Important Job: Sci-fi TV Actress? / First 18 Months in a Trailer

     The other day I was watching an interview of some women who were actresses on a certain TV show.  They started discussing motherhood.  They are all working moms.  One of them jokingly said that her child spent the first 18 months of her life in a trailer at the studio.  When I heard that, I was sad and disgusted.  They talked about how they would shoot a scene, then run back to the trailer, and breast feed for 20 minutes then run back to the set.  Wow, I don't think these women get it at all.  It seems like they think that they can be gone all day long, and work long hours, but they are good moms if they run back to the trailer and breast feed for 20 minutes every so often, or they pump their breast milk so the nanny can give it to the baby later.  It is not the breast milk that baby's really need (it is good and nice), but what they really need is mommy there all day long, and the cuddling and the closeness while they breastfeed or bottle feed.  Yes breast milk is healthy for your baby, but more important for a baby is the cuddling and kisses and love.  Knowing them so well and being there everytime they need you.  I don't know, but I think this is actually helps a baby's physical health more than a pop-over for some feeding.  Don't get me wrong, I do believe in breast feeding, but I feel that many working mom's get duped into thinking that they are good mom's if they pump, or work all the time, but only show up to breast feed.  Today we have great formulas, and even in Moses' time it was a job hired out if someone could not do it.  Yet a woman can still be a great mother and have healthy children even if breastfeeding isn't an option.  Baby's need to be with mommy most of the day (hey, mom needs a little time off ).

They also all were working before they had kids, then got pregnant while they were working on the show.  So, in my opinion, they should have waited to have kids, or worked until the child was born and then quit.  It just seems incredibly selfish.  I would hate to have my child spend the first 18 months of life in a little trailer at the set, with a nanny all day and night.

These women also talked about how their priorities had changed.   I guess their priorities changed from taking a nap or getting a snack during their break to breast-feeding during their break.  I don't really see much change in priorities.  Their career and their own selfishness still take center stage.  I mean what is it that is sooooo important that they have to work and treat their children like this.  Are their families going to starve, no.  Are they curing cancer or saving the world, no.  Are they saving lives, no.  What is this great world changing work they do - they work on a sci-fi tv show.  I would hate to tell my children that the reason they lived in a trailer at the studio for the first 18+ months of life is because I wanted to be in a sci-fi- tv show.  As far a important jobs go, that is near the bottom.  When I was teaching I was doing a more important job then they do now, and it was no where near important enough to not stay home for (is there a job that imporant, no).  Being a mom is the most important job a woman can do.  All other career aspirations and work should be sacrificed or postponed.  When a woman chooses to be a mom, it is a big life changing choice.  Do it right.  I think that many of these actresses are not so much into "acting" they are into themselves and their career.  Even if you stay home with your kids, you can help the school put on a play, or volunteer in the local community theater, etc.  You can still do what you like a little of the time, and be a mom.  Their love is not acting, it is being famous and making lots of money. There are lots of ways to have personal goals and aspirations, and still be a Stay at home mom.  You just have to make sure they don't get in the way of the the needs of the family and the children.  Also, when the kids are grown, go and act again, they won't get the same jobs again, but that is the price to pay for motherhood.  Other carrers it is much easier to get into a little later in life.  

I remember when I was pregnant with my oldest.  I was teaching at Indio Charter School.  I worked until I was 8 months pregnant, and then I quit.  I quit even though things were going well.  I quit because I wanted to have a baby for years, and I wasn't going to not take good care of my baby.  I planed ahead also so I would be able to stay home.  There was never a question about not quitting.  Not once did I think about nannys or day care or "balancing" work and family.  Even when a women stays home, it is so hard to be a mom, and feel like you are really doing it right.  The only way a woman with little babies or children can work and be a mom, is if she absolutely has to, and then I think Heavenly Father helps her out (like if her husband died or couldn't work etc).  Otherwise, I think it just really messes up the kids.

I am thankful for a husband who feels the same way as me, and parents who were good examples of this for me.  And the gospel that teaches this, as well as other people in society to believe and do the same thing.  Being a mom is the most important job in the world.

Sorry this is all disjointed, I was kind of tired when I wrote it.

Things I am Thankful For

It is about time I write on my blog. I am thankful for: my husband, each of my children, friends, my cat, God, the gospel, a living prophet, the temple, the Book of Mormon, the Bible, missionaries, my mom, my dad, the sacrifice they made for us, the lessons they taught us, the example they were to us, each of my siblings, my siblings' spouses and their children. My husbands family members, the fact that my husband is from the Philippines, the food and wonderful traditions of his family. Living in the desert, that my children go to a good school, good friends, that my husband has a good job, that I can stay at home with my kids, that we are all now healthy. I am thankful that my kids love books and reading - really thankful, and that they are well behaved at school. I am thankful that my kids are taking piano lessons at a reasonable price, by a fantastic teacher, that we also get to take taekwondo by a wonderful teacher close to home for a great price. I am thankful that I get to work with the kids in church, they are great, and so much fun. I am thankful for clothes and a safe place to live. I am thankful for finally after 38 years of life discovering a hair cut I like. The opportunity I had to go on a mission to Japan, the Japanese people and the Japanese Language, the wonderful food and culture of Japan. I am thankful for the seasons, the hot and the cold. Food!! Exercise!! The exercise keeps me from getting too fat, and the food keeps me from losing the 10-15 pounds I want to loose. The chance I got to swim in HS. All my past good teachers who taught me a lot, and the bad ones I also learned from. I am thankful for colors, and the sense of sight, touch, hearing, tasting, and being able to smell. I am thankful for sleep, and when my children sleep. Gardens and fruit trees, farmers who work magic in producing so much food. That my kids like to draw and color. Education. The chance to learn. Being able to go to COD and UCSD. The jobs I have had in my life. Learning even with out school. Math, and science. Learning to do things on my own. Beading, cooking, soapmaking, sewing, crocheting, home improvement, etc. My computer! Electricity, running water, showers, baths, toilets, air conditioning, heating, clean water, irrigation. Mountains, the ocean, the beach, snow on distant peaks visible from my home for several months each year (but not on my home). Good people who I know well, and those who don't know me who are great examples to me. Past trials that at the time were really difficult, but looking back were wonderful chances to grow and learn. Cars and bikes, running shoes. Hiking, swimming, surfing (eventhough I am still learning). The many many people who have selflessly helped me in various times in my life. Food. Desks, chairs, tables, couches, dressers, swingsets. Humor, laughing, good clean jokes. Sci Fi, star trek, star wars, SG, etc. Nice weather. Being outside. Really well written well made clean movies and tv shows. Preying mantis's, Lady bugs, all the amazing life around us that is so common place and that we are used to, that we might not even think twice about. Good deals and sales, being frugal, getting prepared. Card and board games to play with my family. History! The sacrifice of all the men and women of the military who have fought and died for our country since the revolutionary war. Also their families and others who have sacrificed for freedom and for the future posterity of this and other nations. The chances I have to serve others. My ancestors.

These and countless other things I am truly thankful!!! (I will think of many many more after i finish I am sure!)

That Evil Walmart

Yesterday, one of my facebook friends put up this article about Walmart. The title,"Project Impact: A Move to Crush Competition." (Link is below.) So before I read this article, I thought, oh, maybe they are forcing suppliers to charge less, or they are cutting prices below wholesale temporarily so they can put other companies out of business, and then when those other companies are out of business, they can jack up their prices. I thought the article would be about that, or some other nefarious business practice that was unfair, but legal. That is also how my friend made it out to be. (She wrote, "Watch out all you small businesses, they are coming after you!!")

But, you read the article, and you find that the evil empire of Walmart is going to crush its competition by ...(ready for it)...making the stores cleaner, more logical in their organization (store layout), better clothes, a better pharmacy, more crafts, and friendlier staff. Wow, that is so evil. They should advertise such horrible plans. They may get more shoppers. The spokesperson for Walmart said that they were just listening to customers.

