Bullying

For days I have been following the story of Phoebe Price, the Freshman in Massachusetts who took her own life after being the victim of relentless bullying. This morning on the way into the office I cried as I listened yet again to some of the details. Phoebe dated a senior on the football team and there were other kids in the school who didn't like that...REALLY!!! As absurd as that sounds that is how it all started.

After months and months of continually being mistreated and bullied by other kids at school Phoebe went home one day and took her own life. How horrible must the bullying have been for her to feel she had no other choice???

This is a personal issue for me because our daughter, Danielle, who is only 10 now, was bullied in school last year. Her situation was somewhat different in that it was only one boy who was bullying her...but it took her weeks before she could tell Joe and I or the teacher what was going on because she feared what the boy would do if she told. This incident turned our home upside down...we had a child who would be in hysterics each night because she didn't feel safe enough in her own home to fall asleep. She needed (not wanted) to sleep with a parent. We went to family counseling for her and fought an uphill battle with the school administration regarding keeping the two of them in the same class. To be completely honest she still has setbacks and it is now 15 months later.

I have 3 nieces and 1 nephew who are in High School already and 2 more about to go to High School. The thought of something like this happening to them breaks my heart. They all are great kids with nice friends etc... to think that one thing they do could change their lives in this way just baffles me.

As parents we need to be SO SURE that we are open with our kids and that they feel comfortable to come to us with something like this...we also need to be their voice at the school and follow up as many times necessary and go as far up the chain of command as we have to. (We eventually went to the Districts Superintendent) Our kids need to see us going to great lengths for them and their safety.

On the flip side we also need to teach our kids to not be the bully. Everyone has a "story" and we may never really know what someones life is like outside of school so to judge, criticize or make fun of someone based on what we think we know is horrible.

At this point 10 kids and their families lives will be changed forever. One family lost their daughter forever...and the nine others are awaiting their fate with all of the legal charges that have now been brought against them.

Hold your kids tightly and let them know how much they are loved.

So many things....

Right now I feel like there are so many things I would like to sit down and write about. Some good, some not so good. Religion and Politics are a very touchy subject and it seems as some people are forgetting that. It is fine to have an opinion and express it...but please be respectful of other's opinions as well, as they have the same rights that you do.

With that said...lets all remember we are in what should be the Holiest week of the year right now. Take the time to reflect on what happened all those years ago to allow us this freedom. Remember where it all started...and remember:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Tuesday's at Re-Re's

I am Re-Re...have been since I was a kid. For some reason Marie was difficult for kids and it became Re then Re-Re. My life long friends, relatives and now the next generation of kids in our family call me Re-Re. I have to say...it is great to be Re-Re.


Danielle and Amber dance together and practice is every Tuesday and the dance studio is near our house. This is a great opportunity for my kids and Colleen's kids to see each other once a week for sure.


We all eat dinner together and then the girls go off to dance and Joseph and Alex play while the grown-ups catch up.


This Tuesday Colleen stayed home with Baby Bella, who will become part of our Tuesday ritual very soon!!!


Here is a little of what she missed this week:



Gangsta Alex!!!
He must get it from Little Joe.

Cutest Thugs EVER!!!

Making up their own dance.

So much love and fun on Tuesday's.

Posting this just because....she knows why!!!

Oh, and yes this happens EVERY Tuesday at Re-Re's....wanna join us next week???

They are already winners!!!

My daughter, Danielle and Colleen's daughter, Amber will be going to their first dance competition of the season this weekend representing their dance studio - The Dance Company. They had the dress rehearsal this past Saturday followed by a studio sleepover - what fun!!!

In my eyes these girls are already winners, regardless of what happens this weekend. I am completely amazed at their ability to go on stage in front of an auditorium full of people and "do their thing!!!"

I have recently started in the moms dance class at the studio and have made 2 observations...my daughter did not get her skills from me and it is very hard for me to even just cross the floor with other people watching me. The fact that these girls can do this with a full smile, no nerves and completely LOVE what they are doing is what makes them winners in my eyes.

