Blood...do you need all of yours?

Louis Buzek with his grandson

How often do we take having all of our blood for granted? Uncle Louie (Brian's Uncle) could really use your help. He could use your EXTRA blood. I know a few of you probably donate blood to blood drives around the area. When you donate you have no clue who is receiving that blood, but that you are helping someone in need...Now is your chance to donate and know exactly who it is helping.

The wonderful thing about this is it doesn't matter where you are you can still help Uncle Louie. Even though I don't live in Houston my donation will reach him from Fort Worth. Here is the information you will need to make sure Uncle Louie receives your donation. Head down to the local blood center to donated. While you are there you will need to inform them that you are donating in Louis Buzek's name. Then simply give them the information below:

Louis Buzek
STICU- Memorial Hermann Pavilion
Hermann Memorial Hospital, Houston, TX

Once you give the blood center this information they can then pass it along. I know asking for prayers is a lot...and now BLOOD!!! However, it is a small needle and it will be over before you know it. If you are unable to give your sweet, precious blood then just keep praying. Anything you can do will help. If you leave close to El Campo they will be holding a blood drive in Louie's name. You can visit here to get more information. Thank you for all your thoughts, it means the world to the Buzek Family. Not only does the Buzek family need prayers, Greg also does. You may wonder who Greg is, he was the man with Uncle Louie at the time of the accident. He is not taking this well either. He has been at the hospital since Louie has, help pray that he will be at peace with this. That accidents happen and no one person can take all the burden. Again I thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

Prayers Needed

It is not often that I ask for something like this. However, today it is needed. I would like to ask each person to send out a special prayer for my brother-in-laws (Brian's) Uncle. Last night he was in a sever hunting accident. He was shot in the stomach with a deer rifle, it was amazing that he made it to the hospital. Since El Campo is a drive (hour plus some) from Houston he had to be Care flighted into Houston. When Brian arrived to see him prior to the flight, he knew he had lost to much blood. Luckily God blessed Uncle Louie and allowed him to make it to the hospital and begin surgery. He has been in recover since about 4 am but is still very critical. If you would like to read more about Uncle Louie's injuries and progress please go here. Any extra prayers will help. Uncle Louie is a wonderful man, husband, and father.

SNOW DAY!!

Yesterday started this crazy mess in Fort Worth. As I drove to school, other schools around the area were closing. It was really random if you ask me that all these schools closed with just some rain and 40 degree weather. Throughout the day it continued to rain and parents were poring into our school to get their children. This was due to the fact that the northern area schools were closing early due to ice. Lucky me (please read with loads of sarcasm)....I had 20 out of 22 students all day. My other colleges had any where from 12-7 children missing in their class rooms. However, we continued on with our NORMAL school day. As school ended our principal wanted everyone out asap because the temp was dropping. I headed to the store, and then to Chris'. I mean if we are going to have a "snow day" we may as well be together...true!

Things were fine til oh say 8:30ish. Then it began...sleet! It sleeted for a good 2 hours on top of the rain we had all day. At this point Chris was declaring that for sure I wouldn't have school, I thought no...we always go no matter what. (I added a few pics of him and Winston (it is his first rain/sleet) as it began last night.) On with our night as normal we went...then the 10 o'clock news declared FWISD closed Wednesday! I was really bummed out, everyone else was just having a 2 hour delay. I hate missing school because then we have to make it up at spring break! BLAH! Needless to say I went to bed very sad....

It may look like snow...but no sleet

BRRR!!

SAD still I think not....after waking up today I realized it was best that we miss school. It is what now 8:30 and still only 19 outside, yeah I don't think the roads will be any better by 10 for most of those schools. Now it is just on to enjoy our "snow day" I say "snow"....because it is really and ICE day, not a single snow flake fell only ice! As for Winston, he loves it out there he thinks it is a big ice cube and licks everything. My fear is that his tongue will get stuck! Also it is very funny to watch him try to take off fast on the ice...its like a little man running in place then darts off. We will chill inside for the rest of the day....oh and maybe grade some papers. I hope everyone around this area enjoys their ICE day too!!

We love ICE DAYS!!

Winston running on the sleet....

Licking the sleet...

Happy Birthday to ALL!!!

