tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45992740273403190872024-03-05T23:32:38.146-07:00Two Kids and a TubalThis blog is about life, kids, and animals.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-33638883795060146752010-08-12T10:46:00.001-06:002010-08-12T10:49:40.664-06:00New Year, New SchoolFirst let me start by saying, where did the summer go?!? It went by so fast and we only did a few of the things we wanted to do. Guess we will have to push some of those plans into September/October timeframe. I don’t know who said there aren’t any bad goals only unrealistic timelines. So I guess I tried to pack a little too much into my goals for this summer, so I’ll just move the timeline to this fall. :)<br /><br />As I mentioned in a previous post we have moved my daughter to one of our local charter schools, and much to my amazement the summer has nearly ended. Tonight we are going to an ice cream social at the school where we get to meet the teacher and put away her school supplies. I can only imagine the anxiety she is experiencing. This change has come with some reluctance on her part and I really can’t blame her. She had been at the same school for two years and had made lots of nice friends, and leaving those friends is a big deal. Not only is she leaving her friends, but the new school has a dress code that requires uniform type clothing. My daughter is very much about clothes and enjoys wearing all sorts on colorful tops. She is especially fond of pink and purple of which neither is an option for the new school. As we were shopping I found her several times picking up clothes only to say, “But I can’t wear it next year.” I felt a bit bad and that added to my own anxiety about this new school year.<br /><br />Yes that is right, my anxiety. I wonder what the other parents will be like. I worry that she hasn’t learned enough to be successful in this new program (even though she had to pass a test before she would be placed in the school). I fear that I have made the wrong decision and that down the road in therapy somewhere she will be telling them that part of her current problems is the fact that her parents moved her to a charter school starting in 2nd grade. (It may sound irrational, but I often worry about the psychological effect I am having on my children.)<br />But as all this races through my head, I try to remember that I can only do what I think is best at the time with information that is available and to this moment, I still believe this is the best move for my daughter. <br /><br />So here we go! Down the path of uniforms, new friends, new teachers, and new experiences. I am excited for my daughter and worried for her all at the same time. It will be what it will be and we will just roll with the punches as they go!<br /><br />I hope you all had a great summer and are ready for another school year!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-48589222068115216522010-04-21T14:04:00.002-06:002010-04-21T14:50:45.205-06:00Changing Schools<p class="MsoNormal">My daughter was finally selected in the lottery for one of our local charter schools. We placed her on both lists before she entered kindergarten and had hoped to be pulled then, but it was not to be. Upon receiving the email my husband and were quite excited. We really like the way things are taught at the charter school and the depth at which they are taught. So we decide to go ahead and begin the process.<br /><br />The first step was our daughter had to take an assessment test. I must admit I was nervous as to whether or not my daughter would meet their "standards" for second grade. Don't get me wrong, my daughter is bright, but as a parent you often wonder, it is just because I am her mom that I think she is so smart? Anyway, I think I was more stressed out about the test than she was. I did the usual mom thing and said just do the best you can do and that is all you can do. It was quite interesting to hear the other moms talk while we waited for the students to come back from testing. One mom was a little upset that the kids went back without the parents. Other moms were trying to figure out who knew what the test was like and how long it should take the students. It was almost comical. All these moms worried, worried that their child would not make the cut. I have to admit I was right with them, but I'm a silent worrier.<br /><br />As the kids came out one by one the questioning began. So how did it go? Do you think you did well? Always follow up by "As long as you did your best that is all that matters." One of the staff members walked each child to their parents and informed them they would be notified in a few days of the test results. When my daughter came out I of course proceeded with the same line of questioning followed up by the all you can do is your best statement and we headed home. I was worried about it until I finally got an email from the school inviting us back to a meeting. I was a little confused by this email as it said this was a group setting where we would discuss test scores and we would receive and enrollment package. When I read the email to my husband he said, "Well, she's in." But I wasn't convinced. It didn't say that anywhere in the email and I was trying to figure out how they would discuss test results in a group. So I went to the meeting still wondering what the end result would be and my husband went to the meeting ready to fill out enrollment papers.<br /><br />When we got to the meeting they gave a folder. I immediately "freaked out" because all the other kids folders I could see were like 3x's the size of ours. Does that mean we aren't in? Of course I jumped to all of these conclusions before even opening the folder. However, upon opening the folder I discovered that she was reading at nearly a grade level higher than the grade she is going into and she had passed the math assessment. SO we were in! As the meeting went along we learned about the schools philosophy, the dress code, and the next steps in the process, which were as my husband expected to fill out and complete enrollment papers. He was right, I must admit.<br /><br />My daughter was excited while we were at the school, but when we got in the car she realized she would have to leave her friends and then all heck broke loose. First let me tell you my daughter is the most social being I have ever met. She makes friends in a heartbeat. We go to the gym for an hour and she has 3 new friends that we need phone numbers for. After some reassurance, she was ready for the change.<br /><br />After our experience earlier this year with our daughter’s first teacher, I am very ready to move her to a school that is more focused on education. I realize this does not mean that we may not get another bad teacher, but I feel that the likelihood is less. We shall see. As parents we only do what we think is best and in the end hope we were at least close to being right.