I KNOW!

The last time I posted was October 2019.

It seems like a lifetime ago! 

I don't even know where to start. 

My kids were each having their best years yet. Andrew started kindergarten and loved every day. Samuel really connected with his 5th-grade teacher and we tried out a new medication and although he didn't love it, he was doing better and the days were easier. 

Samuel also had his healthiest year yet. He has asthma and allergies and we've gone through a lot since he was little (very LONG story). Along with growing bigger and his airways enlarging, we've finally found preventative medications that kept him symptom-free the entire year. We've even stopped going to his asthma specialist and the primary care doctor has taken over that care too.

I started a part-time job driving the seniors around to their appointments. We were set to pay off two loans, buy a new car (I have a 2003 Honda that has more things wrong with it than right.), had tons of home projects planned and Andrew would be going to summer camp for the first time. 

Then...

 ....and everything fell apart...

 ....I guess not everything...

1. We are healthy.
2. Family in other hot spot states are healthy.
3. My husband kept his job.
4. I have my retirement income coming in.
5. Spring and Summer are here, so we are not trapped inside.
6. My church continued to broadcast online and we could even meet outside.
7. We never ran out of TOILET PAPER.
8. Teachers did an amazing job through the rest of the school year.
9. We saved money (thank you stimulus plan) and even paid off one loan.
10. The sun continues to come up every day.

But....uncertainty....frustration....anger....fear....anxiety....sadness....are all emotions that I feel a lot more these days.

With so much confusion and uncertainty, what DO I know?

I know that teachers are being put at risk. I know that kids are being put at risk. I know that our elderly are at risk. I know that teachers are doing the best they can. I know that people without an immune system are at risk. I know that we don't know enough about this virus. I know that kids are resilient. I know that kids are more emotional. I know that socializing is important. I know that I am not made to home school. I know that working from home and homeschooling, at the same time, is very hard. I know that what we did the last 3-4 months of school was not homeschooling.  I know that some kids need extra help. I know that parents need to work. I know that being a single parent makes this doubly hard. I know that some parents CAN'T work from home. I know that the country is in debt up to its eyeballs. I know that normal is relative. I know that many people are dying. I know that people are scared. I know this is a giant puzzle and we don't have the picture of the puzzle or even all the pieces to complete it. I know that the truth is somewhere in the middle of all the minutiae of information we have been given. I know that some people are being reckless.

And absolutely the best thing that I know...GOD is in charge and is in control. We WILL get through this and in 20 years we will look back on this and be stronger for it.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

GAME OF THRONES

I've watched all seven seasons of GAME OF THRONES in about 2 months.

My favorite characters:

Ned Stark

Tyrion Lannister

Daenerys Targaryen

Jon Snow

Arya Stark

Sam Tarly

Tormund

Maetser Varys

Davos Seaworth

Jeor Mormont

Characters I was glad to see perish:

Balon Greyjoy

Viserys Targaryen

High Sparrow

Joffrey Baratheon,

  Ramsay Bolton

Randyll Tarly

THE BEST

The best teacher blog... RUNDE'S ROOM.

The best resource for teachers... TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS.

The best ideas come from... Pinterest.

The best way to order stuff on line... AMAZON PRIME.

The best place to make a rubric... RCAMPUS.

The best motivational site... JOYCE MEYER MINISTERIES.

The best and cheapest way to watch movies... NETFLIX.

The best way to keep in contact with parent... CLASS DOJO.

The best store bought iced coffee is... INTERNATIONAL DELIGHT.

The best way to order clothes that fit your individual style is... STITCH FIX.

The best new way of teaching is... WHOLE BRAIN.

The best way to organize notes are... INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOKS.

The best drawing activities are... ZENTANGLES.

The best dollhouses and room boxes are by... MARY PAYNE.

The best YOGURT POPSICLES.

PARCC spelled backwards is CCRAP!

AMEN!

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

I'M SERIOUS!

IN MY OPINION

No one wins....

Treyvon Martin should not have died.

George Zimmerman will be looking over his shoulder the rest of his life.

My Dad always said, "Nothing good happens after dark." I believe that too.

Although it is our right to be out, it's just not safe....for anyone!

I don't think Treyvon had any bad intentions when he walked home through that neighborhood that night.

I also don't think George intended to kill anyone.

Treyvon shouldn't have been wearing a black hoodie pulled up, that hid his identity.

George shouldn't have gotten out of his car after he called 911 and they told him to stand down.

Neither of them should have confronted the other, nor thrown punches.

Yes, there is racism in the U.S.....toward all races.

Yes, there is racial profiling....toward all races.

The United States has come a long way....but still has a lot to work on....for all races.

