and we should get him a gift. Welllll, what do you get a very, very young good looking single golf pro??? Not, having any very young good looking girls available we settled on a Starbucks gift card - I had noticed that he had a cup of coffee from Starbucks each day. He was actually a bit taken aback by it. I am sure he had never gotten and "end of golf camp" gift. But Remi felt good about giving him something. I suppose I better think about what we can get the more middle aged, less good looking baseball coach from this week's baseball camp. LOL! Yes, we have moved onto baseball this week. Remi has a number of kids from school and former baseball teammates along with one kid from last week's junior golf in this week's camp so he is loving it. Oh, yeah, he is actually learning a lot too.
Next week, Remi is at baseball camp all day for Mon to Thurs and Peyton starts swimming lessons (she is soooooo very excited!!) Oh, and Peyton started her kindermusik camp last Thurs.
So, basically, just call me Madam bus driver!!
And just beacuse we have not had much going on my dearest hubby invited his brother and his son's basketball team to stay at our house last Fri. night. They are great kids but man, can they go through the food!!!
Next up, we are going to get ready for Remi's bday party at the end of the month and then get ready for Disneyland. WOW! Summer is really going now!!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A Terrible Tragedy!!
A few weeks ago a friend of ours was critically injured in an accident. He works for the local minor league baseball team here and was setting up the fireworks for that night's display when one went off and critically injured him.
My husband got to know Rai through business. We trade out our bins for tickets to the Sky Sox games. We love going so it is a great trade for us. And through the years hubby has gotten to know Rai. What a great person he is! In a lot of ways he is one of the biggest forces behind the success of the team in the Springs. He is the one who is on the mike at every game, he is the one getting donations, he is the one at the different events, he is the one that every one in town recognizes.
And then this! The early word is that somehow static electricity caused the firework to ignite and it exploded in his face. Every time we get updates it is worse - it sounds like one side of his face is gone along with the eye on that side, they have had to rebuild his nasal passage, the part of his face that is still intact is severely burned. It happened on Military appreciation night and so there were military medical people on scene right away and they said that this accident was worse then anything they saw in Iraq. Now, I don't know what they saw there but I would imagine that this is really bad.
I just hurt for him and his family. He has three young kids - imagine their dad will never, never be the same. His wife is now living in a hotel in Denver to be closer to him and help him while his kids are living with their grandparents here. And I know from the time Peyton spent in NICU how hard that time separated from your family is. I think of them a dozen times a day and just say a little prayer for this man and his family and then I say a word of thanks for just how lucky I am!
Here is an article that was in our local paper:
http://www.gazette.com/articles/sky_22332___article.html/sox_team.html
My husband got to know Rai through business. We trade out our bins for tickets to the Sky Sox games. We love going so it is a great trade for us. And through the years hubby has gotten to know Rai. What a great person he is! In a lot of ways he is one of the biggest forces behind the success of the team in the Springs. He is the one who is on the mike at every game, he is the one getting donations, he is the one at the different events, he is the one that every one in town recognizes.
And then this! The early word is that somehow static electricity caused the firework to ignite and it exploded in his face. Every time we get updates it is worse - it sounds like one side of his face is gone along with the eye on that side, they have had to rebuild his nasal passage, the part of his face that is still intact is severely burned. It happened on Military appreciation night and so there were military medical people on scene right away and they said that this accident was worse then anything they saw in Iraq. Now, I don't know what they saw there but I would imagine that this is really bad.
I just hurt for him and his family. He has three young kids - imagine their dad will never, never be the same. His wife is now living in a hotel in Denver to be closer to him and help him while his kids are living with their grandparents here. And I know from the time Peyton spent in NICU how hard that time separated from your family is. I think of them a dozen times a day and just say a little prayer for this man and his family and then I say a word of thanks for just how lucky I am!
Here is an article that was in our local paper:
http://www.gazette.com/articles/sky_22332___article.html/sox_team.html
Saturday, May 12, 2007
$900.00!!!
Imagine my surprise when Cathy, from my LSS called to tell me that I had $900.00 of store credit at her store!!!!! I did "earn" it but WOW! I never expected that much! They had, for the first time a garage sale. It was $10 to sign up but then you got a $10 gift certificate to the store. It ran for two days and you didn't have to be there - they gave me tags with my bar code and the people just paid the store and I got store credit for what I sold.
So, I spent about two weeks going through my scrapbook room and had quite a lot of stuff to sell. Lots of old patterned paper and about 5 years worth of Club Scrap kit. And TONS of old magazines and quite a few random bags of supplies. I tagged 200 things, I know because that is how many bar code stickers she gave me and I used them all.
A funny store - I knew I had soooo much stuff that I needed help getting it into the store so hubby and I both loaded the back of our Suburbans and went up to the store. As we were making trips in and unloaded stuff there was another lady there with her mom. She saw all the stuff I took in and looked at me with a sad looks and said, "Oh, are you stopping scrapbooking and selling all your stuff?" LOL! Uh, no, I just have a lot of stuff. LOL! So then I walk out and the next time I came in the lady and her mom were looking in all my boxes and oohing and awing about all my stuff. Then I heard them making plans to get to the store first thing Friday morning. LOL!
I stopped by the store at about 10:30 or 11:00 on Friday morning - the store had only been open about an hour and a half and already there was a HUGE chunk of my stuff gone. I had high hopes!
But I really never imagined - the call that I had $900.00 of store credit. LOL! Luckily she carries QK so I don't think I will have a problem using it. But the funny thing is that as I was at my book club on Wed with all this store credit - I had a hard time using it! I don't want to "waste" it. I did end up buying a new QK alphabet (Uptown Girl) and a few of the new Revolution flower dies. Cathy said that there is a new QK release on Tues so I will probably "need" something again. ;)
In the end I picked up one little box of stuff - everything else sold! But that has inspired me even more! I have been on a mission to clean out the scrapbook room. I have more stuff in there that I will never use and it is just getting out of control. So I am going through EVERYTHING! Amazing the stuff I have found - the first letter I got from Janelle about coming to a CM class. Where this whole obsession started (I saved that letter by the way - gotta scrap that!!). I also found a TON of old CM stuff, lots of old idea books and printed out page ideas and just lots of old stuff. Soooooo, after the success of that garage sale I have decided to have another garage sale here at my house! Tons of scrapping, stamping and cardmaking stuff for sale, plus books and magazines plus anything else that I can convince the kids to get rid of in their rooms. If I am lucky I can earn the spending money for our Disney vacation (if we can ever find a time to go).
And the other thing - in my process of cleaning I am determined to be a lot more smart about buying scrapping stuff. I mean really, $900.00 of credit is great but I shutter to think how much I spent on that stuff originally. So I am not going to let myself do that again. I have not purchased a lot of additional pp in the last 6 months. I really do love Felicia's kits at www.scrapaddict.com and they have all the latest and greatest papers so I don't need to buy that.
So that is my promise - clean and purge and then be smart about my future purchases!!!
So, I spent about two weeks going through my scrapbook room and had quite a lot of stuff to sell. Lots of old patterned paper and about 5 years worth of Club Scrap kit. And TONS of old magazines and quite a few random bags of supplies. I tagged 200 things, I know because that is how many bar code stickers she gave me and I used them all.
