My Threshold! Part 2

Dear Readers,

One thing I’ve learned to do it to listen to my body and know when it and I have had enough. Well, I tried to anyway. This sickness came out of nowhere. I’ve been down since Sunday night. I went to work on Monday because I had an IEP and just didn’t want to submit lesson plans. It was easier to go to work. So, I thought.

I got to work and could barely walk. I felt like I was walking in slow motion, in water, in a snowstorm. Yeah, it was really that bad. I had chills and a fever at once. Not to mention the scratchy throat and the achy muscles.

I left immediately after the IEP at 2:30, picked up Phillise, and got in bed until 3:00 p.m. the next day. I only got up then because I had to pick Phillise up and I had a presentation to do at my school @ 4:30. If not, I would have asked my mother-in-law or my sister to get her and stayed in bed. I’m still in bed as I write this on Wednesday night @ 6:40 p.m. I’m going to work tomorrow though. I’m a little weak and dehydrated but I’ll be okay.

It’s good to know your threshold. I make a habit of knowing when I’ve reached mine. As I recuperate, I will say bye for now!

No More Interviews!!!

Hello Dear Readers,
In the past month, I have been on six (count ’em, 6) interviews! At this point I am tired of interviewing. Yesterday was my last interview. I already had five job offers on the table and didn’t want to interview anymore. I simply didn’t. Just like 8 was enough, six was enough!
I went to the last interview anyway. Just to see! Well, guess what happened with that one? I accepted the job.
The funny thing about the job that I accepted was that I was passing by the site the other day with my daughter and said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if I worked there since it’s right by your school?”
“Yes,” she said.
Of all the job I was offered, this was my second choice. I wanted the job with Green Dot because of the room for advancement, the pay, I really liked the administration, and most importantly-the free health insurance.
The two reasons I didn’t want to accept my current job was because of the insurance cost (not free) and no pay in the summer. What it all equates to though is bigger paychecks that I need to manage well.
The reason I accepted is because my daughter, Phillise (12)-being the big almost 7th grader that she is-wanted more freedom. She feels that I shelter her too much. (I do, but that’s besides the point!)
Her school is about 6 blocks from where I will be working. So, my plan is to either drop her off at school, or go early and let her walk the six blocks to her school, with her texting me once she gets to school.
I always felt I was not spending as much quality time with her because I was always working to provide. Now I get to spend more time with her and my youngest son, David (16) + my older sons, Sam (24) & Dakota (23).

Reasons for and against accepting the job:
Cons: No summer pay, I have to pay for insurance, I have an extra hour of work more than I did before, I couldn’t take my 1st choice job because the travel time was about an hour each way.

Bonus: I get to spend more time with my children, I make a lot more than I did working at the Catholic School.

That is my post for now, Dear Readers. I am tired since I was out with my friend, Danika, who took me out for an early birfday brunch. So, I will update you more on the interviewing process. It was taxing. Bye for now!

Happy Birfday to Hunter!

Dear Readers,
Today is a special day for me. It’s my middle son’s, Hunter, birfday! He’s 23!!! I cannot believe it. Where did the time go???

Common Core State Standards explained

Dear Readers,

Here’s a link to explain the Common Core standards in a nutshell, in about 3 minutes. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/51933492

Happy September!!!

Oh, yeah!!! School has started. That means 3 out of 4 of my children are in school. My oldest son is wandering. I’m going to go talk to him about his plans. I understand trying to find yourself, but you have to “find” yourself on your own dime. Sorry if anyone thinks that’s harsh, but he will be 24 years old in October. So, either he needs to go to the service, get a job, or go to school.

That’s that & I’ll deal with it accordingly. I am writing because I am so happy the summer is over. It was one of the toughest summers of my life. I hope to never have a hard summer like this past one. However, I digress. I made it and that’s what’s important.

So, I’ll be writing more now that I am not so preoccupied. Here’s to more posts!

Bye for now!!!

Happy Birthday Dakota!

Dear Readers,

Today is my middle son Dakota’s birthday. Happy Birthday Dakota! He’s 22! I can’t believe it. He was supposed to be born on my birthday, the 27th, but came 3 days early. What a birthday present! I really love this kid. He’s a great son! I knew he would be from the time he was little. I feel really blessed to be his mom!

* I don’t know why this post didn’t post on the 24th!*

What Happened?

