Vote NO on CON CON

On Election Day, November 4, Illinois, voters will be asked to decide whether the state should hold a Constitutional Convention (Con Con) to rewrite our state's governing document.

The last time voters were asked if a Con Con was needed, they rejected the notion 3 to 1. We should do the same this year.

There are many reasons to vote NO on CON CON:

• It will cost taxpayers as much as $100 million- money that could be better spent on education and critical services.
• It would open the entire constitution for major changes, threatening important protections and allowing special interests to push their narrow agendas.
• The state constitution can already be changed by amendment. In fact, Illinois voters have amended the current constitution 10 times since 1970.

A Con Con would be costly and unnecessary. Please join me and vote NO on CON CON on November 4.
Thank you.

Some of my favorite things...

My favorite season has arrived! I love how fall stimulates all of your senses.
I love the bright changing colors.
I love cool crisp nights.
I love the sound of leaves crinkling under foot when going for a walk and the sound of the dogs rustling in the leaves.
I love how excited Drew gets that it is hunting season.
I love the smell of burning leaves and the first fire of the season in the fireplace - we have not made a fire yet.
I love fresh the crunch of fresh apples.

Getting Taller & Growing Up

Drew & Alex went up North for a little work and a little dose of relief for hunting fever.

Alex has grown up so much! How is it that he is old enough to have a hunting license & to carry a gun?! When he took the hunter safety course in the spring, he only missed one question on the final test.


Some of the new season softball team at the kick-off party last weekend.

With mixed emotions, Ashley is not dancing this year - the first year since she was 2! Middle school seems to agree with her. She is doing well in school and has taken on another sport - volleyball.
We just barely got home from a softball round robin tournament that the Lady Dawgs hosted to shower, change and get to Rainbow Installation.

Alex's Birthday "week"

Tonight we celebrated Alex's Birthday (which is actually this coming Wednesday) with a family dinner, laser tag, arcade games & bowling.

Cora enjoyed her Cherrios.
Julie & Geoff practiced dominating the arcade.
Drew took a try as an airplane pilot.
Ashley practicing driving.
Grandma & Grandpa playing with the girls.

The big kids bowling.

Then there are these two "hunting dinosaurs".

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!

Happy Birthday Week Alex!

You and your friends should have a great time!

It's one of those days when you can't believe how awesome life is.

Wow are Alex & Ashley tall!

It was raining too hard to go apple picking but we had a great breakfast and a great time doing other funny things in the rain.

For as dry as we were not, we really don't have a good reason why we didn't come home with apples!

The apples in the tree above ~

Alex, Madison, Spencer, Ashley, Zach & Riley.

This goat was trying stay dry.

There is a habitrail like structure for the goats.

You put food in the can and use the pulley to move it up to the top of the goat crossing.

Alex feeding a lama an apple.

Zach feeding the little goats. They were really cute.

Here is a little goat that we all thought greatly resembles our Maddie.

We'll keep Maddie.

Spencer's nickname is Busy Bee so she had to have a picture with her home away from home.

Seeing that we were with our great democratic friends,

it was fitting that we came across a donkey.

Only in Wisconsin... Kids "riding" on top of a train right next to the freeway.

The semi in the back adds a nice touch.

This morning was really fun even if it has rained for the last 3 days and it is not stopping soon.

Illinois voters should vote NO on CON CON

In November, Illinois voters will be asked to decide whether or not the state should convene a constitutional convention, or "Con Con". Learn more about what a Con Con is, what it would cost, how it could jeopardize teachers pensions and more.
On Nov. 4, Illinois voters will see a referendum on the ballot that asks whether or not a state consitutional convention should be convened. The Illinois Federation of Teachers and dozens of other unions, civic groups and citizens organizations have come out in opposition to the referendum.
Illinois has had a constitution since it became a state in 1818. The current constitution was written in 1970 and became effective on July 1, 1971.
The purpose of the Illinois Constitution protects fundamental rights of citizens in Illinois.
There is nothing wrong with the constitution; it is regarded as one of the best in the country. The current constitution requires that every 20 years Illinois voters must be asked whether or not they want a constitutional convention.
The $100 million dollars it would cost to hold the convention could be spend to increase the education foundation level by $150, provide a school nurse in every school building, or pay off the debt owed to Illinois pension systems.
There is a possibility especially now when our economy is not stable, that the convention could eliminate current constitutional language that says no pension benefit can be "diminished or impared". Eliminating this provision could mean the formula for current members could be reduced. Basically, it could end up with an empty pension fund and no money left to pay teacher pensions.

9.11.01 WHERE WERE YOU?...

That's really the important question today. Where were you on 9/11/2001? Your story is the one you have told and will tell for as long as you live. The story you tell is that line in your life where we all went from believing one way to never believing that way again.

The lame question we hear over and over again is "how has your life changed"? Unless you lost someone that day….unless you know a hero who responded to Ground Zero, that Pennsylvania field, or the Pentagon…unless you love or lost someone who decided to fight for America…your day-to-day life is largely the same. The difference is you will never trust that America is bulletproof anymore. That and you may have to keep checking your hair gel and toothpaste when you fly.