A funny store - I knew I had soooo much stuff that I needed help getting it into the store so hubby and I both loaded the back of our Suburbans and went up to the store. As we were making trips in and unloaded stuff there was another lady there with her mom. She saw all the stuff I took in and looked at me with a sad looks and said, "Oh, are you stopping scrapbooking and selling all your stuff?" LOL! Uh, no, I just have a lot of stuff. LOL! So then I walk out and the next time I came in the lady and her mom were looking in all my boxes and oohing and awing about all my stuff. Then I heard them making plans to get to the store first thing Friday morning. LOL!
I stopped by the store at about 10:30 or 11:00 on Friday morning - the store had only been open about an hour and a half and already there was a HUGE chunk of my stuff gone. I had high hopes!
But I really never imagined - the call that I had $900.00 of store credit. LOL! Luckily she carries QK so I don't think I will have a problem using it. But the funny thing is that as I was at my book club on Wed with all this store credit - I had a hard time using it! I don't want to "waste" it. I did end up buying a new QK alphabet (Uptown Girl) and a few of the new Revolution flower dies. Cathy said that there is a new QK release on Tues so I will probably "need" something again. ;)
In the end I picked up one little box of stuff - everything else sold! But that has inspired me even more! I have been on a mission to clean out the scrapbook room. I have more stuff in there that I will never use and it is just getting out of control. So I am going through EVERYTHING! Amazing the stuff I have found - the first letter I got from Janelle about coming to a CM class. Where this whole obsession started (I saved that letter by the way - gotta scrap that!!). I also found a TON of old CM stuff, lots of old idea books and printed out page ideas and just lots of old stuff. Soooooo, after the success of that garage sale I have decided to have another garage sale here at my house! Tons of scrapping, stamping and cardmaking stuff for sale, plus books and magazines plus anything else that I can convince the kids to get rid of in their rooms. If I am lucky I can earn the spending money for our Disney vacation (if we can ever find a time to go).
And the other thing - in my process of cleaning I am determined to be a lot more smart about buying scrapping stuff. I mean really, $900.00 of credit is great but I shutter to think how much I spent on that stuff originally. So I am not going to let myself do that again. I have not purchased a lot of additional pp in the last 6 months. I really do love Felicia's kits at www.scrapaddict.com and they have all the latest and greatest papers so I don't need to buy that.
So that is my promise - clean and purge and then be smart about my future purchases!!!
Friday, May 11, 2007
HUGE sigh of relief!!!
Remi has struggled with reading since the start of school we have spent many hours and lots of dollars and tons of tears on trying to remedy his reading troubles. The kid works so hard and we kept thinking that light switch was going to go on and it would all come together. But after three years of trying it gets hard to believe in that light switch somewhere out there.
We saw progress and we knew how much he was learning but the *%*()^*% tests that they continually make the kids take just were not showing the progress that we knew he was making.
So we headed off for Remi's IEP conference and were expecting basically more of the same - Remi is a great kid and he can comprehend anything you put in front of him but he cannot read at grade level. And his writing skills are are poor.
BUT....... imagine our surprise when his teacher passes over the CSAP score and they say he is PROFICIENT!!!!! OMG!!! I about dropped my teeth! My boy scored at grade level on the CSAP! I leaned over and kisses him right there - much to his dismay. And Remi, he was so proud of himself! All that work is starting to pay off. He still has progress to make but I am so pleased that he is showing the growth that I knew he was making!
We saw progress and we knew how much he was learning but the *%*()^*% tests that they continually make the kids take just were not showing the progress that we knew he was making.
So we headed off for Remi's IEP conference and were expecting basically more of the same - Remi is a great kid and he can comprehend anything you put in front of him but he cannot read at grade level. And his writing skills are are poor.
BUT....... imagine our surprise when his teacher passes over the CSAP score and they say he is PROFICIENT!!!!! OMG!!! I about dropped my teeth! My boy scored at grade level on the CSAP! I leaned over and kisses him right there - much to his dismay. And Remi, he was so proud of himself! All that work is starting to pay off. He still has progress to make but I am so pleased that he is showing the growth that I knew he was making!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
"I Gotta Call Your Dad"
My hubby is downstairs watching the Rockies baseball game. He just ran upstairs, almost giddy, grabs the phone, and starts running back down the stairs and as he goes he yells out, "I gotta call your dad!" It makes me smile that the two men that I love the most in the world have such a great relationship. And I have been thinking that I need to do a layout about that relationship. It is amazing! They love a lot of the same things: baseball, football, golf, hunting, fishing, etc... And they have so much in common. And now that dh has been hanging around my family for about 20 year they both know all of the other person's friends. In fact I often tease them about how well they share friends. For example, my dh goes to lunch with one of my dad's good friend when he is here on business. He also calls many of his friends on a regular basis just to chat and catch up. Another example, when my dad was in AZ in Feb my hubby's best friend was there with his two boys for a week. So my dad (along with a number of his friends down there) entertained dh's friend. They went to a baseball game and played golf and had dinner together.
It really would be odd to many people how close the two of them are and how they have basically merged their groups of friends and now they all get along and do things together. And I am so thankful for that! I would imagine that having a difficult relationship with an in-law can be really hard on a marriage and I am so blessed not to have that hurdle to deal with!
Oh, and by the way, when I asked dh why he had to call my dad. Apparently the guy pitching for the Rockies boks every time and it is not getting called. DH says my dad is the only one who will understand - and I guess he is right because while I understand what he is saying, it really is not that big of news to me. LOL!
It really would be odd to many people how close the two of them are and how they have basically merged their groups of friends and now they all get along and do things together. And I am so thankful for that! I would imagine that having a difficult relationship with an in-law can be really hard on a marriage and I am so blessed not to have that hurdle to deal with!
Oh, and by the way, when I asked dh why he had to call my dad. Apparently the guy pitching for the Rockies boks every time and it is not getting called. DH says my dad is the only one who will understand - and I guess he is right because while I understand what he is saying, it really is not that big of news to me. LOL!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Heaven Sent???
**Warning, work related rant ahead. You may want to just skip this entry entirely. But there is a happy ending. LOL! ***
Leaving our former lives behind and joining our family business has been an amazing thing and if we had to make the choice again I know we would do it the same. It has allowed our family opportunities that we never would have had before and time together as a family that we never would have had. But the down side of our own business is that we are the bottom line. If something has to get done we are the ones to do it. And by "we" I really mean my dh. He works really really hard. And while I think a lot of what my brother does when it comes to the nitty gritty of the bad icky stuff of business it is my dh that ends up having to do it.
Through the years we have been here we have gone through a number of mechanics. In a lot of ways I can't blame them - we don't pay as much as others, the work is really hard work, and there is a lot of outside work - even in the winter. Also we seem to have a knack for attracting employees that are less then great. So, the end result has been that we have been without a mechanic for quite sometime and my dh has been the one that has done this. He has not minded and he is one that gets in there and does what needs to be done. And he is also a "bit" hard headed and would never admit how hard it is on his body. Until recently, and then still only to me. But he comes home with an exhausted and aching body everyday. He gets along really well with my brother but over the years as dh has done move of the hard labor and my brother doesn't really pitch in as much that has grated on me a lot.
A while back the rest of my family was really up on hiring a new salesperson and while that is something that we need I would not back down to the need for a mechanic. I finally just laid it out there that we had to have a mechanic or I was not sure how long dh could handle all the hard labor (plus all the other icky and unpleasant jobs that he has to do cause no one else wants them - like collections). So we basically ended that conversation in an impasse and whenever a salesperson is brought up I let them know my feelings.
