tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7750492872457913612024-03-05T01:11:34.872-07:00BreezyAnna'sAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-85221437583383383022014-12-19T15:09:00.000-07:002014-12-19T15:13:01.531-07:00BitterSweet Endings.. the learning kindI had one of those bittersweet moments as this past fall semester came to an end. I was so glad to see the finish line, yet somehow sad that I would have no more hours in the dark room, no more pouring over essays...<br />
This past fall semester was pure beautiful torture! - The only torture that comes with lots of growth. I became clearer in my focus, became more patient, and became more unpretentious. <br />
My schedule included Black and White Darkroom Photography, Technical Communication, and Intro to Psychology. <br />
I had some pretty huge awakenings right off. The number one thing being that I had much to learn. (Go figure!) Working as a professional photographer for Sears for a few years I walked into this film classroom thinking it was going to be my easiest class.. a breeze! I couldn't have been more wrong! -Though I will miss all those hours in the darkroom,. joking and working on assignments with some amazing photographers who like myself were about to pull out all of their own hair if they had to do one more test strip! -Though I once again found love in creating a picture and let me tell you.. I still have much to learn.<br />
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<b>Now for some pics from this past semester's photo processing adventure:</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62eGQq_bT885L5S4iInDO0e2XzqHB9C0sl5J3uB10xjzZqlxaBL27rLUSyjoZnh9nXRBzJJbdGaeb2oeJB1qDKmDd5IME68Ar1AY9-5SAfbMo76aP2_WMkbKwO7zS3NvmJ4_ZXSqgrnef/s1600/IMG_2652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62eGQq_bT885L5S4iInDO0e2XzqHB9C0sl5J3uB10xjzZqlxaBL27rLUSyjoZnh9nXRBzJJbdGaeb2oeJB1qDKmDd5IME68Ar1AY9-5SAfbMo76aP2_WMkbKwO7zS3NvmJ4_ZXSqgrnef/s1600/IMG_2652.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Developing the film</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBXhdS0pUiGgM5bAyveDTmErcZOsIECjtVI_19PGyk7IcBQ5C4XkwL7XBzU2fqf8WMEAg8T6_ytF3MEot46BqAdUH_Zz0N7x06bsOdHBJWS-3V1M9z-76mvHSmRsZyIXptwo1p4Dsg6vW/s1600/IMG_2237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBXhdS0pUiGgM5bAyveDTmErcZOsIECjtVI_19PGyk7IcBQ5C4XkwL7XBzU2fqf8WMEAg8T6_ytF3MEot46BqAdUH_Zz0N7x06bsOdHBJWS-3V1M9z-76mvHSmRsZyIXptwo1p4Dsg6vW/s1600/IMG_2237.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking out a negative to print from.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWQV8sSI8b_ra2IDbEHl_lRWsnm8ww5I0O9TiL5z6Z73otXExj9us0AffytBS1wNPHSss84H4XKnfBVrj-QW7td-M5TtspxrrR47vsPNgxo1PTXnFl7LN7daXAe_FDiPU2mU00PtBsm3v/s1600/IMG_3485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWQV8sSI8b_ra2IDbEHl_lRWsnm8ww5I0O9TiL5z6Z73otXExj9us0AffytBS1wNPHSss84H4XKnfBVrj-QW7td-M5TtspxrrR47vsPNgxo1PTXnFl7LN7daXAe_FDiPU2mU00PtBsm3v/s1600/IMG_3485.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final prints. </td></tr>
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<b><b>(I plan to post a new photo portfolio to my fb soon)</b></b></div>
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Although the rest of my classes did not tempt me to pull my hair.. they still made me grow...<br />
Technical Communication tested my ability to write without emotion, yet to still keep peoples attention. I found myself reading over my own work and my mind just locking up and shutting down! It was truly a struggle.. Being ADD it really took some effort for me to complete each informational assignment. I learned a lot however and now am much more conscious when putting my thoughts down on paper and when expressing myself verbally.<br />
Introduction to Psychology was my fun class. Yes, I said fun.. (who would have known?.) it was just pure enjoyment for me. I have always had a passion for understanding us humans. - I also got really good at color coding my notes. Which made studying for those awful trick quiz questions much easier.<br />
The struggle I had in each class was worth it though.. I ended with Straight A's and am looking forward to more struggles next semester. I am shocked.. but I am loving school.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-8076210722012614002014-10-10T10:00:00.001-06:002014-10-14T19:20:37.721-06:00Wisdom drop<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">According to Breanna today..</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">SUBJECT: "<i>TAKEN BUT LONELY</i>" </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's interesting how someone can come into your life and create a void. Your fine before. Then here is this person and you all of a sudden have expectations for them, that they aren't fulfilling. So a hole inside you forms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I think this is why you can feel even more alone with someone, then you ever can without. We create our own loneliness through our expectations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So how do we stop this void, this hole, this feeling of loneliness?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Should you just let go of all your expectations. -I say No, some expectations you need to take care of yourself. To set healthy boundaries and limits. Though there are expectations you need to let go of: the false ideas, negative beliefs, unhealthy limitations.. -Other times, it is the person you need to let go of and say goodbye to. -And sometimes it's both. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So how do you know?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I suggest</b>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1) That you talk to yourself to figure out if it's just your expectations or the person or both. Ask yourself questions. If your not sure what to ask, I suggest seeing a "clean language" facilitator. They can really help you realize what you want and if your expectations are right for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2) Be kind to yourself, stand up for yourself, and care for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3) Don't act rash, be certain in your findings. And then act with a plan. You'll know when it's right, you won't sway, ..you'll stand taller. -whether you just need to regroup or say your goodbyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And if you must say goodbye, it will be for healthy reasons, not confusion and frustration. You will be clear. And able to articulate it.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Best of wishes in this journey!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">May you align yourself so the cosmos can be ever in your favor!</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M5iDK9wB73Ojp8eQdZ0c_H4o5qlt9tW220WTz591HSGGJMco6-Yqhl_SwQUkJdUUVhb9jEgqZjRrzpAdms09RPtxS68_Oh-epuCLfTCzBAyPF5TSGFH068lkyYM-aYJ6RrijOSeB-8KD/s640/blogger-image--1603202763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M5iDK9wB73Ojp8eQdZ0c_H4o5qlt9tW220WTz591HSGGJMco6-Yqhl_SwQUkJdUUVhb9jEgqZjRrzpAdms09RPtxS68_Oh-epuCLfTCzBAyPF5TSGFH068lkyYM-aYJ6RrijOSeB-8KD/s400/blogger-image--1603202763.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes the persons a dog. Other times it's how you're playing the game, - that makes them appear that way. At times you both may just need to go over the rules. -And sometimes, they're a dog and you've been a bad gambler. đ </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-57499556344898787922014-06-01T09:00:00.000-06:002014-06-01T09:00:02.524-06:00Recently<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We've been:</div>
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Cleaning up the backyard, burning sticks, leaves, and last years Christmas Tree.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MLfwrfIc1Rip4H1Ws4ZfE0ErAUEvNq-OsJc9v8j91etJLJNEj3EAdQpZ28gwvzqmCNa1lrtnY7gCJnz9Imr5U2g55dnhgyN5D-7AY0hOzdoErWh2RCCqWilA8djS4e53le2LEPDbRBG8/s1600/IMG_0154.MOV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MLfwrfIc1Rip4H1Ws4ZfE0ErAUEvNq-OsJc9v8j91etJLJNEj3EAdQpZ28gwvzqmCNa1lrtnY7gCJnz9Imr5U2g55dnhgyN5D-7AY0hOzdoErWh2RCCqWilA8djS4e53le2LEPDbRBG8/s1600/IMG_0154.MOV" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've been:</div>
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Homeschooling the Will. I am so happy with the progress he has been making this year! I am looking forward to continuing throughout the summer and having his brother join in on all of our, educational fun! -And speaking of home-school, William wrote and illustrated his own book.. its so totally cute! Here's a video of him talking about it at the Art and History Fair last month. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9M4l9V9xCNMfZ8d8HqCNuO6OBCv06x_EiEXIebSVHb6J0LBXN3Li8s-a9M5dlCrtQE2qjXGs-CslWFjJ5gp6Ntf79ZvTa485SEWGUYx9-fCUO5LgcG-RQX7LpgvPkPvpE4VsSgFGIJvP/s1600/IMG_0051.MOV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9M4l9V9xCNMfZ8d8HqCNuO6OBCv06x_EiEXIebSVHb6J0LBXN3Li8s-a9M5dlCrtQE2qjXGs-CslWFjJ5gp6Ntf79ZvTa485SEWGUYx9-fCUO5LgcG-RQX7LpgvPkPvpE4VsSgFGIJvP/s1600/IMG_0051.MOV" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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I've also unfortunately or maybe fortunately, taken off the summer from collage. Financial Aid suspended me for dropping out back in 2001 (yeah thats over 10 years ago) and I just don't have another way financially right now to continue. So I have filed an appeal where I totally tooted my own horn about my rockin' grades! Though I wont know anything about that for another three or so weeks. I am hopeful though, so I have already signed up for the fall! And to help get me through collage financially I am looking into other options... I've been applying for scholarships and hoping that I don't have to get a.. (ahhhh) student loan... which I really hope I don't have to! No matter what though I am determined to finish! -What can I say, I was just a dumb kid back in 01'. -Thank the cosmos I've grown up a tad bit since then.</div>
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Here's a screen shot of the lovely e-mail they sent me just three days before I was to start summer classes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIS89khbb8LIzY6ZYQmDi_KUTMrYhtV8XrnL4cvBm2vL9ojsOJ4d0mHAgcVnE7m020syz7Zd7fP4MV6uDE1MIbWTwxYz2TCtACedwtg0dP222GNpUCO5sYMB3wuA1Zb6PfOy3SlS5xGxG/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIS89khbb8LIzY6ZYQmDi_KUTMrYhtV8XrnL4cvBm2vL9ojsOJ4d0mHAgcVnE7m020syz7Zd7fP4MV6uDE1MIbWTwxYz2TCtACedwtg0dP222GNpUCO5sYMB3wuA1Zb6PfOy3SlS5xGxG/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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-Yep they gave me some pretty awesome notice there. -I am thinking this is all for the best though, sure I am ending up graduating a whole year later then I had planned. But I can take it a bit slower now and I can continue to home-school for a bit longer, a win win in our book!</div>
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I also recently chopped and dyed my hair! So fun.. I love it.. and thinking I may go even shorter..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfRnbHQmaC43_UYgjUkai-KRdgOAHQC92KShjRhlzES10HX5GFkYYfCBF6B6V2QOK7AJFAnBYMXcZLcsd7vQdM2dN9V1KKQXfN8uWf0dVpeHdDe8GVIkWi4xHrIqQ0-T2jjeq9S9SfcMN/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfRnbHQmaC43_UYgjUkai-KRdgOAHQC92KShjRhlzES10HX5GFkYYfCBF6B6V2QOK7AJFAnBYMXcZLcsd7vQdM2dN9V1KKQXfN8uWf0dVpeHdDe8GVIkWi4xHrIqQ0-T2jjeq9S9SfcMN/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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I have more free time now with no classes this summer, so I have been trying to make the most of it.. finishing up projects. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ly0X6v87xlLxmwQr221UHYFcCd6NcEhW2BYGFifg8hlBXLM1ngdCkFAS87t3amxRXS1h7QDqtea5w6Xp9SeJaPnsj029rTArX8yLtznf9U-04H3abeDLy3LGuDDzvuFB7PM0bXrCQ-JK/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ly0X6v87xlLxmwQr221UHYFcCd6NcEhW2BYGFifg8hlBXLM1ngdCkFAS87t3amxRXS1h7QDqtea5w6Xp9SeJaPnsj029rTArX8yLtznf9U-04H3abeDLy3LGuDDzvuFB7PM0bXrCQ-JK/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">Only two to three more shoe boxes left of pictures to scrap book before I can go digital.. so excited! That means I will be able to get rid of all my scrapin' stuff! -Which will clear out a good section in the back family room. </span><br />
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My kids have: </div>
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shhhhhhh... its' a secret, but if you promise not to say a word.. THEY STARTED A BOYS ONLY CLUB! - I've been hearing an awful lot lately about this SECRET club house their cousins and them are building. They've made their own fishing poles, table, and chairs. haha.. such little rascals!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5L1VMdTsPm_H8Xk2AzdAmmfh-es0zes3B5RrtQDqlxX5ALgr4bsoijf-o2dgbVYSOMeTAVSg6fHl-Lm6xgQfI2HCXjCUANUgelnh9MGSJeI9_-KHIqrvblVPfT1NbtYhO-vea-lMHOpMq/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5L1VMdTsPm_H8Xk2AzdAmmfh-es0zes3B5RrtQDqlxX5ALgr4bsoijf-o2dgbVYSOMeTAVSg6fHl-Lm6xgQfI2HCXjCUANUgelnh9MGSJeI9_-KHIqrvblVPfT1NbtYhO-vea-lMHOpMq/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm_HSg807h4qgFPoDuXf9ycPPiWvDdKHp37yAG0XFP9wQkFfsBrPr0nGyTdEGFJmQBTChAkIaJoQRfbsuV09zOK7dKX5FMpIMa_z0oejuir96ny3cEK8y0CiAVvy1c8mhuP4u2EWlP2jk/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm_HSg807h4qgFPoDuXf9ycPPiWvDdKHp37yAG0XFP9wQkFfsBrPr0nGyTdEGFJmQBTChAkIaJoQRfbsuV09zOK7dKX5FMpIMa_z0oejuir96ny3cEK8y0CiAVvy1c8mhuP4u2EWlP2jk/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-43364176225435504452014-05-16T07:30:00.000-06:002014-05-31T13:52:04.553-06:00The Moral Issue of Tipping<div style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">This morning while brushing my hair out, I noticed it
was time I set up an appointment with my favorite local hairdresser. Like many women I like to keep up on the cosmetic
aspect of my hair, adding highlights and </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">low-lights</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> throughout the year. </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">Occasionally</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> I will do a whole new look, dying my hair some adverse color or chopping it all off. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">Parting my hair in the mirror, I noticed how much my
natural hair color had grown out. As I
looked down at my face I could see the stress start to form. My eyebrows moved closer together and
wrinkles begin to appear between them.
There was obvious stress in my face about scheduling an appointment. Even though I love my hairdresser, all I could
think about was the cost of getting another trim and touch up of my </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">low-lights</span><span style="line-height: 200%;">. The initial cost, although I
consider it high, isnât what was bothering me the most. It was the expected tip
at the end of service. The amount you give
to your hairdresser to say; Thanks, great job!
Like the seventy dollars you just handed over for the cut and color </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">wasn't</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> enough? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Now I donât
mean to offend any Hairdresserâs, nor do I have anything against them. I feel the same when I go out to my favorite
local restaurant. The waiters and
waitresses may be great at filling up my drinks and meeting all my consumer
needs. Although after paying the tab (which
is very rarely ever what I would consider a reasonable amount), I am again
expected to reach into my pockets and pull out more money. Have We the People discovered a way to
conjure up money out of thin air, just for tipping? Do I just not know this secret? Last I checked we were in a recession. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now I understand that in some cases, like that of waiters
and waitresses, most are not even paid minimum wage. The
act of tipping has given businesses an excuse and/or reason not to pay their
employees even the bare minimum wage allowance, because their employees can
claim tips. There are many articles
found online for employers to figure out if they have to pay minimum wage or if
they are able to pay less. In one of
these articles it states: âIf your employees earn tips from customers, you may
be able to pay them less than the minimum wage, as long as what you pay them
plus the tips they actually earn add up to at least the minimum wage per hour
workedâ (Steingold). Is this fair? Is any of this fair? Is it fair for the employer, employee, and
customer? I donât think so. Now for me this is a morality issue, right
vs. wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I recently watched a TED talk; The Moral Roots of
Liberals and Conservatives, by Psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Now I am not talking about Liberals vs.
Conservatives here, but in this particular talk Haidt discusses the findings of
a question he posed, âWhat is morality and where does it come from?â (Haidt). Now morality is what Iâm talking about. Haidt and a colleague of his, through research
found five basic foundations of morality; Harm/care, fairness/reciprocity,
in-group/loyalty, authority/respect and purity/sanctity. He describes these as ââŚthe sorts of things
that people talk about across disciplinesâŚthat you find across cultures and
even across speciesâ (Haidt). These five
foundations according to Haidt are what we use to make all right vs. wrong decisions
in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe two of these five foundations apply here: the
first is fairness. Now fairness is
described in the Merriam Webster on-line dictionary as âtreating people in a
way that does not favor some over othersâ (âfairnessâ def2). An example would be if I gave five dollars to
a neighborhood boy for raking up leaves one week, and then gave 5 dollars to
another neighborhood boy the next week, for doing the same chore. They received
the same amount of cash for the same act, making their pay fair. The second foundation is tradition. Tradition is defined in the Merriam Webster as
âa way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the
people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long timeâ
(âtraditionâ def1). An example of this
would be how on Thanksgiving Day, we Americans, have turkey every year and have
done so for generations; making eating turkey on Thanksgiving Day a tradition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe that in this case of tipping, the moral
foundation of fairness trumps the moral foundation of tradition. Tipping in businesses was once a
tradition built on supporting and caring for those whose service work
was not compensated by their employer. It created a fair society in our
labor force. In today's society however there is no need for
it, as laws demand all employees to be compensated fairly. Thus, I am
suggesting, the tradition to give tips in businesses should be
done away with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A simple Google search on <i>tipping</i> shows there is a common confusion with when, where, who,
and what amount is appropriate to tip. An
article in Business Insider states that there is âsignificant disagreement
about how much to tip for even common servicesâ (Roth). This article goes on to say: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">âŚ</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">you </span><em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">know</span></em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> you should
tip your waitress. But how much should you leave?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some people claim that 10% is adequate. Others claim
that 20% is standard. But I suspect that most of us learned to tip 15%, and to
give more for exceptional service. (The wikipedia entry on tipping currently
contains the bizarre claim that â18% is generally accepted as a standard tip
for good serviceâ.) Which amount is correct? (Roth). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is the most surprising after my research, is that
we as a society still feel the need to tip some, while not the need to tip
others that make the same or less an hour.
According to an article in the Huston Chronicle, the average U.S.
hairdresser makes â$12.72 per hourâ (Locsin).
According to another article from the same chronicle a CNA makes âan
average wage of $12.22 per hourâ (Banach).