When did improving yourself as a company become evil. When did listening to customers become so bad. I just don't get it. Don't misunderstand me, I don't worship Walmart or anything, and I think they have a lot of faults, but where are the horrible acts in this article. When has it been evil to give the customers what they want, and have a cleaner, more organized store with nice clothes in it? How dare they!! They have a lot a 'splaining to do!!!

Go for it Walmart!!! The more you improve, no matter what the media says, the more shoppers will go there. You really can't listen to the media, you just listen with people's wallets. If it was so horrible, people would not be there. That is capitalism for you. I am a big fan of that!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800

Great Day at Church

Today was a great day at church. I got a call an hour before church that one of my teachers would not be there (she got sick), and it didn't bother me. (I am the Primary President.) I didn't have enough time to prepare a lesson, but I knew her class was small and they could just go in another class. Then at church, 2 more teachers didn't show up. Usually I get frustrated when that happens, but today it didn't bother me. I just took all three classes into a classroom (10 kids, about half our primary), grabbed last years lesson book (all the ones for this year are being used), happened to open the book to the lesson on choosing the right. It was the perfect lesson for the day before the first day of school. I think it was the lesson Heavenly Father wanted these children to have. We talked about a story by one of the 70 who was dared when he was 7 by a friend to run in front of an oncoming car. He did it, was it, hurt, and learned how bad it is to give in to a dare. The only dares we should give in to are "Dare to do good, dare to do right". I think we can do some harmless fun ones as well, but that is just me. Anyway, I recently saw the movie Valkarie, and it reminded me of a quote I had heard by a Nazi soldier who was in on the attempt to assassinate Hitler and start a new government that would stop the killing of the Jews and the innocent Russians and immediately give up to the Allies. (Kill Hitler to stop the killing of the innocent). The attempt failed, and most of these men (many of whom were active, devoted God fearing Catholics) were killed for treason. A few of them were not found out. One of them was commanding troops somewhere far from Berlin. His job was to take his troops to Berlin, and help keep the new government in control from Nazis. When he heard the attempt failed, he was on his way over, but stopped his troops and got them back into place before he was found out by Hitler. His family had a motto engraved over the entrance of his home, it said, "Even if all, not I." I told my class this story, and we discussed the meaning of this quote. Even if all (my friends are cheating, etc, ) not I. Even if all (the kids at primary are being irreverent), not I. Fill in the blanks. We talked about many other things. The kids who sometimes have a hard time focusing really liked it, and were active participaters. We talked about peer pressure, and how doing the right thing all the time takes more strength and courage than giving into a dare to do something bad. And how sometimes it is so hard to do the right thing because a bad thing might happen to you like the Valkarie men. But even then they will be setting a good example for others. Those men in the movie Valkarie tried and failed to overthrow Hitler to save millions of future victims, and to save their country. Unfortunately they failed and died because of it. However, these mens families, their posterity, and Germany can be proud of such men and many others who would have done the same if the had the opportunity. They are a great example of doing what is right, even if....

We also talked about how Christ was tempted by Satan and never gave in. How they can also just walk away when they are tempted as well. I also shared some experiences about how doing what is right can help others to choose the right. Then we played a game where they had to answer questions based on the lesson. It was a lot of fun, and I could feel the spirit.

"Frequent Flyer" points for the ER?

This week has been a very interesting week with regards to health issues. On Monday, Christyne caught a cold, and started having some moderate asthma problems that were starting to get worse, so I called her doctor, and he saw her right away, gave her some medication, and sent her home. She started feeling better, but she was still coughing a lot. About 9 or 10 pm, she started to complain that her neck hurt really bad and her back also. So I was worried that it might be meningitis or something else bad, so Ossil took her to the ER. They said it was strep throat and gave her some antibiotics and sent her home. Then in the morning on Tuesday , the ER called us and said that a Radiologist had looked at her Xray and had seen a little space of air between her lungs and the wall of her chest, and she had to come back in to get it checked out. So ER visit number 2. The next few days, she rested, took her medication, and since our doctor was on vacation, she had to go back to the ER on Friday to make sure she was OK. ER visit number 3. She was fine. It turns out that sometimes when someone coughs a lot, they can get a very small tear in their lung, and a little air can escape. So it can heal on its own, the person just has to rest, not fly in an airplane, or go under water (pressure issues). So by friday, it had healed, and she was ready for a swimming party. While she was in the ER, they took her temperature many times using an ear thermometer. On Saturday, I had left the thermometer on the counter in the kitchen Christyne found it, and tried to take Ayden's temperature. The only problem is that it was a normal digital thermometer, not for ears. She pushed it right in. Ayden ran into me screaming and in a lot of pain. I looked in his ear and saw a little blood. We called the ER, and they said he should come in. ER visit number 4 in 6 days. His eardrum was OK, and he did have some blood in his ear, but it was just a little cut or something. They gave us some eardrops. He can hear fine out of that ear, and it only hurts a little when he yawns, etc. Well, you can imagine we gave our children the "don't stick anything into your ears or anyone else ear" lecture. It is a good lecture to give to kids. If you haven't done so, do it.

I am sure the bills will be expensive, but I am happy to pay them. After all, with this big Universal Health Care debate, I would rather pay out of my own pocket than have the government pay. That is what our money is for, the health, safety and welfare of our families. Not for things we don't need. First priority of money is the above, any left over - have fun with it or use it any way you want.

That reminds me of something that happened a few months ago. I was told that Andreya was to attend summer school. It was manditory, but there was only so many spots, so I needed to register her soon. How can something be manditory when there aren't enough spots for everyone? Also, it said that breakfast and lunch would be free. I felt insulted by that. I really feel that they should only give free food to those who are in need of it. Ossil is making a good living, making more than ever before, we have money, we want to buy our own children's food. Why is the government just handing out free stuff to those who don't need it. It really annoys me. They should make everyone fill out the form with how much money they make, if they don't have much, give them food, I have no problem with that. But why waste tax payer money, and lay off good teachers because they don't have enough money to keep them, and then pay for food for those who can afford it. Parents should be paying for their own family's food, unless they are poor. That is a basic responsibility of parent hood. Taxes go up, good teachers loose their jobs, classes are more crowded, but the kids whose parents make a good living get free food. People should pay for their own families unless they are really struggling financially. In that case, it is OK to get help when you really need it.

I ended up not putting her in, because her math skills are fine, it is just that she has some reading and writting learning problems. We just kept her home and worked on it herself. We will see how she does. We are also reading scriptures as a family, each person reading. I think this will help her reading also.

Fun Summer Ahead

This summer, we haven't really planned on doing much. And we spent the summer so far doing things locally. We have gone to the cheap and free movies, piano lessons, library programs, swimming, taekwondo, and we even went to two shows at the McCallum theater. We have also been doing school everyday. It doesn't always work out, but I try. We do math, reading, etc. I want to do more, but there is just not enough time. Ossil has been teaching summer school, so we had to stick around for most of the summer.

Six years ago we took a train to San Jose and Monterey. It was so fun, and we only had the girls, and they were almost 2 and almost 3 at the time. It was a long train ride, but the seats folded down almost flat, and no car seats were needed. Also, there is alot of area to walk around. And the scenery was beautiful. It went along the coast, and we got to see the ocean for some of the way.

We were planning to go camping at the beach for a week, but that was just about it. Ossil just decided to see what kind of prices they had for train trips to Oregon to see Mindy. We found some round trip tickets for 5 for only about $650. I am so excited to go. My kids are so excited, that they have already packed. We are not leaving for a while. We are also going to the beach a few times, the Nisei Festival in LA, hopefully a Filipino festival some where, and camping with the ward for a night. Also, we are hoping to hit one amusement park this summer as well if we can get a good price. Last summer near the end of summer Sea World had a "buy one day for full price, get the rest of the year and next year free". Unfortunately we got our tickets at a good price a few weeks before that sale, but then we bought one for Diane (our family friend), and she came with us the second time we went. So she has one of those tickets for all of 2009. If we go to Sea World again this year, we will take her with us since she has a ticket. Last year when we went with Diane, we went in Nov or Dec. It was rainy and cold, but a lot of fun!! Sea World is a great place for the price.