</p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-26555668569849729112010-02-12T16:43:00.003-07:002010-02-12T16:46:57.385-07:00The OlympicsI just had to post how excited I am about the opening ceremonies tonight and the start of the winter Olympics. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Olympics. I know that my TV viewing is going up 10 fold until they are over. I am excited to share this with my children, especially my 6 year old. It is so interesting to see the world come together to compete in all sorts of athletic events!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-88111397502717827282010-02-02T18:19:00.003-07:002010-02-02T18:37:25.166-07:00BlessingsHello again...Sorry I've been gone so long. The holidays consumed all my time. We were blessed to have my sister and brother-in-law join us for the holidays. It was GREAT! <br /><br />This week my son turns 2. TWO! I can hardly believe that it has been 2 years already. It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant and walking into the hospital for my C-section. He is such a joy and a real chatter box these days. He is the happiest kid and with a very independent mind. He was in the bedroom yesterday and he looked at me and said "Bath, now!" I had to chuckle at his insistence for a bath. <br /><br />At the end of the month my daughter turns 7. SEVEN!!! This is even more difficult to believe. She is quickly completing the 1st grade and she is a smart wonderful little girl! She is also very independent minded, but she has an exceptionally kind heart. After hearing about another family member exchanging presents for donations to a charity, she thought that sounded like a good idea and has decided for her 7th birthday that she would rather have donations to Stand Up for Kids. <br /><br />I am so blessed to have two wonderful children and a wonderful husband! What a great blessing...more than any amount of money can even buy!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-61124781592857151202009-12-27T22:16:00.002-07:002009-12-27T22:26:29.630-07:00Twelve Years Ago Today...Today is my husband and mine 12 year anniversary. It seems so hard to believe that it has been 12 years since I walked down the aisle and married my WONDERFUL husband. To celebrate we went to dinner at the Rodizio Brazilian Grill in downtown Fort Collins. It was fun to have dinner without kids for a change. We just got to sit and eat, enjoy the food and the atmosphere. I am rather fond of meat, so this was a great choice. They bring skews after skews of meat to your table for you to try. They had glazed ham and bacon wrapped chicken and tenderloin. It was VERY TASTY!! I bit expensive, but we had saved and knew that going in. They also have a salad bar that had one of the best crab salads I've tasted. After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble (our favorite store) and wandered around (again without kids). We were able to actually look at books rather than just run in and out, as the kids get a little bored just looking a books, unless it to books for them of course ;).<br /><br />The general manager came over to our table and asked how our meal was and told us happy anniversary, since we had mentioned it and they had given us a dessert of our choice at 1/2 price. He asked what the secret was to a good marriage and I really didn't have an answer for him. I thought about it after we left and I guess I would say patience and understanding, because you need this to get through all the ups and downs of life and to work through the differences you may have. <br /><br />I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are enjoying some downtime after all the hustle and bustle of the season.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-79053174587382138272009-12-22T13:18:00.003-07:002009-12-22T13:32:43.219-07:00A Day of RemembranceThis past week my brother-in-law's mother Donna Francis left this earth for a better place. Today was her funeral and unfortunately since it was in Florida my family and I were unable to attend. It brings to mind just how fragile life really is. Donna was diagnosed with cancer in July and battled bravely for many months. She was only 57 and we will miss her terribly.<br /><br />My sister and brother-in-law have only been married for about 2 years so I was just getting to know Donna, but I could see that she was a devoted mother and wife. I'm sure she would have been a FABULOUS grandma and although she is not physically here I know she will be a wonderful guide to her future grandchildren, as she continues to be a guide to those she loved. <br /><br />As I think about the time we spent together my mind is drawn to two specific instances. The first was a shopping spree with my mother, sister and Donna. My sister and mother are "power shoppers" and were busy shopping ‘til they dropped. At the time I was 9 1/2 months pregnant with my son. Shopping is not my favorite anyway, but I was especially not enthused about tons of shopping. I remember sitting in a particular shop as my sister tried on outfit after outfit. Donna sat with me and commented on the none stop shopping power both my mother and sister possessed. Then as we sat there I started to notice different items around the store. Pretty soon my mom and Donna were running around the store providing my sister with things I picked out from my seat in the middle of the store. It was a great memory I will cherish always.<br /><br />The second memory would be at my house not long after my son was born. I took a moment to call Donna on my cell phone to thank her for the things she had sent for Blaine. We ended up for talking nearly 2 hours about kids and life in general. This is another memory I will always cherish.<br /><br />As I said I hardly got to know Donna, but she was a gentle wonderful person who graciously welcomed my sister into their family. She loved everyone and had a gentle spirit. We will miss you Donna. God bless and keep you! May those who you loved, know that you are with them always even though they cannot see you.<br /><br />God bless all of you this holiday season. May you enjoy the time with your family this holiday season.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-7440817666193783452009-12-19T16:45:00.002-07:002009-12-19T16:54:08.972-07:00...And the Stocking Were Hung.....FINALLY!Hello all! I am SO happy because all of my Christmas decorations are FINALLY up! The tree is decorated, the little village is up and all the associated little figurines, my nativity, and the outdoor lights (this one is all thanks to my dad). I am so happy I decided to take last Wednesday off while my parents were here. They helped me get it all up and it took no time at all!! The stockings and cookies are awaiting Santa's arrival!