Children's Book Giveaway

http://myfourmonkeysproductreviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-four-monkeys-story-time-910-i-met.html

Check out the link for what looks like a great children's book!!!

Mom keeps kid home to watch Obama speech - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida

Mom keeps kid home to watch Obama speech - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida

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Obama's Address to All Students

I've been quite vocal lately about Obama's speech for all students.......I was highly disappointed that my local school district decided against airing the speech live for all our students. Here are the emails shared between myself and our school board:

I am writing to you to express my disappointment that Lee County School District has decided to not allow my child to watch President Obama's message for all students on 9/8/09. The President would like to appeal to all students to encourage persistence and success in school, something that I hope each and every one of us would like from all students. I believe the district will miss an important opportunity to reach out to not just children of minorities, but all children. Just a few short months ago, my son was given homework assignments to watch the Republican and Democratic conventions, so I'm finding it hard to grasp that when the elected President wants to address all students, the district questions its appropriateness.

Politics aside, with this last election, I witnessed my children, who normally could care less about the election process become so involved in the process. We had an opportunity to meet VP Joe Biden when he was at FGCU last year, my 12 year old son was so excited to have met VP Biden and I was proud of him. When 12 year olds are typically more interested in sports figures, he couldn't stop talking about his handshake and conversation with the potential VP. On the night of the election, my son stayed awake and followed the election results until most of the results were in, he didn't watch Family Guy or The Simpsons, but the election results and he enjoyed it.

I'm asking that the district reconsider their decision and allow Lee County's children to be witness to this historical address.

Thank you for your consideration,

Jacqui Hawkins
jacquih1126@gmail.com


"Schools belong to children... ALL children. Schools must continue to change classrooms to meet the needs of children, rather than trying to change students to meet the needs of classrooms!"

"Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I may not forget you."
-- William Arthur Ward, author, educator, speaker (1921-1994)

Dear Ms. Hawkins,



Thank you for your concern that your child can not watch the Obama speech during school hours. This has gotten a lot of attention both locally and nationally but, in our particular case, it will NOT be played in the Lee County schools next Tuesday. Not due to any other reason but that we have a procedure and process for reviewing EVERY educational tool and this falls into that category. The program will be recorded by our media department (in the same manner as many other education related programs are recorded) and sent through our standard process of review.



If it meets the requirements and criteria that supports the Sunshine State Standards and is not detrimental to current school policies or detract from our mission or academic goals, it would be made available at the library of schools for teachers to check out like any other material that is currently available that has been vetted and meets the aforementioned guidelines.



If the message is deemed to be politically biased or have a negative connotation, it will not be accepted or made available within our District. The Superintendent has already responded to calls and will be instructing principals to continue to adhere to our current procedures and guidelines. If there are some parents that want their children to see this program, they can record it and review it with their own children at home.



Please note that the “in the library” will only be after the standard review given to every instructional supplement that is submitted to the District for use in our schools. While I have not seen it yet and can’t be prematurely definitive, it is my firm belief that it will not be made available in our schools.



Personally, I believe that any type of broadcast of this nature should have been done at 8pm on a nationally broadcast channel rather than during school hours when the parents are not with their children. That way, parents could either elect to watch it with their children or not. I intend to tape it and review it with my wife and determine if it is suitable for our children and I recommend each household do the same.



Again, I encourage parents that which to view it or have their children view can tape it and play it for their children in their own homes.



As the Board Vice Chairman, I am sending you a response from all the Board Member to eliminate you getting similar e-mails from every Board Member.



Regards,



Steven K. Teuber

Vice Chairman

Lee County School Board

Doodle 4 Google

Welcome to Doodle 4 Google, a competition where we invite K-12 students to play around with our homepage logo and see what new designs they come up with. This year we're inviting U.S. kids to join in the doodling fun, around the intriguing theme "What I Wish for the World."

These are exciting times and both our country and the world are on the brink of significant change. At Google we believe in thinking big, and dreaming big, and we can't think of anything more important than encouraging students to do the same.