Even though our summer has been a little boring, It will get busy soon. And then we will only have a few days before school starts. We are going to have a really fun second half of summer. I guess I better start school shopping soon, especially the uniforms. If I wait until the week before school when we are less busy, they will all be gone. They don't sell uniforms the rest of the year, so summer is the only time to buy them.

Education is Good, but....

Don't forget about marriage and family. I know many women that I love and respect, who are starting to get older and older, and are not married and have no kids. Some of them have high educational goals and career goals. Most of them have already graduated from college and will soon have 2nd and 3rd degrees. I am very impressed by them and how well they do. They talk about how they will get all these degrees and then have these wonderful careers. I have no doubt that they will be successful, but they are getting older and the window of marriage and reproductive years seems to be slowly slipping away. It really amazes me. I wonder why this is going on.

I think some of it is that education and careers are very very important in some families. It is very important in my family, but, it has to be balanced with other things. I think some people think that if you don't have a great career and lots and lots of education, you aren't a successful person. But what good is all that if you are alone. I think a small number of them don't want to grow up, and enjoy the parting on evenings and weekends, and the money that they can just spend on themselves. Others maybe think a good man is hard to find. Maybe they think they need to finish all their education before they marry. Maybe they haven't thought that sacrificing some education and career for a husband and children is a good idea. Many of them are approaching their 30s, or already in their 30's. I remember that my oldest was born when I was 29yrs old, and I felt that was kind of old for my first child (which is why I had them so close together). It also takes time to date a man and know if he is good marriage quality. If he is not, you need to look again. It can be a long process. Also, sometimes it takes a long time to get pregnant, especially the older you get, the harder it is.

Some women are just not lucky, and are open to all this, but the opportunity doesn't come, so they work on their career and education. That is a good thing. I would have done that myself. However, it seems like this is not the case with most of them. Some of them seem like they want to stay 22 forever. Others just put a high value on career and education, and put off the commitment of marriage.

I feel sorry for these women. I feel like they are missing out on so much in their lives. It is good to get an education, but there is so much more to life. Having a husband and children is a wonderful (and exhausting) thing. I think having these experiences really change a person. The burden of big responsibilities can make a person grow. It is hard, but the rewards are wonderful.

Don't get me wrong. This is so much better than girls who get pregnant at 16, drop out of HS, and get on welfare their whole lives. Or people who get married too early when they are not ready. They are on the opposite side of the spectrum.

I wonder if maybe they don't see the value of marriage and family. It seems like the world is not very respectful to this. I went to another gathering, and everyone kept asking me what I did for a living. I told them I was a mom. They seemed surprised. Maybe the idea of staying home with your kids is strange to many people. It seems to not get a lot of respect. That is OK, I don't care what other people think because I am a stay-at-home mom. I like it, and I know it is the right thing to do. I like it because I am the guardian of my children. I know what they are doing, and I can protect them and teach them correct principles. I also usually like being with them. They are wonderful people. (Although there are those days when I wish they were all in day care all day long - only for one day. Those days are very rare.) It is wonderful to see them grow and learn. I would hate to be so busy working that I would miss all this.

Most of my friends are they same way. I have many friends who are not Mormons who are stay at home moms, or they work very few hours so they can be with their children. Some of these women were highly paid professionals, but now they are moms, and love it, and have no desire to go back to a career. I have a good friend who used to be a pharmacist. She was making a lot of money. She doesn't work, but keeps up her credentials (in case she ever needs to work again), but has no desire to ever work again. Her husband is a doctor, so she doesn't need to work for money. I really respect her for it. I have another friend who does work, but she wishes she did not need to. I also respect her, because I can tell that her children are the center of her life, and she sacrifices a lot for them. Her career is just for financial survival, but her children are the most important thing. I can tell, I think she is a wonderful mother. They never have day care, and I think she is really the one who suffers. Some of my friends are Full time moms now, but want to go back to a career someday. I may end up doing that myself in 12 years. We only get 18 short years with each child. I am too selfish to have someone else raise them. Once they are grown, we can do what ever we want.

I like what Dr. Laura says about this. Someone asked what to say when other people criticize them for staying home. She said that it is not worth arguing over, because they won't listen any way. The best thing to say is something like, "I know working is great, but look at him, he is so cute when he coos (insert favorite thing baby does here), and I am just too selfish to not be with him all day long. I just can't help myself. He is so cute."

I think as members of the church that being a stay at home mom is like tithing. If you do it, along with keeping the sabbath day holy, tithing, etc. you will be able to make the money you need, and save money, and do what is necessary to survive financially. Maybe that is something my friend doesn't understand. Of course, part of it is not spending too much money, and marrying a man who can support a frugal wife and their children.

I see this with my parents. They live down the street from a family they have been close friends with for years and years. The mother and father both worked, and they made more money than my parents. Yet years later, my parents are not in debt, and have an equally nice home. How could my parents come out equal or above them financially when they made more money than my parents. I think it is a kind of miracle combined with obedience, and frugality. Also, because my mother stayed home, none of the 5 children went inactive. Yet this other family has had problems with some of their children. That is not to say that children whose moms stay home and have nice homes don't go inactive, because it can happen. But I think it is less likely if you do these things.

Also, if a woman stays home, or at least makes children the absolute priority, her children will be much more likely to stay home (female) or have a wife that stays home (males). They can see the benefits of this in their lives growing up. Maybe these daughters won't end up like the women I mentioned at the beginning of this blog.

Sometimes I look at the situation I am in now, I am amazed. How could we be so prosperous with husband who is a teacher and me who doesn't work, also stupid financial mistakes of the past that have cost us tens of thousands. Maybe we have a money tree growing in the back yard. It think it is a kind of miracle. (Also, I think Heavenly Father is forgiving, and know we will make financhial mistakes as well.) Kind of like what I wrote about a little earlier.

Ossil is a good provider. I am really proud of him. I think it makes him feel good to be the provider. He is what a true man is. A man who stands up for what is right, has respect for women, provides and protects his family, and is a good father and husband. He does a great job. It seems that that is what really makes a man happy, not lots of money and lots of partying. These kind of men are heros to their families.

I hope the women I mentioned above can figure it our earlier than later. I wish them all the best, and hope that they don't miss out on the blessings of a family. I am thankful for this chance to be married and have children.

P.S. I was falling asleep tired when I wrote this. I am sure the grammar etc, is really bad. Sorry!

4 Years Ago Today...

...Ossil was diagnosed with Leukemia. It was a horrible day, but today is a good day. He has been in full remission for about 18 months to 2 years. I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about these experiences, and lessons learned. I also spent lots of time thinking of my blessings, and all the people who suffer so much more and ultimately succumb to cancer. I feel sad for their families and for them, yet I feel thankful Ossil is fine. I feel very blessed. It is a good day.

Kids' Blogs

Christyne has a blog now.  It is:

http://tynetiny.blogspot.com/

Andreya also has a blog.  It is:

http://minimackids.blogspot.com/

I have links to them in my blog on the right side.  You can also add them to your blog for easy access.  They would love to have you read it and comment.  

Finally PC Free!

My husband got me a really nice iMac in January, and ever since, he has wanted one really bad.  He is a PC guy, and knows all about how to fix them and put them together, but he is tired of it.  He wants something modern and easy to use with out all the problems.  Kind of like a "car" guy wanting a nice new sports car, because the old VW beetle keeps breaking down. He can fix it, but does he want to??  