<br /><br />I just LOVE Christmas, but I must admit that I have a little trouble getting in the mood until all of my decorations are up, and since that consists of about 20 medium size Tupperware containers, and five Christmas trees (three are small and require no decorations (not sure if they count)), this is no small task. But with help I was able to get it all done and we are no longer the Bah Humbug house on the block! Yippee!!<br /><br />Well I must run, I have to finish up some last minute shopping. Hope all of you are enjoying the season!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-14507853054335062742009-12-14T16:18:00.002-07:002009-12-14T16:30:22.057-07:00Preparing for the Holidays - Steps Three, Four and FiveHello my very wonderful followers! I'm back! :) I finished a few of those holiday musts. First I got all my Christmas cards mailed! YIPPEE!! This takes quite some time as I send nearly 80 cards and they all include a Christmas letter, photo, and the occasional special item for a few family members. I am also advocate for writing all the address on the card. There is something impersonal about printing the address on labels. I just can't do it. So they all got stuffed, addressed, stamps and return address labels affixed and mailed!!<br /><br />I also finished all my Christmas shopping. I think!?!? I say I think because inevitably I forgot something or this is just one more thing we want to get for so and so. So YIPPEE, again.<br /><br />Yesterday I spent all day in a baking extravaganza (about 300 cookies) for all the people in my office. It took so long that my husband actually took over and finished them for me, because my son was not happy unless mommy was holding him. This is fairly typical when I come back from a trip and have been gone for a week. I bagged them up 6 in a bag and added a candy cane for decoration! And with that all my coworkers have a little something from me for Christmas.<br /><br />So I only have a few steps left:<br />1. Put up the Christmas decorations (intend to do this on Wednesday)<br />2. Deliver all gifts to teachers, and other special peeps we won't see on Christmas<br />3. Wrap all Christmas gifts<br />4. Frost the few extra cookies left from the baking extravaganza<br /><br />I think that's it! I hope you all are doing well and I will try to continue to be more inspired and continue to post! I think I was just in a funk last week because I was away from home and stuck in a hotel for several days. I don't know about you all, but when I get stuck inside my mood just goes straight down. So I am feeling much better today and looking forward to Christmas! Happy Holidays to EVERYONE!!!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-25511661946068346852009-12-04T14:51:00.004-07:002009-12-09T17:04:51.527-07:00StugglingI have to admit that I have been struggling writing my blog as of late. I have started about three or four blogs, but have ever published them. I am feeling very uninspired. I think some of that is due to stress in my life with the holidays coming and finances being tight. I hope to get back on the blogging train very soon. I hope you all can understand and will continue to follow me. Thanks to all of you! Happy Holidays!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-14480470334215665772009-11-30T15:49:00.003-07:002009-11-30T16:21:09.493-07:00Holiday Frustration - Finding the Right ToyFirst let me apologize for not posting in so long. I am not sure where all the days go, but they sure do go by quickly. I just had to post today to get out some frustration. This year our money to buy our kids Christmas was dependent upon if I got a Christmas bonus or not. Now it has been a tradition where I work, but with the economic downturn I wasn't so sure. I am very thankful for the fact that my company was generous enough to continue this tradition. So once it was direct deposited (today) I could start my Christmas shopping.<br /><br />I headed out to the Toys R Us website to get the stuff I had planned on my Christmas spreadsheet. (I know who keeps a spreadsheet of their Christmas presents....nerds like me... that's who!) Anyway I started out and couldn't get my son's GeoTrax Grand Central Rail & Road System Station into the cart. I was finally successful and then went to find that the iCarly 9-in-1 Kit for Nintendo DS for my daughter was sold out. So I instead I replaced it with an iCarly CD player and iCarly CD and went to the check out. I completed the entire process and when I clicked the final button it informed me that the GeoTrax Grand Central Rail & Road System Station was no longer available and had been removed from my order and I would not be charged. My first thought was that is mighty nice of you not to charge me for something you are not going to send me! Then after the frustration subsided a bit I decided to look at other sites for the GeoTrax Grand Central Rail & Road System Station. Upon further investigation I found the only other site was Amazon.com and they had it at TWICE the price! What a racket!!<br /><br />So I decided to reside myself to a similar, but different gift, the GeoTrax Transportation System Remote Control Timbertown Railway. I knew that this was at the Toys R Us store, so I went over my lunch break to the store. Before I left I noticed at Target.com that it appeared the same item was $10 less. So off to Toys R Us I went to see if by chance they had the Grand Central Rail & Road System Station in the store. Of course they didn't and I so I picked up the Timbertown Railway, but then I thought...$10 is $10, so I'll just run over to Target and get it. So I left Toys R Us empty handed and headed to Target. When I got to Target and found the toy department I discovered that they weren't the same after all. The one at Target was not remote control like the one at Toys R Us and the remote control was the whole reason for buying the GeoTrax and not another train in the first place. At this point I had wasted my ENTIRE lunch break and hadn't had a morsel to eat.<br /><br />I got in the car, ran through McDonald's and headed back to my office. When I got back to my office I discovered they had given me the completely wrong sandwich!! UG!<br /><br />Ok...I feel better now... venting done. Thanks for listening. I am still on a quest for the GeoTrax and will wait to see if Toys R Us gets it back in stock. Hope all your holiday endeavors are working out as planned!