So am I to conclude that as a society we have a greater appreciation for
those who pamper our beauty, than for those who care for us? Even when we are unable to care for
ourselves? These men and women literally
wipe our butts when we are not capable of doing so. Yet no website I looked up on tipping
suggested we give them an extra penny for this service. Though it was suggested we give the local
Hairdresser a 10-20% tip. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">Is it fair to anyone to carry on a tradition,
something that our society expects of us, when this tradition/expectation </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">doesn't</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> make sense? This is an unfair
tradition. Are the people who care for
you not as important as the ones who feed you, or make you feel beautiful? Why should a simple hair treatment take more
out of my pocket then someone who bathed me and cared for my health? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now one solution I see to create fairness in this, would
be to tip everyone; waiters/waitresses, CNAâs, Hairdressers, editors, bus
drivers, cashiers, sightseeing dogs⌠you get my point. Tipping everyone would be counterproductive. In short, my pockets are not in favor of
it. Instead let us quit tipping those
who already have a wage. If we quit
tipping, employers would be forced to pay at least minimum wage, prices would be
fairer and our society would make a tad bit more sense. Less stress would come from the workers and
consumers. Everyone would know where
they stand, how much they are bringing in and how much they are handing out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Through writing this, I hope I have been able to
convince a few. Until everyone is in agreement
with me though, I guess I better print out the suggested tips on Business
Insiders; âThis Is How Much You Should Tip for Every Serviceâ (Roth). And I had better make that call to my
hairdresser, these roots of mine canât wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Works Cited</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Banach, Amanda. "How Much Does a CNA Make an Hour?" Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">"Jonathan Haidt: The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservatives." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Locsin, Aurelio. "How Much Does the Average Hair Stylist Make?" Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Roth, J.D. "This Is How Much You Should Tip For Every Service." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Steingold, Fred. "When Must Employers Pay the Minimum Wage?" Nolo.com. NOLO, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-72070774994781065072014-05-13T07:30:00.000-06:002014-05-14T21:31:42.590-06:00Last Part of: Public school and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Does it meet the Needs?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
To me, no, the public schools are not meeting Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) needs. Many
parents like I have chosen and are choosing to pull our kids out of the public
school system despite the financial restraints, the belief that homeschooling
causes a lack in social skills, and the assumptions that parents just have
false expectations. What has led me to ultimately
believe that the schools are failing to meet, not only my childrenâs needs but
all those with ASD, is the disturbingly low percentage rate of those with ASD
receiving diplomas, the extremely poor outcome of ASD adults after public
school, and my highly unacceptable personal experiences with ASD in the public
school system. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
I previously mentioned that I have two ASD boys and am
homeschooling the oldest one. There are
others like myself who after seeing one or more of our ASD children struggling
in the public school system have chosen to quit working full time in order to pursue
other options for our kids, like homeschool.
We do this despite the fact that we may have to pull a great deal more money
out of our pockets than we did when our children were receiving free services
in the public schools. In order for our
children to have a better learning experience and a brighter future many of us
have accepted having a tighter budget. I
have found that although my budget is tighter, I do not have to pull a great
deal more money out. I have been able to
find services that not only accept my medical insurance, but also provide my
child with a higher quality of these services.
William, my oldest who I homeschool, is doing far better with these services
then he ever did in the free services provided through the public schools. Because of this I have found living on a
lower income, worth it. So no, to me at
least, free services are not a reason to keep your struggling ASD child in the
public schools. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
You do not need to go to school to learn the important
social cues and appropriate behavior to succeed in life either. There are other ways your child can interact
with peers and those of all ages to learn these skills. I personally have implemented a manners
program in our homeschooling and we are involved in a group where we get
together at least once a week with other homeschoolers. We meet this group at parks, field trips, and
at academic fairs; here social skills can be learned. And there are other opportunities; my child
plays daily with our local neighborhood kids, we go to the theatre together, we
go shopping together, to visit friends and family, to museums⌠Every interaction with another person during
one of these events is an opportunity to guide, direct, and reinforce good
behavior. You do not need to go to
school to gain social skills; there are social opportunities all around us. I believe that with the right guidance ASD
kids, not in a public school, can succeed socially. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
I find it rude that others believe parents, like me,
just have false expectations. I ask, Is
it false expectations from parents or just low expectations from the
school? I know my child to be bright and
capable of learning. If he is not
progressing in the system, should I not want change from it? This to me is simply an excuse schools use
for not meeting ASD needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
I believe if public schools were meeting the needs of
ASD children the percent of those who graduate would be higher. I want to remind you of a statistic I
mentioned earlier, that according to Forbes magazine âabout 56% of people with
autism graduate from high schoolâ (Walton).
Of all the students I know (and I admit that I only know a small fraction
of those with the diagnoses) I believe them all to be capable of keeping up
with their non ASD peers and earning a diploma.
I know for some it takes a lot more work than others, but with what I
have researched and those I do know, I believe they all are capable of it. I would like to remind you that I am not the
only one who thinks this; on the Center for Educationâs website it states that,
âthe majority of students with disabilities should be able to perform at grade
level and graduate high school with a regular diplomaâ (Ulrich). Many of those with ASD appear to be regular
people who happen to have some rather unusual quirks, though these quirks are
what causes them to struggle and excel in areas the average Joe would not. ASD kids are capable of learning and they are
capable of progressing academically.
Forty-four percent of ASD pupils donât get to wear a cap and gown. That is too high of a percentage for a group
of kids who have the ability to gain the knowledge needed to earn a High school
diploma. This statistic shows me that
the public schools are not meeting ASD pupilsâ needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I believe in order
to know whether something is working, one looks at the outcomes. Another statistic I had mentioned previously
from the top ASD advocacy organization, stated that ârecent reports indicate
unemployment and underemployment together hover around 90 percent for adults
with autismâ (Autism Speaks). Ninety
percent is a very large amount for any group of people. As a mother of ASD children this bothers
me. As a taxpaying citizen this bothers
me; who is going to care for this growing number of ASD adults to live? These results are not satisfactory. How is it that these kids capable of one day
providing for themselves, are not? The
only answer I can come up with is that they are not being taught the skills
they need to succeed prior to graduating and entering the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
There is a community who welcomes ASD adults who are unable
to live completely on their own. This
community, Marbridge, holds trainings for their ASD individuals on life skills
and job skills. They have expressed that
âAt Marbridge, we believe young people with autism can become self-determining
adults, capable of competingâand winningâin the competitive workplace. Time and
again, they prove us rightâ (Marbridge).
Marbridge has shown that with the right education, these kids can
flourish, holding down jobs and progressing in a career. Yet that education isnât happening on a nationwide
level and as a result a large percent of ASD adults are not meeting their
potential. I believe the percent of those
unemployed and underemployed would be much lower if the public schools were teaching
these ASD kids the skills they need to make it in life as taxpaying ASD adults. As of right now this outcome of ninety
percent of adults not working or under working, shows me that the public
schools are not meeting ASD needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
To my disappointment I have not found any statistics on the
percent of ASD homeschoolers, charter school students or private school pupils
who graduate. I had wanted to show the
percent of those who graduate and what these ASD adults are doing after
receiving a diploma or the equivalent of one.
Although I did not find any of these statistics on ASD kids not in a
public school, I did find numerous accounts on websites and forums from other
parents, who like myself, have pulled their kids out of public school, and with
much relief discovered that their ASD student is happier and progressing
faster. I asked on one of these ASD
homeschooling forums if anyone wouldnât mind writing me a short message for
this paper about why they chose to homeschool.
I had several parents respond, all with words that reflect what I have
written here. One mother, Andrea Plante,
messaged me that she âopted to homeschool because public school just doesn't
offer what our kids deserve. I can change her (referring to her child with ASD)
IEP till the cows come home but it will never change the system.â Another Mother, Nicole Largy, said âI haven't
pulled my son out of public school yet but I am seriously considering it. I'm
fed up with our school system.â These
parents, like myself and many more out there, love our ASD children and it
hurts us to see our children struggling unnecessarily. When the schools are not meeting our
childrenâs needs, we see no other choice, but to try an alternate route. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
My personal experiences from having two ASD children in
the public schools have led me to this belief that the schools are not meeting
ASD needs and have given me ideas for how they could do better. Last year in our local public school, my
oldest child William, was more days than not coming home overwhelmed and his homework
would usually end in tears. I have
always been an active parent with the schools, I know the teachers and
principals, and I have a good relationship with all the staff. I attend parent teacher conferences, Individualized
Education Program (IEP) meetings, and have even called meetings to be
held. I believe the staff for the most
part really do care and try to offer the most they can, however the schools are
just not set up in a way that can fully meet the needs of ASD students. These kids are not learning at an appropriate
pace and not moving on successfully. The
public schools I believe would have a much easier time meeting these studentsâ
needs if they had better training for all staff on ASD and hired specific ASD classroom
aids for each class with an ASD student.
These aids would need to be in addition to normal classroom aids, having
someone who can work one-on-one with just the ASD children. William, I believe, would not have come home
so overwhelmed if he had had the help of an ASD classroom aid. I do not believe the way they do it now is
working, pulling children out of their main classroom to work on specific
academic areas they struggle with. My
youngest, Richard, is beginning to fall behind in areas as well now and I
believe it is due to pulling him out of his mainstream classroom. An in-classroom aid would be a more fitting
alternative and something I plan to bring up during his next IEP meeting. I do understand that children need pulled out
for specific therapies, like speech therapy and occupational therapy. Though having an aid would dramatically change
the amount they are taken out and meet their needs more proficiently, being
able to help them in the classroom. I
believe this additional aid in the classroom will raise the number who graduate
and raise the percent of ASD adultâs employed.
This in turn helps the schools to better meet ASD studentsâ needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
By writing this I hope I have shown the gaps, got you
thinking, and perhaps even talking.
Whether you agree with me or not I hope you are more aware of ASD in our
public school system. If any of you have
ideas that would provide a better education and brighter future for these kids,
please share them. Share these thoughts
with your local public schoolâs principals, administrators, and teachers. My hope is for our public schools to truly be
meeting these kidâs needs. I believe that
when the public schools are meeting the needs of ASD, the graduation rates will
raise, ASD adults will have an improved employment percentage, and overall the
ASD experiences in the public schools will be better. Let us keep the conversation going, no change
will happen if we simply stop it here. <o:p></o:p><br />
(Written in May of 2014)</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
Works Cited<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
"Autism Residential Care at Marbridge."
Marbridge Group Homes for Autistic Adults, Programs for Adults <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
with Autism Residential Care, Jobs
For Autistic Adults. Marbridge, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Largy, Nicole. Reply to group post. 23 Apr. 2014. Facebook
group page âHomeschooling with Autism <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Spectrum Disorders - A place to
share and supportâ<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Plante, Andrea. Message reply to post. 23 Apr. 2014.
Facebook group page âHomeschooling with Autism <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Spectrum Disorders - A place to
share and supportâ<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
"Strengthening Support for Adults with
Autism." Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks, 04 Aug. 2012. Web. 06 <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Apr. 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Walton, Alice G. "Living Life With Autism: Has
Anything Really Changed?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 30 <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Nov. 2011. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-72536422296146196942014-05-12T07:30:00.000-06:002014-05-12T07:30:01.623-06:00Part three of: Public school and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Does it meet the Needs?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Many of these same parents and caregivers who initially
chose to place their Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) child in the public school
system, end up just a few months or years later pulling them out, placing them
in a charter school, private school, or homeschooling. To them what first seemed to be a comfort has
turned into frustration. The support and
education their child was receiving in public school was not what they would
call good enough.<br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">These parents/caregivers and many others with them
believe the public schools do not meet the needs for an ASD pupil to succeed and primarily focus their argument on unacceptable
statistics, lack of services, and poor quality of programs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
A significantly lower percent of those with ASD graduate
High School than the national average. In
a recent article written by a contributor for Forbes magazine it was stated
that âabout 56% of people with autism graduate from high schoolâ (Walton). According to the Washington Post, the
national graduation rate is â75.5 percentâ (Layton). That is a large enough gap in percentages to
concern parents with ASD children. On
the Center for Educationâs website, a report done on special education states
that âthe majority of students with disabilities should be able to perform at
grade level and graduate high school with a regular diplomaâ (Ulrich). So these ASD students should be graduating if
they are able to do the work and keep up with their peers. The only reason to conclude why they are not
then is because the public schools are not meeting their needs to succeed in
the system. Holding a high school
diploma significantly raises the chances in oneâs life for a better future. With a diploma you are less likely to be
unemployed, more likely to work above minimum wage, less likely to live off of
public assistance programs, and are less
likely to go to jail. All of these very good
reasons why parents are concerned with the public schools not meeting their
childrenâs needs to gain a diploma. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
There is also much worry in the fact that those on the
Spectrum after graduation are struggling.
The same article about those with ASD from Forbes magazine informs us
that âa study last year looked at a group of young adults over the long term to
see what they did after high school. About 18% were employed, and 14% were in
collegeâ (Walton). These percentages are
too small. The worldâs leading
organization in Autism advocacy, Autism Speaks, states that ârecent reports
indicate unemployment and underemployment together hover around 90 percent for
adults with autismâ (Autism Speaks). That
is too many ASD pupils who are not meeting their potential. Employment is important in order to be able
to function on oneâs own in society and attending college can help these kids
to gain jobs that better fit their abilities.
The majority of those with ASD are capable of continuing their education
and holding down a job. They have the
ability to be able to provide for themselves and by doing so they would not
have to rely on tax payers to care for them.
ASD persons are known to be friendly, honest, intelligent and dedicated
workers, though they are lacking the skills they need to continue their
education and gain jobs that fit their abilities. All these statistics can conclude that the public
schools are not providing the necessary skills for ASD pupils to succeed after
graduation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Many times in public school those with ASD find
themselves to be the main targets for bullies.
ASD studentsâ natures tend to be much more timid and as a result make
excellent targets for bullies. A news
article written on Huffington Post reads that a study âdone on behalf of the
U.S. Department of Education, shows that 46.3% -- or nearly half -- of young
men and women with ASDs are victims of bullyingâ (Mustich). This same article goes on to say that âthe
victimization statistic for adolescents on the spectrum is far higher than the
10.6% estimate for teens without ASDsâ (Mustich). So a much higher number of those with ASD are
finding themselves the target of bullies, being ridiculed and intimidated into
doing things they do not want to do. Not
the social experience any of us want for our kids. This is why many through tears and
frustration have pulled their children out of public school system and why many
believe the public schools are not meeting ASD needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
There are many who believe that the services received by
the public schools are not as beneficial as the services one can receive
outside. In an article written by a
mother of an ASD child entitled âHow My Autistic Son Got Lost in the Public
School Systemâ, this mother explains that "not everyone would have the right
background or the right attitude to deal with my childâ (Mackin). Many like her have seen their children go
through similar experiences. And after
taking their children out of public schools and placing them into therapy
elsewhere have noticed a huge difference in the speed in which their children
make improvements. Even though their
therapists may have had a degree in Speech therapy, they were not familiar with
ASD characteristics. Understanding what
effects your student allows you to come up with better techniques for teaching
them in a more effective way. Without
this knowledge the students can become lost, resulting in a poor quality of
education and not meeting the pupils needs to succeed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Itâs no surprise that with the economy in the shape it
is budget cuts have been made that directly affect the ASD education in the
public schools. Last year the Texas
Education Agency made an estimate for this year that âup to $51 million in
federal money could be slashed from special-education programs and $65.4
million from Title I, a federal initiative that aids low-income students, along
with cuts to teacher professional development, career-technical programs and
English language acquisition classesâ (Schneider). These budget cuts mean teachers being laid
off, which results in bigger classes, and then in turn that causes a poorer
quality of education. With not as many
teachers to teach, it is harder to meet individual needs. Because of this many of those with special
needs, like those with ASD, are slowing in progression academically. Also because of these budget cuts special services
for those with ASD, like occupational therapy, are down grading. In many rural areas these services are already
gone, taking essential resources away from the students. Without these services/therapies those with
ASD are unable to learn important skills that can help them to overcome their
disabilities. Without these learned techniques
academics are harder to grasp and life will be more of a struggle for
them. This is something many parents and
caretakers share frustrations over.
These lack of services are making it to where the public schools are not
able to meet ASD childrenâsâ needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
The No Child Left Behind Act and Common Core were meant
to improve the childrenâsâ education, but instead have caused a down grade in
the quality of schooling they receive.
The Atlantic recently published an article by Professor Katherine Beals,
the author of Raising a Left-Brain Child in a Right-Brain World. In this article she states that âThough most
Common Core goals are abstract and schematic, collectively they constitute a
one-size fits-all approach that, in practice, has severely straightjacketed Americaâs
special-needs studentsâ (Beals). She is
saying that the common core teaches only one way, that there isnât room to
alter the teaching in any way to fit a child who has disabilities and one way
teaching is hindering those with special needs.
She goes on to say that, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
âEven before the
widespread adoption of the Common Core, it was already increasingly rare for
even the most intellectually unusual children to be exemptedâwhether by
acceleration, remediation, or placement in special classroomsâfrom the course
of study followed by their cognitively typical peers. The 2001 No Child Left
Behind Act had schools focusing away from the most academically advanced
students (and requires no special programming for them); the 2004
re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required
children with disabilities âto be involved in and make progress in the general
education curriculum.â Increasingly, itâs the general curriculum for everyone.
And now that this general curriculum is being shaped by dozens of
grade-specific Common Core standards, and that teachers (including special-ed
teachers) are increasingly expected to align each dayâs lesson with one or more
of these standards, thereâs even less room for remediation or accelerationâ
(Beals).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This means that for years now the programs that have been put into place
have caused it to where those with special needs are not able to receive
alternate teaching methods and accommodations.
This slows down ASD childrenâsâ progression. If they are not able to receive lessons
adjusted to fit the way they learn, they are not able to learn at a similar
pace as the mainstream. Students being
forced to learn in a way that doesnât resonate with them, causes them to
struggle in even the most basic and easiest lessons, that otherwise would have
come easy to them. This results in unnecessary
stress and frustration, causing students to think learning is a horrible
tortures thing. Having these poor
quality of programs in the public school system is not what you would call
meeting the needs of an ASD child to succeed.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Parents and others
who care about the present and future of these kids with ASD have a hard time
overlooking all of these issues in the public school system. It is truly upsetting to see the low
percentage of graduates and the low percentage of those employed as adults. And the amount of these kids being bullied is
heartbreaking. It is also frustrating to
see the services that are not working with the studentâs disabilities and the
programs these kids need that are being slashed and downgraded. With all of this it is no surprise they
choose other options for schooling their ASD child, believing that the public schools
do not meet ASD childrenâsâ needs to succeed.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Written in April of 2014)</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
Works Cited<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Beals, Katharine. "The Common Core Is Tough on Kids With Special
Needs." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Company, 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Boser, Ulrich. "Special Education: A Better Perspective (full
Report)." Special Education: A Better <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Perspective (full Report). Center for Public Education,
15 Oct. 2009. Web. 06 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Layton, Lyndsey. "High School Graduation Rate
Rises in U.S." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 19 <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Mackin, Amy. "How My Autistic Son Got Lost in
the Public School System." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Company, 03 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Apr.
2014<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Mustich, Emma. "Bullying And Autism: Study Finds
Almost Half Of Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Disorder
Have Been Victimized." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06
Sept. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Schneider, Elena. "Special-Education Programs
Steel Themselves as Cuts Loom." New York Times, Late <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Edition (East Coast) ed.Mar 22 2013.
ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2014 .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
"Strengthening Support for Adults with
Autism." Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks, 04 Aug. 2012. Web. 06 <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Apr. 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Walton, Alice G. "Living Life With Autism: Has
Anything Really Changed?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 30 <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Nov. 2011. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-41936635612314609292014-05-09T07:30:00.000-06:002014-05-09T07:30:03.057-06:00Part two of: Public school and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Does it meet the Needs?<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
When parents and caregivers of
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children first learn of their childâs diagnoses
they instantly begin to feel overwhelmed. Right away these parents/caregivers begin
researching and immediately realize that in order for their child to succeed
academically and in life, their child is going to need a lot of extra
support. This extra support includes
things like: Applied behavior analysis
(ABA) therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Upon realizing this questions begin popping
into these parents/caregivers heads. Questions
like: Will I be able to find the help my
child needs, will I be able to pay for all the extra services, will my
insurance cover any of it, and will my child need to attend a school other than
a public one. Public school can actually
be a huge stress reliever, especially when money is a concern. Public school is not only free, but by law has
to provide for those with special needs, administering special therapies and having
teachers who are trained to work with those who have disabilities. This is why a large group of parents/caregivers
choose to send their children to public school; they have hope the schools will
meet their childrenâsâ needs without putting them in a financial distress.<br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Many believe
that the public schools are able to meet the needs for an ASD pupil to succeed. These people who do so primarily focus their
argument on better social skills, false expectations from others, and the
services provided by the schools. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Better social skills is referring to ASD children being
more successful in picking up on social cues in a public school setting verses
a non-public one. They believe that their behavior is more
positive and appropriate for any given situation because they attend a public
school. Examples of these skills are
knowing when on a playground for recess you can run, talk loudly, and
play. Although in the classroom during a
lesson you need to sit still, be quiet, and listen. That one does not push his way through a
crowd, but instead uses manners, and politely makes his way through. In a study done at the University of
California with ASD students of the age of seven and eight it was determined
that âparent and teacher agreement on child characteristics ratings tended to
be similar while differences between parent ratings of students in public and
non-public school settings found more behavior problems and poorer social
skills for students in non-public school placements compared to public-school
settingsâ(Blacher et al 469). So those
ASD children who show similar traits to one another taught in a private setting,
like homeschooled students, tend to show more negative behavior and poorer
social skills than those in a public school setting, making public school the
better option. This is important to know
because no one wants a naughty child or wants their kid to associate with a
problem child. So by doing the better
job of teaching appropriate behavior and good social skills, public schools are
meeting these ASD studentsâ needs. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Social skills are so important in oneâs life, these
skills lead us to making connections in appropriate ways with others, forming a
friendship. Without these skills we
would struggle to survive and function in society. Knowing how to behave in a certain situation guides
and directs where one goes in life. In
another report that supports this same study done at the University of
California researchers âLyons, Cappadocia, and Weiss (2011) found that
elementary students who were fully included with their typical peers had higher
levels of social skills and more friends as compared to students in a more
restrictive environmentâ (Blacher et al 471).
In a public school setting ASD kids are much more likely to make friends,
than those in a homeschool environment where social life is limited, due to the
setting being more private. By being in
a place like public school, where there is a large amount of peers, they have
the social opportunities to learn these higher skills, and in turn gain close
acquaintances. These friendships allow
them to have a more fulfilled life. Having
friends, means they are not alone and have a network to support and guide them
through troubled times. They are less
likely to have depression and less likely to act out. All showing that having these higher levels
of behavior/social skills help those with ASD to navigate easier in life,
benefiting them in their relationships, academics, and in future professions. Concluding that by having an environment
which can better teach these correct and proper ways of getting along in
society the public schools are meeting the needs of ASD pupils to succeed.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Those who believe the schools are meeting all the ASD
needs, also believe that those who donât agree with them have false
expectations. In an article written by
two psychologists, David Gold and Thomas Stacy, for the Child Welfare League of
America, they state:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: 2.25pt;">
Two
points about special education are widely misunderstood by the public. First,
the purpose of special education is to help students already experiencing
significant difficulties in the education system, not to prevent students from
experiencing difficulty in the first place. The second misconception is that
the special education system is supposed to provide whatever services are
necessary to ensure the best education for its students.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: 2.25pt;">
This
is not the case. Rather, the role of special education is to provide the
necessary services to ensure a good or adequate education for the student.
Special education isn't supposed to provide a Mercedes-Benz education. It is mandated,
however, to provide the educational equivalent of a Honda Accord (Childrenâs
Voice).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So they are saying that the public school systemâs special needs
department is meant only to help those children who before attending, notably
struggled academically. That parents
and caregivers should not expect the public schools to provide their ASD
children with the best available academics out there. By law all that the schools are required to
do is provide a decent education and by doing so are meeting the needs of the
students.<br />
<span style="line-height: 200%;">These people also
feel that with the low percentage of students on the spectrum there isnât enough
of a need to implement other programs that would only be catering to a few
students. According to the group The
Future of Children, at Princeton University, it was reported that in 2009-10
school year there were only â13.1 percentâ of students receiving special needs
services and only â6 percentâ of those had a diagnoses of ASD (Aron and
Loprest). Six percent is a very small
portion of students for schools to spend extra money on getting resources,
implementing new programs, and adjusting the way they are teaching. Many feel that the current education ASD
students are being provided with by the public school system is good
enough. They receive therapy from
specialists who also work with other diagnosisâs and provide teachers with
general special needs degrees. By
providing these special services the public schools are able to meet these
kidâsâ basic needs, without adding to or changing the way things are done. So
this small percentage of ASD Students are able to succeed and have their needs
met without making any adjustments to the schoolâs workings.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%;">They also argue that
when the needs are not being met it is the parentâs fault. Psychologists David Gold and Thomas Stacy go
on to say that when the special education system is âUsed appropriately by
parents armed with an understanding of the system and a good working
relationship with the school, special education can be an invaluable resource
for many children, including those diagnosed with learning disabilities, mental
retardation, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autismâ
(Childrenâs Voice). This suggests that
if the schools are not meeting the needs of a child, it is because the parents
do not understand the system and are not as connected with the school faculty
as they should be. When parents are
actively engaged with the schools, attending meetings, learning about options
in the system and keeping communication lines open, their childrenâs needs are
able to be better met. So it is the
parentâs lack of involvement and communication that prevents the schools from
meeting their childâs needs, otherwise the schools would have their needs met.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">These people also believe the public schools are meeting
the needs because of the special services provided for children with
disabilities. Psychologists David Gold
and Thomas Stacy inform us that âSpecial education students may also receive
specialized therapy from one or more school-based professionals--often called
related service providers--including school psychologists, social workers,
occupational therapists, and speech and language therapistsâ (Childrenâs
Voice). So the public schools not only
have teachers with specific degrees in teaching those with disabilities, but
also offer other experts to help in specific areas that can increase academic
progress. It is very rare and very hard
to find so many services under one roof. The Adamsâ, parents of a recent ASD graduate
named Bridger, like many others agree that by offering this network of
specialists the schools are meeting ASD childrenâsâ needs. In a news article about their son graduating
and entering the world, reporter Carissa Wolf says âIn 10 years, Adams' son,
Bridger, matriculates through the public school system that has buoyed him and
the family through the initial diagnosis and years of special education. But
schools give children like Adams' son more than a home to learn. The buildings
house experts in her son's diagnosis and specialists who know how to turn
delays into adaptations and disabilities into abilitiesâ (Wolf). So by receiving all of these great resources
of specialists and the services they provide, their ASD student was able to
learn how to work around his weaknesses in order to meet the standards needed
to succeed. Many others like the Adamsâ
feel the same way, that the schools are meeting their childrenâsâ needs to
succeed.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%;">With all of these things in
mind, an ASD child having better social skills, parents being active
caretakers, and special services being provided by the schools, they believe the
public school system is meeting the needs for any ASD child to succeed in the
public school system. Giving those
parents who are overwhelmed by their childâs recent diagnoses of ASD, a place
of comfort. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 200%;">(Written in March of 2014)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Works
Cited<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
Aron, Laudan, and Pamela
Loprest. "Disability and the Education System." - The Future of Children -. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Princeton
Bookings, 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
Gold, David, and Stacy Thomas.
"Navigating Special Ed." Children's Voice 12 2005: 28-30. ProQuest. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
Web.
2 Apr. 2014 .<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
Lauderdale-Littin, Stacy, Erica
Howell, and Jan Blacher. "Educational Placement for Children with Autism <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in;">
Spectrum
Disorders in Public and Non-Public School Settings: The Impact of Social Skills
and Behavior Problems." Education and Training in Autism and Developmental
Disabilities 48.4 (2013): 469-78. ProQuest. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
Wolf, Carissa. "Graduating
into the Unknown." Boise Weekly: 11. May 2012. ProQuest. Web. 2 Apr. 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-1823306869262905492014-05-08T14:13:00.001-06:002014-05-08T20:58:05.463-06:00 Public school and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Does it meet the Needs?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Part one of four:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">I am the mother of two boys, both with the diagnoses of
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). </span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">As an
activist for my childrenâs education, I have dealt frequently with the public
schoolâs special needs resources.</span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">I personally believe that the public school system does not have the necessary
accommodations and resources to meet the needs of an ASD student.</span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Autism/ASD is a mental condition causing social quirks,
sensory disorders, difficulty with language development, and an uneven
distribution of strengths. Children with
ASD are not all alike. One cannot tell
if a child is autistic from simply looking at him/her. Those with ASD are vastly and uniquely
different. While one child may be able
to communicate fairly well, having a vast vocabulary and only struggling
occasionally with a sound or two, another child on the Autism Spectrum may be completely non-verbal. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Both of my children have the ASD characteristics I
mentioned above, yet my oldest childâs characteristics are much more profound
than those of my youngest. This is where
the spectrum comes in; William, my oldest, is higher on the spectrum than
Richard, my youngest. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
William, my very serious, brown haired, blue eyed, nine
year old, truly struggles with connecting his brain to his mouth. He knows so much, yet he cannot voice it. The first time he and I were able to have
even a basic conversation, exchanging thoughts in spoken words, he was five. Most kids begin talking in conversation
around their second birthday. Besides
the verbal concerns, he has some extreme sensory issues with ground
surfaces. Grass, dirt, gravel, or any other area you may
walk on that isn't flat, becomes a chore for him. And that sensation of air sweeping across
your face and ears, we call wind, is a huge sensory issue for him. His social cues are off as well. He doesn't always get or understand why a kid
is looking at him a certain way<i>. Is he smiling because he wants to play with
me or because he hates me?</i> Because
of these issues the usual activities most boys his age enjoy (games of tag, riding a bike, playing catch..), are all a battle for
him. So he prefers to play alone and indoors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Richard, my hyperactive, blond haired, blue eyed, seven
year old, who talks a lot and rarely takes a breath in-between sentences,
struggles, but not like his older brother.
Though his speech was delayed, we have been talking in great lengths of
conversation since he was four. The struggles
you can see most in him are with social quirks and sensory issues. Having no personal space, a one track mind,
and wanting to touch and feel objects with his mouth, chewing, licking, and
tasting them, like babies do when discovering a new toy. Although Richard has no problem talking with
others, he prefers to talk about trains.
This has been an obsession of his since infancy, when he saw his first
train outside our apartmentâs windows. Richardâs
social cues are a bit off as well. He
doesn't understand while playing with another child, why that child might have
paused, signaling to Richard itâs his turn. Likewise, Richard doesn't know how to stop or
pause to let the other child know it is their turn. He prefers to play next to someone instead of
with them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Both of my children went into the public school system
at a very young age, three. They spent
two years in pre-k before starting Kindergarten. It was because of their diagnoses of ASD that
I placed them straight into the public school system, hoping for early
intervention. It has been proven by
experts in the ASD field, that early intervention makes for the greatest leaps
and bounds in treating ASD. At first I
was thrilled with the services they were receiving and breaks I was getting. Though throughout the years, as I have met
with Principals, teachers, therapists, and other school faculty members, the
less satisfied I have become. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
We all meet, at least annually, to set up and discuss an
Individualized Education Program (IEP).
An IEP is a legal document with a truly individualized plan for a
student with a disability. Things
written in an IEP include accommodations made for the disabled student, such as
therapies, disciplinary actions and teaching methods. Basically an IEP is a plan parents and faculty
set up, which in hopes will create the best results in a disabled childâs
education. Providing them with the
necessary accommodations and resources needed to succeed. It is through these meetings that I have
discovered both federal and state changes that affect how the schools run. Some resources that are needed and/or can help
a child with ASD that were available at one point, no longer are, and other
necessary resources never have been. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Our economy has changed and with it has come budget cuts
in our schools, leaving less money to pay for therapies these kids need. Classrooms themselves have become larger and
the staff and resources smaller. Programs
have changed and changed again. Especially
with the No Child Left Behind Act and now with the Common Core. Though awareness of ASD needs has risen,
accommodations and resources have not. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My experience with ASD, is not only with my own
children. I know and have met a large
amount of others with the diagnoses, through the Special Olympics program and
Autism help and awareness programs, like that of the New Mexico Autism
Society. I have learned that it is vital
in an ASD pupilâs educational progression to have certain accommodations and
resources available, which include: <span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Applied
behavior analysis (ABA)</span> therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy,
occupational therapy, one-on-one learning and/or a personal aid or tutoring,
vast ways of teaching a subject, alternative assignments, extra testing time,
adjusted testing, social skill support and guidance, frequent breaks, allowance
of objects in the classroom to help relieve stress and/or sensory issues.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
ABA therapy, physical therapy and a personal aid or
tutoring have never been available to my children through the schools. This has been frustrating, as I believe these
help tremendously in academic progression.
I have been able to get William physical therapy outside of public
school, through Medicaid. And I was able
to get Richard ABA therapy and tutoring outside of public school, through a
state program. However Richard doesn't
need physical therapy and I have been unsuccessful in getting William the same
state program for ABA and tutoring, due to it being somewhat of a lottery
program. Though through the public schools
they both have been able to receive speech therapy. Therapist occasionally come into the classroom
and work with them one-on-one and as a group.
The therapists also pull them out of their main stream classroom and
take them to a different room for one-on-one therapy and group therapy. Both have been pulled out of their classrooms
and gone to a special education classroom for one-on-one and group help in
reading as well. William has received
help in math through these special classrooms too. As the years have rolled by though, the less
one-on-one time they have received in these therapies. And while they have been pulled out, they
have missed other lessons and assignments, causing them to have to play
catch-up in their regular classroom. This
has caused them to be slower in other areas.
For instance, at first William was only being pulled out for
reading. While pulled out he was missing
math lessons in his mainstream class and he began to fall behind in math. Causing the school to pull him out for help
in math and reading. It is because of
this, pulling a child out of their mainstream classes for help, that I donât
believe the current system is working. William
also received an iPad through the schools to help support and teach him in an
alternate way. Though they never showed
the teachers how to incorporate it in the classroom. It became a toy for him as no one used it
academically. This I have seen happen to
everyone I know who was issued an iPad for support. Both William and Richard have had a few successful
alternative assignments, with visual cues and sight words and a few different
ways of teaching a subject. It is hard
for a mainstream teacher to teach in vastly different ways, when working with a
group, they tend to stick to whatever method gave the best results overall and
what method the No Child Left Behind Act, or now Common Core, is requiring them
to teach. William and Richard have had extra
testing time, adjusted testing, social skill support and guidance and have
received frequent breaks. Richard in one
class was even given a special seat with a soft cushion to sit on. This seat
seemed to help him stay focused better. He
also received special sensory objects he could chew on, so he wouldn't be
placing other classroom objects in his mouth. Like he was with markers, toys,
his clothes and classmates. With Williamâs
Autism he has never needed special objects in the classroom. And although the schools have had
occupational therapy available, my children have never needed it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
It is because of the lack of, and quality of some of
these accommodations and resources, William has fallen through the public
educational system cracks, slowing his progression down. This year after our IEP meeting, it was
apparent that he would not have any one-on-one time. This I believe to be the most vital accommodation
and resource in helping an ASD pupil succeed academically. In each new grade William has entered, the
student to teacher ratio has increased, making it harder to work one-on-one. I knew this would cause his progression to
slow down even more or possibly even stall it. So at the beginning of this school year I
pulled him out of the public school system.
I am able to provide William with one-and-one time and with more of the
accommodations and resources I listed, than the school is able to now. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
What surprised me the most when I informed the school of
my decision to pull him out was their immediate support. They are very aware they cannot meet his
needs and thought homeschooling would be a better option for him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Since pulling him out I have seen his progression rise. I have met many other ASD parents who have
also found that homeschooling is the better option for their ASD
child/children. As well I find it sad we
can provide them with more at home, than the public school system can. I am but one person, with limited resources,
they have an entire faculty. And it
would make sense that they would have the access to resources I do not, with the
funding they receive. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
But with the student to teacher ratio gap widening, I
see that it is almost impossible to make accommodations to a student with
special needs, even when an ASD child is placed in a special needs resource
room, a special education class for those with disabilities only. In these classes, unless your childâs special
need is physically and visually apparent, like those with Down syndrome and
Cerebral Palsy, the needs of the less noticeable are usually pushed aside to
meet the needs of the more obvious ones.
Many special needs children that are apparently special needs demand a
lot more daily task help. Most ASD
pupils do not need assistant with daily activities once in grade school. They can use the bathroom alone, feed
themselves, and do the other necessary day to day tasks needed to function on
oneâs own. In these classrooms it is easy
for a functioning ASD student to be overlooked.
Many non ASD disabled children cannot do their day to day tasks and
daily work without help. A teacher of
these students will usually care for the non ASD child first, knowing that the
ASD child will be fine on their own. I
have seen this and have seen many days go by, where the teacher never makes it
to the ASD pupil. ASD experts also
advice against ASD students being placed strictly in a special needs classroom,
saying they thrive more in a regular classroom.
ASD children are able to successfully co-mingle with non-special needs
children and it is actually good for them to do so. Mingling with other children without
diagnoses sets examples for them as to what is and isnât socially
accepted. It also helps them to grow, to
play and communicate with others who know when to pause for a turn or know that
when youâre smiling it means youâre happy. This environment is teaching them. ASD children have the ability as well to keep
up with their other classmates academically.
So there is no need to be placed in a classroom where the academics standards
are different and they will be pushed aside to meet the needs of a more severe
special needs pupil. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I also see though how difficult it is to provide a
student in a regular classroom with outside classroom therapies and not miss
anything while outside the classroom.
