Memorial Day

This is just a little thank you to 2 of my cousins: Dustin Shouse, currently serving in Afghanistan and Blake Mosely in the Marine Corp in California. Thanks guys. We all love you and appreciate your sacrifices. I know that freedom is not free and that you CHOOSE to continue to pay the debt for all Americans. I honor you, your family honors you, your country honors you. God Bless you!

Last weekend before SUMMER break!

Wow, Summer is almost here. It is my last weekend before school is out. I was thinking this is going to be the longest 48 hours ever...but Monday is a holiday...so, make this the longest 72 hours--EVER!

I can already hear Will Smith singin' in the background...school is out and it's a sort of a buzz...a back then I didn't really know what it was...

There is nothin' better than Summer, Summer, Summertime. I am going to do nothing with my kids and my hubs all summer long. I hope you get to enjoy doing nothing, too!

CBB

I love mail!

Just wanted to showcase a few of my "goodies" that I got from my online family. Faiza and her blog: http://itsgonnabealovelyday.blogspot.com/ is one of my new faves. It blends her life, culture, and love for snail mail all in one place. I, also, love my dear, ol' Postcrossing (http://www.postcrossing.com/ ) which never disappoints me and I have just joined Swap-bot.
( http://www.swap-bot.com/)


If you get the chance you should check some of these sites out. You won't be disappointed and it should lead you to some summer fun. Today, I got a package from Poland, 3 postcards from all over the world, and a letter from a friend. It was a good mail day.



CBB

8th grade Dance

Turtle Rescuers.

My 7th graders read an amazing book, The View from Saturday. It was a wonderful and well written book, but it was the first book in a long time that altered my life. Yes, it gave me new information which made me second guess what I want to do when I get old...retire, if you will.

See, anyone that knows me (and my husband)...well, they know we don't see eye to eye on animals. I am not an animal person at all. To be 100% honest, I never was and when I say I have come a LONG way...I mean, I HAVE COME A LONG WAY.

If I haven't written about it before, Mr. Chad and his family are like flippin' Dr. Doolittle's. They will save and take care of any animal that needs it. I don't want any animals to die or suffer, but I don't need them as pets either. I was like this even as a kid. I didn't want a pony...and cats and dogs were not allowed in my room. Now, before all my PETA friends start whining and Pamela Anderson de-friends me on FB, I am merely giving you some background info on me to show you how my life has changed. How I have changed.

In this book that I read with the kids, there are a lot of characters (major and minor) that live in a "retirement community", but 2 that are Sea Turtle Rescuers. These old folks patrol beaches, count eggs, move eggs, count and rescue hatchlings. It is amazing! ...and it made me think, "Wow! I want to do that!".

However, we are not old and retired so I didn't give it much more thought...until today. It rained and rained and rained over the last few days and water was everywhere. I assume this turned the local terrapins around because they were everywhere, including trying to cross the road. Today, the hubs and I saved 2 turtles. They may not have been "sea turtles" and it may not have been a "sea turtle rescue", but it was a start and that is what matters.

Mrs. B

Comments WANTED!

Take a gander.

Take a look.
All these posts--
They are MY book.


Find a page,
Two, or Three.
Make a comment,
Or a post to me.


I write this for me.
No, I write this for you.
All of the world:
A book overdue.

Testing...Testing...1,2,3,4!

CATS testing!

My hardest week of school--EVER.

Really? This is necessary?

They think kids benefit from a whole week of multiple choice tests and a few "open responses".

Wow.

Education...you need some progression!

Mrs. B

Ranunculus and Belles of Ireland

There is no better way to say I love you than flowers, but if I haven't said it on here before...I'm more of a PLANTS kinda girl. Well, I was..., but now I am loving the whole "flowers" experience.

I love planting them, taking care of them, smelling them, picking them, giving them away. Flowers is an experience for all of the senses. I can't believe how happy they make me.

Still there are 2 that escape my pleasure. (I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football from Lucy.) I have tried every summer since moving into the new house to grow Ranunculus and Belles of Ireland...and it's just not happening.

You would think with all this "internet know-how stuff" I could do this easily...uh-uh, it's driving me crazy...LOL.

So today's post is more of a plea: HELP ME grow these flowers! If you have any experience with either of these 2 flowers...your knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...and to all my flowering friends...Happy Growing.

CBB

Empire State of Mind

I woke up this morning.

I showered, read The Times(on-line, of course), and prepared to jog through Central Park. It is a beautiful, sunny day and I want to be outside in this crazy-wonderful city not reading Mark Bittman, sitting with my computer.

After a few miles(I'm a jogger, not a marathoner...LOL), I need more coffee and find some at this quaint little bistro right off my running path. Believe it or not they are playing New York, New York by Ryan Adams:

I remember Christmas in the blistering cold
In a church on the upper west side
Babe, I stood their singing, I was holding your arm
You were holding my trust like a child

I smile and enjoy my coffee-time people watching.