Well today was a busy day on Chris' phone. We had to call many people for birthday wishes. Happy Birthday Aunt Whitney...I hope you got to enjoy your very cold birthday. Heck you may even get classes canceled tomorrow just for you (or that ice storm ), never the less enjoy it! Also it is Madison's birthday (Chris' niece). We spoke to her on the phone tonight....she got to go skiing for her big day(the picture above taken on the top of the peak today!). They live in Maine and apparently they too are getting this big storm. Then we have Chris' friend Mikey....yes today is also his birthday. To all HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

BLAH BLAH BLAH to Sunday nights!

You are probably thinking, Sunday night...what's the big problem? Is it the fact that my weekend is over? That I have duty at school on Monday morning (means I have to be there early)? NO...NO...NO...

Let me tell you about my Sunday nights lately. First you need to know a little about my place. I live in a pretty nice little apartment. I have now lived here for gosh 2 years. They are tucked back in a neighborhood area; with a nice little pond that makes it feel very private. I really have not had much trouble with my place, other than the snake last October. The neighbors have always been very nice. Well as time has passed they have begun to upgrade our places. I have a few of the upgrades, but the most recent one is wood floors. This is not the case for my place, I still have the cheap carpet but that is no problem. Honestly...I HAD no problem with any neighbors until, oh about 4 months ago. The people who lived above me moved out and some new boys moved in. Therefore the nice carpeted floors that they had were replaced with WOOD (fake I'm sure) floors.

Now as the people above me move about I hear every thing they do. I know from the second they walk in the door where they are headed. It is madness how much of a difference wood floors make, honestly. Well 2 younger men have moved in upstairs and they both have girlfriends. Any given evening there is a total of 4 peps up there "stomping" around or so that is how it sounds down here. You know that it is bad when Bob (my sweet cat) notices. She will be sitting her beside me and look up with this horrible face....kind of like saying, "what the heck are you all doing up there" because they are so loud. Okay the funny thing is my problem is not the STOMPING around....it is worse.

Now let me bring you to SUNDAY NIGHTS....I have begun to see a pattern in Sunday nights upstairs (over the last 2 months). I have come to realize (because they park beside me too) one room mate is home and the other is not on this evening of the week. Of course the roommate that is home is the one who lives in the room above my mine (or the master room). It would have been to easy for him to have lived above my guest room!!! On this particular night, he and his girlfriend partake in extra curricular activities. I believe in a room with carpet I would never be subjected to such noises...I know this because there was a married couple prior to these guys! Not once did I hear a sound (or maybe there love life was lame??? who knows). Now you may be thinking, oh that is just part of "apartment" life, but this is not right.

I can hear ever single sound that is made during this action. From the headboard hitting the wall, to the creaking sound the bed makes, and even moans. Let me tell you what, I am not sure how that young lady is able to walk out of there in the morning! I am not sure if its the fact that they are home alone and can get as "wild" as they want....or the floors. The amount of noise made from the room up above makes me cringe at the fact that I have to lay and "try to sleep". It is so awful that I feel as though I am literally sitting in the room with them! I sit there in bed and just think to myself, hurry up and be done already! So it is with great sadness that I either have to turn the TV up so loud (I can't sleep). Or try and beat them to sleep, which is a challenge since I have 2 shows I love to watch on Sunday nights. I would be very happy to have anyone over oh say from 9:30pm till 11:30 pm to listen to the madness upstairs, only then will you truly understand what goes on. Or I guess if you are looking for any tips or ticks I am sure they could show you a thing or two... I can only hope the act gets lame for them...or they break up!

Writing 101!!

Okay I know, most of my recent post have been about little Winston. Therefore I wanted to do a non-Winston post. TEACHERS TEACHERS TEACHERS listen up!!! (non-teachers may not enjoy this blog so much, sorry...)

This weekend my school hosted a great speaker for a writing workshop. Yes, normally I hate going to workshops on Saturdays...blah blah blah. However this one, a voluntary one that we were "encouraged" to attend, was wonderful. I feel as though I didn't waste my Saturday or lose wonderful "sleeping in" sleep. Our writing coach had been to this training and begged our principal to invite the guest speaker. After some negotiating with another elementary school, to help with his cost, she called him up. Who was it? Bill MacDonald! Mr. MacDonald also referred to as the Writing Doctor was amazing. We started our workshop off with about 15-20 4th graders attending. He spoke to the students and we got to see superb "modeling"! The students were so into the presentation...they even got to win prizes. ($20.00Wal-Mart gift cards) The whole purpose of his training is to help your students who are at a 3 on the writing taks move to a 4 (perfect score). As a lower grade teacher (1st grade) I thought wow, is this really going to help me...

