Union, Teachers and Tenure, oh my

Let me first start out by saying I LOVE teachers. I think the job is one of the hardest. Not thankless. The satisfaction of teaching a child to read, improve reading skill, would be the greatest thank you. And as I am typing this, I am leaving an open ended invitation to add your 2 cents worth. Nicely please, because don't have ill intentions.
What is the reason for a teahers union. Well, the question is for any union, but my mind had been on teachers unions lately. I 100% agree will the movement to get rid of teachers unions and tenure. Why can we not higher or fire a teacher and pay a teacher according to their merit, experience and successes. Mostly I pose this question to the good teachers out there. You know who you are. Most likely, you are the ones that LOVE your job and our kids that you teach. Wouldn't it be better incentive to do a great job, if your raises depended on it.
My oldest has had her share of crummy teachers. As a matter of fact, she had one teacher that didn't even know her name at the 1st SEP 3 months in to the school year. She was a whole grade behind in 2,3 and 4th grade, until we got her a tutor in 5th.Every teacher would say, don't worry, she'll catch up.
My 3rd, couldn't speak intelligibly until this year, and the first time any of his teachers mentioned anything was 2nd grade. Then she asked if she wanted her to initiate a speech eval, and I never heard about it again after she agreed to do it. This was after I took him in to be tested at 4 through the school district, and they told me he wasn't delayed enough qualify for speech therapy.
Anyway, enough about my kids school experience. They are now in a local charter school, and I am thrilled with where they are. #1 is thriving. She is completely caught up, and loves school. They even deal with #2's free spirit pretty well. They are in a group with 10 other kids, so they are better able to customize learning to where they are at.
So, back on topic. I read the other day, the superintendent in NJ schools, when fired, was given a 741,000$ severance package. On top of 120k a year to retire. And that was someone let go.
In this same state. Spending in a class room was 341k for the year. the teachers only made 57k of that. The rest of it went to administration, and school lunches. The janitors are making 6 figures. I don't have statistics on UT schools, but I will look those up also.
Wouldn't it make more sense to cut administration, and give their salary to teachers that were good, no great at their job? Or hire more and cut class sizes?
Why not? tenor. and Unions. My husband isn't entitled to his job. If he sucks at it, he would get fired. It's the way life works.
I could go into why these two things are connected. but do I need to? can you not see the unions fighting for and voting on job security like tenure.
Unions in America were first started for good reason. Child labor, dangerous work environment. Those things are not necessary anymore.
I am betting that if we cut administration, paid teachers on according to their abilities, the ones that loved their jobs would be making 6 figures. I would be happy with that.
Is my view flawed? What do you think? Do you take my thoughts on school reform as criticizing teachers? I think it's opposite. I think good teaches ought to be rewarded. I think crappy teachers should loose their jobs. They do damage to the kids they are teaching. They should not be given an early retirement .(which was the argument I over heard at a dinner the other night. Because as it was stated, by a teacher, that was the only way to get rid of them. How backwards is that)
Please tell me what you think.

We Went, We Saw, We Came Home

Last weekend we picked up and went to Vegas.
This here my friends, is what I consider a trip to Vegas. Not your typical Vegas vacay. We don't gamble. We don't drink. We don't smoke. What we do in Vegas, doesn't need to stay in Vegas. As a matter of fact, that slogan makes me cringe.
Our family has now been without network TV for 18 months. Besides Netflix, we don't watch it. Imagine our shock, when we turned the TV on at the hotel, and what we were bombarded with. The commercials were worse than the shows. We saw one add, promoting a service the cable company provided, to now label the adult movies you paid to view, as something generic. So you could hide that purchase from your wife/ employer/ children. (now that there is a commercial for that service, it's no longer discrete) What happened to morality? Values? If pornography was an honest good activity, there would be no need to hide or disguise it.
This place is called the Valley of Fire. It is one of my favorite places in the world. We spent many a family vacations here. Ward camp outs were always here. When I think about going to Vegas, this is the first place I want to go. It is such a beautiful place. When Trent talks about how much he loves the desert, I can agree with him when I think of here. I was so excited to share it with my kids. Next time we come, we will pull the camper with us, so we can stay here, instead of the hotels in town.
Vegas really is different. It even has a different feel to it. I have family that lives out there, so we will go to see them. But, it will not be a destination for a vacation.
It was a quick down and back, we had dinner with my sister and then my mom. It was a nice weekend away. And in true Whipple fashion, we took the long road back. We came up through Caliente and the back side of the Great Basin National Park. Then up through Wendover. We haven't seen the Ghost towns of western UT, those will be another trip.