Dear Readers,

I’m sure, by now, you’ve heard of the horrific shooting in Connecticut. I am still in shock. It’s all so senseless.

I heard the news as I was going to my school’s Christmas party at the Rectory. The Pre-K teacher told me the horrific news. I couldn’t breathe and nearly passed out.

“Are you serious,” I asked. She told me that she found out by looking at the computer as her students were using it during Choice Time. She said she instantly thought about her family in Connecticut, so she called them to ask what happened.

As I went to the Christmas party I couldn’t concentrate or think straight. Honestly, the likelihood of the shooting happening in Los Angeles, where I live, is much more likely than it happening where it happened in Connecticut. Truth be told, no matter how likely it is, it shouldn’t happen anywhere. I feel for the parents of the children. This is an unspeakable horror that no one should have to endure.

This story hits especially close to home since I am a mother of four and I work in a school which is not in the least secure. In back of my school is Social Services that’s host to many unsavory characters. There’s a small gate, but that does not offer a whole bunch of protection. They could simply jump over it. Sometimes the doors to the school are locked; but most times they are not. I will stop talking about this because it’ll make me want to play hooky from work. I know that many people may not agree, but I also feel for the young man & the family of the young man who committed the murders. They have to live with that legacy of murder, mental illness, and guilt. They have to wonder why they couldn’t have predicted this. Let’s not forget that they lost two family member as well. I know that it was by his own hands after he committed an unspeakable crime, but he was still someone’s son, brother, cousin, etc.

It just makes you wonder WHAT was going through his mind!

I cannot say what was going through his mind, but I can’t help but to wonder what was going through it. What made him want to harm innocent little children? What made him take his own life? Was he then so overcome with grief that he did so after realizing the heinousness of his crime? What happened that made him think this was the solution? I guess no one will ever know!

Different Types of Children with Aspergers!

Dear Readers

Here’s an excellent article I read regarding children with Aspergers. It’s pretty long but I think it’s worth it:

The Emotional Aspergers Child

Many children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism fall into one of the “emotional types” listed below. Their feelings control their actions. These kids have many more tantrums, are less available, easily disengage, and are more prone to defiant behavior.

This is the most difficult type of Aspergers child to deal with, because rules – and the reasons for rules – mean much less to him. The parents and teachers who have to deal with the emotional Aspie often find themselves in a state of frustration or crisis. Many of these children will end up on medications for their issues, because their coping skills are poorly developed and inadequate to meet the demands of home and school. But that’s o.k., because the right medication and an effective behavioral plan can do wonders.

Type 1: The Fearful Aspie—

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Dear Readers. I’d like to tell you what I am thankful for. First and foremost I am thankful to God for waking me up, for being in my right mind, and for my health. I am truly thankful for my health. We may not realize just very important health is, until you don’t have it.

I am thankful for my husband and four wonderful children, Sam, Dakota, David, & Phillise. I can honestly say they are the reason I work so hard. I’m also thankful for my family even though they get on my last nerve. I could go on, but I’ll stop at the basics. So, what are you thankful for?

Defeat Dyslexia by Catching It Early by Mindy Toran

Hello Dear Readers,

I found this great article on dyslexia. It’s a little bit of a read but worth it; especially if you suspect your child or someone you know has dyslexia. (Taken directly from: http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/08/24/parents_express/doc50355aeec2882548048182.txt?viewmode=fullstory 

“Awareness is the key to addressing dyslexia and other language-based learning differences,” says Julia Sadtler, president of the Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Recognizing a learning disability earlier rather than later is important.

According to the National Institutes of Health, it’s estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the population, or one out of every five students, has a language-based learning disability. The most common of these disabilities is dyslexia, a neurological disorder that results in difficulties with language skills such as reading, writing, spelling or word pronunciation.

What Do You Get When You Combine A Mother with A Teacher?!@#$

My daughter, being the Beggin’ Bessie that she is, keeps asking for money to join all these different websites. I, being the wonderful teacher that I am, did what any mother would do- I charged her the $4/monthly fee. (Only time will tell if she wants to spend her own money next month.) But before I collected the money, I made her write me a persuasive essay detailing why she should be able to spend her money. Yep! That’s what happens when you combine a mother and a teacher.

Snap Back to Reality, Part Whatever!

