~~~ ~~~ ~~~ The Boys of Fall ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Well, it's here. That time of year that I love. Football season, aside from summer, is my favorite time of year. There is always a game you can watch, whether it be on TV or in person, and we love watching football. These are the times I am most thankful that I got the child I did. I can't imagine having a kid that doesn't share this interest with me. So along with all the football watching, comes Payton's football playing. He is entering his 3rd season on the Raiders team and his 5th with several of these boys. He loves his coaches (unfortunately, minus one) and (most of) his teammates. Watching these boys play together just gets better year after year. This year they brought on another coach who I think is going to be great for our team working with the O-line. (protect my baby!) Payton is playing quarterback again, but they have also had him playing wide receiver and defensive end. He will also be on the kick off return team. He's very excited to try out new positions and it's fun to see his "I'll do anything" attitude. Every time I watch this video, I get excited and choked up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI&ob=av3e.  It reminds me of my dad, my brother, being young, my friends and of course my kid and makes me think about the future. I'm hoping these boys will do just a tad better than they did last year, as we still have one team we haven't beat in the area! Until next time............GOOOOOOOO RAIDERS!!!!!

 PS-if you want to know when Payton plays, please let me know, we love to increase our cheering section :)

Whatever 

It 

Takes

"Whatever it Takes" is the mission/vision of Pocatello/Chubbuck school district #25.  You can read the whole statement here:SD 25 Vision Statement.  Right now they aren't even doing the minimum necessary to ensure all students have a safe, comfortable and productive learning environment.  

This whole school year, Payton has been bringing home stories of his teacher and how awful she is to the class, particularly the boys.  Well, we've worked on the whole "killing with kindness", tolerance of differing opinions and all the stuff that comes along with dealing with difficult people.  Last week, when helping Payton take his stuff into the classroom, I realized that this situation was a little more than that, and had decided to call his principal and have a meeting.  After getting a text message two days later from Payton, mid-morning, saying that he'd been stuck in the hallways for almost an hour for looking around the room (a story the principal later confirmed matched the teacher's), I decided it was time to take drastic action.  This teacher bullies, belittles and is just down right mean to these kids...again, particularly the boys. 

I have scheduled a meeting with the superintendent that is to take place later today.  Also attending the meeting are the principal and the director of secondary education.  Both self-invited.  It is times like these that I think two things:  A-I wish I had husband, or that Payton had a dad that was involved in his life, to help advocate for his education.  And B-I wish my dad was alive, because the lack of both of the other things mentioned wouldn't seem quite so harsh.  My mom has graciously and generously offered to attend my meeting and I am very grateful for that.  But we both lack knowledge and the proverbial weight my dad had behind him.  I am hoping we get results though.  And if nothing else, Payton will have seen us stand up for him and we will continue to do so until results are achieved.  I know he could "deal with" this lady and probably, truth be told, outwit her at every game she introduces.....but that is not the point.  The point is what she is doing is WRONG and we won't stand for it. She is affecting Payton's attitude about school and we know that isn't right.  We stand up for what is right, we hold people (yes, even teachers) accountable for their actions, and we know that Payton's right to a safe, comfortable and productive learning environment is being violated. 

So, I'm hoping my dad is in attendance at today's meeting and gives me the strength to speak eloquently, hold my temper, and remember the bottom line of the situation:  Payton's quality of education.  As a parent, I'm going to do "whatever it takes" to make sure he gets the education he deserves.  I'm gong to do "whatever it takes" to make sure he likes school.  And I'm going to do "whatever it takes" to ensure he, and the rest of his classmates, are not bullied any longer.   

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  ~Henry Adams

Let them be little.....

So tonight we have Lu over.  That happens a lot.  We love having him here.  It's almost just like he belongs.  He feels at home here and we don't ever really do anything special when he comes over, anymore.  I even let him sleep over on game nights now.  We have a lot of fun when Lu's here.  He's like Payt's little brother.  Only there's no fighting.  Usually :).  He's so good and happy and good natured.  Tonight he got hit in the eye and he cried for a while and wanted to snuggle with me and his Build-A-Bear we got him last summer in Niagara Falls, Canada Lu.  I sometimes forget how little he is, until he gets snugglie like that.  Cass and Payton make him seem older, I think.  Anyway, he's so fun to have around.  He makes our house loud.  Our house is usually quiet, except for music or TV.  Payton is old and the only time he loud is when he is playing basketball, really. But Lucas runs everywhere he goes, yells, sings, laughs loud, falls down, and then there's when Payton is tickling him or giving him "TORTURE!".  They are very funny and cute together.  And 100% BOY.  They play video games and basketball (they were working on their ball handling earlier), they wrestle, play Star Wars, sometimes they read.  I love the relationship they have.  I sometimes get sad because I worry they won't always have this same relationship.  But I guess that's you gotta live in the moment, right? 
