I have not written in awhile..not because I did not have some thoughts but because things just have been kinda crazy.  We are waiting to find out if all the hard work we have put in for the last twenty years is gong to go backwards because of all the budget cuts.  Very discouraging to see how much money we are going to lose at both the state and local level which will affect the kids we serve but also threatens jobs of folks who have dedicated their lives to help those less fortunate.  CIS has made huge progress serving over 160,000 kids last year.  It would be very discouraging if things were not improving but the sad fact is we had one of our best years ever. Just in Charlotte alone we will graduate 392 students who overwise may not have graduated.  Regardless of the outcomes for this year we have to hold on to the good things and all the kids we have helped over the years!

Keep your fingers crossed that not too many kids will lose services.

The Magic of Disney

It was really hard to leave the beautiful WARM and sunny weather of Florida to come back but at least by the time I got to Myrtle Beach most of the yuck had gone.  I needed a rainy day to recover and rest anyway so worked out fine.  The week at Disney was indeed magical. Seeing Disney through the eyes of a children is the best part.  I went to Disney with Lori and Paul, Emma who turned 6 while at Disney, Lily 4 1/2, Julia 2 and Jacob 5 months. Erin, Lori's BFF came with us too and she is so cool.  We arrived on Sunday and after having our bags delivered to our room (we never touched them once we took off from the airport, we went straight to the Magic Kingdom.  We stayed in Ft Wilderness in a cute little cabin with a bedroom, kitchen, bath and living area with Murphy bed (the kids thought that was really cool)  To get to the Magic Kingdom we took the boat from the settlement which was really cool too...had a nice beach and that is where we went to the Hoop Dee Doo show and a great country dinner.  They have a campfire each night too roast smores and sing campfire songs!  We spent a day in Epcot and got to go see the World.  They had to go Japan because they thought Karen would be there and Lily kept asking when Karen was coming. So we had to have lunch there in case she came to town!!

We spent one day at Animal Kingdom which was a hoot.   Emma, Paul, Lily and I rode the rafting ride and that was a real challenge because Emma and I got soaked to the bone and it was the first thing we did!  Advice...go river rafting last or at least when it is hot!!    We also spent went back to Magic Kingdom again and spent Emma's birthday.  She was treated to a special treat...she got her hair done and had lunch in the castle with the princesses.  She had a ball!!

The weather was GREAT.  Suggestion if you go to Disney stay in the park, do the dining plan which gives you two snacks a day, lunch and a really nice dinner, provides all the transportation and they treat you royally...worth the money. We were lucky as we got a great deal ...good time to go is March or September and the weather was perfect.

I am so lucky to have a daughter and son-in-law who wanted me to come with them!!!  I got to sleep with Julia and Emma each night so that was actually fun for me.  I am so GLAD that I went on the trip because it was such a special time with my grand kids.   I almost did not go because of work but so glad I decided to put family first...they will be grown and gone before we know it and I would not have wanted to miss this trip.  I have great pictures and many happy memories of this trip.

So excited about going to Disney World with the grand kids.  I have not taken a week and gone away on vacation in years so very excited.   I took Lori to Disney when she was 6 so will be fun to be with her daughter when she turns 6.   As luck would have it the legislature is going to introduce our bill on Tuesday and I really need to be there....thought for a quick 2 seconds that maybe I should be there but then my grandma kicked in and I figure life will go without me.  Emma is so excited.  I think I get to sleep with Julia (the two year old) but doubt that is going to go over with Emma and Lily so figure all four of us will probably be sleeping together.  I think I am glad that with all the bad news on the economy that I can escape for a few days and just chill.  The world of children who are innocent of all of the bad stuff is a great place to be for a few days.  They will certainly make you forget the gloom and doom and once again you can see the world through the eyes of magic.  If you can't be a child again at Disney then we really have lost it...so to the world of Mickey Mouse...here I come!!!