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-48268739579653649012009-11-18T20:36:00.003-07:002009-11-18T20:45:52.862-07:00Poor Teacher Part IIIAs I mentioned last Friday we had a meeting with the principal about moving our daughter into a new 1st grade classroom based on the incompetence of her current teacher. Well after a bit of a lashing about how it was our entire fault that he had to move her to a new classroom, he agreed to and our daughter started the new classroom on Monday.<br /><br />I cannot express in words the difference we have already seen. For starters the new teacher ripped out a BUNCH of pages in our daughter's workbook. Apparently the other teacher had them do the pages, but he NEVER looked them over to see if they were done or if they did them correctly. In her class she walks around the classroom to make sure that they are doing the work correctly.<br /><br />The new teacher also reads with during class. So our daughter gets reading time in her reading group and with her teacher. The new teacher also sends home additional activities to do with the books she reads. For example, she sent home a sheet where they write five facts about the non-fiction book they read.<br /><br />I could go on and on, but I must get to bed because I am falling asleep writing this post. In the end we are so THANKFUL that she is moved and in a class that will challenge her and make her enjoy school so much more. I guess if they have painted us the "bad" parents we can take it as long as our daughter is getting what she needs out of school.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-25486618116270768922009-11-17T16:34:00.003-07:002009-11-17T16:42:12.495-07:00DisappointmentI must confess I've been keeping a secret from my blog followers. For about the past month my husband has been going through the process of becoming a police officer in our local community. He got past the application process, which was not small feat since nearly 500 applied and they only passed about 100 through to the testing process. He then passed the test and was moved on to what they call the board interview. Today was his board interview and he did not make it past this round. We are all VERY disappointed.<br /><br />However, with our disappointment comes a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. The gentlemen who were on the board told my husband that he would be a good police officer he was intelligent, and had the necessary attributes, but he just needed a better understanding of what a police officer does. They suggested he go on ride alongs with the local police department. So he is working on scheduling a ride along and learning more about the day to day activities of a police officer.<br /><br />We are really hopeful that he can get this experience and that they will repost the police officer position in about 6 months. Please keep your fingers crossed that he is able to try again in the near future.<br /><br />Hope you all are having a good week! God bless!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-55633391964625368062009-11-16T15:49:00.003-07:002009-11-16T16:00:25.539-07:00Preparing for the Holidays.....Step Two: THE Christmas CardA few weeks ago I began to prepare for Christmas by having the annual family picture taken. Now I have completed step two, I have designed, ordered and received this year's Christmas card. I say "THE" Christmas card, because over the last several years I have taken it upon myself to design out Christmas card. The keys have been to include not only a picture of the family, but also pictures of all our animals. This is a big challenging as we a number of animals to include.<br /><br />For the past 2 years I have done the traditional 4x8 photo card, but this year I decided to tackle the 5x7 Christmas card. This card included designing the front and the inside. It was a lot of work, but in the end I really liked the final product. I received them in the mail last week and they look great! I got they printed using VistaPrint. (BTW I have not been asked by VistaPrint to endorse they products and I am not being paid to do so.) I love VistaPrint! I always get great quality at a reasonable price.<br /><br />With the Christmas cards here, I have "spruced up" my Excel list with all the addresses for the people who have received cards, I have ordered and received postage, I have ordered new return address labels (should be her tomorrow) and I have purchased a new pen for writing all the address. The only thing left to complete this year’s cards are wallet size photos of the kids to a few family members, business size card magnets with 2010 calendars and pictures of the kids for immediate family, and the ever popular and desired Canfield Chronicles Christmas Letter that was established in 1998.<br /><br />I can hardly believe that Christmas is only 5 weeks away, but I am one step closer to being ready. Hope all of your holiday preparations are going well!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-22178016046914932252009-11-13T09:27:00.003-07:002009-11-13T09:36:44.514-07:00My Daughter Moves on Geologic TimeI am not sure if this is all 1st graders or if it is just my daughter, but she just moves SO slow. When you ask her to walk quickly it looks more like a saunter and when you say "Hurry!" she says, "I am!" I have tried getting her up earlier so that we don't have to rush, but she seems to take up every available minute regardless of how early I get her up.<br /><br />I have put a clock in her bathroom to help her with time. I thought that if I told her you need to be out of the shower by this time and have your clothes on by this time that she maybe could meet those times. Well I was wrong. I put her in the shower and gave her 15 minutes to complete her shower. When I came back in to check on her 20 minutes later she said, "Mom the clock moves faster than I do."<br /><br />I try to encourage her along and give her ample time to do things, but she is just slow. Does anyone else have kids like this? What has been your solution? I am looking for some help here. Thanks and have a great weekend!<br /><br />P.S. As a follow up to the Poor Teacher posts, we are meeting with the principal today to hopefully move my daughter.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-3823157999506863692009-11-10T08:22:00.002-07:002009-11-10T08:46:09.438-07:00Poor Teacher Part II<p>So I am sorry, but I must rant some more about the process my husband and I have been going through trying to move our daughter into another 1st grade classroom. After our discussion with the principal, he required a meeting with the teacher. So we agreed to it. Last week we met with the teacher and the principal. In this meeting the teacher:</p><ol><li>Admitted he didn't know how the other teachers were managing to fit art into their days and also did not know how they were integrating their classrooms. The new rules the district had placed on him made it so he could no longer include these things.