I know it is early, but.....

What is everyone thinking of doing for Christmas cards this year. I was looking at photo cards again like last year, but I am not sure. Any ideas? David wants to make a video and burn it to a DVD, but I have yet to figure out the download process of the video camera and how to even see the mini dvds it burns to. Give me ideas people. Thanks in advance.

Plays and conflicting dates

Gunnar is Musnick, the owner of the shop, in Little Shop of Horrors at the high school in November. Qatar is playing Tweedle Dee in Alice and Wonderland JR., at Ellis in November. Guess what? They are now both on the same weekend. Gunnar's is the 13th, 14th, and 15th and Qatar's is the 13th and 14th of November. The plays are not usually on the same weekend, but the high school had to postpone. I like to attend each night, but now I have to choose which to see first. Yuck, this just happened on Tuesday night with the high school concert and a meeting about the Science Olympiad at Ellis. David went to Ellis with Qatar and I took the three younger kids to the concert to see Gunnar.

I really thought when the kids got a bit older that things would settle down and I would have more ME(a bit selfish I realize) time. But, that is not what is happening, it is just getting busier and busier. More stuff to do in what seems like less time to do it all in. Funny thing is I am not one of those moms where the kids are involved in many activities, I like them to have time for friends and hobby's, but when they get to Ellis they all seem to sign up for every activity they can. Piano takes up time for the three oldest and starting at the end of next month is Basketball season and that is another full time pursuit of the two oldest. I think school work is on the back burner and I wish I could get that to be the priority.

Here is a photo of Gunnar with his History book in Wisconsin for an extra credit shot. The teacher wants them to get as far a way as they can with their books for a photo and then she gives them extra credit for distance. This is as far as we have been this quarter. He was attending a dance in LaCrosse and David was the driver and chaperon.

Colds, headaches and cold weather.

I started to feel very congested yesterday and by this morning I was very congested and yucky feeling. I knew I was working the afternoon at Nevelyn in the High Potential position, so I got up and took some Dayquil. I felt better, but now I had medicine head and felt sort of out of body. After a hot shower I felt better and the day went well from there. The classes were good and I even got some M & M's Amanda left for good kids. (I was very good). My sinuses are filling again and Gunnar has a concert at 7 tonight. It is cold and I am going to get a sweatshirt on and sit under a blanket on the couch until 6:45pm. My head really hurts, I think the Dayquil has worn off. I have taken my neck massager to my face and I think it did help, that along with the heating pad on my face. Burn and vibrate the gunk out of my head, maybe it will work maybe not.

Found friends, grades and Crazy Dog.

Dana found my blog and now I get to find her. It looks like they now have 6 kids. 4 girls and 2 boys, wow. I have linked her on the side.

Gunnar got a 98% on his history project.

Crazy Dog, David and I took a walk this morning, like we usually do, and it was a normal walk. BUT, when we got home, and got the kids off to school, I decided to climb the stairs for thirty minutes. ( BTW We cancelled our YMCA membership from lack of attendance on our part.) I went up the back and down the front stairs and Parker kept up with me and got very excited like we were actually going somewhere. After the timer buzzed, I stretched and Parker just stood watching me. He eventually gave up and must have concluded we were not going to go out because he went and layed down in his bed. This is what Parker looks like when he is sure no one is going to try to sneak out of the house without him.

Why would anyone in their right mind run for office in this country.

I would never want to run for a national office in this country. Everything is OK to do with the candidates faces and opinions. I would hate to have my whole life out there for everyone to pick apart. Or of course the pictures that people fool with on the internet. WHY? I ask you WHY?

Also youtube had many dance off videos of McCaine, Obama, Palin, and Biden. High School Musical 3 clips with the candidates heads on the bodies. Pretty funny, but Why would you want this I ask. Crazy Crazy Crazy. I do love this photo. They look so friendly.

Worried for nothing.

