it's the end...........

of the school year. And, as usual, I feel a mix of emotions. Happy because I will get to spend more time with my family, and I love to see my garden grow and eat fresh vegetables. Sad because I will miss all of you!

Take a minute and think back on this school year. What is it you will remember the most? What do you think was the most important or most interesting thing you learned?

Let me know in the comments!

I Love You

I sit here alone all day
I try and find the words to say
You always knew how to make me smile
But only for a while
It's amazing how we knew each other for along time
But now i can call you mine
Our love is true
Girl all I want to say is I love you!

Pass Me By

I see you walking everywhere
I want to say something, but I can't find the words to share
Such a beautiful face, walking in a lonely place
And a wonderful smile, I haven't seen in a while
As I look at you, I see you cry
On the street, as you pass me by

Crying in the Rain

I cry, but I feel no pain
I smile, but I'm going insane
You look for me all around, but I'm nowhere to be found
You have worried about me for so long, but I can tell you nothing is wrong
I tell you i love you and you say I'm insane
Now I feel the pain, as I start crying in the rain

My White Flag

I chased you but always trailed
I tried but always failed
I had hope but not anymore
It seems like things aren't like before
I screwed up and I said I wouldn't
I hurt you somehow, but I really shouldn't
It's time to give up since no hope lasts
All that's alive are memories from the past
I'm so sorry things went wrong
You won't have to worry about it after long
I'm putting my hopeless dream into my hidden "bag"
And I'm going to wave my white flag.
I give up girl... I surrender...

something new!

Ok, so I've been thinking about the summer, and about how we all (even me!) have to keep on learning, even though we won't be in school. Here's a little story:

I attended my first piano lesson today. I've always wanted to learn, but never had the opportunity. My neighbor is a piano teacher, and she said she would teach me. It was scary at first. Then I sat at the piano and my teacher taught me how to play not one, but FOUR scales in one day! I can now play the C, D, E, and F scales on the piano! I couldn't do that when I woke up this morning, but I can now.

Then my teacher had me open one of the books I had brought. It was one of my son's books from about two years ago.... yes, today I began my journey in piano using the same materials my children learned from! I was amazed to learn about so many things I'd seen before, but never really understood. It was like learning a new language! Or algebra!

Anyway, this summer I am going to try and practice piano for at least 1/2 an hour five days a week. I know it will take time and commitment, but I am willing to do it. I'd like you to spend some time thinking about these questions.....

* What do YOU want to learn and practice this summer?
* What are you willing to spend time and effort on?

Because the fact is: if you don't use it, you will lose it.

You are your own best teacher. Always remember that. Read. Write. Divide. Blog. Participate. Speak. Practice. But how? One way, of course, is to use the internet

To help you out, I have made for you a "Delicious" account! I know you probably don't understand how exciting that is yet, but wait until you try it! Basically, a Delicious account is a place to bookmark websites. It's like a giant address book of all your favorite websites, all in one place.

Ok, enough explanation. Check it out for yourselves. There are bookmarks about local organizations and news sources, there are bookmarks that will take you to websites about pronunciation, there are bookmarks for math videos and math practice. There are even bookmarks to help you find something fun and different for you to do this summer!

If YOU find a website that YOU like, you will also be able to add them! I'll teach you how before the year is out.

Ok, are you ready?

Here it is!

Happy Easter!

This Sunday is Easter. In honor of the holiday, I would like to share with you one of my favorite things about the season: The Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest!

You know what Peeps are, right? Those disgusting but yummy marshmallow treats shaped like chicks and bunnies that the Easter bunny sometimes brings?

Anyway, people all around the country vie for the title of TOP PEEP by building a diorama out of, you guessed it, Peeps!! This year, there were more than 1,100 entries.

Then the Washington Post chooses a winner and several runners up.

Even more peeps!

Which one is your favorite?

good morning!

I hope you have been enjoying this beautiful weather. Today is our last testing day, but enjoy your time in the computer lab first.

