Excuses

In my line of work I get a lot of excuses.

"I couldn't do my homework because I don't have a computer at home." - That's great, it was a math worksheet, you didn't need a computer.

"I tested positive because I was in a car when people were claim baking." - A) That is not smart. B.) You will only test positive if you smoke the weed, so you smoked the weed.

"I didn't know I couldn't smoke in the bathroom." - You are a 6th grader, you can't smoke anywhere, let alone a school bathroom.


The latest is the best. I was helping do some filing at the office. A parent of a former child had been written up. They tested positive for meth. Their excuse? "I took Sudafed and drank 3 Monster drinks and that's why I tested positive." No, you tested positive for meth because you took meth!

Grocery Shopping

I hate grocery shopping. I used to love it, now I hate it. It is a pain! In an attempt to squelch my disdain, I have become more organized. I have a coupon according folder with each tab/slot containing different types of coupons (frozen, dairy, baby, toiletries, etc). I make a very organized (according to store lay out) list. Each * next to an item equals one coupon.

Well, it's been a month since we last went grocery shopping and a lot of the staples are disappearing and since tomorrow is payday, I thought I'd tackle the grocery list today. I decided to clip the Kroger ad and take those clips to Wal-Mart. Well, on a whim I called Wal-Mart. They won't take the cut out if the cut out has a picture of the Kroger card with it. They consider that another store coupon and they don't honor those. Ok....I'll go to Kroger. So I called Kroger. They don't accept store cut outs from anyplace. Arg! How am I supposed to save money people!?

What happened to the time of double and triple coupons? Oh those were the days! I was a cashier at Scott's during that time and I hated it. It meant more work for me. As a consumer, I miss those days!

Drive Time

I have a 30 minute commute to work each day. The morning drive allows me to think and prepare for the day. Knowing that I have a pretty calm day today (although when I say that, it is never calm) I was "sight seeing" on my drive to work. I was marveling at the trees, nature, etc when Creed's song Arms Wide Open came on the radio. The song talks about a man who just learned his wife was pregnant and he begins to pray. The song got me thinking. How can someone look at nature and all that it encompasses and childbirth and not believe in a higher power?

I often wondered the same thing when I was pregnant. Knowing what my body was doing and how I didn't have to think "Ok cells, divide. Ok heart, make your chambers." It just happened. How can someone know that and not believe?

Sure there are a lot of bad things in their world, but I feel everything happens for a reason and having one bad thing happen is not a reason to try to ignore that there is a God who is watching out for us.

I guess I just don't see how people can't believe.

What Is Indiana All About?!

I have a friend who is coming home for Thanksgiving and bringing his girlfriend with him. They will be in Auburn for a whole week. I asked him, "You told her there isn't anything to do in Auburn right?" He said he warned her about our lack of entertainment. So what is there to do in Northeast Indiana?

1.) WWII Museum- It's interesting, but if you're not a car or war fan, you could easily pass.

2.) ACD Museum- It is cool to look at old cars, but it's not like you get to drive them around.

3.) Sechler's Pickle Factory- I know the local elementary school kids get to take a tour, but part of me wants to see what it's all about too.

4.) Glenbrook Mall- I guess it's not that impressive to me because that is really the only "mall" I have known.

5.) Satek Winery- I don't drink wine, but it might be cool if you do.

6.) Fremont Outlet Mall- If you ask me, it has steadily gone down hill.

So, what do you suggest he take his girlfriend to see while they are home. I suggested the family dairy farm, but she doesn't strike me as a dairy farm type gal!

Monkey at Work

Yesterday I brought Monkey to work with me. It is exhausting to bring him, but I didn't have another choice. The morning went smoothly and he napped like normal. In the afternoon, gears changed and he refused to sleep, he refused to even play. He wanted to be held. Needless to say, getting work done in the afternoon was difficult.

When I pulled in the driveway yesterday afternoon, I found Taylor like this.

Clean House

I give up! For the past 7 months I have been pulling my hair out trying to keep a clean house. I give up. If you come and visit me and think, "Man! Look at that pile of dishes!" or "Why is the laundry still on the drying rack? It's dry." I'm sorry.

It was easy to get everything done and have dinner on the table by 5:30 when I was on maternity leave. Working full time and taking care of Taylor complicates that. I have decided to spend my afternoon time (all of 45 minutes) from when I get home till Ayron gets home playing with Taylor and Scooter instead of frantically cleaning my house like the cleaning inspector is coming to visit. I used to freak out if one dish was in the sink. Not anymore. This morning BOTH sides of the sink were full of dishes! I would normally run home, unload the dishwasher, then reload it. Then i would move on to vacuuming up the spare dog hair (which is EVERYWHERE) and then laundry. NOT TODAY! I am going to go home and read a book with Taylor.

My priorities are changing. I will clean the house, don't get wrong, but I am not going to stress myself out if the dishes aren't done and the house isn't spotless by 5pm.

Christmas Tree

I "stole" these pictures from an email sent to be from Kelly. I am trying to get my boss and co-worker to save their pop cans so we can build one here at work. Although, they both drink diet mt. dew, so should our tree be skinner?

Happy Birthday

Today is Mickey Mouse's Birthday 80th birthday!

He Doesn't Care

I have a new student who started this morning. He is a middle school student who is in the 7th grade. He doesn't care. That is apparent. When I interviewed the family last week it was apparent. I don't know what made me think his attitude would change upon starting the program this morning (I still have hope, I am not as jaded as some may think).

He is upset because when I looked through his books I found various assignments that were not complete or quizzes he had failed because he turned them in blank. Needless to say, I added those to his daily assignments for today.

Since arriving at 10 am this morning he had completed the following: 20 math problems, a 10 problem math quiz, read 1 page of his novel.

This student is intelligent, he can easily do the work, he just doesn't want to. I will not sit right next to him and do the work for him. That does nothing.

As I sit here eating my fake Oreos (see previous post: I know Todd, they suck!) I have to wonder what brought him to this point? Does he not understand (I have told him several times) that if he fails here, he will be held back and all of his friends will move on and he'll repeat the 7th grade. Does he think that sounds fun? He won't answer me, just gives me a blank stare.

It's not like the work is hard. Part of an assignment he didn't do, but I am making him redo is labeling the western states. That's it. How hard is that? Would take him all of 30 seconds if he cared.

I wasn't an exceptional student, but I cared. I am not sure why I cared. I think I was afraid of disappointing my parents and my teachers. Do students not care about that today? I know we are all motivated by different things, but what if nothing motivates them? How can I make them see the path they are headed down is not fun. I have my older students (if they want) share their experiences in lock up and the justice system as a type of "scare" tactic for the younger ones. Usually it works, with this kid, he'd probably just shrug his shoulders.

So now I get to call his mother at work and explain my rationale and state that I am giving him one more day to prove he wants to be here (technically he doesn't have to be here, he chose to be here) or I will remove him from the program. I am not going to waste my time planning his work when he won't do it. I have better things to do with my time. I can devote my attention to a student who actually wants to work!

