With each new year comes a new beginning. It is just the next chapter in our lives and we choose how to write it. Some things happen that are beyond our control and sometimes it makes our life take unexpected turns. 2010 has by far been the worst year of my life, but with some very memorable and happy times too.
The biggest event was losing the man who was there for me and was the father that I needed from the time I was 12. I respected him and loved him and on March 29th he was just gone, I felt like my heart had been torn from my chest and stomped on. It left such a huge void and the wound still seems very much fresh and it hurts like hell.
My adopted dad's wife, also died this year. In some ways this was blessing because she was an evil women whom wanted us to not be in their life's, thus we weren't and that is where my DAD (mentioned above came in). The evil wicked stepmother died the beginning of March and my adopted dad was remarried the beginning of August. Now after all these years of having nothing to do with my sisters and I, he wants to be there. There are a lot of emotions behind it. 1) I feel as though I am cheating on the man that I thought of as Dad, 2) there are a lot of hurt feelings that are going to be hard to let go off, just to name a couple. Now I have chosen to live my life with no regrets so I am allowing him back into my life and into my children's lives but there are walls and defenses that will be up for a while. And I feel that I have those rights. As for his new wife, she is a sweetheart and I really like her. She is totally opposite of evil wicked stepmother, she wants us to be a family.
Some of the good things that happened are I finished my Associates Degree, went on a great camping trip just me and Harleyann with the girl scouts to Hershey PA, have made some major changes to help Harleyann in school.
Holidays were good, they were different without Dad here and I suppose they will never feel truly the same. My kids have really kept me going and have really helped me through just by loving me. Jeff has been an amazing help and he has even realized when I just need to de-stress and he has just been amazing.
I am hoping that 2011 is a better year, I have a lot to look forward too...I am looking forward to spending more time with and getting to know better my sister Allison and her family, I will be celebrating 15 years of marriage, my 35th birthday, my kids 2nd & 9th birthdays and many more things.
I know that life can sometimes be hard but we have to go through things to become the people we are and are to become. Plus I have the most amazing family and extended family a women can ask for. I have a ton of support and a ton love surrounding me everyday and I feel truly blessed by the family and friends that I have.
Life can be hard sometimes but it is worth it in the end. Just live life to the fullest and have no regrets, that is what I live by. To all the people in my life Thank You for being there, for being supportive, and for all the love that you give to me.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Let's make 2011 a great one!!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
This Thanksgiving & everyday I am thankful for
So I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you stay safe if traveling and enjoy family and good times.
This Thanksgiving is the first without my dad and it is weird. But I will be surrounded by family and love. Even with losing my dad this year, I have a lot to be thankful for. Here is a few things that I am thankful for everyday:
1) I am thankful that God has given me life and allows me to wake up to it every morning.
2) I am thankful for a wonderful family, that I love dearly.
3) I am thankful for my amazing husband.
4) I am thankful for my wonderful in laws, whom without I don't know where we would be at.
5) I am thankful for my 2 beautiful children, whom make my world so much brighter everyday.
6) I am thankful that my daughter has grown and come a long way since her NICU days. And on Thanksgiving day this year (11/25) we will be celebrating her 8th year release date from the NICU.
So in honor of Thanksgiving tell me what you are Thankful for.
This Thanksgiving is the first without my dad and it is weird. But I will be surrounded by family and love. Even with losing my dad this year, I have a lot to be thankful for. Here is a few things that I am thankful for everyday:
1) I am thankful that God has given me life and allows me to wake up to it every morning.
2) I am thankful for a wonderful family, that I love dearly.
3) I am thankful for my amazing husband.
4) I am thankful for my wonderful in laws, whom without I don't know where we would be at.
5) I am thankful for my 2 beautiful children, whom make my world so much brighter everyday.
6) I am thankful that my daughter has grown and come a long way since her NICU days. And on Thanksgiving day this year (11/25) we will be celebrating her 8th year release date from the NICU.
So in honor of Thanksgiving tell me what you are Thankful for.
Friday, October 22, 2010
RM's are AWESOME
I belong to a group called Richmond Mommies (RM), they are part of The Mommies Network (TMN). TMN has forums all over, I bet if you looked they may have one in your area. RM is a group of wonderful moms that all share in raising our kids in the Richmond areas. I may not be able to get to the play dates, mommy night outs, or one of the other many of things we have very often, because right now my family only has one car and my husband takes that to work. But I do visit the message board often and I have found some wonderful women to support me and give me advice.
I am mommy to a 24 wk micro-preemie and I was dead set against have another child for fear that I would have another baby that early and the outcome would not be what it was like for the first. God had other plans for me, and now I have a second child. My pregnancy with #2 was not an easy one, the mommies of RM were wonderful, if I didn't post someone was sending me a private message (PM) wanting to make sure everything was OK. I managed to make it to 37 wks with #2. There is a 7 year age gap between my children so having #2 was like starting all over, you would think that once a mom you would not forget but after 7 yrs I was a bit rusty and I know I asked a ton of questions that I should have known. Now #1 is a girl and #2 is a boy, so besides the age gap, we have gender differences and they are completely different. I catch myself saying now that #1 was not like this, what do I do? Someone is bound to have gone through the same thing and can give some advice. After having my son, several of my RM friends storked me, that is where they brought me meals 3 times a week for 2 weeks, it was so helpful. After having a new baby and via c-section the meals certainly helped and all I had to do was heat up the food.
Now a week ago a freak accident happened, one of those things that you say well that will never happen to me. Well it did and I was so scared of what people would think about me, not to mention the fact that I was beating myself up over it. See I had just finished dinner and was lifting my son over the baby gate to get him in his seat and ready for dinner. He was wiggling, my daughter was trying to hand me a diaper and talk to me at the same time, and I guess I just didn't have control of my son as well as I thought I did and he fell out of my arms. When he fell we were in front of the stove and he fell onto the pot of green beans on the stove and when he rolled it pushed the green beans back and his arm landed on the burner. He got 1st degree and partial thickness 2nd degree burns on his upper left buttocks, back, right side, right arm, and right ear. I debated back and forth rather to post for prayers for a speedy healing for my son on RM, because I felt that I would get a lot of flack for dropping my son. Eventually I decided to post about it and the response was nothing that I thought it would be. The mommies were wonderful, they all reassured me, sent prayers and well wishes. They told me accidents happened and not to be hard on myself. I do not think they know just how much that meant to me and really helped me to feel better about the situation.
I am happy to report that after a week since the burn incident, my sons ear is completely healed, the burns on his buttocks, back and side look wonderful. His arm was the worse, it looks good but will take a bit longer to heal.
I learned from this incident that we all make mistakes and no matter how hard we try accidents happen and a lot of them are out of our control. I have also learned the saying that a Mother is her own worst enemy is so true.
I honestly do not know what kind of mother I would be without the backup and support from my Richmond Mommies and I thank them all. We do not always agree about things, but in the end we are all mothers and no matter how one chooses to raise their child no one is wrong.
I am mommy to a 24 wk micro-preemie and I was dead set against have another child for fear that I would have another baby that early and the outcome would not be what it was like for the first. God had other plans for me, and now I have a second child. My pregnancy with #2 was not an easy one, the mommies of RM were wonderful, if I didn't post someone was sending me a private message (PM) wanting to make sure everything was OK. I managed to make it to 37 wks with #2. There is a 7 year age gap between my children so having #2 was like starting all over, you would think that once a mom you would not forget but after 7 yrs I was a bit rusty and I know I asked a ton of questions that I should have known. Now #1 is a girl and #2 is a boy, so besides the age gap, we have gender differences and they are completely different. I catch myself saying now that #1 was not like this, what do I do? Someone is bound to have gone through the same thing and can give some advice. After having my son, several of my RM friends storked me, that is where they brought me meals 3 times a week for 2 weeks, it was so helpful. After having a new baby and via c-section the meals certainly helped and all I had to do was heat up the food.
Now a week ago a freak accident happened, one of those things that you say well that will never happen to me. Well it did and I was so scared of what people would think about me, not to mention the fact that I was beating myself up over it. See I had just finished dinner and was lifting my son over the baby gate to get him in his seat and ready for dinner. He was wiggling, my daughter was trying to hand me a diaper and talk to me at the same time, and I guess I just didn't have control of my son as well as I thought I did and he fell out of my arms. When he fell we were in front of the stove and he fell onto the pot of green beans on the stove and when he rolled it pushed the green beans back and his arm landed on the burner. He got 1st degree and partial thickness 2nd degree burns on his upper left buttocks, back, right side, right arm, and right ear. I debated back and forth rather to post for prayers for a speedy healing for my son on RM, because I felt that I would get a lot of flack for dropping my son. Eventually I decided to post about it and the response was nothing that I thought it would be. The mommies were wonderful, they all reassured me, sent prayers and well wishes. They told me accidents happened and not to be hard on myself. I do not think they know just how much that meant to me and really helped me to feel better about the situation.
I am happy to report that after a week since the burn incident, my sons ear is completely healed, the burns on his buttocks, back and side look wonderful. His arm was the worse, it looks good but will take a bit longer to heal.
I learned from this incident that we all make mistakes and no matter how hard we try accidents happen and a lot of them are out of our control. I have also learned the saying that a Mother is her own worst enemy is so true.
I honestly do not know what kind of mother I would be without the backup and support from my Richmond Mommies and I thank them all. We do not always agree about things, but in the end we are all mothers and no matter how one chooses to raise their child no one is wrong.
