One great thing about living at Jackson is the nature. We have two state parks within a few miles of the house and a nature center. On Sunday our church had its annual July 4th picnic at the High Falls State Park. It is a beautiful park with lots of charm.

When you add that to a church social with all kinds of food, it is near perfect. I like the people at our church, so getting together to visit is always a treat. Except tonight, a thunderstorm blew in and everyone had to pretty much stay in the shelter. Unfortunately the noise levels in the shelter kept visiting at a minimal! Still there was the beautiful scenery and the wonderful food.

Leaving the park I couldn't help but remember all times our family had enjoyed time at the parks. We've lived here for 11 1/2 years now, our boys were small when we came, Drew was 12, Matt was 7, and Gabe was barely 1. We've experienced lots of family time (picnics, birthday parties, and swimming lessons), practically in our back yard.

Gabe must of had the same feeling I had, because as we left the park he said, "We don't need a vacation we can just come down here and look at nature." Got to love that kid!

My favorite park memory has to do with the first year we lived here. Indian Springs had an Old Fashioned Christmas Candlelight tour. It was so beautiful that night. A local business woman is working to revive the park area.

I hope you have a park that you love to visit.

More Bad News

Well I'm looking for the clouds to lift, but so far nothing. As of a few minutes ago Dan lost one of two paying customers. Now to me we needed to throw the towel in on this several months ago! However, to Dan this is his life, it is who is is. I understand that completely. So we shall see, when I talked to him at first he was really down. Just now he called and he sounded better, but not ready for a career change. Perhaps if we all prayed!

Intrusions

Ever wonder why so many things come blasting in to our lives, like unwelcome visitors carrying suitcases full of lessons to be learned. That has kinda how this week has shaped up. On Wednesday, like Carefree Carrie, I walk to the mailbox and learn that we are going to be sued. This all stems from Dan's accident back in September. So why is it that when I should be totally distracted, I feel at peace. God has brought us to a point to lean totally on him at this point. Psalm 50:15 says, "And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." So we are calling and we pray our Deliverer is coming!

The intrusions of late have caused me to remember a book by Jerry Bridges called, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts. It is chocked full of scripture references that help us to deal with times when life is tough.

We are still waiting to hear all if all of Matt's financial aid for college is in. We are waiting on HOPE and a scholarship that should be announced soon.

Classwork is pretty tough for Qualitative Research. It makes it hard to get back focused on Chapter 2, but all must get back on track. The one good thing is after this class I should be able to get T6 pay.

Holy Cow!!!!! In the midst of writing this post the phone rang. It was some man named....Eiger Hestad. He lives in Georgia and somehow came across our name and wondered if we were related. Go figure? We had a nice visit he was retired and had moved to Kennesaw from Conneticut.

So I go call Dan's mom and tell her about the phone call. She says well I just got my own strange phone call from a Hestad!!!! What the heck!!! Well Dan's brother that died had a son who is a year older than Drew, so he's 24. Mike's wife had left him many years before his death because of his addiction and the family hasn't seen Jimmy since he was 12. Well Jimmy tells Mom and Dad that he is coming through Minneapolis with his wife and two children and would like to meet them!!!!!! Dan and I are going to be checking in on this late Sunday night, because I have a sneaking feeling that Jimmy looks just like his Daddy and this might be a little difficult for Dan's mom. They are taking pictures and we shall update you on that!

Beautiful

I love pretty things (I know you all do to) and the blogger over at Retro Art Cafe' is having a fantastic give away in honor of the angels in her life. When I looked at it, I found it very soothing. Plus it would look really good in the bedroom/office area! Check it out.

Back to work!

It is back to thinking scholarly thoughts. Dan has taken all the children and dogs, so it is two days of quiet for me.

I love coffee! I know that it is an odd obsession, but I can't help it. To me the start of a great day is to get up really early in the morning and get to drink at least 3 cups of coffee before going out of the door. I've tried making coffee at work, but it is always lukewarm by the time I get to it. Coffee has to be piping hot.

I'm very particular about my coffee. Perhaps this started in the late 80's when we lived in Crested Butte, Colorado. One thing that we could afford to do back then was go to the coffee store (There wasn't a Starbuck's). I can still remember the taste and smell of "Butter Pecan" coffee, on a cold day with several feet of snow on the ground. Currently, I'm drinking Starbucks "Verona". (I get to drink it for a while, because I found it at an incredible price at Target the other day!)

