Time Goes By

Wow I can't believe that it is already March 19th. This month has been very busy and I have not posted as much as I like. The time just goes so quickly. I also have to admit that I now have a facebook page that has been a huge distraction. It is the 'fast food' of the blog world, at least that is how I look at facebook. I am going to try to be better about finding a balance between both. We'll see how that goes.

So let's catch up. ..

On March 5 I had a big birthday. I turned 40. It's odd to think of myself as a forty year old when I still feel like a twenty something inside. I guess in all honesty I don't think of age so much. It is just a number. I do become reflective around my birthday. I wish that all those years when my mother told me my birth story that I had had the presence of mind to write down all the details. I remember some of the story but not all of it and unfortunately I don't have anyone else who can fill in the gaps. Let this be a lesson to all the moms out there, young and old that you should record your child's birth story in writing because some day they will want to have a written record of that piece of oral history.

My work with Stand has been very busy. We are in the midst of a postcard campaign that will deposit about 10,000 card stock postcards to our local legislators at the statehouse. We are advocating for
No more lost ground, Efficiencies and cost savings, Long term funding,
and Innovations and investment to help all children succeed.

Check out this link if you live in MA and are interested in helping us reach our 10,000 card goal.

http://www.stand.org/postcard

We hosted an Information Meeting at my school this past week and were happy to add two new members to our ranks. Very exciting to have new blood in our organization.

School has been busy on all fronts as well. My children are constantly working on one project or another. N is also in prep mode for MCAS . He will have to do the test booklet as well as the long composition this year. The entire process has him stressed. All 4th graders are expected to write for 6 hours on long comp day. How developmentally inappropriate! I would like to meet the adult who would sit and work on the same project at work for six hours straight without the added support of coworkers, computers or conference calls. I just don't understand why more parents don't find this requirement unreasonable. Why don't people stand up for their children?

Work is also busy. The children are beginning to anticipate the end of the year. Most of the children have been to Kindergarten registration and know that they will be at a new school next year. It is a very unsettled time.

That is all for now.

Peace!

Checking In

Well I have a lot to say but no energy in order to type a lengthy entry. As with everyone things have been busy. Children, school, Stand, birthday, Dad and so much more. So when I have more time and energy I will put together a post to catch up on all my news.

Hope you are all warm, safe and happy.

Peace!

So we had another snow storm up here in the Northeast last night. It was just starting to snow more heavily last night around 9:15 as I left the Stand meeting in Waltham. It looked like we might just get enough snow to garner us a snow day. We have had lots of snow this year yet not a single true snow day. Sure we have had early release days and 2 hour delays, but nothing is so precious to a 4th and 2nd grader as an authentic snow day. So this morning as I lay sleeping just before my alarm was set to go off R came in and told me the good news...they cancelled school for the day. He also informed me that N was downstairs dancing a jig! Very exciting stuff this snow! Not long after R went to work and I rolled over to catch up on some extra shut eye N appears beside the bed. I looked at him with one eye as he informed me yet again that we had now school! I again went back to sleep. Aahh! to sleep late on a Monday, certainly one of my guilty pleasures. It was a pleasure to get up on my own schedule and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee as the children played and I watched a bit of the Today show. Reality set in shortly however as I dressed for the weather and the task at hand: shoveling the driveway! YUCK At first glance the snow looked light and fluffy, however as I began to shovel I quickly realized that under the top layer of fluffy snow was a thick layer of frozen slush, sleet and icy snow. What a workout! I was able to get through about 2/3rds of the driveway and the mailbox before needing a break. There is enough room for both cars to park so I'm all set with shoveling. I'm hoping R will finish up the little that is left. We'll probably need to de ice as well. We'll see.

So I want to share some exciting news from Stand. First we are well on our way with our postcard campaign. We are using this new tool to show the legislators how much their constituents truly care about education. Our goal is to hand deliver at least 10,000 postcards to the state house at our rally on March 24th. I hope we have even more than 10,000. We are using all methods available to pass the word including web links, a facebook postcard page and physical postcards out in the field. Check out this link and fill out a postcard if you are vote in MA

www.stand.org/postcard