Thanks Mommies, I love you all :)
**To find out if there is a TMN site in your area visit this link: http://www.themommiesnetwork.org/index.shtml
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Brunswick Stew
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fall and one of the things that I love about it is that you can get Brunswick Stew, YUMMY!!
Well since I love it so much, I decided to embark in finding a recipe and there are TONS of them all different in one aspect or another. Finally I found one for Va Brunswick Stew (what makes Va Brunswick Stew different is that it has okra in it). So I ended up combining 2 recipes to get one that suited me. So last night I made it and it was a HUGE pot full, that only got 2 bowls ate out of it. My husband does not like soups and stews and our son seems to be taking after him in that aspect. But Harleyann loved it and so did I, although I think that I will add more tomatoes next time.
The recipe I used is as follows:
Brunswick Stew:
2 whole chickens, cut into pieces
Boil in large stock pot with just enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove chicken and let set till cool enough to handle. Once chicken is cool enough turn stock back on and bring to a boil, reduce to low, shred chicken and put into stock. Add:
6 large potatoes, diced
2 large bags of Lima beans
2 large bags of corn
1 bag of cut okra
2 large cans whole tomatoes, roughly chopped (i poured the juice into the stew)
and simmer for 20 minutes. Add:
1 cup of ketchup
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 stick of butter
2 Tbsp vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer for 2 hours or longer, stirring occasionally.
It turned out great, just really needs more tomatoes if you ask me.
Well since I love it so much, I decided to embark in finding a recipe and there are TONS of them all different in one aspect or another. Finally I found one for Va Brunswick Stew (what makes Va Brunswick Stew different is that it has okra in it). So I ended up combining 2 recipes to get one that suited me. So last night I made it and it was a HUGE pot full, that only got 2 bowls ate out of it. My husband does not like soups and stews and our son seems to be taking after him in that aspect. But Harleyann loved it and so did I, although I think that I will add more tomatoes next time.
The recipe I used is as follows:
Brunswick Stew:
2 whole chickens, cut into pieces
Boil in large stock pot with just enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove chicken and let set till cool enough to handle. Once chicken is cool enough turn stock back on and bring to a boil, reduce to low, shred chicken and put into stock. Add:
6 large potatoes, diced
2 large bags of Lima beans
2 large bags of corn
1 bag of cut okra
2 large cans whole tomatoes, roughly chopped (i poured the juice into the stew)
and simmer for 20 minutes. Add:
1 cup of ketchup
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 stick of butter
2 Tbsp vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer for 2 hours or longer, stirring occasionally.
It turned out great, just really needs more tomatoes if you ask me.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Dear Daddy
Dear Daddy,
It has been a little over a month since you left us and it has been very difficult. 59 is to young for you to no longer be here. I may be in my 30's but I still need you and it hurts like hell. For a long time the tears would not come. I was angry at you for leaving us, there was so much left unsaid and undone and I was mad because I would never have the chance. I was hurt because my kids will not get to grow up with you around for them, all the promises you made them are now forever broken. I miss you like hell and it hurts way to damn much. I never wanted to feel this way ever. I am heartbroken. I feel like I am a little girl lost in this world without my daddy.
Any man can be a father, but it really takes a special one to be a daddy, and you were it. You were my daddy. I may have never called you daddy but that is who you were/are. I don't know where to go, where to turn, what to do. A girl needs her daddy, she always needs her daddy and I am to young to be without you. My kids are to young to be without you.
I keep questioning WHY. Why did you have to leave us? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to get sick? Why didn't you just tell the doctors how bad it was getting so that they could help you? Why did you want to leave us?
I know that you are in a better place and I know that you are not suffering, but I want you here. I want you with us. I want you to be at home. I want to be able to call you on the phone. I want you to be here for birthday parties and holidays.
The tears have had a hard time coming since they first told me, except for the funeral. But now they are coming and it is the little things that will make me just lose it and will make me cry. A song. A movie. A story. Anywhere and anytime. I was driving down the road radio surfing and I came to a ZZ Top song and started crying, I never thought that Legs would make me cry, but it did. I cried when I finally changed your phone over to moms name and picture.
It is hard to deal and I feel so alone. I know I have people around and people who are there for me but I still feel alone. I don't feel like celebrating anything, I don't feel like having fun, I don't feel like being around people. What do I do, how do I get past this? What do I need to do? How do I deal with it? How do I deal with you being gone?
Through it all I want you to know that I love you so much and I miss you like crazy. I know I will not feel quite this much sadness when Larry and Eddie pass away. And I do not want to feel this much pain and sadness for a long long time, so you have to promise that mom will be around for many more years.
I know that one day I will see you again and that we will be together when I walk through those Golden Gates, but I just wish with every fiber of my being that you were here with us and that I could talk to you. But I want to know that you are here, I want to know that you are watching over us.
I will forever carry you in my heart and I will remember you and I will carry all our memories.
I love you always daddy!!
Love,
Me
It has been a little over a month since you left us and it has been very difficult. 59 is to young for you to no longer be here. I may be in my 30's but I still need you and it hurts like hell. For a long time the tears would not come. I was angry at you for leaving us, there was so much left unsaid and undone and I was mad because I would never have the chance. I was hurt because my kids will not get to grow up with you around for them, all the promises you made them are now forever broken. I miss you like hell and it hurts way to damn much. I never wanted to feel this way ever. I am heartbroken. I feel like I am a little girl lost in this world without my daddy.
Any man can be a father, but it really takes a special one to be a daddy, and you were it. You were my daddy. I may have never called you daddy but that is who you were/are. I don't know where to go, where to turn, what to do. A girl needs her daddy, she always needs her daddy and I am to young to be without you. My kids are to young to be without you.
I keep questioning WHY. Why did you have to leave us? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to get sick? Why didn't you just tell the doctors how bad it was getting so that they could help you? Why did you want to leave us?
I know that you are in a better place and I know that you are not suffering, but I want you here. I want you with us. I want you to be at home. I want to be able to call you on the phone. I want you to be here for birthday parties and holidays.
The tears have had a hard time coming since they first told me, except for the funeral. But now they are coming and it is the little things that will make me just lose it and will make me cry. A song. A movie. A story. Anywhere and anytime. I was driving down the road radio surfing and I came to a ZZ Top song and started crying, I never thought that Legs would make me cry, but it did. I cried when I finally changed your phone over to moms name and picture.
It is hard to deal and I feel so alone. I know I have people around and people who are there for me but I still feel alone. I don't feel like celebrating anything, I don't feel like having fun, I don't feel like being around people. What do I do, how do I get past this? What do I need to do? How do I deal with it? How do I deal with you being gone?
Through it all I want you to know that I love you so much and I miss you like crazy. I know I will not feel quite this much sadness when Larry and Eddie pass away. And I do not want to feel this much pain and sadness for a long long time, so you have to promise that mom will be around for many more years.
I know that one day I will see you again and that we will be together when I walk through those Golden Gates, but I just wish with every fiber of my being that you were here with us and that I could talk to you. But I want to know that you are here, I want to know that you are watching over us.
I will forever carry you in my heart and I will remember you and I will carry all our memories.
I love you always daddy!!
Love,
Me
Thursday, May 6, 2010
French's recipes for mother's day
ZESTY HAM GLAZE
An easy glaze to finish the Easter Ham or Turkey. Serve extra for dipping.
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time:
1/2 cup FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
1/4 cup FRENCH'S® Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1. MIX all ingredients in small bowl. Brush mixture on ham frequently during the last hour of baking.
2. BASTE on ham frequently during last 30 min. of baking.
3. GOOD with roast turkey or chicken.
Makes 1 cup
Mustard Potato Salad
5 pound white potatoes, peeled cut into chunks and boiled
3 eggs, boiled, peeled and chunked
1 C. Dukes Mayo
1 C. French's Mustard
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tbsp Pickle Relish
1. After you boil potatoes place in a bowl, add boiled egg.
2. Add all ingredients and mix well. You may have to add more mayo and mustard until creamy.
An easy glaze to finish the Easter Ham or Turkey. Serve extra for dipping.
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time:
1/2 cup FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
1/4 cup FRENCH'S® Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1. MIX all ingredients in small bowl. Brush mixture on ham frequently during the last hour of baking.
2. BASTE on ham frequently during last 30 min. of baking.
3. GOOD with roast turkey or chicken.
Makes 1 cup
Mustard Potato Salad
5 pound white potatoes, peeled cut into chunks and boiled
3 eggs, boiled, peeled and chunked
1 C. Dukes Mayo
1 C. French's Mustard
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tbsp Pickle Relish
1. After you boil potatoes place in a bowl, add boiled egg.
2. Add all ingredients and mix well. You may have to add more mayo and mustard until creamy.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
One year
1 year ago today I had my son. In this past year it has been so fun watching him go from that little newborn to watching him hit milestone after milestone. It has been just a joy seeing his little personality develop. He laughs, giggles and smiles all the time. He is my bulldozer and always goes goes goes, I am amazed that I can even manage to get him down for a nap because he is always so busy.
He loves to play. He loves when I sing to him, he loves music. He is a big flirt when it comes to the ladies, he will smile and show those dimples that I love. He ADORES his sister and loves to be around her, he just lights up when she walks into the room. He is a mommy's boy, and me leaving the room he is in is not an option, unless it is nap time. He loves his naps and still takes two 1 to 1 1/2 hr naps a day. He loves to explore and can go from 0 - 60 in no time flat. He loves torturing our cat. He LOVES snoopy! He loves his daddy to and likes to play rough with him. He is very vocal and will tell you all about it too. He is not yet walking but that will come in due time and I know that when he is ready he will be off. Right now I think he is like why should I walk when I can crawl and get anywhere I want just fine. So I really think it is the lazy factor going on. Haha. He rearly ever crys, unless he is just waking up or I leave the room.