<br />ACTION PLAN: Talk to the other teachers to basically learn how to teach 1st grade.</li><li>We stated that our plan was to remove our daughter from his class, to which he replied "If you are going to be riding my back all year, then you might as well move her now."</li><li>Finally, he changed his story about the incident with our daughter and missing reading group. Our daughter has always maintained that he physically pulled her out of line. When I confronted her teacher the following day he said he didn't pull her out of line he talked to her at her desk. Then when we brought up the event at the meeting he stated that he did ask her to come out of line and over to where he was standing. What kind of teacher lies about these types of events? And if he is willing to lie about this, what else is he lying about or not telling?</li></ol><p>The meeting took an hour and 30 minutes. When we were finished my husband was FURIOUS. We proceeded to write the principal an email stating we wanted our daughter moved as soon as possible. We are awaiting the result.<br /></p><p>In summary, I am shocked that there are teachers out there just riding the wave, waiting for retirement. This teacher is just doing the bare minimum and calling it good enough. I am mostly sorry for the kids that will suffer because their parents trust the teacher to provide their student with a good education. Unfortunately, in the world today and I venture to guess always, parents must be vigilant in ensuring that their child is receiving a quality education.<br /></p><p>I hope you all are having a great week. I will let you know if we succeed in moving our daughter.</p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-79579870943019736122009-11-05T16:37:00.005-07:002009-11-05T21:09:10.920-07:00Mental WellnessAs I write this post I am gathering as much information as I can about the shooting at Fort Hood and I am doing so with tears in my eyes. My brother-in-law is stationed at Fort Hood and to my knowledge he is OK and has not been injured in this incident. We are very thankful for that.<br /><br />However, I am sickened by the entire event. I am shocked that soldiers could shoot soldiers. Why would someone begin shooting soldiers that were getting ready to deploy at the readiness facility? This is a truly tragic event. So many lives have been tragically changed.<br /><br />Being a resident of Colorado and at the time attending the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, I was very near to the tragic events of Columbine High School. This event brings back awful memories of that day and the poor families and children who were forever affected.<br /><br />I am not sure of the motive behind the shooting today at Fort Hood, but it brings to mind a topic that I think is very important and that is the topic of mental wellness. Very often we are harped upon by friends and family to lose that weight or exercise or go to the doctor to get our heart/liver/etc. tested. However, there isn't any way encouraging us or making sure we are staying well mentally. We all stay home when we are sick, but I am a proponent of taking "mental health days". Sometimes we are just not at the top of our mental game, so take some time for yourself. If you wanted to take a painting class, find out where you can take it and do it. I think us as mom's especially feel guilty when we really desire something for ourselves that has nothing to do our family. I know that I personally struggle with this. I have always wanted to do oil paintings, because it is something my grandma did. About a year ago, I found a Bob Ross class. The class was one whole day and when you were done, you had your very own masterpiece. I decided to do it and took the whole day for me. It was very refreshing and made me a more enjoyable person to be around. It just let me relax and enjoy my day without my kids or husband. I want to say that you are NOT a bad mom for wanting to do something for you, by yourself. Please be aware of your mental wellness. If you need to go and talk to your doctor. Believe me you are not the only one and you are not the first. Mental wellness is just as important as physical wellness. Take the time to check and make sure you are feeling well mentally.<br /><br />I would like to request that all of my followers say a prayer for all of those who are affected by this shooting.<br /><br />To those of you affected...I am so sorry for all of you! My God Bless and keep you! You are in my thoughts and my prayers.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-41566452376369671102009-11-02T16:37:00.003-07:002009-11-03T08:30:52.391-07:00What Do You Do With a Poor Teacher?Since the beginning of the year my husband and I have had misgivings about my daughter's teacher. To begin with on the second day of school he had the students come home and beat on their chests while spelling the word "the". When we asked Makayla why she was doing this she could not explain the purpose of beating her chest and to top it off she was hitting herself so hard she was getting hurt. The next day he proceeded to ask the students which of the parents thought he was crazy. Makayla raised her hand because we thought that the act was rather strange and we could not figure out the point. When she told us he asked the class that, we were quite upset and thought this an odd line of questioning for 6 year-olds.<br /><br /><br />For this next bit I need to provide some additional information. For her class, the teacher uses green, yellow, and red cards to indicate how the students are behaving. If they have one small infraction, like talking too much they have to change their card to yellow and if they continue then they change their card to red. When we saw this, we thought it was probably quite useful for disciplining students. However, when Makayla came home and told us that if the students had to go to the bathroom during class time they were instructed to turn their cards straight to red, regardless of if they were on green or yellow. Along with a red card you also get 5 minutes on the wall during recess. We did not like the idea of students being punished for using the restroom. I can understand that there may be students that abuse bathroom privileges, but you cannot determine that on the first day of school.<br /><br /><br />The final straw for me was when we went to reading night at the school. This is an event that you sign up for so that the teachers are aware of which parents are coming. The idea is to allow students and parents to work together in the classroom a few nights a year. I love the idea and we signed up. When we got to Makayla's classroom her teacher proceeded to tell us that he did not know what level Makayla was reading at. Please note that Makayla goes with a Para professional for reading because she is a bit higher than other students in her class, so her teacher is not directly working with her daily on reading. However, if I were the teacher, I would have contacted her reading teacher knowing that we would be there to find out where she was at. Because he did not know her level, I found the contact information for the Para professional she reads with and contact her to find out her level, so that we can get appropriate reading material. She happily provided the necessary information.