No matter how much reassurance I have gotten that they wonât miss
anything, they do. Leaving the student
more confused about assignments due and falling further behind in their
academics. Through homeschooling
William, I have been able to assure he is not missing a lesson. He is not being taken away from one lesson to
work on another lesson, or past lesson, or therapy. He receives physical therapy and speech
therapy through Medicaid. I can change
the way I am teaching a lesson if it is not working for him. I can adjust the way I test and the timing that
he is tested. I can allow him frequent
breaks, give him social skill support and guidance. Though I am unable to give him ABA therapy. I am learning more and more on how to teach
him, and am having more success than the school. He is on par with all of his studies but
reading now. And I have high hopes he
will be on par with that, within the next year. He is still Autistic, still has the same
quirks, though his education is progressing and at a faster pace than when in
public school. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Richard, my youngest, as he is not as severe on the
spectrum as William, I have chosen to keep in the public school system for
now. He loves public school and is
progressing with the other students in a regular classroom. I have been able to get him outside school
help, ABA therapy and tutoring, which I was unable to get for William. I believe this is what has helped with Richard
in his progression in the public schools. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
My purpose of writing this paper is to bring awareness, that
the public school system does not have the accommodations or resources to truly
meet their ASD pupils alone. Schools
need to hire aids for each classroom and teachers need to have the training to
teach an ASD pupil. They need to have
all the resources I have mentioned above available, without taking away from
their standard academics. I believe ASD
pupils unfortunately are not able to progress in the way that their non ASD
peers are without these accommodations and resources. From my experience the Public school system
does not meet the needs for an ASD pupil to succeed in the system. <o:p></o:p><br />
(Written in February of 2014)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-56894147110033273112012-08-28T16:29:00.000-06:002012-08-28T16:29:08.160-06:00Pie and Time<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Life sure has been busy lately. And blogging.. sorry to to tell you this... really isn't on the top of my priority list. But as you can tell, it is on the list. : ) </div>
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This past month it has seemed like the minutes of the day have turned into seconds. Time is just ticking away...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pgz5zXZ9duE/UD09r7Ga4aI/AAAAAAAABFc/HpJwgNwunk4/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pgz5zXZ9duE/UD09r7Ga4aI/AAAAAAAABFc/HpJwgNwunk4/s640/028.JPG" width="456" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;">And I can not believe that my baby has already started school! Here he is on his first day.. he was doing some kind of power kick. He was WAY excited to start school! And I'm so glad! But sad that he no longer is a baby.. He's growing up! And this Mama's all down with the baby faze.. very bitter sweet. Now though to Welcome the kid faze! And more hours in the day to take care of the little things that have been swept by for so long.. since Will was born. </td></tr>
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The end of the summer also meant that my nephew's went back home to my siblings. Alex my brother Victor's son and Taden my sister Raylinn's son, came up to help Papa (my Dad) out with the farming. I love these kids!! And really truly already miss them like crazy!! </div>
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ALEX:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBNF2RGpWhSVdouJ3mcZyK2bjBKH9m30BRU2FSqPRBvzgBwINW9meKwh4IJj0c7DcTKRF7NHTLMpGZ676HC2Mt9gNjRKjAPFpCDwwTdfX_7Z-mHxgj7wqg_qB6uEZrHLMH01SR4qXRGi4/s1600/068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBNF2RGpWhSVdouJ3mcZyK2bjBKH9m30BRU2FSqPRBvzgBwINW9meKwh4IJj0c7DcTKRF7NHTLMpGZ676HC2Mt9gNjRKjAPFpCDwwTdfX_7Z-mHxgj7wqg_qB6uEZrHLMH01SR4qXRGi4/s400/068.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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TADEN:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrMC_nknjsV9vJNr23dfnqsOkdTUy7ilNZW2oKSmkBrCT3FPB1XZxztzWgxEPFqGfApYvEuM_yC2U9JGonS6JokXJHy9GHNxD2d45JoIqzANuj_rBQJ8B5q5xcnFLuwYsacPrsfj0mcJA/s1600/106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrMC_nknjsV9vJNr23dfnqsOkdTUy7ilNZW2oKSmkBrCT3FPB1XZxztzWgxEPFqGfApYvEuM_yC2U9JGonS6JokXJHy9GHNxD2d45JoIqzANuj_rBQJ8B5q5xcnFLuwYsacPrsfj0mcJA/s400/106.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So Richard's bunny, Kitty, has way too much in common with his Master! He has escaped yet again and is currently living in the junk pile and pasture next to our house! I don't know how many times Richard snuck out of the house and ran down the road to my Mom's as a toddler. I am so glad he grew out of that. And am hoping his bunny matures a bit as well. And stays home!! </div>
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This little stinker has gotten too quick. We just can't catch her. But at least she is staying around and she does have plenty of food to nibble on. and has made friends with the horse.. Bud (the horse) is totally not helping, rather blocks us from grabbing her. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTvqnvMY2KutzwqsvcYJwTcFB24XPs_lp7KE6DlZtlCjdf1uYZBt7osW2x3K3fL1T0BBd1KfolBCqaSe22dhk1bGw8MuMSkNFHOrWRqF11smsDlVmyhEqf5ph1IEVl5tomNRTlUATPMtd/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTvqnvMY2KutzwqsvcYJwTcFB24XPs_lp7KE6DlZtlCjdf1uYZBt7osW2x3K3fL1T0BBd1KfolBCqaSe22dhk1bGw8MuMSkNFHOrWRqF11smsDlVmyhEqf5ph1IEVl5tomNRTlUATPMtd/s400/018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
We have a plan though! And just set a trap for her! A friendly one.. just so we can catch her. Her poor sister misses her! All alone in her home.</td></tr>
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I love my children! There minds amaze me! They have such passions for things. -well I'd really say more like Obsessions.. but passion sounds better. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ifYvw2JlirTm0a1cgJ6YpH_0Y1jlNlwTU6bSc_2YWJvipJI1B3Uk0SH8vFvCmDZ7M2vnqpcI98a7-QTWYtA7LWCmGoSwbcpdC2ENVJ9PyDSCjKKyt2eb8C-pzMr253AtWL1PtdGSr2dA/s1600/IMG_1887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ifYvw2JlirTm0a1cgJ6YpH_0Y1jlNlwTU6bSc_2YWJvipJI1B3Uk0SH8vFvCmDZ7M2vnqpcI98a7-QTWYtA7LWCmGoSwbcpdC2ENVJ9PyDSCjKKyt2eb8C-pzMr253AtWL1PtdGSr2dA/s400/IMG_1887.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's Richard at the fair in front of one of these perpetual motion things... Where the balls never stops moving throughout these mazes. He stood and watched this for a few hours! looking it completely over. Last year they had a different one, that he totally loved too. I tell you what.. if I had one of these at my home.. Id never have to worry about what he was up to. -This was beyond fascination! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVwhoYjmn0WrmF8QJ4csM_LtGHIbPOjkAC2UHqmOdcUqpXUgO1zvuDYvXlDymnXS4YFXRQTAIGMB7Lzj4q9vkXD4y8lQaectcgWghg_PxMmRP6PA-o1DMtObPXgZFNCWnD3b9j_jPOTWX/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVwhoYjmn0WrmF8QJ4csM_LtGHIbPOjkAC2UHqmOdcUqpXUgO1zvuDYvXlDymnXS4YFXRQTAIGMB7Lzj4q9vkXD4y8lQaectcgWghg_PxMmRP6PA-o1DMtObPXgZFNCWnD3b9j_jPOTWX/s400/025.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's William with one our Perplexeses. The kids and well every aged child that walks in our door and see this on our coffee table.. is in love! This perplexing puzzle has been a huge hit in our home! This too we discovered at the county fair the previous year. And started collecting!<br />
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Josh and I also took a short but sweet weekend getaway this month to celebrate our 2 year anniversary! And I skipped out on making pie! But we ate some! </div>
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We didn't get any pics of the two of us together. Not sure how that happened. But between the two of us, we got over a hundred pictures of waterfalls, cliffs, dear, nature and of course.. the Jeep!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2d7FeW92D4qW-SIWvQDU1o7pF3NVbQcu-K2Y2z5oMFQvbjEVvuyrFt0wSXvQVVXF8ClCRd3GJ6T4GMk36NYxeEcjCKSTvH5o7deOvg1vlK0UMrRBMuHlOcNXFl-DfJWRxdE32yW0-8rJ/s1600/IMG_6426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2d7FeW92D4qW-SIWvQDU1o7pF3NVbQcu-K2Y2z5oMFQvbjEVvuyrFt0wSXvQVVXF8ClCRd3GJ6T4GMk36NYxeEcjCKSTvH5o7deOvg1vlK0UMrRBMuHlOcNXFl-DfJWRxdE32yW0-8rJ/s400/IMG_6426.JPG" width="265" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NHtXQvYFymAaMJHOuxfVoHD3YFWGQfxYCxsDZNWXjKC4b29hE18H_7QS2-3g0wXDZBfL2Aoe-fSKjZ-z5bfH8rHMwWLYXbpoHco0ztbBjwQnRw1Wdjn7UGkZxKcviQFK4EkvYXlw6RnL/s1600/IMG_6465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NHtXQvYFymAaMJHOuxfVoHD3YFWGQfxYCxsDZNWXjKC4b29hE18H_7QS2-3g0wXDZBfL2Aoe-fSKjZ-z5bfH8rHMwWLYXbpoHco0ztbBjwQnRw1Wdjn7UGkZxKcviQFK4EkvYXlw6RnL/s400/IMG_6465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As far as Pie goes, I'm a slacker! </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-87458510866492787402012-08-07T16:55:00.000-06:002012-08-07T17:01:44.828-06:00Pie #7 goes a little nuts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My brother's boyfriend came up to meet the family.. and what a better way to get to know each other, than with Baking! -His request, a Pecan Fig Pie!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZqdSsK3sqWZmSqRqR5eLwYB7SbhEMXCmB4dyGREXcNBEhQzppC-cRtZSYrCoIUVbVUqfV3A-AWjS0lNldopzHTIXPMc7CdU4ybyX4YefHNO2v6ZRu2NxlNv5ZJGXl8C2N7XIeS4U3j6X/s1600/002-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZqdSsK3sqWZmSqRqR5eLwYB7SbhEMXCmB4dyGREXcNBEhQzppC-cRtZSYrCoIUVbVUqfV3A-AWjS0lNldopzHTIXPMc7CdU4ybyX4YefHNO2v6ZRu2NxlNv5ZJGXl8C2N7XIeS4U3j6X/s320/002-2.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon!</td></tr>
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So I searched and searched for a good recipe. All I found was the drinking kind. I am not the drinking type. But we decided to go ahead and try one, it just sounded too yummy to pass up! <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pecan-Fig-Pie-with-Brandied-Whipped-Cream-105849">http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pecan-Fig-Pie-with-Brandied-Whipped-Cream-105849</a> Instead of the Brandy we added Home made Vanilla Extract. - Probably has the same amount of alcohol. Since Home made Vanilla is made from Vodka. Oh well, it all cooks out, right?<br />
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I think a Pecan pie was the perfect choice. -Three people in the kitchen.. is a little nuts! But the Fun kind of Nuts!<br />
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Now for some pictures to show you all our amazing cooking skills... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3w2znxXjVHHDpdTcbeRPJELg3bO1muwe0ZEtSSsuA3g3YGLlS1wT75XA4EK4M_9bcyvKAa8nIrfflqlync8b3ujiEkolcGUHZiFncVqdeXZFit7AhKykljKCUThi4-zUg7w_eOPgqqQ9/s1600/004-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3w2znxXjVHHDpdTcbeRPJELg3bO1muwe0ZEtSSsuA3g3YGLlS1wT75XA4EK4M_9bcyvKAa8nIrfflqlync8b3ujiEkolcGUHZiFncVqdeXZFit7AhKykljKCUThi4-zUg7w_eOPgqqQ9/s320/004-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cutting the figs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0PajWOKNEf3ECgMF_geASeMkQxFvFIEima3l04ge2lonGwoVfaVtmiL0Nn8Vf_Mx-7rHzNitQNtksGh9DEaRXW9R2ykJMqnslccb64mzWXY84W9J5-ZecH-3Fj1m38qvB7TUDEY3cND9/s1600/005-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0PajWOKNEf3ECgMF_geASeMkQxFvFIEima3l04ge2lonGwoVfaVtmiL0Nn8Vf_Mx-7rHzNitQNtksGh9DEaRXW9R2ykJMqnslccb64mzWXY84W9J5-ZecH-3Fj1m38qvB7TUDEY3cND9/s320/005-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred had a great idea: We picked out the prettiest pecans and set them aside.. so we could make a beautiful top, of arranged pecans and figs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdA1zZ6Jfs-L-_1rjYoGEA2QoAZmhxPxtSssdKqeeyIw9nATioJwLeAUjbChbSKdAHJv5ZUaEGmIuR88VhqxFvooR0Ub9MFb2iRE-M_ynrJdV_3KhF14x-WQmhy5Y9TTEmnlIuq3MwbyM/s1600/007-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdA1zZ6Jfs-L-_1rjYoGEA2QoAZmhxPxtSssdKqeeyIw9nATioJwLeAUjbChbSKdAHJv5ZUaEGmIuR88VhqxFvooR0Ub9MFb2iRE-M_ynrJdV_3KhF14x-WQmhy5Y9TTEmnlIuq3MwbyM/s320/007-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While they worked on the filling I worked on the crust..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieMyNjZg7SK6aZgbUx5JsGjMEHiTB7HJCF8PVTPNCkLdZoM5kTrs1L0oR0FLo-uYXha8GOcpftrl-NcElD65G8-9BO35m3wwsZkE1LGnlJ6DSsppzp11imokPoIrNIpmmBVkwUzJSJTUF/s1600/008-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieMyNjZg7SK6aZgbUx5JsGjMEHiTB7HJCF8PVTPNCkLdZoM5kTrs1L0oR0FLo-uYXha8GOcpftrl-NcElD65G8-9BO35m3wwsZkE1LGnlJ6DSsppzp11imokPoIrNIpmmBVkwUzJSJTUF/s320/008-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TaDa! So far much better than last weeks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon was very smart and poked holes all over the bottom of our crust.. so it wouldn't rise while baking in the oven. -I really need to get some pie weights.</td></tr>
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: ) Aren't they Cute! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTPJkLZ_4gyCC1p4os6bHBoM-fXGxizHkLFIkX6ZYkznbASGDzZr0nsjVDwCx5jrT8A3RSJdDNEu0YnoGE2pm4z5SpC_OLRd2moGOgHB03LCQQN9ky2SXJuA-C4zWBOwW6Ixn3NEU58U8/s1600/014-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTPJkLZ_4gyCC1p4os6bHBoM-fXGxizHkLFIkX6ZYkznbASGDzZr0nsjVDwCx5jrT8A3RSJdDNEu0YnoGE2pm4z5SpC_OLRd2moGOgHB03LCQQN9ky2SXJuA-C4zWBOwW6Ixn3NEU58U8/s320/014-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many hands at work here!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5YXMWzQu0dNmLud2pDf-iYTRjpOSNRKRbB5826833H5vQfWV4Ryigc5FoZvwMEPGAk1npO7SZWp9aLnGXA_UwL08I6xJaWubEDRXgohVZiB4h4XGcvtOLlxoBbFeku8pC94_0ruxBL1z/s1600/016-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5YXMWzQu0dNmLud2pDf-iYTRjpOSNRKRbB5826833H5vQfWV4Ryigc5FoZvwMEPGAk1npO7SZWp9aLnGXA_UwL08I6xJaWubEDRXgohVZiB4h4XGcvtOLlxoBbFeku8pC94_0ruxBL1z/s320/016-2.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred cracking an egg, for my pictures.. I thought he was being slow.. but then.. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGllGjAF0m_pvkffWps30HAhxOpi8EROs6kqvDPxL2WzcSajy7LjbP01zoruUQW6aOoMdiZUrbd5lJq_A2gg5d01Cl9jzUtNEjl6LvIXhLkhKYVlo5Uht9bZnu5XEwxNzazmSrmr-fJ-_/s1600/017-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGllGjAF0m_pvkffWps30HAhxOpi8EROs6kqvDPxL2WzcSajy7LjbP01zoruUQW6aOoMdiZUrbd5lJq_A2gg5d01Cl9jzUtNEjl6LvIXhLkhKYVlo5Uht9bZnu5XEwxNzazmSrmr-fJ-_/s320/017-2.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I missed snapping my picture when the yoke came out. And he was trying so hard.. : (</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Sk4A1Qi_Bq2M2zRp2owZUC88VzOu2yrImaYbwpxlJ__2PiuP7cVOiiTA6IVyh_yc7cYP6jDHhoenZixLsWGGMhmyv53mAIuLvXwbUtbzhXyZ5Mm8aE2s5mudhs8TQRVaoFtZtlVM52q/s1600/018-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Sk4A1Qi_Bq2M2zRp2owZUC88VzOu2yrImaYbwpxlJ__2PiuP7cVOiiTA6IVyh_yc7cYP6jDHhoenZixLsWGGMhmyv53mAIuLvXwbUtbzhXyZ5Mm8aE2s5mudhs8TQRVaoFtZtlVM52q/s320/018-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now there's the yoke! - Yummyness is beginning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIsgZ8hhoUMqwFWAMG4eRuFDnvzevkHsCjZFCsZhedliuF8UOnYpcvUJcqfS1fSD5IyzLdebH1WSyeBV1FRuzADJgZtWnGBg-ngUMviAef9n99HqTyC6HbyWCvTUFVyO2blIe5ArWFpG3/s1600/019-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIsgZ8hhoUMqwFWAMG4eRuFDnvzevkHsCjZFCsZhedliuF8UOnYpcvUJcqfS1fSD5IyzLdebH1WSyeBV1FRuzADJgZtWnGBg-ngUMviAef9n99HqTyC6HbyWCvTUFVyO2blIe5ArWFpG3/s320/019-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">melting butter.. such an art!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7DZZIJKSQED8DPmVdyL0zZpXXzrx1jEf3C6N5L1hgxFMU2C-bPz9ZR34kJqpyJvF5P_9h0KOxTDaH0Kx4VXACGt7uvJP6Kp4VF96Eh05CUFCXL0FDjEQCBd6lp5MnvUhbb_e80EC6mVX/s1600/021-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7DZZIJKSQED8DPmVdyL0zZpXXzrx1jEf3C6N5L1hgxFMU2C-bPz9ZR34kJqpyJvF5P_9h0KOxTDaH0Kx4VXACGt7uvJP6Kp4VF96Eh05CUFCXL0FDjEQCBd6lp5MnvUhbb_e80EC6mVX/s320/021-2.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouring the sugaryness into the Pecan and fig mixture. I guess all the extra hands came in handy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkIb5j1LnjYYQz9GApoIr-P6S4pyfVlDU4a0QTLdayk6RXHVoffyJYDGd3rKf8_gBE5Kg51Zzq-KU7h5NuzBI8qhXKSDzk4dALLratuQHLYdMA5Y5z__KjtBLTUS95K8kkhOitKI9YQiU/s1600/022-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkIb5j1LnjYYQz9GApoIr-P6S4pyfVlDU4a0QTLdayk6RXHVoffyJYDGd3rKf8_gBE5Kg51Zzq-KU7h5NuzBI8qhXKSDzk4dALLratuQHLYdMA5Y5z__KjtBLTUS95K8kkhOitKI9YQiU/s320/022-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building our Pie by adding the first layer of our Pecans.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAL5BcYM1_WioJBLhfyNfVAlhkv4TIgVCUUxEt0IHzGrpRzkmpY48Cp_h5X8GbL8K5rW2kGXsOO3zu3dF-rJREJCOZlMGOK_Xm-PNgiI2ALnEL124UcVEfbUF2FXoLUhPX8Dsj2Mkhribc/s1600/023-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAL5BcYM1_WioJBLhfyNfVAlhkv4TIgVCUUxEt0IHzGrpRzkmpY48Cp_h5X8GbL8K5rW2kGXsOO3zu3dF-rJREJCOZlMGOK_Xm-PNgiI2ALnEL124UcVEfbUF2FXoLUhPX8Dsj2Mkhribc/s320/023-2.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now adding the very SWEET mixture.</td></tr>