Yes, I am back from Spring Break. The break was way too short. I definitely could have used more time. That’s okay, though, there are only about 7 weeks left in school. Boy, I cannot wait for summer. This summer, I am putting Phillise in cheerleading with my niece. Not only that, but she’s going back to guitar lessons, & I am thinking about dance @ Lula Washington. Activities for David will include art lessons at Barnsdall & some type of sport or self-defense (probably karate). He was in karate before and didn’t want to do it, so guess what, I didn’t make him. That was a big fat mistake that I intend to correct. But, that’s a post for another day; probably later on today.

Bye for now!

Too Cute to Be a Slave???

*** If you offend easily, please don’t read this post and reply with a nasty comment.***

Ok, let me explain that title. Let me begin by saying that one of my sisters is a professional hair braiders who regularly braids Phillise’s hair. Phillise’s hair is freshly done, so she thinks she is too cute. Apparently, according to her, she’s too cute to play a slave for her  Black History Month performance. She, being the little girl that she is (with freshly braided hair, I might add), thought she couldn’t possibly look like a slave.

“Mom,” she said with her cute little self, “How am I going to look like a slave when I am soooo cute?”

“Really!,” I said.

I tell ya’, kids say the darndest things!

“Out, Out, Damn Laptop!

“Out, Out, Damn Laptop!” has been echoing in my ears Dear Readers. As I write this I am reminded of my high school Shakespeare class. I have been feeling so guilty about spending so much time on my laptop that I’ve been dreaming about it. Is it my guilty conscience? Yep, it sure it. But, alas! I have learned my lesson. Really I have!

“What lesson is that,” you ask. Well, this all goes back to my MAC being broken last week. I was so distraught, but I tried to think of a silver lining. You see, whenever something happens, I try to think of a silver lining. I embarrassed to say that his doesn’t always happen in the beginning, but I do eventually get around to it. But, anyway, back to the lecture at hand. My power cord broke last week. I was so distraught over this because at the time I didn’t know it was the power cord, I thought it was the laptop itself. You see, Dear Readers, a new power cord is about $110, but if it was something else, it would have been totally out of my price range since the warranty expired in September.

But, as I thought about the silver lining (much, much later after I had a good cry) to the MAC being broken, I realized that I spend far too much time on my laptop and not enough with my children. So, I made a resolution to spend less time with my MAC (which was dead for all of last week until I got another power cord) and more with my family. But, do you think I made good on that resolution once I got the power cord this weekend? Nope, sure didn’t! I spent so much time on my MAC this weekend until I realized what I was doing. My little niece Moriah was over & she wanted me to pay attention to her, but I kept pecking away. Phillise wanted me to look at some things, but I only half-heartedly looked as I pecked away.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, ” I said to myself. I wanted to spank myself & put me in the corner. But, no more I say. No more. I am not going to bring any work home this week. I am far enough ahead in my lesson plans (Not science) that I don’t need to bring any work home. Anything I need to do will be done at school during my planning time or after school. Time at home will be reserved for my family.

So, I say again, “Out, out, damn laptop. Out of my lap!”

HERE’S TO 2011!

Happy Birthday Phillise!

Today is my one and only little girl Phillise’s 9th birthday. I love my little brown lady so much.

A Baby in the Oven???

For New Year’s Eve, I decided to start a new tradition. I decided to cook the same meal every New Year like some people do. I wanted to cook something I hadn’t cooked in a long time- Cornish hen. It’s actually been thirteen years since I’ve cooked it. There’s a funny story behind the reason why. Like to hear it, here it goes.

Sam & Dakota loved David so much when he was a baby, they couldn’t wait to get home and see him. When they got home from school they would shower him with kisses and hugs and hold him until dinner time. Well, this particular dinner time was not a happy one. I called them to the table just like any other day, when suddenly Sam exclaims,

“Oh my God, Mom! What is this?”

“It’s Cornish hen. Just sit down and eat it,” I said.

“Mom, I am not eating that. That looks so nasty, he said. It looks like a baby chicken. What if someone put salt and pepper on David & stuck him in the oven and cooked him?”

Ok, I’d never thought about it quite like that. I tried to explain to him that we are the top of the food chain and that it was okay to eat it, but he was not to be convinced. I, of course, didn’t make him eat. I think I made him a peanut butter & jelly sandwich instead. I’ve wanted Cornish hen over the years, but I hadn’t cooked it until last night. Sam was not here. I still don’t think he would have eaten it.