Oh What a Febuary

We started out February with a party. Our little #5 turned 4. So my sister showed me how to make tutu's and wings, and we made 10 sets of them. Then invited a bunch of little girls over to party. My older kids put together the games and the wings and tutu's were prizes. Then we let them decorate their wings and we danced and ate cupcakes. My 10 yr old son, even ran the 'fairy school' where they learned to use their wands. She had so much fun.
Here's where my little bug is most of the time now. They are both crawling, and she can now follow me and cry to be picked up. Here's what happens when she catches up. The boy is still pretty content and will entertain himself until he needs something.
Here's the girls decorating wings.
Then the sickness hit. It started with Lu, getting spots all over her face. We took her in and she had a strep rash. Then I got strep. And because I never could get in to get antibiotics, It lasted 5 days. Then, #5 got a rash. So we took her in to get her looked at. Fifths disease. Ok, no biggie. Then I realized, my sisters pregnant. Yes biggie. 5th is dangerous to women in the beginning of pregnancy. And she had just spent the day with #5. Luckily she hadn't been contaminated. Trent was the only one that got it. 5ths is kind of like chicken pox. Not a big deal if you are 5. But, if you're 40... not fun. It took 3 weeks for the swelling and aching joints to start to subside.
While all this was going on, our ward did a funeral (which I was in charge of) my first, so I was gone a lot.
The, croup hit. Both babies. Hard. My little boy go it bad. croup is one of those sicknesses that lasts 10 days, and they are just miserable. Times that by 2, and that is what my life was like for 2 weeks. Plus, Trent has been working 10 hr days, with 5th disease. He did not want to come home and take care of sick babies. It has been a hard month.
On the up side. #1 finished off her Faith in God program. This Sunday it was our turn for the Whipple family dinner. There are 43 people in our family, and once a month we take turns at a different home and eat. We decided it would be a good idea if we got everyone together to talked about #4. We explained Down syndrome, and how to include #4. We talked about why we should include her, and why her disability made her learn and understand the way she does. It was a good night.
We are only half way through, and it feel like February should be over. We have another funeral to go to today, another birthday on the 20th (#3 turns 9) and I am in the middle of getting these horrible tattoos removed, and my next treatment is tomorrow. THAT is a painful process. And we still have a trip to Vegas to take. I think it'll be fun. We are going to spend time with my family, and go to the Valley of Fire. As long as everyone can stay healthy.
I am excited for March. I want to get my peas in, and start on the yard again. I have some projects to tackle this year.

Unsolicited Advice

Long time no see.
I took the babies into the doctor yesterday. We have had the flu run through our house, and they seemed to take a little longer to get over this bug. So I had their ped give their ears and lungs a look over. There was a mom there, who had brought her 2 week old twins in for their first visit. we nodded our 'hey, we have something in common' hellos, and went our separate ways. You know that nod. If you have a child with a disability and see another mom in the same boat. It's like an "I get it" nod. I have found moms of twin have that same nod. It's comforting. It's unique. It is an instant bond. It means you can sit down someplace with this complete stranger, and have a conversation. You are part of the same club.
There are 2 kinds of encounters with people in this club. (The twin club, not the down syndrome club) You have the ones who smile, nod, then if they talk to you, they ask what week they were born, weight NICU time. Then you have the others, who no matter what age your babies are, proceed to tell you that you haven't hit the hard part yet. I am tired of these people. You don't find this in the Ds community. There is never anything negative said about raising a child with Ds. We have enough trials with learning, medical, physical.... we don't need anyone telling us that it may or may not get harder.
I have decided that the next time someone tells me how much worse raising twins is going to get, I am going to let them know that the worst part about raising twins so far, has been all of the people telling me how much worse it's going to get.

A Time For Waiting

January is a time to wait.
We wait for winter to be over
We wait for W2's
We wait for return money
We (impatiently) wait for #5's birthday
I wait for #7 to catch up to #8 and start crawling
And #8 to catch up to #7 and finally get a few teeth
We wait for cold/ flu season to be over
and for it to be time to plant peas!

I am going to let #5 have a birthday party. And # 3. I am doing February birthday parties this year. I think we will rotate. Next year it will be my June birthdays then the next year #6 and #4. Although I should do #4 this year. I am afraid if I wait too long, all of her church friends will be so far ahead of where she is, they won't really be friends. Even as it is now, there are only 2 of them that interact with her. I won't go in to that, it hurts my heart.
So we wait, until the next thing.

