Lil V and her Buddy Club.

My daughter, Little V, has a big heart. She is friends with everybody and works hard to make sure everyone feels included and loved. She and 7 other 2nd graders at her school even started a club with this very purpose. They founded the Buddy Club after hearing a bully prevention lecture in class. 

In
 the
 students’
own 
words,
the 
purpose 
of 
the 
group 
is
 “to 
watch 
out 
for
 bullies, 
prevent 
fights, 
teach
 kids 
to
 stand up 
for 
themselves
 and 
look
 for
 kids that
 are
 sad”. 

To
 advertise 
this 
group, 
the kids 

made 
posters
 that 
are 
hung 
around
 the
 school, announced 
on 
the 
school
 intercom
 encouraging
 all
 to
 join
 the
 club, 
presented 
to 
each
 class
 the 
purpose
 of 
the
 club
 and 
made
 a
 link 
to 
our
 school 
website 
for 
parents 
and
 students 
to 
view.

 Because 
of 
this 
group, 
a 
“Buddy
Bench” 
was
 ordered
 and
 placed
 on 
the
 playground
 so 
group 
members
 can 
help 
those at 
the 
bench.

 Any member 
of 
the 
Buddy 
Club
 
will 
come
 to 
the
 aid
 of
 anyone 
in
 need. 



The
 group
 meets
 at
 least 
once 
a 
month
 over 
lunch 
to
 brainstorm 
techniques 
in
 helping 
on 
the 
playground. 



At 
the 
beginning 
of
 each 
new
 school 
year,
 the
 club 
will
 talk 
to 
the
 student
 body 
about 
how 
to 
be 
a
 buddy 
on 
the 
playground. 


This 
student 
led
 group 
is now 
a 
permanent
 part 
of
 our
 school. It was an amazing success. My daughter used it more than once. When Little V's friend "Mary" got a new best friend "Lexi", there was some conflict. Lexi did not like Little V and didn't want to play with her or let Mary play with her either. So, my Little V went and sat on the bench. Soon, fellow member "Carlos" came running up and listened to the problem. Then, they went together to talk to Lexi. With a neutral third party, the problem was quickly worked out. This is a way for kids to work their problems out on their own. This is kids supporting each other. It is amazing! The counselor wrote up what they did and submitted it for a Kansas Promising Practice Award. We won! We were then entered into the national award and we were selected as a 2014 Promising Practice award winner by the Character Education Partnership. This is what she wrote about the impact this has had on our school so far after just one year: "Students 
are 
becoming 
less 
worried
 about 
specific 
clicks 
of 
friends 
and 
are 
becoming 
more 
interested 
in 
helping 
out 
others.
 For example,
 instead
 of 
fighting 
over 
the 
soccer 
ball 
at 
recess, 
they
 are
 learning 
to
 teach 
each
 other 
how 
to 
play
 soccer. 

Because 
of
this club,
 office 
referrals 
are
 going 
down 
as 
students 
are
 spending 
their
 energy 
on 
helping 
instead 
of 
hurting 
others. 

The 
more 
students 
see 
they 
have
 the 
peers
 on 
their
 side,
 they 
will 
feel
 less
 worried
 about
 recess, 
bullying 
and 
friendships;
 this
 will
 then
 lead
 to
 fewer 
students 
missing 
school
(an 
increase 
in 
attendance 
rate)

Daily, 
students 
are
 asking 
to
 join 
the
 buddy 
club
 and 
are 
excited
 to 
be
 a 
part
 of
 this 
movement.


 There for 
a 
strong 
sense 
of
 community 
and
 pride 
is 
being
 created
 in 
our
school.
" That, my friends makes this Mama so proud. She has already said she can't wait to plant a new Buddy Club at her next school. I can't wait to see her making a difference anywhere we go.

Date Night

Every few weeks my husband and I let our girls go spend the night with my parents. We then go on something called a date. For those of you who may not remember, that means you can eat dinner and have a few drinks without talking about boogers, playground drama, or Harry Potter. (Unless you want to) It is wonderful and something we have waited a long time to be able to do. The only thing missing was live music. We don't like going to movies all the time and I am not a big drinker. Sometimes it is nice to sit and talk, or enjoy a good band. Everywhere we travel has bars or small venues that always have live music. Wichita is a decent sized town with lots of great restaurants, shops and bars. Live music is a huge draw but, unfortunately, it is a lot harder to find here. We worked to find a list of good places before heading out last weekend. We found Larkspur downtown has a live jazz band from 5:30pm to 10:30pm on their patio in the summer. Hotel Old Town also has a jazz group playing in their lounge from 5:30 to 8:30pm. We also discovered an amazing duo called the Erin Alan Project. It is a small band that performs 60's, 70's and 80's classics with a few original pieces mixed in. Overall, it was a great time. We got a few suggestions for next time. Mike's Wine Dive and the Monarch. Where are your favorite places in town to go jam out? Music, people, music!