HERE’S TO 2011!

Happy 13th Birthday David!

I wanna’ cry as I write this. My baby is a baby no more. My youngest son, David, is officially a teen-ager today! If we were Jewish he would be having a Bar Mitzvah to welcome him into manhood. We aren’t. The next best thing is ribbing from my older sons. He narrowly missed being born on November 11, 1997 by 2 minutes. So, Happy Birthday baby. I love my little brown man so much.

Happy 21st Birthday Sam!

I would like to say Happy 21st Birthday to my oldest son, Sam. I cannot believe he is 21! How can I have a 21 year old when I still feel like a kid myself???

Phillise’s STAR Test Results!

I finally got Phillise’s STAR test results back today. I am so proud of her. She scored in the Advanced range in both English-Language Arts & Math. She was higher in English-Language Arts than Math.

In the English-Language Arts category, there are 5 categories (Word Analysis & Vocabulary Development, Reading Comprehension, Literary Response & Analysis). It’s further broken down into Writing (Writing Conventions & Writing Strategies). She scored 100% in 4/5 categories. For Literary Response & Analysis, she scored 83%. She could have scored higher, but is not very patient when it comes to writing responses. She’s just like her mother on that. I’m working with her on this.

In Math, there are 5 categories also (Place Value, Addition & Subtraction, Multiplication, Division & Fractions, Algebra & Functions, Measurement & Geometry, Statistics, Data Analysis & Probability). She scored 100% in 3/5 categories. The others she scored 86% & 91%.

I am so proud of her. I only have about 30 days left to work with her on these things with her so she can score even higher next time.

HERE’s TO 2010!

Happy Birthday Dakota!

Today is my middle son’s 19th birthday. Happy Birthday Dakota! Here’s to many more!

Build-A-Bear

Phillise & I went to Build-A-Bear. I love that store & the concept. Getting to build your own bear is one of the best things ever! Well, Phillise had been wanting to go for the longest time, but I couldn’t make myself spend $50 for a teddy bear. But, my baby’s big eyes won me over. So, here’s some pics:

Here’s my baby @ the Build-A-Bear naming her baby- a Lavender teddy bear with a fancy pink dress & fancy pink high heels.↓

I am having technical difficulties. All of my pictures came out sideways & I don’t know how to turn them. Can someone help????

Eight Ways To Get Your Child To Read For The Summer

Taken directly from The New York State Library website.

Eight Ways To Get Your Child To Read For The Summer

1. Get your child a library card @ your local library.
2. Sign your child up for the Summer Reading program @ the local library.
3. Read with your child every day. Take advantage of “waiting” time to share books: on trips, @ the doctor’s office, at the grocery store.
4. Take a basket of books for reading breaks for the sun, water, and sand at the beach, lake, or pool.
5. Read on your own & talk to your child about what you’re reading. Families who share reading experiences have children who read well.
6. Visit the library every week and bring the whole family. Need books in languages other than English? Ask a librarian.
7. Use the closed captioning during TV shoes so children see the words as they hear them.
8. Keep a list on the refrigerator of the books everyone has read during the summer.

For more information, visit: www.summerreadingnys.org

Elizabeti’s Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Elizabeti’s Doll (2002), written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen & illustrated by Christy Hale is the cutest little book. I would recommend it for little girls ages 6- 9. Phillise is 8 years old and she loved it.

“This is the best book, Mom,” she said. So, I asked her if she wanted to watch it on the Scholastic Treasury Collection (Is Your Mama a LLama?)  that we have. She did, so we watched that after she read the book. She was a little disappointed that it wasn’t animated like some of the other ones, but she liked it just the same. I would definitely recommend this book to little girls who are about to be big sisters, or for those who just want something to call their own.

This book, set in Tanzania, is inspired by the author’s own experience from her time spent as as Peace Corp volunteer in Tanzania. Elizabeti, the heroine of the book, is a cute little  5 or 6 year old who decides she needs a doll she can care for the way her mother cares for her new baby brother. She finds the perfect doll that she names Eva. Elizabeti cares for Eva as well as her mother cares for her little brother, Obedi.