<br /><br /><br />The following Monday finished off my patients. Makayla did not go to reading group because her cue all year to go to reading group was when kids showed up at the door to get her. On this particular day no one came to get her and she assumed that she did not have reading. After afternoon recess, her teacher pulled her out of line (physically by the arm) and asked why she missed reading group. When Makayla said she thought she didn't have it because no one showed up he told her it was just like missing the whole day of school because she didn't go to reading group. When Makayla got home she told her dad she "had done something AWFUL!", and told him the whole story. The next day I went into the school and spoke with her teacher and he just couldn't understand why I was so upset because she wasn't in trouble. I know she wasn't in trouble, but she thought she was and that was why I was so upset. It was his responsibility to make sure that she got to reading group. She is just learning time and does not know how to read a clock yet.<br /><br />In addition to the incidents above there is no art or student work in the classroom or displayed on the hallway bulletins. This was terribly upsetting to Makayla on reading night, as she had nothing to show us and many of her friends were showing off their work. It was so upsetting to her that she commented she didn't want to go to school the next morning because of it. Please note that my husband and I didn't make a big deal out of it, so as to encourage her behavior of not wanting to go to school and being upset.<br /><br />With all of this, my husband and I decided to go to the principal and advocate for Makayla being moved from the classroom. It appears to us that his teaching style and classroom structure will not work with the things Makayla needs. We have had the initial meeting and go this Friday to meet with the principal and the teacher.<br /><br />I am hopeful that we can move her into another class. I know some of you may think that I am being a bit over the top here, but I know that Makayla is not getting what she needs to be prepared for 2nd grade and I feel it is my responsibility as her parent to make sure that happens, even if I have to "stir things up" at school.<br /><br />Hope you all are having a good week!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-51941264066136529192009-10-28T20:19:00.002-06:002009-10-28T20:35:06.310-06:00Oh...How I Love to TravelIn case you hadn't heard Colorado is getting a HUGE snow storm that will last Wednesday and Thursday. My home town is expected to get between 12 and 24 inches of snow. Needless to say I was not sure if I would be able to leave for my meeting in Atlanta. When the flight still showed "on-time" this morning, I packed my bags and began the SLOW drive to the airport.<br /><br />As I watched the time pass by as I drive ever slowly I wondered if I would make it. When I got on the road that takes you into the airport it showed that the garages were full, which meant I had to park outside in economy. Then it took FOREVER just to find a space. I think the economy lot was nearly full as well. As I got out of the car, I saw the shuttle that takes you up to the main building. I quickly grabbed my suitcase and ran through snow and wind to get to the shuttle before he left. As I was running and just before I got the bus, I thought "Did I lock the car?". Well since I couldn’t' got back, I am just hoping I did.<br /><br />Once the shuttle dropped me off at the main building, I ran to the ticket counter to check in. Once I checked in I was informed by the Kiosk that my flight was delayed 40 minutes. So all the hurry for nothing! After waiting to board the plane we were told that there was a line for the deicing process and we would need to wait 20 to 30 minutes before we could even push away from the gate. We finally pushed away after a 30 minute wait, but then we waited at least another hour before we actually took off. I guess the best part was I kept falling asleep, probably because of the Dramamine I have to take to fly. So the time past quite quickly for me!<br /><br />Because of all this delay I did not make it to Atlanta in time to set up my table for the meeting and now I must get up extra early to get over to the facility to set up. I hope that it won't take me long to set up.<br /><br />I just love traveling, especially with weather. You never know what is going to happen and so you are just along for the ride. I hope when I fly home on Friday that the trip is less eventful.<br /><br />As a side note, I got the book "The Shack" in the airport, because I forgot to bring my book in my haste to leave for the airport. I will write a review of this book when I finish.<br /><br />If you are in Colorado I hope that you are safe and dry at home. For the rest of you I hope you had a GREAT Wednesday.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-34243888407514422432009-10-26T17:13:00.003-06:002009-10-26T17:18:29.560-06:00Happy Halloween! (Early)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww0XUaOPSHtL8kkc8oVdcYoCZ8v85Vs_Zg6Ya6lKl1lJ29I7pnhXT3YxhYDBj7MgEXctRxh5s0XWhJ52oO6URWw92j5p7bUMKEyj4jvVdB1sl7nD9-Ldb9wY3UbHUJKR42kn3hrD1MWtN/s1600-h/IMG_0839.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397051825737492674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww0XUaOPSHtL8kkc8oVdcYoCZ8v85Vs_Zg6Ya6lKl1lJ29I7pnhXT3YxhYDBj7MgEXctRxh5s0XWhJ52oO6URWw92j5p7bUMKEyj4jvVdB1sl7nD9-Ldb9wY3UbHUJKR42kn3hrD1MWtN/s320/IMG_0839.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p5gvyVNirxFNS475wF-t42WL7Dp3Ufr7DTgjeISkxgMSLIHjBbxW8Lovre4u49NHbAbmvigGbMbqGYAiAh3Rm4lSHqLLPdYQXz7cDExzvdox4pOCXaqgLj73fWlrU7Mr29V8WTTULWIC/s1600-h/IMG_0839.JPG"></a><br /><div>For Mindless Monday I wanted to share a photo of my little Frankenstein and Pioneer girl. They had a great time at 2 safe trick or treats this week. Hope you all have a safe week!</div></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-40894354619136977752009-10-23T08:24:00.002-06:002009-10-23T08:49:38.364-06:00I'm not a baby anymore....