Well, then the other day a guy that is part of a religious group here in town that rents trailers from us got to talking to dh. He was saying that while he "works" for this other place they don't really pay him and his family was running out of their savings and he was trying to pick up some work. He told dh that he has his CDL so he can drive our tractors. He has been a mechanic before and has owned his own business. But he chose to give it all up and dedicate his life to the Lord's work. But now he really needed to just be realistic and get some money coming into his family. So my dh and brother interviews him officially and hired him. The three of him agreed that since he was still working for this other place he can have time off to work for them when he needs it.
He has turned out to be this amazing worker! He has learned everything that they teach him. He jumps in to do anything that they are working on - even the hard things that no one but my dh usually does. And my dh gets the break and does not come home hurting everyday. And I think he feels better because his time is freer to do other parts of his job not just maintenance.
When dh and this guy were talking the other he was telling my dh how thankful he was for the job. He told him that his family was worse off then their last dollar and he is so thankful for the job. And he said that he really thinks that God made our paths cross when he really needed it. As dh was telling me the story I was thinking that actually I think God crossed our paths to save us! Isn't that amazing how that works???
Leaving our former lives behind and joining our family business has been an amazing thing and if we had to make the choice again I know we would do it the same. It has allowed our family opportunities that we never would have had before and time together as a family that we never would have had. But the down side of our own business is that we are the bottom line. If something has to get done we are the ones to do it. And by "we" I really mean my dh. He works really really hard. And while I think a lot of what my brother does when it comes to the nitty gritty of the bad icky stuff of business it is my dh that ends up having to do it.
Through the years we have been here we have gone through a number of mechanics. In a lot of ways I can't blame them - we don't pay as much as others, the work is really hard work, and there is a lot of outside work - even in the winter. Also we seem to have a knack for attracting employees that are less then great. So, the end result has been that we have been without a mechanic for quite sometime and my dh has been the one that has done this. He has not minded and he is one that gets in there and does what needs to be done. And he is also a "bit" hard headed and would never admit how hard it is on his body. Until recently, and then still only to me. But he comes home with an exhausted and aching body everyday. He gets along really well with my brother but over the years as dh has done move of the hard labor and my brother doesn't really pitch in as much that has grated on me a lot.
A while back the rest of my family was really up on hiring a new salesperson and while that is something that we need I would not back down to the need for a mechanic. I finally just laid it out there that we had to have a mechanic or I was not sure how long dh could handle all the hard labor (plus all the other icky and unpleasant jobs that he has to do cause no one else wants them - like collections). So we basically ended that conversation in an impasse and whenever a salesperson is brought up I let them know my feelings.
Well, then the other day a guy that is part of a religious group here in town that rents trailers from us got to talking to dh. He was saying that while he "works" for this other place they don't really pay him and his family was running out of their savings and he was trying to pick up some work. He told dh that he has his CDL so he can drive our tractors. He has been a mechanic before and has owned his own business. But he chose to give it all up and dedicate his life to the Lord's work. But now he really needed to just be realistic and get some money coming into his family. So my dh and brother interviews him officially and hired him. The three of him agreed that since he was still working for this other place he can have time off to work for them when he needs it.
He has turned out to be this amazing worker! He has learned everything that they teach him. He jumps in to do anything that they are working on - even the hard things that no one but my dh usually does. And my dh gets the break and does not come home hurting everyday. And I think he feels better because his time is freer to do other parts of his job not just maintenance.
When dh and this guy were talking the other he was telling my dh how thankful he was for the job. He told him that his family was worse off then their last dollar and he is so thankful for the job. And he said that he really thinks that God made our paths cross when he really needed it. As dh was telling me the story I was thinking that actually I think God crossed our paths to save us! Isn't that amazing how that works???
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Sunday night with Food Network
I love the food network! My skills in the kitchen are only slightly above average and most of that "slightly above" is as a result of watching the Food Network. When there is nothing on and I want to have the tv on for background noise, Food Network is my channel of choice. And lately I have this little ritual going - Sunday night after everyone is in bed and I have watched the first half of the 10:00 news. I turn over to the Food Network. A new (usually) episode of Iron Chef America is in progress at that time. I love to see what the chefs do with the "secret ingredient". And I really love the fancy foods on the menu. I love to see how they present their dishes. Great fun! Although tonight is battle garlic and at this exact moment they are showing garlic roasted squab (not too sure about eating that!) and especially because they left the talons on which are holding a garlic clove with the squab head sitting next to it with the head split open so the brains could be eaten (that is almost an exact quote of what the chef said). Ok, now I have eaten my share of exotic meats, but that is just downright frightening. See, where else would I ever get to hear of a menu like that!! Love the show even though I don't understand half of what they are making and eating. LOL!
Iron Chef America is followed by Challenge. The challenge changes from week to week. This week is speed cooking. Should be interesting to watch here in just a few minutes.
And the best part of my little Sunday night tradition is that I get to hang out and scrap in my scrapping room and watch Food Network. Fun stuff in my book.
Iron Chef America is followed by Challenge. The challenge changes from week to week. This week is speed cooking. Should be interesting to watch here in just a few minutes.
And the best part of my little Sunday night tradition is that I get to hang out and scrap in my scrapping room and watch Food Network. Fun stuff in my book.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Accomplishments for Remi
**Play along with me as I am just going to jump back into blogging as if there had not been a two month break. ;) **
Remi had quite a day today. After just short of two years in karate, Remington tested for his brown belt today. The test started last night with an hour of sparring. He came home tired and very stinky and sweaty!! LOL! Then this morning he got up and had an omelet and toast and was off to his karate test today. It started at 8:00 am and finished with him earning his brown belt at 11:30 this morning and in between that time was a totally physical test. I am so impressed with him.
He has always said he wanted to do karate so when a karate school moved in literally around the corner from us there was not much I could do to protest. He spent the first "trial" month going about 5 out of 7 days! He loved it! And was actually given an award that first year for the "Most Enthusiastic Karate Student". He loved karate from the beginning. So after that first month the Head Instructor sat him down and asked HIM if he was ready to commit to participating in karate. Remi agreed and he has not looked back. I am amazed that in the almost two years he has been in karate I have not had to beg, plead, or cajole him into going. And not he is one step, albeit a big step, but one step from his goal. He wants to be a black belt by the time he is in middle school and he is on track to do that. It takes about a year and a half to get to black belt and that is about how long he has until he in in middle school (Oh, my!!! My body just shuddered at the thought that my boy is only a year and a half away from middle school!!!). So I was one proud mama as the Instructor was talking about how much dedication it takes to become a brown belt and I was so pleased that Remi has done so well.
The second part of his day was a baseball game. Yes, it is lucky he was young, because after 4 very physical hours of exercise he came home, ate a quick lunch and then headed out to an hour of baseball practice followed by a baseball game. Again, I love to see him play! He is such a great kid and gives his all to what he does. And he is into baseball this year! His dad loves it! He got a hit every time he was up and while he did not have much action in the field today he was out there and his head was in the game.
You might expect after all that he would come home to collapse. But nooooo. He ran outside and played with the dog - wrestling and playing ball for an hour. LOL! Ahh, to be a kid. LOL!
Remi had quite a day today. After just short of two years in karate, Remington tested for his brown belt today. The test started last night with an hour of sparring. He came home tired and very stinky and sweaty!! LOL! Then this morning he got up and had an omelet and toast and was off to his karate test today. It started at 8:00 am and finished with him earning his brown belt at 11:30 this morning and in between that time was a totally physical test. I am so impressed with him.