I got a call to work today and this is how it went, "Hey, Lisa you want to work today? It is OK to say NO, you may not want this class." What does that mean? Is it Sumner, is what I thought first. "I can work, what class." Well it was 7th grade science class at Ellis and it was a great set of kids. I had five classes and a homeroom. I watched a video on the Arctic and Antarctic five times it was not boring. It must have been interesting, because the kids sat quietly for 40 mins and then filled out a little quiz. It was a really good day. I also had team and prep for the last two hours of the day, so they let me go home. Full days pay and home by 1:15pm. YEA!!
The statue for Gunnar's class project is now falling apart. We chose not to risk it in the oven and now I think it is melting with the spray paint that did not dry, it is now a messy mess falling apart and it is very sticky. Oh well I was not planning on keeping it anyway. Pictures are all we need for most things in this world. If I kept every school project my kids do I would have to move out to give the projects the room they need.

Gunnar's School Project

Here is the finished project. Scaprbooking skills never go to waste. He now takes it to school. From 8 - 12 he will stand in the gym with his project and answer any questions anyone has for him and the project.

The kids that did this momument last year got the best project award. He tried to get their project, but the teacher said Gunnar would only get half credit for the project. Gunnar has not seen the project from last year, but he thinks it was welded.

A note will need to go with this, Please Do Not Touch, Wet Paint. Since we did not cook the sculpy clay the paint has yet to dry. I have baked sculpy before and it shrinks slightly. If joints are not strong they come apart, so we decided to go without baking.

Gunnar's DC Project so far.

This is what he has so far. It has taken over eight hours to get this made of clay. After going to bed last night we realized that we needed six men in the monument and only had four heads. We added two more people today and then found a flag at Vanessa's house. Thanks! Now to work on the base for the statue.

Gunnar spray painted it right before dinner. I think it looks pretty good. Parents are fully involved in the making of the memorials the kids pick to do. Our neighbor made a copy of Fords Theater with the box seats that Lincoln was shot in. But, only having a few days is a pain. Gunnar's friends were over last night and I asked how they were doing. They both told me, "We haaavvveee until Thursday, so we have plenty of time to get started." I guess that must be more time then I think. There is a display of all the projects on Thursday in the gym for the public.

Flu Shots and School projects

I took the kids out for breakfast this morning and then to the clinic for flu shots. I thought that breakfast would help with the pain of the shot. I was asked three different times if I wanted a shot. I kept saying, "I got mine last week, thanks." So, go get your shot they want you to get one.

Zeke had to finish Gunnar's breakfast, Gunnar said he had oatmeal an hour before we went out. Big wimp!

Gunnar has a DC project due from his trip this summer. He has known about it for that long and only now tells me it is due Thursday. No big deal! Wrong!! He has to build the USMC War Memorial for the project. Yea, that should not be a problem. I bought three pounds of Sculpy and we are now in the attempting to build this thing stage. Why not the Washington Memorial you ask. That would just be boring. Photos to come of the project. Cross you fingers. No stores around us have the larger version play soldier's in stock.

Playing with Picasa

Family photo Fun

I have downloaded the photos to my file at Picasa to view on the TIVO and to snapfish to print. I am so excited to see these in print. It is really fun to see us altogether. Usually it is me or David with the kids, but now we are all in there. YEA. I am a bit crazy with the photos, I have played with many

of them in different sizes and colors. Cenny liked the blue tinted ones, but I did not save any, I did not care for the blue tint.

More Family Photos

David, Lisa and JT in a silly pose. The weather was foggy, cold, and wet. Look at our pants on the bottom. Very wet. Ashley said her feet, socks and pants were soaked at the end. It was fun even with the cold. The kids noses looked like Rudolph, but look we do not look that way in the photos. YEA!! The kids all kept covering their hands with their shirts and standing stiffly shaking. I had them run around to warm up, but we just got more wet. My own fault for choosing so late in the year. But, it was a beautiful day with the fog and then the sun. Thanks Ashley!!

Here is our really silly look, but Cenneidigh is hidden pretty good with her hair.

FINALLY, it has only been 12 years!

We had family photos taken yesterday and yes it has been over 12 years since the last set. Three more kids and many years. Hey, we are a good looking bunch, take a look. Thank you Ashley! This means so much to me to see my family together in print.

Here are some more to look at Hawkeye Photography

Birthday photos.

Here are some photos from Cade's Birthday Party. The cake was really cute and to top it off it really tasted good. JT and Cenneidigh were tring out different yoga poses with Grandma Rita in the living room.