Snow reminds me of my childhood

Finally...it snowed and I got to see it!  Seems like every time it snows in Raleigh I am somewhere else and it is not snowing!  I was in Denver last week and saw a few snowflakes.  I have tried to figure out why I like snow so much.  I think it is because growing up in Virginia where it snowed alot (or at least it seemed to) we use to have so much fun.  Becasue we lived way out the in the country you really could not go anywhere when it snowed not to mention I lived on a road called Snakepath (honestly).  Ginger and I and all of my cousins who lived around us would take our slids and pans and anything else we could use and play until we were frozen.  It seemed to always snow in the night and so we would wake up to a winter wonderfland.  We had tons of trees and they were always so beautifully covered with snow.   I also remember when my Mom died we were sitting by the big picture window which she loved to sit and look out at the snow or flowers in the spring and it started to snow unexpectedly.  I remember we all said that is Mama sending us a message that she is okay.  Interesting, when my Dad died several years later it starting snowing at the burial service.  It was if he was also sending a message.   When it snows I always think that my Mom and Dad are sending me a message....all is okay and we are waiting on you.

STIMULUS and more spending

Okay now the debate is raging.   Spend or not spend?  Invest in the present or invest in the future? Each day it seems that the only news we are getting is bad news or going the economy going from bad to worst.   SO what do we do.   I think the media has scared even those of us who could spend to hole up and buckle down.   This could be a very mixed message.  If those of us who can help propel the economy quit spending then who will fuel the economy back to life.

I guess all of us are asking what happened and how did it happen so fast?  We were assured that if we saved money, invested in retirement and did not outlive our wages that we would have a comfortable and secure life. But what happened?  Did the sins of few bring down the house?  It sure seems that way.  While there was no doubt greed and as my Daddy use to say far too many people trying to live like kings on a beer budget, what happened to those of us who did not live that way. Well it looks like many of "us" are going down the tubes along with the greedy, and personally irreponsible.  I know good hard working people who have lost their jobs because of this mess and then I know those who were living far beyond their means who are now in trouble...but how do we help the deserving and hold the irresponsible accountable?  I don't think we can so therefore we will bail everyone out...the good, the bad and the ugly.  Those of  us who are staying above water will pay as well or at least our grandkids will pay.

Maybe we have all lived in fantasy land for too long and this is a wake  up call for all of us but what a shock.  As I watch my 403 (B) turn in to a 203 (B) I just pray that I can retire by the time I am 75!!  Not my plan but Lord give me my health so I can work forever!  Good thing I love what I do!

From the Colorado Mountains

I am sitting here in Denver, Colorado listening to sessions about alternative schools. Very interesting group of folks who have worked hard to open new models that work for kids who are not making it in regular school.  The models while different in some ways all have the heart and soul of what is good for kids.  It is fun to hear people talk who REALLY care about the kids that others often write off.  My long time friend and colleague, Arlene, is with me so gives us time to debrief and think about different models that work for kids.  All of these are part of national network funded by the Gates Foundation to bring like minded folks together to change the face of education.  We do have some common elements about what is good for kids but the excitement of sharing what really works and what are the most common challenges transcends all of the models.  The burning question is how to do we go to scale so that more children can experience success.    How do we change the school cultur and get the kids to buy in to education?   How do we engage the unengaged?   How do we get the policy makers to embrace and support innovative and creative designs.   How do we get corporate America to embrace change and support change.  I can't help but think if business had created the same products for the last 100 years without changing that the economy would have been in a recession long before now.   We need a New School Stimulus bill that rewards entrepneurship based on results!   What a concept!

I heard a great presentation today on the digital age.  It was pretty exciting and yet scary to think about what kind of connected world we live in today.  The session was really about what adults need to know about the world our kids are living in today and how they are using technology for all aspects of their lives.  We can't stop it so we have to figure out how to join it and use what interest them.  I can see why they think school is boring an irrelevant...it is!   When they can instanly google and find out anything they want to know, when they can use their cell phones to figure out what size tip to make why would they think they need to memorize facts??   Be real...what purpose does it serve?   Knowledge is changing too fast and what you know today may be totally not relevant or even accurate in five years.   I was fascinated and quite shocked by the information share especially knowing that anything I put on this blog will be here FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!