XBOX WIFE: 6/1/08

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

Our computer has been down all day long!!! THANKFULLY, it is finally back up and running! I'm running out the door and can't post a list at the moment, but here is a link for y'all! Hope you're having a great and thankful Tuesday!

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Amy
2. nikki
3. Emily

4. Danna
5. Jenni J
6. Sharon

7. Kipi

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

Whoops!

Not only did we ALL oversleep today...I almost forgot it was Tuesday! However, I will NOT forget to be thankful! In the interest of getting the link up more quickly for all of you, though, I will be making my list AFTER posting!

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Jennifer
2. Rosheeda
3. Dyane
4. shana

5. Amy
6. Jennifer
7. mzzterry
8. nikki

9. Chandra
10. aloted
11. Cristy

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

Good morning, Friends! This is a different sort of Ten Things list for today, but it's one that I've been wanting to do for awhile, especially considering that I haven't been able to take much time to update this blog daily, or to comment on your blogs!

I am thankful for...

old friends and new friends
unique blessings and shared blessings
simple blessings and unfathomable blessings
your joyfulness and my joyfulness
seeing things in a new light shed by others
being able to dig deep inside to find joy even when it's hard to find
fourteen great weeks of "Ten Things Tuesday" (This is Week Fifteen!)
the 40-plus individuals that have linked to "Ten Things Tuesday" (Wouldn't it be amazing if every single one of us did it one of these weeks!?!!) and all of the people I've seen that participate but that don't link here (Would love for you to join us here, though!)
the people that read and comment but are not making a list at all (I hope you're being blessed each week and hope you'll feel free to join in anytime!)
over 2000 thankful thoughts shared (And those are just the ones you've typed!)

Look how we've grown!
And look how YOU'VE grown. It's hard to believe, but it's been almost twenty years since I started making my "Ten Things" list...and I've GROWN! Some days it was ~and STILL can be ~ really difficult to make that list. There have been some dark days. There were days of mourning, days of fear, days of depression. BUT...there was always a sunrise on those times. And there was ~ and always WILL be ~ joy to be found in the smallest of things!

Thank you for joining me on this journey of joy and thanksgiving! (I'm going to be attempting to create a blogroll for "Ten Things Tuesday". Please email me at xboxwife@hotmail.com if you participate in "Ten Things Tuesday" and would like to have your blog included!)

Scroll all the way to the bottom for the "Ten Things Tuesday" link! I promise ~ it IS there!!!

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK ONE ~ MARCH 4, 2008
1. Jennifer