Monkey Madness

For those of you who don't have facebook (I think that's just Kelly!), here is a link to the Monkey Album I just updated. The first pictures you have probably seen, but the rest are new!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=63763&l=830c5&id=790068782

Brand Name vs. Store Brand

I usually buy the store brand (if there is an option). Even with coupons, 9 times out of 10, the store brand will still be cheaper. I do miss the day's of double and triple coupons, but I have a feeling those day's won't be back.

The last time we went grocery shopping we went to Aldi's and bought a bunch of stuff to stock the house for awhile. I needed baking supplies and things you don't normally buy on your weekly trips to the store (or however often you go).

I have discovered some things that I just can't eat the store brand of.

1.) Mac and Cheese- I'm sorry. It has to be Kraft. I have done the cheap kind and it's just gross.

2.) Nacho Chips- Doritos people, there is nothing like them. I just tried the Aldi's brand with my gross sandwich (see previous post) and they were worse than my sandwich.

3.) Cool Whip- Depending on the recipe. The store brand "melts" faster so it won't hold a shape or stay firm in certain dessert recipes.

Ok, well apparently I can only think of 3 things right now...but I know there are more!

Sucky Sandwhich

This morning I packed myself a sandwich for lunch. I discovered we were all out of grape jelly. So I made a peanut butter and strawberry preserve sandwich. It sucks. There is just nothing like a good ole pb and GRAPE jelly sandwich.

Give Taylor 11 Years...He'll Get There

I found this article on wane.com


7 feet tall at 12 years old

Brenden Adams says he's just a kid

He's 12 years old and seven feet tall. Seven feet and three inches to be exact.
Brenden Adams had all of his teeth at four months old. At age four, he was the size of an eight-year-old. And when he was 10, he was the size of Michael Jordan. He towers over his classmates. Adams has a problem with one of his chromosomes that helps regulate growth and development. As such, his bones and organs grow at an incredible rate, meaning frequent trips to the hospital. He's had a brain tumor, a bleeding disorder and surgery to remove 12 extra teeth. Doctors hope they can make him stop growing by bringing on puberty early. They've given him testosterone injections and so far they're working. As far as they can tell, Adams has stopped growing. Still, despite his height, Adams says, at heart, he's just a kid and loves riding his custom-made bike.

I hope they get his condition figured out. But I am guessing that Taylor will be the only 6 foot kindergartner!

Not Ready

I currently have a female student doing a Child Development class. We have talked in the past about having kids, etc. She has always said, "Maybe one day, but I am not ready now." She is plugging away at the course work and doing a good job (she averages high "B's"). Today I was reading an essay answer and the question asked her to describe some games you could play with a 6 month old that would allow for parent/child bonding time. Her answer, "Fetch."

Yeah, I'd say she's not ready!

Stupid Tree

We have a lovely lot. It has several trees that those trees are wonderful....all except one of them. On the back corner of our lot we have a huge oak tree. It is gorgeous, but it has problems. It is old. It has been struck by lightening a couple of times, but it manages to live. It lives right next to our power lines.

Monday afternoon I pulled in the driveway and attempted to open the garage door with my opener. Nothing. Irritated, I thought, "Did I pay the utilities?" I knew I had, so I angrily dug out my keys and went in the front door. I looked out the back window and saw that there was a large city truck with a bucket lift in my backyard. After about 45 minutes, we had power. They were trimming up some branches because our stupid oak tree decided to shed some limbs on the power line and kill the power.

Later Monday night we realized that our furnace was not working properly. We called Josh, our favorite repair man, and he tried to walk Ayron through some things, but nothing seemed to work. He said he would come on Tuesday (I had already planned to take the day off) to look at it. Ayron went to Wal-Mart and bought a small space heater to keep Taylor's room warm.

Tuesday came and so did my favorite repair man. After about 30 minutes he figured it out and pieced it all together. When the power had gone off, the furnace had been running. The furnace then decided to shut off part of its operations to keep gas from leaking in. We simply needed to hit a nicely hidden reset button.

As Josh and I were talking, I saw the city trucks pull in the back yard (the back of our property butts up to an access drive). They began trimming up more branches. I told Josh how I have called several times to have that tree taken down and all they ever do is trim the branches. He went outside and pretended to be the home owner. Low and behold, they listened to a man and agreed to cut down the tree AND leave the wood! They mulched up the brush but left the rest. There is till half of the trunk in place, but they will probably be back today to finish cutting it down.

Now I have a furnace that works, a tree that will kill the power no longer, and Josh and Kelly have a crap load of wood for their soon to arrive (I hope) wood stove!

Happy Thought

Taylor is talking up a storm lately. He loves to talk to the dog. The other day I discovered that he likes to talk to our door. I left him alone and hid out of sight. I discovered he was talking to the object above our door. We have a wooden sign that is inscribed (Jesus is the unseen guest at every meal....etc). That sign was given to me by my grandfather for my wedding.

Those of you who know me know that my grandfather passed away a couple years before my wedding. My mom bought me that sign and said it was from my grandfather. He was a carpenter and loved to work with wood. I also got a blue stone cross from my grandmother (she passed while my mother was pregnant with me and I am her namesake).

After watching him talk to the sign for awhile I shrugged it off. When Ayron came home I told him how Taylor had begun talking to no one. He wasn't just babbling. I truly think he feels he is carrying on a conversation with someone. He will talk, the pause like he is listening/waiting for a response. I told Ayron how he is always talking to the sign above the door. Ayron offered me a simple explanation: "Maybe he is talking to Grandpa Eaton."

It made me wonder, does Taylor "see" grandpa? It was a comforting thought that made me tear up. Grandpa passed way to early. He was too full of life. He didn't go without a fight, but in the end the strokes got the better of him. So now when I see Taylor talking to no one, I like to think that Grandpa and Taylor are talking about going for a motorcycle ride.

*******************************************************************************

This month will mark the 7th year anniversary of Grandpa's passing. I do believe that our loved ones who have gone before us are watching out with us and always with us. There are time when I swear I can feel them and hear them. I will never forget that funeral. It was the COOLEST funeral I have ever attended.

My grandpa was a big Goldwing fan. He was always riding his bike and he loved it. He passed away right before Thanksgiving (I can't remember the exact date). He was a member of the CMA and the week before everyone had their bikes winterized. They all decided that the best way to honor Grandpa was to ride their bikes to the church and to the cemetery. Everyone pulled their bikes out of storage and got them "de-winterized."

I'm sure that to an outsider seeing people in jeans, cowboy boots, and leather chaps was shocking, especially at a funeral. To us, it was amazing! I know he loved it. You should have heard the roar when they all started their bikes and lead the funeral procession to the cemetery.

I also remember sitting in the car at the cemetery. None of the family got out of the car right away. Why would we? There was a Michigan St. vs. Purdue football game on the radio and it was the fourth quarter. I don't remember who won, but I do remember laughing and thinking that Grandpa would have loved it.

