Horse Racing - AGAIN!

About a year ago, I wrote a post about my strong opposition to horse racing.

I got a LOT of heat about it from some readers.

But I stand by my convictions and opinion.

This video breaks my heart.

Auction Open Until Midnight!

Our online auction closes tonight at midnight!

Click HERE to be directed to our website where you can access the online auction!

We have some wonderful items.

ALL money goes to STOP human trafficking!

Tee Off eBay Auction is LIVE!

The Eastside Women of Purpose' 2009 Tee Off Against Trafficking online auction is now LIVE on eBay.

If you aren't a golfer but have been looking for a practical way to get involved with this cause, check it out and place a bid!

We have a TON of amazing items this year, and you don't want to miss out!

100% of the proceeds go towards the fight to STOP human TRAFFICKING throughout South East Asia. By slowing trafficking in SA Asia, we drastically reduce the number of children and women trafficked into the US.

Now how is that for smart shopping!?!

Just click HERE to start bidding and change lives.

For more information and about our cause, click HERE.

If you win an eBay auction item, please considered all money bid over the value of the item, tax deductible.

Daily Humor

I have a student who always says funny things.

Here is one from last week ...
(Walking the kids to the bus in the afternoon)
Me: What a beautiful day!
Student: Yah, it's really sunny outside.
Me: I think I'll take Cooper on a walk when I get home.
Student: Our you could run. And get some exercise.
Me: Nah ... I think I'll walk (exercise is so overrated!)

And one from today ...
(As I'm walking out of the staff room after recess)
Student: What is that?
Me: M&M's and almonds.
Student: Is that your snack?
Me: No. Not really. It's not very good for me.
Student: Oh. I know what you mean. Like you weren't planning on eating it ... it's a surprise. Like you saw it and it looked good.

I love that he 'gets' me. :)

---

"Ms. Diederichs, my glue stick smells like sticky rice."

-- age 7

April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!

Confession

I have friends who are AMAZING photographers.

Like this friend and this friend and another and another and another and another (you know who you are!).

They take breathtaking pictures that stir emotion and memories.

I like to pretend that if I had a nice camera, that my pictures would turn out that good too.

But I know that isn't true.

So ... I'll just continue to marvel at their excellence!

Love you girls!

Live Simply - Organically

I'm such a sucker for *Patagonia's clothes.

Particularly their jackets.

Looks at this cute new line of Organic Cotton T-shirts they have now.

* Said interest in Patagonia's clothes does NOT in ANY way mean I can afford them. But if you hit up a sale ... you can find amazing deals!

If anyone wants to buy me the pink one with the purple whale ... I'd totally wear it (it's worth a try!).

My Ring

I feel weird posting a picture of my ring.

But a lot of people keep asking me "When do we get to see a picture of YOUR ring?"

So .. here it is.

Two bands.

I'm only wearing one of them right now.

The other one will be for my wedding day.

Fun!

The Pit In My Stomach

I have a huge pit in my stomach.

And it's called "The lay-offs and proposed items to be cut because of the economy and the district's debt are making me sick."

Items proposed are:

• Project Hope (the alternate program for Junior High aged students): ELIMINATED
• Camp Casey: ELIMINATED
• Junior High Sports: ELIMINATED
• Interventions For Struggling Learners: ELIMINATED
• Employee Assistance Program: ELIMINATED
• Teachers: LAYOFFS for non-continuing contracts and RIF'S based on district seniority
• Dual Language Program: REDUCE
• Limit secondary schools to 6 periods a day
• Increase class size
• Elementary Staff - LASERS (our reading specialists): ELIMINATE some, others will be REASSIGNED (our building LASER will be gone)
• So many more items ...

You can read the complete list and see the proposed budget cuts by going to the Northshore School District website HERE and clicking on 2009-2010 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. There is an Adobe version and a Power Point version.

It will make you sick.

If you live in Washington State, there IS something you can do to help.

If you go onto Washington Education Association's website, you can download 10 postcards and mail them to our legislator.

It's super easy.

Select the style of postcard you want.

Enter your name and email.

A form letter is already written for you.

There is a section for you to add your own words if you want.

Print the post cards.

Sign your name.

Fold in half.

Slap a stamp on.

Mail it off.

Our goal is to have our Legislators receive 10,000 post cards in the next 10 days.

So far, 3,429 post cards have been sent!

Thanks!

Crazy Town

One of my students wouldn't stop playing with his name tag today.

He kept pulling the tape off.

Flicking the tape with his fingers.

Flick.

Flick.

Flick.

I'm tellin ya ... when tape is flicked, its VERY loud.

I was reading a book this afternoon when the flicking began again.

Why was this tape-flicking driving me so crazy today!?!

I stopped reading.

Looked at the boy.

And said the following:

"I've asked you many times to stop flicking your tape.
It's driving me CRAZY!
I don't want to go crazy.
And trust me.
You don't want me to go crazy either.
Because if you send me to Crazy Town ... I'm taking you with me!"

Then we all laughed.

And the flicking stopped.

Laughing never felt so great.

Easter Basket//Bag

Reaching into my coat pocket to pull out a Kleenex today, I accidentally pulled out a (clean) poop bag from a recent walk with Cooper.

To the class, I joked, "Hey, this isn't a Kleenex, it's a poop bag!"

To which one of my students promptly shouted out, "HEY! I used one of those to collect eggs on Easter!"

Gross.

And awesome!

----

"Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week
from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation,
90% are children under 5 years old."

Photo courtesy of Charity: Water)

How does THAT sit with you?

I think about the faces of the kids I met in South Africa.

Their hungry bodies.

Their thirsty throats.

And it breaks my heart.

It's difficult to ignore when you put yourself in their shoes.

When you've hugged them.

Laughed with them.

Listened to their stories.

I think of them a million times a day.

And the hundreds of thousands of other thirsty children around the world.

Die Cut Stickers

I am so proud of my brother.

In 2001, Danny started Die Cut Stickers. It's a bustling company with employees, notoriety and quality products.

Click HERE for their website.

Click HERE for their blog.

Give him a call for any of your print media needs!

If you throw my name out there he might give you a screaming deal.

Here are some examples of the work they do ...

Stickers
(Diecut, Screenprint & Digital)

Yes ... they do stickers for Nike.

Banners

Window Decals

Marine & Boat

Signs

Car & Truck Graphics

Print Media

They also do business cards, WN numbers for boats, and so much more.

Check 'em out!

Twestival Video - Ethiopia

Watch the Twestival Well drilled.

Click HERE.

New video posted every day on the progress.

Get Ready

I love this picture ...

(courtesy of Charity: Water)

It makes me sick to think that there are people that don't have access to clean drinking water.

And I'm going to do something about it.

Again.

Are you sick of me yet?!?

Get ready.

I'm having a Charity: Water birthday party on Saturday, May 16th.

You're invited.

And we're gonna raise money and awareness.

You in?

A Case Of The Mondays

Allow me to get this off my chest before school starts ...

Mornings disagree with me.

Monday mornings hate me.

Monday mornings after being on vacation all week despise me.

And I despise them.

Let me recap my morning to you so far.

Keep in mind it's only 8:25 am:

• Spilled my breakfast down my shirt. My white shirt. Had to change it.
• Dropped, and then sufficiently lost my birth control pill.
• Cell phone broke.
• Spilled coffee down the entire length of my khaki pants. Have to wear them all day.
• Figured out the the wrong lid is on my coffee cup. After spilling it all over my hands and coat sleeves.
• Forgot my work keys.
• Broke the base to my work phone.
  
• Threw up in my mouth.

Please ... PLEASE. I want the rest of the day to go smoother.

PLEASE!

Natalie's Birthday // Charity: Water

I was honored to be a part of Natalie's birthday party last night.

Jay and I drove down to Olympia (a short 2-hour drive) to celebrate Natalie's 30th birthday.

She had a Charity: Water party.

Instead of presents, friends brought donations for Charity: Water.

We enjoyed fabulous wine & cheese and watched videos by Charity: Water.

Natalie's big-hearted friends raised $650 dollars.

Thanks Natalie for such a fun party.

You have inspired me to have one for my 33rd birthday next month (get ready for the short drive Nat!).

So get ready everybody ... invites coming out soon!

This is a picture of me with Tami and Natalie ... my friends who were on the South African mission trip with me last December.

TOMS & AT&T

Have you seen this commercial on TV?

I love that AT&T is helping to raise awareness and support companies making a difference.

TOMS shoes are super comfy, totally adorable and MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Check out this commercial/video ... then click HERE and buy yourself a pair of shoes.

Something Shiny

Jay's new ring.

Mine should be done in 1 -2 weeks.

My ring is shiny and pretty and takes longer to make then a men's wedding band.

Good News, Bad News

GOOD NEWS: We have new neighbors that are super cool!
BAD NEWS: Our houses are 8 ft away from each other.
GOOD NEWS: He is a beverage rep and gave us a box ... yes a box of wine yesterday.
BAD NEWS: They have three small dogs.
GOOD NEWS: It's fun to have a young couple in the neighborhood with us.
BAD NEWS: Their dogs bark 24/7.
GOOD NEWS: I'm running out of good news
BAD NEWS: Every time ... every time Cooper goes outside, their 3 dogs bark hysterically. Like they want to eat him. EAT HIM people!
GOOD NEWS: I've got nothing.
BAD NEWS: Another neighbor came over to my house yesterday to complain about the barking. I said, "It's not Cooper, it's THEM" (be sure to say 'them' like 'them' is a disease that spreads quickly).
GOOD NEWS: hmmm ...
BAD NEWS: Their dogs woke me up from my nap today.
GOOD NEWS: ----
BAD NEWS: Cooper no longer wants to go outside. He slinks behind my legs. My dog is apparently afraid of small dogs. Go figure.

This should be interesting.

What About The Other 35%?

I buy fair-trade coffee as much as possible.

But on Saturday (out of convenience [and yes, I felt guilty]), I stopped by my neighborhood Starbucks.

And this is what I read on my coffee cup:

YOU.
BOUGHT 228 MILLION POUNDS OF RESPONSIBLY
GROWN, ETHICALLY TRADED COFFEE LAST YEAR.

Everything we do, you do. You stop by for a coffee.
And just by doing that, you let Starbucks buy more coffee
from farmers who are good to their workers, community
and planet. Starbucks bought 65% of our coffee this way
last year -- 228 million pounds -- and we're working with
farmers to make it 100%. It's using our size for good,
and you make it all possible. Way to go, you.

OK.

So ... ever since I've read this cup, all I can think about is the other 35%.

What about the other 35%, Starbucks?

When will they be "treated well by their farmers?"

You say "soon."

But WHEN, Starbucks?

WHEN?

Bragging For Just A Sec

When you have your own blog, you can brag about yourself and only feel minimally weird about it.

I've been doing Weight Watchers for 12 weeks now.

And I've officially lost 17 pounds!

I saw a picture of myself from before I joined WW and barely recognized myself.

I can really tell in my face.

But I'm happy to report that I can fit into ALL my Citizens jeans, and almost all my 7's.

Yeah for me!

And yeah for fitting into my nicer clothes and not having to buy new ones!

I'm really proud of myself.

My bragging is done now.

Something To Think About

I saw this video. LOVED it, but wasn't crazy about the ending (I NEED to know how it ends!).

But I can't stop thinking about it.

And ... well ... that's the sign of a great video.

Enjoy ...


A Thousand Words from Ted Chung on Vimeo.