Now, my coffee has to have certain ingredients to make it special. First, if I don't have Sweet 'n Low, then I don't want coffee!! Next, it has to be Coffeemate Creamer. Dan tells me I'm going to die from all the Sweet 'n Low, but coffee without just isn't the same for me! Also, I use a special cup, I have two favorites at the moment. I have one I got at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth that has a group of tough looking cowgirls on it and says, "My Heroes have always been Teachers." (A spin off one of my favorite movies and songs, "My Heroes have always been Cowboys). My other one, has an abstract art picture on it that Gabe did this year.

So today I hope you get to do those things you enjoy in life. I'll get my three cups in before foot therapy this morning.

High school graduations are huge celebrations of life to come. However, back in the day (1977) when I graduated it was anything but a celebration. My mother had been diagnosised with breast cancer the year I was in 10th grade. My mother was extremely young, she had me when she was 15, so she was only 30 years old at the time. Little did I know this started several years of long hospital stays, surgeries, and experiencing the dying process.

So in May of 1977, the cancer was raging. As graduation approached we spent long nights in the hospital. My mom so wanted to be there, but she didn't get to come. So my Grandma and stepdad were there. We were going to be the first class to ever graduate from the football field, but the minute we were to step on the field a horrible thunderstorm came through. Everyone ran for their cars and went down the road to our school auditorium. Graduation was quickly rearranged and we did manage to get diplomas that night.

Afterwards we all went to the lake. (We went to the lake a lot where I grew up.) It was going to be a big night of partying! Only I was exhausted from all the time spent at the hospital. I crawled in the back of Brenda's car and went to sleep. Brenda and Ricky would wake me occassionally and tell me where we were and were they would be, but all I remember is sleeping.

The next day it was back to the hospital routine. My mom lived for several months after my graduation. I went on to finish Junior College (while working a 40 hour a week job), then got my degree in education from Southeastern State University, got my first teaching job, then went right back to work on my Master's in Education with Reading Specialist Certification. Now, I am taking my last course toward my Doctorate and fixing to start my research. I think my mom would be very proud! And some how I find comfort thinking that she's seen it all and knows that life turned out pretty good for me!

So while all graduations are not held during the happiest of times. They all symbolize a new step in life, and that is to be celebrated and cherished, no matter what the circumstances.

Goodness Gracious!

Tell me it isn't so. How can one person find so many pieces of beautiful pyrex? I don't know about addictions, but I do have one on this. The sad thing is I have no where to put any more dishes. How horrible is that!!!!

Last night we had a Sunday School party and it was a lot of fun. Then today Dan's Sunday School class was full (Daniel's class came over). It was a great time.

This afternoon we went to a funeral. Seems that a friend of ours father dropped dead on Friday, we found out late last night, and they buried him today. I felt sad for everyone. Other than that I've slept on and off today. I have tried to read, but no big cooking.

UUUGGGHHH!

Let me be the first to admit that my first two weeks of summer break have not been my most productive. I've basically done NOTHING! I've read a book, played on the blog, made cakes to deliver to people, and gone to therapy. But all that ends today, I have to work today and next Friday. Just saying the words this morning is giving me hives and here's why.

Seems that everyone(second grade) knew to keep out their Teacher's Editions of all books. Funny I never heard that. Okay I know your thinking well that's not surprising that LH didn't know, but FR didn't know either. See I might have been thinking of Chapter 1, in so much pain with my foot that I missed a conversation, or been busy making sure closets and my room were packed up and ready to go, but not F. But here is the part that gets me, no one in charge can possibly believe they didn't say it. There will be no admission, by anyone in charge, that 5th grade was left out of the loop on this memorandum. So I have hives this morning! I have no books!!! They are packed in boxes (which I was suppose to be unloading next week, now try next month), locked in a storage container.

Matt and Dan left EARLY (4:30am) this morning to attend orientation at ABAC. I hope they get everything settled. One thing about Berry is that they took you by the hand and lead you through each step of the process (of course at $25,000 per year you wouldn't expect anything less). ABAC just has kinda let us do our best. If Matt tried to set up a meeting, they said don't worry.

So that is how I am approaching today. No books - don't worry. No class list - don't worry. Being told how to act professional, at the same time knowing that my professional opinion is worth nothing - don't worry. So I'm going to take my lovely self, a Diet Dr. Pepper, a pen, and a happy attitude! Hey, I will get to eat lunch out today!