So much has happened since my last post. My life has been so crazy I feel like I am chasing my proverbial tail. In late June I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. It was like everything suddenly made sense. I have really struggled the last few years trying to find a doctor who would listen to me. My new doctor is AMAZING! We have been working together to help me find my way back to a healthy life. I transferred from Butler CC to WSU in August. I was ready to get on the fast track to getting my degree finished. It has been extremely satisfying in most ways. Before, I did mostly online classes, this semester I am in a classroom everyday of the week. The kids are in 1st and 2nd grade. How did that happen? They come home with homework and little projects and I am reminded that they are no longer babies but big kids with best friends, individual interests, and big dreams. Valerie is struggling with a little teacher PTSD from last year (Probably blog about that later). Slowly getting better, but we still have some bad days. I picked up a part time job at the college. It is extremely simple. Making students feel welcome, checking classroom equipment, cleaning up the study areas. It pays minimum wage but they let me do my homework, so I think it is a winning spot. Wish I could say that I am keeping up with my workouts but that has not happened. I tried getting up at 5am for a couple of weeks to squeeze it in but that did not last long. Don't really know yet how to fix this. I miss it. My husband and I bought insanity to do together but we have owned it for a couple of months now and have not done it together once. ::sigh:: All in all, we have been busy. Steven and I kiss each other on the way out the door most days and then kiss goodnight as we roll into bed. We joke about living with a stranger. Now, it is Saturday. Big sis woke up at 6:30am, Steven went to work(because the weekend I do not have homework is the weekend he works), I could probably get ahead in a class or two if I did some work this weekend. I need to go make breakfast and get the girls to Bug Lady. Maybe I will post more later! Have a great weekend!

Everyday life and changes

Yes, I know, I have disapeared. I went back to work and life got crazy. School, jobs, kids, schedules, apparently my family still requires food. I don't know how you working moms do it. I am EXHAUSTED!!! Big V and little V are great! Valerie has been going to school half days but soon switches to full days. Nessa gets to start after her birthday and can not wait to go to big girl school with sissy. I am working half days right now but after they are both in school I am going back to working full-time. It makes me really sad. I love having my afternoons with the girls. When I am at work all day I miss them like crazy. ugh! BUT we need the extra income for now and I have a great boss. I work in the same building as my husband. We are right acroos the hall. So I can't complain too much, I suppose.
I have been planning Nessa's party. We decided on rice krispie treat cake. I am going to make it pink. Yum! My baby is getting so big so fast.
We had my husband's family reunion last weekend. It was a blast. We stayed out too late and when we got in the car I heard a little voice in the backseat..."Whew, I am so tired. It is almost bednight already" MIDnight was quickly appoaching so we whisked them home. We got to see his grandparents. They live a few states away and so we only see them about once or twice a year.
The Fair is coming! We take the girls every year. They are really excited even if they can't remember what exactly it is. I get fifty questions a day.....
"when are we going to the circus again?"
"the Fair, baby"
"whatever"
"What day is the parade?"
"it isn't a parade, it is the fair"
"whatever"
That is my four year olds new favorite word by the way.
Home improvement projects have been piling up for some time now. About two weeks ago my husband and I sat down and had a long talk about what we needed to get done. Then, we did it. Well, we are in the process of doing it. Steven has been amazing. He has fixed both of our toilets, a bathroom sink, tore out the kitchen cabinets, a ton of sheetrock removal, put up insulation, etc....We also replaced our bathroom vanities and our oven. Our bed fell apart and we knew someone with an extra in storage. What a lifesaver. Still on the agenda is rehanging a TON of sheetrock and then replacing all the kitchen counter tops and cabinets. After the begining of the year I think we are planning on replacing the floors. Then we should be about done with all the house projects on the inside. YAY!
So life in our house is crazy as always. How about yours? Anybody know any good maids that work for free? I need one. hahaha. Well, it is my bedtime so good night all!

Cabin Cottage Cabbage

We left Wednesday to go to South Dakota. We go every year for a family reunion on my Dad's side of the family. It was a blast. We swam and played washers and ladderball. We ate and laughed and had an all around good time. We stay at a beautiful camp ground right by a huge dam. There is beautiful scenery and cool water. We stay in small cabins with a big deck looking out over the lake. Every night we have a campfire complete with smores, guitar music, drinking and family.
My darling daughter Valerie had a talk with my aunt Donna who was talking about the cottages we were staying in. We have always called them cabins before. She walked around for two days telling people about how nice it was to stay in a cabbage. She got the top bunk in our cabbage. Where was Nana and Papa's cabbage? Was their cabbage like or cabbage? We laughed every time.
She also was old enough this year to participate at the KartTrax trip. They have go-carts, bumper cars and boats and the big kids go every year. The minimum age for most of their rides is four. So, this year Valerie drove her own bumper car. She was barely big enough to reach the levers but she did it and I have never heard her giggle so hard.
Today is our first day back home. I am exhausted but invigorated. I loved it and can't wait for next year.Now, if you will excuse me I have 20 loads of laundry that need done so we don't smell like campfire and dinnertime is sneaking up on me.

Dirt Salad

Oh, Valerie has been doing so many funny things lately that I can't blog fast enough to keep up!
Lately, I swear she has morphed into a boy. (If you don't believe me read previous blog.) Yesterday the kids were playing outside and Valerie was using a stick to draw in the mud. All of a sudden she stands up, holds the stick n front of her face and says, "Wanna see me eat mud?" and before Steven could say no she licked it. Not a little lick either but one of those huge, I just got my favorite ice cream licks. Then she gagged a little and started spitting. Steven grabbed her and told her she needed to go in and wash her mouth out.
She was coming in and she said, "I really thought it would be delicious but it was disgusting!"
Really? Really?
Today Steven re-enlisted. We went along to see it and take pictures. It wasn't too big of a deal but exciting for us. On the way back out to the car Valerie grabs some leaves off of a hedge. She is studying them the whole way to the truck. I buckled her in and shut her door. Steven and I talked for a minute and then he got back in the truck to give her kisses. She was spitting out the leaves right as he opened the door. "Ugh, I thought they would be food!" Steven-"Stop eating stuff!"
Me- Why? Why Lord why?