When Mama gives Obedi a bath, Elizabeti gives Eva a bath. When Mama fed and burped Obedi, Elizabeti fed Eva, but Eva was too polite to burp. Mama changed the cloth wrapped around Obedi’s bottom and it was very messy! Elizabeti was very relieved that Eva’s bottom was still clean.

When Mama did her chores, she tied Obedi onto her back with a bright cloth called a kanga. When Elizabeti did her chores, she also tied Eva onto her back with a kanga. Mama had to help a little.

The trouble begins when Elizabeti sets Eva down so she won’t be lonely while she perform her chores. She can’t find her. What is she going to do? I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out. As always, visit your local library or bookstore to find it.

I thought this was the cutest little story. It’s especially appropriate for any little girl whose soon to be a big sister. Even though Phillise is not a big sister (and never will be), she still loved the book.

** Although the list price for this is $12.95, I purchased it for $5 @:

Smiley’s Bookstore

20220 S. Avalon Blvd., Suite D,

Carson, CA, 90746

(310) 324-8444

There’s a small used book section, where I purchased a couple of Magic Tree House books & one A-Z Mystery books. Check it out!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

As the title states, I am busy, busy, busy! I am busy putting my children’s pictures in albums that I made with my Zutter bookbinding machine. I am so ashamed to say that I’ve lost some of their school pictures. But, I’ll improvise with some of the pictures I have. I’ll post pics when I finish.

HERE’S TO 2010!

Book Club Information

I’m so excited about my Book Club. Every year, I always make up a packet. This year I’m making my packets up from a combination of sources. Here they are:

• LAPL summer reading program bag & folder,
• Borders reading club flyer for free book [pdf],
• Barnes & Noble reading club (Click on the first button- Download Passport),
• various activities from the internet.

I also printed:

• Ben 10 bookmarks
• Marvel comics bookmark
• Princess bookmarks
• Tinkerbell bookmarks 1, 2, & 3
• Coloring pages
• Mysterious Benedict Society activities which include learning Morse code, puzzles, & discussion guide (Bookmark #2 is actually the study guide, while bookmark #3 is the bookmark with the first book on one side and morse code on the opposite side)

Since I have a laminator and I like for my bookmarks to be thick, I cut the bookmarks and laminate them back to back. I place them opposite each other so, no matter what, my bookmark is never upside down. I know that it may not bother other people, but it bothers me, so I do what I need to do.

Getting Ready For The Summer!

Well, it’s that time of year again. There’s only a couple of weeks left until school ends. This year, In California- due to budget cuts- school ends a week earlier than usual. That being said, I have found activities to keep my children busy during these long summer months.

Phillise will be taking FREE art classes, an etiquette class, & will begin her guitar lessons. While David will also take the FREE art classes, etiquette class, & karate lessons. I plan on keeping them very busy. Not keeping them busy enough was my mistake in the past. No more though. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. I’ve made some mistakes along the way. Some I’ve been able to correct. Some I haven’t. Letting my children get away with murder (i.e., sleeping late, no schedule, etc.) was one of my mistakes. So, long story short, this year they will be very busy for the summer.

On that note, I’ve made a list of things every kid needs to get ready for the summer:

• Library card,
• bathing suit,
• lots and lots of books,
• a plan to get into something,
• a bus pass or parents to act as chaffeur,
• money for pizza or other fast food,
• summer reading list,
• friends,
• crayons & coloring books,
• a gaming systems,
• & a mindset to relax & party; then do it again the next day, and the next, and the next…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHILLISE!

Today is my baby’s 8th birthday. It happened so quickly.

We had a party yesterday. It was a dress-up party with her cousins- 6 girls, 4 hours. I’d say that’s the ticket. We played dress-up, decorated gigantic cupcakes, and made cute little wire-bound journals. Phillise wanted Tinkerbell decorations, the other girls had the princesses.

For her birthday, I bought her the current Fancy Nancy book- Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas & the newest Junie B. Jones book- Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide To School. She was pretty happy. All in all, it was a great day. she got to play with her cousins and she got the gifts she wanted. The girls who came made out like bandits. They were sent home with the first Fancy Nancy book & some other goodies.

Here are pictures of the girls having fun. Enjoy!

HERE’S TO 2010!

Getting Ready For Phillise’s Party!

Well, tomorrow is Phillise’s 8th birthday. We are having a Fancy Nancy party just like we did last year. Last year tired me out. I am getting tired just thinking about it right now.