Here's a little assignment for you for today.....
in the comments section of this post, write an original sentence using a semi-colon or a colon.

What is about my sister?

She was very sweet, lovely, comprehensive, helpful, and respectful.

When I was a teenager, I moved into her house. We had hours of conversation. Cooking,making tortillas, and cleaning the house, we became to be a good friends.
After a few weeks, she told me that she will be out of the town a few days. I said,"OK I'll take care of everything." She had two boys and one girl. Two of my brothers and two of my sisters were living there. I cooked. My sister and niece cleaned the house.

When my sister came back, the car parked very close to the house. Her husband hold her, and brought her to their bed. With my mouth opened I didn't say or ask anything. I sat down thinking why she looked yellow and tired, why she was vomiting. Later she told me she had breast cancer, and how that illness started. I didn't know what was that, but I realized it was a bad illness in the way she looked."She said, I was having some pain in a few months, but I didn't worry because I thought it is normal. Because I was bleeding from one of my breast, I decided to see a doctor." Her breast cancer level was too high. She had to have an urgent surgery.

One day one of my brothers called me and said everything is ready for you to come to the USA. I was so sad to leave my sister, but I was waiting for this opportunity in months.

Five years later our relatives in Mexico called us. My sister was passing out. The cancer spread all over her body. She died waiting to see us again, but the hard moment was when they told us that since she got sick, doctors gave to her no more than ten years of life under treatment. She kept this secret from us.

For years I thought she was with God having a better life, but at this time I believe that being a good person is not enough. We have to believe in his son(JESUS )to became part of his family. My sister died thinking that there was no God to help her with all her problems.

I thanks to God that my case is different, and I always share with people God's love.

A Catastrophe That Shook The Country

I thing I'll always will remember where I was when that murderous hurricane,Katrina hit the Southeast coast of America.When it hit thee casual were slim for the first few hours dare I say it was fine.But in the city of New Orleans,the levees that were keep the the city safe from the wrath of the developing storm were wash a way almost instantly. And then the casualty rate escalated and that morning the staggering amounts of dead polluting the flood waters where people had to swim or walk there way to area where they had a chance to survive in till help came.But help didn't come for a while.Any time i see people struggle to survive i am amazed to see average folk rising up from the ashes so to say,it goes to show you how the human spirit can endure so mean different tragic incenses.I was going to school throughout the whole insodent and it was the school's idea to raise some money to send to New Orleans we did.It helped to get notebooks and supplies for our fellow school mates in Louisiana.I had the chance to improve someone's dire situation and we took it upon our selves to help the students in Louisiana.I guess it's true what they say one voice can be heard in the chaos of a catastrophe.

When I went back to school

I hate school.

I am 27 years old and never put school first never till now.My oldest child is 14 and my youngest is 5.I always had a good life, worked hard, took care of my kids,and had a lot of people that always loved and helped me throw right, wrong and things I just should have never done.My youngest child started school this year.

For the first time in along time I was not running or cleaning or talking or feeding and giving all my time to a child.I watched TV, I got dressed,I walked around my house thinking this is just so boring I cant wait to go to work.

The next day i did the same. After about a week I started to feel sad and worthless. Like all I get to look forward to is going to work.I hate my job,too.The only reason I work there is to be able to provide for my kids and now there all growing up and don't need me that much any more and I have nothing to do.

When I was feeling bad for my self and my husband was trying to make me feel better by telling me that I have already done so much in my life already and I should be proud of my self,it made me feel better.

I went to the bathroom and I looked in the mirror.I realized something I never noticed before....How young I really am.I still have my youth.I am still very young and have so much more to do.

I enrolled back in school and today was my second day.