Anyway, his PC finally died last week, and he tried to fix it, but hoping he could not, because he wants a Mac so bad.  We can't affort to buy a new one (almost $2000), so he searched around Craig's List, and found one that was $450.  It is the model before mine, but it is almost the same, it just is white instead of aluminum.  He is going to pick it up on Monday.  It was owned by this Techie, who has a whole bunch of computers.  He is moving to San Diego, and can't take all his computers with him.  He took good care of it.  I am so happy for Ossil.  He has been completely converted.  He even has an iPhone now.  Soon we will have no PC's what so ever in our home.  Macs are just so much better, that my throughly PC husband is now a throughly Mac man.  He does have a small PC net book.  A small laptop that he can use when he goes places.  But I am sure that when that dies, it will eventually be changed for a Macbook.  Sometimes, even the deeply PC can see the light and be converted to the true OS (operating system) - Mac!

My family's first ever computer was a Mac.  Back in 86 or 87.  The one with the tiny screen that was small, but it did amazing things.  I remember doing a report for one of my classes, and putting a drawing of a frog on the front (printing it from the computer).  My teacher was amazed.  I thought it was nice, but not great.  He was amazed.  He could not believe a computer could do that.  Let alone a kid.  My 5 year old brother knew how to do everything on that computer.  Of course those were the days before the internet, so you could just let kids try everything.  I have been a Mac user ever since.  I actually had a PC laptop once, when Ossil got his new laptop, but I never used it, so I gave it away.  I have always had a Mac desktop, and I always will (unless something better comes along).  

If anyone is ready to try it out, you might consider a Minimac - a small cheap mac that you can use your own screen and keyboard, or try getting a Mac at Craig's list, the penny saver etc.  My dad even got an older one (blue) at a garage sale for $25.  My smart husband wanted one really bad, realized we didn't have the money, and found a way to get one we could afford.  Great job Ossil!!!  Actually, we may end up buying all our future Macs from Craig's list.  There were some really good ones at really good prices.  

School Talent Show

Last night was the elementary school talent show.  The kids had to try out a month ago.  Andreya wanted to be in it, and she wanted to sing, "God bless the USA".  So we searched iTunes and found a karaoke version that sounded nice, and we burned it to a disk and put it all together.  She practiced over and over, and then we went to try out.  At tryouts, she sang so nicely.  She is not one of these ultra talented kids that you see on TV, but for a 3rd grader, she did pretty well, and just her little girl sweetness, made it very touching.  After the tryouts, she was told that she could be in the talent show, but she could not sing that song, because someone else at the previous day's tryouts had that song and were already accepted into the talent show.  She could be in it if she came up with a different song.  Of course we were disappointed, but we had a long time to figure out what song we would do.  

I thought of every nice Disney and Barbie song I knew, as well as every kid, or fun song I could think of.  She could not decide, then she said she wanted to do a song about America.  We went through a whole bunch, and she picked "America the Beautiful".  We found several karaoke versions and instrumental versions of it.  The only problem was that they were too high, or too long.  So finally we found one that was a kid's karaoke version.  I learned a lot from this, for a kid, always look for the Children's Karaoke version first.  It will best match a kids voice, without being too high or too low.  So we downloaded it, but it was way too long, and she didn't think she could memorize all those words in the week (we took a while picking a song) she had to learn it.  I had downloaded this free program called Audacity that you can use to edit music you already have.  It is not like garage band, you can't make music, but you can slice it up and use parts, or extend it if you need it to last longer, etc.  It is really good for making videos if you need the music just the right length, and many other things.  I have used it for DVD's before.  Anyway, using this program, I took out two verses but made it sound like it was not choppy or unnatural.  Then she practiced and practiced.  In the car everywhere we went she was singing that song.  She actually learned it very fast, and when it came time for the talent show, she was prepared and not nervous at all.  

The talent show had a dress rehearsal for all the students on Friday morning.  There was almost no parents there, and it was really hot (outside).  I came to watch her, and I video taped her at that time.  It was quiet, and I could get upfront and get a good video.  So I will upload video, but it is from the performance for the students, not the one last night.  

The actual talent show is a big money maker for our PTG.  People can come and only spend $1 per person to get in if they want to bring their own chairs and blankets (that is what we did).  Also, people in the talent show get in free and so does one parent.  If you get there early enough, you can get a good spot for your blanket and chairs.  (it is kind of on a hill looking down at the "stage".  People who wanted upfront seats (parents video taping the performance etc.) Could pay $7.00 a ticket, and people who wanted chairs, but not right up front, could pay $5.oo per ticket.  We ended up only paying $3 total to get in.  Also, people could bring their own food if they wanted.  So for some families it was a very inexpensive evening.  There was lots of ways to spend money however.  We had pizza, nachos, ice cream, sodas, juices, water, glow bracelets, etc.  Then there was a raffle of donated items, and a silent auction of donated items as well.  We got a lot of nice things donated.  They also were selling the last of the yearbooks, too.  I was manning the food ticket table.  It was just too hot, and we made a ton of money just from selling food tickets.  At the beginning of the night, the food was $1 for each item, except pizza was $2.  Then about 10 minutes before it ended, pizza was $1 a slice.  About the time the talent show ended it was free.  Then the other items were 2 for $1.  Then about 15 minutes after it ended and everyone was cleaning up, the ice cream and nachos were free.  Some people had boxes of ice cream sandwiches and were just passing it out.  We ended up with about 5 on our way out the door.  We hurried home to put it in the freezer.  It was so funny.  So if you go to an event like this, its a gamble, but sometimes if you wait and they have left overs, you can save a lot on food.  Maybe even get it free.  Sit by the food area, or loiter there alot.  We paid about $23 dollars for our family for food.  Of course it was all junk, but it was fun, and it was for the PTG.  

As for the talent show itself, it was pretty good.  Because Andreya was singing, "America the Beautiful," They wanted to have her sing first, right after the pledge to the flag.  It was nice to have her first, because I could stop what I was doing and watch her sing.  She sang very nicely, even better than the morning.  I really think she did, not just because I am her mother either.  I am not that kind of mom,  I tend to be a realist when it comes to my children and their abilities.  I am not in parent la-la land.   Most of the kids did a good job as well.  There was singing, violin playing, piano playing, guitar playing, a comedy act, dancing, break dancing (that kid was amazing), the blues brothers act (funny!), and clarinet playing.  The blues brothers act, and the break dancing were really good, and not your typical talent show acts.  At the end, all the kids in the talent show did a song together.  There was one thing that drove me crazy.  All the people who sang did pretty well, and some were really good (a boy who used to be in my ward sang "Rockin' Robin" really well), but the brother and sister who sang "God Bless the USA" were horrible.  I mean people were covering their ears horrible.  They were way off key, and they were screaming into the microphone at some parts.  It reminded me of American Idol - the first few weeks.  I could not believe they were allowed into the talent show.  Lots of kids who tried out sang better then them but were not allowed to be in it.  I wonder if their mom was friends with the people organizing it.  It made me frustrated, because Andreya really wanted to do that song, and they did it, but totally butchered it.  She can do it next year.  I wonder if their mother realized how horrible they sounded.  It was just embarrassing.  I think if my child sounded like that, I would not even let them try out.  Just being honest with them.  And if they did try out, I would hope that the judges would be honest with them, and not let them in the talent show.  

We had a similar situation with Tae Kwon Do.  The teacher said only certain students could try for their yellow belt.  I asked her if Andreya and Christyne were ready and what they should know.  She said that only Andreya could try out, and that Christyne was being kind of lazy.  She was right.  Sometimes when it is time to do the push ups, sit ups, etc, Christyne does a few, and when the teacher isn't looking she stops, and when the teacher is looking, she starts again.  I like it when people are honest.  I was glad she told me that.  I told Christyne.  Now she knows that she can't get away with being lazy in Tae Kwon Do, and still advance.  I would rather someone tell me that my child isn't ready, or not good enough, then to have them lie, just to not hurt my feelings, or my child's feeling.   

Any way, the night was a lot of fun, Andreya did great, and we were very proud of her.  It was a lot of fun.  Christyne liked it too, maybe she will be in it next year as well.  It is all up to them.  

Friday the 13th! Our lucky day!

