Our Failing Education System

When did athletics become more important than academics? This has been bothering me for some time now.  I get that athletics are important to some, heck my daughter loves her sports!  But our tax dollars are to fund schools, to teach kids! Math. Science. English. History. Art. Music. And, yes athletics.  But why is it acceptable to get rid of an excellent teacher to hire a coach?

Someone near and dear to my family has been replaced, because the school needed a coach! Would they ever admit to that? NO! But it's quite apparent! A certified English teacher, replaced with a pe teacher, to teach English! Tell me he wasn't hired to coach!

It's frustrating! I'm not saying he isn't a good teacher, or won't be great with the kids..... but I just don't see how they could justify this happening!

The replaced had never been written up, reprimanded, or had any negative interactions! She just wasn't a "good fit"!  It's a joke!  The students loved her! My daughter has actually been enjoying reading!

I definitely don't miss the politics of the school! The only thing I really miss at this point.... summer vacation!! 

Living Through a Renovation

Nice, new, and functional!  That is the dream I had when we decided on a renovation!  Ali moved to a new bedroom over a year ago.  We had the big dream of converting her old (large) bedroom into an office and new bathroom for Ali.  We started this project months (I'm talking 6-7-8 months) ago!!!  I don't even remember, that's how long it's been!

We gutted the new office completely to the studs, added new insulation, new sheet rock, got rid of the loose, un-capped, LIVE wires in the walls, and added all new electric as well!  I mean, who does that?  Who in the hell leaves an un-capped live wire, loose in a wall?!?!?  We found it because we decided to put in new sheet rock and get rid of the textured walls in there.  Thankfully in the 6 years we've lived here, our house didn't burn down!  

 You can tell that they just took out and switch and stuffed the wire back in the wall!  No common sense!

Anyhow...we got all the "in the wall" stuff done: electric and insulation!  Then we got all new sheet rock up and mudded.  The hubs has been working on leveling the ceiling, because we decided to get rid of the popcorn while we were at it!  SO....this is where we are at a stand still!

Life got in the way!  Ali had competition cheer season and now we're in the midst of softball season.  Richie jumped in for an injured track coach and finished out the season for her.  School is ending for Richie, so that means getting all his grading done, and getting his room ready for summer.  So, we have an office, that needs finished!  

I will share a bit of the madness I've been living in!  It's crazy, SCARY, and downright frustrating!!  The hubs has promised to work hard this summer, when he's not at college!  Oh yes...he's been working on his Master's in the midst of all of this too!  He's got a 4.0 GPA and has just 2 semesters until he graduates!  

I did get my cabinets for my office ordered last weekend!!!  Though they may take up to 4 weeks to arrive. Now, I have to find countertop, and make a trip to Ikea and get my Kallax shelving.  But first....I have to prime and paint, as soon as the ceiling and finish sanding are done!  

I promise we aren't hoarders!!!  This is stuff from Ali's room (that still needs 'finishing' touches), stuff from my office, PLUS many things that will be sold/given away when we get this put together!  

If I seem stressed, mad, or just lost....please understand that I have an excuse!  I cannot wait until this project is done, and I have my house back!!!  We haven't been able to eat at our dining table for months!  

I promise I will share pictures when it's done!!  Or mostly done anyway!  Because I only ordered lower cabinets....until we can afford the uppers!  I'm going to make this office fabulous!  :)

Run Like a Diva

I'm going to follow up my mad, sad, frustrated post, with a happy post!!  

Ali loves doing 5K's!  Last year she did quite a few of them.  This year, we've only managed to get her signed up for 1 so far, but she was awesome!!!

Yesterday she participated in the Diva's 5K in Branson.  Ali did this same race last year, and she had fun!  Plus, it's always fun to get away to Branson! ;)  Last year, my mom had said she wanted to join Ali for a fun, girly 5K....so we signed her and Ali up together!  

 Here's their before pictures!  Aren't they cute? 

By the way....I think that's my mom's first ever duck face!  ha!

They had planned to walk the 5K together!  They  went down and when they race started, they "jogged" together.  Ali noticed that my mom was falling behind her, so she turned and was going to stop and wait for her to catch up, so they could walk.  When Ali turned to my mom, Mom told her not to wait.  She didn't want to hold her back.  So my darling Ali, who has NEVER ran much, decided she was going to run the entire 5K!  I was like....what!!  

Anyway...we got down to the finish line, thinking we had plenty of time to watch for them to come in, only to turn to the right, and Ali had already finished!  She ran the 3.2 miles in 39 minutes and 15 seconds!  I was so proud of my girl!!!!  

It was time to watch for mom then!!  My mom had never done a 5K!  So...I was excited to watch for her!

 

Here's both of them after they had finished.

Here's my momma getting her medal and the fireman hunk that gave it to her!  

WAY TO GO MOM!!!  WAY TO GO ALI!!!  

Be Yourself!!!

As you well know...I have a teenager!  I don't possibly think I am old enough to be a parent of a teenager, but I am.  Teenagers are vicious creatures!  They are usually the meanest to each other.  What really gets me....when an adult is the culprit of evil!

My daughter wanted her hair cut.  She wanted a trendy style, that she'd seen on tv, the internet, and on others.  So...I thought, it's just hair, I don't care.  It will always grow back.  Last night when we got home from our weekend getaway...I shaved the side of her head.  She's a sassy little teen girl, so it fits her personality well!  It looks super cute on her too!

Now...I tell my mom, that I cut her hair, and tell her how...she flips out.  She has preceded to make Ali feel bad/sad for wanting her hair like that!  Why would you make a child feel bad for wanting a certain hair style?  You don't have to do it to your hair, you don't even have to like it, but don't try to make her feel bad for doing it...  Of course, she yelled at me and told me I shouldn't have done that, or even let her.  URGH!!!!  

This is right after I finished.  She clearly loves it....look at that smile on her face!  

She is always so excited that I let her be herself!

I think that letting her be herself...just helps her express herself!  She doesn't care what people think (except her parents and grandparents obviously)!  So now, she's feeling bad for her choice....

Here's a shot with the hair down!  

I told you she had sas!  ;) 

I love this girl so much!!  

So...any thoughts or opinions??  Am I just crazy for letting her be herself?