The back to school bbq was held at the school tonight. It was a fabulous turn out - much better than there was at last years event. I got to meet Brendon and Gaven's teachers. It was a nice evening.
The only downside was that the new principal was a little bit rude to Nicole regarding the busing situation when she tried to approach it to find out who she should talk to....interesting - so we will see how this goes.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
You Tube Video
I find his comments - well, quite frankly, disrespectful - and someone who so blatantly mocks the Bible not fit for my vote...well even before I saw this I wouldn't have voted for him so this video in no way changes my stance....
However, I thought I'd go ahead and share it with all of you.
However, I thought I'd go ahead and share it with all of you.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Letter to the Editor
Below is the edited version of the letter to the editor that was submitted to the local newspaper. I'm sure this will make many people angry - but it's an important issue that the school district needs to deal with. It's also something that our local paper should deal with instead of reprinting most of their information from the AP News. I'm quite certain they have journalists at the paper so I'm confused as to why we continue to have most of the news in our paper come off of the AP wire. Certainly if I wanted to read about things everywhere else I could buy a bigger paper that would give me a better variety of information - instead I buy a local paper for the LOCAL news and get information that really doesn't let me know how the local people are dealing with things!
So, here it is -
To The Editor,
On Tuesday 8/19/2008 the Daily Chronicle ran an article titled “More kids walking to school as fuel prices climb” which was an Associated Press article regarding the impact in Providence, Rhode Island. This disappointed me considering that this is something that the DeKalb School District is obviously dealing with as many of us found out with less than two weeks left before the start of the school year when we were told our children would no longer receive busing to and from school.
The letter we received said our children no longer qualified for busing. I contacted the district, and was told that our home is 1.44 miles from the school - therefore the district is not required to bus my children (per the Board of Education Website, Illinois Schools are required to bus children only if they live more than 1.50 miles from the school).After talking with some of my neighbors I’ve found that we have a great many concerns, all of which have been brushed off by the district office when we have mentioned them. Our concerns are many. Our children have to cross Greenbrier without the assistance of a crossing guard. Greenbrier is a very busy road with mainly college traffic - this is a dangerous area for our children to walk. Other concerns involve the two registered sex offenders and various other violent felons. I wonder if the same people who made the decision to stop busing for our children would allow their own children to walk unescorted to and from school along the same route our children must walk.
On 8/25/08 I walked my children to school for the first day, there was a crossing guard just pulling up as we crossed Hillcrest, too late to be of assistance to my children. When we reached Ridge and Normal there was not a crossing guard present. There were already many children walking. Where were the crossing guards that the district assured us would be there?
It would have been nice if the Chronicle had reported on this problem as it pertains to DeKalb’s school district and the families within it instead of reprinting something from another area of the country. The Daily Chronicle is a local paper and as such should report the news as it pertains to the people of this community.
Sincerely,
Patty Croom
So, here it is -
To The Editor,
On Tuesday 8/19/2008 the Daily Chronicle ran an article titled “More kids walking to school as fuel prices climb” which was an Associated Press article regarding the impact in Providence, Rhode Island. This disappointed me considering that this is something that the DeKalb School District is obviously dealing with as many of us found out with less than two weeks left before the start of the school year when we were told our children would no longer receive busing to and from school.
The letter we received said our children no longer qualified for busing. I contacted the district, and was told that our home is 1.44 miles from the school - therefore the district is not required to bus my children (per the Board of Education Website, Illinois Schools are required to bus children only if they live more than 1.50 miles from the school).After talking with some of my neighbors I’ve found that we have a great many concerns, all of which have been brushed off by the district office when we have mentioned them. Our concerns are many. Our children have to cross Greenbrier without the assistance of a crossing guard. Greenbrier is a very busy road with mainly college traffic - this is a dangerous area for our children to walk. Other concerns involve the two registered sex offenders and various other violent felons. I wonder if the same people who made the decision to stop busing for our children would allow their own children to walk unescorted to and from school along the same route our children must walk.
On 8/25/08 I walked my children to school for the first day, there was a crossing guard just pulling up as we crossed Hillcrest, too late to be of assistance to my children. When we reached Ridge and Normal there was not a crossing guard present. There were already many children walking. Where were the crossing guards that the district assured us would be there?
