education..learn all about it

The grapevine has been buzzing the last decade over the "new math" that kids are being taught in school. It seems like every time I turn around they are introducing new math.. newer math, not to be confused with the new old math of a few years ago. Education seems to have shifts and new strategies in how and what our kids learn. A few years ago, I had the vlessing to play "aunt nanny" for the weekend to my niece and nephew. My sister had gone out of state for some training so it allowed me to bond w/ the kids in a closer way. My niece was in the 7th grade and was working on her science homework. She gave me insight into the new education. Never in amillion years did I or many of my peers ever dream the effect the new computer would have on society as we knew it. We were the Class of '84- the Age of Big Brother.. So B is doing her homework w/the computer. And it blew me away that her homework was the stuff I had learned in my univeristy classes.

They say Algebra can be much easier understood while in elementary school. While it isn't Algebra as we knew it, the abstract thinking is the thing they are working on.
Foreign language is also being taught at an earlier age as the human child's brain can wrap itself around the rules much easier. We are in an excellent elementary school where we live...located in an award winning master planned community. But, even there the Spanish program had to be cut out of the budget. There were just too many elementary and secondary schools needing to be built to handle the masses moving into our area. As for Spanish, you can now learn some here in our local super plus grocery store. They are now broadcasting in both English and Spanish. This doesn't sit well with me. How are newcomers ever going to learn English if they never need to use it? Most of our packaging now comes in bilingual format.

In my volunteering at the school I have been noticing a big difference in how language arts/reading are being taught. I'm not really certain if my 160+ college credits.. yes.. I DID say 160 hrs..that haven't amounted to much have allowed me to adapt to my own children's education. I dread the day when Marshall and Rachel come home seeking guidance with their math homework.. Hell, I couldn't do it, understand it, or even pass it while I was in school.. so I figure I'm doomed from the git go this time around. So maybe B can help my kids out w/science and some other subjects to get my kids through. Actually, the way it's going.. M will already understand it and will soon realize jsut how dumb his mommy is. He is so blessed as it all comes so uncredibly easily to him. I'm just honestly trying to figure out which distant relative he inherited from.??. cause it surely wasn't this child. And as for Rache, just where did the music and sancing come from? Both John and I are incredibly inept when it comes to rhythm and moves. And that child can break a move. I'm telling yall.. she was switched at birth..

Oh yea.. and getting back to Big Brudda (as my kids would call it)really is happening. The cameras on the street lights, the fingerprints, the genetic markers, the wiretaps..ok I have to stop.. I'm making myself nausoues again. I remember back about a decade ago when the movies "The Truman Show" and "Edtv" came out. It was the 24/7 cameras following someone around in their daily life. We said how boring.. no way.. that will never happen.. So now I ask.. and what is reality tv that even I get caught up into? Oh these times are so very confusing. The more I know.. the more I don't want to know..the room is spinning and the voices are calling me again.. lol

Spring Has Sprung

Spring is here and is in full bloom...
This is the best time of year in my book around here, except for the horrendous allergies. And they are just about as bad this year as I have ever experienced
them. I started in early February plotting out our garden. Bought tons of seeds and planter dillies to start them in the new addition. And boy was I off to a great start.. Well.. we know how the strawberries went..

I still haven't been able to get outside to plant our garden. My seedlings are now
full plants.. but this crazy weather is really causingme some heartache.. Spring here in Central Texas lasts such a short time. I figure we have about 5 1/2 weeks before we start to feel the toasting of our area. We can easily go from the 60's to the mid 80's this time of year which is incredible bliss. And then Hades rears his very ugly and unforgiving head. We hit the mid 90's for about 2 or 4 weeks and then we shoot right into the 100+ heat that can scorch your butt and cook your meals all without the need for a grill or pit.

So now I'm beginning to ask myself why even bother w/the garden? All that work at this point only to fry and die outside if I can even manage to get outside w/ my allergies. People move here in droves for our weather.. I just wish we could pull out the welcome mat a little longer so they could adjust.. Wait.., Adjust? I'm a native and I don't think I will ever get adjusted to the heat. But I plan on
enjoying the pretty flowers and green trees and the few scattered wildflowers that did manage to crop up despite the severe drought we found ourselves. Happy Spring..
It's hard to believe the next holiday is Memorial Day which kicks off the blisterbutt season..

POSITIVE QUOTE OF THE DAY
-----------------------------

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger
you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.

-- Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

The mpost expensive pet

Our home has been invaded by the most expensive pet I have ever encountered. And I'm sad to report that I have only noticed this pet only a handful of times. He's very timid, prefers to remain hidden and is harrassing us with his appetite. To be honest, he has to be one of the ugliest lizards I have barely seen. Oh yea, barely seen. Yep I said it..BARELY!!

In a flash of light he's gone. Faster than Penelope Pittstop trying to outrun the Dastardly Villians. He's brown with this butt ugly jagged hornyish spine.. It is rumored that the Texas Horned Lizard is in jeapardy of becoming extinct. Well, I'm here to tell you that we McNicolls are doing our unplanned part in keeping his faint cousin alive and well fed. And he's laughing all the way into his many rooted dens that we call inconvenient and maddening holes in our landscape. This is one pet we never set out to adopt. He has seemed to have adopted us. We enjoyed his far removed bright green cousin Louie way better. He even made it into our home a time or two scaling our walls for a better view of suburban domestic bliss.