He goes for his one year checkup tomorrow and I can not imagine that anything will be wrong. He is perfect and I could not be more blessed to have such a wonderful little lamb.
I will leave you with a couple of pictures, the first is from the day he was born and the second one is from today:
And did I mention he has 8 teeth already. And I think that he is trying to get the first of his 1 year molars coming in.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Proud Parent
Through out my years of parenthood, there are various times in which I am proud of my children and things that they accomplish. Most recently my 7 year old daughter entered a picture she took of a butterfly into the PTA Reflections contest at the beginning of the year. In December she took first place for her school. In January we got a letter from the PTA saying that she had won an award on the County level. Well the Award Ceremony/Banquet was last night. She won the Award of Merit (Bronze Medal). She did not make it to district, but I am so very PROUD of her accomplishment.
Just winning first place for her school was awesome, but to move on and win an award on the county level is pretty awesome as well.
On top of everything else she is the first, in her schools history, to win on the county level for her school.
I AM SO VERY PROUD OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!!!!
Just winning first place for her school was awesome, but to move on and win an award on the county level is pretty awesome as well.
On top of everything else she is the first, in her schools history, to win on the county level for her school.
I AM SO VERY PROUD OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!!!!
Here is the picture that she submitted:
And this is her receiving her award:
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Email from Delegate Chris Peace
Dear Mrs. McGuinn,
As you undoubtedly recognize, delivering a balanced budget this year will require heroic decision-making. The task is difficult and yet it is our charge to keep. Former Governor Kaine complicated matters by presenting a draft budget with latent defects and an income tax increase. The resulting effect was a severely imbalanced budget requiring approximately an additional $2 billion in cuts. This impact accounts for declining state revenues and presents this Assembly with a cumulative $4.2 billion budget shortfall over the 2011-12 biennium. The question is whether increasing state revenues from taxes and fees or reductions in spending will best address this dilemma. Virginia legislators are proceeding to protect taxpayers and took the first step Sunday February 21st towards balancing this spending plan for the next two years with as little impact to K-12 education as practicable in this unprecedented economic climate. The initial spending roadmap calls for zero tax increases and eliminates $125 million in additional fees presented by the outgoing administration.
Given that Virginia is dealing with the lingering effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years or since the Great Depression education, which is the single largest component of the state budget, simply can no longer be held harmless to balance the state budget without a job-killing tax increase. Governor McDonnell and our own legislative leadership indicated that new tax proposals are a nonstarter while we recover. Voters feel the same way. Unfortunately, most the “easy” fixes have already been used in FY09, and closing the shortfall will have to be accomplished in large part through the use of more on-going cuts which will likely have an impact on certain government functions including public education.
Over the last 10 years, the General Assembly has increased the Commonwealth's funding for public education by almost 60%. In the meantime, over the last 10 years, student membership only increased by 7.2%. So, while funding increased by 60%, the number of students increased by less than 10%. Clearly, the Commonwealth has invested significantly more than dollars in education than is required to meet the demands of population growth and more than inflation when times were good. Prior to last year, public education was held harmless while other state agencies and services were reduced during several rounds of budget cuts.
In the House of Delegates budget which was approved February 21 in our Appropriations committee and will later be considered by the full House this week, K-12 spending reductions are inclusive of requests from localities for greater flexibility. The House eliminates many state mandates which bind dollars used locally. This structural reform provides additional local flexibility and by so doing generates approximately $310 million each year for local school divisions. Ultimately with the relaxing of these state mandates the net impact on school divisions is approximately $40 million per year statewide.
Among other areas for saving, the House budget suspends secondary planning period standards and saves $185.7 million in FY 2011 and $188.1 million in FY 2012. The establishment of a Lottery Proceeds Block Grant for At-Risk, Early Reading Intervention and PreK programs provides flexibility to localities to determine levels of participation for each of the three eligible programs. The block grant would be allocated on a per pupil amount. The local school division will be able to fund programs beneficial for their students and not fund programs that are underutilized. The House budget also restores the funds for the School Lunch program with projected additional revenues from the state’s participation in the Lottery Power Ball game and saves $5.8 million each year.
The Local Composite Index (LCI) amendments to former Governor Kaine’s proposed budget provide $29.5 million to unfreeze the LCI update in FY 2011 from reduced rates for the cost of competing adjustment (COCA). The COCA primarily benefits Northern Virginia school divisions. Governor Kaine did not “freeze” 2012 LCI. Savings from COCA provides an additional $91.7 million in FY 2011 in order to provide an 80% hold harmless payment to those school divisions, like ours, whose LCI is increasing based on the re-benchmarking. The budget contains contingent reserve language related to the potential for two additional quarters of enhanced federal funding amounting to $23 million that will fund the remaining 20% needed to hold all localities 100% harmless.
I have long supported enhanced resources and more dollars to the classroom. In the House budget, schools will have the flexibility they asked for to increase class sizes by one student as outlined below without any reduction in state funding. Further, ratio requirements for Prevention, Intervention, and Remediation programs, Limited English Proficiency, Elementary Resource, Gifted and Talented, and Career and Technical have been waived.
Several weeks remain in the budgeting process and there are many other areas of importance such as public safety, transportation and health and human resources that will see similar reductions. I reiterate that delivering a balanced budget this year will require heroic and possibly unpopular decision-making. While the task is difficult the state will have a budget and collectively we will weather this unprecedented economic climate and the effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years. Right-sizing and creating a more efficient government will be the right decision for the future.
I welcome your continued feedback on the budget proposals as they materialize. Thank you again for your input. I am honored to serve as your Delegate from the 97th District.
Respectfully,
Delegate Christopher K. Peace
97th House District
804-698-1097 (Richmond Office)
804-730-3737 (District Office)
As you undoubtedly recognize, delivering a balanced budget this year will require heroic decision-making. The task is difficult and yet it is our charge to keep. Former Governor Kaine complicated matters by presenting a draft budget with latent defects and an income tax increase. The resulting effect was a severely imbalanced budget requiring approximately an additional $2 billion in cuts. This impact accounts for declining state revenues and presents this Assembly with a cumulative $4.2 billion budget shortfall over the 2011-12 biennium. The question is whether increasing state revenues from taxes and fees or reductions in spending will best address this dilemma. Virginia legislators are proceeding to protect taxpayers and took the first step Sunday February 21st towards balancing this spending plan for the next two years with as little impact to K-12 education as practicable in this unprecedented economic climate. The initial spending roadmap calls for zero tax increases and eliminates $125 million in additional fees presented by the outgoing administration.
Given that Virginia is dealing with the lingering effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years or since the Great Depression education, which is the single largest component of the state budget, simply can no longer be held harmless to balance the state budget without a job-killing tax increase. Governor McDonnell and our own legislative leadership indicated that new tax proposals are a nonstarter while we recover. Voters feel the same way. Unfortunately, most the “easy” fixes have already been used in FY09, and closing the shortfall will have to be accomplished in large part through the use of more on-going cuts which will likely have an impact on certain government functions including public education.
Over the last 10 years, the General Assembly has increased the Commonwealth's funding for public education by almost 60%. In the meantime, over the last 10 years, student membership only increased by 7.2%. So, while funding increased by 60%, the number of students increased by less than 10%. Clearly, the Commonwealth has invested significantly more than dollars in education than is required to meet the demands of population growth and more than inflation when times were good. Prior to last year, public education was held harmless while other state agencies and services were reduced during several rounds of budget cuts.
In the House of Delegates budget which was approved February 21 in our Appropriations committee and will later be considered by the full House this week, K-12 spending reductions are inclusive of requests from localities for greater flexibility. The House eliminates many state mandates which bind dollars used locally. This structural reform provides additional local flexibility and by so doing generates approximately $310 million each year for local school divisions. Ultimately with the relaxing of these state mandates the net impact on school divisions is approximately $40 million per year statewide.
Among other areas for saving, the House budget suspends secondary planning period standards and saves $185.7 million in FY 2011 and $188.1 million in FY 2012. The establishment of a Lottery Proceeds Block Grant for At-Risk, Early Reading Intervention and PreK programs provides flexibility to localities to determine levels of participation for each of the three eligible programs. The block grant would be allocated on a per pupil amount. The local school division will be able to fund programs beneficial for their students and not fund programs that are underutilized. The House budget also restores the funds for the School Lunch program with projected additional revenues from the state’s participation in the Lottery Power Ball game and saves $5.8 million each year.
The Local Composite Index (LCI) amendments to former Governor Kaine’s proposed budget provide $29.5 million to unfreeze the LCI update in FY 2011 from reduced rates for the cost of competing adjustment (COCA). The COCA primarily benefits Northern Virginia school divisions. Governor Kaine did not “freeze” 2012 LCI. Savings from COCA provides an additional $91.7 million in FY 2011 in order to provide an 80% hold harmless payment to those school divisions, like ours, whose LCI is increasing based on the re-benchmarking. The budget contains contingent reserve language related to the potential for two additional quarters of enhanced federal funding amounting to $23 million that will fund the remaining 20% needed to hold all localities 100% harmless.
