Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Last Day. . .

Today is the last day of debate club for the year 2012. 


The debate forum this year has been: "Should the United States Government change it's policies toward the criminal justice system?" The answer is yes! but "the how" this change is to take place is left up to each team.  My job as a debate club parent is to listen to two teams argue their cases ((one team for change and the other team against that change))  I then decide who was the best team and which team had the best case.  I am also required to give helpful suggestions of how each team should and could improve their cases.  I then decide a winner and tell them how and why they won and lost. 


Do you know how very hard this is to do when you realize ~ the kids you are judging and are suppose to be helping, are way smarter then you? Let me tell you. . . it's hard.  It's really hard. 

So what do I do???


I put my thinking cap on and I fake it.  I pretend I know exactly what these teams are talking about and when we are done listening to the cases - I tell the teams how I think they could be improved . . . the kids thank me and tell me how helpful I have been to them. . . and I think. . . Yay!!! I fooled them again. 

As I said before, today is the last day of debate club for the year of 2012 . . . Today, again,  I will be judging and faking it the whole time - and when we are done - the teams will thank me and tell me how very helpful I have been.  They will tell me how they really like it when I judge their cases because I give them helpful advice. They will tell me I seem to really listen and am always fair.  .  . and I will think MMMMM  maybe these kids aren't so bright. . . I mean after all,  I fooled them again this year. 



Until Next time. . .  

Lisa

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

A birthday, a few pictures and a creamy cake

Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me. Audrey Hepburn  

It's Kathryn's birthday week. 


She is 15. 

!!15!!  


I'm not sure who has been more excited this week. . . the birthday girl or her little sister. 


So, when looking at the pictures of our birthday celebration . . . know this: I couldn't decide which picture I liked the best, the picture in the middle is unedited and most importantly. . .whatever you do. . . DON'T look at the cake. Just know: the cake was creamy, it was home made, I never use a box, and most importantly it was chocolate. 


Until Next time. . .  

Lisa

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

My little boy

The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  ~Dudley Moore



Can you guess who got his drivers licence today???  That's right , my little boy.  .  .  
Stevie Mike.


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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

My favorite part of the Day

When he first asked me if I wanted to travel to Rock Hill, S.C. last week ( a two hour car ride away)  to hear his girlfriend, Micaela, sing in a state wide choral group . . . and " Oh by the way Mom" . . ."even though her parents would be there", the fair maiden "Micaela would be traveling back home with us"  . . . "would you mind,  would you please go?   He didn't want to travel all that way by himself.            My first thought was "Ugggg!"  But, I didn't say that. Instead I said, "of course I'll go with you."   Honestly, I dreaded it all week and had secretly hoped something would come up so we couldn't go.  There were so many things I wanted to accomplish over the weekend. . . and this would take all day. 


The only thing that kept me from dropping out were these thoughts:  "my 19 year old son had asked me to travel 2 hours with him - we would be alone: No phones, No other kids, No interruptions . . . just the two of us. . . for two hours.  That doesn't happen very often around here. And then there was this reality: He is 19.  These times are not going to come around very often. He will be traveling off to college soon to full fill his dreams and these days will just be  memories for both of us. 




So, off we went to hear the State wide choral group and even though the kids were unbelievably fantastic and Micaela is a doll ~ my favorite part of the day was the car ride and the two hours up to Rock Hill alone with my oldest son.


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Friday, March 16, 2012

An Irish Blessing or two


May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.” 
Irish Blessing ~ 


I have know idea who this woman or baby are. This mom was nice enough to let me take her little leprechaun's  picture last weekend at an Irish festive we went to. We had a great time. 

May God grant you many years to live, For sure he must be knowing, the earth has angels all too few. And heaven is overflowing. ~  Irish Blessing 


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

a blooming artist

I don't know what it is about this girl. She won't talk to anyone she doesn't know or anyone she feels the slightest bit uncomfortable with.  If you didn't know better you may just think she is the quietest child to ever walk this earth.  

She's not though. . . . She takes it all in. . . absorbing what is going on around her . . . and then when she feels safe . . . watch out!  She's a fire cracker! Full of life and all things wonderful that comes with being a five year old. 


The one thing she never misses out when we are in public is the opportunity to have her face painted.  She will look the artist right in the eye and tell him or her what it is she would like on face.  She is not one to pick the princes, flowers or fluff. . . pizzazz, color, the brighter the better is what will make this little heart flutter.   The best nana ever says: "This kid needs a lot of help with her style." As her mother I can say:  this maybe true but. . . I think she just might be a blooming artist. 


Monday, March 12, 2012

a Dad, a Son and a shared birthday

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.  ~ Author Unknown

Birthday 2012 by LisaAlida5477

This quote says it all to us when we are talking about this pair.  

Little did  my brother in law  know that first dinner date with my sister would lead to so many birthdays shared with this son he was lucky enough to inherit.  
  
Happy Birthday Guys!!! 
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