One Of L.A.’s Best (& Cheapest) Bookstores

If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I am a bargain hunter. This combined with my love of books makes me one happy camper if I find the two together. Well, imagine how happy I was when I found this store a couple years ago. I don’t know why I haven’t shared information about this wonderful bookstore before, but I’m sharing it now. It has the greatest prices. I have to warn you that it’s not the prettiest place. It’s a warehouse. There are absolutely no frills. The books are definitely the stars of the show. But do you really care if you can purchase a recently published book for less than half price? I don’t.

This is what I bought last night:

Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera ($8.00) retail price= $16.99

Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco ($5.00) retail price= $16.99

Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare by Patricia Polacco ($8.50) retail price= $16.00

Boy, even with the 9.75% sales tax, I still only paid a grand total of $23.60 for all three hardcover books. That’s less than 1/2 price. I love it, love it, love it!

Here’s the address:

D.W. Pages (Formerly Crown Books Liquidation Center)

8655 Sepulveda Blvd.

Los  Angeles, CA 90045

(310) 568-9553

Happy Birthday David!

Today is my baby David’s 12th birthday. He is such a great kid. I love him so much.

Happy 12th Birthday David! Here’s to many more.

Happy Birthday Sam!

Today is, Sam, my oldest son’s 20th birthday. My, how time flies. He was just a baby. Happy Birthday!

A Pack of $5 Stickers vs. Using What You Already Have!

Yesterday after I picked Phillise & my niece, Melodee, up from school, I decided to stop by Michael’s. We hadn’t been there all summer, so I figured it was high time we did. Initially, I thought about buying some stickers, but thought about the 1,000 we already had at home. (Translation: I was being a big fat cheapskate). However, Phillise didn’t have that problems. She had $2 to spend and by golly she was gonna’ spend it. She picked up a pack of stickers that we thought were $2.99. She told me that she’d find her extra dollar in her drawer and pay me when we got home. So, I told her okay. The problem began when the stickers rang up for $4.99 instead of $2.99.

“Uh-oh, honey,” I said. “Those stickers are waaaaaay too much.

After I asked the cashier to remove them, I told her that she would just have to use what we had @ home. She really tried to get me with her big puppy dog eyes, but I stayed strong. As I was driving home, trying not to look @ the tears welling up in her eyes, I thought about how privileged she is. When I was younger, I yearned for stickers and scissors that cut wavy lines. I didn’t have the privilege of having 3 die-cutting machines, 2 binding machines, a laminating machine, and a whole host of brightly colored markers, crayons, and pretty paper. So, I thought to myself that she could make do with all of the stuff we have at home. No need for $5 stickers. She can use what we already have.

Until next time, dear readers!

Look @ Those Two!

I called Phillise to ask her for a hug, and got a wet one ’cause the sleeves on her robe was wet.

“Honey, why are you wet? What are you doing?,” I asked her.

“Oh, I was just helping David wash the dishes,” she said.

So, I look in the kitchen after she walked away from me and sure enough, I see her in the kitchen helping David wash and dry the dishes. It was the cutest thing, let me tell you. They had been fussing @ each other so much lately, I didn’t expect this. Boy, that was a precious moment spent just looking @ those two.

An Interesting Discussion With David…

I just had an interesting discussion with David regarding his homework. For his Social Studies class, he had to dissect a Bertolt Brecht poem. It was very enlightening. Let me just say that I am very pleased with the curriculum @ his school. To be discussing Bertolt Brecht, his philosophy, using inference in relation to his poetry; namely his poem, “A Poem from a Worker Who Reads.” Discussing this with my 7th grader makes for an amazing conversation. It helps him with his higher level thinking. I’m also looking forward to discussing Dakota’s college reading homework with him. Isn’t being a parent great?

Guess How Smart I Am?

Well, guess! I am so smart that I didn’t know that David started school on Monday. Yes, people, today is Wednesday. The year just started and already, he’s missed 3 days of school. I could just scream.

Mission Impossible Assignment # 3: School Shopping On A Budget

Okay, all you shoppers out there. Boy, do I have an assignment for you: School Shopping on a budget. Should you choose to accept this assignment, you may encounter a store full of shoppers, some rude, some not. You may also stop and park @ several locations looking for the perfect deal. Well, lucky for you I know where to shop for uniforms, so look no further. I’ve found the perfect place; at least it’s the perfect place to get school uniforms at unheard of prices.