It seems that New York City is getting smaller and smaller. I ran into Zooey and her husband, Willie. They were grabbing coffee to go b/c he was part of a concert series in the park later that afternoon. I have never seen him play, but downloaded some of his music and he is way talented. They look like such a happy couple. Zooey looks the same as she did in high school.

Walking home, I stop at the market and grab fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. I am craving a light pasta salad for lunch. Tom, the proprietor of this sweet store, has owned it for 40 years and we chat about how much things have changed since then. He knows I write, for fun, and explains things so that I have a great mental picture of 1975. He is an amazing storyteller. He, also, always puts a big apple in my bag. I love that...get it, a "big apple". His wife died last year and I was worried he would, too...of a broken heart. It is unlikely I will find a love like that here in this city, but I'm still young, right.

As I get closer to my place, I realize I have gone all morning with out my iPhone and I start laughing uncontrollably. Wow, it turns out you don't die if you don't use it...and there is a life that Apple doesn't have an app for...LOL.

My doorman, Bing, holds the door for me and I tell him about my jog and my coffee. I think he listens, but as the door closes back and I'm still blabbing about the special blend, I see that he was just being his usually nice self. Hell, I still love you, New York.

I woke up this morning.

another lil' brother moment...on HIS day!

Since I could not be with my little brother for his graduation, I told him to call and let me hear him walk in to Pomp and Circumstance. (One of my favorite songs...at my college graduation, we marched to a bagpiper playing...and it wasn't P and C.)

He said he would, but I assumed he would be caught up in his day and forget...and I was OK with that...I wanted the day to be about him and his needs.

Around 11:25 eastern, 10:25 central, my phone rang and it was my little brother. I could hear the music as clear as if I was sitting there. It was Pomp and Circumstance. He was marching in and I was right there with him. I could not stop crying.

I was touched beyond words, but heartbroken at the same time. I should have BEEN there and although the moment was special, I realized how much my little brother wanted to share this day with me.

So...although, I did not get to spend this day with him. We really shared some good times in all of this and silent promises of how we were going to be better siblings. I am so proud of you, Bub. You are really growing up.

CBB

My lil' brother is a BIG time graduate!

At 10am, central time, my lil' brother will get his Bachelor's degree from the University of Memphis. He is the baby of the 3 of us and always acted the part, but I was always the bossy, big sister...so, I like to think we were even. Our middle brother is another story and I can only hope he turns his life around in time to have a happy ending. like Bran and I do.

In the past six months his life has transformed tenfold, though. He became a Dad to little O and now he is graduating from college. He is an example of how it's never too late to arrive to the party.

His life was a struggle at times and his genetic make-up...whew! ...but he persevered and is now living the life he deserves. I am so happy for him and for his family. He is excited too, about his next move with them. He will be starting his Master's soon, his wife is going to nursing school, and little O will be close enough that we will all get to see her as much as we want...without dropping by unexpectedly. Right, Bub?

Today is your day and we salute you. Jay and I are super proud of you and we're sorry we're not there. Congrats from Mr. Chad...and the girls love you.

Can't wait for you to be back closer!

CBB

T-shirts for MATH

We had kind of a weird testing theme for CATS this year (I say it that way b/c I have always been told, "if you can't say something nice...don't say anything" ), but it is what it is. I guess with Justin Moore coming to our school someone thought his name in our theme would sell some tickets or generate some buzz...it did not. In fact, no one did anything except my class...and so that's what I am here to share with you.

My kids and I came up with using each letter of his name for something we had learned in math this year, a mnemonic of sorts and then we made t-shirts. They were stellar! Of course, having only 10 kids in a class makes things super easy sometimes....and having 10 awesome math minds in a class...well, that makes things Super, super easy!

J-Justify

U-Units of Measure

S-Slope

T- Pi (b/c it looks like a T...LOL)

I-Integers

N-Numerical Expressions

M-Measurements

O-Ordered Pairs, Origin

O-Order of Operations

R-Rational Numbers

E-Exponents

I really don't know much about this Justin kid, but his name will probably stay with me for a while. I just hope the kids remember him like I do Roy G. Biv.

Mrs. B

48 hours of Happiness!

I'm finally rested enough to type, but I have so much joy in my heart, my fingers aren't working fast enough to put it all down. My daughter's prom was this past weekend and I drove 1000 miles to get to share it with her...2000 miles if you count the return drive home.

I went with her for her hair appointment, bought new earrings, then I did her makeup, I got to take pictures and help her get ready. It was such a wonderful experience, but I did promise her--and myself, that I would NEVER miss these experiences no matter which parent she was living with at the time.

After she was on her way to prom, Claudia and I dined at Olive Garden and went to Barnes and Noble for a few books. It was a perfect day that went by way to quick. I love my babies.

CBB