<p>This morning I was helping my 6-year old daughter get dressed as we were in a hurry. She is a bit of a slow poke and so if we want it done quickly we have to help her. She has school pictures today, so we had chosen a green striped turtleneck sweater for her to wear. As I pulled the sweater over her head I said, "Where's Makayla?" and then when her face appeared I said "There she is." She quickly replied, "Mom, I have not a baby anymore. That is something you say to babies."<br /><br />I was shocked and even though I realized she is 6-years old, I didn't expect that kind of response from her. To be honest I almost cried. She is growing up so fast. This morning I looked at some older pictures of her. What a cutie she is (not that I am biased). As I took a walk down memory lane I found pictures of her taking pony riding lessons 2 summers ago. She had a great time. I took lunch early so she and I could do it together. We got to brush, saddle, and ride the ponies. She was just going into Kindergarten then. How much she has changed. Not only in how she looks, but in the things she says. I catch myself laughing sometimes as she tries to use the "big words" and sometimes doesn't use them quite correctly.<br /><br />I must admit I miss my baby. Even though my son is only 20 months only, he really isn't even a baby anymore. I guess I will have to take joy in cuddling other people's babies. This means getting over my fear of holding other people’s babies. I know you may think that sounds strange as I have had two babies myself, but I am afraid I will somehow hurt someone else's baby. It is kind of a paralyzing fear and prevents me from holding any children under the age of about 6 months. So in order for me to enjoy little ones again, I will have to "conquer" this fear.<br /><br />My babies are growing up! Every stage in their life is a joy, but there are days I miss just being able to hold them in silence and enjoy the peace that surrounded us. </p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-75677765980575059242009-10-22T14:43:00.004-06:002009-10-22T15:13:47.143-06:00Casa Loma - Toronto, ON CanadaSo I'm brining back Travelin' Thursday and this time I'd like to highlight a BEAUTIFUL castle located in the heart of Toronto, Casa Loma. This one of a kind castle was built at the beginning of the 1900's by a wealthy businessman. It has a wonderful story and because of the bad business dealings was never finished. Make sure to plan plenty of time to see the entire facility (at least 4 hours) and the audio tour is a MUST.<br /><br /><br />The property includes the castle itself, 5 acres of gardens, a stable, carriage house, green house, and potting room. The audio tour takes you through the entire residence, through tunnels and outside in the gardens. The story behind this home is fastinating a real riches to rags story of love, life and the whole darn mess. The castle was constructed over 3 years with nearly 300 workers. Be sure to stop by and view the 10-15 minute video presentation before beginning your tour. It provides background on the gentleman that build the home and the construction details.<br /><br /><br />I have included several pictures below that I took while visiting the castle. I have been there twice and it was fabulous both times. A place the enitre family can enjoy. It does include an onsite cafe with adequate food and drink. If you are in or around Toronoto this is a MUST see.<br /><br /><br />Here is the link for the Casa Loma website. <a href="http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/">http://www.casaloma.org/Visitor/</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxG0EGZ_oUpnJG1KpcY6Xfk1QBMviQiPjcD75d_M723IF7JTEfRQAlsNGSTHWxUdcotnHBJCFfW4bkHGHFkrNUNh32ji0cavmQUOUhT03_jf9CRSJcox4UYkUFVUmLfSJExGP_GJzJXer/s1600-h/PICT0041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395534508355465858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxG0EGZ_oUpnJG1KpcY6Xfk1QBMviQiPjcD75d_M723IF7JTEfRQAlsNGSTHWxUdcotnHBJCFfW4bkHGHFkrNUNh32ji0cavmQUOUhT03_jf9CRSJcox4UYkUFVUmLfSJExGP_GJzJXer/s200/PICT0041.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2TiXkcYRp1PGAa4ZxZV_XVZQnq8UuPnrX6MIdGbwtVsONKI9j4VZQD1wLlDYb9dr02F_ZkdOaVpNxfXb7tOTUxO49WjOrYc1ASutyJ-7buUf4h4Yxv0IMmvE1_uzEoejJH7Rqm3ERyPL/s1600-h/PICT0042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395534539101524434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2TiXkcYRp1PGAa4ZxZV_XVZQnq8UuPnrX6MIdGbwtVsONKI9j4VZQD1wLlDYb9dr02F_ZkdOaVpNxfXb7tOTUxO49WjOrYc1ASutyJ-7buUf4h4Yxv0IMmvE1_uzEoejJH7Rqm3ERyPL/s200/PICT0042.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95ZibQlpoUwYCIy_MLL3SAFzkA7B8GhOubdhyphenhyphen9JrvuYK09aKGLla8Ol0eVMk3vdxdSwm7RN-EwnZC5-R07-Ue740Jmx5qWsJPH5cb-5WTpbjqp1OmnLQG2l6WZLAnSeKp1Ac2JbFL8dkF/s1600-h/PICT0049.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395534534109257858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95ZibQlpoUwYCIy_MLL3SAFzkA7B8GhOubdhyphenhyphen9JrvuYK09aKGLla8Ol0eVMk3vdxdSwm7RN-EwnZC5-R07-Ue740Jmx5qWsJPH5cb-5WTpbjqp1OmnLQG2l6WZLAnSeKp1Ac2JbFL8dkF/s200/PICT0049.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhck2toYC3rGFRRnkr3DJmU96DuTkO5vzORn2oLCAUDW7ufCVmsxEpZ12rMCTlhwEQtw7hVSfKVUHbPN2ikVnTJhei59iW5P2zt0CeGwmnvxyDGBWuULSHhY9iwLVxnH1Dioo3FQ-byfjJl/s1600-h/PICT0043.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395534524807698210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhck2toYC3rGFRRnkr3DJmU96DuTkO5vzORn2oLCAUDW7ufCVmsxEpZ12rMCTlhwEQtw7hVSfKVUHbPN2ikVnTJhei59iW5P2zt0CeGwmnvxyDGBWuULSHhY9iwLVxnH1Dioo3FQ-byfjJl/s200/PICT0043.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIjFoTP4y_j3WbRB1xjpPqdHYcImFAhJqBudB7EdHrpP7lxjRTiXIw9dwHL_DD8UIERHhDnAUpGcrv1yKlpouYT_pk8vDoZBiE7kzRPL5VbTu9T52GLl45fZMPg4Elp31PTt4i-a5GNOl/s1600-h/PICT0054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395534515428799746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIjFoTP4y_j3WbRB1xjpPqdHYcImFAhJqBudB7EdHrpP7lxjRTiXIw9dwHL_DD8UIERHhDnAUpGcrv1yKlpouYT_pk8vDoZBiE7kzRPL5VbTu9T52GLl45fZMPg4Elp31PTt4i-a5GNOl/s200/PICT0054.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-49585947545837408072009-10-21T09:41:00.003-06:002009-10-21T10:07:55.657-06:00Why I Have the Greatest Husband in the World (and yes I am biased)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hT2qw56zMRpGE248C_CeIWSuNnfX1Qe-_ScAQuJRNne9p2fzIJf-cNJkEDBBgBIJCey4RueFWUVpkbb5OSKRtovhVyQYCmzpVHtYd2xDgXaVFupIKM_q-vbk4MnEPzjTXZVUub_Lx6bx/s1600-h/Us.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395084896161920754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hT2qw56zMRpGE248C_CeIWSuNnfX1Qe-_ScAQuJRNne9p2fzIJf-cNJkEDBBgBIJCey4RueFWUVpkbb5OSKRtovhVyQYCmzpVHtYd2xDgXaVFupIKM_q-vbk4MnEPzjTXZVUub_Lx6bx/s320/Us.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>I have had a rough couple of days. I've been a bit depressed. When I get in this mind set I like to try and think of all the wonderful things I have. One of those wonderful things is my husband of nearly 12 years. So, today I'd like to provide a list about why I have the greatest husband in the world. So here goes a short list.