morning thoughts

You know this bad auto industry situation could affect my husband's job? He works for a company that has a computer program for all aspects of an auto dealership.

Pictures of this weekend

J had a show this weekend---Flashback Fever. They are singing songs from the 50s and 60s. Here are some good shots of J---in the blue bowling shirt.

"Oh Boy"

"Maybeline"

J's song is "Traveling Man" and the girls are lining up behind him, giving him the stink eye because he's got so many girls.


B was involved with UIL events this weekend. Her event was Art Memory. B has been saying for weeks that L would get 1st place and she would get 2nd. I knew there'd be a lot of competition, and she said there were about 20 fourth grade kids in the room. We were surprised she got 1st place in district! Her BFF L was second place. Those are two smart girls.

They are posing with their coach and Art teacher,

Mrs. M. We all love her. ;-)

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, November 15th

Today's theme is ruined. I asked my husband a few days ago---Can you think of any pictures we have that go along with the theme 'ruined'?" And he reminded me of all that ruined carpet. And this was just the beginning of a year that got ruined, in my opinion.

This is our living room, from the front door. Well, and the dining room. Who knew all this was under our carpet? It's very weird, but I suppose it's the remnants of all that glue putting the carpet down. Paint splotches were everywhere, too.

Here's the little corner by my bedroom door. So lovely. Carpet padding still stuck down to the concrete.

The last picture is what ruined our carpet. A strong downpour for much longer than our drainage could take, along with some construction a half a mile away, contributed to this problem.

Do you know if our carpet had been ruined by a broken hot water heater or busted pipe, we could have gotten more flooring through insurance. But because it was a flood, no go! I didn't really imagine that we would need flood insurance. It wasn't required. It's just like the commercials I've been seeing on the TV for flood insurance from the government. "I don't even live near the water!" it says on the commercial. Thank goodness it didn't get in the walls!

If you'd like to take a downer trip, go see more ruined photos at TNChick's website. ;-) Next week's theme is reflection. "Reflections of . . . the way life used to be . . . "

next to last essay

This afternoon I wrote one more essay---which I could have written before I read a single bit of the reading I had to do. This was a really short one. I think they wanted to make sure we all were on board and saw the value of Bilingual education. I'm already sold, though, especially for my English-speaking kids. Here it is:

Submit a one paragraph paper to your instructor explaining which Bilingual instructional methods you would prefer to see in your school district and why.

In the school district in which I live, Bryan ISD, I would like to see a Dual Language or two-way bilingual program instituted for the majority of the Spanish-speaking students requiring bilingual instruction. The studies have shown that learning two languages is beneficial to all children, and the Dual Language model would teach more students to be bilingual than would a program for only limited English proficient children. I believe that any child who is capable should learn a second language while they are young, when their brains are still setting up language connections and are more easily absorbing language knowledge than when they are older. In the Dual Language classroom, the Spanish speakers are models and teachers for the English speaking students, as are English speakers for the Spanish speakers. Value is given to both languages, which helps students coming from Spanish speaking homes to see that their home and culture are as important as any other student's. While this method is beneficial for all students without a language learning disability and for those who start school in the district, this still leaves some students who will enter the school district after the early grades who need the beginning stages of instruction in acquiring English. I see that there would be a need for more traditional bilingual classrooms throughout the school grades in addition to the Dual Language classrooms. Also, according to the TEA website, 14.4 % of the students in Bryan are limited English proficient. With a goal of 50/50 Spanish to English speakers in each classroom, there will not be enough Spanish speakers to pair with every English speaker. The program would not be possible for every English speaking student, but many could be educated in two languages. As we raise up these students to be workers in our state, it will become increasingly important to produce bilingual citizens who are able to communicate in Spanish and English. The Dual Language model would not only continue to teach the Spanish speakers their native language, but also teach English speaking children to be bilingual, biliterate and bicultural, which will benefit the students as well as the whole state.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, November 8th

This week's theme is together, and I submit two pictures for you---

This first one I took last Saturday of B and her BFFs. They'll be together forever, you know, just like my BFFs from 4th grade. Oh, wait, I have no idea where those friends are now! (I'm a bit too negative, of course.) They'll probably always stay connected because of technology. I connected up with fellow Band friends this week via Facebook. These girls had been at a Girl Scout event about American Girls dolls.


The next one is my hubby and me, circa 1991. We don't look near this cute now! Look how we love to be together at a picnic---so romantic. ;-) We will, of course, be together forever. As of this month, we've been "together" for 18 years and 9 months, and married for 17 years 4 months. I'd still like to eat a lunch just like that---Frito's, Dr. Pepper, sandwich. This was on our honeymoon, at the Chucalissa Indian Village in Memphis, TN.

If you want to see more "together" pictures today, check out TNChick's website. Home of the Photohunt!

Leave me a comment! I'll visit you when I get done with some more online schoolwork. I've done one test and one assignment this morning already. I spent two hours looking for one little statistic---how many low SES students we have in our local school district. Bryan---65.2 %, just so you know. College Station, which borders our town---30.3%. Three more assignments to go this weekend. I CAN DO IT!

Next week's theme is ruin(ed). Could be pretty interesting!

A Change will do you good???

I really don't have time to blog, but I've been composing a post in my head since I woke up at 5. (My body still thinks we're on daylight savings time!)

A Change? Yes, I always believe we need a change. The change I want is a more transparent government (both sides I feel are horrible at saying one thing and doing something else in a closed-door session). I still want to see some compassionate conservatism!

But these changes coming (maybe?) may be at just the right time for me and the family!

• college tuition? We have J starting college in less than 5 years! Yea!
• more affordable health care? yahoo!
• tax break? Well, we're nowhere near that top 5% of the socio-economic ladder, so this can only help me out.

I heard D.L. Hugley talking to Rev. Al Sharpton saying that if we have a Black president, it's time to show the world how all these civil rights battles are coming to a head, and it's time to show the world it was not for nothing.

Now if all these promises can be fulfilled without breaking the country's bank---that will remain to be seen. Time to put up or shut up! But the democrats have these first two years of "total control," don't they, to do everything they want to do.

Sunday Morning

It's 7:03, but my body thinks it's 8:03. I love falling back!

Here's a picture of the kids on Halloween. J has a straight jacket and B is his nurse. We made a big shot out of a roll of paper towels.

They went to a TROUPE lock-in, and Larry and I went out. We sat on the patio at Wings N More for a dinner for 2 (just like old times---but in a new location than when we were in college), and then we went ot the movies--Eagle Eye. Good Halloween!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, November 1st

This week's theme is BLUE. Here is my blue submission---The blue July Texas sky in Bandera, Texas.
The sky is usually completely cloudless in July, but the clouds are from a hurricane that came up the Rio Grande that week. I love to take pictures of clouds, and I really love to take pictures of the Texas courthouses. I know, you can get that poster from the state that has all the courthouse pictures, but that's not the point. The point is for me to see them all and take pictures of them myself.

I realize today that when I'm feeling blue, I don't take pictures much. I don't need a record of my sadness!

Check out TNChick for more blue photohunters! Next week's theme will be together.