I know today is not Friday the 13th, but Friday the 13th is my favorite day.  It is one of the most special and wonderful days, because 15 years ago on Friday the 13th, Ossil and I got married, and it has been wonderful. 

Actually we didn't get married that day because it was Friday the 13th.  We did it because that was the date that best fit our schedules, with my school and his work.  And the temple was packed all the other weekends in May, so that was the only day open.  Gee, I wonder why nobody wants to get married on Friday the 13th.  May 13th was also his mother's birthday.  So it was special for that as well.  

I like it, because not only do we have our anniversary each May 13th, but we also consider each Friday the 13th our special day as well, no matter what month it falls into.  

I married a wonderful man, and we have had a great marriage.  Is it because Friday the 13th is lucky for us, or is it because we made good choices?  It is because we made good choices.  We don't have any kind of superstitious beliefs.  It is kind of fun to go against the superstition though.  It makes it memorable.  

Ossil, I love you, and I am so thankful that you are my husband.  Thanks for putting up with me all these years.   You are a wonderful man.  I am so glad you are the father of my children, and my sweet husband.  

Thoughts on a Few Movies and TV Shows: Communism and Swimming

Today I saw a movie called "The City of Ember."  It was kind of a kids adventure.  It was OK as far as writting, and acting, etc.  It actually wasn't a great movie.  There were several plot holes, and important things that aren't explained, but I absolutely loved it.  The reason I loved it, was because it is a perfect example of what happens when capitalism is shut down, and a type of communism takes over.  Things slowly start to fall apart, nobody does a job that isn't theirs, and no one tries.  No one knows how to or tries to solve problems.  Every one gets poorer and poorer, except for the corrupt government officials.  People just live with everything the way it is.  If you ever want to explain to your kids why capitalism is good, and socialism/communism is bad,  show them this movie.  I loved it just for that.  It is also fine for kids as far as language, sex, violence, etc.  There is none of that at all, just a touch of violence as part of the adventure.  

A few days ago I saw the movie, "The Guardian."  It is about the National Guard ocean rescue teams.  They are called "swimmers",  and they drop from helicopters and swim out to people, grab them, and hook them to a cable and help them get up to the helicopter.  Usually they work when a boat or ship is going down in heavy storms, etc.  Pretty scary stuff.  There were also a lot of them during Katrina.  Sometimes they don't swim, they just grab the person.  Anyway, the movie talked about he training they go through.  It was really interesting.  these people are incredible swimmers.  Again, the movie is OK.  Some plot holes, the ending could have been better.  But very interesting, because I learned about a branch of the military that I didn't really know about before.  In the movie, there is a lot of swimming.  Mostly with them fully clothed, because they are swimming in the cold ocean or practicing to swim in the cold ocean.  I was watching the skill of the swimmers, and I was really impressed.  The quality of the swimming was great.  I found out later that they hired olympic swimmers as body doubles and minor cast roles, and extras.  I could tell.  

I also like to watch "The Amazing Race."  This last episode, they were in China where they had to do a swimming or diving challenge.  The diving challenge was that they had to do a synchronized jump from two 3 meter boards.  I thought that was pretty hard.  The other option was to swim a 2x200 meter relay, 100 meters at a time (400 meters total) in a new speedo super fast olympic swimming suit.  I could not believe how hard people thought that was.  These two sisters who are college athletes were the worst ones.  One of them could barely swim.  She started crying and freaking out.  It was pitiful.  She could have just pulled herself across on the lane line.  Everyone in the show made it seem like the hardest challenge they had ever had.   Their strokes where so bad.  400 meters is a warm up, a short warm up (each person only had to swim half of that).  They didn't have to swim fast either, they just had to complete it.  I guess my expectations of swimming are really high since I swam for years on a team.  Even when I am out of shape, I know I could swim that in my sleep.  They could have just floated with some kicking and finished it.  It was really pitiful.  It made me realize how much I miss swimming, and how important it is for me to make sure my kids are decent swimmers, wether they join a swim team or not.  So if they ever find themselves needing it, they can do it easily.  

On the topic of swimming, I hear that the CC 24hr Fitness is probably going to build a new building when their lease runs out, and put in a pool.  I hope that information is correct.  CC really needs a swimming pool of some sort.  As of now, RM, CC both have nothing.  When that happens, I will probably join that fitness center.  We will see.  I will have to think about the price, and distance etc.  

A "COPS" Episode in My Neighborhood and My House?

Today we had an interesting experience.  For FHE we were going to a good friend's home.  She had invited us and our childrens' Martial Arts teacher over for dinner.  We helped provide some of the food.  Anyway, Around 4 pm I was preparing the food I was going to bring when I went outside to clean up a little of the court yard and I saw out on the street, a Sheriff's deputy with a riffle.  So I came back in and peaked out the window.  Then I heard a knock on the door and another sheriff was there.  He asked me to stay inside, and asked if he could go into my back yard.  I invited him in.  Christyne was in the back yard, and he said that everyone had to stay in the house.  So I quickly hurried Christyne into the house.  Then I made my children play in my daughter's room, which is the room farthest from where the problems were, brought them snacks, and told them not to come out.  I was nervous, so I started to clean the house.  It makes no sense.  My vain side, kept thinking about how people are in my house, and it is not clean.  So dumb.  I also continued to prepare the food for dinner.  I had just barely started when one of the deputies came in.  I asked what was going on, and he said that they had a felony warrant for arrest for our neighbor.  He would not come out, so they were going to force him out.  He went into the back yard, stood up on our patio table, and watched the back of our neighbors house.  At the same time another officer was standing at our courtyard gate, rifle in hand and ready, pointed at the neighbors house.  They were there for about 30 minutes, just waiting, and calling for our neighbor to come out.  

As a side note.  I live in a very, very quiet, and safe neighborhood.  Many of the homes are vacation homes for professionals in LA and Orange County.  Other people who live in our neighborhood are professionals and retirees who live here.  It is not the getto at all.  My neighbor (who got in trouble) is married to a woman who is a member of an Indian tribe, and she gets $30,000 a month just for being alive.  So they can afford to live in any neighborhood.  Also, He is in trouble with the law a lot.  They are respectful to us, and we treat them with respect, because we have learned that no matter what your neighbor is like, or what you think of them, you have to live with them, and you do not want them to be your enemy.  Especially a gangbanger.  Making friends with Mammon (I learned that from my dad).  They have never ever caused us trouble.  They are very quiet, and keep to themselves.  In fact, they even gave us some birds once (they died, the topic of another blog maybe someday).  I get the feeling that he is one of those people who was deeply involved with drugs and gangs, and keeps trying to get out, but he isn't strong enough.  They have a 2 year old son, so he wants to be a good dad, but the whole 'keeping on the straight path' thing is hard for him.  

So when the police man came in from the back yard and I started talking to him, he asked if our neighbor had ever given us trouble.  I said, "no".  I then told him that we were planning to go somewhere in about an hour, and if it was possible for us to leave.  He said that that was good, and that we should leave now and not come back for a while, and leave the gate open so they could have access to our back yard.  Apparently since our neighbor was refusing to leave, the swat team was being called, and they were going to be there any minute.  (I was afraid I would be blocked into my drive way by all the cop cars etc, so I was glad to leave.)  So I put my ingredients in the pot, and put everything in the car.  I called my friend and asked if I could come over early and cook at her house, and we left.  It was really weird.  I wasn't scared, just full of adrenaline. 

Our neighbor was not leaving his house, and they were all set up with riffles, cars and guns, telling him to get out.  Right as we were leaving the garage, the officers were sending in the dogs.  

I was glad to get out of there.  I was mostly worried because I didn't think my kids could understand, and I knew they could not stay in that bedroom for hours and hours.  I as afraid they might try to go outside and get in the way of the police.  Don't mess with anyone with a gun drawn.  The front and back doors were open so the officers could come in and out as needed.  So I was afraid Ayden would run out to see what was going on etc.  