We had family photos done today and Ashley was great. If I had been taking the photos I would have killed JT, and maybe a few other children. It was a bit chilly and our noses were getting that rosy glow. We stopped for cocoa and donuts on the way home. I just hope they turn out well, it is a miracle to get all of us together looking good and smiling at the same time. Zeke was sick this morning with a molar coming in(his gum is swollen around the tooth and it does look sore), so I gave him Tylenol to get us through the photos. Thank you Ashley for your patience's and time. I really appreciate it.

Happy Birthday Cade he is now 6

Happy Birthday to Cade. He is 6 today. Cade Connett is getting old!!!

Tomorrow is our family photo session and I really hope the weather improves. I have gotten matching shirts for the three younger boys and we are wearing off white, tan sort of colors. I think it will be a good match with the color of leaves and the fall aspect. I googled family photos and looked at many family photos, the families that dressed similar looked better then the ones were everyone wore what they wanted. I hope we do not look silly.

Here is Cade at the apple farm.

Big Foot in Big Mouth

I was working at the Woodson Kindergarten Center today and while at lunch I had an interesting conversation. There was a women who was a new sub and she was asking Sarah and I what we liked and dont like about subbing. She was shocked I enjoy Ellis and the High School above Sumner(an elementary school mentioned formally). I told her I would perfer being hung upside down in the basement by my toenails, letting the rats eat my eye balls out then sub at Sumner. Well, Sarah then introduced me to the other women who came in and sat down at the table, she then told me (after hearing my rat story), I am the sister of the Principal at Sumner. Oh well! She then did go on to say that it was a difficult school to teach in and that she would be teaching there for a few weeks early next year. She hoped to somehow learn to like the kids in her class. She had been able to meet many of the parents during conferences. She thinks that knowing the parents may help her understand and enjoy the kids more.

Blog Stalkers, Knowing about people, Qatar, and Happy Birthday!

Do I have any stalker? I just read about Meredith being a blog stalker. The funny thing is David and I were just talking about this on our walk this morning. He asked how many blogs I read that are not in my circle and I had to admit NONE, I barely have time to read those. I do have one follower and I assume I know her, but then I am not really sure from where, I think she linked from my parents blog.

Side note; The admit secretary asked me if my husband was tall, had dark hair and saw Dr. Nanda. "Why yes," I replied. How did she know that?,on top of her other comment, "He seems to know a lot of things, I would hate to play against him in Trivial Pursuit." This was after I signed Qatar up for a flu shot. She asked how we came up with his name. She said, "Only a man like that would know about the country of Qatar at the time he was born." OK, it is interesting to think that sometimes people you do not even really know have opinions of you. Strange but true. The really funny part is most of the time you are never going to find out that people are talking about you.

Next side note, When Qatar was a baby Davids mom came to help me out while David finished college. Amanda was in school and a friend of her mentioned that his whole family thought it was great that we had gotten a Brittish Nanny. My mother-inlaw loved that, she kept saying, "I am not the Nanny, I am the Granny."

Last side note; Happy Birthday Sarah!!

I guess I am way to self centered to worry about what other people are doing.

The Flu Shot!

My arm really hurts. I have taken two advil and I still ache. My arm feels like it does after a tetnus shot. I really hate shots. But, do not let this scare you, go and get a flu shot. Getting the flu must be worse then the pain from the shot. My kids all get there shot next Tuesday at 8:30am. I think I am going to bribe them with donuts for breakfast. I am such a good MOM!! The best!!

Cenneidigh threw up last night around 3am. I was so tired when she woke me up that I just cleaned out the garbage can she was using, covered her with a blanket as she hung over the toilet and went back to bed. She woke me up a few more times and then she got some sleep. The other kids woke me up at 6 am. JT wanted me to put the pass word into the computer. JT is currently not my favorite child.

