Ode to July!

To the month I was born in:

Thank you for your warm breezes, heat and humidity!

Thank you for your beautiful blue skies and fluffy clouds!!

Thank you for your late July summer rain storms,

And for slightly cooler evenings for us to play in!

For circuses and fireworks,

For birthday cakes and sunscreen!

For new friends and new people to meet!

Thank you for coming half-way through every year,

To be something to look forward to--and something to fondly remember

Every year!

(I could get an A in a 4th grade poem assignment with that one! As long as they didn't have to rhyme, that is...)

Crying...

I admit it--I'm a crying mess whenever I move.

Part of it is "homesickness" (which is really weird this summer--cause I haven't really had a "home")

Part of it is that I usually get to spend a lot of time with family before/during/after a move.

Actually--that's about the biggest reason.

I'm very excited and happy about this move....

And have been blessed with so much Spiritual peace about all of it.

And yet--still--boobing and crying did ensue.

I'm sure others are better at this than me....but hope others turn into the sopping mess I usually do too...

Oh--and some of the shows on Disney XD are WEIRD!!!

Oh--STOP the whining!!!

Okay, okay---

I know--this is supposed to be my "whine and cheese" blog.

And I've certainly whined a plenty on here about different things.

But you know--from my sisters, to people at the store, to whomever--

STOP whining about the heat!!!

YES--I'm grateful for it. After 11 months in tundra land, you would be too!!!

YES--I understand it affects different people differently--and that I likely am "glistening" while others are sweating bullets.

I don't know why this is--but for heavens sake--

We only get the "dog days" of summer for so long--

And--it's been feeling hotter where I used to live, compared to where I am now!

Sure--some rain would be nice (for the garden and crops if anything)--

But--I just refuse to complain about heat and humidity this year!!!

It's hot--be grateful--

It could be 30 below zero with 4 feet of snow!

I prefer 100 degrees that feels like 103!!!

Babbling....

Mmmm...random babbling seems to be my specialty right now. So here's some random babbling right now:

1. HP 7 part 2 was awesome!!! And--I'm on book 4. Kind of fun to read them like this (one after another--all together) :)

2. Scripture moment: Really wish people would quit saying that we've been promised we'd never be given more than we can handle. That's not what the scriptures say! In fact, what the KJVersion of the Bible says (in 1 Corinthians) is that we'll never be tempted beyond what the Lord will provide us an escape. Meaning: we have to CHOOSE to take that escape.....I could babble more....but, I won't.

3. I've been eating ice a lot lately. And my teeth are hurting because of it. What--I get a couple years beyond 30 and all of a sudden my sensitivity tooth paste becomes less effective or something? So annoying!! I love eating ice! Arg!

4. Found a place to live :) Praying no one who smokes moves in next door!

5. People are right: fresh grown food tastes better! BUT--veggies in general are good--so no--I'm not going "fresh" only :)

6. I love that it's warm--and the sun is up at a "typical" time (as in not 5:30 a.m. in the morning!)

7. I LOVE that it's hotter where I used to live (at least it feels hotter) than here. This may only last a couple days--I don't care! Makes me happy :)

8. I think that's all my random babbling for today. Thanks for reading!

6.

Well--this is an interesting situation...

Just read this story--and first of all I have to say a big:

DUR!!!!

What did people think was going to happen? Base people's job on an unfair assessment of a child's skills, demand "perfection" which is not even possible, and people cheat.

DUR!!!

Now--I'm not justifying that cheating is okay--cause it's not.

But, this is the quote I think makes my point:

"Virtually every teacher who confessed to cheating spoke of the inordinate stress the district placed on meeting targets and the dire consequences for failure," the report stated. "Dr. Hall articulated it as: 'No exceptions. No excuses.' If the principals did not meet targets within three years, she declared, they will be replaced and 'I will find someone who will meet targets.'"
The report went on to say that "data can be properly used as a tool to assess academic progress. But data can also be used as an abusive and cruel weapon to embarrass and punish classroom teachers and principals or as a pretext to termination. After hundreds of interviews, it has become clear that Dr. Hall and her staff used data as a way to exert oppressive pressure to meeting targets."