It would have been nice if the Chronicle had reported on this problem as it pertains to DeKalb’s school district and the families within it instead of reprinting something from another area of the country. The Daily Chronicle is a local paper and as such should report the news as it pertains to the people of this community.
Sincerely,
Patty Croom
The First day of school part II
To update on the always joyful first day of school. Things at home went off without a hitch. The first day is usually pretty easy -so I won't count on that as a sign of how the rest of the school year mornings will go.
We left for the school at about 7:50 a.m. As we walked there was glass on the sidewalks by the fraternity houses, there were cars parked bumper to bumper so that we had to walk around them - into the road- to get to the other side, and cars making roll throughs on the stop sign ---this was all before we had even gone 1/4 mile. When we got to the first road that is supposed to have an assigned crossing guard there was no one there. After we had crossed someone pulled up and jumped out wanting to ask us questions - the crossing guard - apparently she was confused about why we were crossing on that side of the road...hhmm.
Next crossing area there was again no crossing guard. As we passed the parking lot for the universities nursing school a woman pulled up who said she was a parent helper who was going to assist the kids and parents in finding their way to the school....
I'm really disturbed that our district office didn't put crossing guards where they said they were going to have them, or at least they were not there when there were kids already walking...this just furthers my stance that the school district is not doing what they should be doing. They all sit in their offices, getting nice paychecks and don't manage to actually do their jobs!
After work the boys and I made 60 cupcakes - Brendon and Cody turn 8 years old tomorrow! Unreal!!! So, we made cupcakes - lots and lots of cupcakes lol! It was fun and messy but we got through it - packed them all up for tomorrow and then packed their lunches. The kitchen is again put back together and looking like it did before the batter, frosting, and sprinkles got all over it. LOL!
This evening I had a call from the Chronicle (our local newspaper) regarding a letter to the editor that I wrote...apparently it is about 100 words too long-I'm sure no one who reads this blog would ever think I am long winded! - so I have to edit it and then resubmit through email tomorrow so that they can publish it. I will be doing that as soon as I sign off from my blog.
Anyway, I suppose I should start doing that. Ride safe!
We left for the school at about 7:50 a.m. As we walked there was glass on the sidewalks by the fraternity houses, there were cars parked bumper to bumper so that we had to walk around them - into the road- to get to the other side, and cars making roll throughs on the stop sign ---this was all before we had even gone 1/4 mile. When we got to the first road that is supposed to have an assigned crossing guard there was no one there. After we had crossed someone pulled up and jumped out wanting to ask us questions - the crossing guard - apparently she was confused about why we were crossing on that side of the road...hhmm.
Next crossing area there was again no crossing guard. As we passed the parking lot for the universities nursing school a woman pulled up who said she was a parent helper who was going to assist the kids and parents in finding their way to the school....
I'm really disturbed that our district office didn't put crossing guards where they said they were going to have them, or at least they were not there when there were kids already walking...this just furthers my stance that the school district is not doing what they should be doing. They all sit in their offices, getting nice paychecks and don't manage to actually do their jobs!
After work the boys and I made 60 cupcakes - Brendon and Cody turn 8 years old tomorrow! Unreal!!! So, we made cupcakes - lots and lots of cupcakes lol! It was fun and messy but we got through it - packed them all up for tomorrow and then packed their lunches. The kitchen is again put back together and looking like it did before the batter, frosting, and sprinkles got all over it. LOL!
This evening I had a call from the Chronicle (our local newspaper) regarding a letter to the editor that I wrote...apparently it is about 100 words too long-I'm sure no one who reads this blog would ever think I am long winded! - so I have to edit it and then resubmit through email tomorrow so that they can publish it. I will be doing that as soon as I sign off from my blog.
Anyway, I suppose I should start doing that. Ride safe!
First day of the new school year
5:36 a.m. I've done my workout. I've fed the dogs. I'll go get the socks out of the dryer in a few minutes.
Soon I will be waking up the kids for their first day of school. The first day is never bad...the first week is usually pretty good. Once we get a week or two into the school year things head downhill; kids don't want to get up in the mornings anymore...kids upset because of homework and the like...not fun!