Confession

Hello, my name is Lennye and I'm an addict. Let me clarify that, I am a vintage Pyrex addict. It happened very innocently on accident, and all it took was one look. (Isn't that the problem with addicts). Yes, that's right the other night when I made the wonderful chicken casserole out of this cookbook, I saw it and was instantly obsessed. That's right I had to have the beautiful creamy white dish with the turqouise blue Amish people on it. (Better yet there is one with roosters!)

Now my dreams are filled with having a collection of vintage Pyrex dishes. My grandmother had the plain colored bowls, not the beautiful one with print. However, like all addicts money is my chief problem! How to make money that is the question. Unless there is a call for large size pole dancer, I better start planning a garage sale in the near future.

Old Dogs Need New Music

Okay, you guys know I'm a George Strait/Allen Jackson Type girl. However, there are days when I go over to Bonnie Raitt. (Who I think is the greatest!) Well tonight I cruised over to two writing teachers and Stacy had put up a video of Natalie Merchant. Never heard of her!

You may be asking at this point, "L, why haven't your music savvy younger friends told you about this incredible singer?" Good Question, so I went to youtube and looked her up. I liked everthing I heard, so now I've added her to the playlist. Check it out! She reminds me of Carole King, Carly Simon, and Bonnie Raitt all rolled into one!

Wordless Wednesday - My Three Sons

Happenings

Yesterday, SBB and Monkey dropped by for a sweet visit. SBB brought over a lot of books on writing instruction. So it looks like Chapter 2 will soon be moving forward again! However, until the movement forward occurs, I some new frivilous reading material:
Yes, it is true I love Andrew Greeley's Nuala Anne McGrail Series. I've read them all! In these books there are usually two story lines going on at once, but I still like them.

Also, in my spare time, I'm cooking. Matt asked yesterday if I was running a baking service. I sent two cakes out to friends and made a big one for us. Then I made Chicken Casserole from this cookbook:

It didn't have all the veggies in it, but let me tell you my group went crazy. They did everything but lick the pan clean. Matt said it was his new favorite thing to eat and could we have it more often! Originally, I had planned to send a casserole over with the cakes Matt delivered, but having to stop in the middle of things and go to therapy on my foot slowed me down.

So far I've made the coleslaw, the chicken casserole, and the black bean lasagna out of this cookbook; MeMe made the meatloaf and all are wonderful. I've got to call her today and tell her to make the casserole. Also, if you have not made the Cowgirl Salad over at PW you are missing a treat. It is a meal in itself. I think I'm taking it to the next church cookout.

Well happy reading, cooking, and resting today!

Slice of Life Challenge Chapter 2

I know everyone is probably getting tired of me writing about the pictures and being sentimental, but for some reason I can't help it! Yesterday I found this quote:


"Every man's work, whether it be literature or music or pictures or anything else, is always a portrait of himself, and the more he tries to conceal himself the more clearly will his character appear in spite of himself." - Samuel Butler


I am married to the world's quietest man. When they say opposites attract they were so right. Dan just doesn't say a lot, never has, he carries everything deep inside. In December, Dan turned 50, and then in January his business started going downhill rapidly. Dan trains horses, more specifically cutting horses. The horse business is highly connected to the economy. When times are good, business is good and vise versa. Needless, to say the economy is BAD right now, so business is really bad! Dan has tried to hold on and I know that he worries daily about what could a 50 year old horse trainer do.


In my limited understanding of men, I know that their work defines who they are, their worth as a human. So you can imagine how Dan's mental health is at this point in time. (Plus, he was in a terrible car wreck in September that involved a fatality. It wasn't his fault, but it is something he has to deal with.) So when Monkey took this picture the other day, my eyes filled with tears.

See this is Dan's masterpiece! Not his work, but who he is as a great father and husband. The older boys have spent a lot of time working side by side with their dad and he has had a remarkable impact on who they are as men. Both boys have a strong work ethic and a strong faith in God. (They also have their mother's sense of humor!) So to me this picture says it all, it doesn't matter so much what you do for a living, or where you live. What matters is who you are as a person! While my man may be struggling with his work, and may never be successful in the ways the world measures success; he has been very successful in the eyes of his family and that is what really matters.