Registration closes at 11:59:59 PM Pacific time on March 17, 2009 and entries are due by 11:59:59 PM Pacific time on March 31, 2009. Teachers, you'll find everything you need to get started on the Registration page. Only teachers or school employees should register. Parents or students who are interested should contact their teacher to register them.

our cherished children....

The best inheritance parents can give their children is a few minutes of their time every day.

Children are natural mimics, who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners.

I love to give homemade gifts...which one of my kids do you want?

Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids.

Anyone who says 'easy as taking candy from a baby' has never tried it.

I asked Mom if I was a gifted child...she said I had to be 'cause they certainly wouldn't have paid for me.

Becoming aware of my character defects leads me naturally to the next step of blaming my parents.

We childproofed our home 3 years ago but they're still getting in!


Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.

If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it
says on the aspirin bottle: "Take two Aspirin" and "Keep away from children."

Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.

The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.

My Life

Alright so ya'll know about my "hypertensive crisis" and my trip to the ER.........well, I went to the doctor this week and after a
full exam, she believes that I have obstructive sleep apnea.......it can cause all of the symptoms that I've described. The doctor
added a 3rd hypertensive medication, it's basically hydrochlorothazide with a potassium sparing drug in it. I used to be on
hydrochlorothazide years ago, but they took me off when I became hypokalemic (low potassium), apparently, that isn't a good
thing. So, I suggested that she run a UA C&S because my urine didn't seem normal (sorry for the TMI) - she told me she'd
order a complete blood work up on me and would also do a UA - though she didn't seem to understand that I really believed
there was an issue with my urine. Well, the next day, I went for the lab work........thankfully, this doctor likes all copies of
tests to be sent to the patient as well. I got my results and saw immediately, that I'm pretty "normal" as far as the bloodwork
goes........everything is WNL. My cholesterol level is 177, but my LDL is slightly higher than it should be.......101 (it should be
below 99).......and I could see right away that there WAS something wrong with my urine. When I realized it was Friday and
the doctor hadn't called me to put me on an antibiotic, I was slightly alarmed, so I called them told them to please call in a
prescription to my pharmacy b/c I had a UTI and voiced my concern that the doctor didn't seem concerned. Well, the office
never got the results!! I've had problems with DSI/Lab Corps at work, but they do hundreds of samples a week for us, perhaps
more, I can see a mistake then. I faxed my results to the dr and they prescribed Bactrum DS. WooHoo!!! That's the good
news...........

Joey and Brittany are still fighting.........they don't want to be in the same place at the same time. Brittany stayed away for
several days, I finally got her home and then Joey left and hasn't been home since. These 2 are vicious, he ripped her posters
off the wall, she beat the crap out of him, he threw her into the sofa, BROKE it. I called Anthony and asked him to help me
deal with these 2, he tells her to come stay with him. How the HECK does that help???!!! Joey is going back to NY........I
don't know when, but my mother agrees, it is probably the best place for him. She saw it when she was here. He's miserable,
can't stand me for whatever I did to him, perhaps smacked his hands while stealing cookies out of a cookie jar, who
knows.......I hate to say it, but I just don't like him anymore. Of course, I love him.........he's my son. But he isn't a likeable
kid to live with. He has fractured this house in more ways than one.

John, well, he's just an unsympathetic putz - I liked him because of his sincerity and sensitivity......where did it go???? The
other night, I had a meltdown, a real true meltdown - locked myself in the closet and balled my eyes out! John could care less,
told me simply to get off the floor and come to bed and when I refused, said "fine, then sit there" and walked away. I felt so
awful It started b/c I was trying to avoid taking sides in the whole Brittany/Joey fiasco.........John felt it neccessary to choose
sides and began to voice why he did. When I explained I didn't want to go down that route, he grew angry at me for not
wanting to face reality. Truth is, BOTH Joey and Brittany are wrong and I refuse to let either one of them think that I approve
of their behavior.

Aargh! I'm back to trying to make nice with John and avoid a head on collision between my middle children.................I'm
feeling like a crappy wife, terrible mother, and as my husband calls me "crazy"............anyone want a PNO????

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

~Author Unknown~