YES! Many of his strategies were to help the 4th grade teachers in the next month or so move the kids up to a 4. However, the afternoon proved to be valuable to all grade levels. He referenced as much to K and 1 teachers, as he did the 4 and 5 grade. The whole day flew by with out even a second look at the time...and many amazing ideas were given to us. These are a few of the important ones....(as a lower grade teacher that I will do to help my upper grade friends)

• penmanship...the state looks at penmanship!!!


• the student should write a sentence as long as their age... i.e if they are 6 then their sentence should have 6 words in it


• the student should have as many details as their age....similar to the first point, each story for a 6 year old should have 6 details


• blah blah blah....needs to become BLING!!!


• quick games to help get bling...don't let kids write the same things, make them find new ideas for the same thing. Such as going to the beach....well have an amazing or unique thing happen at the beach


• quick list....where students must answer a question with the first thing that pops into their head. ex: I say a food, hamburger...kids yell McDonald's. Help the students come up with new ideas or unique ones for hamburger...such as Kincaid's (a non-chain or such)


• think time...give them the topic think it over for a day...then write about it (this way you get better details and endings)

I really did enjoy the day...he passes out tons of door prizes and some freebies which makes it even more worth while. If for some reason your school needs writing help, look him up! I have attached his blog and his store website...I won tons of posters (and 20 bucks) that will be wonderful in my room.

Blog: http://thewriteprescription.blogspot.com/

website: http://www.thewriteprescription.com/servlet/StoreFront

Spoiled....

Look who is getting all the mail lately!! That's right WINSTON ROBERTS. You see tonight as Winston and I were out going potty (him not me), the sweet mail man dropped off our mail. Once we had gone back in there was a knock at the door. What could it be? Yes, another package for Mr. Winston. I am telling you this boy has so much love going around. Today the goodies were from Grandma and Grandpa Roberts...oh and Aunt Riley (Chris' mom, dad, and little sister)
Oh my goodness....look at all the fun stuff!!!

I couldn't even get them out of the package....he was off!

And off he goes...these balls freak'n rock! Not only does Winston love it but mom and dad do too.

I love this action shot...picture this oh every time we open his kennel....speed racer!

1000 and counting!!

THANK YOU to all who come by and read the blog.  I am very excited today as I have hit 1000 visits, this afternoon at 11:46 am.  For most of you who don't know my obsessiveness...well I am obsessed with my blog sitemeter.  I love to see how many people stop in for the week.  I know I am pretty lame, but I really do love it.  I  am grateful to all who stop and check it out.  THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE!!!  

UNCLE BRIAN

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
Uncle Brian it would have never been possible without you. Thank you for buying me all the goodies that Aunt Abby and my cousins sent to me. You are the best. I love you more than you could ever know.....

Winston

I love my Auntie Abby and Cousins

Look who got a package today!! I will have to say this is not Winston's first package, but he was here for this one. His first gift was sent from Chris' father...it was the bag they used for there little Lizzy. She has since passed so he wanted Winston to carry on with it.

Now on to today's package....It was from Auntie Abby and his Cousins E and B. So here you see him sniffing it out.
Once he got a good sniff we took it in to open it up. I nor Winston had any idea what was in it. All I knew was it was something pertaining to his name. Look at all the goodies he got, he was shocked (and I too!). Really he didn't know what to play with first. He got the most wonderful sweater ever....note the large W on it. I love it and the best thing is he doesn't mind it either.

Here he is sporting his sweet new sweater. I think it is the cutest thing ever. Chris even loves it too. It fits him so perfect and well if you know Chris it fits his style too. He will be sporting his new look tonight at our friends party. I am sure everyone will adore it too!!!

Once freed from the sweater it was off to the toys. He really loves them all, but this was the best pic I got. He enjoys the dumbbell one the most. Again a huge THANK YOU....Winston loves them, I want him to love the turtle of course.