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Then we arranged the pecans and figs we set aside.. for a beautiful presentation! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUAUmFdSTmfoIaOrDuqsl18VhywUsuIb_gtSVY8gQr5ZUR9msu_Q6J8etni2KgTZSD2LkO4be0_Ebsr-PG5ZcukIOCc99OdeqH9XmA3bHXXNG6Q5PysbTg0p75cbGVK5WnxH3XEQmysSU/s1600/029-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUAUmFdSTmfoIaOrDuqsl18VhywUsuIb_gtSVY8gQr5ZUR9msu_Q6J8etni2KgTZSD2LkO4be0_Ebsr-PG5ZcukIOCc99OdeqH9XmA3bHXXNG6Q5PysbTg0p75cbGVK5WnxH3XEQmysSU/s320/029-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at this GORGEOUS Pie!</td></tr>
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However, one bite was more then enough sugar to last me a Month! : ) I suggest less sweetness!.. I am definitely going to try a recipe with less sugary ingredients next time.<br />
<br />
What I learned from making this pie:<br />
Three people fit in my kitchen and can work well together.. no bumping elbows! <br />
But three people in the kitchen also means three different ideas and opinions on how to do the same thing. : ) <br />
<br />
And now I ask your opinion on the main discussion of that day..<br />
<br />
Does it matter if you follow baking recipes exactly as states? Is it just like Chemistry? <br />
Do I have to Measure each ingredient to the exact amount? And only add, mix, bake, in the order stated in said recipe??? Or is it okay to dodge around steps and guess? Is it considered the same recipe if I instead of mixing the sugar in with the butter on the stove, do it at the table? <br />
How close do you follow a baking recipe??Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-56203856350533289862012-07-30T13:18:00.005-06:002012-07-30T13:28:06.689-06:00Strawberry Pie with my Bro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This past week started out with a twist of fun in my pie making! My brother came to visit! And had this great idea.. Strawberry Pie! Strawberry Pie is a Favorite! Especially with fresh berries!</div>
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So we measured, cut, mixed, and baked!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4r_m1gcg1Qz36_7w-Opxrn-8zujO-cK2GCi5vTz0OpQtcKRUUBVwbTAHRjQMT2IhkeYMcMbkBjRXKNeb2r0rnFfMGFE2Wxc8U7Fa9StKD65jVlxUVqWueXz-qxjHYYyu288yNHieEC2l/s1600/003-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4r_m1gcg1Qz36_7w-Opxrn-8zujO-cK2GCi5vTz0OpQtcKRUUBVwbTAHRjQMT2IhkeYMcMbkBjRXKNeb2r0rnFfMGFE2Wxc8U7Fa9StKD65jVlxUVqWueXz-qxjHYYyu288yNHieEC2l/s320/003-2.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred pouring in ingredients! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FwPgDboRthJV_0Ieh1kU43FCdls7PMl6xMl0ZrTXGnEknqPMa0IXbAhyphenhyphenHnkkvaIl9uT3hiwOmyIpEHqeAFlesEumnE0FzCkh9cfXWeUVtuauH_tRLCf_xoCbdTmDpBaY7gpBGEMC1ESH/s1600/004-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FwPgDboRthJV_0Ieh1kU43FCdls7PMl6xMl0ZrTXGnEknqPMa0IXbAhyphenhyphenHnkkvaIl9uT3hiwOmyIpEHqeAFlesEumnE0FzCkh9cfXWeUVtuauH_tRLCf_xoCbdTmDpBaY7gpBGEMC1ESH/s320/004-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covering the baked crust in the better homes version of yummyness! I think they call it, glaze. : ) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmvX9DK7jxusNPvsjQi57Y7j3ERgHel7XzLiFz9gMHssthMRiUSqqXfePc8C_3Lh_0c0wA413T6tgfG4KQwmm55ayFHo_hgTL9nNvIhmhNgErHXdhxNepBTvkZJqbjUAI5PyjK4lyQSKc/s1600/005-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmvX9DK7jxusNPvsjQi57Y7j3ERgHel7XzLiFz9gMHssthMRiUSqqXfePc8C_3Lh_0c0wA413T6tgfG4KQwmm55ayFHo_hgTL9nNvIhmhNgErHXdhxNepBTvkZJqbjUAI5PyjK4lyQSKc/s320/005-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better look at this Strawberry Glaze!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq8VlIDijXSwRUahQcozRwv0IuDkF7aYgqe1fAxL0WhdHBPd_r9NGkHHhMOTvFEoLfRX5vAWlhP84xNyfFDFV5P_gxP38MGVeXzzqYgpkxjiIuZl5-iHmq1hBNMySWUwxSOx6o7Q3ct3m/s1600/006-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq8VlIDijXSwRUahQcozRwv0IuDkF7aYgqe1fAxL0WhdHBPd_r9NGkHHhMOTvFEoLfRX5vAWlhP84xNyfFDFV5P_gxP38MGVeXzzqYgpkxjiIuZl5-iHmq1hBNMySWUwxSOx6o7Q3ct3m/s320/006-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Layering our strawberries!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZjdPF-byD86rT4R-V1v2P-oBdTxbyFRnVBKUT3bgUS8AtayGrdyjetEIzkcWe4M42utldeMxn2GANG5JCj_Ug5PUq8H_se_YC5p5lRK3aKHC9O-RiuPIQZCjy-sFkViTHizIJ9-tr6wc/s1600/007-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZjdPF-byD86rT4R-V1v2P-oBdTxbyFRnVBKUT3bgUS8AtayGrdyjetEIzkcWe4M42utldeMxn2GANG5JCj_Ug5PUq8H_se_YC5p5lRK3aKHC9O-RiuPIQZCjy-sFkViTHizIJ9-tr6wc/s320/007-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This makes me hungry for it! I'll have to make this one again! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWm-2NNNW5c5B4k97DlGDcSx5MuwYxSCR6U8yH5qazM-eZwxEqWXP0Dlz06H1RZsWWXuYdD11nxEuqZjfPG0oG0Gegbd2XGRPGSiImTnqXW2BULWp5llDW765Z-WCCXGoo7liHO-0DCbsL/s1600/008-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWm-2NNNW5c5B4k97DlGDcSx5MuwYxSCR6U8yH5qazM-eZwxEqWXP0Dlz06H1RZsWWXuYdD11nxEuqZjfPG0oG0Gegbd2XGRPGSiImTnqXW2BULWp5llDW765Z-WCCXGoo7liHO-0DCbsL/s320/008-2.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, I had more hands this time, and was able to take more pics! : )</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGITogpM2SFCAEMcQxV4cPls-v6wohXi9z63lHs1D1Xnmo2Qp05iBECxT9c7WJKXWux47Nzwor-HxxJeMiwjONqyGUCd_r51pPR1rtiY3XYYFgcXkQD5A2NHcvpZu6fESKt8GtUcK5KIB/s1600/009-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGITogpM2SFCAEMcQxV4cPls-v6wohXi9z63lHs1D1Xnmo2Qp05iBECxT9c7WJKXWux47Nzwor-HxxJeMiwjONqyGUCd_r51pPR1rtiY3XYYFgcXkQD5A2NHcvpZu6fESKt8GtUcK5KIB/s320/009-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Baked!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwij1dV-EMnEr8BODXlo2IKJpPFWEkjqRI86yIGbg2k3G0Nayya_gtJJcNdq9498QU2dZq0EngCcmeDQgvLKNRlWzK8LRa6p6FB7n9RFx9PFOyBjKnbbPfJXJ4XSkWtFjnPpJoO5SjVRmK/s1600/073-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwij1dV-EMnEr8BODXlo2IKJpPFWEkjqRI86yIGbg2k3G0Nayya_gtJJcNdq9498QU2dZq0EngCcmeDQgvLKNRlWzK8LRa6p6FB7n9RFx9PFOyBjKnbbPfJXJ4XSkWtFjnPpJoO5SjVRmK/s320/073-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blurry look of Yummy Home made Whipped Cream!! mmmm!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
ďťżHome made whipped Cream is the only way to go!! It is far less sugary and soo SO much better! The taste is amazing! It is best to use a refrigerated mixing bowl and refrigerated whipper to whip this Cream into shape! And let me tell you, Fred sure can whip it!</div>
<br /> Whipped Cream Recipe:<br />
1 Cup heavy cream<br />
1 teaspoon of my brothers home made vanilla extract (It is the best for baking)<br />
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW31As6ql6HUphEepU0NtePFm_u1xQTbIo77439GtoQfZMSsa4_eJKmDxBjRr0NhZptY801a9Ku0SEm0MUFxPmQrkfoTdjvb-t8-aP6XYXZrqnMb8I4sVnamp8TPoIaEHoYGJElXW6v_50/s1600/074-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW31As6ql6HUphEepU0NtePFm_u1xQTbIo77439GtoQfZMSsa4_eJKmDxBjRr0NhZptY801a9Ku0SEm0MUFxPmQrkfoTdjvb-t8-aP6XYXZrqnMb8I4sVnamp8TPoIaEHoYGJElXW6v_50/s320/074-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Finished Project!</td></tr>
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Lesson learned: SIFT FLOUR!!! My pie crust was totally lame! It was my very first baked crust.. And well I opened up a new bag of flour.. and all lazy like I told my brother to just measure it out in a plan old measuring cup and dump it in the mixing bowl. Instead, I should have found the sifter, I had hidden inside one of these kitchen cupboards, and sifted it in the mixing bowl! </div>
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Also I didn't poke any holes in the crust- SHOULD HAVE! It raised all up all bubbly in spots..Plus I learned I have to get some pie weights or beans to place in ten foil that I would line the crust with. This is suppose to keep it from rising. Oh, and I forgot to put ten foil around the ages AGAIN! UGH! UGH! UGH! </div>
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Well lesson learned!</div>
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Besides the crust.. it was absolutely delicious! The home made whipped cream really topped it off!! SOOO GOOOD! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-83697834031937340552012-07-22T14:37:00.002-06:002012-07-22T14:37:31.220-06:00chicken pot PIE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I decided to sway a bit away from the fruit pies this week and try something a little less.. fruity. </div>
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A Pot Pie! </div>
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I found a recipe I thought sounded worth trying on <a href="http://www.allrecipes.com/">www.allrecipes.com</a>, my favorite site, when it comes to cooking and baking! </div>
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Here's the link to it, in case your interested: <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-pot-pie-vi/detail.aspx">http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-pot-pie-vi/detail.aspx</a> </div>
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And believe me you should be interested! So easy to make.. Pretty much just like any pie! Not anymore difficult than the other's I've made thus far. Only thing is.. I had to double the baking time. besides that, I wouldn't change a thing! This recipe is Wonderful!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Now for some pics:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSryzedxx7Ki-nKGQJyGAvdXDtiH37f60DeZeZrgATXs2crbK1CD9aaBoNhB_5dBXBquEjYSP2EAVurgjkDWTOZVZOXvDeKpaUZ1cNh5kl8beHmlhNArPcinDVaYyurG0h0CWsC7M41_D/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSryzedxx7Ki-nKGQJyGAvdXDtiH37f60DeZeZrgATXs2crbK1CD9aaBoNhB_5dBXBquEjYSP2EAVurgjkDWTOZVZOXvDeKpaUZ1cNh5kl8beHmlhNArPcinDVaYyurG0h0CWsC7M41_D/s320/blog1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking my chicken in some very yummy seasoning! I just love my Princess House cookware!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_teXuOKrB6h2izAwVXeDX-NU8IanND6_2830juQKVD4v7Dn4xtsiMyQc_nf_lS1lZH3uAIdyd6cSmLwUsyy9AUDHnSlUdAqYtkCwdSeYCbIavD72a-pqqa4JIaEFMA5DtCLX6v0jkEwR/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_teXuOKrB6h2izAwVXeDX-NU8IanND6_2830juQKVD4v7Dn4xtsiMyQc_nf_lS1lZH3uAIdyd6cSmLwUsyy9AUDHnSlUdAqYtkCwdSeYCbIavD72a-pqqa4JIaEFMA5DtCLX6v0jkEwR/s320/blog2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me rolling out my pie crusts!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyA6fHKsK5o1I1162w5r-OBXp9miWio2b-w5A0Fiw6PQvUnkJXHqGvNYVTSEX3gL45rJgWVOi25XLoGfpuDcZhnGiFuLg01oxSVkqNa34OZr-4fGCB6mFjyiaa0wQeWR6ClIKdOQS7iSiI/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyA6fHKsK5o1I1162w5r-OBXp9miWio2b-w5A0Fiw6PQvUnkJXHqGvNYVTSEX3gL45rJgWVOi25XLoGfpuDcZhnGiFuLg01oxSVkqNa34OZr-4fGCB6mFjyiaa0wQeWR6ClIKdOQS7iSiI/s320/blog3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A look at the yummy filling, before I put the top crust on. : )</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW58WFsj75-3MeA-Xr047szO3kgI4KlTDtnZpUX-eej5TyPpD9cKSqqE_Ovs5ZywOf67aph0QWcdWA2r4xPhgcKCxeCuWzX5BLZ8w-5EVrSGMuwn7iLSspGvPfeXQiqY4jvNf9v0j3mZ1/s1600/Blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW58WFsj75-3MeA-Xr047szO3kgI4KlTDtnZpUX-eej5TyPpD9cKSqqE_Ovs5ZywOf67aph0QWcdWA2r4xPhgcKCxeCuWzX5BLZ8w-5EVrSGMuwn7iLSspGvPfeXQiqY4jvNf9v0j3mZ1/s320/Blog4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All done and ready to eat!! - I forgot to put tinfoil around the edges while baking, so my crusts edges came out a little more brown than Id prefer. : / oops!</td></tr>
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Even my picky little eaters loved this one!! Definately a winner!</div>
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ďťżďťż<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-91499909417720340602012-07-14T17:21:00.000-06:002012-07-14T17:21:57.450-06:00My Rhubarb Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had herd of Rhubarb before, but I had no idea what it actually was. I had no idea when it was in season, or what it looked like, and I had no idea what it tasted like! - So I called my Mom. She informed me its season is usually at its end by now, but that she was on her way to the local out door Farmers Market and would see if she could find any. -Well she found some! Yay for Moms!! So I placed it in the fridge and procrastinated a day or two.. I was a bit nervous to bake something that I had never even tasted before! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L_d85sj7rNldgwfG_hvldCEZu8dyjo7vs-2O2_kTqvK9-PYywsUUxYNPacBf3tiMkrMHRIDh-HiuEAdBWCqGGwNHUYVVnv4sRCnLqCBJSNiWO2dzseDub8qc10ieW-2fk5c169eloSQj/s1600/imagesCAE7KR1T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L_d85sj7rNldgwfG_hvldCEZu8dyjo7vs-2O2_kTqvK9-PYywsUUxYNPacBf3tiMkrMHRIDh-HiuEAdBWCqGGwNHUYVVnv4sRCnLqCBJSNiWO2dzseDub8qc10ieW-2fk5c169eloSQj/s1600/imagesCAE7KR1T.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of some I found on the Internet.. I completely forgot to take pictures while baking this time!</td></tr>
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It looks just like celery, but red. When I finally did get it out to bake.. I thought I should probably taste it. -Oh My Goodness is that stuff SOUR.. not just sour but TART! My husband should have got a picture of my sucked in face and puckered lips as I tried to swallow the dang stuff!! </div>
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At this point, I wasn't too sure about this whole Rhubarb pie stuff! But my husband promised me it was Delicious.. "especially with strawberries", he said. So I went and pulled out the strawberries I had bought for a smoothie the day before! No way was I gonna eat that plan! </div>
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Then I did the usual Baking, But this time I got a pot out and cooked my strawberry Rhubarb filling over the stove till it started to thicken up a bit. -By then my youngest son, Richard, had found the pie crust and decided to help me make the edges prettier... (yay!- not!) By smashing it down and rubbing his fingers all over it! ugh! So I tried my best to quickly fix it, so it at least looked like a pie crust! </div>
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Then tossed the filling in, sprinkled a crumb mixture over it and slid it into the oven.</div>
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I was so nervous while waiting for it to bake, I could hardly get the stuff down my throat raw! My only thought; "That rhubarb better improve while it was in that oven!" </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4cUpAYIiJ9aQJsUUC0g14b7IC7mcgW7RSyy_XoE0yxGINHOfFH07jRS56S_jBuRhmntwXIiAoxUxdc9KJa0mva3uCAQBjR0jgI0NK-U79gPq5v0PKFVymxMH0GWbRJVBKO-fSm2PUU-p/s1600/030-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4cUpAYIiJ9aQJsUUC0g14b7IC7mcgW7RSyy_XoE0yxGINHOfFH07jRS56S_jBuRhmntwXIiAoxUxdc9KJa0mva3uCAQBjR0jgI0NK-U79gPq5v0PKFVymxMH0GWbRJVBKO-fSm2PUU-p/s320/030-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Well I had a very pleasant surprise!! It was SOOO and I mean SOOOO GOOOD!! I could hardly believe it! The taste was almost like war head candies all melted together. Oh We loved it!! The strawberries, were definitely a good idea! And Richard must have really helped out with that crust.. it came out so fluffy and nice!! YUM! YUM!! And the filling.. Perfect consistency!! Not runny and not too thick! YAY! I think I finally figured it out! Thank-you everyone for your advice! I am so excited and can't wait to bake my next pie! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9q8hesuCe4U-4Z9YOMR79_w2K6aFMRA4A7Q8jWEPWrhQE8he-HJhYtBZfqZ-nuQ4RWxRblho92jCtG10Nv71uSccbqf_3ol0RNoyjVHpGUU2xIPoCPuy1X4OPDJv9gDqEbI7UeMQJc9a9/s1600/001-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9q8hesuCe4U-4Z9YOMR79_w2K6aFMRA4A7Q8jWEPWrhQE8he-HJhYtBZfqZ-nuQ4RWxRblho92jCtG10Nv71uSccbqf_3ol0RNoyjVHpGUU2xIPoCPuy1X4OPDJv9gDqEbI7UeMQJc9a9/s320/001-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mmmm!</td></tr>
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Here's one more picture.. I just could not resist sharing! Meet our newest additions to the family! Are they not adorable!! I am completely in love!! The Bunny on the left is named Pretty (by William) and the one on the right is named Kitty (by Richard). Aren't they Pretty kitties! ; )<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KvWD8mV7wtus4v2UYG7CkcBlyXeDgaq1BPgJCiWnycP7rvnLHOFxJDnS7SaGZCBw35irNu54W4vKy6ssAvctoZWRmRN0rJKkD_iAR7SvE-_fMVf6hyphenhyphenKH8N6CagYYPuobavIrBden_GBy/s1600/Blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KvWD8mV7wtus4v2UYG7CkcBlyXeDgaq1BPgJCiWnycP7rvnLHOFxJDnS7SaGZCBw35irNu54W4vKy6ssAvctoZWRmRN0rJKkD_iAR7SvE-_fMVf6hyphenhyphenKH8N6CagYYPuobavIrBden_GBy/s320/Blog3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-86136295077025754412012-07-07T15:24:00.002-06:002012-07-07T15:30:10.900-06:004th of July Pie (#3)<div style="text-align: center;">