Anyway, we've gotten no where with the busing situation which means that I'll be walking the boys to school this morning. They only have a half day of school so my neighbor Nicole is picking them up when she picks up her son. For the most part I think I'll walk or we will ride our bikes on days that are decent and I will only beg a ride for them from her when the weather turns bad...that way she doesn't get tired of them or being the bus. I don't want to take advantage of her, especially since I do appreciate her generosity in offering to take them and pick them up! They like to ride to school and it's fine with me because we can leave earlier and get there before we normally would have even had to walk outside when the bus used to pick them up - which ultimately means me getting to work a bit sooner.
I'll leave work most days in time to get to their school and pick them up to ride/walk home together. This will mean that I will be working on Saturday's but I have a feeling that will be happening anyway since I am short on receptionists.
Okay, better run. I need to get in my Portuguese lesson for the day this morning as I will be baking cupcakes tonight. Tomorrow the twins turn 8 and since school has started that means cupcakes for 2 classrooms! HURRAY!
Take care and Ride Safe!
Soon I will be waking up the kids for their first day of school. The first day is never bad...the first week is usually pretty good. Once we get a week or two into the school year things head downhill; kids don't want to get up in the mornings anymore...kids upset because of homework and the like...not fun!
Anyway, we've gotten no where with the busing situation which means that I'll be walking the boys to school this morning. They only have a half day of school so my neighbor Nicole is picking them up when she picks up her son. For the most part I think I'll walk or we will ride our bikes on days that are decent and I will only beg a ride for them from her when the weather turns bad...that way she doesn't get tired of them or being the bus. I don't want to take advantage of her, especially since I do appreciate her generosity in offering to take them and pick them up! They like to ride to school and it's fine with me because we can leave earlier and get there before we normally would have even had to walk outside when the bus used to pick them up - which ultimately means me getting to work a bit sooner.
I'll leave work most days in time to get to their school and pick them up to ride/walk home together. This will mean that I will be working on Saturday's but I have a feeling that will be happening anyway since I am short on receptionists.
Okay, better run. I need to get in my Portuguese lesson for the day this morning as I will be baking cupcakes tonight. Tomorrow the twins turn 8 and since school has started that means cupcakes for 2 classrooms! HURRAY!
Take care and Ride Safe!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cornfest weekend...last bit of summertime fun...
Yesterday we saw the migration of the new and returning students to the N.I.U. Campus. While I appreciate higher education I have to say that I do not enjoy all the students speeding up and down the streets, making them extremely unsafe because many of these students forget that a stop sign actually means coming to a complete stop, and for some reason think it means stop only if there happens to be a car in the road where you are trying to turn.
I know there are many students who don't drive like jackasses - it just becomes hard to seperate them from the ones that drive recklessly.
Today at 3:00 p.m. CornFest started. If you are not aware DeKalb, Illinois is the Corn Capital of the World...or of the Universe as was boasted on the radio this morning. They have moved this huge fest off of the main streets of DeKalb and out to the Municipal Airport. I'd like to go out there at least for a little bit just to see how it is when it's not held on Lincoln Highway, however, I think I may not make it out there since I have to cover a shift at Bethany.
Cassy is up there with friends. I have hard time telling her to have a good time and be in by curfew...but she's a big girl and I can't try to keep her here with me all the time.
Okay, I'm tired and hitting the bed soon, or at least lying on the couch and napping until Cassy is safely home.
Ride Safe!
I know there are many students who don't drive like jackasses - it just becomes hard to seperate them from the ones that drive recklessly.
Today at 3:00 p.m. CornFest started. If you are not aware DeKalb, Illinois is the Corn Capital of the World...or of the Universe as was boasted on the radio this morning. They have moved this huge fest off of the main streets of DeKalb and out to the Municipal Airport. I'd like to go out there at least for a little bit just to see how it is when it's not held on Lincoln Highway, however, I think I may not make it out there since I have to cover a shift at Bethany.
Cassy is up there with friends. I have hard time telling her to have a good time and be in by curfew...but she's a big girl and I can't try to keep her here with me all the time.