I have long supported enhanced resources and more dollars to the classroom. In the House budget, schools will have the flexibility they asked for to increase class sizes by one student as outlined below without any reduction in state funding. Further, ratio requirements for Prevention, Intervention, and Remediation programs, Limited English Proficiency, Elementary Resource, Gifted and Talented, and Career and Technical have been waived.
Several weeks remain in the budgeting process and there are many other areas of importance such as public safety, transportation and health and human resources that will see similar reductions. I reiterate that delivering a balanced budget this year will require heroic and possibly unpopular decision-making. While the task is difficult the state will have a budget and collectively we will weather this unprecedented economic climate and the effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years. Right-sizing and creating a more efficient government will be the right decision for the future.
I welcome your continued feedback on the budget proposals as they materialize. Thank you again for your input. I am honored to serve as your Delegate from the 97th District.
Respectfully,
Delegate Christopher K. Peace
97th House District
804-698-1097 (Richmond Office)
804-730-3737 (District Office)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Email from Representative Christopher Peace ~ A lot of information
Peace Progress: Legislative Session Week 6
Christopher K. Peace to me
11:44 AM (12 hours ago)
Peace Progress
A Central Virginia Newsletter from the General Assembly
February 2010
Click to hear Del. Peace, Del. Cox and Sen. McDougle on the VCTA Comcast Cable Reports
This week featured the second national holiday to fall during the General Assembly session, Washington's Birthday. Capitol Square features two prominent statues of our nation's first president, as well as a recently renovated twelve-story state office building named after him. While Virginia's Capitol commemorates all of the presidents who hailed from our commonwealth, George Washington's presence looms largest.
Virginia's Capitol and Capitol Square are replete with statues, monuments and paintings of great historical and artistic significance. Every day, lawmakers conduct debate on contemporary issues great and small surrounded by works that serve as a reminder of Virginia's rich and significant history.
Crossover, often referred to as the "halfway point" of the General Assembly session, came this week. At this point, both houses have completed work on all legislation filed by its respective members. From this point forward, members of the House of Delegates will be reviewing bills filed by senators, while members of the Senate will be considering measures sponsored by delegates.
If you are an early riser, please tune in to hear me on the Jimmy Barrett show on WRVA AM 1140 Monday, February 22 at 6:35AM. I will be discussing a number of the 10th Amendment/Federalism legislation passed by the House thus far, the budget, and other matters of importance during this 2010 session.
MY LEGISLATION
A majority of the bills I introduced are now under consideration in the Senate. Just as I had to appear before my fellow delegates over the last five weeks to explain my proposals, I now have to appear before committees comprised of senators to repeat the process. This very deliberate approach is intended to ensure that when new laws are enacted, they have received a full vetting and only the most necessary measures may become law.
In the remaining weeks of the session, the Senate will be considering my bill (HB 708) to call for home care and home health care organizations to develop policies regarding a drug free workplace through testing and subsequent reporting to agencies responsible for licensure. HB 708 passed the House of Delegates with unanimous support. I brought this policy forward to ensure that those who are present in the most intimate of settings caring for the most vulnerable of people are doing the right thing. I see this legislation as protecting consumers that contract with home care and home health professionals. Home support services provide an opportunity for elderly, frail or ailing people to stay in their home and perhaps maintain a more independent lifestyle than a group home or nursing home might offer.
Another measure of importance to many of my constituents and citizens across the Commonwealth passed the House this week. I joined Delegate Clay Athey (R-Front Royal) and other fellow legislators in support of House Joint Resolution 125. HJR 125 passed the House of Delegates on Monday by a vote of 76-20. Last year I was the first to introduce a 10th Amendment resolution with HR61 and again this year with HR5. The Athey/Peace Resolution will require the approval of the Senate.
HJR 125 affirms those founding principles of Federalism guaranteed under the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The resolution sets forth the principle that the Commonwealth of Virginia is sovereign and has authority to claim powers not specified or granted to the federal government. Over the past few years, states around the country have passed resolutions claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment and resolving to serve notice and demand to the federal government to cease and desist mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers. Virginia, upon passage of this legislation, joins the movement that so clearly demonstrates the imbalance and growing concern that the federal government is increasing its dominance over their state policy affairs.
In my Sunday Richmond Times-Dispatch Commentary of February 22, 2009, I wrote: "Printz v. United States held that the federal system limits the ability of the federal government to use state governments as an instrumentality of the national government. But this traditional notion of Federalism has devolved into 'cooperative federalism,' where Congress creates new state programs by affixing certain conditions to the receipt of those funds... and the ultimate danger is the erosion of the principles of Federalism whereby Virginia becomes, effectively, a ward of the federal super state."
In keeping with 10th Amendment principles, additional legislation supporting an individual's right and power to participate in the health care system recently passed. House Bill 722, which I introduced and was incorporated into House Bill 10. This "Health Care Freedom Act" passed the House by a vote of 72-26 and is intended to serve notice to the federal government that Virginians have great concerns about the mandating health insurance against their will. It provides that Virginia will not impose penalty of fines and possibly jail time for not complying.
BUDGET
Governor McDonnell made news this week when he released information on his proposed ideas to bring Virginia's budget into balance. Our new Governor's input is important to the process of completing a budget. Although he had already shared his recommendations on possible spending reductions to address the challenges brought on by declining revenues, the public release of his ideas generated a lot of coverage from the media.
An important point made by the Governor regarding the process of approving a biennial budget was largely absent from much of the reporting. As he noted, Virginia is taking a very different approach in dealing with its budgetary challenges than the federal government.
Discussions in Richmond stand in stark contrast to the budgetary proposals being considered in Washington. The budget being discussed in our nation's capitol features increased spending, higher deficits, and even tax increases. Here in Richmond, we're considering plans to complete a budget that includes spending reductions, no deficits (Virginia's budget must be balanced), and no tax hikes.
Just as families across Virginia have to make difficult decisions - often curtailing spending - during difficult economic times, Virginia's government is doing the same. The goal is to emerge from the recession more quickly, generating more private-sector jobs by practicing government spending restraint. It makes the process of a constructing a budget more challenging in the short run, but also makes our economic outlook brighter in the long run.
To read the January Revenue Letter from Richard D. Brown, Secretary of Finance
http://chrispeace.com/2010/02/17/january-2010-revenue-report
SCHOOLS AND THE BUDGET
As you undoubtedly recognize, delivering a balanced budget this year will be difficult and yet it is our charge to keep. The former Governor exponentially added to our difficulties by presenting a draft budget with latent defects, notably an income tax increase which is unpalatable to most. The resulting effect is a plan laid at the doorstep of the incoming assembly with a severely imbalanced budget.
Governor McDonnell and our own legislative leadership already indicated that new tax proposals are a nonstarter while we recover from the Great Recession. Voters feel the same way. Unfortunately, by focusing on on-going reductions and leaving Car Tax relief as is, the legislature will need to find another $1.9 B in on-going spending reductions and right sizing government in addition to the $1.5 B that the Kaine budget proposes.
Of the $6.3 B of net reductions that have been made to the current FY 2009-10 budget since it was first introduced, fully 70% ($4.9 B) were one-time actions over the biennium. Most the "easy" fixes have been used, and closing the shortfall in the upcoming 2011-12 biennium will have to be accomplished in large part through the use of more on-going cuts which will likely have an impact on certain government functions including public education.
Over the last 10 years, the General Assembly has increased the Commonwealth's funding for public education by almost 60% (58.9) -- from $3.7 billion in FY 2000 up to $5.9 billion in FY 2010 (as adopted during the 2009 session). Furthermore, if one includes the $365.2 million federal stimulus funding budgeted in the 2009 session for FY 2010, the total funding for FY 2010 increased by almost 70% (68.7) over FY 2000.
Over the last 10 years, student membership only increased by 7.2% . So, while funding increased by 60%-70%, the number of students increased by less than 10%. Clearly, the Commonwealth has invested significantly more than population growth and more than inflation when times were good. Remember, too, that prior to last year, public education was held harmless while other state agencies and services were reduced during several rounds of budget cuts .
While Governor Kaine's FY 2010 introduced budget (HB 29 for the current fiscal year that ends on June 20, 2010) for public education does include a decrease to last year's adopted budget, that proposed funding is still 51.9% higher than the FY 2000 funding.
For the next two-year budget (HB 30) that begins July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2012, the state's estimates indicate deeper declines in state revenues because of the lingering effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years or since the Great Depression. That means that education simply can no longer be held harmless to balance the state budget without a job-killing tax increase.
Given that additional cuts to state spending were included in Governor Kaine's two-year budget AND even with the proposed reductions, it's worth noting that:
For FY 2011, K-12 spending of $5.7 billion is 53.4% higher than the FY 2000 level - while student membership is estimated to only increase by 8.1%.
For FY 2012, K-12 spending of $5.8 billion is 55.4% higher than the FY 2000 level - while student membership is estimated to increase by 9.0%.
However, in order to avoid tax increases to the already struggling taxpayers and working families of Virginia, the new biennial budget spending (to which amendments offered by the House and Senate on Sunday, February 21) will have to be reduced further and state agencies will realize additional decreases. However, keep in mind that because of the federal stimulus requirement for a 'maintenance of effort', the public education budget will be funded at least to the FY 2006 level in FY2011. In many jurisdictions in my district those levels approach 2008 levels. I welcome your input on the budget generally and this matter in particular.