For the 4th Of July I decided to do something a bit patriotic and fun. I had seen a flag pie on Pinterest and was just living to try it! <br />
So, I pitted some more cherries and bought some blueberries! I was all out of butter so I used margarine- big mistake.. it worked, but butter tastes soo much better!<br />
I made one bowl of cherry filling and one bowl of blueberry filling. Then I spooned them onto the crust to look like the flag we all know and love..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yJ1bJDsT1Poi0UsibZBco0bZZKCdyGrPalGymQGp4hOQCJbODVaF3z1G5ybnx4V_CJKbDREddnGSCj59sc9_u5Bud3PC5NE72RXY4o8C6zonMB_KsMqVpEsn18vaVBaq2vs_gx2o4CHg/s1600/Forth+of+July+Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yJ1bJDsT1Poi0UsibZBco0bZZKCdyGrPalGymQGp4hOQCJbODVaF3z1G5ybnx4V_CJKbDREddnGSCj59sc9_u5Bud3PC5NE72RXY4o8C6zonMB_KsMqVpEsn18vaVBaq2vs_gx2o4CHg/s320/Forth+of+July+Pie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blueberries are snuggled up against one corner and Cherries spread through out the rest.</td></tr>
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Next, I cut out stars and stripes for the top crust.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1cOc-YDzkCTdTWJSZ_WVF7x0dPrZaccwE3FxTDOk9Db3Zgr0D-ckvxUIRaXAAMD-4WtkE1KxFWEj7e7hN6uc6yxS7rtt2ntYXvM1T2dQw2Z5rAXg8rjp8VOkQqfy0uusQrTg-8WmxWk6/s1600/Crusting+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1cOc-YDzkCTdTWJSZ_WVF7x0dPrZaccwE3FxTDOk9Db3Zgr0D-ckvxUIRaXAAMD-4WtkE1KxFWEj7e7hN6uc6yxS7rtt2ntYXvM1T2dQw2Z5rAXg8rjp8VOkQqfy0uusQrTg-8WmxWk6/s320/Crusting+pie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am Putting my Stars and Stripes on.</td></tr>
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Then Wallah!:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhd7po2u_5cuAI74CCOh9o630InScUGLoHsLqrSgUE3Ypsb2GRmgsffuZmam9vVujAfHn8w2xk_llIJwu3kDGu65YJ25FX8TLvSaSeQax66BfQ0ufi6wSVl_6L6BtZ8Tp3OllkBRXdgQt/s1600/Crusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhd7po2u_5cuAI74CCOh9o630InScUGLoHsLqrSgUE3Ypsb2GRmgsffuZmam9vVujAfHn8w2xk_llIJwu3kDGu65YJ25FX8TLvSaSeQax66BfQ0ufi6wSVl_6L6BtZ8Tp3OllkBRXdgQt/s320/Crusted.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Pie Flag!</td></tr>
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Now this time I used Tapioca to help my filling out a bit. If you read my past blog you know I was having problems getting my fresh fruit fillings to set up. My fillings were always coming out watery. Well, I didn't like how the tapioca turned out. Although it did set up much nicer with the Tapioca.. its texture was much to tapioca-ey for me. And although I do love Tapioca pudding.. I found out I totally do not like Tapioca pie! - I was looking for an easy way out.. yeah,.. never a good idea. Now I know, I am definitely cooking my fillings half way on the stove top, before putting them in my crusts.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuVHhnWtO03OqlYD6fyXIsR8hjzOubEyyETCQnJ6gSOR1e8cKIsO_hDg2kSb26LzVMGbntLEafssKFEhCGJle9YvPENse_-pfSHwxXP2HfSYEjnsy8bu-F3OpUecjqNJqgiokX2fa32g3/s1600/Done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuVHhnWtO03OqlYD6fyXIsR8hjzOubEyyETCQnJ6gSOR1e8cKIsO_hDg2kSb26LzVMGbntLEafssKFEhCGJle9YvPENse_-pfSHwxXP2HfSYEjnsy8bu-F3OpUecjqNJqgiokX2fa32g3/s320/Done.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look close you can see the Tapioca.</td></tr>
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My Mother and Father were having a little Independence Day get together, so I brought over my pie. And although it didn't have butter in it and was tapioca-ey, I got tons of compliments and had two pieces myself. mmm good! - I really need to make time for exercise now that I've taken on this Pie Challenge. lol <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuVHhnWtO03OqlYD6fyXIsR8hjzOubEyyETCQnJ6gSOR1e8cKIsO_hDg2kSb26LzVMGbntLEafssKFEhCGJle9YvPENse_-pfSHwxXP2HfSYEjnsy8bu-F3OpUecjqNJqgiokX2fa32g3/s1600/Done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-7841015772674867912012-06-29T22:08:00.000-06:002012-07-04T14:51:19.072-06:00Gettin' my pie on!<div style="text-align: center;">
Well what an awesome day to make a pie! Josh (my Man) has been gone a couple days for biz. Today he got home! And he got to come home to a home made, very yummy pie! He had been begging for a cherry one! And I thought that sounded pretty good for this week! So before he left, he went and picked up a couple bags of fresh and very yummy Cherries! mmm-mmm good!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRkthqvkEDnO8Fp_OnwcIKSiKBCqAdERhen-OCkdTCUJmtlBsOJxnTmZXG98ZE4zgtfebBGIUcSndRBE_6-WEO93feB9rKIt1XPVpRXHa9VF8QiCNK-HM4cOGnXxsFXeIh1h6ac3-My1n/s1600/cherry+pie+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRkthqvkEDnO8Fp_OnwcIKSiKBCqAdERhen-OCkdTCUJmtlBsOJxnTmZXG98ZE4zgtfebBGIUcSndRBE_6-WEO93feB9rKIt1XPVpRXHa9VF8QiCNK-HM4cOGnXxsFXeIh1h6ac3-My1n/s320/cherry+pie+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For a pie you need pitted cherries however... you don't want to bite into a bunch of hard pits!</div>
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Have you ever pitted cherries?? I never had till this week. I was thinking it was going to be just plan awful! But turns out its not too bad of a chore. I didn't have a cherry pitter. So I used a paper clip! I pulled out the stems, then stuck in the round part of the un-bent paper clip. I could feel it hit the pit, then I would twist, pull and pop it out! Easy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRVn1vtpG844iyYXmDKeaGhtE5cgGEbxmVQxnSOpmMLup87IduH0bPJaUd0JA3M7duczft7IQmTAmmBVQXOIEek03sfnJ7ttbU_OWhOiNc_Ubslp04taf_-6WofCpOElBkBfAQpAN20yJ/s1600/Pitting+Cherries+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRVn1vtpG844iyYXmDKeaGhtE5cgGEbxmVQxnSOpmMLup87IduH0bPJaUd0JA3M7duczft7IQmTAmmBVQXOIEek03sfnJ7ttbU_OWhOiNc_Ubslp04taf_-6WofCpOElBkBfAQpAN20yJ/s200/Pitting+Cherries+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPPEh8Gxa09JJNymUKMCmV_Zy3ZxpsBcecPA_WvU-17UNYQiunZ9xWh7Iv7vhFqCdDLPkNZ6ZzjlOH_ZdEmNXQqaE5TFhCzG45o9ddvFzIR2VpySdSL4U2Bt0A8hLDmTD1vwpaMT1yHuZ/s1600/Pitting+Cherries+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPPEh8Gxa09JJNymUKMCmV_Zy3ZxpsBcecPA_WvU-17UNYQiunZ9xWh7Iv7vhFqCdDLPkNZ6ZzjlOH_ZdEmNXQqaE5TFhCzG45o9ddvFzIR2VpySdSL4U2Bt0A8hLDmTD1vwpaMT1yHuZ/s200/Pitting+Cherries+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3oYEspYMiiFa4VhJWbFyDYCxba1SS3p3VLqJR0QYnqBE_LZdQ8HZguZfSiA18ekcUjO5CmrBw7VCgheho6yu0EttGIIwzEV-yd8Ne4Ugm1E8hyjdMGbAMZxk1D_karVuxtlDxR5w9lfD/s1600/Pitting+Cherries+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3oYEspYMiiFa4VhJWbFyDYCxba1SS3p3VLqJR0QYnqBE_LZdQ8HZguZfSiA18ekcUjO5CmrBw7VCgheho6yu0EttGIIwzEV-yd8Ne4Ugm1E8hyjdMGbAMZxk1D_karVuxtlDxR5w9lfD/s200/Pitting+Cherries+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
But my fingers did turn a pit purple from that yummy syrup that they tend to leak out all over! Kind of a messy job. However is makes for finger-licken goodness!! I wouldn't wear a white shirt while doing this though. Or put it on anything that you don't want stained in a lovely shade of pinkish purplish! -I did mine on my table, and wiped it clean as soon as I was done.. no stains! Yay!! </div>
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I needed 5 1/2 cups of them and this does take a bit of time. But thanks to my nephew Taden, who just happened to pop in, it only took a few minutes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9q-Aiae0h_XkWb7lVVwd-RbBkxYoSv9OiXhsJW-RTLM_lZFknowDnKkf03QIuGRJY_kpw7kVzV3GBXJzINXtftKIuka3P2CmzvF4H78DDih_MqUzvZZUPnCWCgrM9ehKnpGAKmwRA2or/s1600/cherry+pie+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9q-Aiae0h_XkWb7lVVwd-RbBkxYoSv9OiXhsJW-RTLM_lZFknowDnKkf03QIuGRJY_kpw7kVzV3GBXJzINXtftKIuka3P2CmzvF4H78DDih_MqUzvZZUPnCWCgrM9ehKnpGAKmwRA2or/s320/cherry+pie+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The pie its self, was extremely easy to make! Cutting out cute little shapes in the pie crust and then moving it over to the filling.. Was not! my cut out star shapes, I'm afraid to say, don't look anything like little stars. But, I was able to place the cut out pieces of stars on top.. kinda making it acceptable.. cute enough anyways.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very patriotic of me, don't you think so? : ) </td></tr>
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If anyone has any advice for me on doing cut outs.. please comment! I need Help!!</div>
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My honey came home and made some whipped cream! Very Yummy!! </div>
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But I have run into another problem. So, when ever I have made a pie with fresh fruit- it comes out all runny, watery even. I just finished google-ing it and came up with either cooking the filling half way, and then adding it in or putting in tapioca starch. Any insight on this would be very much appreciated! As I really want to become a Master Pie Baker! : ) </div>
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Well, now that I have baked a couple of pies, I must say, I am just loving it! I look forward to it! And I can't wait to bake my next one! -My family and friends can't wait too ...I have some group baking in my future! Got a good sized list of pies to make and looks to be a very fun filled summer, all thanks to Pies!!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-20424626372120654882012-06-29T16:50:00.001-06:002012-06-29T16:50:39.399-06:00When I grow up..<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Remember when we were kids... When we played, we could imagine we were Super Hero's with Super powers! We would pretend to save the day, magically cure some incurable disease, make the biggest brightest most colorful mud pie, that when you bit into it you'd turn into a beautiful fairy creature! (was that just me?) </div>
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We were constantly playing the, "when I grow up" game.. aw, the good ole days!</div>
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Well my children are now playing that same game.</div>
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And since me and my husband have never really grown up.. we play along with them!!- taking pics and dressing them up.. (yeah I know they are not dolls, but they sure are cute!) </div>
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William says when he grows up, he is going to be a Hero, just like Indiana Jones and Ben 10! </div>
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He will have to climb up moving vehicles, and kick the bad guys out!</div>
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And while he's an Alien he will be able to see and do things we can't.. so he can catch the bad guy.. Then Zap again.. into a Human.. Zip down a Zip line and Save the day!! Oh and he says the girls will just dig that!! </div>
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Richard He's gonna be a Cowboy.. But not just any Cowboy! A Cowboy that drives a Train! </div>
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He will have a horse too, of course'. The horse will ride in the back of the Train.. And when the day is thru.. He'll ride off the train on his Horse! Riding thru the hills in the moon light! </div>
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Oh how we love our kids!! So much fun!! </div>
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Josh had a matching outfit.. so we took a few of just the two of them.. Which I totally am Loving!!</div>
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Oh and I did make a pie this week! Today actually! That post coming soon! Just couldn't resist showing these handsome boys off first! I'm such a lucky woman! </div>
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<span id="goog_235150903"></span><span id="goog_235150904"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-10664374923377729922012-06-22T15:38:00.000-06:002012-06-22T15:53:55.987-06:00I'm BACK and with a Pie Challenge!Man has it been a long time!! I can't even remember when I last got on here!<br />
Well here I am! I am back!!<br />
I wonder if anyone missed me??<br />
hmm.<br />
no matter.. I AM BACK!<br />
<br />
So, when I first got married, - To the love of my life! I made a bargain with him. If I quit my job to stay home, I would be a very adorable, sweet house wife-y! I would do all those wonderful, old fashioned 50's picturesque things that house wives did. And one of those things.. was that I would bake lots of pies!!<br />
Well, since I quit my job a year ago, I have made, lets see..... um... maybe 2 pies.<br />
Yeah- OUCH!! - My poor husband.. what a lazy not so 50's perfect house wife-y he has! Well, NOT NO MORE!! I have decided, this week- That has got to change! I am taking on a pie Challenge! I am going to bake one pie for every week of the summer! -I totally can do this!!<br />
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I must add that my honey- is WAY happy about this!<br />
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Pie number one, I made today! An Apple crisp pie! It is baking in the oven right now and let me tell you.. it smells De-li-cious! Can't wait to take a bite!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5NWZT4oXIf_HhlkdXu-zd9AWW6aFR0hg0mRxT6BiqL9i4sShX-SmDqSaRb4j4pw8E1GwNQdr8PE3EvWqycyaFQynWUdMYwYh57TCKQsbWgWpax4PcqY_UyGLrQT4naGo84IvdQKEt928/s1600/pie+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5NWZT4oXIf_HhlkdXu-zd9AWW6aFR0hg0mRxT6BiqL9i4sShX-SmDqSaRb4j4pw8E1GwNQdr8PE3EvWqycyaFQynWUdMYwYh57TCKQsbWgWpax4PcqY_UyGLrQT4naGo84IvdQKEt928/s320/pie+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The recipe called for shortening, but with my newly found liver condition.. I thought it best to substitute it for real butter.. I sure hope it worked!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnHFOqb5KTeluHJ6hW3JErJznBlGTCvG8L4kssqCCG3DdpiddDRpe8vcUpDfO4kslR4BwLQVxC5qhRH3ZKlo3hNtYUvb2mpvZJyNW0zEBXH0Ow3EGZpunXpNkOn9ySB6MA3NUY6Z3izD4/s1600/pie1.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnHFOqb5KTeluHJ6hW3JErJznBlGTCvG8L4kssqCCG3DdpiddDRpe8vcUpDfO4kslR4BwLQVxC5qhRH3ZKlo3hNtYUvb2mpvZJyNW0zEBXH0Ow3EGZpunXpNkOn9ySB6MA3NUY6Z3izD4/s320/pie1.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love my Pamper Chef Pastry Mat! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1naP0vnK6QHOeZSfoFlYZfvwPHw6U2j8nvecOMLTfQNW-r3bD9Am-B5zMS_mf-La8fa52NpXOCNAm0WFovy9yTTD3Ex06usrkzjUkt_iiYa-uhyphenhyphen2dYp5Iqk9uMvfsIUwVDjHEhClUcM0/s1600/pie1.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1naP0vnK6QHOeZSfoFlYZfvwPHw6U2j8nvecOMLTfQNW-r3bD9Am-B5zMS_mf-La8fa52NpXOCNAm0WFovy9yTTD3Ex06usrkzjUkt_iiYa-uhyphenhyphen2dYp5Iqk9uMvfsIUwVDjHEhClUcM0/s320/pie1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its a lot harder then it looks to move the dough from the mat to the pie pan! Did not get it placed evenly.. so just cut some dough from one side and placed it on the other! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9j79d_mnjWMaionglVziEBGUDyUnOVIqVoCPASxjJlBcdF_oQkbrraycX_9eiZDt7Oi1bJmTqvypfVEW5cUnCCyvd70Iy8ESrWwWEqhHlwPE-TB5imP2G0TE8cljSLZzzx4f1tVIXLCPb/s320/pie+1.4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="224" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm cinnamon crumbly top!! Can't wait to take a bite! - and yeah, I totally cheated, had some pre- homemade canned pie filling from the extended Cribbs family! ; ) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4VLKgBMRbrnKzcOR18eRNE9EwG21QtCT35NYq2pUEVZz5G9cGb3b7KoYz-BiBwYEj2pZfzpHfh4gz5PiJBGyjIBAFfjfNT7-ozluBGEhFWGcx_j-u4bY_m5dRToLkVvB_8kEq6qpoYDM/s1600/pie+1.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4VLKgBMRbrnKzcOR18eRNE9EwG21QtCT35NYq2pUEVZz5G9cGb3b7KoYz-BiBwYEj2pZfzpHfh4gz5PiJBGyjIBAFfjfNT7-ozluBGEhFWGcx_j-u4bY_m5dRToLkVvB_8kEq6qpoYDM/s320/pie+1.5.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just got out of the Oven! And Looks like a Perfect retro Apple Pie!! </td></tr>
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I'm so proud of myself! I made it completely from scratch (sorta)! : pAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-77372823293786528142011-12-29T18:35:00.000-07:002011-12-30T13:05:53.254-07:00Looking Back on 2011 As you probably have noticed.. This will be my first post in over six months, Lol. Well 2011 turned into a very busy year.. Iâm hoping 2012 will be a little better for blogging.
Though who knows: Iâm forcing myself to blog now, while my dishes sit in the sink, the kids run a muck, and the dirt seeps deeper into my carpets. -Also, I never got a chance to do Christmas cards this year.. In fact I had forgot such a thing existed.. Till they started pouring into the mail box. : ) So please forgive me, but this is my Christmas letter/card/blog.. Of 2011! : ) Like I said, hopefully things will go a bit more smoothly in 2012!<br />
Okay! So 2011 though busy, was plum full of memories!! Good ones.. And well some, that it will be fine if I forget.