Proof

Proof that Josh has held Taylor. It's a bit blurry, but it is proof. So there you have it everyone, Josh will hold a "baby."

GIANT BABY!

Yesterday morning I had the house to myself (well Scooter was there) so I decided to go through Taylor's clothes and pack up what didn't fit. I then went to Wal-Mart to look for a couple of things he needed. I started really looking at the tags and the weight and height suggestions on them. According to the tags, my child is in 12 or 18 month clothes. The only problem is the pants don't fit. He is a long child, but he has a LONG torso. I did manage to find some shirts on clearance that I got him for $2 a piece. I kept finding myself wandering back to the cute baby onesie type outfits. I finally realized that our days of cute one piece outfits are over.

There were three outfits I couldn't bring myself to pack up, so I took them to my mom and she cut off the legs and hemmed the edges and BAM, he now has three long sleeved shirts! Two of those outfits we bought last month and he outgrew them that fast.

I guess this is what I get for marrying a giant. Taylor is 7 1/2 months and 29 inches long. He weighs 21 lbs. That goat's milk really helped him pack on the pounds!

I have to wonder IF (don't go reading into this) we have another child and it is a girl will she be a beast like her brother? I hope not!

The Beginning of the End

So I have a friend who is blogging (over several posts) about how she met her now husband. It got me thinking, "I wonder if I can remember all of my story." I have always wanted a daughter to tell the story too. Don't get be wrong I love Taylor and I am ecstatic we had a boy, but I think most women want a relationship with their daughters where they can discuss how "mom and dad" came to be.

In an attempt to test my memory, I have decided to see if I can document our (Ayron and I) meeting.

I started working at Scott's the summer before my senior year. That was THE place to work. There was a nice mix of DeKalb and Eastside students. We got along and soon were one big family. One night I was working and I had that annoying customer. You know, the one with a cut out (back when they did cutouts) and coupons for EVERYTHING, and a full cart to boot. I was one of the fastest and most accurate cashiers, but I secretly hated those customers. There were several other lanes open and I was dealing with the customer and her pickiness when I noticed a green giant (he had an Eastside jacket) in my lane. I thought, "What the heck dude? Why wait, go through Jen's line." But he waited. When I was finally able to ring up his order I must have gave him a funny glance. He had 2 gallons of milk and about 5 different cereals. He felt the need to tell me, "My parents are out of town." I thought, "Lovely, loser who can't cook."

After I had rang up his items, all the other cashiers started talking to him and asking when he was coming back to work. I ignored the chatter and went about my business. After he left, I looked at Jen and said, "So who's the moron who can't cook?" Jen looked at me and laughed, "Um your boss." I learned that his name was Ayron and he had graduated from Eastside and he took the summers off from Scott's to work for the family business.

When Ayron started back up at Scott's, I hated him. I thought he was always picking on me. Having me go do bathroom checks and bring in carts. Hello? Didn't he know I was a cashier, not a bagger? I always accused him of favoring the Eastside cashiers and frankly I wanted nothing to do with him. In November a former "fling" of mine returned home and I was happy to reestablish that relationship (it didn't work, THANK GOD).

By the time the end of December rolled around I had had enough of Auburn and was ready to split. School was pointless and I was getting sick of the small town views of some people. One night at work I was talking with Jen and we had decided we were going to take off, at least for the weekend. She had some extra cash and a car and we were set to just drive. I told her I would be back at the end of her shift and we could head out. She told me, "I have a feeling something is going to change, just call me here at 10." She knew something I didn't.

Rocking at Grandmas

My mom loves to play with Taylor. She is upset when she isn't needed to babysit on Tuesday or Thursday's. She has recently taught him a cool "trick" during their time together. Ayron and I caught him doing it last night and mom said, "Oh, that? He started doing that last week." Ayron and I tried to get it on video (via our phones) and this is a clip of what we were able to catch. It is very funny to watch in real life. If he knows you are watching him he will stop!

The rocking chair he is sitting in is OLD. It was a Christmas present given to my mom when she was 2 or 3. I remember falling asleep in it once when I was younger and my sister putting a suction cup basketball hoop to my head. It stayed on my whole nap. The only problem was the perfectly round hickey it left for a week! Thanks Nat.

Weekend Fun

So this weekend I worked the November Classic at the KRUSE Auction Park. I worked in a ticket booth and it was cold! I was all alone for 8 hours and you tend to get a bit bored. I did managed to read a couple magazines and a book. I also managed to sing most of Les Miserable to my empty folding chair!

This is the scooter I drove Friday night. It is a three wheeled contraption that is crazy to drive! Ayron about wrecked his into the back of mine. They wanted me to drive mine on to the block, but I politely passed. I would have wrecked it. The owner of the scooter drove it up for me! He had five of them to sell, but I don't think any of them did.

This is a video tour of my ticket shack. It is a tribute to my friend Kym who has given us two video and one picture tour of her home in Florida. Well, you may have 70 degree weather down there Kym, but I got you beat, I have/had 2 folding chairs!

I was supposed to help drive the Shelby Mustangs across the block, but some moron stole the keys and caused a huge mess. It ended up taking the whole weekend to get new keys made, etc. I so badly wanted to drive that car. It was black and gold to boot! BOILER UP!

Work Work, All Day Long...

We have been talking to our students about volunteering and doing some community service without it being court ordered. Today we had the perfect opportunity. There was a pile of leaves by the courthouse that needed moved. We grabbed our rakes and away we went. The kids were having fun just being outside (I have one on home detention so fresh air was fun for him!).

We were trying to get the kids to play in the leaves, but they wouldn't.....my staff however....did.

I wish you could have seen the kids faces. Legally, I couldn't post them, so I had to crop them out. They have the biggest shocked faces in the world. Suzanne has now spent about an hour picking leaf bits out of her hair and her pants!

Halloween Pictures

We didn't take Taylor trick-or-treating. What's the point? He is seven months old! We did get a costume. We played dress up and took pictures. We ended up going to Applebee's with Ayron's parents.

Politics!

Arg! I am so sick of the political ads on tv. They are on all the time. I am beginning to miss the stupid "Head On" commercials!

I will admit that I am an uninformed voter. I am voting early (this afternoon), but I am spending my morning doing research on each candidate. I don't trust the commercials. They are biased. I know that the research I will do will probably be biased as well, so I am going into my research with that knowledge.

It amazes me how much money each side has spent on the presidential campaign. Millions upon millions. Couldn't that money be better spent.....oh I don't know...lets just say FIXING OUR ECONOMY? Feeding the hungry? Housing the homeless? Betting our schools?

Ayron and I were talking about the attack ads the other night and we agreed. We think that after the primary election, each side should only be able to spend $100,000 (still a large amount) on advertising. Any extra money should be used to feed the hungry, house the homeless, better the schools, etc. Just think of how far that money could go. Instead it is being spent to by "infomercial" time as well as attack ads.