I Need a Bigger Plate

Trent recently cleaned the computer, and I don't know where he put all of my pictures. I don't even know where to begin looking.
As most of you know, I have accepted a calling to be Relief Society President. How on earth did that happen? I remember vaguely one day as I was running, thinking to myself that I was ready for anything that was in store for me. I was feeling like I was starting to get my life back in order and was feeling back on top of my home and family. I wasn't meaning this. Although I had been feeling like this was going to happen someday, that feeling had intensified over the recent months. But, my babies were new, the current RS presidency had only been in since December of 2010, and Trent was put in as YM president that same month. And he LOVED his calling. And he was good at his calling. I felt safe. I was a little shocked when I was extended the calling Not surprised, just shocked. SO much so, the next day, I called trent and asked him if that had really happened. I had pictured it happening so many times, I wasn't sure if it had actually really happened.
I have now been set a part, and have been in for just over a week. The week after I was called, I was wondering if I could turn and run. I am finally starting to feel like my feet are under me. Hopefully in the next few weeks I can move from a walk to a run.
I keep trying to stand still in my life. I get stuck in my ruts, and I am comfortable in them. Then I am given something that makes me have to move forward. I can't be an effective RS President if I'm not reading my scriptures, praying, and doing things that put me in a good place. I had gotten myself into the habit of drinking soda. Something I never used to do, and I was finding it hard to concentrate. I need to be able to receive direction an think clearly. I'm sure my lack of sleep isn't helping, but caffeine definitely wasn't. And I'm hoping no soda will help with the last 20 lbs I have.
So here's to a new year with worthy obtainable goals. Meeting and exceeding those goals, and finding joy in serving.

Airing of Clean Laundry

Before I start, I just want to tell you how excited I am today. My youngest sister is expecting her first baby. 12 weeks along on Friday. She is taking part in this first time mom study of something something something, and gets her first ultrasound today. Exciting why? you can't see anything at 12 weeks. BUT, there's been a lot of talk of twins. Her husband is convinced, I had a dream about her having 2 boys, she got a really early positive test, she says she's showing already. All points to the possibility. Chances of having 2 sets in the family, not really good. But the chances of having mine were slim. So, we will know today. I wouldn't be surprised. And honestly... if you're going to have them? Get em first.

Back on topic. The biggest difference between 6 and 8 kids is the amount of laundry and food. Adding to the problem:
I have one boy, who puts everything in the laundry. Whether he wore it 30 seconds, to slept in it once, wore it to church that one day, it's a tie or belt, or it's a baby blanket he was supposed to put away as he was helping clean the basement.
Another boy that puts nothing in the laundry. I fold laundry on Wednesdays (after a week of washing and drying 7 + loads) and I notice #3 has nothing in his pile. Then I go search his room. There are his clothes neatly folded back in his drawer. Filthy. Because he also uses his shirt as a napkin.
My oldest, uses her bottom drawer as a laundry basket. I don't use it for that purpose. So when they are dirty in there, the laundry service doesn't do pick ups. And she runs out of school uniforms mid week. Ok, who am I kidding. I'm a bit up tight about laundry, so I do pick ups. I want them to have clean clothes and if I am doing laundry already I am going to do it all at once.
The husband is the same way. But at least his pile is in the closet next to our laundry basket. Sometimes inside of it.
Then I have the 2 yr old. I have never met a more dirt prone kid. She is always grubby. She has that hair, that even if you brush it in the morning, it looks like she just rolled out of bed by 10 am. Add to that the fact that she pees her pants when she's getting sick, or teething (apparently that's how she deals with discomfort?) and that adds to my laundry.
#4 comes home from school looking like she has lost the wars with her markers, everyday.
2, 6 months babies that are starting solids and crackers.
And me. if you have ever seen me at the end of the day, my shoulders are coated in cracker, spit up, snot. It's just life right now.
So if you look at my picture above you will see my living room mid 'laundry Wednesday' The 2 laundry baskets are full. One is the babies' and #4. They share a dresser upstairs. The other one is mine and Trent's. Our shirts are the pile laid out on the floor behind them. There's a pile for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Surprisingly, #2's isn't as big as it usually is. The towels I fold as they come out, but I have missed a few. I do the sheets the same way. The school uniforms are on the arm. Then there's the pile left to fold on the floor. It looks way more manageable now, before the folding begins, I have a pile about 2 feet high and 4 feet across. And if I'm lucky I can get the kids to help by making piles for each of the kids, so I just go from pile to pile. It's a little quicker. And because I like them folded and put away a certain way, it's on me. I hate when I spend that much time on laundry, only to have my kids go cram them into drawers they don't belong in.