Family Photos Part 2

In case you haven't looked over at http://bymonkeybean.blogspot.com/ you will find more family photos. I continue to look over these photos and I'm totally blown away. They are all so good! Here are a couple of others that we LOVE!

I don't know why but I'm lovin' me some family pictures. I'm seeing a family photo on the Christmas card this year. If I use my CVS extra care points I should be able to accomplish this for free!

Today's challenge was to show surprise! Gabe is our child who is full of surprise (literally). This picture was taken at Christmas in 2006. I don't think that the GameStop gift card was for much, maybe $10. However, when you are 10 and it is to your favorite store it doesn't matter. To me the picture sums up everything that Christmas should be about--anticipation and surprise! Gabe was a surprise. I had thought we were done with the baby making days, but God had a little surprise for us! Gabe has a unique few on the world that keeps us on our toes! He is not an easy student to teach. He doesn't like to think inside the box, but loves to go places few teachers are willing to go.

Oh, how I wish as adults we could capture those feelings of surprise and anticipation. Sometimes I wonder why we don't wake up every morning going, "Wow, it is a new day I wonder what God has planned today!" Instead I think we role in and just struggle through. We worry about gas prices, food prices, and all the things we don't have, but think we need. I want to look at this picture for awhile. I want to remember the joy of surprise and life is the biggest surprise of all!

I like this quote by Felicity Kendal, "When I was little I always thought I was marked out, special, on the verge of something momentous. I used to tingle with anticipation." Today may you tingle with anticipation as you look for the joy in the unexpected!

Family Photos

The results are in!! MonkeyBean kept 114 of the pictures she took. I'm going to CVS and making me a photo album of the whole thing. But I don't know which one is the best for a big photo. You decided.

Photo 1

Photo 2

This one makes my heart skip a beat!

Photo 3Photo 4Photo 5

I can't even begin to tell you what these pictures mean to me. We have never been a foo-foo type family. You know there are those people who take pictures of their kids every year paying big bucks at a photographer's studio. We are not those people. We don't have the time or the money! MonkeyBean Photography Studios caught our family at a specific moment in time that needed to be documented. I hope that this starts Melissa and Julie into a lucrative parttime business!

So you tell me which ones do you like! I love them ALL!

Reflections!

Around 3pm I thought my hopes of family pictures were going to be dashed, but Monkey and Bean said we were going ahead. I'm so glad we did. I know we got some great shots. I can't wait to see them. But it was more than that, we literally captured one family's moment in time. See our lives will change drastically in the next few months. Drew and Nicole are going to know within a week if everything is ready for the Penn State grad school adventure. Matt goes to orientation on the 20th, and while I say I can't wait, I think this will hit me hard. Then it will be us and Gabe. Not that Gabe doesn't need some quality time to work on his quirks, but still it won't be the same.

In these pictures Monkey and Bean captured old love and new love. Dan and I will be married 25 years in March and Drew and Nicole are coming up on their first anniversary. Love that has weathered some pretty tough times and love that is still in the adventurous stage. In these pictures they captured love that is for a lifetime--regardless of jobs, money, or location.

So who ever said a picture was worth a thousand words had it right. Or this great quotes:

The family is one of nature's masterpieces. ~George Santayana, The Life of Reason

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

But as the two older ones spread their wings may they remember:

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.-- George Moore

Saturday Happenings

I'm sitting here with my foot in the traction boot. Physical therapy on the foot has been more than I bargained for, plus it is aggravating my back issues. But it does allow me an hour a day with nothing to do but put my foot up.

Today has promises of being a big day for the H family. Drew and Nicole are coming over. We are all meeting Monkey and Julie at Indian Springs for a family picture. This might very well be our last time together for awhile. Since #1 son has a pending offer at Penn State for a full ride. Now to me this is a no brainer, but he says it like he is still thinking about it. Anyway, I feel major changes in life coming. Matt goes next week to orientation down at ABAC. I just pray he makes good choices. His Daddy and I both went to rodeo (agriculture) junior colleges...we will all need to say extra prayers!

Anyway after pictures we are coming back and cooking out. I've already made the Mississippi Mud Cake and the potatoes are in the oven for Twice-Baked Potato Casserole. I'm going to shuck the corn this morning and cut up some lettuce and we should be good to go. Well I'll probably make some plain brownies for Nicole since she doesn't eat nuts or fruit.