My friend and her husband were nice enough to let us come over early and cook there.  The dinner was good, and it was a lot of fun.  The kids' Sensei is a really nice lady.  She is 21 years old, but she is great to have a conversation with.  We are so used to seeing her in her gi, but she can dress very nice.  It was a fun evening.  

Then we came home, and everything in our neighborhood and our home was quiet and looked just as if nothing had ever happened.  Maybe it was a dream?  Anyway, I hope justice is served, but I also wish the best for that family, especially the wife and 2yr old son.  I hope the husband learns a lesson, serves his time, and becomes the man his son needs him to be.  I hope for these things, but I don't have a lot of faith that it will happen.  He has been arrested before.  Police have been in our neighborhood 2 previous times with several cop cars and guns to search his home and take him in.  Each time, he did something stupid and deserved it.  He says he will change, but he won't.  I think he needs to move, and not tell any of his old friends (the cause of his downfall) where he has moved to, and just cut all communication with them.  That would be the best thing for him and his family.  He needs to concentrate on being a good dad and husband.  I think that is what he wants, but isn't strong enough to be.  

For my own selfish reasons, I hope he goes to jail for a while.  I am tired of the cops always showing up.  I like cops, I just don't like criminals living next door and needing cops to come over and arrest them.  Also, sometimes I don't like the people he has over.  I am sure he will be back soon.  Hopefully a changed man.  Out of all the houses in our neighborhood, that is the one that gets all the police calls.  Only one other family lived there before them.  And the husband beat the wife, and called the police, and said she was beating him.  Then he hurt himself to make it look like she did.  The police took her away.  She believes that they had to investigate, even if they thought he was lying, and it was keeping her safe at the same time.  Anyway, in court she was cleared of all charges.  It must be the house.  

We moved into this neighborhood to get way from gangs, etc.  I guess every neighborhood can have problems.  Sometimes I feel like our house is a magnet for neighbors with this kind of trouble.  When we lived in our other house, almost all of our neighbors were nice nuclear families (mom, dad, kids).  Nice, hardworking people.  Except our neighbor to the left.  Her adult sons were gangbangers.  They were always partying outside real loud.  Leaving beer bottles on our yard.  One of their enemy gangbangers drove by and shot their house.  And many many other problems.  The mother was such a weak, weak person.  She basically threw up her hands as if she could do nothing.  I guess 'doing nothing' got her sons to be like that.  I thought leaving that neighborhood would fix that.  Oh no,  it follows us.  Maybe now it is finally gone.  

The New Swing Set

For a while now, we have been promising the kids we would get them a swing set.  Infact, it has been a few years now.  But things got tight financially, and we could not.  Well, we got our tax return, and we decided that most of it would go to emergency preparedness, the garden, fruit trees, etc., but we would spend some of it on a swing set.  So we looked around and did a lot of research.  We looked at lots of wooden ones, and metal ones.  Most of the metal ones were poorly made, and would have fallen apart easily.  Then we looked at the wooden ones.  They were either expensive (if they were well made-$1200), or poorly made, but affordable to us (thin wood and little - $400).  Then I found this one.  It was in our price range and all the online reviews for it were great.  It is German made, and extremely well built and strong.  One man in his review said it was the BMW of swing sets.  Not because it is big, or fancy, but because it is well built.  I also like it because it is different.  It usually cost about $600-700, but the price was reduced, and I got it for $480 and shipping was free.  It is not your typical swing set.  It doesn't have a slide, and to buy a slide attachment it costs about $400.  That seems a little steep.  So we asked them, and they said they didn't need a slide.  You can also get a gondala, or a surfswing (were two people can stand on a board like swing).    

It came on Monday at the beginning of spring break, and we worked on this all day.  The swing set needs to be cemented into the ground, so we had to dig holes, and buy some cement, and put it in.  We started a little afternoon, and finished by 8pm.  I did the putting together with a little help from the kids, Ossil did most of the digging.  The cement had to set, so the kids could not play on it until the next day.  It was torture for them.  They had a hard time seeing this beautiful swingset just sitting there crying out for some kids to come play on it, and no body could.  The swingset looks kind of small, but when we put it up, it was bigger than I thought, and I realized how small my yard is.  It is the perfect swing set for our yard, because anything  larger would have been way to big.  This won't put any shade on the plants I will grow next to it, and it is for bigger kids who like to climb.  My kids like to sit on the top and look at the mountains and the traffic go by.  When it gets hot, we can just spray it off with water.  We can also put a big sheet over the monkey bars to make a "house".  It also is unique, and well made, and the price was what we could afford.  We are excited about it.  So if anyone is looking to buy a well made, not too big, not too expensive swing set, get one of these.  Next time your kids come over, they can play on it.  

As I was looking at swingsets, I found some that were absolutely amazing.  They were like castles.  They probably cost $30,000 dollars.  Here is a picture of one I found.  This is bigger than my house.  These are probably something Bill Gates would get for his children.  I think I am happy with the one we have, and more importantly, my kids are happy with the one we have

Ayden's Airplane "Ride"

A few weeks ago, the MOMS Club group that I am in go to go on a tour of a flight school.  It is right next door to the airport, and the back of it actually leads right out to the landing area of the air port.  One of the dads is a flight instructor there.  They took us through the flight school, and showed us this huge map on the wall from ceiling to floor of different airspace over California, Nevada and Arizona.  Then as we walked through, we saw on the wall, all these shirts that were stapled up.  It is a tradition that when someone has their first solo flight, they have their shirt cut off and stapled up on the wall of the school somewhere.  They also write on it and draw pictures, etc.  I think most people wear two shirts that day.  

After we walked through the building, they took us out back, and there were two little planes out there.  The kids got to take turn sitting in them and pushing all the buttons and pulling all the levers.  They had a lot of fun.  They also had a hanger attached to the school with some airplanes just parked.  One of the planes belonged to Kurt Russell.  These planes were a little bigger, but various types.  One looked like a mini passenger plane that should have been on an Indiana Jones movie.  

After everyone had a chance to play in the airplanes, the owner, and the dad/flight teacher, turned the planes on, and gave everyone a little "ride".  They taxied around in an area where other planes are parked.  Kind of like driving around the parking lot.  But the kids had so much fun.  The owner of the flight school was such a nice man.  You could tell that he truly loved children.  It was just so fun.

So, Ayden got to go on his first plane ride.  It wasn't a flight, but I think it still counts.  He is the only one in the family who has traveled in an airplane.  The funny thing is that a few days later, he was picked as spotlight child in primary, and one of the things it asked was "have you ever been in an airplane?" I wrote down "no" because I filled it out a month before, and I knew we weren't flying anywhere soon.  But we had to change the answer to yes, because of the flight school tour.  The sisters didn't go, because they were in school.  Ayden and I had a great time!!  

Am I Going Green? NOOOOOOOOOO!

Ok, I can't stand the whole green movement.  It really bugs.  Usually the thing they come up with to "save the planet" turns out to be worse than just leaving it alone.  I don't believe CO2 causes global warming.  Especially since right now the temperatures have been colder than they have been in years.  There is lots of evidence that the earth is currently cooling down.  Opps.  Lets change the phrase from "global warming" to "global climate change"  that way we don't have to explain it to anyone.  Oh yea, evolutionists believe that when that little puddle of goo got hit by lightning and became a cell, that some time after that (before humans had SUV's there was an incredibly large amount of CO2.  Thousands of times more than now.  And yet, Humans and all kinds of other animals and plants evolved.  So what is wrong with too much CO2.  It didn't hurt the planet then.  I guess the earth is resiliant.  As a biology major, I do love life, and I think all life is a miracle (except maybe roaches and rats).  I also believe in taking care of our planet and being wise with the resources that we have.  I also don't want to see any humans anywhere with out healthy food, clean air and water and a healthy decent place to live.  So as far as environmentalism goes, if it helps humans, I like it.  Animals are second class, and if a few rats have to die so someone can build a factory and provide jobs to those who need them, no problem!!  If we can save a few species of important animals (not an endangered species of tick) by roping off some land in an area that can also be used for people to visit and have a nice time in nature with out hurting any other humans, I am also for that.  I love nature!!  