Listen up. Here’s how the mission began and ended in one place. During the summer I received a notice from Phillise’s school stating that uniforms are now mandatory. The only requirement, a navy blue or white shirt with any color bottom. Yeah! That means waaaaay less money I have to spend.

Since I knew I had a nearly impossible mission (less than $200 for 2 children) and funds are low, I decided to run to FALLAS PAREDES’ warehouse. I knew I’d find great deals there. I always do.

Was I right fellow shoppers? Yep, I sure was. I got the same deal as last year: a grey jumper & a burgundy jumper for $1 each. Yep, you read right- $1 for the jumpers. So, I got her 2 grey ones, 1 burgundy one, a navy blue skort (@ $6.99), and 3 white uniform shirts @ $1.99 each, for a grand total (after taxes) of $17.52.

@ Target, I bought 20 pairs of underwear, 6 camis & 20 pairs of socks for a grand total of $26.32. @ Old Navy, 2 weeks ago, I bought some white sneakers with black polka dots for $10.97.

So, for Phillise’s sneakers, uniforms, underwear & socks, I paid a grand total of:

$17.52 + $10.97 + $26.32= $54.81

Having only 2 children to buy school clothes is so much easier since they both wear uniforms. David even has some from last school year. I will recycle @ least 2 shirts and 1 pair of pants. So, fellow shoppers, did I accomplish my impossible assignment of school shopping for 2 children for $200 or less? Well, that remains to be seen since I still have to buy David’s shoes, uniform pants, and shirts. However, last year, I simply went to Big 5 for the shoes. Looks like I’ll be going there again this year. I will keep you posted.

If you’d like to visit the warehouse, here’s the information.

FALLAS PAREDES Warehouse

15001 S. Figueroa St.

Gardena, CA 92048

(310)965-0379

http://www.fallasparedes.com

Don’t believe it, check it out for yourself.

P.S.- I am seriously going to take pics of Phillise in her uniforms and I will scan my receipt from Fallas Paredes.

An Interesting Discussion With Phillise

I just had an interesting discussion with Phillise. As I was writing a book review that E.B. Lewis illustrated, Phillise noticed his name and said,

“Hey, that’s the same person who illustrated “I Love My Hair.”

“You are absolutely right,” I said. I missed it. Good job of catching that. Give me a high five. I was so proud of my little girl. Only seven years old and she recognizes illustrators and authors. I’m proud of myself for training her well. I can remember explaining the difference between authors and illustrators when she was four years old. She wondered why I had more than one book by the author. At this point I discussed authors and illustrators with her, we researched their background and how they came to be in their present career. I told her that once I liked an author’s style, that I wanted to read more of their works and find out more about them. She found this information interesting. So, now when she finds a book she likes, she wants to know more about them.

But, that’s not what we had the discussion about. We discussed how she thought Judith Viorst’s book “MY MAMA SAYS THERE AREN’T ANY ZOMBIES, GHOSTS, VAMPIRES, CREATURES, DEMONS, MONSTERS, FIENDS, GOBLINS, OR THINGS,” would be better titled “Sometimes, even mamas make mistake”. So, not being one to pass up a teachable moment, I had her re-read the book to me, then we looked at what was going on in the story, how many times monsters were mentioned and how many times his mama made a mistake. I then asked her why she thought that. She actually gave me a pretty good reason. As it turned out, the mother making mistakes and monsters being mentioned was actually pretty even. There were as many instances of monsters as the mother making a mistake. However, I asked her which one did she think was a catchier title; which one would sell more. We agreed it was the current one and ended the discussion. It was a pretty good discussion to have with her. Afterwards, she went in her room to make a book of her own. She asked me to help her bind it. I love my beautiful, smart & creative little girl. I hope to have many more conversations like this with her.

Fretful David!

My little boy, David, frets so much. I just received his CST scores and he performed exceedingly well. He was 8 points away from Advanced in Language Arts, and 11 points away from Advanced in Math. Yet, he was still upset.

“I didn’t get Advanced, mom?” he asked with a whimper.

David, forget about it. You worry too much. You did a great job. Sometimes you just get tired of taking the test and mark anything. You’ll get Advanced next year. Just chill out.

Happy Birthday Dakota!

I’d like to wish my middle son, Dakota, a very Happy 18th Birthday!

