Another year comes to an end!

The Buettner-Boyds want to wish everyone the best in the new year. We opted to make no resolutions, but instead to "pledge" to be better people.

Catarina wants to do more with her church and build positive relationships with family and friends.

Claudia would like to take gymnastics and learn how to do more and better flips.

I want to focus on my job of educating children in math and (finally) taking that big leap and pursuing med school.

Mr. Chad wants to become debt-free and build a bomber race car, while easing his way to a Bachelor's degree in engineering.

...and we all truly want the best for you.
Thanks for reading this year. I hope I get even better at this next year.
God Bless!
CBB

The Beatles and my children.

I have always tried to teach my kids that music is the soundtrack to our lives.

When we are sad, we hear sad songs in our mind. When we are happy, we hear happy songs.

When we party we like party songs...you get my point, right?

Music defines who we are.

I am so proud they have learned "my so-called lessons"...LOL.
Over the holidays, though, they taught me a lesson.

I support my children and their needs to find their "own" style of music.

I have said that many times before;

listening to Miley, Selena, or anything Disney is OK when countered with say, some CCR, the Stones, and of course The Beatles.

I keep The Beatles #1 in my SUV.

(You never know when you won't be able to find a local station, or a place on the dial for XM, or you just need to feel good while driving.)

This holiday season, however, it wasn't a fall-back-on CD.

It was the IT CD.

Well, some of it was...LOL.

Anything from 19 on.

The girls picked out the parts they would sing, who would do the background vocals, who played what instrument.

It was WONDERFUL!

Everyday, I had the chance to listen to Hey Jude, Lady Madonna, Let it Be...

and not once did I force anyone to listen to it.

We had our own concerts every time we got in the vehicle!

It was awesome mom/daughters moment 1,343!

Now, even though, I won't see them for a few weeks...

John, Ringo, Paul, and George (the order they appear on Abbey Road)

can help me make it !

CBB

Thanks AEP...you suck!

7 days no electricity!

On Friday, December the 18th at roughly 6:45 pm, our electric went off...on December 25th at roughly, believe it or not, about 6:45 pm it came back on. We were not even there to witness it and please don't try to console me by saying, "awwww, a Christmas miracle".

I would like to sit here an rant about the inconvenience of it all, but I try to keep this blog positive.

I will say this, contrary to all of the hoopla, my hubs managed to save the day. He kept us warm, took one for the team (sleeping on a concrete floor), and put us in a "swanky lodge"/guest house for the holidays...well, he can thank his employer for that...LOL.

God is good, but AEP still sucks!
CBB

...and I thought I was a GREAT teacher!?

small post today:

For the past 12 weeks I have taught my little heart out. I have given 100% and thought that my kids were"getting it", but then I create a test based on state standards with an open response and they go to pieces.

I administered the GMADE earlier this week too, and am just amazed at how accurate it was. My kids did WONDERFUL on operations, but scores showed they could not apply it. For example, if I gave them an actual numeric problem they could solve it, but if I put it into a "word" problem and they had to decipher what needed to be done...very few could do that.

I am going to spend the Christmas break trying to find a way to show them that in the real world life is not all 2+2, but more like if Dorothy has 2 cupcakes and Elfie has 2 cupcakes, how many cupcakes do they have?

I need to go cry...then regroup.

{{{{Keep saying it, Christy...you are a great teacher! You are a great teacher! Your are a great teacher! You are a great teacher!}}}}

Mrs.B

Life after You by Daughtry

I have to believe that if Mr. Chad became a famous rock star that he would still never waiver from his love for me or to our marriage. It's one of the reasons I love Chris Daughtry and his band.

Chris never forgets to mention or thank his wife and does it in such a genuine way. So after hearing their new song (one that he wrote or at least co-wrote with Chad Kroeger of Nickelback), and REALLY listening to the words, I have come to realize that it could be the "greatest" love song ever written.

I am posting the lyrics below. We all know how I love music and that if the lyrics don't make an impression on me...well, then it is probably not worth MY time. This song, however, is worth any person's time that knows that love has it's ups and downs, but knowing love is worth the ride.

Ten miles from town and I just broke down
Spittin' out smoke on the side of the road
I'm out here alone just tryin' to get home
To tell you I was wrong but you already know
Believe me I won't stop at nothin'
To see you so I've started runnin'

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

Last time we talked, the night that I walked
Burns like an iron in the back of my mind
I must've been high to say you and I
Weren't meant to be and just wasting my time
Oh, why did I ever doubt you?
You know I would die here without you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

You and I, right or wrong, there's no other one
After this time I spent alone
It's hard to believe that a man with sight could be so blind
Thinkin' 'bout the better times, must've been outta my mind
So I'm runnin' back to tell you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
Without you God knows what I'd do

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

Aren't those like the greatest "love" lyrics ever? I just love listening to this song. The whole album is pretty awesome, but this song definitely ranks up there as one of the best of 2009. Thanks, Daughtry.



CBB

Sister Weekend 2009

To all who could not join us, we look forward to seeing you next year...at my house.

Merry Christmas from the HALL sisters.

Quilting with the Family

This week has been crazy trying to finish the quilt square that we are now "required" to do for Sister Weekend. I love this idea, but I think I am in a small minority. However, watching (and listening) to my cousins go on and on is priceless.

It has been a great adventure for Verlissa, Auntie Em, and I as we sit around her table quilting...trying, anyway. Auntie Em can do her style of quilting, embroidering squares or painting, very well. V and I...not so much.

We have great ideas, but the the manifestation part, well...we are having some problems with that...LOL. I figure, our quilt squares may not be the best in the world--or technically, the best they could be, but I know, they will get better over time...just like our family.

CBB