He has always said he wanted to do karate so when a karate school moved in literally around the corner from us there was not much I could do to protest. He spent the first "trial" month going about 5 out of 7 days! He loved it! And was actually given an award that first year for the "Most Enthusiastic Karate Student". He loved karate from the beginning. So after that first month the Head Instructor sat him down and asked HIM if he was ready to commit to participating in karate. Remi agreed and he has not looked back. I am amazed that in the almost two years he has been in karate I have not had to beg, plead, or cajole him into going. And not he is one step, albeit a big step, but one step from his goal. He wants to be a black belt by the time he is in middle school and he is on track to do that. It takes about a year and a half to get to black belt and that is about how long he has until he in in middle school (Oh, my!!! My body just shuddered at the thought that my boy is only a year and a half away from middle school!!!). So I was one proud mama as the Instructor was talking about how much dedication it takes to become a brown belt and I was so pleased that Remi has done so well.
The second part of his day was a baseball game. Yes, it is lucky he was young, because after 4 very physical hours of exercise he came home, ate a quick lunch and then headed out to an hour of baseball practice followed by a baseball game. Again, I love to see him play! He is such a great kid and gives his all to what he does. And he is into baseball this year! His dad loves it! He got a hit every time he was up and while he did not have much action in the field today he was out there and his head was in the game.
You might expect after all that he would come home to collapse. But nooooo. He ran outside and played with the dog - wrestling and playing ball for an hour. LOL! Ahh, to be a kid. LOL!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Spa Lag
I think I have "spa lag" (like jet lag). We got back from our fantastic trip to the spa on Tues night and I have had the hardest time getting back into the swing of things. The spa was really wonderful! The treatments were amazing and the food was some of the best I have ever had and it was a great little get away. But I did miss Jock and the kids a lot and I was really quite ready to be home by Tues. So why then have I been totally unable to get back into the routine. I have fed my kids garbage all week. I have done no laundry and only a half a step above no cleaning of the house. I have a thousand things to do and I just can't get to it. I think I got too relaxed at the spa. But today I forced myself to finish delivering a stamp order, return some envelopes at Archivers, got to Sam's and the bank and pay some bills.
So, here is a list of what I need to do this week:
1.)I need to plan out more pages to take with me on my scrapbook weekend next weekend (yes, I am going to be gone ANOTHER weekend),
2.)finish scanning and posting my March layouts for ScrapAddict,
3.)take pictures of my CyberSwap gift for ScrapAddict,
4.)do my cards for card club this week,
5.)finish planning the food (not to mention buy it) for Jackie's shower next weekend,
6.)make the recipe book favors for the shower,
7.)get/make "prizes" for the shower games,
8.)buy martini sampler glasses for the shower,
9.)finish the Jan books for work and get them to the accountant, and I can't even think of what else. But that is a great start of a list to work from.
Alright so now I can keep track of what I have gotten done (and what I need to add to the list)
So, here is a list of what I need to do this week:
1.)I need to plan out more pages to take with me on my scrapbook weekend next weekend (yes, I am going to be gone ANOTHER weekend),
2.)finish scanning and posting my March layouts for ScrapAddict,
3.)take pictures of my CyberSwap gift for ScrapAddict,
4.)do my cards for card club this week,
5.)finish planning the food (not to mention buy it) for Jackie's shower next weekend,
6.)make the recipe book favors for the shower,
7.)get/make "prizes" for the shower games,
8.)buy martini sampler glasses for the shower,
9.)finish the Jan books for work and get them to the accountant, and I can't even think of what else. But that is a great start of a list to work from.
Alright so now I can keep track of what I have gotten done (and what I need to add to the list)
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Wedding bells
My brother is truly one of the nicest and most considerate guys. He knows how to treat girls and is such a catch (says his sister - LOL!) but really I just think what a great guy he is and knew there were so many girls out there that were missing out. Well a little over a year ago he was really tired of the single thing. He wanted to find someone. But when you are in your late 30's and work with truck drivers it is HARD!! LOL! He is not a bar scene kind of guy and just wanted to find a way to find girls to go out with. So he joined one of the internet dating sites. He was a bit embarrassed at first but he really wanted to get something going in his life.
It was quite a process. First a HUGE (like 500 question) thing to get to know who you are as a person. They they match you with people of similar interests. Then there is a very prescripted process of emails, phone calls and finally dates. He found one lady fairly quickly and he really enjoyed going out with her. She had a 4 year old daughter and that didn't scare him a bit. But then the lady told him he was just too nice and thoughtful!!! Insert eye roll here!! I mean really, what???
So then he was matched with another gal who actually grew up in Boulder and went to the "rival" high school. They truly did hit it off right away. I remember Todd saying how everything one said they other had a similar thought or experience. It was really neat. So they went out and got closer and closer. She came to our Easter celebration and lots of other family events after that. Her mom now lives with her stepdad in Minnesota and while she is close with them she usually can't get out there for all the holidays and all. So it is perfect because my family always gets together on holidays and so they did not have any of those those "whose family's house when" type of issues, yet she totally gets our family and the get togethers.
She moved in with Todd in September, but made it clear that she was not just hanging out in this situation forever. She expected that they were going to get engaged and married sooner rather than later. Which was a good thing because Todd is a bit slow moving on things at times. They got engaged over Christmas. But never really set a wedding date. They were trying to just get it all figured out.
Well, last Mon Todd calls and says they are going to get married in Minnesota at the end of Feb. Jackie's mom has cancer and has been given about 6 months. So, her brothers and she and Todd had already planned a trip to see her so they decided to make it into a wedding weekend. They never wanted a big wedding so this will work great. So we all have tickets to Fargo for the last weekend in Feb. (Really, who wants to go to Fargo in the dead of winter???) Then the next weekend we are going to have a reception here with family and friends.
I am soooo happy for them and so happy for Todd. Oh, and the funny thing, the day they are getting married is exactly one year after their first date!
It was quite a process. First a HUGE (like 500 question) thing to get to know who you are as a person. They they match you with people of similar interests. Then there is a very prescripted process of emails, phone calls and finally dates. He found one lady fairly quickly and he really enjoyed going out with her. She had a 4 year old daughter and that didn't scare him a bit. But then the lady told him he was just too nice and thoughtful!!! Insert eye roll here!! I mean really, what???
So then he was matched with another gal who actually grew up in Boulder and went to the "rival" high school. They truly did hit it off right away. I remember Todd saying how everything one said they other had a similar thought or experience. It was really neat. So they went out and got closer and closer. She came to our Easter celebration and lots of other family events after that. Her mom now lives with her stepdad in Minnesota and while she is close with them she usually can't get out there for all the holidays and all. So it is perfect because my family always gets together on holidays and so they did not have any of those those "whose family's house when" type of issues, yet she totally gets our family and the get togethers.
She moved in with Todd in September, but made it clear that she was not just hanging out in this situation forever. She expected that they were going to get engaged and married sooner rather than later. Which was a good thing because Todd is a bit slow moving on things at times. They got engaged over Christmas. But never really set a wedding date. They were trying to just get it all figured out.
Well, last Mon Todd calls and says they are going to get married in Minnesota at the end of Feb. Jackie's mom has cancer and has been given about 6 months. So, her brothers and she and Todd had already planned a trip to see her so they decided to make it into a wedding weekend. They never wanted a big wedding so this will work great. So we all have tickets to Fargo for the last weekend in Feb. (Really, who wants to go to Fargo in the dead of winter???) Then the next weekend we are going to have a reception here with family and friends.