Let's do all of us a favor and avoid the finger pointing and blame game stuff. That's for another day. 9/11 should be for remembering those who died and for honoring America.

One very important thing to do today as a parent is to talk to your kids about 9/11. Maybe even more important is to listen to your kids about their feelings. They are 7 years older now and what they felt then is likely different from what they feel today.

The lingering pain of 9/11 is more than just emotions as the physical impact has hit home with the first responders...the heroes of that day. Hundreds, if not thousands of rescue and construction workers are suffering from moderate to severe lung issues directly related to breathing the dust from the WTC attacks. Many of those brave men don't have the insurance coverage to get them the medical help they need. This is the ultimate no-brainer. Theses heroes should get the treatment they need for as long as they need it with no questions asked.
As we move forward its easy to get stuck with so many unanswered questions from 9/11. Why can't we get Osama? Why did our intelligence fail so miserably? More directly, how many unsung civilian heroes died that day because they stayed behind in the Towers to make sure others got out. And as a New York firefighter said best, "...how terrible was it up there that the better option was to jump"?

It may be hard to get your head around it but there is good news on this 7th anniversary of America's worst day. It is an important part of the legacy and it is almost never discussed. The legacy is the lives that were not lost. More than 20,000 people at Ground Zero were saved by New York's finest. And since 9/11 we have not had a single attack of domestic terrorism (not including Anthrax). We have established a national consciousness that is a sort of a coast-to-coast "crime watch" neighborhood. In this new world no news is good news. The reason we haven't had anymore attacks is in no small way due to the fact that our new systems of protection are working.

Maybe on this 7th anniversary we can recapture some of that incredible unity we all felt then. That unity came first in confusion, fear, and anger. That unity came next in charity, pride, and patriotism. That's what makes America great. And when you see a cop, a soldier, a fireman…just say thanks. You don't need to explain. Just thank them for what they do.

The English Language is Difficult

Yesterday in class we read the following poem and did an exercise about reading comprehension. It is amazing what a different appreciation for reading people have when they are able to read in the first place as well as understand what they are reading.

Unlike this cartoon, I do not at all want to give up. It drives me to teach those kids to read and enjoy it.

Today, the students completed a contract with their strenghts, weaknesses & their goals. I completed on too - I am scared but it is so beyond time for me to register to become certified to teach. The technicalities between what I do now and being certified are slim but the money involved - I need to go to the end of the diving board & go for it. To be a role model, this is the year.

No wonder the English language ... is so very difficult to learn:

• We polish the Polish furniture.


• He could lead if he would get the lead out.


• A farm can produce produce.


• The dump was so full it had to refuse refuse.


• The soldier decided to desert in the desert.


• The present is a good time to present the present.


• At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.


• The dove dove into the bushes.


• I did not object to the object.


• The insurance for the invalid was invalid.


• The bandage was wound around the wound.


• There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.


• They were too close to the door to close it.


• The buck does funny things when the does are present.


• They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.


• To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.


• The wind was too strong to wind the sail.


• After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.


• I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my clothes.


• I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.


• How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

- Unknown

Interview with Ashley

About the first few weeks of school...

I am a sixth grader! That sounded so cool at the end of 5th grade. Now I am the youngest grade in my school. I go to Robert Abbott Accelerated Middle School and our mascot is a ram (do you see the acronym?).

I got my hair cut short the first week of August - my dad was on the phone when we did it and just shook his head. we reassured him that it will go into a ponytail again by spring.

What did you learn the first days of this year? I learned a lot. - We spent the first week of school learning "positive behavior". Last week then entire school was tested for reading fluency. I'm not sure what but my mom works with the "reading specialist", the principal and a committee of people about kids reading scores. Mom scores the "dibbles" tests so she knew before anyone that I had scored the highest out of all the 6th graders. Lockers are mean - I did well at first but sometimes I mess up and it takes longer to open my locker. My locker has cool things to make it "cool". I've got a ton of magnets, storage things and a cool snack jar that I don't use but other kids want to buy snacks from me now. I told them no - for now.

How're the teachers? The teachers are good. Sometimes it gets annoying that all of the adults in the building know who I am. They don't usually call me by name, you are "so and so's daughter", or "I've seen you before" or "oh you look so much like your mom - it's not a bad thing, just annoying". I wouldn't want to change middle schools because knowing all of the teachers has its advantages because they know my mom will see them and they know I am a good kid so they don't mess with me. I am not the only child of a teacher in the building, my orchestra director's son is in 7th grade and one of the 6th grade teachers has a son in 8th grade. I have gone to school with my mom on "Take Your Child to Work With You" day for a few years now and softball practice is at Abbott in the winter so I've been there a few times before.

What's homework been? There is way more homework now. Tonight I had to read 15 pages in my social studies book then read 3 pages for reading and answer 17 questions - 10 of them were very long.

Any new friends? My best friend Spencer (from Worcester, MA) is at Abbott as well as a few friends from rainbow and softball. I have met some new girls who are nice. Jackie, Dymond, "K" (Kaitlyn) and Elizabeth are my newest friends. We have a cool lunch group. Spencer and I aren't in the same class so this is our time to catch up. My section (the group I go from class to class with) is called the "orchestra group" because most of us play in orchestra so we have all of our classes together.