Okay, I'm tired and hitting the bed soon, or at least lying on the couch and napping until Cassy is safely home.
Ride Safe!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Torn Rotator Cuff
My dear husband has been complaining for about 5 days that his shoulder is hurting - he of course won't give in and see a doctor - stubborn mule that he sometimes is :)
Today he could not lift his arm, couldn't really move without being in a great deal of pain - so I finally was able, with my great power of persuasion (okay, maybe I just wore him down because I was not leaving him alone and to shut me up he finally gave in...either way I got him to do things my way), he agreed to go to the doctor - well, guess who has a torn rotator cuff? You guessed it, that would be my dear hubby, who told me I was making a big deal about a pulled muscle and I needed to leave him alone. So, he has to go see the Ortho to figure out the extent of the damage, I will be making those phone calls tomorrow.
He has a sling (I'll try to sneak a picture later ...he's being a little sensitive right now about it - which I don't think has anything to do with me calling him the one armed man this afternoon and telling him he can say "It wasn't me it was the one armed man." ...if you are confused by that think The Fugitive)...so he's running away each time he sees me open my phone - I'll work hard at catching him though:)
Ride Safe!
Today he could not lift his arm, couldn't really move without being in a great deal of pain - so I finally was able, with my great power of persuasion (okay, maybe I just wore him down because I was not leaving him alone and to shut me up he finally gave in...either way I got him to do things my way), he agreed to go to the doctor - well, guess who has a torn rotator cuff? You guessed it, that would be my dear hubby, who told me I was making a big deal about a pulled muscle and I needed to leave him alone. So, he has to go see the Ortho to figure out the extent of the damage, I will be making those phone calls tomorrow.
He has a sling (I'll try to sneak a picture later ...he's being a little sensitive right now about it - which I don't think has anything to do with me calling him the one armed man this afternoon and telling him he can say "It wasn't me it was the one armed man." ...if you are confused by that think The Fugitive)...so he's running away each time he sees me open my phone - I'll work hard at catching him though:)
Ride Safe!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Resolutions
I've decided to work on a few things here - thus I'm making some resolutions - silly as that sounds especially considering the time of year - but I figure I'll get a jump on things.
1. I will get myself up at 5 a.m. and do Firm workouts or Yoga along with some running on the treadmill (the treadmill bit waits until I can't bike regularly).
2. I will spend 30 minutes daily working on my Portuguese. It's a sad state of things when a person has lost the ability to speak the first language they ever learned. Therefore I will spend at least those 30 minutes daily practicing - and will not get discouraged when my mother tells me that
A. I speak Portuguese as if I'm from Sao Miguel instead of Terceira.
and
B. That my sister speaks better than I do!
That's it the two things that by this time next year I shall be able to look back and say I did!
Okay, Have a super day!
Ride Safe!
1. I will get myself up at 5 a.m. and do Firm workouts or Yoga along with some running on the treadmill (the treadmill bit waits until I can't bike regularly).
2. I will spend 30 minutes daily working on my Portuguese. It's a sad state of things when a person has lost the ability to speak the first language they ever learned. Therefore I will spend at least those 30 minutes daily practicing - and will not get discouraged when my mother tells me that
A. I speak Portuguese as if I'm from Sao Miguel instead of Terceira.
and
B. That my sister speaks better than I do!
That's it the two things that by this time next year I shall be able to look back and say I did!
Okay, Have a super day!
Ride Safe!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
WWE Wrestling
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Picnic in the Park
I was lucky enough to have today off. Cassy went to Band Camp and the boys and I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then jumped on our bikes. We rode to their school where I had to drop off some additional paperwork. We then rode to the middle school where the high school band is having their camp, they enjoyed watching Cassy and the other kids practicing. We stayed for about 30 minutes before jumping back on the bikes and riding over to the new playground at Hopkin's Park. They played on the playground and we also played catch with the baseball - Gaven is getting a pretty good arm on him! The whole thing didn't last too long before they decided they wanted to eat - so we hopped back on the bikes, rode the bike trail to the gas station and picked up a drink and a bag of chips then rode the trail to Annie's Woods where we sat down and ate lunch. They played on the playground there for a while and then we rode home. It was a fun time.
