A conversation...

I was working a Preschool fair today, representing a local Charter School. I spent 3+ hours chatting with generally lovely, inquizative parents and delightful children, that is, until SHE came by my table.

"How is your school different?" she asked.

I waxed on about whole child learning, arts enrichment, community teaching etc. She listened patiently, seeming interested, until these words crossed her lips....

"Do you let those Special Ed kids into the classes with the normal kids?" Stunned, it took me a moment to formulate my answer...

"Yes, special education students are a part of our school and are integrated into our regular classrooms as providedfor and directed by federal law."

Her scowl grew as I spoke...

"We have a Special Education teacher on site as well as other support staff who assist not only the students but the teachers. They also provide intervention for children at risk."

Looking up at her face I realize, this is clearly a battle I will not win...

"Well, THOSE kids shouldn't be in a classroom with MY kid!"

No answer.....none....

I am thinking, I cannot be rude, I cannot speak my mind, I can not challenge her. I can only answer politely, calmly, and in a manner fitting my responsibility to the school. But, in my head I am SEETHING.

As the mother of a very Special Needs child I am stunned that she would lump all Special Ed students into the THOSE kids category. Those kids have needs that range from DS #1 who is in a self contained Special Ed class most of his day, to DS #2, who simply needs extra reading intervention and support, to DS #4 who has a speech impairment. All of my boys are delightful...how rude of this woman. She didn't care about the bullies or the foul mouthed kids or the kids whose parents expose them to violent media and allow them to duplicate it. No, she was full of hatred, and really, disgust for children like mine, children who are kind and loving and delightful to be around.

So, my reply...

"We are a caring community, fostering the individual learning of EACH of our students. We rely on a strong family partnership to help create this environment. We are bound by federal and state laws, but aside from that, we embrace EACH child and their unique abilities."

Thankfully she walked off after this. I walked off too, but in the opposite direction. We were, after all, very different people, with very different views...

Happy New Year!!

Well, another new year is here! What are your New Year's Resolutions? Mine are simple, some are probably on your list as well.

1. Lose another 25 pounds. 25 down...let's see where we can go.
2. Write more often, here, to ones I love, to be an encourager.
3. Play with my kids more, really play, on the floor, puzzles, art, etc.
4. Continue to make dietary changes. Doing great, but still room for improvement.
5. Organize. Let this be the year of change. I have it in me to be organized...really!
6. Improve my personal relationships. Take the time to enhance these relationships!
7. Pursue my Usborne books work with more vigor. I passionately love these books!
8. Continue working on my writing. I am good, I can be better, I can be great!
9. Finances, we're doing well, but I want to do more. Build more and give more away. Share the blessings.
10. One day at a time...practice patience with persistance!

Really??

Seriously, what is wrong with today's youth? How have we allowed children to become tyrants? Bullies? Disrespectful? Seems to me that our kids need MORE instruction and discipline, not more mindless entertainment, entertainment that often includes violence, foul language, graphic images, lack of respect for authority, etc. If I am concerned about the community I live in now, goodness, where will we be in 20, 40, 60years?

Perhaps what our children lack is our time...time where we, the adults, set the tone, the pace, the EXAMPLE... I know plenty of kids who are polite, caring, respectful people. I am beginning to know more kids however who are not. Kids who will lash out and harm those around them at the drop of a hat or even for sport. Kids today, adults tomorrow...what will their future bring them and, in the end, us?

Another Christmas...

The boys woke just after 7:30 and promptly ran around gathering the SnowmanPoop (mini marshmallows) for DS #1 to eat...blech! The morning was bright and shiny and the gifts overflowed from under the tree.

DS #1 received a MP3 Player, a comforter for his bed, apporximately 77 packs of gum (from many different people) to feed his gum chewing habit, chocolate mint cookies, two new shirts (spiffy polos), NOW26, Starbucks Peppermint Frappuchinos, and a bunch of gift cards!

DS#2 received an electric kids guitar which has already stopped working, two dance mats for his dance parties, Kidz Bop 12 CD, High School Musical CD, a new CD player, a Racheal Ray kids cookbook, a new shirt, a Bionicle, and some new books.

DS #3 received an orange fleece, an orange hat, and an orange backpack (have I mentioned orange is his favorite color?), a much anticipated Nintendo DS, a Spiderman 5 in 1 Web Blaster, some new books, a Bionicle, and some Spiderman games.