I said it before and I’ll say it again, “My, where did the time go?”

My How Time Flies!

Happy July- my birthday month. The 27th to be exact. I will be 39!. I cannot believe it. I still feel like a teenager. How can I possibly almost be 40??? Also, how can I have two men-children that are graduated from high school? Two done, two to go. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, “My how time flies!”

How Can Someone Do That?

I love my students. For some of them, I am the only love they know. I feel so bad for one of my students who I call Pink Socks. I didn’t see her this morning until after nine. The trouble started when her mom came up to the school because she called her crying. I was going to go down to the office to talk to her, but she (the mom) came up to the classroom. I had a sub helping out for the day so I was able to spare the time. I’m kinda’ mad that I did. She had nothing nice to say. About her own child.

I found out my student was crying because her mom called her stupid and kept comparing her to another child who was getting straight “A’s”. I tried to tell her that she can’t compare children. Ever!!! She wasn’t listening. She just kept telling me that she didn’t want her daughter in my class because there were sick children in my class.

“Well, what do you mean by sick,” I asked.

She wouldn’t say. (The coward).

“Oh, the children don’t look like my daughter,” she said.

Again I asked her what she meant. Again, she cowardly would not say. Unfortunately I knew what she meant. She meant my student who has MR, and the other black students. I was so proud of myself that I was able to keep my cool. I don’t know how, but I was able to.

I am so sad that my student has to grow up like this. This is the reason she has no self-esteem. She is so talented, but she refuses to believe compliments. Anytime I tell her that she can sing, or dance, or draw, she says that she can’t and that she’s ugly.

I am so mad at her mom. How could you do that to your own child? That’s why her daughter has been acting up. She already didn’t want to be in special ed. Now, with the input from her mother, this situation is next to impossible. How are children expected to thrive in situations like that?

What am I going to do?

Mean Me!

I feel so bad. I yelled at Phillise today. She was crying so much I just wanted her to stop crying. I have three boys. I am not used to all that crying. I felt so helpless. She saw a bug in her room and started panicking. OOOOOOh, it drove me so crazy. I totally did not handle it the right way.

Library & Lakeshore Saturdays!

I am nearly finished with school. I am on stress leave. The point is that I am not as stressed, so I am getting back to some of the activities that I enjoy that had been all but abandoned in the past couple of years. One thing I really missed was my outings with my children and whatever other children I chose to take along. They were the highlight of my week. I really looked forward to those outings.

I’ve found a couple of other things to do. All for just the price of gas. Every other Saturday, the local library has Storytime from 12pm-1 pm. This gives us just enough time to go to Storytime at the libray, and make it to Lakeshore anytime from 11am-3 pm. Phillise and I went to Lakeshore a couple of times for free craft Saturdays @ the Carson Lakeshore, but haven’t been for awhile. This will be my Saturday morning ritual from now on. It’s the best. I don’t have to get up early, plus I get to spend time with my children. Life don’t get much better than that!

Congratulations Phillise!

My baby is so smart. She just told me that on her OCR assessment, she read 165 w.p.m. She’s only in first grade. I know this is because we read at least 5 times/week. I will continue. I am having her tested for Gifted/High Ability for entrance into a school I want to transfer her to next year.

Once again, Congratulations Phillise, you smart little girl!

Happy Birthday, Phillise!

I cannot believe that my baby is 7 years old today. My, how time flies! I love you little brown lady. Happy Birthday!

Up Late!

I’m up late braiding Phillises’ hair and other small errands. Hope I don’t fall asleep tomorrow. Until next time people!

Happy Birthday David!!!

Today, my baby is 11 years old. I can’t believe it. I love you little brown man.

Happy Belated birthday!!!

I had so much to do yesterday that I forgot to wish my oldest son a happy birthday. It was his 19th! My how time flies!!!

i love my baby

i love my baby she is so ceratev and i like how she is her name is phillise.

I love my baby. She is so creative and I like how she is. Her name is Phillise.

This is too cute. It wasn’t written by Phillise. I left my WordPress account up while I napped. When I opened this up, this is what I found. I love that little brown lady.

My Baby’s Growing Up!!!

My baby’s growing up. Today we took his (Dakota) Senior pictures. I can hardly believe it. In less than a year, I will have two sons graduated from high school. I will ask the same question that I always ask, Where did the time go?