VISITORS
Friendly faces from home continued to visit us here in Richmond this week. We were delighted to see our friends from Hanover ARC, Lucy Cantrell, Jennifer Godfrey, Sharon, Linda, Mike and many more. Also visiting this week: Jeff and Tory Purdy of Henrico, David Swynford of Quinton, Alice Zimak, Nan Pilard, Mish Vaden Clay, Frank Hughes all with the Wiliamsburg Realtors Association, Dave Croson, Joanne Payne of the Virginia Land Title Association, Willie and Eddie Good of Richmond, Jerry Benson of Lanexa, Fred and Nancy Ridgeway, Jane Ladd and Wayne Hayden of Quinton, John and Dorothy Stump of New Kent, Lois Smith of Partlow and Betty-Anne Teter of Virginia Economic Developers Association.
CONTACT ME
In the week ahead, the House and Senate are scheduled to approve their respective versions of Virginia's budget. In next week's column, I'll have more details of the progress on the budget.
If you want to contact our office during the General Assembly session, please send me an email at Delcpeace@house.virginia.gov. Have a great week, and thanks for reading this week's installment of the news from Virginia's Capitol.
New Media Services
Website: http://www.chrispeace.com/
Find me on Facebook:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
If you are a member of Facebook, please login and sign on as a supporter on my page. You may find my supporter page: Christopher K. Peace by using the search box in the top right-hand corner of the main page after you login. Once on the page, click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.
For General Assembly Session Updates please visit the following websites:
Republican Caucus: www.vagopcaucus.com/preview
Conservative Caucus: http://www.vaconservativecaucus.org/
Christopher K. Peace to me
11:44 AM (12 hours ago)
Peace Progress
A Central Virginia Newsletter from the General Assembly
February 2010
Click to hear Del. Peace, Del. Cox and Sen. McDougle on the VCTA Comcast Cable Reports
This week featured the second national holiday to fall during the General Assembly session, Washington's Birthday. Capitol Square features two prominent statues of our nation's first president, as well as a recently renovated twelve-story state office building named after him. While Virginia's Capitol commemorates all of the presidents who hailed from our commonwealth, George Washington's presence looms largest.
Virginia's Capitol and Capitol Square are replete with statues, monuments and paintings of great historical and artistic significance. Every day, lawmakers conduct debate on contemporary issues great and small surrounded by works that serve as a reminder of Virginia's rich and significant history.
Crossover, often referred to as the "halfway point" of the General Assembly session, came this week. At this point, both houses have completed work on all legislation filed by its respective members. From this point forward, members of the House of Delegates will be reviewing bills filed by senators, while members of the Senate will be considering measures sponsored by delegates.
If you are an early riser, please tune in to hear me on the Jimmy Barrett show on WRVA AM 1140 Monday, February 22 at 6:35AM. I will be discussing a number of the 10th Amendment/Federalism legislation passed by the House thus far, the budget, and other matters of importance during this 2010 session.
MY LEGISLATION
A majority of the bills I introduced are now under consideration in the Senate. Just as I had to appear before my fellow delegates over the last five weeks to explain my proposals, I now have to appear before committees comprised of senators to repeat the process. This very deliberate approach is intended to ensure that when new laws are enacted, they have received a full vetting and only the most necessary measures may become law.
In the remaining weeks of the session, the Senate will be considering my bill (HB 708) to call for home care and home health care organizations to develop policies regarding a drug free workplace through testing and subsequent reporting to agencies responsible for licensure. HB 708 passed the House of Delegates with unanimous support. I brought this policy forward to ensure that those who are present in the most intimate of settings caring for the most vulnerable of people are doing the right thing. I see this legislation as protecting consumers that contract with home care and home health professionals. Home support services provide an opportunity for elderly, frail or ailing people to stay in their home and perhaps maintain a more independent lifestyle than a group home or nursing home might offer.
Another measure of importance to many of my constituents and citizens across the Commonwealth passed the House this week. I joined Delegate Clay Athey (R-Front Royal) and other fellow legislators in support of House Joint Resolution 125. HJR 125 passed the House of Delegates on Monday by a vote of 76-20. Last year I was the first to introduce a 10th Amendment resolution with HR61 and again this year with HR5. The Athey/Peace Resolution will require the approval of the Senate.
HJR 125 affirms those founding principles of Federalism guaranteed under the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The resolution sets forth the principle that the Commonwealth of Virginia is sovereign and has authority to claim powers not specified or granted to the federal government. Over the past few years, states around the country have passed resolutions claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment and resolving to serve notice and demand to the federal government to cease and desist mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers. Virginia, upon passage of this legislation, joins the movement that so clearly demonstrates the imbalance and growing concern that the federal government is increasing its dominance over their state policy affairs.
In my Sunday Richmond Times-Dispatch Commentary of February 22, 2009, I wrote: "Printz v. United States held that the federal system limits the ability of the federal government to use state governments as an instrumentality of the national government. But this traditional notion of Federalism has devolved into 'cooperative federalism,' where Congress creates new state programs by affixing certain conditions to the receipt of those funds... and the ultimate danger is the erosion of the principles of Federalism whereby Virginia becomes, effectively, a ward of the federal super state."
In keeping with 10th Amendment principles, additional legislation supporting an individual's right and power to participate in the health care system recently passed. House Bill 722, which I introduced and was incorporated into House Bill 10. This "Health Care Freedom Act" passed the House by a vote of 72-26 and is intended to serve notice to the federal government that Virginians have great concerns about the mandating health insurance against their will. It provides that Virginia will not impose penalty of fines and possibly jail time for not complying.
BUDGET
Governor McDonnell made news this week when he released information on his proposed ideas to bring Virginia's budget into balance. Our new Governor's input is important to the process of completing a budget. Although he had already shared his recommendations on possible spending reductions to address the challenges brought on by declining revenues, the public release of his ideas generated a lot of coverage from the media.
An important point made by the Governor regarding the process of approving a biennial budget was largely absent from much of the reporting. As he noted, Virginia is taking a very different approach in dealing with its budgetary challenges than the federal government.
Discussions in Richmond stand in stark contrast to the budgetary proposals being considered in Washington. The budget being discussed in our nation's capitol features increased spending, higher deficits, and even tax increases. Here in Richmond, we're considering plans to complete a budget that includes spending reductions, no deficits (Virginia's budget must be balanced), and no tax hikes.
Just as families across Virginia have to make difficult decisions - often curtailing spending - during difficult economic times, Virginia's government is doing the same. The goal is to emerge from the recession more quickly, generating more private-sector jobs by practicing government spending restraint. It makes the process of a constructing a budget more challenging in the short run, but also makes our economic outlook brighter in the long run.
To read the January Revenue Letter from Richard D. Brown, Secretary of Finance
http://chrispeace.com/2010/02/17/january-2010-revenue-report
SCHOOLS AND THE BUDGET
As you undoubtedly recognize, delivering a balanced budget this year will be difficult and yet it is our charge to keep. The former Governor exponentially added to our difficulties by presenting a draft budget with latent defects, notably an income tax increase which is unpalatable to most. The resulting effect is a plan laid at the doorstep of the incoming assembly with a severely imbalanced budget.
Governor McDonnell and our own legislative leadership already indicated that new tax proposals are a nonstarter while we recover from the Great Recession. Voters feel the same way. Unfortunately, by focusing on on-going reductions and leaving Car Tax relief as is, the legislature will need to find another $1.9 B in on-going spending reductions and right sizing government in addition to the $1.5 B that the Kaine budget proposes.
Of the $6.3 B of net reductions that have been made to the current FY 2009-10 budget since it was first introduced, fully 70% ($4.9 B) were one-time actions over the biennium. Most the "easy" fixes have been used, and closing the shortfall in the upcoming 2011-12 biennium will have to be accomplished in large part through the use of more on-going cuts which will likely have an impact on certain government functions including public education.
Over the last 10 years, the General Assembly has increased the Commonwealth's funding for public education by almost 60% (58.9) -- from $3.7 billion in FY 2000 up to $5.9 billion in FY 2010 (as adopted during the 2009 session). Furthermore, if one includes the $365.2 million federal stimulus funding budgeted in the 2009 session for FY 2010, the total funding for FY 2010 increased by almost 70% (68.7) over FY 2000.
Over the last 10 years, student membership only increased by 7.2% . So, while funding increased by 60%-70%, the number of students increased by less than 10%. Clearly, the Commonwealth has invested significantly more than population growth and more than inflation when times were good. Remember, too, that prior to last year, public education was held harmless while other state agencies and services were reduced during several rounds of budget cuts .
While Governor Kaine's FY 2010 introduced budget (HB 29 for the current fiscal year that ends on June 20, 2010) for public education does include a decrease to last year's adopted budget, that proposed funding is still 51.9% higher than the FY 2000 funding.
For the next two-year budget (HB 30) that begins July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2012, the state's estimates indicate deeper declines in state revenues because of the lingering effects of the worst economic recession in over 70 years or since the Great Depression. That means that education simply can no longer be held harmless to balance the state budget without a job-killing tax increase.
Given that additional cuts to state spending were included in Governor Kaine's two-year budget AND even with the proposed reductions, it's worth noting that:
For FY 2011, K-12 spending of $5.7 billion is 53.4% higher than the FY 2000 level - while student membership is estimated to only increase by 8.1%.
For FY 2012, K-12 spending of $5.8 billion is 55.4% higher than the FY 2000 level - while student membership is estimated to increase by 9.0%.
