Snow Day Texas Style = ICE

(As the ice started we were at the Stars game!)

The phone rang at 5:15 am to give me the news that we would be able to stay home today. This was not as exciting as you might think. It is much better to have a delayed start in school, because those days do not have to be made up! Today is a "bad weather" day and now we loose the long weekend in April. BUMMER!





The ice started about 9:00 last night. I know this because we were in downtown Dallas at the Stars game. The drive home was a bit frightening with the roads and bridges being covered in ice. I was thankful for my husband who thinks nothing about driving on the ice and can put up with my white knuckles!





So today I have stayed in my jammies most of the day in front of the fire. Only getting up long enough to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer. Enough laziness I must get moving, this has been a great break from reality!

Inauguration Day

Where were you? (Today is a day we will always remember)

I just had to blog about today because it was such a momentous day. Schools stopped today to watch history made rather than read about it in some lousy textbook. Today America rejoiced because some many dreams have come true. As I woke up this morning and continued on my normal "school day" routines it did not occur to me how reflective I was going to be today. At least not until the boys woke up. They were pumped and ready! Today was something new something they had never experienced and they are both old enough to understand the importance of this Inauguration Day. Tyler asked if he was going to get to watch the "Inaug- er- nation" (that's a hard word to get out!) When I told him yes he immediately wanted to know what it will be like. Knowing what he knows about politics he knew there would be some speech involved. Then he asked pointedly if they would then give him the "keys" ??? I pause to try to figure out which keys he could be referring to, then I say, "Like, keys to the USA?" Only to have him respond, "No, Mom! (I get that a lot these days) The Keys to the White House. The US has a button everyone knows that!" I almost spit out my orange juice. Instead I say I am not sure watch today and see how it goes. HA! Well, after school he reluctantly told me that there were no keys given and that there are not even keys to the White House. (well, there you go!)

Today I realized the DREAM...My Kids are living in a nation where they are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character! I pray that this dream continues to be fulfilled around the world! What dream is being dreamt tonight that we think is so outrageous, so far out of our reach some think it is not even reality, what dream is it? Who is dreaming it? My students, my kids, my neighbors, who? Maybe even me!

America Redefined

Tomorrow marks the day that America as we know it will be changed. Some feel that this will be the beginning of the end, to those I say wake up! America has hidden the fact that racism is alive and well in the hearts of so many. Tomorrow we confront the racism and vow as a country to not tolerate it any long. That piece of our history will be put behind us and we will rise up as ONE NATION, black, white, red, or blue. WE are one country!!! Like him or not we must respect our president! The joy of being American is the freedom to not have to agree with him. What we must accept is that we are changed, we are moving beyond seeing people for the color of their skin and we will, Mr. King, view people by the quality of their character. Today I am proud to be an American.

*The song being played is a compilation by U2, Seal, Faith Hill, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Bilge and others.

2 Posts in one Day

I have really missed blogging lately so I guess tonight I will make up for it. Really I just have a gripe that I need to share with the masses!
What is the time frame for Christmas Trees and Lights?
This was at one time not too hard of a question, at least the tree part. However, artificial trees have changed everything. No longer do you have pine needles filling your living room gently reminding you that you have a potential fire danger lurking in your living room. Oh-no! Now we can put our tree up the week of Thanksgiving and leave that thing up until Valentine's Day. That is unless you have me living near you and I can see it! My neighbors have their tree up and ON! Don't worry I give them a dirty look every time I pass by and say REALLY? REALLY? (kidding) I understand not taking the Christmas Lights off of the house, or maybe even not taking the tree down until you have free time, but do you really have to still turn them on. I know maybe their husband has gotten a new job, I know I will send Bill over there to help them, He will love that! (NOT!) There are more than a couple of houses in our neighborhood with their house lights ON now almost half way through January. I am sure they have a tree up inside as well. HMMPH!
What is the "rule" for these things?
Is it just me bothered by this?

Texas

How big is this state anyway? Well, I will tell you! In a six weeks period of time I have spanned the state from north to south, east to west, from panhandle to coast. This is one HUGE state!!! Why in the world am I traveling around the state you ask??? Because gas prices are down...we are celebrating...NOT! The answer pretty much sums up the last few weeks of 2008 and the first few of 2009.

As you have read and I am sure are as sick of it as I am we were a bit obsessed with football this fall. The Wylie Pirates, our home town high school, made it to the state finals. In the process of getting there we said our final farewells to Texas Stadium and took two road trips. The first road trip took us on another adventure to Waco. We are able to go down and back in a day, luckily! The boys know Waco now about as well as they know Garland. Travis feels comfortable telling Bill where to turn when we are driving to Floyd Casey Stadium.

(Sidebar for those Aggie fans...you will never find a Baylor grad naming their kids after the football stadium! AND it is not because our team stinks. Can you imagine naming your kid Floyd Casey???)

Ok, I am back...After winning in Waco the team moved to the state championship in Houston. Since we are always looking for an excuse to drive down and see Chad and Samantha (old high school friends) we loaded up the car and drove down I-45. I hate the drive to Houston it is just about as dull as they come. OK, scratch that comment...Our next road trip was about as dull as they come. On Christmas morning we drove to El Paso. That drive spans the length of the state and takes no less than 9 hours. 9 very very long hours!! I used to blame the miserableness of the trip on small kids, nope now it is just me whining. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? This trip ended our family travels for the time being. On Tuesday the girls I work with and I are heading to Corpus Christi, TX for a workshop. This will take me to the southern coast. Yipee!

You really do have to love a state that consists of forests in Houston, rolling hills to Waco, deserts in El Paso, and a beach in Corpus. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?