I'll leave those ones out of this though..<br />
To start off; Josh and I got to experience some firsts together.. including Birthdayâs.. Which, though crazy.. Looking back.. -We totally know how to give awesome Birthdays!! I had a gift and indoor picture scavenger hunt for his.. And well, afterwards got to learn that my husband.. Though not into sports.. Totally has a competitive side! Trying to UP me,.. He way over planned mine!!.. I got to pretend I was Indiana Jones, clues, puzzles, and digging in dirt.. A real live treasure hunt.. Complete with trilogy! ; )<br />
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Speaking of Birthdays.. William got his very 1st Birthday Party!.. Halloween Style!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulWY02-VidXV9s1qqnR8_CkjCX70BwON43eK54gStEqxAK8NFaNzUkJlBVUrdETr-E3yEEX5tvv4Pgi-qU88cCmH5bK94y2ND_XqpDjX_eaQCb6zzGyzn-WtVeaHCDOCFC1vQOHR7Axtn/s1600/IMG_2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulWY02-VidXV9s1qqnR8_CkjCX70BwON43eK54gStEqxAK8NFaNzUkJlBVUrdETr-E3yEEX5tvv4Pgi-qU88cCmH5bK94y2ND_XqpDjX_eaQCb6zzGyzn-WtVeaHCDOCFC1vQOHR7Axtn/s400/IMG_2925.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">his party group!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And I can not Believe my Baby is 5!! I finally got around to painting
his room! ....William, well, his is getting closer.. got the dragon wall
finished.. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aJgkmMHZnUfFlSUXHMKJ-xklHS8KNaLvaPTMNqfGYHJ7RWwYSlnXnqtFJwoo8Jd6jQbbzF-KfeHqGwZ1toSnGnWxgU2V4RFHK9FPEKJ1oYezilEBwYEKNRxSom-oxx2y5GpBd-avadih/s1600/IMG_0347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aJgkmMHZnUfFlSUXHMKJ-xklHS8KNaLvaPTMNqfGYHJ7RWwYSlnXnqtFJwoo8Jd6jQbbzF-KfeHqGwZ1toSnGnWxgU2V4RFHK9FPEKJ1oYezilEBwYEKNRxSom-oxx2y5GpBd-avadih/s200/IMG_0347.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard and his Mo Hawk he sported around most the year! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMn4Njv4Wnp0TPezNjX1pgxwFZKLnL4Xd_3eFvIDbbPwYg5bZuP2cGtoolnwBtS9MkymUKaoVUacEpegrqN8ziRPkASWirma7Mvvokzn-xD8Dj7kbeHd2v4A8FZBqCGa4QgKP_yi4CIDr/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMn4Njv4Wnp0TPezNjX1pgxwFZKLnL4Xd_3eFvIDbbPwYg5bZuP2cGtoolnwBtS9MkymUKaoVUacEpegrqN8ziRPkASWirma7Mvvokzn-xD8Dj7kbeHd2v4A8FZBqCGa4QgKP_yi4CIDr/s200/038.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard's Room!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8cJV4rQAbUjdimcbk8aROGfyx6qWdyCmwmQoBBiLf-7oZcHqtAxXshRnJJmAQjD5ELxB2NPsLCYya8Lf4wks6apeYp_VtI6AoZJdkAqVds0gaNQH4zO0X3562oy0GILW06vVlsqOP6Ze/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8cJV4rQAbUjdimcbk8aROGfyx6qWdyCmwmQoBBiLf-7oZcHqtAxXshRnJJmAQjD5ELxB2NPsLCYya8Lf4wks6apeYp_VtI6AoZJdkAqVds0gaNQH4zO0X3562oy0GILW06vVlsqOP6Ze/s200/037.JPG" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more of Richard's room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1Y2TP1weRBvL4bgfESpMaM72Hj-jtWX8rNM-KFt-bM5UWsAGN-YTw4CLzKbtxsnRqTxxSFS2C1qakxVisF0fBZAWvwCNxkQpZK7BBQkMTGS1q2HrQ0DQMnJjcE7wS4kq5TAdJxGz7EvW/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1Y2TP1weRBvL4bgfESpMaM72Hj-jtWX8rNM-KFt-bM5UWsAGN-YTw4CLzKbtxsnRqTxxSFS2C1qakxVisF0fBZAWvwCNxkQpZK7BBQkMTGS1q2HrQ0DQMnJjcE7wS4kq5TAdJxGz7EvW/s200/029.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will's Room!</td></tr>
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Other Happenings of 2011:
I got to go to Roswell to see my Sister Raylinn and watch one of my favorite girls graduate!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8nTmAx1tUHfytzMR37wKi_p2l8jPgTvglU6s44YYfC-HoW7DqAO78Exl2Ogkb2FEr3fjX2Z03uiWYnA_oOOogvUFDkg_-XJEOaAox0YQBlD7cgrYV9ajzd_AGC154ML89nzMovU5xFil/s1600/IMG_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8nTmAx1tUHfytzMR37wKi_p2l8jPgTvglU6s44YYfC-HoW7DqAO78Exl2Ogkb2FEr3fjX2Z03uiWYnA_oOOogvUFDkg_-XJEOaAox0YQBlD7cgrYV9ajzd_AGC154ML89nzMovU5xFil/s200/IMG_0142.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chantel</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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-My Sister Angela moved in next door and the kids have just had a blast now that they have cousins their age to play with all the time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJV1s0jqVPsXT018H2Kgse0aJgVZ6aE2QIHIJ7PeNnuHB7VlGgQnkxYMPIj5W1TLZE9MVwX3HORF9kWOAFiKkaUvhu89m_RS87BejAo28za3lxzs3raJshpfgx7KwRY4rK5M2yzuG59X6/s1600/IMG_2059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJV1s0jqVPsXT018H2Kgse0aJgVZ6aE2QIHIJ7PeNnuHB7VlGgQnkxYMPIj5W1TLZE9MVwX3HORF9kWOAFiKkaUvhu89m_RS87BejAo28za3lxzs3raJshpfgx7KwRY4rK5M2yzuG59X6/s320/IMG_2059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">camping in the backyard with cousins and Daddy Josh!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Here's a picture of The Palmer Clan here now:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnydaYsmrmJUbw15eSECLsjbDySyTNH-qewRrVmZheXAc8sy5tbLPyJdqnAVZiqDpKptujVM-Wb-6P_NJmk_0w_jQT4uWT_pmaPKeiG84_osZ6umdm6UfWUQMMAxpo6rl6gMmk2PdJ5Zsl/s1600/Palmer+Compound+2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnydaYsmrmJUbw15eSECLsjbDySyTNH-qewRrVmZheXAc8sy5tbLPyJdqnAVZiqDpKptujVM-Wb-6P_NJmk_0w_jQT4uWT_pmaPKeiG84_osZ6umdm6UfWUQMMAxpo6rl6gMmk2PdJ5Zsl/s320/Palmer+Compound+2011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angela, Andy, my Mom holding Richard, my Dad holding James, me with Will and the Georgia Dog, and Josh!</td></tr>
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<br />
Besides my sister moving home, my cousin Sammi moved into town as well! - I've enjoyed having a cousin closer too! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmB2jDXYU-zQZvHtGbPVuRgUnkPfa2cDpba0izTaQKwf6PFHoAqVMZEK_y28YZtTQ5nZr0b70GtgsuC_LePmE1PhBESGEpRXPEDU8hwXri-Q3FYekEeJpZ88U5hd8lCSo5fg4knk3wdIJ6/s1600/IMG_2901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmB2jDXYU-zQZvHtGbPVuRgUnkPfa2cDpba0izTaQKwf6PFHoAqVMZEK_y28YZtTQ5nZr0b70GtgsuC_LePmE1PhBESGEpRXPEDU8hwXri-Q3FYekEeJpZ88U5hd8lCSo5fg4knk3wdIJ6/s200/IMG_2901.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Sammi, and Ang for Halloween!</td></tr>
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Oh, and we took a picnic and the Jeep.. did I mention Josh got rid of
his Pontiac and got a Jeep!- That was the highlight of most of the Summer.. I should add.. he is a bit obsessed with it! But it's been fun! - We went up to Silverton for our Anniversary! Best Anniversary Ever!! - yes I know its our 1st.- but still it was the best! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUftJYHGobzfLgwQdYDwxgpxbRTX6IxjEoeZsXWCsKk_BXL8anAcR7SNQq1gPS6tYSWy9lZMsObzcalEFYHalXrPC3zIKfIo8kADgVwEVu6-cSGh8oKjdLFjP_URB8Xh15pJUGzvtwO_LI/s1600/IMG_0335-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUftJYHGobzfLgwQdYDwxgpxbRTX6IxjEoeZsXWCsKk_BXL8anAcR7SNQq1gPS6tYSWy9lZMsObzcalEFYHalXrPC3zIKfIo8kADgVwEVu6-cSGh8oKjdLFjP_URB8Xh15pJUGzvtwO_LI/s320/IMG_0335-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a great shot I got of Josh that day!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I got to meet "The Parents" this summer and quite a bit of the rest of the family for Thanksgiving! I love them!! Wyoming isn't so bad of a place either. I liked it! Richard really enjoyed all the Trains in the town too! -This whole being married to Josh.. Is working out pretty well.. I'd say. ; ) The in-laws don't hate me,.. yet.<br />
Oh and I got MY RING!! THANK-YOU JOSH! I found it in a roll on my plate on Thanksgiving Day!<br />
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As for the rest of the year...We had a Palmer Reunion, fun to see the cousins, and Aunts and Uncles.. Hadn't seen so many of them in years! We really need to do that more often!<br />
oh, Josh and I teach Primary at church and really have enjoyed that, got classes switched on us at the end though.. which was hard, we'd become quite attached to the one group.. but our learning to love these kiddos too- not hard since one of them is ours (William). : ) <br />
Christmas was wonderful!! We got a real tree this year, which filled our house with the wonderful smell of pine. Kids got spoiled, Santa came to us all, it's been a good year!.. Just busy busy. Now that I quit my job at Sears you'd think I would have more time.. Definitely has not been the case! Somehow I seem to have less time... not sure exactly how this has worked?? But I am soo soo soo loving being a full time Mommy again!<br />
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Well it seems as its bed time now.. lol, I had better get off. .and see what damage has been done while I've been glued to my laptop screen... took me a long time today to figure this whole blogging thing out again.. so much as changed since I last was on this site. But now that I've got it figured out.. I should be doing this more often.. Hopefully.<br />
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Merry Christmas everyone!! And hope your year was filled with just as nice memories as ours has been and that the New Year will be everything you want it to be!! Happy New Year!! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-57534151083488586172011-04-08T20:17:00.000-06:002011-04-08T20:17:42.151-06:00Its Party Time!!!!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>Spring is here, My Birthdays next week, My sister made it home finally, I quit my job, We started a New Business (Kirchner Kandids), My kids are wonderful and I love my husband.......... Sounds to me like its time for a <u>Party</u>!!!</strong></em></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyLssfi1xMgcbjEKKUmpZEqFd0mFiBLtcyV9halIUE-s89nKZwG2toTcuhgEkxm6C76llA8ks00K59AJZhGoqEWYncOK84-RfGMMO2iVuF7qbLfI-3qHpjlOc0hjOLsIrCV0OgFMMUCO5/s1600/imagesCAVB13IN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyLssfi1xMgcbjEKKUmpZEqFd0mFiBLtcyV9halIUE-s89nKZwG2toTcuhgEkxm6C76llA8ks00K59AJZhGoqEWYncOK84-RfGMMO2iVuF7qbLfI-3qHpjlOc0hjOLsIrCV0OgFMMUCO5/s1600/imagesCAVB13IN.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>WHERE:</strong> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My House this Thursday.. yes this Thursday April 14th!! - sorry I know its short notice.. but its the only day I can. :(</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>WHEN:</strong> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well.....Its kind of an open house.. So feel free to show up whenever! I'm going to open the doors at 5pm, Partylite at 6pm (yes that's right!, Candles!! - So don't forget your piggy banks!), Then maybe will get out a game or just chill whatever peeps are up to. But, like many of you I do have kiddos.. so can't be partying any later than 8.. since school is the next day. :(</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh and speaking of children... Don't worry about trying to find a babysitter.. kids are more than welcome!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>WHAT TO EXPECT:</strong> W</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ell a very happy Breezy and a bunch of girls and their kids getting together doing what girls do best: Talking, watching the kids run around, and spending money. lol ;) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>ON THE MENU:</strong> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fondue!! - the yummy fruit kind and the Veggie kind! Punch.. and other yummy stuff!!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TCWVRC82-qAnSbQJ_l5WlSTmOwBvAMZllkrBk7BITMolUmgL1qt8Dyvils-Vpehi44cS9tsJzWES2AoP9NanWDbvC-F_Q3KZ3v5dEDip-l8q5aEGGAmVpHymceXTfR9Ou4uKi2RqmXA2/s1600/imagesCA6MMLPR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TCWVRC82-qAnSbQJ_l5WlSTmOwBvAMZllkrBk7BITMolUmgL1qt8Dyvils-Vpehi44cS9tsJzWES2AoP9NanWDbvC-F_Q3KZ3v5dEDip-l8q5aEGGAmVpHymceXTfR9Ou4uKi2RqmXA2/s1600/imagesCA6MMLPR.jpg" /></a></div>HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT!!! I WANT TO SEE ALL MY PEEPS!! I NEED TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-39271351645511330702010-09-11T14:13:00.024-06:002010-11-14T21:47:59.415-07:00Newly Wedded, and the story behind it...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBS_Q37ANIrkV0n0pxuLAUELJ0kxCU-HsIEKhyQYohUXVYx3w2Otd_jUeOOD0HsQMkqngHTDMIb2q5U84usqkYOmoSVWwZcfBHAXl8Uph_3i8v0DcB1cy1P6izn6I8fpnU4KJ1CdDuUCP/s1600/IMG_9053.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536593481879167826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBS_Q37ANIrkV0n0pxuLAUELJ0kxCU-HsIEKhyQYohUXVYx3w2Otd_jUeOOD0HsQMkqngHTDMIb2q5U84usqkYOmoSVWwZcfBHAXl8Uph_3i8v0DcB1cy1P6izn6I8fpnU4KJ1CdDuUCP/s400/IMG_9053.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>As most of you know I am once again a Newly Wed! And as most of you know.. That was out of plan! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536591445955952370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlkyMI-qiDZLTnKW70riLJxNOup0Dumyz-SjMVXJ7O2ahdXAuyzVD4es9rMVUDCZCK-HkQicY5rkwsA-IoF7LSMRnEKUE5L1njbEKPQP667a7BJZKsm6U7BJhi-ww66OMO0sDkKse_1QC/s320/IMG_8799.JPG" />I have been informed several times.. that I have a lot of explaining to do! Since this was such a fast and unexpected move. I apologize! I know this is long over due for most of you!! <div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>After my Divorce with Nathan I had no interest in jumping in or even sliding into a relationship... At least not for a year.. I wanted to take a year off!... Re-build myself and keep things as simple as a single working mother can. And I most certainly wasn't planning on getting married!! ...I thought maybe when Will's in High School, I'll finally find someone. I thought it was going to take a lot of searching and heart aches... Stuff I didn't even want to glance at yet. Dating, getting married, wasn't something in my plans!</div><div><br /></div><div>Well as usual, my plans didn't mean a thing!</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536591464544906274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnNYzs0qDxyiox2DfXEzJ44txB3PbYy9AHL54PvVIICwx9DU0dQ6MKaK-FY9ts3wu4ZlP2vTTq_qumgnpQyc0pJupX-Hr9C4_kxTCOjVK0kK0T1Wa6NhKZhOfbMLIZTUXgNu6Y8Si7eBV/s320/IMG_9013.JPG" />I met Josh working at Sears during June sometime, I think.. I can't even pin a date... cause well.. I wasn't really looking and didn't care! - At the time I didn't care anyways.<br /><div>This smart ass, nice looking man would come into my work, and well.. flirt. He always made me laugh and left me with a smile. My Co-workers noticed something right off, that neither one of us did. After he would leave..my boss.. being the way she is.. would look him up and down.. very obviously, then look at me, and say some comment like "uh huh!" - Okay that's not all she would say, but I'm not about to post it here.. you can just imagine.. and most likely everything you imagine.. happened! -Then one day while he was flirting and keeping me from my work, he asked me for my cell number so he could send me a pic.. a pic he had took of.. me. And as they say.. the rest is history. ; )</div><br /><div>We texted morning and night till I asked him one day if he was just strictly a texter or did he ever call anyone..and well with in a minute we were talking on the phone morning and night. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536591462558871730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhducIeFAssxXciXMEH6-w3zTtzEcOljzJ2fiQV9O6rME6VyKhHbawdMbtdjrmC6x2IPi4m5mEh0U-TCzDz_ba69CnmUzhVqe3zyWW4H5zIjyubUu78Z7Ry9CjG5SrsOXsyktWIcuTXAyQg/s320/IMG_8977.JPG" />I forgot to mention.. that same day he asked for my number, we were talking about smoke alarms. (Josh is a volunteer fire fighter.) I mentioned that I didn't have any.. kind of a stretch on my part.. I have two.. just didn't think they worked.. I mean when flames were coming out of the oven.. they never went off! so in my mind.. I didn't have any! -So Him being the concerned fire fighter he is, bought me some, I thanked him and then said.. "who's going to install them?" (I mean I dono how!)... well he being the good concerned fire fighter he is, volunteered! -Once he arrived at my house.. he realized I did have smoke alarms. I had two, I just hadn't turned them on!.. So he informed me that I had tricked him into coming over! -WHAT!, not me!... (Good trick, don't ya think?? Got a sexy fireman over to my house! )<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536591453950257218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjepmBWUseU3PzHx8Xg512BxY0f877qqj9Yt99VFRjbuvzZXMVOrbOHwzRd0y0aWPicwuzoQpHHSdycaR2fTUjbMEILycWnp74ABU3ZrnxtWc7nufr0D1Dq-wvJtBoPtp8TiE-jLl0pf5/s320/IMG_8944.JPG" />Well needless to say, we fell in love...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_W1F2aU4uq8U23HxhPBBQF4JWbfWvoEMY2tDctWokEcAsERNLkBA8D7FuQE14AJetCZrUQEY9I6fEKC-kbMOr_KYixiFNVPqGWnDfit63p2rV0BuMEXvH8o8TQ0qHsnhk8KEb1cL7vhl/s1600/IMG_1386.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 196px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536583605610174738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_W1F2aU4uq8U23HxhPBBQF4JWbfWvoEMY2tDctWokEcAsERNLkBA8D7FuQE14AJetCZrUQEY9I6fEKC-kbMOr_KYixiFNVPqGWnDfit63p2rV0BuMEXvH8o8TQ0qHsnhk8KEb1cL7vhl/s320/IMG_1386.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Our first and well.. only date, we spent in Durango! .. I did the asking,.. if your wondering. ;) We went to the honey farm, caving, over to the Hot springs, and out for pizza that night!.. Made a full day of it!! And well that's the day we both realized,.. that we really loved each other! : )<br /><br /><div>I am a very picky woman thou.. and didn't want to be with someone who didn't match up to my list... Yes I just said I had a list!! Still do! He better always be matching up to it!! (Got that hun!?! ) ;)<br />Anyways.. One night after going over my list.. it just hit me! Why the heck wait!?!.. I can check mark pretty much 90% of my list off! (the whole he'd have to be a member of my church questions to answer, were the only ones I couldn't, and that could be fixed!) I love him! He is what I want! And waiting would only mean less time together and well money would be wasted! (with having to pay for separate houses and all).. so after church one beautiful afternoon.. I proposed! -It went something like this...