This was the night Payton entered his first chili cookoff.  He made his own taco soup while I was at work.  He did so good.  But lost.  He was up against some TOUGH recipes.  After the cookoff, I ruined the diet I've been so good on this week by going and buying us a cake to snack on.....we took it to the Whitehead's and all had a piece.  I think Cass was sad she had to stay home.  But she and Lu don't do well together here and she had been at a friend's earlier so it was his turn.  It's always his turn, because she's always with a friend.  But she's at that age. 
These are just some ramblings, because I"m trying to keep up this blog, but honestly we SO don't have enough excitement in our lives to write about.....oh well!  Someday it'll be fun to look back on! 
I gotta go take some pics of my favorite small boys.

The sound of MUSIC

So I decided to come check out the blog and realized that the music starts on it's own and is very loud!  Sorry about that.  I didn't realize that was happening....but I think I fixed it.  I love listening to music but I really dislike when I click on a website and it decides I should listen to what IT wants me to, rather than the current song I have playing or the silence I'm enjoying.  So I've turned that off.  But please still listen to the music in our playlist, if you so desire.  Payton helped me pick all of the songs.  Some we share as favorites, some are mine, and some are his.  And sometimes his music pics surprise even me. 
We love music.  There is music on at our house more than there is TV.  Well, actually, usually the TV is usually on too, but on mute.  I listen to music all day, every day at work through noise cancelling headphones.  I listen to music when I walk, drive, study, get ready for work...all the time it's on.  And when it's not, I'm usually singing something....sometimes quietly, sometimes not so quietly. I think music is the best form of expression.  I think certain songs can help you sort out your feelings, understand others' feelings and it can definitely change your mood!  I love listening to classical music.  I love old country music.  I love sad music and happy music and music that can make you smile, laugh and cry.  I love when there is new music that comes out that I just can't get enough of. You know, the song you play on repeat for days and days.  I have several of these that I'm playing non-stop recently.  The Breath You Take (King George!) and War at Home (Josh Groban) are probably my fav right now.....both of them have me thinking a lot about my blessings and all that I take for granted.  If you haven't listened, check them out!  (best thing about YouTube is previewing music before you buy it!)  If you have any music that you think I should hear, I always love being introduced to a new artist.  Happy listening!! 

"Music gives a soul to the universe, 

wings to the mind, 

flight to the imagination, 

and life to everything." 

~ Plato ~

Blogging, Life and Football

I have recently read someone's blog that was rather inspiring to me.  Whenever I read blogs like that, I feel like, oh I'm not such a great writer, I don't think my blog would ever measure up.  But then I realized something: it doesn't have to.  You are reading this because you want to, not because you are being forced.  So I'm getting over a few of my insecurities as a blogger :)  Also inspiring was this person's brutal honesty about feelings. Love, life, loss, happiness, sadness and everything in between all of those is approached with no covering, no mask and no fear.  It's truly an amazing blog. This blog, coupled with the death of my niece and nephew's other Grandma, (my brother in law's mom) yesterday, has got me thinking about life and death. But mostly about life.  And how to slow down and enjoy it.  How to not stress so much and relax at things that normally bother me.  And to make a list...of things that I will do to enjoy each day.  The list is because it doesn't come naturally to me, like it does to some....wish me luck on this.  It's another resolution to add to my ever-growing list.

And on another note....

The close of football season is upon us.  Only two game days left. This sort of makes me sad, because Payton and I spend a lot of Saturdays and Sundays watching, discussing, playing and anticipating football. I am so glad that I got Payton for a son and grew up with the dad that I did.  Football is one of the great things we have in common.  I enjoy watching, playing and even listening to games.  I have friends that enjoy it and their kids enjoy it and this is something we can all do together.  I have a friend who has told Payton and me on several occasions "you're lucky you got a mom like you did.....what if he was my kid?  I have no interest in sports."   Now, I'm not a football fanatic, I don't have one team that I base my mood on their wins and losses, but I do enjoy the game and I do cheer loudly for whichever team I picked at kickoff to win!  It's usually whoever Payton is cheering for.  Sometimes it differs, but not often.  Yesterday we both wanted the Packers and Jets to win.  Well, we're going to be glad to see the Packer stomp the Steelers.  Hopefully.  I have been asked several times what I will be doing for the super bowl...well, watching it, duh!  When I was growing up, my dad and a group of his friends would get together and rent rooms at the Holiday Inn so the kids could swim and play and the adults could drink and watch football and we all ate, ALL DAY LONG.  I asked Payton if I should do this....he said, well I won't be swimming, I'll be watching!  I just laughed.  Guess we'll probably have our own party at home again this year.

Blogging vs Facebook?

So, I've decided to give this blogging thing a try.  I always want to post stuff on Facebook, but think "who would want to read that??"...so I've decided to try it out here and see if anyone actually does! :)  After reading a friend's recent travel story, day by day on her blog, I decided this would be a great way to log our trips, too!  And then another friend posted about making books at the end of each year and I thought, what a great thing for Payton to have later in life.  I wish I had started 12 years ago!  But I didn't.  Sad.  I will probably have to throw in some events that have happened in the last 12 years, here and there.
I've decided to make this one of my New Year's resolutions.  Maybe it'll work out, or maybe, like a lot of my resolutions, it will not.  We'll see.....