About Me

I am the mother to 6 children and former foster mother to 2. I am passionate about whatever it is I am passionate about, until I change my mind. I dream big, plan big, and once in a while I even make it big. We are planning to take our freak show on the road. Join us as we embark on a new adventure!

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Yesterday the UPS truck backed up the driveway to deliver SIX boxes to me from a friend of my dads. The boxed were chock full of a plethora of scrap booking supplies the likes of which I have only admired from a distance in the stores. It was like Christmas, only like no Christmas I have ever seen personally. It was great. I could sell some of it, but I LOVE that I own it. I am jealous of myself! There is so much stuff I still haven’t been able to see it all. Friends are welcome to come and share!

School started and I am totally overwhelmed already. The communications professor is a Baptist minister who gets very loud and high pitched when he is excited. He already knows that he doesn’t like me. That’s okay, because he made it very clear that everyone will only get the grade they earn, no more, no less, and that he has been reprimanded in the past for flunking student in places with a no flunk policy. This scared most of the class, but it made me very happy. Earning a grade I can do. I’m just not so great at charming grades and I’m glad that won’t be rewarded.

The van in ready to come home, and I am entertaining offers from friends who want to ride with me to retrieve it. (hint hint). I promise not to stop for party supplies this time, although I can’t make any promises about the Honda dealership. The Odyssey calls to me; tells me how I will love it and never want to leave it. A mini van people. Can you imagine?

A note came home today stating that the multi age classrooms are being abolished, much thanks to our barely literate president and his desire that children be taught only how to pass a standardized test. I am so torn up about it. Katherine is the only one affected by the change, but most of you will recall that hers was the only placement that I felt good about for next year. Ugh.

I read Cheaper by the Dozen today. We all know that books are better than movies, but y’all should read this because it isn’t even similar to the movie. The Dad, Frank B. Gilbreth seems like an incredibly interesting character. One I would have loved to meet. And guess where he was born? You’ll never believe it! Fairfield, Maine. Isn’t that neat? I so want to go find out where, exactly. Turns out his name wasn’t even Gilbreth, but a clerk in some small Maine town misspelled it on a document and it was easier to change the name than the document. I have also read several other interesting books lately including The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and The Year of Magical Thinking. I’m still reading The Truth, With Jokes, by Al Franken who I hope most will remember that I actually met! I was lucky enough to find a copy at the book sale so once I return the library’s copy the motivation to finish it will be gone. I also picked up The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency at the sale, and even thought the first chapter was excellent, I have deadlines on other books that take priority.

Yes, if you are wondering I am avoiding school work to sit here and blog. I am also ignoring other equally important work if it makes you feel any better.

7 comments:

Chris said...

I just don't get scrapbooking. I'm a guy, so that doesn't help. I just don't get it.

Chris (My Blog)

Kerry said...

Well Chris, we all have memories, and most of us have photos. Scrap booking is simply conbining the two. Some (not me of course!) get carried away and can be very creative with it.

My goal is to simply preserve our family photos to enhance the memories for my children.

The people who have whole rooms devoted to the craft, well, I don't get it either.

Anonymous said...

Please explain how the ending of multi-age classrooms is our president's fault. I'm not arguing. It probably IS his fault. But I'd like to see proof.

Congrats on all your reading. My daughter will be pleased that you've read her favorite book!

Kerry said...

I can't give you proof, but I can tell you that the president enacted "No Child Left Behind" which is leaving more children behind than ever. NCLB is responsible for less flexibility in the classroom, and "teching to the test" if you will. This had become harder and harder to do for teachers with mulit age (multi graded) children. The teachers were needing to seperate out by grade level more and more frequently making the multiage classroom obsolete.

Why can't you just accept that it is Dubya's fault anyway? You never had a problem with my placing blame on TJ. In fact, now that I think about it, "IT IS ALL TJ'S FAULT!" Thanks for the reminder. :)

Anonymous said...

Okay, okay!

Teaching to the test is a problem that has increased since NCLB. Agreed. I am more and more in favor of private schools. Or maybe an international school?

I wonder if TJ is still out there to blame. I supposed even if he's no longer with the living, that's his fault too!

Until we know for sure, I'll blame Dubya along with you. :)

Anonymous said...

"A note came home today stating that the multi age classrooms are being abolished, much thanks to our barely literate president and his desire that children be taught only how to pass a standardized test."

Bush finished Yale with a 77 average (before the GPA). Kerry finished with a 76 average.

Anonymous said...

Kerry, I didn't know you went to Yale!

LOL!

I'm sure if you had, your average would have been AT LEAST 90%!