However, in order to avoid tax increases to the already struggling taxpayers and working families of Virginia, the new biennial budget spending (to which amendments offered by the House and Senate on Sunday, February 21) will have to be reduced further and state agencies will realize additional decreases. However, keep in mind that because of the federal stimulus requirement for a 'maintenance of effort', the public education budget will be funded at least to the FY 2006 level in FY2011. In many jurisdictions in my district those levels approach 2008 levels. I welcome your input on the budget generally and this matter in particular.
VISITORS
Friendly faces from home continued to visit us here in Richmond this week. We were delighted to see our friends from Hanover ARC, Lucy Cantrell, Jennifer Godfrey, Sharon, Linda, Mike and many more. Also visiting this week: Jeff and Tory Purdy of Henrico, David Swynford of Quinton, Alice Zimak, Nan Pilard, Mish Vaden Clay, Frank Hughes all with the Wiliamsburg Realtors Association, Dave Croson, Joanne Payne of the Virginia Land Title Association, Willie and Eddie Good of Richmond, Jerry Benson of Lanexa, Fred and Nancy Ridgeway, Jane Ladd and Wayne Hayden of Quinton, John and Dorothy Stump of New Kent, Lois Smith of Partlow and Betty-Anne Teter of Virginia Economic Developers Association.
CONTACT ME
In the week ahead, the House and Senate are scheduled to approve their respective versions of Virginia's budget. In next week's column, I'll have more details of the progress on the budget.
If you want to contact our office during the General Assembly session, please send me an email at Delcpeace@house.virginia.gov. Have a great week, and thanks for reading this week's installment of the news from Virginia's Capitol.
New Media Services
Website: http://www.chrispeace.com/
Find me on Facebook:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
If you are a member of Facebook, please login and sign on as a supporter on my page. You may find my supporter page: Christopher K. Peace by using the search box in the top right-hand corner of the main page after you login. Once on the page, click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.
For General Assembly Session Updates please visit the following websites:
Republican Caucus: www.vagopcaucus.com/preview
Conservative Caucus: http://www.vaconservativecaucus.org/
Email from Senator A. Donald McEachin
district09@senate.virginia.gov to me
show details 12:32 PM (11 hours ago)
Dear Ms. McGuinn,
Thanks for contacting me regarding the proposed educational budget cuts. Please know I share your concerns. Public education is the backbone of a strong vibrant democracy. Moreover, our children deserve every opportunity to succeed and to better themselves. I will continue to fight for educational funding and against the change to the composite index.
Thanks gain for contacting me. Please know that my door is always open and I am always eager to hear from constituents.
Sincerely,
A. Donald McEachin
show details 12:32 PM (11 hours ago)
Dear Ms. McGuinn,
Thanks for contacting me regarding the proposed educational budget cuts. Please know I share your concerns. Public education is the backbone of a strong vibrant democracy. Moreover, our children deserve every opportunity to succeed and to better themselves. I will continue to fight for educational funding and against the change to the composite index.
Thanks gain for contacting me. Please know that my door is always open and I am always eager to hear from constituents.
Sincerely,
A. Donald McEachin
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Major Budget Cuts for Schools and Healthcare in Virginia
Our Governor, whom I did vote for and support, has made his budget cut proposal and of course the top two major cuts will fall within our schools and health care. How is that even fair. I mean our children our the future and if we continue to shove them in overcrowded classrooms the less they will learn and the higher the drop out rate. How will our future look if our future leaders are drop outs and uneducated. Or die because their parents can not afford health care for them and due to budget cuts there is no Famis for them to receive and if they have a major issue their parents will not be able to afford to pay hospital bills. And mental health patients need help not to be roaming with no meds to help their condition and who knows what will happen. People rely on free clinics they rely on their children to get good educations and it is all going down hill. This is a letter that I wrote to the Governor and I will write one to my delegate and congressman and anyone else that I can write to, in order to get it through that we want NO MAJOR BUDGET CUTS FOR SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CARE.....If you are a Virginia I would encourage you to do the same thing.
Dear Mr. McDonnell,
I am a Virginia resident whom voted for and support you. I stand behind my decision in voting for you, however I am quite concerned with your recent budget cuts proposal. I do understand that you have promised to not raise taxes, and I do appreciate that. On the other hand, why is it that our schools and health care is always the ones that get the most cuts. There has to be other areas in which major cuts can come from. See the issue that I have is this, my daughter, my pride and joy, was born at 24 weeks, she is now 7 years old and in school. She is in a full time special needs class with 11 other students. She needs a lot of one on one attention to learn and to me having 12 special needs students in one class is to many, with continued budget cuts for schools then how will they be able to afford more special needs classes in order to lower the number of students in these classes. Teachers are under paid as it is and with even more budget cuts for the school systems means that they will have to lay teachers off, something that we do not need, because we do not need to have more unemployed. I am concerned that special needs classes will be among the hardest hit areas within school systems thus meaning more in classes and less help for these students with special needs. I am disheartened to even feel that my child may not get the help she needs to learn because of budget cuts for schools. Also my oldest child is insured through medicaid and my youngest through Famis and I am concerned that health care budget cuts may interfere with their insurance. My husband and I can not afford to put them on his insurance due to him being the only one whom works and we have a mortgage and other necessary bills that have sadly increased. I am a proud Virginian but cuts to these areas must stop. I would also like to know where the money from lottery goes. I was always under the impression that all proceeds went to the schools, if this is the case then why do schools always lose out?
Thank you for taking the time to address my concerns. I hope that as a father you will understand my concerns and realize that the best way to help this state is to insure that school systems and health care equally have no more major budget cuts. Our children our the future and if we don't teach them the right way now then what will that mean for our future.
Sincerely,
Leslie McGuinn
Proud Virginian and Proud McDonnell Supporter
To send an email to the Governor visit this site: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TheAdministration/contactGovernor.cfm
I have emailed both my Delegate and Senator to find and email yours please visit this site:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform
Dear Mr. McDonnell,
I am a Virginia resident whom voted for and support you. I stand behind my decision in voting for you, however I am quite concerned with your recent budget cuts proposal. I do understand that you have promised to not raise taxes, and I do appreciate that. On the other hand, why is it that our schools and health care is always the ones that get the most cuts. There has to be other areas in which major cuts can come from. See the issue that I have is this, my daughter, my pride and joy, was born at 24 weeks, she is now 7 years old and in school. She is in a full time special needs class with 11 other students. She needs a lot of one on one attention to learn and to me having 12 special needs students in one class is to many, with continued budget cuts for schools then how will they be able to afford more special needs classes in order to lower the number of students in these classes. Teachers are under paid as it is and with even more budget cuts for the school systems means that they will have to lay teachers off, something that we do not need, because we do not need to have more unemployed. I am concerned that special needs classes will be among the hardest hit areas within school systems thus meaning more in classes and less help for these students with special needs. I am disheartened to even feel that my child may not get the help she needs to learn because of budget cuts for schools. Also my oldest child is insured through medicaid and my youngest through Famis and I am concerned that health care budget cuts may interfere with their insurance. My husband and I can not afford to put them on his insurance due to him being the only one whom works and we have a mortgage and other necessary bills that have sadly increased. I am a proud Virginian but cuts to these areas must stop. I would also like to know where the money from lottery goes. I was always under the impression that all proceeds went to the schools, if this is the case then why do schools always lose out?
Thank you for taking the time to address my concerns. I hope that as a father you will understand my concerns and realize that the best way to help this state is to insure that school systems and health care equally have no more major budget cuts. Our children our the future and if we don't teach them the right way now then what will that mean for our future.
Sincerely,
Leslie McGuinn
Proud Virginian and Proud McDonnell Supporter
To send an email to the Governor visit this site: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TheAdministration/contactGovernor.cfm
I have emailed both my Delegate and Senator to find and email yours please visit this site:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Hi
Just a quick post about my other blog if you are interested in checking it out:
http://thehumorinchildrearing.blogspot.com/
http://thehumorinchildrearing.blogspot.com/
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Will need tissues
Such a great read, but warning you will need tissues for this one.
http://enjoyingthesmallthings.blogspot.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html
http://enjoyingthesmallthings.blogspot.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html
Monday, February 1, 2010
Haiti
Last week I had posted a status message on my facebook page saying:
"Shame on you America! The US has homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - and yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations raising over $57 million! 99% of people won't have the guts to copy and repost this. I agree- help our own first"
Some people I guess read it wrong or just took it the wrong way. I NEVER said that we should not help Haiti, never once. Believe me if I had the money I would have been one of the first to have donated to the country. My whole point behind it was not to say do not help Haiti, as Lord knows they need all the help they can get. But to simply say that we need to help our own people, the homeless we have here, the orphans we have here, the people that need meds and can't get it here and ect. I mean our country has so many people that need help and can not get it and yet here we are having had a benefit concert on every local channel commercial free, but you NEVER EVER see anything like that to help the people of America that need help.
I am in no way saying NOT to help Haiti if you can. But Please also help our own people that need help too.
BTW I just got the same statement in a text message and because of all the Shit I go from posting what I believed in I did not forward it even though I feel the message is straight forward and is 100% what I feel.
We complain about our country, we complain about the homeless on the streets making our cities look bad, no one ever thinks about the kids in orphanages that people do not want to adopt because they are to old when they want babies, we have foster kids that go from place to place. We have people with health problems that need medications and insurance that can not get either for whatever reason. And yet we stand around and do nothing to help them, infact we complain about what a strain on society they are, when we could be helping them. If we had a benefit concert for them do you think it would be on all local channels and commercial free? NO! Do you think we would raise the money that was raised for Haiti? NO!