DS #4 received a magnetic monthly claendar board, a giraffe blanket, a giraffe book, a giraffe toy, and a jungle set (including three giraffes (did I mention he is completely smittten with giraffes?), a new yellow backpack and a yellow shirt (oh, he is also in love with the color yellow), a bunch of Hot Wheels and wooden cars (addicted to cars as well), and Lego Mosaics.

DS #5 received a Nintendo DS, a Bionicles building set, Legos Creator Dinosaur set and Racers, a red backpack, Lego building boards, some gift cards, and a game.

DH wanted work shirts (he got three), new socks and underwear (exciting I know, but practicality is his middle name), some snacks for the office (Odwalla bars, Luna bars, Cliff bras, nuts, etc.), some travel sized things for his suitcase, and a seriously cool cookbook he mentioned seeing. It's culturally relevant-it is written in English and has subtitles in Cantonese. Tradtional recipes...cant wait for him to get cooking!

Me? I got not so much...well, he told me late Christmas Eve that he really didn't have much for me. So he wound up wrapping a few things I had recently purchased (two shirts and a couple of scarves and a new book) to give me, but independently I received two pairs of socks (granted cool Smartwool ones I had asked for), some chocolate (have I mentioned I have lost 25 pounds in the last four months? Please don't tempt me...), and a Mountain Mudd gift card (coffee shop with a drive thru). So, yup...no diamond pendant (asked for over the last threeyears and no MP3 player or similar, also asked for), but hey, me feet will be toasty and I'll have some chocolate with my Chai Tea Lattes!

Hope your holiday was merry and bright...

Wrapping Rap Up!

This year I fairly freaked at the thought of the 10+ hours it would take for me to wrap everything.... so, I tried something new! I ordered online and had it shipped directly to them ("head's up, gift ain't wrapped, leave it in the shipping package until Christmas morn!)

Then I did what any rational woman of five would do. I bought a TON of short boxes, other boxes, and gift bags at the local Dollar Tree. Yup, stuff, open, flatten, reuse next year. I say I am going green, but really, I am tired of slaving over corners and getting tape stuck to my fingers.

Yup...going green!

My baby is 9!!

So, tell me, why do the boys keep growing older? Last week we celebrated DS #2's 9th birthday. Seriously, it was just yesterday that he was born. He should be playing with Fisher Price Little People still right? Nope, we had a Dance Party! Strung up lights, got a CD player and real CD's -- High School Musical, The Naked Brothers, The Jonas Bros, Kidz Bop....music thumped through the house. The floors shook, the kids (boys & girls) giggled and boogied (old, aren't I) their way through the night.

Bachelorette Party!!!

I have to tell you about the Bachelorette Party at CiCi's Pizza (all you can eat marginally acceptable pizza, salad, and dessert buffet place)!!!

The whole group of ladies in blue shirts....shirts that say "Bride", "Mother of the Bride", "Bridesmaid", "Friend of Bride", etc.

Bride to be wearing a TIARA and a pink sash that says "BRIDE TO BE" across it.

They are standing there asking the CiCi's staff if they can bring wine in...um...ok.....NOT. "Um, we don't have a liquor license ma'am." Replies the young clerk with a puzzled expression...

So, one of the "Bridesmaids" leaves and comes back a few minutes later with Sparkling Cider and Dixie Cups....sneaking it in, under her arm....like contraband. All that was missing was the brown paper bag!

A few minutes later....from across the restaurant, you can hear the faint sound of "Chug, chug, chug!" The faint sound gradually increases to a crescendo of bar level antics..."CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!" The entire bridal party is cheering on the Bride as she chugs her sparkling cider.

People in the restaurant were casting glances, rolling eyes, and laughing their butts off! Seriously, the humor of the Bachelorette party in a cheesy (pun intended), while chugging sparkling cider wearing matching shirts and a tiara was just too much!

Meanwhile, the restaurant is full of families, lots of kids milling around. It was Spirit Night for one of the local elementary schools. "Chug, chug, chug......"

Oh, I should mention, Red Ribbon Week (drug awareness and prevention) was just the week before.

Yup, it doesn't get much better than this! Life in my small town...lower your expectations.

Chug, chug, chug!