As someone who has seen this first hand--experienced this type of abuse myself--and have seen administrators (including principals) mistreat others in order to either make themselves look better, or make the school/students "look" better....

I say "DUR!!!"

This is why it does not work people!! This is why basing teacher pay, teacher's jobs, and teacher's livelihoods, and student's futures completely and utterly on test results--on numbers...on BUBBLES FILLED OUT ON A SCAN TRON is WRONG, and only leads to problems!!!!!!!!!

Education is the job of PEOPLE--not making mini-machines. Our product are not objects--they are breathing, thinking people--CHILDREN. Yes--assessment should occur--but if the point of the assessment is only to use it to judge, punish, mistreat, and manipulate--failure and/or breaking the rules becomes people's only options.

Failure should never be the only option in a school--both for the students, and for their parents. If you want to promote a positive LEARNING environment--a positive TEACHING environment has to be promoted as well.

Oh--and I love Sec. Duncan's statement--don't know if it will do anything to the stalemate which is the US Congress right now--especially with the ESEA bill--but at least he did something--beyond what he's done beforehand! OH--and can they please record his next meeting with Congress--cause I would LOVE to see this play out...LIVE :)

P.S. I'd truly love to see what this superintendent's test scores were of her students when she was teaching---but then that begs the question: has she ever actually taught in a classroom? For more than just a couple years? Ya--that begs an investigation on it's own in my opinion!!!

Here's the article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700150206/Atlanta-teachers-arent-the-only-ones-cheating.html

Blog Planning....

So---I've decided that blogging takes planning...

Like currently--I have about 15 or more blog entries--for more than one blog--planning out in my head.

I do this sometimes--but the actual writing and blogging part....

Ya--not quite there yet.

So--instead you're getting the random babblings of an over-tired aunt--who is listening to her young niece pass gas (and she's at the age where she thinks it's funny. Oh the joy when it becomes EMBARRASSING!!! I can't wait for 5th grade--cause I think that's the age when it becomes EMBARRASSING!!!)

Ya--that's random.

Anywho--so yesterday I nearly lost my noggin', cause one of the blogs I have planned, I lost the "little thing" I needed to do it.

Notice--no picture has been taken yet--or anything.

I thought my nephew--who is far too curious--and good at hiding things--was far too interested in the little thing I had.

But--I did find it--under the couch. After much searching.

Anywho--here's some random ramblings for ya:

1. "Swamp People" seems to be out discovery of the summer. It's an awesome show! I'm very impressed by (most) of the men on this here show (plus--I can pull my country-self out when I watch it....)

2. Did you know I'm moving closer to "The Bayou"? Yup--I think that's pretty cool...

3. We've been quoting "The Princess and The Frog" to each other while watching this show "Don't make me light my butt!" I may use that line with the kiddos tomorrow when they go one step a little too far.

4. I made my niece sleep in her bedroom last night--cause she didn't help her brother--but just sat there staring at him (then said "well, I did what you told me to"). Ya kid--learn to not use instructions from others as an excuse for not being nice. Not a good idea....

5. I'm trying to read all the Harry P. books again--mainly cause it's an escape from a lot of things....and cause it sounded like a good idea from a girl I met on a bus up to Chicago about a week ago.

6. Although, I can say this about the age my niece is at--she may not be "embarrassed" yet--BUT--she's old enough (and usually excited) to help with things--especially if she can earn a little money! So--my hole punching and other little jobs (which I HATE doing--but she LOVES doing) are getting done--and not by me! Woo hoo!

7. I'm not very random tonight....perhaps I should go to bed...ha ha ha.

Have a good night :)

Independence Day!!!

To honor this awesome day (and the fact that it is July!!!!) here is one of my favorite parts, of one of my favorite songs for ya'll!!!

"And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA."

Thank you Lee Greenwood!