<br /><br />1. He cooks ALL meals!<br />2. He is a stay at home dad that has to balance working with his dad and taking care of our two kids.<br />3. He keeps the house running while I am traveling on business.<br />4. He puts up with my need for LOTS of animals.<br />5. He loves me even when I'm cranky.<br />6. He brings me flowers to try and cheer me up.<br />7. He does the laundry and although it is my job to fold it, even folds it sometimes when the kids only want mommy.<br />8. He keeps me balanced when I (occasionally and I'm not saying that I do) overreact.<br />9. He can always make me smile when I'm grumpy.<br />10. He is the best father to my kids.<br />11. He vacuums the house.<br /><br />This is just a short list, and I'm biased, but I believe I have the best husband anyone could ever have! I'm sure you all have some "keepers" too, so I hope this post makes you think about all the wonderful things your special someone does for you. Have a great Wednesday. </div><br /><div></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-3713332126222002862009-10-18T19:54:00.005-06:002009-10-18T20:15:51.104-06:00Special TimeOver the past several days I have had the pleasure of spending special time with my husband and my daughter.<br /><br />Today was a GREAT day! My daughter and I had time with just the two of us. We went to a local pottery painting shop and each picked a piece to paint. My daughter painted a little bunny and I painted my son a blue and brown checked piggy bank. I will post pictures when I get them back.<br /><br />It was so nice for just the two of us to do something together. I think we need to do this more often as lately I think my daughter feels like her little brother is getting extra attention. In fact I have already scheduled our mother/daughter time for the month of November. We are going to see The Lord of the Dance. She is very excited about this as she and I take clogging lessons. We are planning a full evening including dressing up! While dressing up is not my thing, it is my daughter's thing and for her we will do it together.<br /><br />Last Thursday, my husband and I went to the movies, for the first time since I can't remember. (Oh wait I do remember, we went to the opening of the last Harry Potter movie that came out.) We went to see Couples Retreat. That was a GREAT movie and I would recommend it to everyone. It was hilarious and a real “feel good” show. It was very true to life and that just made it even better. If you are married with kids you will find this show hilarious as the interaction with the children is classic.<br /><br />Just as with my daughter, my husband and I have got to reinstate date night. Our goal will be to have date night once a month. I think that is very realistic and with our hectic daily lives this will be very helpful for our relationship. We bowl together on Friday night and my in-laws watch our kids, so it is a mini date night every Friday night.<br /><br />I am a firm believer in date nights, especially for those of us with kids. Kids require much of our attention and sometimes our spouses get left out unintentionally. I hope everyone can take a little time with their special someone away from your children to just enjoy each other. Even if all you do is have the children watched while you take a walk together. It's not how much you spend on your time together, but the time together that counts!<br /><br />I hope you all had a great weekend.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-32553825572522381752009-10-14T15:55:00.004-06:002009-10-14T16:09:09.493-06:00Why Can't I Find Time to ExerciseLike most moms I have been trying to lose 15 lbs for about well I guess 14 months now. I say that because my son is now 20 months old and it takes at least 6 months for me to get to a "normal" weight again. What it boils down to is I need to exercise. Not just to lose weight, but to be healthy for my kids. My biggest problem is finding the time.<br /><br />It is amazing to me that exercise and taking care of me always seems to fall to the bottom of the list. I find time to reorganize my daughter's clothes moving summer clothes to the Tupperware containers and winter clothes onto hangers. I have time to watch my favorite program on TV. I have time to do all sorts of things, but no exercise.<br /><br />I keep telling myself that the best and only time is EARLY in the morning. As an FYI, I am NOT (I repeat NOT) a morning person. But I only need to get up about 40 minutes early for a 30 minute workout. I have even TiVo'd a number of workout programs off of FIT TV. And yet, I have not even watched/done one of them.<br /><br />I thought well maybe I just can't get up. We always go to bed so late. However I proved that theory wrong on Monday. I had forgotten to buy a microphone of a WebEx we were giving at promptly at 8. So my task was to get up and ready, get to Wal-Mart, get back home, and get my daughter up, ready and on the bus. In order to accomplish this I had to be up by 4:30 am. And guess what, I was. I got up and did it all. So why can't I do this to work out. Apparently, work and sleep come before working out. I think I need to try and reorganize my priorities a bit. If I can get up really early just to get something for work, I can get up really early to exercise.<br /><br />My mission, whether I chose to accept it or not, is to exercise 3 -4 days a week in the morning. I intend to start tomorrow. Wish me luck!<br /><br />P.S. Thanks to my new followers for reading my blog!Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599274027340319087.post-87994734058781608262009-10-12T22:00:00.003-06:002009-10-12T22:06:36.913-06:00Watching the Snow<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrVhCQSBXxOoiQ3c0wVJ6VaFxh0y_Czbuky-dxIcxWtDzZIowYxTZRmmGefqC07uisH6zbFJ6Mvh5q1ChVWi50nz7ps5Xi_bjMKBallJck-EwlyhHqB9lvSSdrYE8VoDdRsA_9oIVSA4p/s1600-h/IMG_0503.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391930733391150002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrVhCQSBXxOoiQ3c0wVJ6VaFxh0y_Czbuky-dxIcxWtDzZIowYxTZRmmGefqC07uisH6zbFJ6Mvh5q1ChVWi50nz7ps5Xi_bjMKBallJck-EwlyhHqB9lvSSdrYE8VoDdRsA_9oIVSA4p/s320/IMG_0503.JPG" /></a><br /><div>For mindless Monday I wanted to share a picture I actually took last February, but I just love it and since it snowed over 6"inches here over the weekend I thought it appropriate. Here are my daughter and son watching the snow fall! I think this is just a precious picture! Hope you all had a GREAT Monday!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Thanks again to all my new followers! You all are WONDERFUL!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377046390572386039noreply@blogger.com0