Anyway - that was my day - I cleaned a little before the kids got up this morning and then after we came back home I picked up a bit more but other than that I've just sat around enjoying the day with the boys.
Ride Safe!
Anyway - that was my day - I cleaned a little before the kids got up this morning and then after we came back home I picked up a bit more but other than that I've just sat around enjoying the day with the boys.
Ride Safe!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Watching the sun rise during the commute....
Took this picture this morning as I was heading into work. It was a little chilly this morning and you can see the fog lingering over the open field on the left and over the Kishwaukee River on the right and the sun rising on the horizon...it was a very nice ride in. I stopped at the Road Ranger to get a cappacino. The reason I wanted the cappacino is because Cassy and I stayed up till 2 a.m. watching Dirty Dancing. Fun times.
Happy to be home - worked from about 6 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. I need a vacation! On a fun note - during the ride home I came off the bike path to find some guy up ahead of me (about a half mile - maybe a little more) so I hit the climb on 1st street hard and caught him at the corner of Hillcrest and 1st. He was behind me on the bikepath through NIU but overtook me on that hill on Lucinda...but that was okay - because I had already caught him so I didn't need to prove to myself that I could do it again .
Safe Riding !
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
My commute to work ---- In pictures
Wake up Call
This morning my alarm was set to go off at 4:45 a.m. I had turned on the alarm on my cell phone as well considering we had already lost power earlier in the evening due to the bad storms and I figured better safe than sorry. So, my cell phone alarm starts going off - or so I thought - when I picked up the phone to turn it off I realized my baby brother was calling.
Apparently his minivan was broken into sometime last night/early this morning. The person who broke in shattered his drivers side window and then reached in and unlocked the doors. Upon climbing into or out of the minivan though they left a whole hand print - palm and all 5 fingers in two spots on the inside window. They apparently knew what they wanted because the only thing missing was the dvd player my brother has in there to entertain his daughters on trips.They left the $40.00 headphones, the CD's (he has alot of those) and other things that would be worth some money.
He just cleaned out the minivan on Sunday because my sis-in-law (to be) and his daughters are in Florida visiting her family so he thought it would be a good time to get all the grimy fingerprints my oldest niece leaves on the windows cleaned up.
Lucky for him I guess since they should be able to get the prints and nab who ever did this.
Anyway, that's about it. I'm going to go ahead and head into work - nothing better to do at this point and I am now wide awake. Bob is still lying in bed - but should be moving any minute now!
Ride safe - I hear there is still some lightening - may avoid the bike trail as I'd be under the trees for quite a little bit!
Apparently his minivan was broken into sometime last night/early this morning. The person who broke in shattered his drivers side window and then reached in and unlocked the doors. Upon climbing into or out of the minivan though they left a whole hand print - palm and all 5 fingers in two spots on the inside window. They apparently knew what they wanted because the only thing missing was the dvd player my brother has in there to entertain his daughters on trips.They left the $40.00 headphones, the CD's (he has alot of those) and other things that would be worth some money.
He just cleaned out the minivan on Sunday because my sis-in-law (to be) and his daughters are in Florida visiting her family so he thought it would be a good time to get all the grimy fingerprints my oldest niece leaves on the windows cleaned up.
Lucky for him I guess since they should be able to get the prints and nab who ever did this.
Anyway, that's about it. I'm going to go ahead and head into work - nothing better to do at this point and I am now wide awake. Bob is still lying in bed - but should be moving any minute now!
Ride safe - I hear there is still some lightening - may avoid the bike trail as I'd be under the trees for quite a little bit!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Oh Happy Day Part 2
Just got back from the bike ride - it was so very gorgeous out! A perfect day for a bike ride - all days on a bike should be as ideal as today was. 37.61 miles on the bike - averaging 15.32 mph - which is a good speed for me - I'm happy with that speed - we were a bit slower on the way in because of the headwind - we got home in under an hour so we were moving pretty good. Average cadence for the ride was 80 which I believe is right at the bottom of the range you should be in. Max speed was 24.21 (nothing beats a good tailwind). It was just Karen and I - the Saturday ride through the bike shop isn't getting many people - although we've had John sometimes and Mary.