I am soooo happy for them and so happy for Todd. Oh, and the funny thing, the day they are getting married is exactly one year after their first date!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
More snow and odd weather occurrences
This winter has been like it used to be. I always remembered that it actually used to snow in the winter in Colorado but the last few years we have gotten a few storms here and there but just not too much. And this year we are having a winter - I love it! For the fifth straight weekend we have had a storm and snow. The first few weekends were blizzards the last few have been just snow but snow none the less.
Last weekend Remi was supposed to go to Broomfield and stay the weekend with Grammy. But it was so windy around Monument that I turned around and went back home. Remi was sooo sad. But we planned for him to go this weekend instead. So, I met mom in Monument right after school on Fri and they headed up for their weekend. It has been very odd and rather quite here with just us girls. But we had fun doing hair and nails and playing dolls and dress up. Today Remi was supposed to come home and mom called about 7:30 this morning and said it was really snowing there so she called Greg to see if he would bring Remi home. He of course said he would. They started off around 9:00 and by south Denver the roads were bad and the stupid drivers were everywhere and visibility was getting worse and worse. I talked to Greg and told him that it was ok with me if they went back. So they turned around. When I talked to Rem later he told me that he had been hoping for this so he could miss a day of school. LOL! I told him that was fine but he had to read and do math facts with Grammy. So they are going to try again mid morning tomorrow.
In the mean time, Jock and his friend Mike have been hunting in Nebraska. Jock said they have seen more pheasant then they have in years. The problem is getting to them. The snow is deep and drifted and iced over. He says that when they try to walk they are up on the snow on like 3 inches of snow and then you break through and you are up to your knees at least. And the poor dogs - they stay on top a bit longer but they break through too and then are over their heads in snow and have to leap out. Hard work for all. And he said the ice is really bad. They got stuck this afternoon for over an hour - he was afraid they were not getting out. The ruts are so iced over under the snow that your tire catches and throws the car around. Crazy. But they have gotten so birds so I guess all is well as far as they are concerned. They are going to try to come on home tomorrow but I heard on the news that the roads by Limon are really bad and they are bad up to the area just east of our neighborhood. So I think he may have a long slow drive ahead tomorrow.
Now for the odd weather occurrence. My mother in law called tonight and told me it was snowing at her house. She live in Green Valley, AZ which is like 40 minutes from the Mexican border. SNOWING!!! LOL!So, I had to call my dad who is in Tucson right now. He has gotten to where he hates the CO winter so he heads down to Tucson for some part of the winter. The house he found to rent this year was only available for a three month rental so he took it. He is soooo happy down there. We miss him here terribly but it is great how happy he is when he is down there so that makes it ok. But anyway, I called to ask if it was snowing there. Yup, just a bit there too. LOL! I told him he can run but he just can't hide from winter.
Last weekend Remi was supposed to go to Broomfield and stay the weekend with Grammy. But it was so windy around Monument that I turned around and went back home. Remi was sooo sad. But we planned for him to go this weekend instead. So, I met mom in Monument right after school on Fri and they headed up for their weekend. It has been very odd and rather quite here with just us girls. But we had fun doing hair and nails and playing dolls and dress up. Today Remi was supposed to come home and mom called about 7:30 this morning and said it was really snowing there so she called Greg to see if he would bring Remi home. He of course said he would. They started off around 9:00 and by south Denver the roads were bad and the stupid drivers were everywhere and visibility was getting worse and worse. I talked to Greg and told him that it was ok with me if they went back. So they turned around. When I talked to Rem later he told me that he had been hoping for this so he could miss a day of school. LOL! I told him that was fine but he had to read and do math facts with Grammy. So they are going to try again mid morning tomorrow.
In the mean time, Jock and his friend Mike have been hunting in Nebraska. Jock said they have seen more pheasant then they have in years. The problem is getting to them. The snow is deep and drifted and iced over. He says that when they try to walk they are up on the snow on like 3 inches of snow and then you break through and you are up to your knees at least. And the poor dogs - they stay on top a bit longer but they break through too and then are over their heads in snow and have to leap out. Hard work for all. And he said the ice is really bad. They got stuck this afternoon for over an hour - he was afraid they were not getting out. The ruts are so iced over under the snow that your tire catches and throws the car around. Crazy. But they have gotten so birds so I guess all is well as far as they are concerned. They are going to try to come on home tomorrow but I heard on the news that the roads by Limon are really bad and they are bad up to the area just east of our neighborhood. So I think he may have a long slow drive ahead tomorrow.
Now for the odd weather occurrence. My mother in law called tonight and told me it was snowing at her house. She live in Green Valley, AZ which is like 40 minutes from the Mexican border. SNOWING!!! LOL!So, I had to call my dad who is in Tucson right now. He has gotten to where he hates the CO winter so he heads down to Tucson for some part of the winter. The house he found to rent this year was only available for a three month rental so he took it. He is soooo happy down there. We miss him here terribly but it is great how happy he is when he is down there so that makes it ok. But anyway, I called to ask if it was snowing there. Yup, just a bit there too. LOL! I told him he can run but he just can't hide from winter.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Why do I do this????
I have been thinking all week about how much I can get done starting Friday night because Jock is hunting and Remi is with my mom until Sun. I can get Peyton to bed by 7:30 and scrap my heart away.
So, what happens??? My friend calls at 7:15 - she just moved back to town with her two girls she is "newly single" and really struggling with her day care situation. So we talk and I reassure her that she is not crazy and she does not have bad kids.
By the time we are off the phone it is 8:00 no biggie. I put Peyton to bed and plan to go back downstairs just long enough for her to fall asleep before going up to scrap. Then I realize that the tv is taping something and so I decide that I need to watch something else from DVR and choose Grey's Anatomy. And I kinda know that is the beginning of the end because I know I will never turn that off once I start it. And that is one of the few shows that I like to sit and watch and not do anything else while it is on. But then my friend calls back - more trauma - I do feel really bad for her. How do single moms do it??? I keep telling her that it will get better. She will get settled in and get a routine and it will get better. It has to.
But after the phone call I turn GA back on because I can't stop watching at that point. GREAT episode. I shed lots and lots of tears. Well, then I have to post to the GA thread at ScrapAddict which leads me to a few blogs to catch up on which leads me to updating my blog which leads me to now - 9:56 pm and not a tiny bit of scrapping done!!! But I am going to finish this now and go up and at least try to get a start on something. Here I go.............
So, what happens??? My friend calls at 7:15 - she just moved back to town with her two girls she is "newly single" and really struggling with her day care situation. So we talk and I reassure her that she is not crazy and she does not have bad kids.
By the time we are off the phone it is 8:00 no biggie. I put Peyton to bed and plan to go back downstairs just long enough for her to fall asleep before going up to scrap. Then I realize that the tv is taping something and so I decide that I need to watch something else from DVR and choose Grey's Anatomy. And I kinda know that is the beginning of the end because I know I will never turn that off once I start it. And that is one of the few shows that I like to sit and watch and not do anything else while it is on. But then my friend calls back - more trauma - I do feel really bad for her. How do single moms do it??? I keep telling her that it will get better. She will get settled in and get a routine and it will get better. It has to.