What's about my grandparents

I always love and remember my grandparents especially my grandpa. Because he was so sweet, friendly, and a man whose principles would not bend. My grandpa was a master storyteller. And he had within him a rare strength that sustained not only my sisters and me, but all the family. He always in the evening was sitting in front of the chimney and paid attention to me.He started talking about his many adventures that he had in the past.Sometimes the stories made me laugh and sent happy tears down my cheeks, or a story that made me feel very sad. My grandparents were very poor, and they had a small house with three small windows, and the floor was made of dry mud. They didn't have electricity. The only light in the night they used was the candles,or petroleum lamps. My grandpa always took care of me. But one day he got sick, and the doctor said that he has diabetes.My grandpa was an old man and five months later he died. For me it was the most sad notice I heard, but my mom explained me, " your grandpa is in heaven with God." I still miss my grandpa. But I gave God thanks for the time I had with my grandpa. The lesson that he showed me I will never forget. I learned to respect the past, to respect my own heritage and my self. This story I wrote is for the memory of my beloved grandpa who lived many adventures.

my story

I would like to tell you all about my story. I have an illness that a 90-year-old woman has. It is called osteoporosis. That's when your bones dissolve. I have had 5 operations in the past year. I will start to tell you about my surgeries.

The first one was my left hip. They replaced with a metal hip on January of 2009. The second operation was my right hip. That was only 5 weeks after the one. But on July 27, I shattered it on the left side.

Then they started doing blood tests. Then I found out that I have a vitamin D deficiency. That is when I found out my problems.

Now you know most of my story. I would like to let you in life. At one time I was standing in my hallway. Then I had a terrible fall. That is when I broke my left hip, because the Doctor put it to close to the bone.

The ambulance came, I could not move I was scared to do anything. So I ended up at the hospital.I was there for 6 days. The first 4 days were traction. And I was in complete MISERY. You would never like to feel the pain I did. It was so severe, they had to put an epidural in my back. That is a very uncomfortable. The reason for the traction was that they had to order the part from CANADA after the new implant.

I ended in an inpatient hospital because of my new hard wear. They had a zero weight bearing on my left leg. Well to tell you what happened. The whole time I was in there, my left wrist was broken. So all I could do was lay in bed.

3 times a day a physical therapist would come in my room and do soft tissue therapy. To keep my muscles and tendons loose. Then I started weight bearing exercise. You would not understand the severe pain. Because of the new implant went all to the knee.

I did a whole other month of very painful therapy. Then the therapist came to the house, to look for safety items. Starting in the bathroom, I had to have bars to put in. And then I had to make a few adjustments in the kitchen and living room. And then more of the story really begins.

The whole time I was in the hospital my wrist was broken and the therapist was making me lift weights with it. So then I went to my post-op appointment. I started to tell my ortho about my wrist was really in pain. So then he took an x-ray of it. And of course it was broken. Then my ortho took me down the hallway to a hand Doctor. Then he had taken a look at the x-ray. That result ended up in a rush to the hospital.

The Doctor performed surgery that afternoon. Due to the weight bearing exercises, the Doctor could not realign the bone. So I have an agonizing spur on one side. It catches on everything, tendons, muscle, and nerves. The pain gets so bad, you almost want to die. My surgery was on Sept. 22, 2010, and now it is Feb. 15, 2010. And it has not healed up yet. So I would like to tell you all I am still really working on it.

I have a P.T. that is working with me 2 times a week. And also I have a Doctor that gives me injections in my neck. They start a sedative, which makes you really loopy. Then they put this needle in your neck. That is a sensation you do not want to go through. What happens is your goes numb, for at least 2 days.

So when I could start to try to get dressed. It was hard on everyone in my family. They had to help my do everything because it was like being a baby. So now I will tell you what my life is like now.

I can no longer walk with out a walker. I also take 9 different medications, it is so hard to take. I was so overcome being house bound again. I started volunteering at a place that I had been in for rehab.

So then that is when I found out what it takes to be a better person. And finding a job is just not possible right now. I need to start getting myself educated now. I tried to do it on the computer.

But I could not keep up. So then I called around to find out about a GED. I had started to find places to get one. At first I started with an orientation at D-2. I had taken my pre-test.

And then I received a call from D-2. Of course there were no openings. So they put me on a waiting list ha- ha.