I honestly don't know who I am voting for. I have certain issues that are important to me, so I plan to research where each candidate stands on those issues. I really can't wait for the election and the attack ads to be done!

Memories

About a week ago I was helping my in laws clean some photos off of their digital camera. I was going through and deleting the unimportant and out of focus shots my 5 year old niece had taken (I think she snitches the camera more than grandma knows) when I came across pictures of my sister in laws vehicle.

Almost 2 years ago my sister in law was hit (T-boned) by a semi from a large and local trucking company. She spent a month in the hospital. She shouldn't have survived. We were told that so many times. "She shouldn't be walking." "She shouldn't be talking." "There is no way she'll drive again." We heard it all. Yet, she amazed us all and she is doing fine, in fact she has better eye sight now! It was a horrible, yet bonding time for our family. I still remember that feeling in my gut I had during the time of the accident. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew something was wrong. Then the phone rang. I have never driven home so fast. I remember passing the wrecker truck on the way to the hospital. I remember (and you can still see) the tire marks through the grass and the skid marks from the other car.

This morning I passed a semi from the same trucking company. My heart always stops a little. Mostly because last winter I was run off the road by a semi from that same company. I flinch now when I pass one on the high way, or I see one coming and it's a bit to close to the center line. I am pretty sure that is normal.

So when I passed a semi this morning I started recalling the photos I had seen in my mind. The car looked like a crumpled up piece of paper. I don't know how she got out alive.

I know she has come a long way, but some things will never be the same. Her voice is a little different now. It almost sounds like she has a bubble in the back of her throat. This morning I found myself struggling to remember what she sounded like before the accident. It killed me because I couldn't recall her voice. I still can't. Am I the only one who can't remember? Do her daughters remember what she sounded like before the accident? What really gets me is when I call the house and the answering machine picks up. It is Nikki, before the accident, on the recording. I don't think they will ever get rid of that recording. I think that is our one link to the old Nikki. Don't get me wrong, the old Nikki is back, just with a different voice. But my heart still breaks a little every time I get the answering machine.

Do you hear yourself?

I just got off a conference call with a parent. Her son has been expelled from school. He is a middle school student. She doesn't want him to come to my program because he will hang out with bad kids who are a horrible influence. I told her, "Our students are not bad people. They messed up and are doing what they need to do to get back on path." But her mind, they are bad people because they were kicked out of school. HELLO?? Your son is kicked out of school too!!! Using her justification, if all students who are kicked out of school are bad, then her child who is no longer in school is a bad kid too!

She will be visiting this afternoon to decide if she wants her son to attend my program. Here are her options:

1.) He comes here, continues his work and doesn't fall behind. It's free for them since the school is referring them.

2.) They pay for a private education. PRIVATE = EXPENSIVE

3.) He sits at home till January and is then 9 weeks behind his peers.

To me, the choice is clear, but maybe I am biased.

Are You Serious?

Check this out https://mail.co.steuben.in.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1081355/The-100-000-white-wedding-16-year-old-girl-lives-caravan.html

Are you kidding me? I can see so many things wrong with this. Lets start with the obvious. Their ages, she is 16 and he is 17. Sure, yep, they are mature enough to get married. She hasn't been in school since she was nine, but I'm sure she knows how to do the family finances, etc. The daughter looked like a tramp! I'm sorry. That was not a dress. The mom wore a bra as a top. Sure, women wearing bra's isn't a big deal, but they usually have something OVER them. The family spent over 100 British pounds on the wedding and yet they live in a van. Their priorities are a bit messed up!

I Give Up!!

So about 30 minutes ago, I put my lunch in the microwave. I brought a package of stuffed shells. I was careful to set the microwave on half power (like the directions indicated). I set the timer and went back to work. When the timer went off, my hungry tummy lead me to the kitchen. I burnt my lunch! In the microwave no less. I even followed directions. I was disappointed, but I remembered I had an extra "Michelina's" meal in the freezer.

I vented the corner, and put it in the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes, according to the directions. Back to work I went. When I went to the microwave I discovered I burnt my back up lunch! At least I have a pudding and applesauce cup left of my lunch. I won't burn those!

Paranoid?

I have a student who is a bit paranoid. They are adjusting his meds to help him cope with life. Here is a conversation we had this afternoon.

He storms into my office and throws his papers at him.

"You guys are out to get me."

"Excuse me? Calm down and explain to me what you mean."

"I know I am doing this work correctly and you guys only give me 80%"

"What makes you so sure you are doing work that is worthy of 100%?"

"Well, I cheated on the chapter 15 test and I only got an 86%"

"Ok, so that explains where my chapter 15 answer key disappeared to. Let me get this straight, you are admitting to me that you cheated on a test."

"Yes."

"Um....ok."

The conversation continued and the school was called along with grandma. It is all worked out now, but it cracks me up that in order to prove he was right and I was wrong he fessed up to cheating. He very easily could have gotten away with it. He scored an 86%, he is a "B" student, I didn't suspect anything.

I called grandma and told her our conversation. Her reply, "He cheated by copying the answer key 'word for word' and he still only got an 86%? Dumb ass."

I lost it. I tried to be professional, but the way she said it cracked me up. It is sad that someone would say that about a family member, but to hear this 70 year old woman say it on the phone cracked me up.

So, moral of the story. If you are trying to prove you are right, don't admit to cheating.

What makes YOU soooo special?

In order for me to properly do my job, often times I have to wait for others do to theirs. There is an order in which students must be enrolled. I must have a ton of things given to me before I can even call a family. That being said.

I work with several schools, one in particular. It is a large school in the county and I am sure the assistant principal is busy. I just wish he would understand that I need him to do his part before I can do mine. He hands me a phone number and expects me to enroll the student. I need more info. I ask the school to inform the family that I will be contacting them. The recent family doesn't speak English. The student does, but according to school, "Dad speaks a little English." Great! So now I have to cold call them and try to explain who I am and why I am calling. To top it all off, I have no clue what I am supposed to do with the student once I get them.

So, why do some people think the rules don't apply to them? What makes them so special that they think they can bypass steps 1-4 and magically have everything they want? How do you get those people to understand the process? I have explained it several times. I guess another email is in order.

Drama

As if the last couple days of a nine week period aren't crazy enough around here......I had a student hit by a car today on his way to school. He was riding his bike across the crosswalk by the mound (if you are familiar with Angola, you know where I am talking about) and a truck hit him and then left! I had to call the cops and the student had to give a police report. He didn't have much to tell. He was too busy "sliding across the pavement" to get a good look at the vehicle. His knee is scraped open and his pants have a big hole in them, but he will survive.

Playing in the leaves

He didn't actually eat any leaves, in case you were wondering.

Goat Killer

We own a goat that lives out at my brother-in-laws. We bought a goat when we put Taylor on goats milk. When we bought the goat, we didn't know her name. Once we got her formal registration paperwork we laughed. Our goats name is Taylor as well. Taylor Maid to be exact, but that's beside the point.