But after the phone call I turn GA back on because I can't stop watching at that point. GREAT episode. I shed lots and lots of tears. Well, then I have to post to the GA thread at ScrapAddict which leads me to a few blogs to catch up on which leads me to updating my blog which leads me to now - 9:56 pm and not a tiny bit of scrapping done!!! But I am going to finish this now and go up and at least try to get a start on something. Here I go.............
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Stampin Up
I have been going to a Stampin' Up card club thing for a while now. My friend was the demo and it was a fun once a month social kind of a thing. Well, my poor friend's life sort of fell apart - her hubby totally went wacky, they separated, her kids have really struggled and in the end she decided to move to Atlanta back home with her family. I was so sad to see her go and I miss her a lot! And then I got to thinking that I would also lose my stamp club night. Sooooo, I told her I would sign up to be a demo and take the stamp club over. (What in the heck was I thinking!!!!) So I signed up we did the November meeting together, the club took the month of December off and so tomorrow night is my big night - I have to do the stamp club by myself!!! I spent all yesterday making my three cards - one of which I HATE but I was trying to use just things that I had on hand because I didn't want to order more stuff. I am feeling pretty nervous. I know two of the ladies pretty well but three others are new to the club and I only have met them a couple of times.
When I signed up I told my friend and her upline lady that I am really not into this kind of thing and I will plan to finish out this club and then see where we go from there. The discount is nice but I just don't see myself doing all sorts of workshops and all. I have another friend that will order and maybe I can pick up a few others. The upline lady is in love with my scrapbooking. LOL! She really doesn't scrapbook although she would like to so she is counting on me being the scrapbooking part of her team. I told her I would develop a few workshops to try but I just don't know.
So, I'll see how tomorrow goes. And in the mean time if anyone needs any Stampin' Up stuff let me know!! It is a great time to order - if you place a $50 order you get a free stamp and there is one stamp that is a big flower that would be really cool on a scrapbook page. LOL! Look at me I already sound like one of those annoying demonstrators. ;)
When I signed up I told my friend and her upline lady that I am really not into this kind of thing and I will plan to finish out this club and then see where we go from there. The discount is nice but I just don't see myself doing all sorts of workshops and all. I have another friend that will order and maybe I can pick up a few others. The upline lady is in love with my scrapbooking. LOL! She really doesn't scrapbook although she would like to so she is counting on me being the scrapbooking part of her team. I told her I would develop a few workshops to try but I just don't know.
So, I'll see how tomorrow goes. And in the mean time if anyone needs any Stampin' Up stuff let me know!! It is a great time to order - if you place a $50 order you get a free stamp and there is one stamp that is a big flower that would be really cool on a scrapbook page. LOL! Look at me I already sound like one of those annoying demonstrators. ;)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Kid News
It is funny when I was teaching I determined that in many ways siblings were more different then alike often times. There may be physical resemblance but very often their performance in school was very different. And now that I am a mom it seems that my kiddos are going in that same direction.
Remi struggles in school - a lot! His reading and writing scores are always very low and in fact there has been talk on and off about having him tested for special ed. But we have not done that yet. I just don't believe that he is a special ed kid. There is something that is holding him back and I don't know what it is but I don't think he needs a label to figure that out. If I thought it would help him to be in special ed I would do it but I just don't think it will and his private tutor agrees with me so we are holding off on that right now. Even his other teachers don't really see him as a "typical" (if there is any such kid) special ed kid. I think they are just stumped about what is going on in Remi's mind and think that maybe the testing would shed some light on what goes on in his head.
So, anyway, that was not at all what I was going to talk about. LOL! What I was going to talk about was the progress that Remi has made recently. He goes to an amazing school. People that complain about public education have never been to Scott Elementary. He has had great and dedicated teachers and they all do everything they can for him. In fact they go way over the top trying to help him. He is involved in a number of "extra help" groups for reading and we also have a lady who used to teach at Scott that tutors him and we work at home a lot on reading and writing. So it seemed like he was getting everything that should be making him show progress but there was very little. His teacher was discouraged, we were discouraged and Remi was discouraged. They measure progress with this test called the Dibiels test. Personally, I am not a huge fan but I can see the beauty of it in a school setting. It is quick and easy to administer and score. The student reads a specific passage of test for one minute and the teacher counts how many words they read (there is a bit more to it but that is the just of it). That becomes their score for Oral Fluency. Remi started the year some where around 47, I think. The second part is a retell. The teacher is looking for him to retell exact words from the passage and the teacher counts how many exact words the student retells. That becomes the comprehension score (although they call it something else). Rem started the year at like 19 or so. I don't remember exactly but I think the 3rd grade median for the beginning of the year was something like 65 and 12. So even though my poor kid can't read he can understand it all. LOL!
His teacher has been testing his progress every other week or so all year. Rem has showed slight gains most week. But nothing like the gains he was supposed to be making. The middle of the year median for fluency was 91 and he was at 65. A ways off to be sure. This is when we got really frustrated. As a former teacher I never imagined I would be one to just blow off the scores and say really, "I DON'T CARE!! I have a great kid who will be just fine in life and I really don't give a hoot what the Dibiels test says." But that is really where I am.
But then his teacher emailed me last week and told me that his score on fluency was 74!!! He gained like ten points from his last test! And the news got even better today when she emailed to say that she tested him today and he was at 82!! I was dancing in the street - and bless her heart I know his teacher was too. Remi said that he thought the end of the year median is something like 103 and he really wants to get there and I am thinking if we keep this up we can!! I am so proud of the hard work he is doing and what a sweetie he is. He never complains about tutoring or the homework that takes him so long. And he works so hard. And while I tell you, I still don't care what the Dibiels test says I am so happy that he is making great progress because he feels so good about it and he is proud of himself!
And then there is Peyton. She goes to a Mom's Morning Out program once a week. She has not been a fan all year and on and off has talked about "mean boys". So today I talked to one of the other moms to see if her daughter was saying similar things. There are a lot of boys in her class and there are a few of them that seem very very very needy and bordering on naughty. The other mom said that her daughter had not said anything about mean boys but when she asked her daughter as we were walking in if the boys hit her she said they did. Who knows. But I did think it was time to bring it up to the teacher. And as luck would have it none of the "naughty boy's" mom's were there so I told Peyton's teacher about what Peyton had been saying. The teacher said that she had not seen anything but said she would keep and eye out. She said that if anything all she had noticed about Peyton is how much more advanced she is then any of the other kids in the class. That was amazing to me because Peyton is actually "officially" in her two year old year there even though she is three because she has an early birthday. She has another year in that class before moving up to the preschool.
I think that she seems bright and knows things that I didn't really expect her to know but I was still surprised to hear that from her teacher. And of course very pleased. So who knows what Peyton's "issue" will be because I am sure she will have something but it looks early on like it won't be school - thanks goodness!!
Remi struggles in school - a lot! His reading and writing scores are always very low and in fact there has been talk on and off about having him tested for special ed. But we have not done that yet. I just don't believe that he is a special ed kid. There is something that is holding him back and I don't know what it is but I don't think he needs a label to figure that out. If I thought it would help him to be in special ed I would do it but I just don't think it will and his private tutor agrees with me so we are holding off on that right now. Even his other teachers don't really see him as a "typical" (if there is any such kid) special ed kid. I think they are just stumped about what is going on in Remi's mind and think that maybe the testing would shed some light on what goes on in his head.