I can't wait for the pictures! Monkey said that I should pay her what I think, now how do you put a price tag on priceless. I'm totally stoked for the pics. I'll share more on this later.

GREAT BOOK!

What makes a great story? Well, I think it has to have realistic characters (those you can relate to), a little bit of a mystery, makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you think, and then has a totally shocking ending. That's what I got in the book...

This book turned out to be the perfect relaxation book for me. A part of me wants to keep it and let all of you read it, but I'm making a box for MeMe and putting it in there. (The doctors in Houston didn't give very encouraging news last time.)

Anyway, do yourself a favor and read this book. It will be time well spent, even F. will like this one (and she can give it to Mrs. R). Now I can get back to chapter 2 of the dissertation! I will start looking for my next book after chapter 2.

PS. Go to www.susangreggilmore.com for details on her contest. Win a years worth of DQ Blizzards! by writing about your favorite DQ memory. Monkey and SBB cannot use the same memory! Mine involved me and F, an autograph, a diet, and ice cream!!!!!!

The challenge today over at my favorite blog is writing about a student. Well there is only one that came to mind for this challenge! When J.M. came to me he was a non-writer, non-reader. All year I wondered how he had gotten so far and not been tested, because it was obvious there was a problem. I wanted those who had let him slip through the cracks of the educational system horse-whipped on the square. Anyway, JM wanted to learn, he was eager to try anything I asked of him. His writing was very fragmented and didn't have a lot of coherence to it, but he wrote. Before the 5th grade writing assessment we had worked on leads and conclusions. One of the examples I used to teach leads involved explaining how to eat an Oreo cookie. We had been practicing using descriptive words and exclamation points to get our readers attention.

On the day of the test, JM got one of the prompts asking him to tell about playing a sport. I watched as he thought (but didn't make any pre-writing movements). Then he wrote it Strike 1! Strike 2! Strike 3! This was a very bad day.... I wanted to jump for joy. I think the Hallelujah chorus was playing in the background. He had actual written a lead. But I knew the scores for the state assessment would not see the growth, the progress, the effort a non-reader was putting into this assignment. He wrote for the whole two hours. Nothing else made a whole lot of sense, but he wrote. Oh how I wanted him to pass the writing. He had tried and done the best he was capable of doing.

JM didn't pass the state assessment. He doesn't have 5th grade literary skills, but he had written a lead that made sense! JM scored a 175, you need a 200 to meet basic proficiency. Sadly, state assessments will never show the true growth our students make. I hate them, but that is a whole new post! (Of course without it my dissertation would be a bit shallow.)

Off Task!

Okay I haven't finished Chapter 2 (it isn't for a grade) and I've started projects. I'm cleaning and hauling out clothes. I don't know why we keep the stuff we keep. You couldn't even sell this stuff at a garage sale! But the sad (because I wasn't doing this till Chapter 2 was finished) thing is I went to the bookstore and bought:

I couldn't help myself. It is joyful light reading that makes me laugh! But I couldn't stop while I was there I bought Big-Dog-Daddy this one for Father's Day. He was very impressed.

However, I must get back on track today. Chapter 2 is calling!! My brain is just tired right now. Yesterday, I made multiple phone calls only to find out that my financial aid stuff hasn't been handled yet, so that took a lot of time.

On a sad note, I am glued to news stories at the moment on the story of two little girls who where shot and killed in rural Oklahoma while walking on a dirt road. I guess growing up hearing the stories of my uncle, who was shot and killed by a neighbor boy and left for dead on the porch, makes this story touch a cord in my heart. When they find whoever did this truly horrific crime I hope they save the taxpayers and just get a rope! What type of person shoots children and leaves them for dead on the side of road!!!

Slice of Life Story Challenge

I still loving the http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/ today is Slice of Life Tuesday. Here in Georgia the temperatures are unbelievable HOT! (Yesterday it had to be 100) So I'm thinking back to a day in January when we had a dusting of snow. I think it took a lot of effort for Matt to come up with the snowball. The boys were loving it and I was praying for a snow day. No snow day, but we still have a picture to remember it.

I hope that Monkey and Bean now have airconditioning!

Memoir Mondays

My favorite site at the moment http//:twowritingteachers.wordpress.com has Memoir Mondays (I'm not techie enough to figure out how to load the cute little heading.) Anyway, this picture was Father's Day 2006. We went to Pappadeux's in Marietta. It was a wonderful time...their food is wonderful...it is great Cajun food. Matt says he likes the picture cause I didn't look tired and looked happy. (Note to Monkey...try to make L look happy in family photo). (Note to self...I need a scanner).