People just come first.  I believe that us an humans are responsible for mother earth, but she was built for our use.  I think she does not mind if we drive our cars or cook our food.  I think that makes her happy.  I think what upsets her is when humans do evil.  If I was her, I would want people to wisely use my rescources for their good.  I am there for them.  What would bother me would be the evil that some people do - murder, steal, lie, you know, the 10 commandments.  If someone doesn't change their lightbulbs or recycle everything, I think I could overlook that.  It makes her happy to provide for her "children" just as it makes me happy to provide for my children's needs.  I believe that when Christ died, it hurt her very badly to have such a horrible event take place on her - the earthquakes, etc.  We need to be grateful for the wonderful blessing of the beautiful earth that we live on, but not get all stupid with the global warming.  

Oh yea, I am doing my part to "save" the earth.  I am not divorced, and I have a garden.  By not being divorced, I am cutting my family's carbon foot print down by probably 1/3.  If Ossil and I were divorced, we would need two places to live,  drive twice as much because we would be trading the kids back and forth, and I would have to work and drive to work.  So if all the environmentalists just loved their spouses and didn't get divorced, just think how small their carbon footprints would be.  

I mostly can't stand the whole environmental movement, but there is one thing I LOVE about it.  The cool gadgets and technology.  I love being independant.  I wish I could just produce all my own food, and electricity and make my own everything.  I would love to have a windmill in my back yard.  I think it would be cool.  But I would never get any sleep, and wouldn't have all the things a family needs.  

I just bought myself a Sun Oven.  It is so amazing.  It focuses the sun's rays right to a little black box with a glass lid, and the temperatures reach to 400°F.  It is amazing.  I just got it today, and around 3:45 I focused it toward the sun, put 3 raw eggs unbroken into a small pot (no water), and put the pot into the black box (the oven), an hour later, I had 3 fully cooked eggs.  I would call them hard boiled, but they weren't boiled.  It was amazing.  And I did this when the sun wasn't at full strength, and it was a slightly breezy not too hot day.  I love devices and contraptions like this.  Things people would not sell if there was no green movement.  I would never go "green" because I reserve the right to use gas if I please, but I love the inventions.  I would love to have a prius.  I love that it could save me gas money.  I love my sun oven.  Tomorrow I am going to cook a nice meal.  It is just so fun.  Apparently you can even dehydrate food as well.  I love that it uses the sun.  What we in the desert know is extremely powerful.  Gee, maybe that big hot ball of fire in the sky caused the warming, hmmm?  I am going to use it as often as possible.  In the summer I may use it daily so I don't heat up my house.  I guess that sometimes, there is a such thing as free.   You can also use it like a slow cooker.  We could put food in it, go to church, and have it done when we get home.  Cool!!

I also love to save money, so maybe I am going green, the cash kind of green.  The solar oven may save me money.  I am sure over time it will, it costed about $300 including 2 loaf pans and two other cooking pans.  What is great about it is that people who live in little villages in africa and usually cook over open fires in their homes can use something like this and not have to breath in toxic fumes.  Or spend most of the day looking for wood to cook on.  A device like this could help so many people live better lives.  Anyway, if you want to learn more about it, sunoven.com.  The company has little factories all over the world and a sun oven bought in nigeria is made in nigeria, and sun oven bought in America are made in America, so they help the local economy with jobs, as well as have programs to give some to people who have nothing.   The website does have a few pages on how it saves the planet, and reduces a person's carbon foot print, etc.  Hey if it sells ovens, go for it.  

I bought one because a year ago I saw one, and I could not believe what I saw.  The woman who owned it said that she used it every day to cook, so her house would stay cooler in the summer.  I was kind of skeptical, but then my dad got one, and he uses it often.  So he convinced my husband, and then we got our tax return.  We wanted to use it for emergency preparedness, so this qualifies.  If anyone knows of any good solar cooking recipes, let me know.  I will let you know in upcoming blogs how it turns out.  I may bring it camping as well.  It is so easy to use, it is like magic.  Here is a picture from the website.  This is the model that I have.  It is a really good oven.  

Ramblings on being a SAHM

   Lately the topic of being a Mom has come up over and over.  I am so glad that I am a stay at home mom (SAHM), and that I had a SAHM raise me, and a father who worked very hard so that my mom could stay at home.  Of course when I was young, I didn't appreciate it.  I thought it would have been much more fun to go to afterschool care and play with a lot of kids for hours after school, or be a latch key kid and eat anything I wanted and watch TV and not do home work.  But I was young and stupid so of course that is what I thought.  Good thing kids don't rule the world.  I hated the homemade lunches and mom always telling me to do my homework afterschool.  Or annoyingly knowing where I was all the time.  I didn't like hand-me-downs, or the fact that we had chores, or used cars.  I thought my family was so weird.  With the garden and food storage, and trying to save money and not going into debt. etc.  Obviously they weren't modern.  

Then I grew up.  And now I want to be exactly like them.  Kids usually don't know what is best, and so now I know from personal experience that it doesn't matter if they like or don't like these things.  Parents just have to follow the prophet and do it, and it is for the best.  I am so glad my parents were the way they were, even if it did embarrase me as a teenager.  I, frankly, don't care if my kids are embarrased by these things.  

Anyway, one of the things I am most thankful to my parents for is having my mom stay home.  I think that is part of the reason we all (the children) live pretty good lives.  We are all happily married in the temple, and active.  All the husbands of my sisters have pretty good jobs to support a family, or are on the right track to do so, and my brother is doing well in his carrer.  All the wives in the family stay home with their kids.  So I think we are all doing well, and my parents are very successful in what really counts the most.

I am so thankful that I married a man who, although his mother was not at SAHM, he has such a desire to do what the prophet says, that it was no question that I would be a SAHM.  He has always worked hard so that I could do so.  I am comming to realize more and more, that besides your husband and you, (and maybe grandma and grandpa) there is nobody who loves your kids and will fight for your kids as much as you do.  And now days, every child need someone to represent their best interest and fight for them in their life.  Whether it be medical problems, or educational issues, or other things.  Not just fight for them, but search for the resources that you, who has their best interest at heart, thinks that they can use and will help them.  Especially in todays world.  There is so much out there that can hurt kids, and there is so much good as well.  Someone who is smart (AKA not a kid), needs to beable to take the time, and be motivated, and be there, to navigate the waters for their child.  

I am glad I am a SAHM, and I am far from perfect.  I have several friends, and sisters that I think they are way better moms than I am.  But I try to improve all the time.  And I love my children and I am there.  Being there, trying hard to keep the  commandments and do a better job each day as a Mom is what really matters.  Like Dr. Laura (a big supporter of SAHM) says, if you aren't there, you really aren't doing the job.  You can't be a teacher, a doctor or a lawyer,  and only be there 1 day a week.   You aren't really being a mom if you are not there.  Someone else is raising your kids.  I know there are exceptions, like divorce or death, or an ill husband, or a husband out of work, etc.  that make mothers have to work.  I think that in these situations, the Lord can help them compensate for the fact that they aren't there all the time, and will help them.  For a while there, a few years back,  I really thought I would be a widow, and have to work, but even then, I had a plan to live very frugally until my youngest was in Kindergarten (off of life insurance), and then get a job where I would always be home when they were home. 

The great thing about the commandments is that they make it much easier to be a SAHM.  Waiting until marriage to have sex, marrying the right person.  If you are a woman, making sure they know that you intend to stay home once you have kids, and making sure they can afford to support the family without you working.    

