Give a little bit.....

Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote.


So I was listening to a radiothon while driving to work last week and it make me want to do something to help others.  There are so many amazing charities out there that do so much good for this community and this country.  My goal for the rest of this year is become involved in some way in a charitable organization.  In my research for one, I came across so many...it is so hard to choose. This also gave me an idea to share some of these organizations with you.  I hope you find one that you would like to help or learn more about.


Children's Memorial Hospital

 For more than 125 years, Children's has relied on the support of donors and volunteers to help ensure that critically ill and injured children have access to the highest quality care. They truly are a great hospital with 100% of the donations going to help.  Their site lists all of the different ways you can help.  

Along that line there is an organization out of Children's Memorial that helps children with brain tumors.  It is a GREAT organization, and they have raised over $1,000,000 since they started in 2000.  Check out  The Young Associates Board for more information.  

Finally, check out Elyssa's Misson.  They offer hands-on support to area schools, religious and community organizations to help educate students, staff and parents on how to recognize those teens most at risk. Elyssa's Mission has adopted the SOS(Signs of Suicide) program that is a nationally recognized evidenced based program for teaching warning signs of depression, substance abuse and suicide. All services are donated.


I never knew just how many great organizations there out there to get involved in.  Even if you don't have the money to donate, your time is just as effective.  I would love to hear from you on any organizations you donate to, volunteer at, or just feel strongly about.  

Don't forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Goodbye Summer...what I'll miss..

Just some of the 1,293,381 things I will miss about Summer and Summer break.


1.  Walks around the block.

2.  Morning Starbucks trips.

3.  Pool Days.




4.  Sleeping in (a bit more than during the school year).


5.  Afternoon Popsicles.

6.  Warm Summer Nights

7.  Playing with firetrucks ALL DAY

8.  Doing nothing at all.


What will you miss about Summer?  What are you looking forward with Fall?

100...and a fireman!

I will call this Summer....."The Summer of Not Posting". 

I am have been bad on the posting this summer.  Mostly because Jack and I are spending every second playing, walking, swimming, eating....and when he naps, I clean.

Summer is half way over.  I have been busy.  I feel like Summer is flying by.  But I have one little thing to make it up to you.  A giveaway.  I have reached 100.  100 followers on my Facebook page.  That makes me so so happy.  To those that "like" me, check out my giveaway over on Facebook...and if you don't, "like: me now!?

I don't know if I have mentioned this, but Jack is obsessed with Firetrucks.  When I say obsessed that is an understatement.  He talks about them NONSTOP.   I hear him in his crib at night saying hi to the firetruck, and when he is awake, he is about EVERYTHING firetruck. 

So here are a few pics of my future fireman. 

I hope you are enjoying the heat and the Summer.  We are.  Things are good. 

  

Something very exciting is happening...

So the day is finally here...I have been counting down the days and my wait is over!  What is it you ask?
I'll let my buddy Johnny give you a clue.....

Yes it's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN!!!!!

Now it may be a bit strange, but I love all of these movies.  I own them and can watch them over and over and over!  The husband and I are going for a date night because I had to see it the night it came out.

I have read mixed reviews, but either way, I can't wait to see it!

I hope you have a great weekend.  I hope your weather is great and that you have some time to relax.  Our weather is going to be rainy....again. 

What are your plans????

Finally

Monday is over!  What a relief!  I hope you all had a great, relaxing weekend!  So we finally had warm weather over the weekend.  It was 85 on Sunday!  We were outside all day.  Jack LOVES being outside..I think we went for 100 walks and played at the park for hours and hours.  I can't wait for summer break so we can be outside everyday. 

And this is what happens when it's time to come inside. 

Is it spring yet??

I keep looking up at my header thinking, "You need a spring header, no more snow!".  I would change it if I had some Spring pictures to put in it.  The weather has been awful here.  We have had maybe one or two "nice" days.  I am hoping we will make up for it soon. 

We did get out to the park for the first time this year...it's so fun to see Jack exploring so much more than he did last year. He is still a bit afraid of the slide, but he LOVES the park! 

I hope your days are full of more sun than mine.  Enjoy your Tuesday!

A fresh start...

I love new beginnings.  Starting over, a second chance; it bings such positive energy.  I also love a few other things:

Fresh cut grass....

Newly grown ivy..