No.. This one..The Unwanted.. has a gourmet craving for our strawberries. It seems like fruits and veggies just don't taste like they used to anymore. Growers have managed to take out the true taste of fruits such as tomatoes, watermelons and our kids favorite, the beloved strawberry. So Wonder Mommy wondered if maybe growing some of our own might teach our little weapons of mass destruction the joys of homegrown fruit?? So I wandered into the new Lowe's Garden Center and forked over our hard earned $40.00 for 10 deep green plants. The kids and I then proceeded to plant the healthy foliage and tendered loving care and water to each one, with visions of luscious deep red sweet and juicy berry berries flowed through our brains.
We patiently waited and tended the soil. Noting all the upcoming fruits just awaiting our bowls. But NOoooo!! The next morning we would soon discover the said berry berrie half eaten or gone. We cried dismay and went back to our berry empty bowls...thinking the conniving Doodledog wonder had out done us once more.

Before long, a pattern appeared. The green berry would pinken and would almost be ripe. But just before we could get to it, a bite would appear. We soon realized our berries were being marked and held for ransom. Only we never got the note. Later, the rest of the berry would disappear as well. This thing we realized was NOT our beloved Doodles.. but some other sneaky creature. So we decided to outsmart the rascal. We found ourselves plucking these bright green fruits that were the color of limes. They were placed on the window seal to ripen with time. We rationed them out as if they were gold. And the few times a child would gleefully pluck a ripe one before the creature was so bold. A whoop and a holler could be heard for the skill and the fact that we had outwitted this ugly feller!! I caught glimpses and heard bushes rustling so we knew who the thief was.

So we have been outwitted by this butt ugly worldly fearing creature of our precious
crown jewels. And I have come to realize that we have replaced those jewels with the organic ones from the store.. Or whatever happens to be on sale.. This game we grew tired and we accepted defeat. Cause once a berry picked too early is not a tasty treat.

These days I have learned that for cooking the over ripe ones taste like those of long lost days and they make great shortcake even better.. Therefore, when taking our original investment and dividing just how few berries we actually get, these fruity jewels are about as expensive as the price of gold. Thus the result of the best fed butt ugly pet of the year.. And to think John used to figure out the price of dog food by the pound. Those dogs had nothing on this lizard. I will plead the fifth on this one for sure.

Hmmn.. if we catch him I may put him up for adoption on Craigslist!! Any takers out there?

Bout Time

Actually, this isn't true for me right now. I am actually fat.. and I am ready to do something about it. After the kids, the surgery and all is said and done, it is very important that I do something about this right here.. right now.
Friday, I will go in and get some blood work done and see just how much needs to be corrected. Life just seems to go so fast and the pounds seem to easily creep up on me.

This is something that I will do for myself first and my health second and my family third. But we all will be winners. And I want to be here for our kids and my husband and teach them that healthy living is really important.

Thursday is the big day. Me and the kids are expectantly awaiting our Wii game system. And then we will go out and purchase the Wii which will keep me going towards my goal. This system is so incredibly cool... and totally in your face.. there's no hiding anymore. Everyone will know exactly where it stands with me and just how far I have to do. And then we will celebrate. Oh Yea.. And darling husband has promised two weeks worth of celebrating when I succeed.

Marshes is especially excited about the new game system. Everyday he asks if it's gotten here yet. He too will be working on a behavior overhaul in which he will be handsomely rewarded with his changes by getting to play this system. We will all be moving, grooving and working to be more healthy. As if those little skinny minnies
need to step up that activity? Right.. maybe I will catch them on the next lap.

This is something I have been thinking about alot lately. And I am so blessed with such awesome, supportive and uplifting firends we have agreed to strive for healthier living. Despite the fact that we live all across the nation.. this time I am dead serious about feeling better about myself. And what better way than having a blast in your own home.. by the way: although I am coach's kid.. I have always despised exercise unless it was at the pool or hanging out w/ my dad shooting baskets. And this was probably a zillion years ago. wait, there was an exception as to when I enjoyed being so active. Our family had just moved to what I now call my hometown and me and my siblings were overly active. Compulsively, determined and very dedicated out of pure boredom from not knowing a soul. And it was an incredible way to meet people in a new town. From 1 in the afternoon we would go to the pool and stay will 5:00. Then we would head home for a rest and supper. Once the heat had died down we would hit tennis balls against the grocery store's back wall near our home and then either run at the track or skateboard. And oh yea.. our mom even had us doing clean up in the yard before all of that exercise.. all in the high Texas heat.. Talk about a great tan.. It felt so good to be that healthy.
Unfortunately, as we made friends and school started we never got back into that routine. And this was when I wa built like Rache.. small and thin.. Oh the days..
Before the jobs, unlimited sodas and the job that made me the guard keeper of the scoopers of Blue Bell hand dipped ice cream!! I'll never get back to those days or sizes.. But my goal is to get healthy.. And hopefully, my migraines and allergies will repay me this kindness.. Oh to dream..
So.. here I am.. out there.. on the line and being accountable.. So please feel free to ask me how it's going..

And Diva Doodles Too

And what would Princess Fairy Rache without her
Diva Frou Frou Doodles do??