So, anyway, that was not at all what I was going to talk about. LOL! What I was going to talk about was the progress that Remi has made recently. He goes to an amazing school. People that complain about public education have never been to Scott Elementary. He has had great and dedicated teachers and they all do everything they can for him. In fact they go way over the top trying to help him. He is involved in a number of "extra help" groups for reading and we also have a lady who used to teach at Scott that tutors him and we work at home a lot on reading and writing. So it seemed like he was getting everything that should be making him show progress but there was very little. His teacher was discouraged, we were discouraged and Remi was discouraged. They measure progress with this test called the Dibiels test. Personally, I am not a huge fan but I can see the beauty of it in a school setting. It is quick and easy to administer and score. The student reads a specific passage of test for one minute and the teacher counts how many words they read (there is a bit more to it but that is the just of it). That becomes their score for Oral Fluency. Remi started the year some where around 47, I think. The second part is a retell. The teacher is looking for him to retell exact words from the passage and the teacher counts how many exact words the student retells. That becomes the comprehension score (although they call it something else). Rem started the year at like 19 or so. I don't remember exactly but I think the 3rd grade median for the beginning of the year was something like 65 and 12. So even though my poor kid can't read he can understand it all. LOL!
His teacher has been testing his progress every other week or so all year. Rem has showed slight gains most week. But nothing like the gains he was supposed to be making. The middle of the year median for fluency was 91 and he was at 65. A ways off to be sure. This is when we got really frustrated. As a former teacher I never imagined I would be one to just blow off the scores and say really, "I DON'T CARE!! I have a great kid who will be just fine in life and I really don't give a hoot what the Dibiels test says." But that is really where I am.
But then his teacher emailed me last week and told me that his score on fluency was 74!!! He gained like ten points from his last test! And the news got even better today when she emailed to say that she tested him today and he was at 82!! I was dancing in the street - and bless her heart I know his teacher was too. Remi said that he thought the end of the year median is something like 103 and he really wants to get there and I am thinking if we keep this up we can!! I am so proud of the hard work he is doing and what a sweetie he is. He never complains about tutoring or the homework that takes him so long. And he works so hard. And while I tell you, I still don't care what the Dibiels test says I am so happy that he is making great progress because he feels so good about it and he is proud of himself!
And then there is Peyton. She goes to a Mom's Morning Out program once a week. She has not been a fan all year and on and off has talked about "mean boys". So today I talked to one of the other moms to see if her daughter was saying similar things. There are a lot of boys in her class and there are a few of them that seem very very very needy and bordering on naughty. The other mom said that her daughter had not said anything about mean boys but when she asked her daughter as we were walking in if the boys hit her she said they did. Who knows. But I did think it was time to bring it up to the teacher. And as luck would have it none of the "naughty boy's" mom's were there so I told Peyton's teacher about what Peyton had been saying. The teacher said that she had not seen anything but said she would keep and eye out. She said that if anything all she had noticed about Peyton is how much more advanced she is then any of the other kids in the class. That was amazing to me because Peyton is actually "officially" in her two year old year there even though she is three because she has an early birthday. She has another year in that class before moving up to the preschool.
I think that she seems bright and knows things that I didn't really expect her to know but I was still surprised to hear that from her teacher. And of course very pleased. So who knows what Peyton's "issue" will be because I am sure she will have something but it looks early on like it won't be school - thanks goodness!!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Kindermusik
Peyton has been in kindermusik almost since she was born so she really has grown up with it. A friend of mine taught the classes for the first two years that we went so it was just like hanging out with Julie. When Julie and her family moved it dawned on me that not only had I lost my friend but I lost my kindermusik teacher - and Peyton would really miss it. So I found a new class last fall and it is as great as when we were with Julie.
So today Peyton started a new kindermusik class and it is a "big girl class". Which meant that she was in the class by herself. Of course I didn't tell her that before class. When it came time for the parents to leave I told her I had to take her home materials out to the car and I would be back and I got up and left. Then I sat there and wondered when Miss Lisa would be coming out to get me since Peyton, I was sure, would need me there. Well, lo and behold, she never came to get me. And when they were done with class, Lisa told me that even though Peyton had never been in that class and that most songs are new to her she "sang" every song at the top of her lungs and loved it all.
Of course as we were talking about it on the way home she said she didn't like big girl kindermusik at all. LOL! She wants me to be there with her.
On other topics - in the quest to achieve my "WORD" I worked on it yesterday. I have this little area by the chair that I most often sit in to watch TV and it was getting overrun with magazine and books. So I cleaned out that area which led to the stereo nearby and I organized all our CDs which then led to the tv and all the DVDs and videos which I then organized!!! It looks soooooo good!! And then I moved downstairs to the storage area. We moved most everything out when we finished the basement and I brought a few boxes back from storage to unload and get my serving trays and stuff back because I really miss them!! And I got a start on that room - not done but a start. It feels good!!!
So today Peyton started a new kindermusik class and it is a "big girl class". Which meant that she was in the class by herself. Of course I didn't tell her that before class. When it came time for the parents to leave I told her I had to take her home materials out to the car and I would be back and I got up and left. Then I sat there and wondered when Miss Lisa would be coming out to get me since Peyton, I was sure, would need me there. Well, lo and behold, she never came to get me. And when they were done with class, Lisa told me that even though Peyton had never been in that class and that most songs are new to her she "sang" every song at the top of her lungs and loved it all.
Of course as we were talking about it on the way home she said she didn't like big girl kindermusik at all. LOL! She wants me to be there with her.
On other topics - in the quest to achieve my "WORD" I worked on it yesterday. I have this little area by the chair that I most often sit in to watch TV and it was getting overrun with magazine and books. So I cleaned out that area which led to the stereo nearby and I organized all our CDs which then led to the tv and all the DVDs and videos which I then organized!!! It looks soooooo good!! And then I moved downstairs to the storage area. We moved most everything out when we finished the basement and I brought a few boxes back from storage to unload and get my serving trays and stuff back because I really miss them!! And I got a start on that room - not done but a start. It feels good!!!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Organize
AEzine Challenge: one little word: In her email newsletter and blog Ali Edwards was talking about choosing one word for the year. One word to concentrate on and ponder and think about and absorbs for the whole year. See what you can do with it.
So I have been thinking about what word. What should I try to focus on? I have to admit, I am not one of those incredibly deep and pondering souls. I sometimes think that I should be maybe I should ponder the meaning of life on a regular basis and think deep thoughts. But I don't, I am more of the happy go lucky and just live life type of person. I don't worry about things and I kinda just take life as it comes and enjoy it. Sooo, that being said my word it not something that is really very deep and something that I will spend time figuring out the meaning to. But it is something that I would love to incorporate into my days and into my life.
My word: ORGANIZE
I am not an organized person and it is to the point that I am ready to figure out ways to make my life and house more organized. I mean my house is fine - not a pit or gross or anything but I am a pile-er and there are things that need to have a new home and there are lots of things that need to be gone through and organized/thrown away.
So there, that is my word and while it is not particularly deep and thought provoking, it is something that I need to spend time acquiring in my life.
So I have been thinking about what word. What should I try to focus on? I have to admit, I am not one of those incredibly deep and pondering souls. I sometimes think that I should be maybe I should ponder the meaning of life on a regular basis and think deep thoughts. But I don't, I am more of the happy go lucky and just live life type of person. I don't worry about things and I kinda just take life as it comes and enjoy it. Sooo, that being said my word it not something that is really very deep and something that I will spend time figuring out the meaning to. But it is something that I would love to incorporate into my days and into my life.