Remember Me

I loved this book. I love this author. Her writing is very cute, sweet and makes me smile as I read her books. For the faint at heart there is no sex in this book. I also loved her last book, The Undomesticated Goddess, it did have a small sex scene, but was so cute. The books are written by a English author named Sophie Kinsella and she is quite good at a romantic comedy. Her books are set in England. I had to ask David what a few words meant like; knackered(very tired), flat(apartment), minder(babysitter), loo(bathroom), crib(cot), bonnet(hood of car), jumper(sweater) and others. But, the lack of understanding of some of the words did not lessen my enjoyment of her books. They are fun and only about 400 pages. I enjoy an afternoon at home with one of her books. Highly recommended for a good romantic comedy read.

I think I will write a book.

I think I will write a book, called "My life as a Substitute Teacher". I have lots of material from the short year I have been doing this. Today was another day full of wonder about how anyone learns anything in school. I was called about 11:30am to fill in for a teacher who went home ill. I got there and was in a 4/5 grade combo(BTW Not my favorite place last year either.) I had one kid who would not sit down, he walked and twirled around the room and after asking him to return to his seat for the umteenth time I removed him from the room to the prinicple. He not only would not sit down, he threw paper at the garbage can, picked up things from other desks, pounded his feet and hands on the ground, called other students name and kept putting his t-shirt over his knees and sticking his head into his shirt and singing. The principle came up to check on my class a bit later and found me in a dark room with two kids heads down on their desks. She asked, "what happeded here?".
I said, "Well as the class was walking to Art, these two must have hung back as I returned to the room I heard them talking in the bathroom. So, I have them on a time-out."
She said, "Oh OK, I sent the child you sent to my office to art and you need to understand that he is very ADHD."
"Yes, I realize that," I said, "but, the other kids cannot concentrate as he walks and sings around the room, it is very distracting."
"Try to keep him in class from now on and if he is up and around send him on a errand and that should take him long enough that school will almost be over by then." said the principle and then she left.
Well I wonder what his family would say about that? I could not believe the conversation.
Then as the kids were lining up to leave for the day, one boy punched another and then kicked him. I told the kid that hit and kicked to come stand by me and then I took his backpack. I told him I would take him and the pack to the office to report the incident. He then bolted out of the room. I let him go, I had his bag and would drop it off with a note in the office. As the rest of the class was leaving the boy came running back and grabbed his bag, well I am stronger then most 4/5 graders and I kept the bag. He then swore, yelled and tried to hit me. I yelled for a male teacher at the end of the hall and the kid ran off down the hall and struck another student and she punched the kid back and knocked him over. The kid got up and the male teacher caught up with him. He had ripped his finger nail and his finger was really bleeding and he told the teacher I had done it. I looked at the teacher and shook my head and he said, "I think you did that running down the hall and hitting others."
Well I spent the next few minutes filling out paperwork for the incident and for the teacher. I told her I did not understand how anyone learns in that enviroment. I realize I am a sub and that throws everything off, but I never have this issue with other schools and classes. These kids are extremely rude and disrespectful.
Also, one girl stood up tall and puffed her chest out when I told her to take a time-out in the hall after asking her to quiet down half a dozen times. I looked at her after asking her to leave and said "now", she gave me a dirty look, glared and I swear she was triing to intimidate me.
I must admit I agree with the comic. If you think this is not happening at your childs school, go take a seat in your childs room every so often. I would not keep my children it that sort of enviroment long. I would rather homeschool them, even with all the fun I am having while they are at achool

This is a really good video from 2006. I think what he is saying really makes sense and I think it is sad we did not believe him in 2006. Art Laffer sounds like an idiot looking back on the last few weeks. Michelle is ready to take offense at anything. I think Peter is right. Many women would choose to stay home with babies if they could. It is worth the 8 mins.

Learning in a classroom of 32.

I taught high school Biology today and I cannot understand how any kid ever learns in a room of 32 peers and lots of noise. They were more interested in talking to each other then listening about the lesson and the flip book we were making(of course). The flip book took me less then 2 minutes to make by looking at the example, but after cutting out the back sheets for everyone, it still took over 15 mins to explain making the book and helping those who were not paying attention the first time. Zeke's class made these exact flip books last week and I think it took his class less time then the high school sophomore's. It was not a bad day and I got to hear about Gunnar from several other teachers. People seem to know he belongs to me by just looking at me. I did have several of Gunnar's friends in class and at least one person, each hour, always asked, "Are you Gunnar's mom?". That part was really fun for me.