So then I went to D-11 to try to get in. But if you not are not in D-11, you have to pay them. So I went to their orientation. And you would not believe it. A SPARK OF FAITH!

Penny called me and told me about an opening next week, and that I could start. It was like being on cloud 9. And that makes you feel better inside then you would know. I enjoy my teacher MISS SUE, because she knows right what I have been telling you about.

She is like no teacher I have experienced in all my life! Thanks to all the students, they are very hopeful also. So now I have the chance to better my life. And for anyone who reads this, take a minute and think about where you are in your life.


P.S This is something I should have done a long time ago. And again
to all the people that are helping me. Thanks again.

Sincerely
KURT

How could Colorado Springs rock?

Do you like living in Colorado Springs?

If you're answer is no: Why not? What does our city need to make it better? What is it missing? Or what does it have that you wish it DIDN'T?

If your answer is yes: Why do you like it? What are the activities that you and your family enjoy here? And finally.... are there any things that would make a good city even better?

Many people around our city are thinking about these very same questions right now. And they are looking for YOUR input in answer to the question: "How could Colorado Springs rock?"

People from all over town have put down their ideas on post cards, and sent them in, and they are being posted on the web!
Take a look!

If you would like to hear an interview with one of the people who started the icoloradosprings project, and see more postcards, click HERE.

The Decision to Change our lifes.

This story is so long, but I will try to relate my story with possible brevity.

When I finished the high school,Oh my God!These were many time ago, I was only 17 years old. In these time I started to go to parties close to my house.

German lived in the same neighborhood then in some party we met.

I thought that the life was easy, but was not always like that because I was going through many changes in my life. On many opportunities all of us think that our parents aren't best ones in the world, but the idea changes when you get a important decision.

In these years German was going through a hard time because when one is young,we think we can "have our cake and eat it,too".

German suffered alcoholism for many years. He is now a recovered alcoholic since twelve years ago.

When German and I made the decision to live and made a family together,Whooo!On these moment change my life.

Now we have two children, Dayana and Bryan. They are our motor, our strong to follow hard work with the God help, and the love that our family give us.

We enjoy of the life,"each day as if it were our last".

I would like to say that everything in this life has its own time.

Sometimes we took a wrong turn, but everyone has the opportunity to return.

Enjoy your life and try to be happy.

Cutless Supreme

I am proud of my cars. I am proud of my cars because I have taken time to build them. I think I would have to say I'm most proud of my first car. It was a '78 Cutless Supreme. I bought it when I was 16 years old.

That summer I was working part time at Stratton Meadows Elementary, a school near my house. I was with my dad when I first saw her(my Cutless). I told him to stop so I can check it out. My dad told me that it wasn't worth what they wanted for it.

We went home, and I was thinking about that car all night. The next day I pulled all of my money out of my bank and walked where the car was. I knocked on the door and asked if I could talk to the owner of the Cutless. The owner came out side and asked, "do you want to take a look at it?" I looked at it from top to bottom. I asked him, "would you go any lower on the price? it needs body work ,a new battery, and so one." He said that he had to much invested into it. Then I asked, "does it run good?" He said, "it needs a lot of work." I showed him the money I had and told him to give me a break it would be my first car.

After a couple days he called me back, and said come get it. so that day I asked my dad if I could get it. Even though my parents were a little upset, my dad still helped me bring my car home.

Every time I had spare time I would work on my car, and try to fix it. I couldn't figure out what the problem was so I invested in a brand new motor. When I was close to my goal, I started to take out the old Oldsmobile motor. I pulled the old motor by myself with in a day.I started to clean the engine compartment and paint where the old engine was. By the time I was finished, my new motor arrived. The next day my uncle took me to the auto store to buy the last parts I needed, and that day my uncle and me dropped a brand new Chevy engine in my old Cutless.

After that it didn't give me any problems. So as a couple weeks passed I had the money to buy a system for her. All I really needed was a paint job. I was saving money when a good friend asked if I was interested in buying his 1973 Buick. I told him, I am really interested , but I have to sell my car first. He told me that he would give me his car and some money for my car. I told him we had a deal so he came to pick it up and it didn't want to start.