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK TWO ~ MARCH 11, 2008

1. Jennifer
2. Jill

3. Jennifer
4. Rhino's Real Total Package

5. Jayne

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK THREE ~ MARCH 18, 2008

1. Jennifer
2. Jill

3. Jennifer
4. Jayne

5. Danna Ramsey
6. Shana

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK FOUR ~ MARCH 25, 2008

1. Jennifer
2. Dyane
3. mzzterry
4. Jill

5. Jennifer
6. Shana
7. Tyler
8. Mercedes' World

9. Jason
10. Danna
11. Dallas
12. Kathryn

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK FIVE ~ APRIL 1, 2008

1. Chandra
2. Jennifer
3. mzzterry
4. shana
5. Dyane
6. Amanda
7. Dallas

8. Danna
9. Nikki
10. Jill
11. Andria
12. Jen
13. Sarah in Disturbia
14. Mercedes

15. Jason
16. Rosheeda
17. Jamie
18. Jenn
19. Jenni J

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK SIX ~ APRIL 8, 2008

1. Nikki
2. mzzterry
3. Dyane
4. Liza\'s Eyeview
5. Shana
6. Rosheeda

7. Jennifer
8. Chandra
9. Jill
10. Jen
11. Jamie
12. Jason

13. Danna
14. Jayne
15. Vicki
16. Jenni J
17. Michelle
18. Amanda

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK SEVEN ~ APRIL 15, 2008

1. Dallas
2. Dyane
3. Emily
4. Darrah
5. Chandra
6. mzzterry
7. Mercedes
8. Adrian

9. Rosheeda
10. We are THAT family
11. Amanda
12. Jennifer
13. Nikki
14. Jill
15. Joy
16. Danna

17. Michelle
18. JenniJ
19. Jen
20. Amy
21. David
22. Jason
23. Jamie
24. Andria

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK EIGHT ~ APRIL 22, 2008

1. Rosheeda
2. Chandra
3. Jason
4. Dyane
5. Jennifer

6. shana
7. Jill
8. mzzterry
9. Emily
10. Danna

11. Jason B
12. Darrah
13. jen
14. Joy B.

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK NINE ~ APRIL 29, 2008

1. Michelle
2. Jennifer
3. Lisa Beth
4. Rosheeda
5. Jill

6. Emily
7. Nikki
8. Chandra
9. mzzterry
10. Danna

11. Andria
12. JenniJ
13. Jayne

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK TEN ~ MAY 6, 2008

1. Andria
2. mzzterry
3. Jennifer
4. Skelty
5. Dyane
6. Rosheeda
7. Jill

8. Kristine
9. Dallas
10. Joy
11. Michelle
12. Trisha
13. Jen
14. Chandra

15. Danna
16. Emily
17. Kipi
18. Jenni J
19. shana
20. Nikki

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK ELEVEN ~ MAY 13, 2008

1. sandwiched
2. Vicki
3. Lisa Beth
4. mzzterry
5. Michelle
6. Rosheeda

7. Chandra
8. Danna
9. Jill
10. Adrian
11. Trisha
12. Kipi

13. Emily
14. Jen
15. Jason
16. nikki

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK TWELVE ~ MAY 20, 2008

1. Jennifer
2. Sharon
3. Amy
4. mzzterry
5. Michelle
6. Danna

7. Emily
8. Nik
9. Caitlin
10. Jayne
11. Jill
12. Trisha

13. Kipi
14. Jennifer
15. JenniJ
16. rieskha

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK THIRTEEN ~ MAY 27, 2008

1. Amy
2. Lisa Beth
3. Jennifer
4. Jennifer
5. Emily

6. Kristine
7. mzzterry
8. Sharon@Reservoir
9. Michelle
10. Jayne

11. Nikki
12. Jen
13. JenniJ
14. Trisha

Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
WEEK FOURTEEN ~ JUNE 3, 2008

1. Jayne
2. Jennifer
3. Dyane
4. Amy
5. Shana

6. Jill
7. Jennifer
8. mzzterry
9. Danna
10. Sharon

11. Emily
12. Joy
13. Joanna

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Amy
2. Dyane
3. mzzterry

4. Danna
5. Jill
6. Sarah in Disturbia

7. Jennifer
8. Chandra
9. Joy

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

I promise to visit all of the new Ten Thing'ers soon! I'll come visit all of the old ones, too! Thanks for sticking in during the blogging drought around here. Things have been too busy to dare start reading and commenting. If I start, I'm not able to stop! BUT...I know you're there. I've seen you. I've sneaked the quickest of peeks...and am so glad to have each and every one of you on this journey of joy with me!

Good morning! Isn't it turning out to be a gorgeous summer? It's hard to believe, though, that it's not actually even "true summer" yet!

The one solid reminder we have, however, is SCHOOL. Yes...you read that correctly. The Brownstone kids are still in school! It's almost enough to make me complain a little bit. My philosophy is that there should be no school allowed during the months of June, July, and August.

NONE!

Not. A. Single. Day.

When I was in school, we started every year the day after Labor Day, and we were out for summer by every Memorial Day. You know what? We all turned out just fine!!!

Kids need summer!

BUT...this is "Ten Thing Tuesday". It is not a complaining post!

Our children are receiving a stellar public education. We are so blessed to be in a school district that has a high standard of learning.
They have a beautiful learning environment. Really...it's beautiful. The school looks brand new, and the layout is amazing. Each grade level is self-contained, with the exception of Art, Music, P.E., Spanish, and the Cafeteria, which are conveniently in one area, and the Library and the Office, which are centrally located.
The school is always clean. And by clean...I mean really clean. The custodians do a fantastic job each and every day. On this subject...if you've never thanked your child's custodian, you should totally do it. I've worked in schools that were not very clean and in schools that were immaculate. I fully believe it makes a difference in the performance of the kids AND the teachers.
The teachers are amazing! They win "Teacher of the Year" awards at higher levels than our specific school with an amazing ratio! I can't think of a single day that I've driven by the school in the late afternoon and seen an empty parking lot. They come early and stay late. There are truly teachers there with a love for teaching!
They are exposed to many extra-curricular classes, competitions, service projects, and opportunities.
It's a community. Everyone remembers all the kids' names. The principal, the vice principal, the office ladies, the nurse, the librarian, the custodian, the teachers, the classroom aides... They also know the parents' names, and to which kids we belong. I think that's pretty impressive.
There is a high parent involvement. We are encouraged to be in the building in a volunteer capacity (with a background check!) as often as we'd like to be there. There are many ways to serve as a volunteer, which makes it extremely easy to find something you like to do. We are also encouraged to come eat lunch with our kids. I try to do this at least once every six weeks for each of my children. They LOVE it!
This has to be prefaced with "kids are kids"...but for the most part, the kids are all great! My children have lots of really great friends from school.
Every year, they are placed with the teacher and the classmates that seems to truly be the best for them. The principal and the vice principal meet, and they consider every educational factor and personality trait of each child, as well as those of the teachers for the coming year. They also factor in what the teachers the previous year have said about student-to-student relationships. It's clear that it is never a hasty decision but always one that is well-thought out by the team. And PRAYER has a lot to do with it, too!
School is almost out for summer!!!

Have a wonderful summer! Do something fun with your kids...or your grandkids...or your nieces and nephews...or your spouse! And if none of these apply? Sign up to be a volunteer reader in the fall for a school near you! It will greatly bless you and the kids to whom you're reading!

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Jayne
2. Jennifer
3. Dyane
4. Amy
5. Shana

6. Jill
7. Jennifer
8. mzzterry
9. Danna
10. Sharon

11. Emily
12. Joy
13. Joanna

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.