So what is your favorite memoir....I'm waiting...

Doctor Update!

You all know I've had a bad feeling about foot surgery, and I tend to take my feelings serious. So today at doctor's office, he opts out of surgery...with no input from me. Instead we are going to do 6 weeks of physical therapy. I know that might not work either, but it is worth a try. So we will see.

I did get all the office supplies bought, got Dan's Father's Day, black shirts all around, my Dad's Father's day, got some frames for Matt's senior picture on radical mark down, got my new leisure reading book, and looked at a couch (found one but not sure now is a good time to spend money.)

Therapy starts Wednesday.

HALLELUAH!!!!

The title was sung in a loud voice this morning!! I'm still stoked over the grade in Educ 8030. I thought I'd never make it.

Today's list of things to do today:
1. Call foot doctor (which may change all other plans).
2. Oversee boys cleaning their room (I asked Dan if he cleaned his room growing up or did his mom? His mom did it! Sorry boys but your doing your own and right now you are living in a health hazard).
3. Cook healthy supper.
4. Read and Work on Chapter 2.

Things to do this week:
5. Clean house
6. Do laundry
7. Finalize family pic day
8. Make sure everyone has appropriate black shirts.
9. Get more office supplies.
10. Buy crayons for back to school project at church.
11. Learn to enjoy life!

I'm Walking Tall Today

I know I'm not a lot of fun these days, but sometimes standing at the crossroads of average and memorable can do that to you. The next year will be hard, but if the joy I feel today is anything like it will be the day they say, "I present to you Dr. L. H." then it is all good.

If you are curious about my euphoric outlook, well...Dr. W sent back Chapter 1 and it is good to go (4/4)! I will now begin work on Chapter 2. I've got some paper work to get ready. I need to talk to Dr. B at Central Office, but I'm feeling better about life today! I want to smell the roses for a minute! Unfortunately there are more books to read. However, I have promised myself that the week of June 14th will be party time, kicking back, reading frivolous stuff!

So for a couple of hours I'm like the "angel of happiness". I know your having trouble picturing it.

GROSS

Gabe comes up to me awhile ago and says, "What's this? It itches."

I quickly googled and since he isn't light headed or falling out. We are okay, if not better by morning we should go to doctor.

The swelling and feverish part is about 5 inches across. Notice the bite mark.

Stuff

I've been blog hopping. This is NOT a huge waste of time. Check out one of my new favorite sites

http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/

These are two totally cool teachers. I asked for the plans for something they do called "The Independent Reading Project" and I got it in a few hours. They also do something called a "Summer Adventure Packet" that is way COOL. Again they just give you the stuff to use. They also link you to other cool teachers...who have their own links.

For instance what about "The Picture Book Project". You read and discuss with the kids a picture book per day. The teacher laminates a photo copy of the book cover and then attaches it to a clothes line. Your goal is nothing less than 100 books per year.

I've found all kinds of stuff that allow you to make your room a literacy filled space, with charts, graphs, and lists all over the place. I AM IN LOVE with all these ideas.

Check it out, follow the links, and you will be transported back to a world where the teacher taught and the kids had fun and learning abounds!

Hot Fun In the Summer Time

How do 11 year olds have fun?

They make their friend get in a tub filled with water and add ice! (PS we are looking into some new swim shorts!)

The Highwaymen - Mamas, Don't Let Your Babys Grow Up To Be

Thinking about Son#1 off to grad school. Son#2 off to ABAC. Son #3 just off in his own world most of the time (he is into seriously investigating Leggos right now). The Big-Dog-Daddy had the first two, but now has decided #3 needs to learn his way around the barn. He gets Fridays off, so #3 is sound asleep still!

Willie and Waylon have to know I've done my best to stop this...it doesn't work...Cowboyin' is in the blood. Somedays it is like I live in an alternate world!!!

Word of the Day - Triangulation

Yes, that's right such an easy word. Yeah Right! Try to use this word in a paragraph and sound like you really know what you are talking about. In fact I don't think my study is a triangulation, I think it is a quadulation...is that even a word!!!!!

Two paragraphs to fix and I know it sounds so easy to my readers, but you need to sound scholarly, and right now mine sounds redneck.