(not exactly the proposal I had in mind thou..lol)...</div><br /><div>Me- "You love me, right?" </div><div>Josh- "I do" </div><div>Me- "And I love you. We'd save a lot of money if you move in, you wanna move in?" </div><div>Josh- "UmmHmm" </div><div>Me- "Well there'd be a catch .. you can't move in, unless you marry me.?." </div><div>Josh- "K"<br />Me- "You mean you'll marry me?" </div><div>Josh - "Yes."</div><br /><div>And there you have it! lol!! Classic huh!?! lol!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8bCm2hqi2iOSO6njBBlsw-zncfJu4LamxdWJchsnKQQGgKDWg5PRpbDTGnEGydSGlOIm7V2pYztMABhejWWJtVPULdlAQZBQTkqgwHJzDLWbSJ4-Tg4EnXQz9uNqixdux6a6wtDKYboM/s1600/IMG_7977.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536583615998555266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8bCm2hqi2iOSO6njBBlsw-zncfJu4LamxdWJchsnKQQGgKDWg5PRpbDTGnEGydSGlOIm7V2pYztMABhejWWJtVPULdlAQZBQTkqgwHJzDLWbSJ4-Tg4EnXQz9uNqixdux6a6wtDKYboM/s320/IMG_7977.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p></p><p>We were married exactly 7 days later!! :) <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 216px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536591444228726354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzntCYmlyzs65Fy3ZfcCPz1KJIN5FUwi132QHMgAVRS0YZHIViAWtpVWuvZPG5OJwOQJUdWWS81j0RPP_HDMZ4P3DE0OhxV2xEqF4eODlkcVJT1ioPYGSIU3COmXj0k91mv5qDM81sL-L/s320/you+may+kiss+the+bride.JPG" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-57296334913537301412010-07-31T09:40:00.001-06:002010-07-31T09:43:47.358-06:00Going to the Chapel..........And were, gonna get MARRIED!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-22512416718136771912010-05-07T10:39:00.006-06:002010-05-07T12:10:37.278-06:00ZOO!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Aa0iYBhOCmGijikDp1Ur5_nhUfNx6zkEJ1VHYs12HDd1grs5FOmQL-e8VKUY0C-rZjkosPpg_xf3agw754_itPB2Qzzh6FE8C-gN-6sZCWmIMaerlV6FfKgBYWmqabBWH7MRwxfA8z_C/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584939758156274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Aa0iYBhOCmGijikDp1Ur5_nhUfNx6zkEJ1VHYs12HDd1grs5FOmQL-e8VKUY0C-rZjkosPpg_xf3agw754_itPB2Qzzh6FE8C-gN-6sZCWmIMaerlV6FfKgBYWmqabBWH7MRwxfA8z_C/s200/014.JPG" /></a> <br /><div>I love the ZOO! This past week My Mom and I took the Boys!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzewURvZI69SPGF0N9ip5l4C-k8M66O16QzLvSuiZBCNJGz37Ahc5IMamv7vlVye7zUn6PRcvHc3JRF4mzIM44MFWyVIekLyqWg7yzqS0GMuGdp3w_tmMbxXyJhG9V-W4KH8Q61r9yL6H/s1600/017.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584933055749906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzewURvZI69SPGF0N9ip5l4C-k8M66O16QzLvSuiZBCNJGz37Ahc5IMamv7vlVye7zUn6PRcvHc3JRF4mzIM44MFWyVIekLyqWg7yzqS0GMuGdp3w_tmMbxXyJhG9V-W4KH8Q61r9yL6H/s200/017.JPG" /></a></div><div>(And Yes the Baby Elephant is sniffing poo!)</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgVLVwCNmxjLsX1YLpqktHw4aUuq4Ke49khfFnfpCxk2pCQis5kenNrKDqjs59CdipGLme9d9FXMfcwtcquE-t1WF998vNDO5RIwiPciFN5QTRRBjrnoWssmS1tqhV_26aJSWryoZm0O-/s1600/019.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584039780491010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgVLVwCNmxjLsX1YLpqktHw4aUuq4Ke49khfFnfpCxk2pCQis5kenNrKDqjs59CdipGLme9d9FXMfcwtcquE-t1WF998vNDO5RIwiPciFN5QTRRBjrnoWssmS1tqhV_26aJSWryoZm0O-/s200/019.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JmrNU1_IcharOFuc0HQN2VNkcjdwbOmkCkNDEC_zjYoIehPPldrIRBY8fjPpnydF0wNQk_wfmlqyZPo2e6k0MjhyphenhyphenoYpnlgLb5hYqSB6Q1KcTH5wXip5fLyfXpVI1sO0V2eoBsRoDmRvZ/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584023842619954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JmrNU1_IcharOFuc0HQN2VNkcjdwbOmkCkNDEC_zjYoIehPPldrIRBY8fjPpnydF0wNQk_wfmlqyZPo2e6k0MjhyphenhyphenoYpnlgLb5hYqSB6Q1KcTH5wXip5fLyfXpVI1sO0V2eoBsRoDmRvZ/s200/020.JPG" /></a><br />Richard well, was Richard, very active.. and wanting to run run run.. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">thru</span></span> every exhibit! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Until</span> he saw a Train... This boy is Obsessed!<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3I9W7WwiN0eXaL-zF8RGCUQ_6mpmZMXPgvWPK1w9i1Nh_CCDlzQucVq_kdqWyctsxvx_Ua3aqZalTj4MdaxbRyHFDqilroornnltsVGZRKbV5mHMBj5-Qj_JF8lo7ZMmNZbv0yWGk0Et/s1600/021.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584019968920674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3I9W7WwiN0eXaL-zF8RGCUQ_6mpmZMXPgvWPK1w9i1Nh_CCDlzQucVq_kdqWyctsxvx_Ua3aqZalTj4MdaxbRyHFDqilroornnltsVGZRKbV5mHMBj5-Qj_JF8lo7ZMmNZbv0yWGk0Et/s200/021.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q0VqTBgX8FtO9-dtgrXlj9teE775PWhe99s0A2eYUWEKwH2Fy7mN8I5VZ1fW9rcsbkEOVetpvQUODdOQGdDFONy9ajneVno57yEiEBJHnrIjcmnUVRCmk7XaGg0pBLf93DSa_2se1iZx/s1600/022.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468584013413937522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q0VqTBgX8FtO9-dtgrXlj9teE775PWhe99s0A2eYUWEKwH2Fy7mN8I5VZ1fW9rcsbkEOVetpvQUODdOQGdDFONy9ajneVno57yEiEBJHnrIjcmnUVRCmk7XaGg0pBLf93DSa_2se1iZx/s200/022.JPG" /></a><br />I love how they have Peacocks that just roam the place. Its so fun! And Here is a picture of William with a Dragon! He was very excited! (its a statue- we did see live ones as well!)<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOu7z3u0h8-X1MfAAgHFOOqK6Uo6mmAs_PTAd3C8yBrMeCA6-TOsFD3UTHq3F4NCM6xRHAqQeuIGkTkINPpiXk-17AiIwfIFU3vP0DfIErli19Pivx_WrFW3RmMIyRCbzwk9KkHjw84e8C/s1600/023.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468577534238276866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOu7z3u0h8-X1MfAAgHFOOqK6Uo6mmAs_PTAd3C8yBrMeCA6-TOsFD3UTHq3F4NCM6xRHAqQeuIGkTkINPpiXk-17AiIwfIFU3vP0DfIErli19Pivx_WrFW3RmMIyRCbzwk9KkHjw84e8C/s200/023.JPG" /></a> <br />If anyone knows me, they know I love Monkey/Apes! I thought this stain glass window of this one was gorgeous! </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBSeC5wJDNdpQ_enJ_Vw0L0yHitgffT3u4sxgFluUFIyJIdl_uXMA3MtJuZpeDR6vt3cQhf0OlRDYYFYkDu6sbvb2lx55W0MfK-rr34X4RXCUFbtAODPspC-qAKwmRUQlYcM5ShOXMpcr/s1600/024.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468577530148165938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBSeC5wJDNdpQ_enJ_Vw0L0yHitgffT3u4sxgFluUFIyJIdl_uXMA3MtJuZpeDR6vt3cQhf0OlRDYYFYkDu6sbvb2lx55W0MfK-rr34X4RXCUFbtAODPspC-qAKwmRUQlYcM5ShOXMpcr/s200/024.JPG" /></a></div><div>Here is the 3 of us <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">in front</span> of the seals! </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gRVU1u2iYxsWaBS8sdMZAnqIErCF3Brkm3KP1DpfhC-hrI2yGDNaJSR6qIXnzmbpE7kUjZDWt1HA8j70c2XT15HBcixieLhA_QjM_LsEwKTMZwBR2V_3keyfaTgnYtgAuQttJ1oF_vVk/s1600/025.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468577520962183442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gRVU1u2iYxsWaBS8sdMZAnqIErCF3Brkm3KP1DpfhC-hrI2yGDNaJSR6qIXnzmbpE7kUjZDWt1HA8j70c2XT15HBcixieLhA_QjM_LsEwKTMZwBR2V_3keyfaTgnYtgAuQttJ1oF_vVk/s200/025.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOB2F0xnVDL3ALLOWM2zm8W_r1Wy0D6My1L7nHH9Pj8W3PMbXKS2FjVoofv59BCe2rGs2Yl9ShYOgTET1Qbttifq1Ev5Ior_ywuCkd3vGkZeSyqsTH2tTR9-QU_VJB7xO0n-OVeCwl0laM/s1600/026.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468577512947875506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOB2F0xnVDL3ALLOWM2zm8W_r1Wy0D6My1L7nHH9Pj8W3PMbXKS2FjVoofv59BCe2rGs2Yl9ShYOgTET1Qbttifq1Ev5Ior_ywuCkd3vGkZeSyqsTH2tTR9-QU_VJB7xO0n-OVeCwl0laM/s200/026.JPG" /></a><br /><div>My little poser... and Richard right before I locked him up in his stroller!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet71SPduCg5g_-OTZ7oMWScq09rHuMjbizXAVWzoof8vl5I0Ve4O1g9K36HK8qjevtHsBpjcW85ShdgGcLPpKwua-giehUQnMRHe5BeGzisY8-B2Mn0OEnlBinmyVz2aEsMJoy5FsBlcQ/s1600/027.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468577507150211778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet71SPduCg5g_-OTZ7oMWScq09rHuMjbizXAVWzoof8vl5I0Ve4O1g9K36HK8qjevtHsBpjcW85ShdgGcLPpKwua-giehUQnMRHe5BeGzisY8-B2Mn0OEnlBinmyVz2aEsMJoy5FsBlcQ/s200/027.JPG" /></a> <br />I love this pic!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf92ETcCCYTei5Ak2ITVdEq8UuWnGun6iB8wQP_sFACqjJt1UFDyRWFsr1s9DFhpVaWOgmEc2lIDnseGfsW7Kmjf8ZdR4zcuy7Ka64imJoIu6QyAc5zgWONEg5ZBDKDQ7iSOlnwYB93WM8/s1600/033.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468576018955134882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf92ETcCCYTei5Ak2ITVdEq8UuWnGun6iB8wQP_sFACqjJt1UFDyRWFsr1s9DFhpVaWOgmEc2lIDnseGfsW7Kmjf8ZdR4zcuy7Ka64imJoIu6QyAc5zgWONEg5ZBDKDQ7iSOlnwYB93WM8/s200/033.JPG" /></a></div><div>Here's our train ride! </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuH9ssAArPexx1YQCiwR94zz-DKZFCijZvn1gxrWuya_ueWXh5fwCfy92jrI6FTx-5zKSb22Ye9ZSA1PEnCAAhXzobcoNi3dDKakh_sdKhq4G4WUIl7AZjLIx-hmRWpVwLdAnJmG02qftT/s1600/034.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468575980290638242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuH9ssAArPexx1YQCiwR94zz-DKZFCijZvn1gxrWuya_ueWXh5fwCfy92jrI6FTx-5zKSb22Ye9ZSA1PEnCAAhXzobcoNi3dDKakh_sdKhq4G4WUIl7AZjLIx-hmRWpVwLdAnJmG02qftT/s200/034.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR71iAyhOlmlTu6jjkw7mIjlaykEkCKBqSJ4G5Tlgddslloh97FW8P6-TjIdaAPP_PAWZC9w6ko_miZygxD2uvkDE7YDH2V1MWds-GkeZRQ2pGSRUwOF9hs2V2vxSKSjxeFW3aFPD6reE/s1600/032.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468575972579838994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR71iAyhOlmlTu6jjkw7mIjlaykEkCKBqSJ4G5Tlgddslloh97FW8P6-TjIdaAPP_PAWZC9w6ko_miZygxD2uvkDE7YDH2V1MWds-GkeZRQ2pGSRUwOF9hs2V2vxSKSjxeFW3aFPD6reE/s200/032.JPG" /></a><br />Richard on the train! This <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">totally</span> made his day! (and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">that's</span> chocolate all over his face.)<br /><div>Loved this pic of the main male <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Gorilla</span>! He looks Serious!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7DVKuDfut-9lkgGHpgwa2GT3KC1c7sGigaLpCEnD2yTDpyf4vCu1hiH0tiuK19GXzb8KKmr_7hW8qQm670D2-C5GaayTSLfuvhSMJQKYLbDZZ5aMvYdXwKjTVPej7TjbOjQrjKl-_H8D/s1600/035.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468575962022704978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7DVKuDfut-9lkgGHpgwa2GT3KC1c7sGigaLpCEnD2yTDpyf4vCu1hiH0tiuK19GXzb8KKmr_7hW8qQm670D2-C5GaayTSLfuvhSMJQKYLbDZZ5aMvYdXwKjTVPej7TjbOjQrjKl-_H8D/s200/035.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXRB0sWWoHL_ITI3yjMYgzEB6nRizZxkod67jKyi82okADvsQzLxVLsiJU4Q9IoxNix_g3GGF0FAyyWg6Xmzv1iReO21sbXyELASJzOaAgVHXl7X5QyBDMJbNt3hij-ZZ368_em-mVTzY/s1600/036.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468575955269622610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXRB0sWWoHL_ITI3yjMYgzEB6nRizZxkod67jKyi82okADvsQzLxVLsiJU4Q9IoxNix_g3GGF0FAyyWg6Xmzv1iReO21sbXyELASJzOaAgVHXl7X5QyBDMJbNt3hij-ZZ368_em-mVTzY/s200/036.JPG" /></a><br /><div>I think they were trying to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ignore</span> us! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">lol</span></span>! I love the ZOO!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-54645284665035984862010-05-07T10:25:00.003-06:002014-05-30T18:35:03.272-06:00Oops!Okay, So one night while me and the boys where watching a movie.. I noticed how long William's hair was getting.. and mentioned to him that I thought it was time for a hair cut. He told me "NO". And then I just mentioned how I wished he would let us cut his hair. - That was it.<br />
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Well later on in the movie.. I realized William had left the room, the bathroom light was on.. so I figured he was going, but time passed.. and he never came out.. so I went to check it out...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSuRQk6emT3YPik7a_33hktYNHilGGppNdqKvYPJOIhq7O02Oh2ePM06Rgm8TUGQay8FiDPD7gvuMBMbYDu_bSY5K59e-IiEgHw84qjkicLyhHpMD7RQH4f0wbvZkBFFoxo1WKdmvDcyz/s1600/007.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSuRQk6emT3YPik7a_33hktYNHilGGppNdqKvYPJOIhq7O02Oh2ePM06Rgm8TUGQay8FiDPD7gvuMBMbYDu_bSY5K59e-IiEgHw84qjkicLyhHpMD7RQH4f0wbvZkBFFoxo1WKdmvDcyz/s200/007.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468565481220293890" style="cursor: hand; height: 200px; width: 143px;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vqfW9xoDR2OX1ogm_ytC6n2JJhDGO_zMv3Ap0DKITm117H4v3_k4S4xiFbf3dtYqWRxqC5woDEJHwobq2hyewaEorpfTEOK9pJGn2gcRwzPTehoqfeXqlJNavB7jzIMrHWlrDasnQe_q/s1600/008.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vqfW9xoDR2OX1ogm_ytC6n2JJhDGO_zMv3Ap0DKITm117H4v3_k4S4xiFbf3dtYqWRxqC5woDEJHwobq2hyewaEorpfTEOK9pJGn2gcRwzPTehoqfeXqlJNavB7jzIMrHWlrDasnQe_q/s200/008.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468565486053457970" style="cursor: hand; height: 200px; width: 143px;" /></a><br />
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When I saw what he did.. - and he saw my face's reaction.....he started crying. I called my mom.. ( I needed to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">buz</span> it.. and didn't have a buzzer) She hurried over. </div>
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We <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">convinced</span> him we could fix it.. and T<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">aDa</span>!!! I have a handsome, short short haired boy! :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-80503460977486034222010-05-03T08:45:00.004-06:002010-05-03T09:01:20.578-06:00MONEY!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCxez4PXNKDgq9vQTi0ZvRwObGaIcWUUyWaGsAaB6w_e0OpYLtqDj6O-oOlGacyCcARuGAnedINyEvvgd15ULatepC7kho0NmGQp9hNGbG9vY2RHc-8N6FHpI4ly7hxEbKAzUg1try9a2/s1600/money_tree.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 186px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467058996825974594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCxez4PXNKDgq9vQTi0ZvRwObGaIcWUUyWaGsAaB6w_e0OpYLtqDj6O-oOlGacyCcARuGAnedINyEvvgd15ULatepC7kho0NmGQp9hNGbG9vY2RHc-8N6FHpI4ly7hxEbKAzUg1try9a2/s200/money_tree.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Got a raise. Not big enough! Did get a Bonus though.. and an offer to move to a different location and get a better position, with a higher pay. --Turned it down.<br /><br />Besides the fact I don't really want to live any place that has even more dirt than here! Who's gonna babysit?!?!?<br /><br />Would it be that big of a paycheck, if I was giving 1/2 of it away to a babysitter... I don't even know! I Don't Think So!<br /><br /><br /><br />I am feeling a bit melancholy over this whole thing! I could use that money! --Dangit!<br /><br />My job here won't be giving any more pay raises for a while either... ugh!!<br /><br /><br /><br />The frustration of being an adult has soo kicked in! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775049287245791361.post-78182226400647942352010-04-02T12:18:00.005-06:002014-05-30T18:38:24.695-06:00LASIK<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyWYOxdvl5Y9TlnANaa50kv8MszAjuFDdvRq11jmC7GTO4WzbRNRuoF5pP-_-G6Hp0yQPmduijQt4qLtyoqxDc0Q2_2VE8w9wLZqdxpsWj7DOF7ivpDK6sCtnCr9FXeKyhpVEQ3u34YQd/s1600/how-does-custom-lasik-diagnose-the-eyes.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyWYOxdvl5Y9TlnANaa50kv8MszAjuFDdvRq11jmC7GTO4WzbRNRuoF5pP-_-G6Hp0yQPmduijQt4qLtyoqxDc0Q2_2VE8w9wLZqdxpsWj7DOF7ivpDK6sCtnCr9FXeKyhpVEQ3u34YQd/s200/how-does-custom-lasik-diagnose-the-eyes.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457014551312860898" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> First Off, you need the proper music to read this with. So please click play on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">youtube</span> video below. ;)<br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xzGV9Bl6CGg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xzGV9Bl6CGg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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Okay now we can start.... (I know, I know.. I'm a dork! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lol</span>! ;) )<br />
<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">LASIK</span>! - Yes that's right.. I had my eyes cut opened, cut up, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">lasered</span>! :) And it was great! Didn't feel a thing.. hardly. I mean I did feel something touching my eyes.. it was all good though. Pretty painless! Cost a bundle though!.. But totally worth it!<br />
I did have one problem though... On my right eye.. the small flap of skin, (or whatever they cut around and lift up) well it didn't lay back down flat. So they had to push it down the next morning and put this clear contact band-aid thing on that eye...so that eye was in a bit of pain off and on.. but thanks to the numbing drops it was all totally doable!<br />
I could see 15 with my left eye when I left the building! And things were just getting clearer as the minutes went by! But my right eye not so good.. I had a band-aid on it though.. so it was a bit blurry.. it isn't coming out as clear as the left eye though.. but I can see! Came out far better than its ever been! There still is some swelling going on though, in that eye. So hopefully when that all goes away, my vision will be clear! And well.. if its not, most likely they will do a Totally FREE enhancement on that one.. so it will all be CLEAR! -It's already so clear though!.. I can't believe I'm not wearing contacts.<br />
So far each night.. I feel like.. I can't go to bed.. because I can see.. I keep thinking I forgot to take my contacts out.. but then I remember.. wait I don't have contacts!!! A feeling of total <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ecstaticness</span> comes over me And then.. my eyes get all watery! I am just so grateful, this is such a blessing..its a miracle!!! For the first time in my life I can SEE! Really SEE! See the fine print even on the labels of my eye drops! At a arms length out distance! ITS AMAZING! So my right eye may not be perfect yet.. but it's pretty close!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15502606070341127847noreply@blogger.com4