People you can help other countries, but don't turn your back on America and those that need help here!!!
"Shame on you America! The US has homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - and yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations raising over $57 million! 99% of people won't have the guts to copy and repost this. I agree- help our own first"
Some people I guess read it wrong or just took it the wrong way. I NEVER said that we should not help Haiti, never once. Believe me if I had the money I would have been one of the first to have donated to the country. My whole point behind it was not to say do not help Haiti, as Lord knows they need all the help they can get. But to simply say that we need to help our own people, the homeless we have here, the orphans we have here, the people that need meds and can't get it here and ect. I mean our country has so many people that need help and can not get it and yet here we are having had a benefit concert on every local channel commercial free, but you NEVER EVER see anything like that to help the people of America that need help.
I am in no way saying NOT to help Haiti if you can. But Please also help our own people that need help too.
BTW I just got the same statement in a text message and because of all the Shit I go from posting what I believed in I did not forward it even though I feel the message is straight forward and is 100% what I feel.
We complain about our country, we complain about the homeless on the streets making our cities look bad, no one ever thinks about the kids in orphanages that people do not want to adopt because they are to old when they want babies, we have foster kids that go from place to place. We have people with health problems that need medications and insurance that can not get either for whatever reason. And yet we stand around and do nothing to help them, infact we complain about what a strain on society they are, when we could be helping them. If we had a benefit concert for them do you think it would be on all local channels and commercial free? NO! Do you think we would raise the money that was raised for Haiti? NO!
People you can help other countries, but don't turn your back on America and those that need help here!!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
haha
So I was trying to figure out what celebrity I look like and I found this generator and if you follow the link you will see my results:
Hi, check out this search results of my picture at
http://www.picitup.com/picitup/match_results.jsp?pageresultid=1264689318111_16_9039
Hi, check out this search results of my picture at
http://www.picitup.com/picitup/match_results.jsp?pageresultid=1264689318111_16_9039
Sisters
Christie, Beth and me we were really close when we were young, hung out, did things together, had fun, loved each other, got along well, shared well most of the time. We would have our little tiffs here and there. But then one day the rivalry started, I am not exactly sure when it happened, probably around puberty, mine since I was the oldest.
We fought constantly, about everything. This one was annoying me; this one was bothering my stuff. It was always something and I am sure that we drove my mom insane. I think sometimes she ignored us because it was always something. Once Christie hit puberty it got worse and then Beth hit puberty and I swear for years we could not stand to be around each other. All we had to do was look at one of us funny and boom we were arguing and fighting.
Now I am not bragging here but I was mean and bossy. I would boss the other 2 around; I was the oldest they were suppose to do what I said right. Hahaha LOL. I would torture Christie, she is 2 yrs younger than me and well I am a horror movie buff, Christie umm not so much. In fact every time she would even hear the title of a horror movie or even seen previews to a horror movie or better yet all she had to do was see a picture and that was all she wrote for her to have nightmares for the next month. Well I used this as a torture method towards her. She will probably tell you I damaged her for life and that I would make an excellent torturer to get people to talk LOL.
So with Christie it would go something like this:
M: "Hey, Christie guess what?"
C: "What?"
M: (jump up at her and scream) "FREDDY!!!"
then after she basically would jump out her skin.. "Is the coolest, you have GOT to see the new Nightmare on Elm Street with me, I RELLY think you will like it."
C: she pretty much starts crying and screaming nooooooooooo.
M: So then me being the awesome big sister ever would go. "But you know Jason is pretty cool, would you like me to demonstrate what he does for you?"
C: "nnnnnoooooo"
M: "Awe come on it is really cool" with a big butcher knife I am making the sound from the part where Jason is after you chasing her around the house. One time she jumped behind the box spring and so I started stabbing it to show her the real effects.
Needless to say, she would have nightmares for weeks!! I don't know what possessed me to do that, but it was fun torturing her like that. You will be happy to know that now at 31 she can watch some horror movies, I don't think Friday the 13th is one of them, but not sure. And I am no longer like that and now that we both have kids get along pretty well, unless she does something to irritate me, then I just text her or send her a message on facebook going off on her.
Now Beth, she was my baby. She is 4 years younger than me and well I wanted to baby her and would do anything for her. Still would do anything for her today. She did not get the full blunt of my torture, every now and then we would fight. One time I sled her down the hallway on the side of her face, she had a nice rug burn on her face. And then one time we got into a fist fight. But all in all I wanted to "parent & protect" her. We had a good relationship growing up. Today at 29 she has not kids and no interest of having any (well except for her grown step kids). So we don't talk and hang out as much as we once did. I guess it is because of the kids. I miss hanging with her and just talking to her. But she has her own life.
Now throw in my youngest stepsister, Kim, whom is 6 yrs younger than me, we fought most of the time. I would bang her head into the corner of the wall and she had these claws boy and she would just scratch the hell outta me. She is now 27 and has no kids but she adores my kids and they adore her and we are really close. She came and stayed with me and helped me out when I was pregnant with JJ since I needed to keep calm and relaxed and on bed rest for most of the pregnancy.
So there you have it, my sisters and I were real close, then puberty hit and we could not stand the sight of the other, then we became adults and we now rely on and lean on each other for support and friendship and love.
Now I have a girl and a boy and they are 7 years apart so I am hoping that we want have much of the fighting stuff because they will have their own things to be interested in. So we will see.
We fought constantly, about everything. This one was annoying me; this one was bothering my stuff. It was always something and I am sure that we drove my mom insane. I think sometimes she ignored us because it was always something. Once Christie hit puberty it got worse and then Beth hit puberty and I swear for years we could not stand to be around each other. All we had to do was look at one of us funny and boom we were arguing and fighting.
Now I am not bragging here but I was mean and bossy. I would boss the other 2 around; I was the oldest they were suppose to do what I said right. Hahaha LOL. I would torture Christie, she is 2 yrs younger than me and well I am a horror movie buff, Christie umm not so much. In fact every time she would even hear the title of a horror movie or even seen previews to a horror movie or better yet all she had to do was see a picture and that was all she wrote for her to have nightmares for the next month. Well I used this as a torture method towards her. She will probably tell you I damaged her for life and that I would make an excellent torturer to get people to talk LOL.
So with Christie it would go something like this:
M: "Hey, Christie guess what?"
C: "What?"
M: (jump up at her and scream) "FREDDY!!!"
then after she basically would jump out her skin.. "Is the coolest, you have GOT to see the new Nightmare on Elm Street with me, I RELLY think you will like it."
C: she pretty much starts crying and screaming nooooooooooo.
M: So then me being the awesome big sister ever would go. "But you know Jason is pretty cool, would you like me to demonstrate what he does for you?"
C: "nnnnnoooooo"
M: "Awe come on it is really cool" with a big butcher knife I am making the sound from the part where Jason is after you chasing her around the house. One time she jumped behind the box spring and so I started stabbing it to show her the real effects.
Needless to say, she would have nightmares for weeks!! I don't know what possessed me to do that, but it was fun torturing her like that. You will be happy to know that now at 31 she can watch some horror movies, I don't think Friday the 13th is one of them, but not sure. And I am no longer like that and now that we both have kids get along pretty well, unless she does something to irritate me, then I just text her or send her a message on facebook going off on her.
Now Beth, she was my baby. She is 4 years younger than me and well I wanted to baby her and would do anything for her. Still would do anything for her today. She did not get the full blunt of my torture, every now and then we would fight. One time I sled her down the hallway on the side of her face, she had a nice rug burn on her face. And then one time we got into a fist fight. But all in all I wanted to "parent & protect" her. We had a good relationship growing up. Today at 29 she has not kids and no interest of having any (well except for her grown step kids). So we don't talk and hang out as much as we once did. I guess it is because of the kids. I miss hanging with her and just talking to her. But she has her own life.
Now throw in my youngest stepsister, Kim, whom is 6 yrs younger than me, we fought most of the time. I would bang her head into the corner of the wall and she had these claws boy and she would just scratch the hell outta me. She is now 27 and has no kids but she adores my kids and they adore her and we are really close. She came and stayed with me and helped me out when I was pregnant with JJ since I needed to keep calm and relaxed and on bed rest for most of the pregnancy.
So there you have it, my sisters and I were real close, then puberty hit and we could not stand the sight of the other, then we became adults and we now rely on and lean on each other for support and friendship and love.
Now I have a girl and a boy and they are 7 years apart so I am hoping that we want have much of the fighting stuff because they will have their own things to be interested in. So we will see.
Growth of children
Have you ever noticed that kids grow overnight?
Yesterday morning I get Harleyann up for school and I give her some clothes to put on, only to realize that the shirt that did fit her no longer fits and the pants are too short. WTH!! When did she grow she was just wearing these clothes. Did she grow another inch overnight? Seriously it seems like one day you see them and then the next they are bigger in every way. Taller, more filled out, smarter and it just doesn't stop.
This however has been my discovery with Harleyann all her life. Literally one day this will fit and the next day it is too little.
So I checked the sizes of what I had put on her, small, 7/8. So I am going through all of her clothes and realize she maybe has 3 outfits that fit her now. Wow, guess I know where I will be spending some tax money at.
My baby is growing up and she is growing up to fast. She is not longer a small, she is a medium and I am going to cry because my little girl is growing up.
