Oh What A Day!

Well Matt is now officially graduated from high school and I wonder what lies ahead for my special middle born son. The one that has a personality that could charm the world! I hope ABAC is all he hopes it will be.

Yes, that's MY boy--the honors graduate. Matt is living proof that school can be difficult, but you can overcome and be successful.

We've been blessed! Matt has always had GOOD friends: Cris Jackson, Matt, Clint Fields, and Taylor Jackson. I taught the other boys younger siblings when I was at Piedmont.

Okay, we've got to work on family pictures?!

After graduation, Freda and Ricky, Drew and Nicole, Grandma and Grandpa came over and we had a cookout. Matt loved all the attention. Now he is off to a graduation party at Mary Beth's house!

What Are They Thinking!

Somedays it is harder being the mother of an adult than it was when they were growing up. For instance, Drew and Nicole have decided to go back to school, but instead of going to Georgia they want to move! Yes, that makes perfect sense. I could scream in frustration....YOU WANTED TO GET MARRIED GET A JOB!!!!

On a less stressful note--my carport is very clean. We are having the graduation dinner in the carport (because it is covered) and it looks great. Now for the house.

Input Needed

What do you think of the Writers Workshop methos of writing instruction? (I'm going off of Fletcher's Ideas) Would their be more genuine writing if students wrote on things that interest them? Should prompts only be used as assessment tools? (Now, I would allow 6 assessments before the test - two per genre) What exactly is functional life-skills as they apply to writing?

It's Just Wrong

There are some things that are just plain wrong. For instance, when you've got more to do than you can possibly do and suddenly you are so sick you can't move! It isn't fair. All I've wanted to do all day is lay curled up. When I get that way, I start to feel guilty. Next to being sick, I hate feeling guilty!

Let the Fun Begin!

Today Graduation Week has begun at the Hestad Homeplace! Today was all about Matt's exit from High School and entrance into manhood!

This was Matt at church today. It was senior recognition day.
More of Matt at church!
Happy Bacculaurate Day!

Okay while I am at it I need to post a pic of the little drummer boy!

Alright, while I'm at it how about one more Trisha pic! (This works in the Piedmont Category)

My Fairy Name?

Okay you know you are a major procrastinator when you now know your fairy name!

Your fairy is called Bramble Elffrost

She is a cheerful sprite.

She lives in leafy dells and bluebell glades.

She is only seen during the first snow of winter.

She wears bluebell-blue dresses. She has delicate green wings like a cicada.

Get your free fairy name here!

Sadly I'm on a blue kick and I love the first snow of the season. Many days I wonder why we left Colorado. Cheerful? That depends who you ask.

UK #1 Hit 1954 ROSEMARY CLOONEY

Okay, you've got to listen to this. My Grandmother sang this all the time!! She changed the words..I ain't got time to mop the kitchen...I ain't got time to do the dishes...I've probably heard this song a million times in my life time!

An Equation of sorts

I think these could possibly be the hardest three weeks I will ever live through. I've about decided that the equation for higher degrees looks something like this: graduate school + work school + senior in high school + moving into new building for fall x Chapter 1 of dissertation = DISASTER!

You might be a failure as a mother if....

You have the following conversation with your 11 year old son:

Gabe: Oh Yeah, I've got a band concert Thursday at 7:00pm

Me: You are in band? Since when?

Gabe: All Year.

Me: Well what do you play?

Gabe: The snare drum.

Me: For real...

(Matt is in the background quickly calling all his friends to see if Gabe is really in band.)
(Dan walks in)

Me: Dan did you know Gabe was in band?

Dan to Gabe: Are you any good?

(Gabe goes into some sort of band/drumming talk.)
(Later that night while getting into bed.)

Me: Don't you have to sign a paper or something and say that your child can be in band?

Dan: I might have signed that paper.

Moral of the story to all teachers: It is very important that you know what your own children are doing. It doesn't matter that 26 others have literally sucked the blood right out of you...God gave you your own to keep up with, he obviously thought you could handle it.

Today, I had to pick Gabe up from the bus (I was late), this is usually Auntie Monkey's job! I learned all about a crazed lab partner who completely gutted the frog they were dissecting, I believe the term was "scraped her clean." (She was pregnant!) I called Dan and told him that for the next 4 years meeting the bus will be important work for me. Of course Auntie Monkey may still have to find those special days.

Part 2: How Freda and I Spent Mother's Day Weekend

Okay, like anyone really wants to hear about the adventures of Lennye and Freda, but perhaps my young readers need to know so they can be even more loving to their middle age parents! Well, got up this morning and can barely walk--my back. I swear I've had it with this. I am calling Dr. Office today and getting the name of the orthopedic. I'm tired of feeling and walking like I'm two hundred.

To top off a glorious Mother's Day Weekend we've got to work. That's right those 6 weeks off this summer are coming at a price! We have to work Saturdays this month getting ready for the move. Oh not everyone will work...of course it has been established that we do not work SMART (whatever that means). We are old school we still think we are suppose to teach these next three weeks.

Which brings me back to my back! (Ha!!) On Friday it appears I am going on some kind of hiking trip through Indian Springs with the Future Achievers. I can barely walk and now I'm hiking. I think getting the doctor's appointment may be top on my list of things to do.

(I am going to have to get Monkey to scan some of my pics and send them to me. Y'all have got to see how much I look like my Mymomma (grandmother)). Also, check out pioneer woman she is giving away a totally hot camera and printer, 14,450 people entered yours truly included.