I told my friend this is the first time it hasn't started. He thought it was funny because she didn't want to go. The next day he came back and I still couldn't figure out what was wrong with the car. He told me he needs a car really bad so I ended up selling my Cutless to my brother in law for a cheap price because it wasn't running.I gave the money to my friend so he could find another car. I was sad at first. I put so much work into my car and sold it so fast and cheap. I had gotten my dream car so it made up for selling my first car.

Now I am back to square one, but I am proud of the '78 cutless that I built.

His Warm Smile of Love

His warm smile of love is that my grandpa was a very good man. His name was Tom. He was a person that you can look up to and count on. My grandpa loved to help people if they needed help.

My grandpa was in the concrete work. He was a mason, a person that lays concrete and lays block.

I used to go to his house in AZUSA, California to hang out or help him around the house. I used to help him with the yard, like mowing the yard, trim trees, and help him with his car.

My grandma never had to work. So she just sat around watched soaps,and drank beer.I would take his car to the shop when needed.

We also used to go to the park and play catch and play baseball with the other kids.I loved to play baseball when I was a little kid. I always got a lot of support from him.

Then things started to slow down. He started to get sick with diabetes. He lost part of his hearing. He had to use hearing aids. He lost his hearing from the saws that he had to use to cut the blocks and loud machines. His hearing got so bad that the hearing aids did not work for him any more. It started to get more complicated communicating with him. I still kept coming over to help him around the house.

Then finally they moved down to Sun City, California, and I could not get down there anymore. He got so bad that he passed.

I was sad. I will always remember my grandpa as a good person. He will always be in my heart and soul.

This morning I tell my self
Go! you can do it! fight for
everything that you want.

Not all the things are easier, we have
to fight and give the best
as we can.

sometimes we will feel alone and sad,
but always there is someone that
will give you help.

BE HAPPY YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

The world goes around and doesn`t stop
your life stop just if you stop it
you are the only one who can finish and destroy
with your life.

But meanwhile things happen
quickly and easily.

Finally you will get a clue
if you fight and grow, or
leave it like you are now.

02/05/10
author:MARINA!!!

What 's Happening to My Town?

Cd Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico

I grew up in a small town name Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico. When I was little we always played outside. All the people sat on the porch until midnight; sometimes we played music and danced outside my house almost every weekend. My friend's mom Señora Chole cooked outside and made good food to sell like (gorditas, enchiladas and tacos.)

Cd Juarez, Mx is across the border from El Paso, TX. Always my town was so quiet and a safe place to live. The streets were full of the same people that I know. It was so fun when we got all together and played football, soccer, and played music. Sometimes we threw parties at different friends houses. That was a good time. I wish that can happen at this time, but now is completely different. I know that now there is a lot of criminals. Now you can not sit outside your house because there are a lot of bad people and they came to rob you, or they attract you, or even kill you. Even in the morning they don't care.

Sometimes 10 to 20 people have been killed per day. I think is because there are lot of people from different countries or from South America. And it's a lot of drug dealers that they killed people just to have fun. Sometimes I didn't want to go there to visit my family because I'm afraid that criminals rob us or even do something bad to my family.

I wish the Mexican government can do something good for my country and take all the bad people and put them in prison. I wish Cd Juarez Chihuahua, Mx. could be a nice place to live, just like when I was young. That way all the people can be happy and safe.

An important event

The wall of Berlin, Germany fell to give an end to socialism in that country, and finish years of genocide and cataclysm. It was just a grand day for the entire world. So we never forget freedom is the most important right for the human being.

P.S. It gives us hope for a better tomorrow.(never forget November- 09-1989)

happy new year!

Welcome back, everybody! I hope you had a restful time over the holidays. I know it can be crazy sometimes, but I hope you found time just to hang out with friends and family. Look at all these wonderful people:



Here's to a new year of new learning and new adventures!!!!!!!!!
And here's Joseph's amazing cake: