We had to cancel our contract last week with the house we were trying to buy. We had all agreed to get an engineering report, and the sellers supposedly ended up picking the engineer saying that our choice didn't seem fair. Well, no engineer came to the house - it was some guy who collected data, wrote the report and then had the engineer look over the report. He said he would put recommendations for repair, measurements, etc. in the report and that it would have an engineer's stamp.
We got the report and it was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. It had no data, it referenced repair recommendations and an elevation diagram that were not there and it had absolutely NO substance whatsoever. And, I find that a bit strange considering the house was slanted off the level by over 4 inches. Our realtor, Jeff, called their realtor (whom I'll refer to as RH from now on) about this. RH said he spoke to the engineer and that he didn't want to get sued and in the middle of anything so he basically didn't say anything. I"m not sure how putting repair recommendations in a report is a bad thing, but whatever. I think what is more likely is that RH asked the engineer to make a vague report that he would be able to give to future buyers and not scare off. We are thinking about filing a report with the BBB.
Jeff tried to call the engineer to no avail. So, as a last resort we wrote a letter to the sellers themselves and explained that we love the house, would actually still like to buy it if the repairs could get taken care of and outlined all the inconsistancies and problems we've had with RH. It was a good letter. They actually replied saything they live out of the country so sometimes communication is slow, but that they would address our concerns with RH. We replied and said that we would still have to cancel the contract because we cannot proceed further this way, but please let us know if and how they would like to move forward. So the ball is in their court and we are just waiting I guess.
In the meantime, RH wrote Paul and e-mail that was supposed to go to his client that was totally misspelled and claimed we had missed our deadline for canceling the contract without penalty. Paul wrote back (cc'd the sellers and Jeff) and attached the contract that very clearly showed that we did not miss the deadline. Then Jeff wrote to RH saying how difficult this has been to work with him. RH also called Jeff and as Jeff was voicing his complaints about this whole deal RH hung up on him. I think Jeff is also going to file an official complaint about RH. He has been totally unprofessional and ridiculous to work with. He kept mentioning to Jeff a backup offer that he had, and so when we sent the contract cancellation we were sure to attach the foundation report we had gotten that says this house has major problems and an engineer is needed. That will have to be disclosed to any future buyers. Hopefully if anyone else ends up buying the house they will see what a serious problem it is.
I guess there is a small chance that the sellers will want to work with us and see that their realtor really screwed some things up. But, I'm really disappointed - it's a great house that we were really going to be able to make our own, it has an amazing huge back yard and it's the perfect location. Otherwise, I suppose it just wasn't meant to be.
2.28.2009
2.11.2009
15 Memorable Moments from Teaching
I was thinking about some of my more memorable moments in teaching so I thought I'd write them down. I am continually amazed at what students share with me. Here goes in no particular order:
1. One day while I was student teaching I had to take a small group of students from my class out around campus for something like a scavenger hunt. Well, one of the students said something incredibly funny (unfortunately I can't remember what it was now) that got me totally laughing. He was a pretty funny kid in general and whatever it was completely set me off and I was laughing so hard I was crying. We got back to class and my mentor nearly had a heart attack - she thought the student, Jeremy, did something terrible to me and that I was actually crying. I have since never laughed so hard with/around my students. I'll never forget that kid - he kept me on my toes.
2. Pardon the language here, but a student once asked me if pre-ejaculate (although she used much more graphic slang) could cause pregnancy. I decided to take it as a teaching moment since it was a biology class and hopefully educate them. Maybe a pregnancy was prevented . . .
3. I once had to counsel a student on what to do after she came to me and told me she discovered her mother was having sex with her boyfriend and esentially paying him off in college tuition in exchange.
4. My first year of teaching I had a student come to me with a 'lady problem'. It ended up being that she, a 14 yr old freshman, had contracted herpes. And, she thought herpes caused AIDS. I was mortified at how uneducated students were when it came to sexual health/education.
5. I was once the first person a young lady (senior in HS) came to when she found out she was pregnant. She was terrified to talk to her mom, but I convinced her to do so and her Mom reacted better than expected.
6. I had several students who were refugees from Somalia and Burundi. They told a few stories of family members murdered right in front of them, as well as young people running around with AK-47s. They lived in refugee camps before coming here and several had lost most of their families, and I know they had many more stories and memories that they could probably not bear to share. All they wanted to do was learn. The girls did not even know which way to hold a magazine up, and by the end of a couple years they could read and write English fairly well. Knowing them changed me and my perspective on life. One of them lived through the situation depicted in 'Hotel Rwanda'.
7. At one school I used to have fights continually outside my classroom. One was between 2 boys who were punching each other in the face and blood was splattering all over the lockers. Others involved girls pulling out each other's hair. I'm not sure which was worse (boys or girls), but it was pretty crazy.
8. At the same school in #7 the students once got so riled up about something in the lunchroom that they banded together and started running around the school in a huge group yelling and screaming and knocking others down. They were unstoppable by teachers and it was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. That school was out of control.
9. I once said a semi-curse word (shit) in Arabic around a student who spoke arabic. He got the most surprised look on his face and then ran out of the classroom and then came back a few minutes later. He absolutely couldn't believe I just said that!
10. I had a parent tell me (after I called home about failing grades) that her child was ADHD and didn't take meds, and as a result couldn't be held responsible for coming in for tutorials because he just couldn't remember and wouldn't be able to do any homework because he just couldn't remember to do it and there wasn't really much she could do about it. He failed.
11. There was a girl at one of my schools who got in serious trouble (police were involved) for sending around photos via cellphone of her 'lady parts'. Instead of addressing the problem her parents immediately withdrew her and took her to another school.
12. One of my greatest guilty pleasures is taking cell phones away from students. My 1st year was the best for this - the girls would always sob and sob and sob because I wouldn't give it back to them. It was interesting to see students in such a tizzy and tantrum over a cell phone.
13. I teach a hard class, no matter which class it is (Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Conceptual Physics, Earth Science). My students are always saying it's one of the hardest, and more currently they wish they could just switch in to one of the easier classes. I am proud that I teach a challenging class and more often that not the students also say that they actually learned something in my class. I don't believe in dumbing down science for students. I continually believe they will rise to my standards. It's generally very exhausting.
14. A fellow teacher once asked me if I was still teaching the algebra (for formulas in physics). That teacher didn't think I should teach it because the students wouldn't be able to get it. I continually teach students how to algebraically solve equations and they are certainly able to learn it. It pisses me off to no end when other teachers think that because our students are unmotivated and at-risk that they are also unintelligent. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
15. I have taught gang members, rich kids, minorities. I fell out of my chair once, I accidentally cursed in class once, I nearly passed out on a field trip to a gross anatomy lab, I have had to educate about STDs, sex & pregnancy, I've recieved about 5 gifts, I have had kids stoned out of their mind in class, I've deliberately passed a kid because I felt it was better for them and society in the long run if they passed instead of failed, I've been thanked by parents and I've recieved one love letter. It's all in a day's work!
1. One day while I was student teaching I had to take a small group of students from my class out around campus for something like a scavenger hunt. Well, one of the students said something incredibly funny (unfortunately I can't remember what it was now) that got me totally laughing. He was a pretty funny kid in general and whatever it was completely set me off and I was laughing so hard I was crying. We got back to class and my mentor nearly had a heart attack - she thought the student, Jeremy, did something terrible to me and that I was actually crying. I have since never laughed so hard with/around my students. I'll never forget that kid - he kept me on my toes.
2. Pardon the language here, but a student once asked me if pre-ejaculate (although she used much more graphic slang) could cause pregnancy. I decided to take it as a teaching moment since it was a biology class and hopefully educate them. Maybe a pregnancy was prevented . . .
3. I once had to counsel a student on what to do after she came to me and told me she discovered her mother was having sex with her boyfriend and esentially paying him off in college tuition in exchange.
4. My first year of teaching I had a student come to me with a 'lady problem'. It ended up being that she, a 14 yr old freshman, had contracted herpes. And, she thought herpes caused AIDS. I was mortified at how uneducated students were when it came to sexual health/education.
5. I was once the first person a young lady (senior in HS) came to when she found out she was pregnant. She was terrified to talk to her mom, but I convinced her to do so and her Mom reacted better than expected.
6. I had several students who were refugees from Somalia and Burundi. They told a few stories of family members murdered right in front of them, as well as young people running around with AK-47s. They lived in refugee camps before coming here and several had lost most of their families, and I know they had many more stories and memories that they could probably not bear to share. All they wanted to do was learn. The girls did not even know which way to hold a magazine up, and by the end of a couple years they could read and write English fairly well. Knowing them changed me and my perspective on life. One of them lived through the situation depicted in 'Hotel Rwanda'.
7. At one school I used to have fights continually outside my classroom. One was between 2 boys who were punching each other in the face and blood was splattering all over the lockers. Others involved girls pulling out each other's hair. I'm not sure which was worse (boys or girls), but it was pretty crazy.
8. At the same school in #7 the students once got so riled up about something in the lunchroom that they banded together and started running around the school in a huge group yelling and screaming and knocking others down. They were unstoppable by teachers and it was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. That school was out of control.
9. I once said a semi-curse word (shit) in Arabic around a student who spoke arabic. He got the most surprised look on his face and then ran out of the classroom and then came back a few minutes later. He absolutely couldn't believe I just said that!
10. I had a parent tell me (after I called home about failing grades) that her child was ADHD and didn't take meds, and as a result couldn't be held responsible for coming in for tutorials because he just couldn't remember and wouldn't be able to do any homework because he just couldn't remember to do it and there wasn't really much she could do about it. He failed.
11. There was a girl at one of my schools who got in serious trouble (police were involved) for sending around photos via cellphone of her 'lady parts'. Instead of addressing the problem her parents immediately withdrew her and took her to another school.
12. One of my greatest guilty pleasures is taking cell phones away from students. My 1st year was the best for this - the girls would always sob and sob and sob because I wouldn't give it back to them. It was interesting to see students in such a tizzy and tantrum over a cell phone.
13. I teach a hard class, no matter which class it is (Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Conceptual Physics, Earth Science). My students are always saying it's one of the hardest, and more currently they wish they could just switch in to one of the easier classes. I am proud that I teach a challenging class and more often that not the students also say that they actually learned something in my class. I don't believe in dumbing down science for students. I continually believe they will rise to my standards. It's generally very exhausting.
14. A fellow teacher once asked me if I was still teaching the algebra (for formulas in physics). That teacher didn't think I should teach it because the students wouldn't be able to get it. I continually teach students how to algebraically solve equations and they are certainly able to learn it. It pisses me off to no end when other teachers think that because our students are unmotivated and at-risk that they are also unintelligent. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
15. I have taught gang members, rich kids, minorities. I fell out of my chair once, I accidentally cursed in class once, I nearly passed out on a field trip to a gross anatomy lab, I have had to educate about STDs, sex & pregnancy, I've recieved about 5 gifts, I have had kids stoned out of their mind in class, I've deliberately passed a kid because I felt it was better for them and society in the long run if they passed instead of failed, I've been thanked by parents and I've recieved one love letter. It's all in a day's work!
2.09.2009
One more step . . .
Saturday night we got word that the sellers have asked us to submit a couple engineers to them. They will pick a couple and then we will agree on one to come out and do the inspection. This is a step in the right direction for sure! Once they have a report that says the foundation is out of spec they will have to fix it. Our mortgage company said they wouldn't finance a loan for a house that is in need of such a major repair and insurance won't cover it unless it's repaired. So, most likely no one else could really get a loan for the house in this condition.
Theoretically they could decide to just not sell the house and rent it for awhile, but the problem will still exist in a few years from now. I guess all we can hope for is that they will be willing to do the repairs.
Our option period ends on Saturday, so it looks like we will have to extend it in order to get this all sorted out. The sellers are not exactly quick at getting back to their realtor when it comes to making decisions and I'm not entirely sure they are acknowledging the reality of the situation. Who knows. Time will tell.
Theoretically they could decide to just not sell the house and rent it for awhile, but the problem will still exist in a few years from now. I guess all we can hope for is that they will be willing to do the repairs.
Our option period ends on Saturday, so it looks like we will have to extend it in order to get this all sorted out. The sellers are not exactly quick at getting back to their realtor when it comes to making decisions and I'm not entirely sure they are acknowledging the reality of the situation. Who knows. Time will tell.
2.06.2009
!!
We are still waiting to hear from the sellers. It's been more than a day, and apparently they sellers are in their home in Costa Rica and have left power of attorney to some relatives here. So, their realtor is trying to get ahold of them (supposedly) and we are just waiting. Also, supposedly, the realtor has been in realtor classes (continuting ed.) all day and can't recieve phone calls. Who knows. Our realtor doesn't believe it.
I should take this minute to just say that we are convinced that we have the 'James Bond' of realtors!! He has been digging around and strategizing on what to do depending upon what their response is and gathering lots of important information that we never would have thought to find. He is doing some good research and giving good advice.
So, here we sit. Waiting. Waiting for these people to him-haw around during our option period. I hope they realize that they are totally screwed if they don't agree to work with us because no one is going to buy a house that has a major foundation problem looming over it. Hopefully I'll have something to report soon.
I should take this minute to just say that we are convinced that we have the 'James Bond' of realtors!! He has been digging around and strategizing on what to do depending upon what their response is and gathering lots of important information that we never would have thought to find. He is doing some good research and giving good advice.
So, here we sit. Waiting. Waiting for these people to him-haw around during our option period. I hope they realize that they are totally screwed if they don't agree to work with us because no one is going to buy a house that has a major foundation problem looming over it. Hopefully I'll have something to report soon.
2.05.2009
Spoke Too Soon?
We had the inspection of the house yesterday, and I believe that went well. We also had the foundation inspected per a suggestion from an architect. That did not go so well. The house is tilted to one corner by about 3-4 inches. This is not good for many reasons, but the main question is if the house is still moving or if it is done settling.
The house had the foundation repaired in 2005, andd the seller disclosed that report to us. That particular report said that the house was originally built on a slant and that adding some piers to one side should stabilize the house. But, after a little more digging we found another report from 2001 that showed significant settling due to lack of rain the previous year. The 2005 report looked as though the house moved back up, probably due to rehydration of the soils. Sellers are not required to disclose reports, inspections, etc. any farther back than 4 years, so that's probably why they didn't give us the 2001 report.
The foundation guy yesterday recommend that we hire a structural engineer to look at the house and try to determine if it's still moving and what the repair recommendation is. He seemed to think it would need a full outer and inner repair which can cost as much as $30,000. Yes THIRTY THOUSAND!!! So, our realtor, Jeff, was at a total loss of what to do as of yesterday. Paul is not sure he wants to spend the money to hire a structural engineer when he's going to most likely tell us what we already know - that the house needs major repair (who knows, he could also tell us it's fine). But, the other question is if it's stable enough to add a second story, but at this point that is secondary.
So, we will probably ask the sellers to agree to get a struc. engineer and then if they determine a repair is needed that they agree to pay for most of it, but that we will pay for some of it. We are hoping they will work with us - they will now have to disclose the foundation report to any further buyers, and most of them would probably see this problem as too big and ugly. And, if we end up not purchasing the house it will be the 3rd deal to fall through, which would make it look bad to future buyers. We are in a unique position because we don't care if they have to rip up all the floors, etc. since we plan to remodel.
I'm totally stressed. I"m grinding my teeth and can't concentrate at school. I love this house and the lot - it is so perfect for us in many ways. But, we are also not going to buy this house for the current price on the table if a $30K repair is looming over it. We'll have to make a decision on what to do today, but at least we got all that taken care of in Day 1 of the option period!! I guess if it's meant to be it will work out some how.
The house had the foundation repaired in 2005, andd the seller disclosed that report to us. That particular report said that the house was originally built on a slant and that adding some piers to one side should stabilize the house. But, after a little more digging we found another report from 2001 that showed significant settling due to lack of rain the previous year. The 2005 report looked as though the house moved back up, probably due to rehydration of the soils. Sellers are not required to disclose reports, inspections, etc. any farther back than 4 years, so that's probably why they didn't give us the 2001 report.
The foundation guy yesterday recommend that we hire a structural engineer to look at the house and try to determine if it's still moving and what the repair recommendation is. He seemed to think it would need a full outer and inner repair which can cost as much as $30,000. Yes THIRTY THOUSAND!!! So, our realtor, Jeff, was at a total loss of what to do as of yesterday. Paul is not sure he wants to spend the money to hire a structural engineer when he's going to most likely tell us what we already know - that the house needs major repair (who knows, he could also tell us it's fine). But, the other question is if it's stable enough to add a second story, but at this point that is secondary.
So, we will probably ask the sellers to agree to get a struc. engineer and then if they determine a repair is needed that they agree to pay for most of it, but that we will pay for some of it. We are hoping they will work with us - they will now have to disclose the foundation report to any further buyers, and most of them would probably see this problem as too big and ugly. And, if we end up not purchasing the house it will be the 3rd deal to fall through, which would make it look bad to future buyers. We are in a unique position because we don't care if they have to rip up all the floors, etc. since we plan to remodel.
I'm totally stressed. I"m grinding my teeth and can't concentrate at school. I love this house and the lot - it is so perfect for us in many ways. But, we are also not going to buy this house for the current price on the table if a $30K repair is looming over it. We'll have to make a decision on what to do today, but at least we got all that taken care of in Day 1 of the option period!! I guess if it's meant to be it will work out some how.
2.02.2009
New house picture
Here is the back of the house - the yard goes out significantly behind where I am standing and has tons of huge trees. The lot is basically 2 full lots deep and the neighbors also were able to buy the property behind their lots and no one has fences, so it's essentially a huge woody greenspace. I'm not really sure why the fence is there - it marks about half of the total property. I didn't take any pics of the huge yard because it was online but now I'm unable to grab those pictures, so I'll have to take some more and post them. But, this one give you a little idea.
The other picture is the front - not terribly beautiful and I really don't like the landscaping, but all of that will change significantly since we are going to most likely add a 2nd story and do a major remodel. But, who cares when the back yard is so awesome!! Oh, and I will MOST CERTAINLY be getting rid of the teal green door and trim. Yuck!!
1.30.2009
Offer accepted!
We finally came to an agreement on the house yesterday. The owners finally settled for 10K over our asking price and 20K under their original asking price. Compared to other homes in the area, it was way overpriced when we looked at price per square foot. Either way, we got it for less than I thought we could, so we're pretty happy. Our realtor is very agressive so it worked out in our favor. When we purchased our current house with him, he actually ended up making an offer to the sellers for less than we had decided on, but they accepted, so it really worked in our favor.
Anyway, the sellers won't be able to sign the offer until Sunday, so our option period will start Monday. We will have to do all the normal house buying stuff like getting the inspector and appraiser, but we are going to have to really forge ahead on getting some remodel plans in the works.
I am pretty sure everyone thinks we are crazy, including our realtor! But, this idea is just so crazy that it's going to work. The lot is so gorgeous - I will post some pics when I get a chance - that no matter what we will make it work. We want to add up to 1500 sq. ft. or as much as we can afford. In order to figure that out we really need to have some plans made up and some contractors look at them. So, this brings us to our next major hurdle. Finding an architect to draw up some official plans. We have spoken with one who we had mixed feelings about, and so now we are on the hunt for more. We just have to call them and set up some meetings, and I really think this is going to be quite the process. Thankfully they have their portfolios online so we can see right away if we like their style.
We have a meeting this morning with another contractor and his architect so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say. Paul really wants to make sure we are able to put the plans out for bids by contractors, so it may be best to find an architect who is not directly associated with a contractor.
This really is going to be an experience. I told Paul that if we make it through this without getting a divorce that we're in it for the long haul for sure! Just so you know, we both laughed!
I'll keep updating as we progress along!
Anyway, the sellers won't be able to sign the offer until Sunday, so our option period will start Monday. We will have to do all the normal house buying stuff like getting the inspector and appraiser, but we are going to have to really forge ahead on getting some remodel plans in the works.
I am pretty sure everyone thinks we are crazy, including our realtor! But, this idea is just so crazy that it's going to work. The lot is so gorgeous - I will post some pics when I get a chance - that no matter what we will make it work. We want to add up to 1500 sq. ft. or as much as we can afford. In order to figure that out we really need to have some plans made up and some contractors look at them. So, this brings us to our next major hurdle. Finding an architect to draw up some official plans. We have spoken with one who we had mixed feelings about, and so now we are on the hunt for more. We just have to call them and set up some meetings, and I really think this is going to be quite the process. Thankfully they have their portfolios online so we can see right away if we like their style.
We have a meeting this morning with another contractor and his architect so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say. Paul really wants to make sure we are able to put the plans out for bids by contractors, so it may be best to find an architect who is not directly associated with a contractor.
This really is going to be an experience. I told Paul that if we make it through this without getting a divorce that we're in it for the long haul for sure! Just so you know, we both laughed!
I'll keep updating as we progress along!
1.26.2009
Our Next Adventure!
I've been hesitant to write anything about this in case we changed our mind or things didn't work out, but I guess it's time to tell everyone what we've been scheming about behind the scenes.
For a long time I've wanted a bigger yard and we are entertaining the idea of having one more child. If we do have another baby we'd like to have a 5 bedroom house (need a spare bedroom for all our out of town guests), and I still want that yard! So, I started looking around for houses and found a nice little house with a beautiful yard that is about 2/3 of an acre, but it's too small - only 3 bedrooms. So we looked at it and really loved it and started thinking that we might be able to get it and remodel to make what we want for the same price we could get or build a new 5 bedroom home. And none of the new builds have anything close to the yard this one has. We researched, talked to contractors, read online and looked at the house again.
We decided to make an offer on the house yesterday and we are still anxiously waiting to hear from the sellers. They've already turned down one offer and had one offer fall through, so I'm hoping 3rd time's a charm! From what we understand they are a retired couple with a ranch somewhere in Texas and a home in Costa Rica so I'm hoping they are ready to get rid of the house!!
The house is great and we'd love to add a second story if we can. It has a nice layout, but it's really the yard that is so great. It's got big trees and backs up to some heavily wooded property owned by other neighbors who got together to purchase it so nothing would be developed on it. It would be so perfect for the kids to be able to play out there all the time.
So, as I write this I hope I'm not jinxing the situation and I hope we hear some good news today - I'm sort of expecting a counter offer and that if they were going to say 'no' we would have heard last night. If we come to an agreement I'll post some pictures, but I don't want to get too excited yet.
For a long time I've wanted a bigger yard and we are entertaining the idea of having one more child. If we do have another baby we'd like to have a 5 bedroom house (need a spare bedroom for all our out of town guests), and I still want that yard! So, I started looking around for houses and found a nice little house with a beautiful yard that is about 2/3 of an acre, but it's too small - only 3 bedrooms. So we looked at it and really loved it and started thinking that we might be able to get it and remodel to make what we want for the same price we could get or build a new 5 bedroom home. And none of the new builds have anything close to the yard this one has. We researched, talked to contractors, read online and looked at the house again.
We decided to make an offer on the house yesterday and we are still anxiously waiting to hear from the sellers. They've already turned down one offer and had one offer fall through, so I'm hoping 3rd time's a charm! From what we understand they are a retired couple with a ranch somewhere in Texas and a home in Costa Rica so I'm hoping they are ready to get rid of the house!!
The house is great and we'd love to add a second story if we can. It has a nice layout, but it's really the yard that is so great. It's got big trees and backs up to some heavily wooded property owned by other neighbors who got together to purchase it so nothing would be developed on it. It would be so perfect for the kids to be able to play out there all the time.
So, as I write this I hope I'm not jinxing the situation and I hope we hear some good news today - I'm sort of expecting a counter offer and that if they were going to say 'no' we would have heard last night. If we come to an agreement I'll post some pictures, but I don't want to get too excited yet.
1.13.2009
Only a week left . . .
From slate.com:
Being able to laugh at yourself is a rare quality in a leader. It's one thing George W. Bush can do that Bill Clinton couldn't. Unfortunately, as we bid farewell to Bushisms, we must conclude that the joke was mainly on us.
1. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
2. "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000
3. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"—Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000
4. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004
5. "Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican."—declining to answer reporters' questions at the Summit of the Americas, Quebec City, Canada, April 21, 2001
6. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''—Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001
7. "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006
8. "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
9. "I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that."—discussing former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as quoted by the Sun newspaper, June 27, 2007
10. "And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq."—meeting with Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008
11. "We ought to make the pie higher."—South Carolina Republican debate, Feb. 15, 2000
12. "There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
13. "And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it."—speaking on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007
14. "We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers."—Houston, Sept. 6, 2000
15. "It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."—Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000
16. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000
17. "People say, 'How can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil?' You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
18. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000
19. "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."—on the prospect of visiting Denmark, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2005
20. "I think it's really important for this great state of baseball to reach out to people of all walks of life to make sure that the sport is inclusive. The best way to do it is to convince little kids how to—the beauty of playing baseball."—Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2006
21. "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
Share this article on DiggBuzz up!Share this article on Buzz22. "You know, when I campaigned here in 2000, I said, I want to be a war president. No president wants to be a war president, but I am one."—Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006
23. "There's a huge trust. I see it all the time when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want you to let me down again.' "—Boston, Oct. 3, 2000
24. "They misunderestimated me."—Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000
25. "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008
Being able to laugh at yourself is a rare quality in a leader. It's one thing George W. Bush can do that Bill Clinton couldn't. Unfortunately, as we bid farewell to Bushisms, we must conclude that the joke was mainly on us.
1. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
2. "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000
3. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"—Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000
4. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004
5. "Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican."—declining to answer reporters' questions at the Summit of the Americas, Quebec City, Canada, April 21, 2001
6. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''—Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001
7. "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006
8. "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
9. "I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that."—discussing former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as quoted by the Sun newspaper, June 27, 2007
10. "And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq."—meeting with Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008
11. "We ought to make the pie higher."—South Carolina Republican debate, Feb. 15, 2000
12. "There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
13. "And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it."—speaking on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007
14. "We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers."—Houston, Sept. 6, 2000
15. "It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."—Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000
16. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000
17. "People say, 'How can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil?' You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
18. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000
19. "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."—on the prospect of visiting Denmark, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2005
20. "I think it's really important for this great state of baseball to reach out to people of all walks of life to make sure that the sport is inclusive. The best way to do it is to convince little kids how to—the beauty of playing baseball."—Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2006
21. "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
Share this article on DiggBuzz up!Share this article on Buzz22. "You know, when I campaigned here in 2000, I said, I want to be a war president. No president wants to be a war president, but I am one."—Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006
23. "There's a huge trust. I see it all the time when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want you to let me down again.' "—Boston, Oct. 3, 2000
24. "They misunderestimated me."—Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000
25. "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008
1.09.2009
Christmas 2008
Christmas is a wonderful holiday, but I think my husband put it best - 'Christmas morning is like giving your kids a drug overdose'. It is so true. The toys, the excitement, the toys, the wrapping paper, the music, and the toys. There is so much new and wonderful stuff that they don't even know what to do with it all. There is no sharing of any kind and letting another child even touch or look at their new toy creates a meltdown that the neighbors can hear 2 doors down.
We had a very generous Christmas this year. My parents, brother, sis-in-law and 2 1/2 year old niece were all staying with us to celebrate. With everyone in the house plus gifts sent from relatives who don't live here, we had an absolute drug overdose of 'new stuff'. The 3 kids played together so wonderfully that they lost interest in eating (except Sophia) and sleeping (also except Sophia). They did not want to go to bed, they woke up early, they would only eat if the food was consumable within 2.5 seconds, and they did feel a bit territorial over their toys.
Sophia likes to push stuff around, Thomas likes to put small cars into his new garbage truck and big wheel, and Isabella likes to undress dolls and color. Kids were running everywhere at all times and Isabella was a little overwhelmed by all the action at times. There were fights, a fall down the stairs, crayons smashed all over my kitchen floor, food everywhere and toys even more everywhere. I am still finding odds and ends that I"ll have to send home to respective owners.
Despite the craziness, it was really wonderful to be together. Many people don't have a family or the opportunity to be together at the holidays. In the past year I attended the funeral of a young soldier (son of a teacher friend, also a husband and father) killed in Iraq, had a friend pass away from complications related to skin cancer (his wife died of cancer several years ago and he left behind a son), and 2 other friends died (one unexpectedly in an accident and then his wife died about 6 mos later of pancreatic cancer - they have 2 daughters in college). The experiences of losing all these friends made me realize how lucky I am and how important it is to spend time with the people who matter most, even if it is completely chaotic and crazy. I would rather have that than an empty, lonely house any day of the week! Here's a few pictures of the 'new stuff' overdose.
We had a very generous Christmas this year. My parents, brother, sis-in-law and 2 1/2 year old niece were all staying with us to celebrate. With everyone in the house plus gifts sent from relatives who don't live here, we had an absolute drug overdose of 'new stuff'. The 3 kids played together so wonderfully that they lost interest in eating (except Sophia) and sleeping (also except Sophia). They did not want to go to bed, they woke up early, they would only eat if the food was consumable within 2.5 seconds, and they did feel a bit territorial over their toys.
Sophia likes to push stuff around, Thomas likes to put small cars into his new garbage truck and big wheel, and Isabella likes to undress dolls and color. Kids were running everywhere at all times and Isabella was a little overwhelmed by all the action at times. There were fights, a fall down the stairs, crayons smashed all over my kitchen floor, food everywhere and toys even more everywhere. I am still finding odds and ends that I"ll have to send home to respective owners.
Despite the craziness, it was really wonderful to be together. Many people don't have a family or the opportunity to be together at the holidays. In the past year I attended the funeral of a young soldier (son of a teacher friend, also a husband and father) killed in Iraq, had a friend pass away from complications related to skin cancer (his wife died of cancer several years ago and he left behind a son), and 2 other friends died (one unexpectedly in an accident and then his wife died about 6 mos later of pancreatic cancer - they have 2 daughters in college). The experiences of losing all these friends made me realize how lucky I am and how important it is to spend time with the people who matter most, even if it is completely chaotic and crazy. I would rather have that than an empty, lonely house any day of the week! Here's a few pictures of the 'new stuff' overdose.
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