So we dried Taylor Maid up and decided to breed her. They took her to a man in Ohio who has a buck of the same breed and they thought the kid would be a good goat (we are hoping for a female, more milk.) They waited till Taylor Maid was in heat and put her in the pen with the buck. They came back a little while later and the buck was dead. They think he died of a heart attack during the act. So we don't know if Taylor Maid is pregnant or not.

I was talking to my brother-in-law about the buck and he said, "Yeah, but what a way to go!" Only a male would think that way!

What a morning

So I had a student come to me this morning and confide in me that she found out she is pregnant. She has gone to the doctor and told her family. The principal from her "home" school was in my office this morning so I encouraged her to tell the principal this morning. We have arranged what will happen with her schooling. My heart aches for this student. I have had her in both the night and the day program. She has made some serious strides towards growing up and becoming accountable for herself, but at 17 she is not ready for a child. I asked her if she was on vitamins and she said, "My mom got me some fish oil." I told her to go to Meijer today after school and get the vitamins for free from the pharmacy. I told her that I would go with her to tell her probation officer sometime this week. She wants to hide it from her PO, but I am trying to make her see that she needs to be an adult and tell her PO now.

It's just devastating because she is only 17 years old an in no shape to raise a child. I have no doubt her mother will help and the father of the child is looking for a job, but she needs to finish school first.

On the brighter side of things, another student decided he wanted a job this morning so he went out and got one! That made my day!

God cracks me up

I have a theory that God has an odd sense of humor. This situation might not be so much humor as an off beat way of reminding me.

It has been a year since I had a student commit suicide. Yesterday another student and I were reflecting on the events this time last year and remember the positive things the now deceased student had done for all of us. This morning I casually mentioned to some co-workers that it has been a year. They blew me off. I was upset. She was partially ignored in life, which is why she chose to leave early and they have already forgotten her. It's only been a year.

I came back to my office to think about everything. I decided it was too quiet so I turned on yahoo music and the first song that came on was Skillet's "The Last Night." I knew that was Him telling me, keep remembering her. I had never heard that song till last year right after I learned of my student's death. The song just hit home. Even now, every time I hear it I think of her. So thanks God for allowing me to remember her. I hope I never forget!

In case you haven't heard the song, here are the lyrics.

You come to me with your scars on your wrist
You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this

I just came to say goodbye
I didn't want you to see me cry,
I'm fine

But I know it's a lie

[Chorus:]This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I'm everywhere you want me to be
The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go
I'm everything
You need me to be

Your parents say everything is your fault
But they don't know you like I know you they don't know you at all

I'm so sick of when they say
It's just a phase, you'll be o.k. you're fine
But I know it's a lie

[Bridge:]The night is so long when everything's wrong
If you give me your hand
I will help you hold on
Tonight Tonight

[Altro:]I won't let you say goodbye
And I'll be your reason why
The last night away from me
Away from me

Light Weight

So I like to look at all the pictures people post on facebook. It cracks me up to see how many pictures include alcohol. I often wonder if I missed out on anything by skipping that phase of my life. Alcohol has never been a big deal to me. I have only ever been to a bar 3 times in my life. I helped play DD after my 21st b-day. I am not against alcohol. I am against those who take it WAY TOO FAR. After looking at some party pictures yesterday (of a former student no less) I had to wonder. Do young people realize they can have a good time without alcohol? Can they get together and hang out without beer pong?

When I got home yesterday I decided to have a wine cooler with dinner. Yeah, big bad me had a wild berry wine cooler! 1 wine cooler made me so relaxed I feel asleep! I am such a light weight, but I like it that way!

The Past

Why do people always dig up the past? Why can't they be content to learn from their mistakes and move on? Why can't they let others learn from mistakes and move forward?

I enrolled a student this morning who did something horrible (legally, that's all I can say). The student is now serving his time in the system and is trying to move forward with his life. It seems like dad won't let him. I understand wanting to make the whole experience an opportunity for growth and new wisdom, but constantly using the situation to oppress your child won't help. After meeting with the family for only 20 minutes I feel oppressed by dad and I don't have to live with him. Once dad left I told the student. "I know what you did, but that will not cause me to judge you. You have two weeks before you go back to court. Lets use that time for you to show me who you really are. I understand what you did, but in my eyes, that is in the past. Let's move forward and get on with life and back on track." The student seemed so relieved. Like someone understood. I think he really does understand the severity of the situation and I think he truly is remorseful. It was his first offense and I don't think he'll be an issue. I could be wrong, I've been buffaloed by kids in the past, but I really want to see this kid succeed so that he can look at his dad and prove he can do it. Heck, less than 24 hours of being removed from placement and sent home he got a job! That has to stand for something in the dad's eyes. I do understand the dad's desire for the student to help out monetarily. He is on home detention at a cost of $11 a day, plus drug screens (each one is $18) and my program is a cost of $15 a week (looks like he will be here till January). If I was the dad, I would look at that child and say, "Ok, you messed up. Let's get you back on track. I am proud of you for taking intuitive and owning up to your crime. I am proud of you for getting a job. What can I do to help you continue to succeed?"

Guess we have different parenting styles.

New Job

I have decided that I have entered the wrong field of employment, here is why.

This morning I was watching the news. The weather man said that the rain wouldn't come till TOMORROW morning. As I am driving to work, the sky is getting darker and darker. The wind started picking up and leaves were flying everywhere. Then the rain came.

In what other job can you be wrong so many times, but keep your job? If I were to screw up like that the judge would have my butt out of the county so fast!

Baptism?

Saturday night Ayron was holding a very sleepy 3 year old right before service started. J was very tired and very out of it. All of the sudden Ayron looks at me and goes, "Uh oh. I'm warm." he tilts the still sleeping J backwards and we discover that J has "baptized" himself and Ayron. Ayron took J home and got him cleaned up and then dropped him back off at church. He then ran home and got a quick shower. J's mom was mortified. Everyone else thought it was HILARIOUS!!

Foto Fun Friday

Friday Dawn and I took a "mental health day" from life. We ran around town taking pictures of Taylor. Here are some of the fun pictures we took. I've included the link to my facebook albums that have the rest of the pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61631&l=2475e&id=790068782

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=63763&l=830c5&id=790068782

Proactive

So I have decided to be proactive. I am going to start taking control of my life and get things done instead of waiting for things to happen. Sounds good right? Here is how I am going to start, and feel free to offer suggestions.

1.) Declutter- We have so much STUFF. It's just that, stuff. We don't use it. It could be highly useful to someone else, but we have no use for it. It merely takes up space in our garage and shed. Frankly, I would like to be able to park my car in the garage again. My plan to simplify? Ebay. Yep, we are going to go through some things and Ebay them. Ayron has experience doing that kind of thing thanks to Taylor Rental, so I am going to learn. There is also something cathartic about out with the old.