Lunch is a trip. The entire school had pictures taken for our id's the first week of school. None of the 6th graders had theirs taken because of a mess up with the cards with all of our bar codes. So when we are in the lunch line we have to give the ladies our id number. Some kids don't know their id numbers so the line takes forever. They have good sandwiches and salads - nothing that I would have had in school lunch before.

Has it been exciting? It has. I have orchestra everyday. That means I don't have to take my cello back and forth - it lives at school now. Yeah! Switching classes is ok. It takes more time because there are so many people in the school but its cool. My mom says I have a great schedule - good teachers, a not so bad class schedule...

Our entire school will get to vote for president the monday before election day. We don't have school that day because of parent teacher conferences that week - the teachers will have to stay after Wednesday and Thursday nights so it will be like another full day for them. I guess tuesday will make up for that. whatever - another day to sleep in - yeah!

Today I "tried out" for the volleyball team. There is a 6th&7th grade team and an 8th grade team. Our first practice is tomorrow & our first game is next Monday. We will play the other 4 middle schools plus a middle school in zion. My "coach" is a teacher who is on my mom's "team" of teachers. - Weird a white ball instead of a yellow ball.

This year I don't have to take the bus unless it is a day my mom has meetings or a half day or something. I go with my mom in the morning and come home with her in the afternoon.

This year I am considering only taking tap (if that) - class starts next week so we have to figure out what I am going to do. I'm thinking with more of the homework, I'm thinking I am glad I danced but will be sad. I am proud of myself for dancing but there are more things to do now. I'll sleep on it a little more.

I'm playing softball -duh. my dad is the super coach still.

I'm pretty involved in rainbow too.

I've really got to go to bed - I'm tired, no really tired.

Ni night.

Interview with Alex

about the first weeks of school...

What did you learn the first days of this year? In science we are learning about a black box to investigate what is in it. We (only the 5th graders - 1 car for each group of 4 tables in each of the 3 classes) are going to build a model of a little tiny remote control car. I think it is pretty cool because this is the first year we have been able to build something real. Actually, last year we built a lamp out 3 batteries, some wire and a light bulb but I didn't really consider building a lamp as building something - it was just like a concoction. The car will have electric motors. This will be a fun project. I am working with Jaylene, Mercades & Jessica. This means I am the only "man in the group". I don't know how to build a car but I think I've got more sense than the girls so it will turn out pretty good compared to the other groups because I have taken my dad's model trucks apart before with him. Mr Freer is shorter than I am but he is pretty cool.
Science is my second favorite class. PE is my favorite class. Art comes after science then music then drama/writing.

Did I mention that I am the tallest kid in the school now?

How're the teachers? My favorite teachers are Mrs Rohlwing, my classroom teacher; Mr. Rathke, PE teacher; Mr. Freer, science; Mrs. Kapsala, art; Mr. Fletcher, music. The new principal Ms. Heim is nice and the new assistant principal "Mr A" is nice too.

The bus driver in the morning is nice but the afternoon bus driver was messed up! He didn't know where he was going the first couple weeks but now he is ok. My mom told his bosses he was not being nice; dropped me off 4 blocks away from home and was yelling at us. His bosses had a talk with him and now he is almost cool. - My mom says he might be earning his Christmas present back.

What's homework been? good - not a lot of it yet. Some of it is fun because most is word searches but it is not fun when I wait until bedtime to start doing it!

Any new friends? No new friends - I am sitting next to Paige for the 6th year in a row. Since kindergarten Paige has been keeping me in line and out of trouble. I like her but she is bossy like my sister so I can't like her too much - yet. I still think it is cool that she puts her own worms on her hooks. She is pretty and she has cool brothers.

Has it been exciting? Yes because I ROCK - I AM A 5TH GRADER, I AM THE OLDEST KID IN THE SCHOOL "A SENIOR" and my sister is the little baby 6th grader in the big school now. She is a "puppy" again.

Band starts in a few weeks. I will still play the baritone aka "jamitone".

Last year I went to "chat room" where I had the opportunity to vent about things to help me focus more on school. Compared to the other kids I was with, I have no problems. They vented about their divorced parents and stuff like that. I just went in to complain about my sister and how everything is about her. This year I don't want to go to chat room even though I like Mrs Darby and her snacks. She and my mom emailed back and forth to determine that I don't have to go. My dad says maybe my mom needs to see Mrs Darby because she is more worked up about me than I am. Mrs Darby says my mom is a good mom and I am a normal kid ~ maybe I will be a country club kid but that from what she can tell, I really love my dogs. I do until they swipe my food. Dad says that wouldn't happen if I didn't take snacks in my room to do my homework.

That's it for my interview because it is bed time. I have goals to read more this year and improve my handwriting. So far, my handwriting is way better. Now I've just got to get into reading more. I think I will spend my last 15 minutes before lights out, READING - to my dog, Maddie.

Good night.