"Now let me tell you about my study. We ain't playing no reindeer games here in Georgia. We are gonna test those little kiddies with two (that's right not one) test. This here little study will be pre-experitmental in design. We gonna use those test as a pre-and post-test. We gonna take that data and correlate it to the scores on the 2009 5th grade writing test. But, we aren't stoppin' there...no way Jose' we are gonna look at the data from 2007 and 2008 and see if that 25 weeks of vocabulary instruction really made the difference!"

You might pray for me...cause I'd rather be playing some dadgum reindeer games.

Famous People Recipe Night

Tonight we had those Australian potatoes on Pioneer Woman's blog and coleslaw from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook - both were wonderful. However, I don't like Rosemary, so I used dill on the potatoes.

Chapter 1 is still not working and have not been able to catch the professor in her office. I'm stumbling over triangualtion of data and wording!

I LOVE MORNINGS!

I love the morning time. I went to bed about midnight last night (I'm trying to work out Dr. E's vision and Prof vision), but was up by 5:30 this morning. So I'm looking out over the garden (Mr. Phillips), sipping coffee, and having scholarly thoughts. I'm back on the paper.

What are the thoughts out there on Independent Reading/Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)? There is some incredible research out there right now. Reading relates to vocabulary; vocabulary relates to writing; writing relates to higher level thinking skills (something F desperately needs students to acquire). Yet, that pesky element of TIME, keeps getting in the way. We don't have time to teach, much less donate 40 minutes to writing and 30 minutes to SSR. Dr. E was shocked to hear we are not donating ANY time to silent reading or teacher read alouds. Come on! When we say we don't have time, they think we have our priorities out of line. However, Marzano's research came up with only about 3.9 hours per day that available for actual teaching time. In the new school this will be cut even more since we will be expected to go with them to the bathroom, every time they go and check the bathroom after they leave. Also, if we change classes 4 times that wipes out another 40 minutes of instruction (has anyone besides me thought of this?).

Here's another thought rising gas prices have the potential of adversely affecting schools. Already a school in Minnesota has gone to a 4 day school day! The face of education is on another huge precipice of change.

Bad Company - Bad Company

PW asked readers to tell there favorite song. This is it!!! Boy, was I young and invincible. Makes a tear come to my eye to remember that girl...However, I can hear it and all of a sudden I'm 17, drivin' a '68 Volkswagon, pullin' up to the beach (Brenda better keep those photos hidden)....

If Brenda or Lanea log in and read this you remember those days at Lake Murray! You know what I'm talking about! You hold all the secrets of the past and I'm not telling a thing!

Alice Cooper - School's out 1972

Somethings are just classic and can never be replicated!

Cold Water Bucket Brigade

Let me just say, everyone is not as happy about my prof liking my stuff. Kindof dampened my spirits today.

Who Would Have Thought It!

Okay, as you may know I am in the midst of writing Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of the dissertation. Also, trying to pack up my room for a move. (In the back of my mind I want buy a house - so I am officially crazy).

Anyway, the packing is complete, except for having to go in and pack Dianne's room. My foot is killing me. I did call the Doctor today, this was the conversation:

Me: Hi, this is Lennye Hestad

Receptionist: Hey, Mrs. Hestad, what can I do for you?

Me: Well, my foot is killing me.

Receptionist: Well that shot seemed to last a while this time. What was that April?

Me: Yes.

Receptionist: Well Dr. Mam can see you Wednesday and we'll just have to see what he says about this. Aren't you out of school finally.

Me: I've got to work tomorrow.

Receptionist: Well I'll see you early Wednesday!

UUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH

So then I check my college mail and Professor Marina Del Rey has responded to my Chapter 1.
Abstract (no comment) Pages 1-4 no comment. Then came page 5.

Prof: Do you really want to do a triangulated study?

Me thinking: NO

Prof: You need to have a control group and a group with no treatment?

Me thinking: How do I get that approved when our writing scores are so low?

Then came the kicker in bold print!

Prof: I can see you developing a Hestad Writing Program (HWP) Then she says a lot about what if you wrote a curriculum and an individualized writing program for each child. That is based on triangulated data. Then says Call me so we can talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Jesus!HELP!!!!!!!!

I am alive

Graduation is over...Inlaws are gone...school is out...Chapter 1 is finished...I'm working on Chapter 2...have given up on sleep this weekend!