2.) Increase $- Don't misunderstand me, we are not greedy people. I am putting us on a VERY TIGHT monetary diet and all unnecessary spending will be cut. I will miss going out to eat after church on Saturday, but right now, that isn't a necessity. I would like to begin tutoring in the evenings, but I don't know how to go about advertising my services. I am a state licensed teacher and I have experience in all subject (just not advanced Math) and would be able to help with homework or studying for tests. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to start getting my name out there?

3.) Take ME Time- I don't really get a chance to do much for myself during the day, unless you count a shower. I am the type who would rather do everything for someone else than anything for herself. I might start going to MOPS at church. Even if it's just taking the dog in the backyard and playing with him. Something to de-stress.

So far that is all I have, but it's a start. I am really serious about starting to tutor students. I just really have no clue where to start. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. Thanks!

Cost of Education

As I am in the middle of dealing with a stupid student loan mess, I have to wonder: Why the heck is the cost of post high school education SO EXPENSIVE? If we want our public to be educated beyond high school, why not make it more affordable? High Schoolers are told over and over again about the importance of college, yet many of them can't afford to go.

It seems like certain groups are being punished for seeking a high education. Because I was fortunate enough to come from a middle class family I didn't qualify for certain scholarships and financial aid programs. I took out a loan for part of my year at Purdue, now that is coming back to bite me, and hard, in the butt. I was able to pay for most of IPFW as I went and I am thankful to not have that much debt, but it just seems crazy. You struggle for 4 or 5 years to get a higher education, and then you are out in the "real world." Many people don't land their dream job, or even a job in their field upon graduation so they can't financially pay off their loans right away. It's like they are being punished for several years after college (trying to pay off loans) for wanting to better themselves.

Why not make college affordable? I'm not saying free, but affordable, to EVERYONE! I have so many students that would excel in college, but they can't afford it. Yes, I understand, there are loans and scholarships, but those are few and far between right now (thanks to our messed up economy).

I'm having a hard time just keeping track of my one loan that I did take out during my time at IPFW. I did have it set up to be automatically withdrawn from our checking account. Well, the one place got bought out by another. I got a letter in the mail and then two payment books for the same loan. Each payment book has a different amount "to be paid" on a monthly basis. So this morning, I log onto the website and attempt to resign up for the payment to be automatically withdrawn from the account. The on line statement shows me how much more I owe on the loan, but when I click on "Automatic Payment" it says I can't sign up because I currently don't owe anything. What the heck? I'm sure I could pick up the phone and call, but I left the two payment books at home and I am in no mood to deal with an automated telephone system telling me to press "1" for an option and "2" for another. Just once I'd like to hear the computer generated voice say, "To speak to an actual human who can actually help you and not forward you one to someone else, please press '1.'" What are the odds that will ever happen? Slim to none I am guessing.

It's at times like these when I wonder and think back to The Giver. Maybe they (I know it's a made up story, but imagine with me) had it right. It's all set up for you, everyone is on the same playing field...but then you run into the "Big Brother is watching" issue and I do like my privacy.

I would love to be debt free. I wish I knew what that felt like. I would be ecstatic if we only had our house payment, cell phone, car, and utilities every month. I guess I keep hoping to win the lottery, but then again you have to play to win and right now we don't have any extra money to buy a ticket with. Not that I would waste any money on a ticket. I am wondering about selling some things we have on Ebay that we dont use anymore or heck, never used. Ayron is the Ebay king though, I know nothing about it. Maybe I'll spend tomorrow cleaning and seeing just what we have and getting rid of everything we don't use.

It seems like in a time of stress I clean, which reminds me, I need to change out laundry. But getting back to my point.

Why does higher education have to be so expensive?

Bad Morning Vent Session

Why can't things go well for us (Ayron and I) for more than 2 weeks. It seems like just when we think things are looking up, the bottom falls out. It is frustrating. We are trying so hard to live a good life and do the right things and it seems like every two steps forward lead to 3 steps back.

Cancer

I learned this afternoon that our pastor, Ralph Diehl, has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer. Ayron and I were in the nursery on Saturday so we missed the news. I happened to catch a post written by our pastors son, Nathan.

After quickly scanning Pastor's blog, I began wondering and talking with God. Why him Lord? Why a servant of Your word? Then it hit me, why not him? Who better to have the faith and determination to beat this? Then I realized what song was playing on the radio, Natalie Grant's "Held." For those of you who are not familiar with that song, here are the lyrics

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling

Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
Were asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our Savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

It's like God was telling me, "Shut and listen to the song Carma. I know what I am doing." I get it now, Thanks God.

Daily Monkey Dose

Ok people, it's time for you daily dose of Monkey!! Ok, so I am proud parent and I like to show off my child. This is also a way for my family to see recent pictures of TJ.




On a side note, I do have a couple of friends who are trying to have a child of their own. Please understand that I continue to pray for you and your success in that department. Do not think that since we were finally able to conceive we have forgotten about you, we haven't. Our prayers are with you. I hope that one day (soon) you will get to experience all that we are experiencing with Taylor (I hope you don't experience as many sleepless nights as we have lately).

My lazy boys chilling on the couch. Taylor loves to sit with daddy.

Playing in his exersaucer while Scooter longingly looks out the window.

One of his new outfits for pictures on Sunday.

The "poop" face captured on film (or should I say pixels)

Getting ready to bedtime.

1 per family please

So after Ayron and I discovered that Wal-Mart feels Christmas is just around the corner (read previous post) we began discussing our first Christmas as a family of 3. We decided to create a rule when giving presents to Taylor. 1 toy present per family. Meaning his parents can only get Taylor one toy. His brother and his wife and kids can only get Taylor one toy etc. We do something different with my sister and mom (I want to do what we did last year Natty) so I don't think it will be an issue.

We told Ayron's parents our plan last night and of course "grandma" was upset.

Here is our thinking behind it. We don't want Taylor to turn Christmas into a materialistic holiday. That is not what the holiday truly means. We had the simplest Christmas last year with my family and I want to keep it that way. My sister and I played and colored while Ayron cooked. It was great family time, keyword FAMILY. We also don't have the space for a ton of toys. I am a firm believer in creating an active imagination in children and I don't feel overloading them with fisher price toys they will never play with is the way to do it. Call me crazy, but that's the way I feel. I know kids who have so many toys they don't know what they have. I want my children to understand that a present is just that, a present. Not something to be expected. I also want to have my children donate their gently used, but hardly played with toys to someplace before (or right after) the holidays. This way they can know the joy of sharing.

As soon as we told grandma Reeves our plan she immediately tried to find a way around it. "Well, what if I get him clothes, does that count as a toy?" Now what do I do?

Can't we have Thanksgiving first?

Ayron and I made a diaper run to Wal-Mart on Sunday and we decided just to walk around. We had been in the house all day and just wanted to stretch our legs. We went back to the "garden center" to discover it has already been turned into a Christmas center. Are you kidding me? Didn't we skip Halloween (we don't really celebrate it) and Thanksgiving?