And her toe is at the end of her shoes, so we get to go the next size up on that too.
I wonder if it will be this way for JJ too. Why can it not be a progression you know instead on one day waking up and your wardrobe no longer fits?
Yesterday morning I get Harleyann up for school and I give her some clothes to put on, only to realize that the shirt that did fit her no longer fits and the pants are too short. WTH!! When did she grow she was just wearing these clothes. Did she grow another inch overnight? Seriously it seems like one day you see them and then the next they are bigger in every way. Taller, more filled out, smarter and it just doesn't stop.
This however has been my discovery with Harleyann all her life. Literally one day this will fit and the next day it is too little.
So I checked the sizes of what I had put on her, small, 7/8. So I am going through all of her clothes and realize she maybe has 3 outfits that fit her now. Wow, guess I know where I will be spending some tax money at.
My baby is growing up and she is growing up to fast. She is not longer a small, she is a medium and I am going to cry because my little girl is growing up.
And her toe is at the end of her shoes, so we get to go the next size up on that too.
I wonder if it will be this way for JJ too. Why can it not be a progression you know instead on one day waking up and your wardrobe no longer fits?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
14 Years of Wedded Bliss (Most of the time) A look back
JEFF & I WHEN WE WERE PRONOUNCED HUSBAND AND WIFE!
Wedded Bliss! What does that mean exactly? After doing some research and thinking I came up with married with perfect happiness and serene joy. Now does anyone live everyday of their married life perfectly happy? I would have to say no. I would like to think we could all have marriages like in movies and on TV, but I am afraid that is just not so. A marriage is full of high points and low points and while in the last 14 years of marriage I can honestly say that while we have had a lot of low points, they have mostly been high points. I am so happy with my life and my husband. It may not be perfect and it may not be where I want my life to be but we together are working on it and one day we will be where we picture our lives.
So for a look back over the past 14 years, it all started on a Friday evening where we were to get married around 7pm by a Justice of the Peace. I had spoken to him earlier in the day and everything was set, so I thought. He never showed! While Jeff and I both are Christians and were brought up that way, we are of different denominations and I did not want to get married in a Catholic Church and he did not want to get married in a Pentecostal church (he says they scare him LOL). I broke out in hives as we tried to reach someone to come marry us. My preacher was with his son while his wife was out so he couldn’t come. Luckily a very dear friend’s cousin was a preacher, and me broken out in hives and Jeff trying to slice his throat with a razor shaving (ha-ha they so say that marriage is a man’s funeral right?). So she called and he agreed to come and marry us. So at around 9:45p I was able to walk my dad down the aisle (instead of him walking me ROFL), as he was very very drunk. So finally around 10p I became Mrs. Leslie McGuinn. I was 19 and Jeff was on the cusp of 19. He turned 19 the next day (27th). I know many people said it wouldn’t last and that we would be divorced within 6 months. However, I knew the day that I met Jeff that he was the one, my soul mate, the one that was meant for me to spend the rest of my life with. Yes we rushed but that is ok because we just wanted to be married and begin our life together. We have come so far since that young and naïve couple. But we are more in love today than ever before.
We almost divorced after 5 ½ years but we found our way back to each other and ever since our relationship has taken new shape and meaning. We have been threw a lot and managed to make it through it all stronger and closer than before. I think the point in our relationship that changed us and matured us was in 2002 after 6 years of marriage when our daughter was born at 24 wks. We learned a lot about life and ourselves and our marriage during her 176 day NICU stay. We learned to be patient with each other, to communicate with each other, to be each other rock, to be each other’s best friend. We hoped together, we prayed together, we cried together and we laughed together then and we still do now. We have brought our 2 lives together as one. We have a partnership, a relationship. We are lovers, best friends and parents. We have in the past year added a 4th member to our family when in March we had our son. Him and I almost died and had we not have been at the hospital we would have and I am so blessed to be here today celebrating today and every day the life that I have and the love that I share with a wonderful man, husband and father. I am extremely happy that 14 years ago I married my soul mate and best friend to share the ups and downs of our lives. While I am sure we will have many more low points in our life together, I know that we can make it through stronger and closer than ever before.
**Jeff, I love you with all my heart and soul. Not a day goes by that I do not think God for you. You are my rock, my lover, my heart, my soul and most importantly my best friend. I am forever yours and so very proud to be your wife and the mother of your children. May we have many more miracles, blessings, laughs and happy memories together!
JEFF & I TODAY AFTER 14 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!
Still happy with each other and still in love after all these years!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
My political statement in videos
These videos are how I feel right now and I think that HANK WILLIAMS JR should be a spokesperson cause he is good at it and he can do it in song.
Lifestyle changes
So I have decided to make a lifestyle change. I am in so much constant pain, which I know will never go away, thank you EDS, that I thought I would try and shed some of this weight to see if I could tolerate the pain more. It is a drag being exhausted all day due to the pain. It is a drag to wake up in the morning and have a hard time getting out of bed because I can barely move. While I know that I will always have the pain and I am always going to have those days, I want to learn how to control it more and to help myself to be more active for my children's sake.
So I am going to stop drinking sodas all together (even though it is an occational thing now). I am going decrease the amount of butter I use. I am going to not use margarine, that stuff is like one ingredient away from being plastic. I am going to make healthier eating choices, I am going to choose fresh and frozen veggies over canned. I am going to choose to make my own flavored rices over rice a roni. I am gonna choose to make my own noodles over pasta roni. I want to pretty much go as fresh as possible. There are somethings that I obviously will have to buy, unless someone wants to by me a noodle maker.
So with that and using my Wii Fit 6 days a week hopefully I will start shedding those pounds.
I want to learn to make healthier chooses and I want my children to learn good eating habits.
So I am going to stop drinking sodas all together (even though it is an occational thing now). I am going decrease the amount of butter I use. I am going to not use margarine, that stuff is like one ingredient away from being plastic. I am going to make healthier eating choices, I am going to choose fresh and frozen veggies over canned. I am going to choose to make my own flavored rices over rice a roni. I am gonna choose to make my own noodles over pasta roni. I want to pretty much go as fresh as possible. There are somethings that I obviously will have to buy, unless someone wants to by me a noodle maker.
So with that and using my Wii Fit 6 days a week hopefully I will start shedding those pounds.
I want to learn to make healthier chooses and I want my children to learn good eating habits.
It's been awhile
So it has been awhile since my last post. Between school and the baby it has been crazy these past ten months. I so cannot believe that my baby will be ten months old tomorrow. Where has the time gone, in just 2 months he will be a year old. I have started a second blog for those whom may be interested in viewing it and following it as well, you can view it at http://thehumorinchildrearing.blogspot.com/
So school is going pretty well I have a 3.2 GPA, yay. I am pretty happy with that. I just started my sophomore year 2 weeks ago and with it I have bumped up from 2 classes to 3, it has been a bit more difficult but still easy enough to handle within the allotted time frame of completing the week’s worth of assignments. I am currently taking HTML for Beginners, Personal Finance, and UNIX systems. So far the hardest class is Personal Finance, there is just so much involved and takes up a lot of time as you pretty much have to write a paper a week in the class. But it has been fulfilling and I have already learned so much from the class.
With school and the baby my writings have been placed on the back burner. I know that I should make time to just write but I am one of those people who believe that I am the one whom was a part of creating my children and carried them and I am the one responsible for them and take care of them. I do not pawn them off on someone just so I can go out and have a good time. I know I need to take time for myself but I really feel like if I were to leave my children with someone it is like pawning them off and pushing them to the side. I really need to realize that is not the truth. Now I do on occasion get my wonderful in-laws to watch them. We did get to go out last Friday and Jeff’s parents watched the kids and kept them overnight. It was the first time that I had been away from JJ overnight. We had a good time and it was not as traumatic as I thought it would be. I let myself have a good time without worrying about the kids, which with me is a very hard thing not to do, even when I know they are safe.
Well I best close this for now, the baby is crying. It is nap time and I really need to get on the Finance class work. It is due in by midnight tomorrow.
I wish all of you a blessed, fun filled weekend.
So school is going pretty well I have a 3.2 GPA, yay. I am pretty happy with that. I just started my sophomore year 2 weeks ago and with it I have bumped up from 2 classes to 3, it has been a bit more difficult but still easy enough to handle within the allotted time frame of completing the week’s worth of assignments. I am currently taking HTML for Beginners, Personal Finance, and UNIX systems. So far the hardest class is Personal Finance, there is just so much involved and takes up a lot of time as you pretty much have to write a paper a week in the class. But it has been fulfilling and I have already learned so much from the class.
With school and the baby my writings have been placed on the back burner. I know that I should make time to just write but I am one of those people who believe that I am the one whom was a part of creating my children and carried them and I am the one responsible for them and take care of them. I do not pawn them off on someone just so I can go out and have a good time. I know I need to take time for myself but I really feel like if I were to leave my children with someone it is like pawning them off and pushing them to the side. I really need to realize that is not the truth. Now I do on occasion get my wonderful in-laws to watch them. We did get to go out last Friday and Jeff’s parents watched the kids and kept them overnight. It was the first time that I had been away from JJ overnight. We had a good time and it was not as traumatic as I thought it would be. I let myself have a good time without worrying about the kids, which with me is a very hard thing not to do, even when I know they are safe.
Well I best close this for now, the baby is crying. It is nap time and I really need to get on the Finance class work. It is due in by midnight tomorrow.
I wish all of you a blessed, fun filled weekend.
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