Also, go by your mother a Trisha Yearwood CD. She was a trooper signing and shaking hands taking pictures. However, we all must remember "Everybody Dies Famous in a Small Town", so while the world may know Trisha me and F are just as famous in Jackson!

Part 1: How Freda and Lennye Spent Mother's Day Weekend 2008

Okay, F and I are known to be crazy at times, and today was no exception. Freda had just found out that she was NMES Teacher of the Year, and we were both excited. Now Freda being teacher of the year was big, but we had bigger plans.

That's right we were out getting autographed cookbooks from Trisha Yearwood!!! Jamie Lee Curtis, Ruth Culham, and Trisha Yearwood. I've had a BIG week.

It took a long time to get to this day

About 26 years ago I turned down a chance to go to the IRA conference with a rep from Scotts Foresman. Since then I've wanted to go. Today was a surreal moment for me. First, I was alone in a vast sea of people. Then Sarah appeared! Second, the shear magnitude of trying to maneuvur around that many people was strange. Third, how do you pick a section to attend? Well I managed for Day 1. I am home and planning Day 2.

I was in the same room with Jamie Lee Curtis. She is full of energy and lots of fun to listen to.

I can't imagine what tomorrow holds, but I know it will be great. I do know that I would love nothing more than to be on the speaking tour and lead conference sessions, telling people what works in a classroom. Now if I could just figure out what works in a classroom!

Questions to Ponder

I have a question. Why is it that educators get so defensive if anyone says anything negative about public school? I'm just curious.

This week Pioneer Woman did a blog on homeschooling her kids. It was more about her concern that perhaps her kids want to abandon the daily grind of ranch live and be in school. They homeschool because of the distance from town, etc. Anyway, most comments were good. There are those that wish they could homeschool, but can't because of financial reasons. (True we all are not as well to do as pioneer woman's family.) Then some teacher gets on there (early 300's) and starts lambasting everyone for their negativity. HUH?

Do I teach in public school? Absolutely. Do I think it is perfect? No! Do I feel the need to infer that others are wrong because they do not like public school? No! Pioneer Woman said it best, "Some people should never homeschool, but do. While others should homeschool, but don't."

As a former homeschooling family, private school teacher, and public school teacher I have seen it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Public school, private school, and homeschooling all have their issues, but shouldn't we allow people the right to say what they feel. Every now and then someone will say, "My child would never go to private school and develop that elitist attitude." Okay. That is their opinion. I don't see it that way, obviously!

I left teaching in private school for more reasons than money, insurance, and retirement. They didn't need me. Most of my private school children were from stable homes. I felt that I might make a bigger difference in public school.

However, since I am a public school teacher let me be the first to point out the flaws in the system. Because (Good Lord willing), I want to be the one to help find the way to fix it. The issues in public school are more than high stakes testing, and crowded classrooms. I look at the problems in public school as a microcosm of what is wrong in our society today. Can I change the whole system? Maybe not, but I can hopefully make a lasting impression on one child!

Stopping in on BlogWorld

Tonight as I was scrolling in blog world I came across a heart wrenching story. Death is such a morbid topic to many. Yet, as Christians it should be a day of rejoicing in the heart, because our love one will finally look upon the face of our savior. Check out this website http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/
scroll down to the song the woman wrote and the video clip. After watching CW and Kate give birth to a baby they knew would not live long on this earth and trust that God was in control. I was mesmerized by this story. Apparently the husband is a singer in the group Selah. The couple went through with a pregnancy that they knew wasn't going to end well. Then had the presence of mind to have a professional photographer present (Kate and CW did the same thing). This is really a heart warming video clip and the song is beautiful.

In a note to my younger readers. F and I have experienced a debacle of late. Seems that at church they want a picture of us with our moms for a mother's day slide show. Now I know you won't believe this, but F found 1 and I've found 1 that you can see, only Brenda is in the picture with us. How pitiful is this! Now go out and take a picture with your mom, ONLY you and your mom!

Check out Gabe's Class!

http://www.themonticellonews.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=78&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=4760&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1096&hn=themonticellonews&he=.com

A whoa is me attitude!

Some days I can beginning thinking that I am the only one in the world that life is difficult for. (You probably got that with the Janis Joplin flashback!) But seriously don't you have days when you think you are the only person in the world that is struggling! Well tonight Dan FOUND the pictures so I could look for stuff for Matt's memory board (that is suppose to be done tomorrow but won't be). Anyway I found fun things and happy things that intersperse throughout life to make it bearable. Yeah, there are the pictures of all that have gone on and are no longer here. And so is life full of happiness and sadness. Somehow we make it through putting one foot in front of the other.

Now the other thing I've done tonight is stressed over this picture retake thing! I just don't have any clothes that will work for this! My shirts are all ratty and clothes are something that I have to find and really like or it just doesn't work for me! I hate shopping anyway and going shopping for something that I don't know what I want, just that I need better clothes because my boss said I do, makes me tired. I've known for a while now that I need better clothes...I just didn't know the front office thought I needed better clothes. I really would rather Brooke do the picture now instead of me...to much stress. I don't like the way I look anyway!!!!!!!!! Now thanks to the front office I feel self conscious of it.

Somedays are just Janis Joplin Days

Today we have seen somethings and done a lot of stuff. I am bone weary and so I always think of this song.