I understand the economy is slow and they (stores) want to make as much money as possible this Christmas, but why start in October? Pretty soon they will start putting out Christmas supplies after Easter.

Gut Feeling

I have gut feelings and I almost always follow them. I can't think of a time when my gut led me the wrong way. I had a gut feeling something wasn't right almost to the minute my sister in law was hit by a semi. It seems my body is just in tune with my mind. I don't know how to explain it. When facing a decision I pray and go with my gut.

Last week I was sent a referral for my day program. For those of you who don't know what I do here is a quick summary. I run a school for students who have been suspended or expelled from local schools. This prevents them from being placed in "baby jail" and they are able to continue to earn their credits towards graduation until they are allowed back into their base school. I can get students several ways, through the schools, through the probation department, the judge can court order them in, and through DCS.

The referral I was sent was for a student that was court ordered into an educational program. The student was not court ordered into my program specifically. The school sent the necessary paperwork and I called the Principal to discuss the case. The principal informed me that the student in question was talking about blowing up the school and not caring who died in the blast. This is not the first time destructive comments were made by this student. In the past this student supposedly commented that they would like to sit in the parking lot and "pick off elementary school students." The principal informed me that this student comes from a house where access to weapons and ammo is unlimited. The student was expelled and temporarily placed. A psych evaluation was done and the doctor decided this student was not at threat to themselves or the community.

I had a bad feeling about this case from the beginning and the more I talked to the principal the more my gut talked to me. I discussed it with my boss and we decided against enrolling the student for a couple of reasons.

1.) The seriousness of the threats made.
2.) The fact that the student has access to weapons and knows how to use them.
3.) The length of the expulsion (we aren't meant to be a long term placement center)
4.) The fact that the student wasn't court ordered into OUR program but any educational program.
5.) The lack of information from the caseworker. They wouldn't release any info to me. In the past I have had full access to case files, background information and psych evaluations.

I informed the caseworker that we would not be interviewing/enrolling the student. My gut calmed down and I was able to feel some peace about the situation.

Now the mom is appealing the schools decision to expel her child. The superintendent called me yesterday to discuss the case. I informed him of our reasons (#1-5). He asked if there was anything we/they could do that would convince us to enroll the student in our program. I emailed my boss and he said, "If we see his psych eval I might think about it."

Well I still have this gut feeling. This student may not be a threat, but the fact that this was not the first destructive comments and the student has access to weapons scares me. How do I justify my "gut feeling" when I am asked why I won't offer an enrollment to him. "Well I'm sorry judge, but my gut tells me no." I don't think that would go well. I am trying to get my boss to back me on this decision so it has some more staying power if it comes back to the judge. It looks like the school will be forced to decrease the students expulsion link.

Am I wrong for standing by my gut feeling? Maybe this student is a good kid, but right now I am not willing to take that chance.

Our House...

Is a very very very fine house. Ok, so we live in a great part of Auburn with a great yard! Our house is older and a bit out of date, but I like it. I don't know why but I fell in love with it when we first walked through it.

Last night we had a contractor over (my father in law) to help us plan a spring remodeling project. Our house currently has 960sq. feet of living space. Our "4 Seasons" room doesn't count as living space. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a 4 seasons room, more like a 2 seasons room. Our goal is to completely gut it, redo the outside, new windows, new door, etc. This way we can make that our "living/play room." I can't wait to utilize that space...anywhooo.

So my mother in law and I were chatting and she told me that a family who attends the pre-school she works at (well, the child attends, not the parents) are in the middle of building a home. The play room is 1,200sq feet. THIS KIDS PLAY ROOM WILL BE BIGGER THAN MY HOUSE! That just seems wrong to me. What is he going to do with that much space? If he has enough toys to fill that large amount of space then he has too many toys!

Ultimate Fighting

Saturday night Ayron and I watched the "Ultimate Fight Night" on CBS. We have done this before and I am still shocked that people willingly do this to their bodies. What is the point? Big deal, so you can spend all day in the gym and beat up another person in a cage. Good for you.

Awhile back our town had an ultimate fight night (not the ones held by the CCC). Ayron and I happened to be at Applebees for dinner and one of the fighters came in before the fight. He ordered an appetizer sampler platter and SEVERAL drinks. His bill was over $100. Keep in mind that only $10 of that bill was food. Then again, if I was going to get into a cage and fight maybe I would need a little liquid courage too. The next day Ayron and I saw the guy walking around Wal-Mart. His face was swollen, lips busted open, he was limping. Basically, it looked like he had been run over by a semi.

I just don't see why. What is the point? You roll around in some cage where there is already blood on the mat. My first thought was, "Do they test the fighters to make sure they don't have any blood born illnesses? How sanitary is it? Blood, sweat, tears, spit, yuckiness.

I did watch the female match. The one competitor, Gina, is actually one of the American Gladiators. It amazes me (we have seen two of her matches) how she takes some serious blows to the face, but she comes out looking just like she did going in. How is that possible? Her competitors are all beat up, bruised, bleeding, swollen, and she walks out of the cage with a split lip. I think her face may be made of concrete. Just a thought though.

I think it would be funny to see these cage fighters compete on "Dancing With The Stars." Lets see how graceful they are in high heels and tuxes!

Coca Cola

So, how many of you out there like Coca Cola? How many of you use it as a contraceptive? Yeah, that's what I thought. This was taken from msnbc.com

BOSTON - Deborah Anderson had heard the urban legends about the contraceptive effectiveness of Coca-Cola products for years.

So she and her colleagues decided to put the soft drink to the test. In the lab, that is.
For discovering that, yes indeed, Coke was a spermicide, Anderson and her team are among this year's winners of the Ig Nobel Prize, the annual award given by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine for oddball but often surprisingly practical scientific achievements.

The ceremony at Harvard University, in which actual Nobel laureates bestow the awards, also honored a British psychologist who found that foods that sound better taste better; a group of researchers who discovered exotic dancers make more money when they are at peak fertility; and a pair of Brazilian archaeologists who determined armadillos can change the course of history.

Anderson, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University's School of Medicine, and her colleagues found that not only was Coca-Cola a spermicide, but that Diet Coke for some reason worked best. Their study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1985.
"We're thrilled to win an Ig Nobel, because the study was somewhat of a parody in the first place," said Anderson, who added that she does not recommend using Coke for birth control purposes.

A group of Taiwanese doctors were honored for a similar study that found Coca-Cola and other soft drinks were not effective contraceptives. Anderson said the studies used different methodology.

A Coca-Cola spokeswoman refused comment on the Ig Nobel awards.

So here is my question...do you drink the coke or put it in other places? Who seriously thought of this? Did they test this on humans? Are there people that desperate for money they would participate in this study?

As for the other awards....

Foods that sound better taste better. Ok, makes sense to me. I don't want to eat a dish someone has named "crap."

Exotic dancers make more money when they are fertile. It's called pheromones people. Women emit more of them when they are fertile and thanks to nature, it makes men well....you get my point. Happy guys will "tip" (is that the proper term) the dancer more.

