Schools have gone to hell and what's to be done?

I am so sick of the schools protecting the little assholes who ruin class time for everyone I could scream. Just yesterday a teacher here was arrested for making 3 students behave during a fire drill - this man is being held with no bond. He put his hands on them and pushed them against the wall because they were carrying on and not listening. Of course now one is claiming injury and the parents are suing. WTF????? Kids like this are ruining it for everyone. Why aren't the parents holding the children responsible for bad behavior? When I was in school the teachers had paddles in their rooms and weren't afraid to use them and guess what? NO ONE MISBEHAVED! Now teachers are not allowed to put a finger on a student or they risk losing their jobs. Between these stupid rules and the ridiculous NCLB shit our kids are doomed. It's all become a blame game where parents and kids blame everything on the teacher instead of standing up and taking responsibility for not teaching the kids how to behave and giving them real consequences for their actions. It's disgusting and makes me want to put my kids in a private school where the teachers are not under such ridiculous rules.

Invasion of the germs......

Katie's home sick. She threw-up yesterday morning, was ok all day and then again at 1 a.m. She seems better right now, but she seemed better yesterday too and then whammy it was right back again.

Can I rant, again, about parents who send kids to school sick. Why why why???? Sitting in carline this morning to drop Lexi off there was a sick kid getting out of the car - this was before school even opened - WTF? Most viruses are contagious for 24 hours after symptoms stop - please keep your kids home that one extra day - it could get these viruses under control and stop them from spreading so rampantly.

I can't wait for spring. I'm tired of getting no snow, temperatures that range from 65 to 25 in 24 hours, sickness - I'm ready for leaves on the trees, flowers, green grass.

I have so much that needs to get done and I just am not motivated to do anything, I will wait until tomorrow and sterilize the girls bathroom. For now I have Lexi's stuff moved into our bathroom. Laundry will be there waiting since the laundry fairy has yet to visit my house.

I'm in political hell......

I'm so overloaded on conventions, speeches, the rantings and empty promises. I stood and clapped when Obama finished his acceptance speech. I sat there stupefied when McCain finished his speech. How could anyone listen to that speech and tell me he should be our next President?? Boggles the mind. The only reason anyone is even interested in McCain now is because of Sarah Palin. I don't like her - nothing personal of course - except for the double standards when it comes to her pregnant daughter, her stands on sex education and birth control, her anti-choice stance on abortion and her lack of ethics, but other than that I think she's a fine candidate for VP. The whole pregnancy issue is a real problem to me as I have a teenager who is watching all of this play out on tv. Here's the real issue -
If Bristol Palin were the daughter of Democratic parents, she would undoubtedly be held up as an example of the failures of a liberal, permissive culture. Instead, she is viewed — as are the majority of teenage mothers in Evangelical churches — as a Christian who sinned, is forgiven, and needs to be embraced and supported - it's the double standard that just kills me. This is a chance for Palin to use this situation as a teaching moment - tell the struggles the teenagers will face, tell how their decisions will effect the rest of their lives - don't glamorize it with "we're proud of her decision and even prouder to become grandparents - WTF? These are kids having kids - how many 17 year olds are ready to face marriage much less having a baby?

I remember growing up and asking my Dad, a lifelong Democrat, what the difference was between a Democrat and a Republican. His answer was simple - Democrats are for the working man and Republicans are for the Businessman. I've never forgotten his words. Do I think Obama has all the answers? No I don't, but I know one thing, I'm willing to take a chance on the unknown rather than continue down the downward spiral that this country has been suffering from for 8 years which undoubtedly will continue if McCain/Palin are elected.

Beach week and other stuff.....

Our vacation has finally arrived. We've been planning this trip to the Outer Banks for a year and we leave Saturday for a whole week. We can't wait. We will be meeting our friends from Florida and sharing a house.

Todd has been so stressed at work. He needs this vacation more than any of us. I'm still trying to get packed. Katie has a huge couple of weeks with a vacation to the beach, then her braces off and two days later turning 13. I can't wait to see her without her braces - 2 years and 3 months and she's finally finished.

Lexi is growing like a weed. She will be in 3rd grade in less than a month. I wish I could slow the time clock - both of them are growing too fast.

Spring cleaning - achoo

Why oh why do I love spring when all I do is sneeze and wipe my poor runny, itchy eyes? Today I started spring cleaning and while I accomplished a lot, my allergies are in overdrive and I feel like I've run a marathon.

I finished all my laundry - that is quite an accomplishment. I went through clothes that don't fit, are out of style, are no longet fit for man or beast to wear. Tomorrow I go through Lexi's chest of drawers and empty to see what still fits and what needs to be put away for next year and what goes to Good Will.

I hope to get to the windows, base boards and dusting the curtains by the end of the week - also clean carpets. My cat is shedding faster than I can vacuum - damn cat,

I'm Baaaaack!!

I started this blog over a year ago and after 10 posts just kind of forgot about it. I'm back and vow to start posting regularly. I've yet to give my blog address to anyone which I guess is why I just never bothered to post. I now realize I want to remember these times with my girls and not forget any of the things we do - not that it's very exciting, but still, I want to remember all the sweet and not so sweet moments.

Thank you George W. Bush

. We have now spent over 350 billion dollars on the "war" in Iraq - thank you Mr. Bush.

. We have lost over 3,000 American soldiers in Iraq - thank you Mr. Bush.

. We aren't one bit safer than we were before we invaded Iraq, but we are poorer and have
less soldiers fighting for our country - thank you Mr. Bush.

. We aren't one step closer to democracy in Iraq than we were 3 years ago - thank you Mr.
Bush.

. Where oh where is Osama Bin Laden, think we know? Not a chance - thank you Mr. Bush.

There are many more "thank you's" I could give to George W. Bush, but what's the point. He has taken our nation down a path that we will probably never recover from. Is Iraq one step closer to being a Democracy? No because they are extremists who don't want peace and we can't force it on them. Saddam being hanged was a great thing, but did it help anything at all? Probably not. There are thousands waiting to step into his shoes.

Why aren't more Americans outraged about this? Why aren't we demanding that Bush get the hell out of office before we no longer have a country to help recover from this 8 years he's been in office? Why don't people care?????????