Stock market falling falling down get off you BUTTS America!

Yea the passing of the Bailout really made a difference, now the market is just in a free fall. I am still quite disgusted with the govenment and their, "WE CAN FIX THE WORLD" mentality. They cannot fix the world or even your world. You need to fix you own world and get over it. If you are not making the money you want to make then look deep inside and find out why, do not ask the governement to give things to you they owe you nothing. Get off you fat butt and do something. How much time do you waste on TV, Rock Band, games, and the internet everyday? How much time could that be for a second job or for a class to improve your skills. Get out there and fix you own life and do not rely on others to fix it. The rich get richer because they do not sit on their fat Butts and do nothing they get to work and they make their money work for them. Stop crying and start working. This counrty was built on sweat and hard work, so stop crying in your beer and get to work. The government is not the fix, so do not vote for the candidate who says he will solve your problems(for one thing he can't), solve your own problems you are the only one who can. We have had years of plenty and I guess it is time to pay the piper as the economy crashes to the bottom.

The only good thing so far about this bailout, for me, is the stop in credit card offers in the mail and the fact that a letter came from Citibank yesterday saying they had closed my account due to inactivity. Yea a card I do not have to close myself.

Homecoming, Hormel Institute and a looking for a new.

Austin High School had Homecoming yesterday and we won the game. Yea!!! Gunnar played in the marching band. He played lots of music yesterday with the pep fest, the opening of the Hormel Institute, the parade and the game. He came home from school with a 101 degree fever and like any good mother I gave him two Tylenol and sent him to play at the game. He felt better and enjoyed the game. I gave him two more Tylenol so he could go to work for a few hours today.

Amanda and I attended the open house at the Hormel Institute today and it was very interesting. They did not serve cookie and punch, instead they served cancer fighting foods like, cranberries, blueberries, dark chocolate cover ginger, carrots, tomatos, apples, peanuts, and broccoli. It was a nice change to cookies.

I am looking for a new party to join and support. the Republican party is no longer meeting my values and goals. I am sick of politics as usual. We do need a change, but no one running this year actually has a chance of doing anything different then is being done now. We do need another strong party to emerge and actually be a really competition to the other two. We were never set up as a country of only two parties, actually the founding fathers thought that two parties may ruin this country. We also need informed voters, not just more voters. Uninformed voters are worse then no voters, maybe we should go back to only property owners being allowed to vote. If you are going to vote then you better beable to defend that vote to others, know the issues and know the candidate stands. So get informed, get involved and get out and vote.

Norm Coleman Sucks

Norm Coleman voted for the Bailout and I am not longer voting for him. I just ripped his sign out of my yard. I received a letter to donate money and I sent them their letter back with a Big, "Norm Coleman Sucks No Money for You." McCain and Obama both did not vote. Chickens and cowards to scared to offend anyone who might vote for them. I am disgusted, I have been busy writing my Senators and Reps. Amy Klobachur voted yes also, so I am not voting for her next time she is up. WE THE PEOPLE need to be heard and if we are not we need to vote for the person who votes the way we would. Tim Walz did not vote for the bill. Way to go TIM WALZ. Thanks for not being a coward.

Sub Work. JT and shoes.

I have worked in the Autism room at the Early Childhood center the last two days and WOW. Those kids are alot of work, yet they all seem to really be triing. It has got to be so difficult and frustrating to not be able to make yourself understood. It must be like speaking a foreign language where no one can understand you. I cannot imagine how hard it must be on the families of the kids. I did have a good two days, just challenging and interesting.

It has turned cold again and I have to convince my kids to wear pants and not shorts to school. After yesterday theyall begged to wear their winter coats to school. Here is my conversation with JT. JT said, "I want my winter coat today, it is really cold." I responded, "Ok, but you have to wear shoes with socks if you wear your coat." JT, "What, I want to wear my sandles and they look stupid with socks." I said, "No closed shoes with socks, then NO COAT." He agreed and wore his socks and church shoes to school. BTW JT has lost one of his brand new tennis shoes for school and we have searched and cannot find it anywhere. I understand losing socks, but shoes. But then again look at the photo, that is the attic in Zeke's room maybe it is there somwhere.