I'm just gonna leave the armadillo thing alone. I don't really know where to go with that.

It amazes me that money is going towards this research. Why not spend the time AND money to find a cure for cancer, or bettering the world.

I also wonder how many experimenting teenagers who are too afraid to buy condoms will try the Coke approach when engaging in activities. Are we going to see a population boom due to a Coke failure?

If you go to www.msnbc.com you can read the rest of the article and it offers further explanations of the awards findings.

Ayron Cheated!

Ayron cheated on Scooter! Someone brought in their newly rescued shelter Bassett and Ayron loved on him. Oh how I would love to bring home a buddy for Scooter (and I have had the chance) but we do have a 6 month old. Maybe we can just arrange a play date for Scooter.

Are you joking?

On the first Wednesday of every other month we have a big office meeting. Our advisory board meets and we go through all the formal motions, etc. Well, for each meeting I am in charge of getting the food around. We order food from the Wal-Mart deli since we have a credit card for Wal-Mart. Every other month for the past 2 years I have been ordering the same thing. The week before the meeting I call and place the same order as the time before.

This morning I went to Wal-Mart to get my order and alas, no food. They looked at me like I was crazy. They told me that I was in early and picked it up. Um...no. At ten o-clock this morning I was at my computer desk returning emails, I was not picking up my order. I told the lady that I called the order in for eleven o'clock and reminded her what I ordered. They looked in their cooler 4 times and still no food. The worker looked at me and said, "How do we know that you're from Community Corrections?" Ummm? The fact that I am wearing an embroidered polo and my county badge which clearly reads "Community Corrections" with my picture on it, is clipped to my collar might be proof that I am who I say I am! I had to laugh. After one more attempt to find my food in the freezer the worker said, "Oh well, guess we don't have it. We can give you the subs that are in the fridge though." I told her, "You already screwed up my order, why would I allow you to screw up another persons order!" I just grabbed some pre-made subs from their case and left. It ended up being cheaper and we didn't have nearly as much left over food as we usually do.

I guess it all worked out and everyone was happy with my last minute choice, but I had to laugh at the lady. "How do we know you're with Community Corrections?"

What more proof did they want? A copy of my pay stub?

Free Texting Is Great!

Ayron and I switched to Verizon for our cell phone carrier awhile back. I must say that I love the free and unlimited texting, pixing (is that the word), and video sending.

Last night MJ, Natty and I were extremely bored. We decided to send random video clips of what we were doing back and forth Here is the sequence of videos/pics sent back and forth over an hour time span.

This is the video I sent to MJ and Natty of TJ cracking up.

So MJ decided to show me just how fun it was to watch my sister iron pants. Well world, here is your proof that while my sister CAN iron pants, it's really not THAT thrilling.

So I decided to show them just how thrilling it was at our house at that very moment! I know, the video is just so riveting, you can hardly stand it! (Sorry, I filmed it sideways, I always forget to flip my phone around when recording.)

Once Natty finished her ironing, it was time to watch Nina play. Let me tell you people, this is the most active I have seen Nina in a long time. A couple of weeks ago, my mom dog sat and I went over to let the dogs out. I had to CARRY lazy butt Nina outside to potty because she wouldn't move off the couch.

So I decided to show them just how active our dog was being. Look at him, doing such a good job of holding the carpet down! I could have rotated this pic so that it was correct, but the shot looks so much better like this!

Fighting It

Have you ever fought off getting sick only to make yourself sicker? I am doing that this morning.

I woke up feeling fine, got around, dropped T. Monk off at the babysitter and came into work. Once I started checking emails and returning calls I started to feel like crap. The more I told myself, "You feel fine. You're not sick, you can't be sick." the sicker I feel.

Normally I would cave and go home, but today is the first Wednesday of the month which means I will be in a huge meeting around lunch time. I am the one who gets all the food around (I know, if I'm sick I should be handling food) and gets everything set up, etc. I am sure I could pass that task off onto someone else, but I hate doing that. I don't want someone to think I can't do my job.

The couch in my office is looking more and more inviting. I might just end up taking a nap before this meeting and then leaving early. I left early yesterday though for an appointment, grrrr. I AM NOT GETTING SICK!!

Save The TaTa's

Save the TaTa's is a campaign that supports breast cancer awareness, treatment, and prevention. October is breast cancer awareness month. Even if you or your immediate family hasn't been effected by this cancer, you probably know someone who has. I started thinking on the way to work and personally I can count 3 people in my immediate family (including Ayron's) who have been effected by this disease. We are lucky that two are still with us, but we have seen the struggle they face to stay cancer free.

If breast cancer runs in your family please be cautious. Do self exams, talk to your doctor, have a mammogram, whatever it takes to catch and stop the disease from effecting you!

Crack me up! Funny text!

THIS POST MIGHT OFFEND SOME OF YOU. IT IS FUNNY TO ME AND MY FRIEND(S) . IF YOU ARE OFFENDED, I AM SORRY. IT MADE ME LAUGH THOUGH, SO I AM POSTING IT.

Ok, so I am sitting at my desk, minding my own business when I get the following text from a friend: "Ok...there is a turd in one of the women's restroom toilets that looks like a brown penis. Right size and shape."

What cracks me up about this is who it came from. I told her I wouldn't post her name, but I never thought she'd write a text like that. Sure, when we all get together we have stupid bathroom humor jokes, (the most inappropriate place you've passed gas, etc) but to get this text out of the blue just caught me off guard.

Ok, enough with the 6th grade boy type bathroom humor.

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UPDATE: Once again, sitting at my desk, minding my one business when above mentioned friend texted me. "Aw sad. The penis shaped turd is gone. :-(

Seat Belts Part II

I recommend you read my previous post titled "Seat Belts" before reading this one.

I did my research about the seat belt law and discovered you don't have to legally weat a seat belt if you are in a vehical that is in a parade. I didn't let this new found knowledge stop me from writing a letter to the editor though. Here is the letter I submitted this morning.

Indiana law requires the use of seat belts. This law has some exceptions, one of them dealing with parades. Occupants in a vehicle in a parade are not required by law to wear a seat belt.

I attended the final parade of this year’s DeKalb County Free Fall Fair and I was shocked at the number of police and firefighters who were not wearing their seat belts. I understand that legally they are not required to buckle up, but what about the little children who are watching the parade and see their heroes not wearing a seat belt?

Children look up to our service men and women (be it police, fire fighters, armed forces, etc) and often want to mimic their behavior. Being someone’s hero/idol comes with the uniform, so why not set a good example during parades? During a parade, law enforcement and firefighters are driving slow enough that the children watching the parade can see them and the children notice if their heroes/idols aren’t wearing their seat belts.

Children are told time and time again to buckle up and that seat belts save lives. It would be nice if their heroes/idols followed the same rule we instill in our children, even during a slow moving parade.

I guess we'll wait and see if they publish it.

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My letter was "published" in the Evening Star on October 2, 2008. Yeah me.