All in all it was a wonderful day on the bike! I'm thinking maybe later Cassy and I can get a short ride in - we'll see. I know Bob won't ride because he will be too tired :(
Ride safe!
All in all it was a wonderful day on the bike! I'm thinking maybe later Cassy and I can get a short ride in - we'll see. I know Bob won't ride because he will be too tired :(
Ride safe!
Oh Happy Day
It's a happy day for a reason - I swear. This morning as I realize that I forgot to throw my biking shorts (yes I have one pair that I always wear) into the washer yesterday evening I thought to myself that I should try on that pair of biking shorts/mountain bike baggy shorts that I bought last year from Nashbar which were too small...I've lost some weight. I tried them maybe three weeks ago and they were still just a smidge too tight - so I yanked em on - without having to wiggle and squirm to get them over my large thighs and hips...HURRAY! Guess I'm wearing them today on the Kirkland Breakfast Ride.
I can't believe it's already August! YIKES! Where did all that free time go? Darnit! It's a little disturbing that school will be starting in 3 weeks! Poor kids!
Tomorrow there is a bike race in Elgin - Bob let me know - we are considering driving out there - just depends on how we are in the morning I guess.
My budget is shot to hell this month already. Bob got up to head to work the other day and found that the two front tires on the suburban were flat! He of course put air in both and left - he c alled me when he got to work and told me that he needed to replace both tires - so there went a couple hundred bucks from my paycheck - bam! A couple hundred bucks I hadn't expected to be spending! When he took it in they found a few roofing nails in the tires. Nice! The tires needed to be replaced anyway - but, I thought I had more time and was hoping to wait until the beginning of September before replacing them...so I'm a little stressed over the money situation - trying to figure out if I can manage a second job or not...honestly I'm not sure how I can fit it in. I just need to make more money where I do work!
My check in a week and a half should be decent -but then I'll be getting school supplies and paying bills - so it will be gone pretty quickly lol! ugh! Wishing the economy would start looking better - the high gas prices and grocery prices are killing us (by us I mean most everyone).
Ah well - what are we going to do - other than complain about it!
Well, another happy note - R.C.I.C. starts in another month - I'm trying to get all my stuff together for it - It looks like my class will consist of mainly teenagers - which is a better fit for me because I'm really better with dealing with teenagers!
Okay, I'm heading out - gotta go over my bike quick before riding out today- need to make it to Kirkland for those yummy blueberry pancakes without any problems! Take care!
Ride safe!
I can't believe it's already August! YIKES! Where did all that free time go? Darnit! It's a little disturbing that school will be starting in 3 weeks! Poor kids!
Tomorrow there is a bike race in Elgin - Bob let me know - we are considering driving out there - just depends on how we are in the morning I guess.
My budget is shot to hell this month already. Bob got up to head to work the other day and found that the two front tires on the suburban were flat! He of course put air in both and left - he c alled me when he got to work and told me that he needed to replace both tires - so there went a couple hundred bucks from my paycheck - bam! A couple hundred bucks I hadn't expected to be spending! When he took it in they found a few roofing nails in the tires. Nice! The tires needed to be replaced anyway - but, I thought I had more time and was hoping to wait until the beginning of September before replacing them...so I'm a little stressed over the money situation - trying to figure out if I can manage a second job or not...honestly I'm not sure how I can fit it in. I just need to make more money where I do work!
My check in a week and a half should be decent -but then I'll be getting school supplies and paying bills - so it will be gone pretty quickly lol! ugh! Wishing the economy would start looking better - the high gas prices and grocery prices are killing us (by us I mean most everyone).
Ah well - what are we going to do - other than complain about it!
Well, another happy note - R.C.I.C. starts in another month - I'm trying to get all my stuff together for it - It looks like my class will consist of mainly teenagers - which is a better fit for me because I'm really better with dealing with teenagers!
Okay, I'm heading out - gotta go over my bike quick before riding out today- need to make it to Kirkland for those yummy blueberry pancakes without any problems! Take care!
Ride safe!
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