My word: ORGANIZE
I am not an organized person and it is to the point that I am ready to figure out ways to make my life and house more organized. I mean my house is fine - not a pit or gross or anything but I am a pile-er and there are things that need to have a new home and there are lots of things that need to be gone through and organized/thrown away.
So there, that is my word and while it is not particularly deep and thought provoking, it is something that I need to spend time acquiring in my life.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Blog Challenge
Annette's blog challenge for the week is to answer these questions:
1. I've come to realize that my life is... disorganized and I really need to work on that this year.
2. I am listening to... college basketball on tv, Peyton "reading" a book to herself, Jock and Remi looking at Remi's baseball cards together.
3. I talk... too much when dh gets home from work. He always tells me that he can tell I don't have adult conversation very much during the day.
4. I love... my kids, my hubby and my life - as disorganized as it is. LOL!
5. My best friends... my hubby, Janelle in Montana who I don't talk to as often as I wish I did.
6. Love is... support.
7. Somewhere, someone is thinking...this is a great day!!
8. I'll always ... positive.
9. The last time I cried was because... I was watching some silly show on tv.
10. My cell phone... is never with me when my huuby calls me - yet I think I have it with me all the time. Hummm.
11. Before I go to bed... open the door to Peyton's room because it gets too cold with it closed.
12. Right now I am thinking about... playing cards with Peyton - she has "delt" the cards all around me on the chair.
13. Today I... enjoyed getting back to a normal schedule since Remi went back to school from Christmas break.
14. Tonight I will... try to scrap a little.
15. Tomorrow I will be...having a great day to myself with not a lot of official plans.
1. I've come to realize that my life is... disorganized and I really need to work on that this year.
2. I am listening to... college basketball on tv, Peyton "reading" a book to herself, Jock and Remi looking at Remi's baseball cards together.
3. I talk... too much when dh gets home from work. He always tells me that he can tell I don't have adult conversation very much during the day.
4. I love... my kids, my hubby and my life - as disorganized as it is. LOL!
5. My best friends... my hubby, Janelle in Montana who I don't talk to as often as I wish I did.
6. Love is... support.
7. Somewhere, someone is thinking...this is a great day!!
8. I'll always ... positive.
9. The last time I cried was because... I was watching some silly show on tv.
10. My cell phone... is never with me when my huuby calls me - yet I think I have it with me all the time. Hummm.
11. Before I go to bed... open the door to Peyton's room because it gets too cold with it closed.
12. Right now I am thinking about... playing cards with Peyton - she has "delt" the cards all around me on the chair.
13. Today I... enjoyed getting back to a normal schedule since Remi went back to school from Christmas break.
14. Tonight I will... try to scrap a little.
15. Tomorrow I will be...having a great day to myself with not a lot of official plans.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Are you happy Felicia??? I am blogging
The other day Felicia posted at ScrapAddict about some people's poor neglected blog and I can't say that I was surprised to see my blog on the list. Don't really know why I fell off the wagon but I'll try to hitch myself back up onto the wagon and get going again.
Let see what has happened in the months since I last was here. Jock went hunting a few weekends in October and November which I really don't mind. I enjoy the extra scrapbooking time in the evenings sometimes. And he is a hunter to the core of his being. I swear he was born in the wrong century. He would have been perfectly happy being a mountain man about 200 years ago. So how can I not support something that pleases his soul.
He got home on Halloween in time to go trick or treating. Peyton was the most darling little butterfly fairy and Remi was perfect as Harry Potter. We trick or treated with Rem's good friend that lives around the corner - Griffin and his mom. It was a nice time although it did get pretty cold.
Let see what else?? Oh, I had a bit of a health scare this fall. When I went to the doctor he thought he felt a lump on my thyroid so I went through a number of different tests and appointments to try to determine if it was cancer or not and if my thyroid was working correctly. After lots of appointments and I shutter to think of how much money - the decision is no cancer (thank God!!) and that my thyroid looks like it is working fairly well. The general surgeon that I have been seeing called just today to tell me that I don't need to come back in to see him but he did suggest I see an endocrinologist. So I will do that but in the overall it all turned out as well as it possibly could have.
November was Jock's 40th bday so I surprised him with a trip to Las Vegas. We have both been there but never together and I thought it would be a blast to go - and I was right!! We had a great time! We stayed at the Luxor which was ok - not real fancy but ok. We got there Friday night and we sat down to gamble and we both lost $100 in like 10 minutes. So we decided to get a bite to eat and walk a bit. After that we sat back down to gamble and I never lost again!!! LOL! It was crazy. Jock didn't do as well early on but he was still having fun. Sat night we were at a blackjack table and this really drunk lady sat down and put her last $75 on a hand and won and then let it ride a few more hands and then just kept playing - very poorly I might add. But somehow even against all odds she ended up with a $500 chip. Well, I was not going to have that! If the drunk lady could get $500 I should be able to do it too!!! So I sat and gambled until I had a $500 chip plus more. I finally went to bed around 2:00 am but Jock stayed up. In the morning I woke up and went to get coffee and walked around the hotel a bit to take pictures. When Jock got up we compared chips - he got a $500 too!!! LOL! We left with about $2,500 which is not huge in some books but it sure felt great to come home with money! The bad part - we are both itching to go back and I just don't imagine it will be the same next time.
We had Thanksgiving at our house for us, mom, Todd, Greg, and Jackie. A nice day here at home. The Broncos played on Thanksgiving so everyone stayed for the game plus a few other friends came over to watch. Since we have the finished basement with the waaaay too big HD tv and the game was being shown in HD we had lots of friends that wanted to hang out. LOL!
After Thanksgiving, most of the household got some illness or another that are just now beginning to go away. It has been crazy!! We have never been so sick and for so long! Remi had some nasty gastrointestinal thing that the doctor initially thought was appendicitis that let us to spend a night in the ER. Luckily it was not anything serious he just needed a few days to heal. But thanks to the trip to the ER (we think) Jock and I both got NASTY cases of a stomach flu. Won't go into detail except to say that is the sickest I have been in a long time. I had it first then Jock and when he was finally feeling better I ended up with a new sickness this time some chest cough and congestion and breathing issue that again had me soooo sick! I seriously would get coughing so hard I could not catch my breath. And my throat was so sore that I couldn't swallow and if I did I would choke . It was really bad!! I still, a month later, have the cough but other than that we are basically better.
In the middle of all the sickness, Jock's mom got here for Christmas. We sent her up to Boulder to stay with Tom and Patty and the kids since we were sick. Her system is so compromised that we were afraid for her to stay here and get that nasty flu. After a week she came back down and Peyton enjoyed playing with her and having grammy time. Although she was a bit of a stinker at times and would not play with her.
Remi ended up having his last two days before break cancelled because of a huge blizzard!! We have had snow this year like never before! The last three weeks have been fairly large snowstorms that have paralyzed Colorado Springs. But we have actually enjoyed it and Rem definitely loved the longer Christmas break.
Christmas was wonderful!! Everyone got just about everything they could ever have asked for and we spent lots of great time with family!! Todd proposed to Jackie who accepted so that was the great news of Christmas. And even before that it was very special that Todd asked Greg and I to help him shop for Jackie's ring so that was a nice afternoon we spent together.
And that brings us to this week - Maxine went back to AZ, we took the Christmas stuff down and we are mostly back to normal business. Remi has one last day of vacation and then it is really back to daily life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)