We all need to watch our own motives, stop blaming others for our lot in life and treat everyone with respect.

BILL COSBY IS MY HERO!

They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.
I can't even talk the way these people talk:
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...

And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth. In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.

People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around. The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers for what? And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.

I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.
Where were you when he was 2?
Where were you when he was 12?
Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol?
And where is the father? Or who is his father?
People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?
People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something?

Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body? What part of Africa did this come from?? We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa.

I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid. I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany, Scotland, England, Ireland, or the Netherlands. The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa. So stop, already! ! ! With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap.........And all of them are in jail.

Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem. We have got to take the neighborhood back. People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now. We have millionaire football players who cannot read. We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. We have to start holding each other to a higher standard. We cannot blame the white people any longer.

~Dr.. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed..D.

25 THINGS MY SON NEEDS TO KNOW

1. God is pleased with you. He loves you. He's listening. He understands.
2. Find other ways to solve disputes then with your fists.
3. There are times you need to be gentle.
4. Be silly and use your imagination.
5. Good manners matter.
6. Practice. Practice. Practice. Never give up.
7. Explore the world.
8. How to cook a meal.
9. How to use basic tools.
10. How to do laundry.
11. The simple joy of a good book.
12. How to slow dance.
13. How to be a good loser.
14. Real girls do not look like Victoria’s Secret models.
15. Condoms will save your life.
16. It's NEVER acceptable to break up with a girl over the phone/text.
17. The job of a stay-at-home mom is equally as hard as yours.
18.  It's good to ask questions.
19. Just because someone else does it different doesn't make it wrong.
20.  Resisting the temptation to participate in wrong doing makes you a good man.
21. Girls that try to change you don't really love you, no matter how much you want them to.
22. Never use the word "gay" or any other word in a derogatory manner. It’s ignorant.
23. Never stop learning. Education is invaluable, but you don't have to attend college to get it.
24. Good men are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.
25. Good women are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.

NOTE: I got a bunch of these from Tabitha at Team Studer and PINTEREST! Good advice, no matter where it comes from.

YUCK!

These were on the shelf in the grocery store this morning. NOT IN A MILLION YEARS....would I even try one! Who thought up this one?

20 LIFE LESSONS

Here are 20 life lessons that I either grew up with or wish I had known earlier.

1. God doesn't make mistakes. He is happy with you. Pray more, believe He hears you and stop worrying. In the end, everything works out for your good.

2. Never smoke or do drugs....it's just not worth it.

3. Having a tan is not worth the risk of cancer.

4. Start saving money early and control your impulse spending.

5. Take time in your early 20's to travel.

6. You do not have to be ruled by your emotions.

7. No one else can make you happy. Take responsibility for your own joy.

8. Learn basic handy man skills: unclogging drains, repairing small leaks, replacing a faucet, painting, laying tile, caulking, etc.

9.  You can always start again. Your future is not determined by your past or present.

10. Look people in the eye and have a strong hand shake.

11. Speak properly and dress conservatively. First impressions can open many doors.

12. Learn to type. It makes life so much easier.

13. You will wait, so learn to wait patiently.

14. Learn to cook a good meal.

15. Always wear your seatbelt (and helmet when on a motorcycle).

16. Read. Read. Read.

17. Don't be impressed by labels and brand names.

18. Don't pierce or tattoo anything until you are in your 20's. Making these decisions early could lead to regret later.

19. Don't be jealous of what others have. You are not entitled to anything.

20. You will not always get your own way.

....THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON.

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!

NO SOLICTING!

"ISN'T SOCIALISM GREAT?"

True Story At Local Car Dealer (Colorado) From Tom Selkis' (Latham Ford)

One of my salesmen here had a woman in his office yesterday wanting to lease a brand new Focus. As he was reviewing her credit app with her he noticed she was on social security disability. He said to her, "You don't look like you're disabled and unable to work."

She said "Well, I'm really not, I could work if I wanted to, but I make more now then I did when I was working and got hurt. (a non-disabling injury)

She said that the government sends her $1500.00 a month in 1 check, she gets $700.00 a month on an EBT card (food stamps), and $800.00 a month for rent. Oh yeah and 250 minutes free on her phone. That is just south of $3500.00 a month.

When she was working she was taking home about $330.00 per week.

Do the math and then ask yourself why the hell should she go back to work?

If you multiply that by millions of people you start to realize the scope of the problem we face as a country. Once the socialists have 51% of the population in that same scenario we are finished.

The question is when do we cross that threshold if we haven't already.

By the way, she didn't lease a Focus here because the dealer down the road beat our deal by $10.00/month.

Glad to know she is so frugal with her (our) hard earned money."

WHAT A COUNTRY!