Miss Charyl summed it up nicely at the rehearsal on Saturday when she said - no matter what happens you have already won...do you have any idea how many kids will never be able to do what your doing...they will never be comfortable putting themselves out there in this way - so you have already made great accomplishments just by getting up on that stage!!!

True dat Miss Charyl - and best of luck to all the dancers who I have grown to know and love from The Dance Company!!!

Danielle running her solo
Amber getting ready for the jazz routine

Running through the tap performance

Work it Amber!!!

"Our Saying"

I am sure you have heard me say before how important Daryl & Andre are to me and Joe. They were the first friends we made when we moved to Charlotte and now they are "family." We have been through so much together over the past 13 years - both good and bad times. Through the years we have spent many hours sitting at our kitchen table or their kitchen table and talking about everything there is to talk about. We laugh, we cry and now we have many great memories. Through the years Daryl has said time and time again how the best of times happen "at the kitchen table." She is right...they sure do. Recently they had their kitchen painted - at the same time Joe and I were out shopping and we found one of the wall expressions that summarized our time at the kitchen table just like Daryl always has, so we picked it up for them. It was like it was made just for us/them and we found it at the perfect time.

I wanted a close up of it for you to read the expression.

They have always had this picture of ladies around the kitchen table so it was the perfect place to hang the expression.

Here we are all in the kitchen - even though there was plenty of room in the rest of the house!!!

We sometimes send the gentlemen out of the kitchen.

This is "their" pose - no matter the occasion they get at least one picture of the two of them just like this. Sooner or later they won't be able to bend like that!!!

Daryl, Big Daddy & Vicky for the annual visit from the NJ Crew.

Fun In The Kitchen

Tom & Lisa came to Charlotte for a visit recently...as always it was a great time. They are the best house guests - Tom cooks, Lisa cleans and they never expect us to be serving/waiting on them. Same goes for us when we go to their house. We are "family" and we love being together so when we are together it is almost like we all just live together - that is how comfortable we are in each other's homes. The way it usually works is Tom and I cook, Lisa cleans and Joe is the "floater" - sets up for parties, helps Tom with the grill or cooker (without ever really cooking) and occasionally is just working on a "honey do list" for me or Lisa!!!

Here recently Joe has taken over making what were once my famous, made from scratch, chocolate chip cookies. This has been great for me as most of our family and friends now just make the request directly to Joe and it keeps me open to making other foods or desserts.

Back to the last visit...we were all in the kitchen on a Sunday morning and Lisa and I were sitting at the table with all the kids. I looked up and realized that Joe was baking and Tom was cooking breakfast while we were just chatting - talk about a kodak moment!!!

Joe baking cookies and Tom making his FAMOUS hash browns

Showing off - like the movie Cocktail

Can you see the delicious potatoes???

I hope seeing them in the kitchen rubs off on Little Joe and he won't mind cooking - he actually already cooks "his secret" recipe pancakes for us. (NO I can't tell you the recipe)

It also seems that our nephew Alex will be comfortable in the kitchen as well. Here he is on a recent Tuesday night at our house.

Ignore the pink and purple and focus on how happy he is to have utensils in his hands!!!

Beauty

I absolutely love this picture of Amber. Taken quick and by surprise...and she is still beautiful even without any prep.

Mastercard Moment

We were sitting around talking with our nieces who are in High School - they were telling a story of some kids who got into trouble...Danielle says "Why would they do stuff like that?" my niece replies "Because they have nothing to do with their time after school...but you dance - so you won't have issues like this...you just keep dancing"

I will say that in my mind, although Danielle is only 10 - I think of this often. As she gets older and into Middle and High School, Joe and I will know where she is and what is occupying her time as she continues to dance. When we pay her tuition and other fees now...I remind myself that later in life I will be happy we did this and that she is doing something constructive with her time.

Peace of mind knowing where your kids are and what they are doing....PRICELESS!!!