I am not a very good writer, or this is disjointed.  I am so glad that I stay home, because I feel like I can help my children with their trials and challenges much better, as well as find their strengths and talents.  Christyne has asthma, and no one, except my husband, is going to keep an eye on her as much as I do.  Andreya has some learning problems.  Who is going to make sure that she gets the proper help at school.  I know her well, and I realized there was a problem there with her reading.  I asked for some testing at school.  They were willing to do it, but they said that they didn't think she really had a problem, etc.  I knew she did.  So sure enough they tested her and she did.  It turns out that she is very intellegent, and got a high enough IQ score, that she qualified, because the difference between her ability and the IQ is great enough.  If I wasn't there always keeping an eye on her, with her, helping her with homework, etc.  I wouldn't have noticed these problems.  Also, I like being there anytime of day that my kids need me.  If my child is sick at 10am, and they call me, I want to be there in 15 minutes.  

These past few months, we have been working on the Science Fair.  You can read about it in my blog.  At the science fair, I noticed that one elementary school in a kind of bad area had only 4 children with entries.  I asked the teacher sitting next to be about it, and she said that the kids in that school just don't have the parental support that kids in other schools do.  So I am now thinking that those trophies my kids got, are also my SAHM trophies.  I feel proud of my kids, but also proud of myself for being able to take the time to work with them and help them and show them what to do.  

Sometimes it is just not fun being a SAHM.  I sometimes feel like an unpaid frumpy unappreciated maid.  But what job or carrer doesn't have bad days or difficult things about it.  Before I had kids, I worked at a charter school.  I liked the principal, and the kids I taught, and the parent volunteers, but I really could not stand most of the teachers.  They were so negative and complained constantly.  I got to the point where I would just come to work, have no friends, teach, and leave right away, and it was much better.  I am so glad to spend the whole day with people (my children) I actually like.  No more office politics.  

Ayden will start kindergarten in September, and people ask me if I will go back to work.  I tell them that I probably will not.  I want to spend some time getting my home organized, working on picture albums, painting all the rooms, and taking a class at COD, or maybe even getting a master's degree.  I want to be better at making healthy meals, and actually have time in the middle of the day to exercize.  Or take a nap.  I may eventually do a little part time work, like substitute teach occactionally, or something.  I want to be better prepared for everything, including if I have to support the family.  But I want to be there anytime of day if my kids need me.  I am also not organized enough to work and manage a family.  My husband also likes it if I can bring him something he forgot.  I like helping in my kids school.  I feel that helping, gets me in with the teachers who are more willing to work with me when I have a problem and need help with my children.  Also, I am now friends with the school office people.  They are the people in power, and can give me advice, and help me figure out the best way to get things done when I need something.  

I am so glad I did it, and I wouldn't change a thing.  

A Fun Weekend in LA

A few weekends ago, Ossil had a conference at UCLA.  He has had several of these conferences,  and so we have come to know the UCLA area pretty well, and all the fun things to do around there for a low price.  This time, we went to the the La Brea Tar pits, and the California ScienCenter.  The Tar pits were very interesting, and we had never been there.  It is so strange, because it is right in the middle of LA, on Wilshire.  We had to drive across Rodeo Drive to get there.  It is strange, because it is like a park with a medium sized museum on it.  The museum is nice.  It has a live lab where you can see the scientist working on each little or big bone.  It also has all kinds of bones of animals that got stuck in the asphalt (not tar).  They got stuck, like on flypaper, and then slowly starved to death, or wolves or other animals would come and eat them, and some of these animals got stuck themselves.  There are so many bones there, it is unbelievable.  I think the earth had some oil that came up from inside the earth and got thick and sticky.  The neatest bones in the museum were that of a huge Mammoth, and a Sabertooth Cat.  But they have so many bones, a lot of animals got stuck there.  Outside on the grounds, there is a few little buildings.  One of the buildings is an excavation site.  You go into a room with a lot of windows and look down in the 20ft deep pit (probably deeper), and you can see just black stuff everywhere.  It is sectioned off in areas.  The excavators work in the summer, so the asphalt will be softer and it will be easier to get the bones out etc.  It is really hot down there in the summer, and really stinky.  Looks like fun.  If you walk around the grounds, you will see a green field and seemingly oddly placed little fenced off areas.  The size of a crib, but a little smaller.  If you look inside, there will be just a big space where natural asphalt is coming up through the ground.  It is so strange.  We actually found a spot where they hadn't put up a fence yet.  Right in the middle of the grass, back stuff is slowly oozing up.  It is amazing.  It was so strange, and so fascinating.   Also, the price was good, about  $17 total for me and the kids and parking.  

We tried hard to save money, so we had a sack lunch we brought from home and ate it in the car after we saw the "tar pits".  Then we drove over to exposition park close to USC.  That is where they have the California ScienCenter.  It is such a fun place, and it is free, with a suggested donation of $5 for adults.  So after parking, the price was about $13.  Pretty good price I think.  The CSC is a total hands on museum.  It tells kids about science principles, and they can touch almost everything.  They also have a few displays.  They had one about drugs, how they are made and where they come from, and how they can damage your brain and how they hurt society, etc.  I didn't really enjoy that one, so we kind of went fast.  However, that would be good for teenagers.  They also had CSI: The Experience there.  That was soooooo fun.  There are three different "crimes".  We had the one most young kids get, because this really is an exhibit for older kids.  Ours was that a hiker was in the desert, and came upon a human skeleton.  That isn't too scary for kids, because of halloween.  So we had to examine the scene, and take notes on everything we could possibly think of.  Then we had to go to the lab and examine the bullet that was found in the skull, the hair that was found on the man (there was a tuft of hair stuck to his button on his shirt), things like that.  We went from lab station to lab station working on the clues and solving the mystery.  If you have older kids, and you get a chance to do the CSI experience, you really should.  My kids were a little scared, but we did the least scary one, and it wasn't too bad.  Csitheexperience.org for more information.  It will be at the California ScienCenter until April 26th, and it is free.  Then it moves to Portland for several months, and then to Fortworth, etc.  I don't think it is free at all museums, just at Cal ScienCenter.  They also had a show about homeostasis that was fun.  They have a 50 foot "person" laying in the middle of the stage, and you can see the heart, and veins, etc.  And they show what happens when someone gets hot, or tired from exercise or needs food.  How your body keeps itself in balance.  That is really fun too.  The Sci Center actually has 2 buildings.  Most people don't know about the other building, because it is behind the big building.  It is all space and aeronautics.  They have a reentry pod from a space mission - actually several, as well as replicas of satellites, and real fighter jets and a real helicopter children can sit in, as well as displays to learn about the science of flight, and weightlessness etc.  That one is also really fun.  

   The Sci Center is right next to the LA Colosseum where the Olympics was held.  So we walked to the front and took pictures.  They didn't have it all fancy like the the Chinese, they tried to make it roman-ish.  So it was more traditional than flashy.  

After wards, on our way home, we stopped at Rubio's fish tacos.  One of my favorite foods is the gourmet tacos.  The shrimp one was to die for.  All in all a fun, rather inexpensive trip.  Oh yea, Ossil had a good time in his meetings.  He wanted us to come with him because he didn't want to be alone all day.  We are really glad we went.  

Gift Giving Tag!!

Ok, Natalee, here it is.  My sister Natalee had this on her blog.  I love the things she makes, she is so artistic and very creative.  I am not as creative as her, but I like to try.  Anyway, here it is. This is a gift "tag".   The first five people to comment get a handmade gift from me. Those who commented also have to post this on their blog and then do the same, make a gift for the first five people who make a comment.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. It'll be done this year 2009. Hopefully sooner than later.
3. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be sewn, scrapbooky, baked, beaded, or it may be something totally random that I come up with on a whim. Who knows? Not you - until you receive your gift! 
4. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? The catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. Let's get those homemade gifts going! So, the first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they are doing it also, and post the same post on their blog will receive a gift - made with my two hands! (Although you may be taking your chances with that...)Be sure to post pictures of what you won when you receive it! Don't worry if you live far away. I will send it to you.

I like this, because anyone involved does so voluntarily.  It seems fun.  Good luck.  

By the way, Natalee doesn't count.  She gets an item anyway.