A Chicago style hotdog with everything on it....

and one of the best places in the world.....

Let's go Cubbies...I'm hoping THIS IS THE YEAR!!!!

have a great weekend!

I am loose....

I have had headaches for pretty much my whole life.  I remember being a little girl and rolling around my bed in pain. As the years have passed they have started to get worse and worse, and in the past few months I have had them everyday.  I finally decided I couldn't take it anymore, and had to do something about it.

So I went to the Dr., did a few x-rays and found that my spine in my neck is perfectly straight.  Normally people have a 40 degree curve in the neck, I have 0; which is also leading to my poor posture.

Not taking care of this can lead to arthritis and later surgery in my neck, so I am SOOOO happy I found out it can be fixed.  I am now seeing a chiropractor 3 times a week and will soon start physical therapy.  And I am happier than ever that soon I will be headache free.  In fact I have not had one headache this week. 

This is such a good thing.


Have a great day!

so if you're anything like me....

and live anywhere near me, you are probably about to go INSANE with the weather we are having.  Cold, snow, rain, wind, sleet...everything BUT sun.  I have never wanted warm weather so badly.  So to get get my mood in order and to (temporarily) fill my need for a week away, I thought I would give you some warm weather scenes to enjoy.

Have a great day...warm weather is coming......

motivation is the key....

I feel like Jack is learning new things everyday.  It's amazing to me how fast and to much children learn.  It makes me realize that all children are motivated to learn and the key is to keep that motivation.  I see so many of my students unmotivated or not excited about learning and wonder why.  I wonder if their parents didn't read to them or didn't value learning.  I wonder if their parents ask them about school or if they have conversations about topics they learn in school. 

One thing I vow to Jack, and to myself, is to do my best to motivate Jack, and make him excited about learning!  Now of course it is easy, but I know struggles lie ahead of me. 
Sure as they get older they have many things out there to help them become "smarter", or a better student.  Things like after school tutoring, study groups, writing groups like The Writing Faculty, and many other educational groups.   Those all do great things, but I think they key to those are also parents that question and motivate their students to want to learn, to want to explore. 

I hope motivation is no problem for Jack, but I am sure it will happen when so many other "better" things come along instead of studying  In the meantime, I will just enjoy the little "sponge" I have as long as I can.

. 

Happy St. Patricks's Day

“May the road rise up to meet you,  May the wind always be at your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.  May soft be the grass you walk on, May fair be the skies above you, May true be the joys that surround you, May dear be the hearts that love you.

Today in Chicago everyone's Chi-rish!

Your love is better than chocolate...

way better.....

(one of my fav pics of my two guys)

I hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day. 



Snowpacolypse part 2...

Chicago Schools were closed for a second day, which means I got another day with Jack!  As the city shoveled itself out, Jack and I had a lot of fun at home. (and I ate WAY too many cookies)

We attempted to take Jack outside to play in the snow but the wind and cold just made him scream.  So back inside we went.  Jack's new favorite thing to do?  Talk on the phone.  And I think he has been watching me multi-task becuase his phone talking involves no hands...

 We also got some new Spring shoes for Jack in the mail.  Of course the first thing he wanted to do when his bath was over was try them on.  He has a small obsession for shoes...

Back to work tomorrow...to bad everyday can't be a snow day.   I hope you are all staying warm!

 

you won't succeed if you don't try...

isn't that a saying?  Well if it's not, it's my new saying for today.  I decided to enter Jack in the Paper Mama Valentine's Day contest.  Getting Jack to cooperate, was another story.  He did everything but smile.  He cried, rolled around, ran around...you name it. 

Finally I got one.  One shot.

Let's hope it's a winner:

my little talker

Happy Friday! I am soooo glad the weekend is here, especially since it is -2 outside right now.  I hope you all have fun things planned.  My husband will be at the Bears game (watching them beat the Packers!) and we will be keeping warm inside.

Jack recently started talking up a storm. And when I say talking up a storm, I mean that he talks ALL DAY LONG.  Most of it I can't understand.  But I love listening to him talk.  For now he says these words
mama
dada
enny (lenny our dog)
all done
book
car
hot
more
milk
moo
bird
choo choo
nana
apple
open
elmo

It seems like he is learning new words every day!  I know everyone says "just wait, soon you will wish they would stop talking", but for now I love it.

I just can't wait for him to say "i love you!"

Have a great