Right in our backyard... and yet I've never been here!
Today was a little odd, because I just decided to drive after school somewhere... but I wasn't sure where and we ended up here. About 25 minutes from our home, out towards Pyramid lake.
About 800 wild mustangs are corralled here. The government tries to adopt them out.
This is only a small shot. It's pretty big. But it's not the great wide open either. I'm amazed at how beautiful the desert can be at times.
I couldn't believe these magnificent animals let us touch them. It was humbling and really amazing. They just watched us. They were so beautiful.
The whole question it leads to is should the animals be free and starve to death or should they be caged and fed?
I wish I knew the answer. But it really was a great experience. The girls were in 7th heaven. We also got free posters, coloring books and pencils. It's a federal program and the history behind it is quite interesting.
Also, just as a bit of information. They round up the wild mustangs by helicopter out in the open.
Martin Luther King Day was very exciting this year. Jody received the "Youth Service Community Award". While I haven't been to the casinos in 2 years, I made an exception obviously for this. There were about 500 people there and we were at the VIP table in front of everyone. It was seriously nerve wracking.
Jody gave a wonderful speech. He's very passionate and energetic. Perhaps I'll be able to upload it with some luck.
We call this picture of Yaya "The Clutch".
Unfortunately the lighting was horrible so I didn't get a lot of pictures. Cameesha was there and made my life. I haven't seen her since highschool and I hope we can reunite so my children can call her Aunty.
Jody was in the paper about 5 different times for this. We clipped all the articles. Jody = Paris Hilton. I'm very proud of him. Way to make a difference in the community by getting kids to go to school. :)
The other day our pizza box had an expired coupon we found from the inside, so I called up the company. Basically false advertisement...They said there was nothing they could do... I said there was and wanted to talk to a manager. I will not let "the man" rule my life.
Ahhhh... life is calm. Nothing really to blog about. That makes me happy for some odd reason!
I love all the blogs out there with stuff to do. But lately I've seen so many cool things that I feel overwhelmed and like I don't do enough for my kids.
But then I remember, I can't schedule learning 24-7. I have to allow "play time". I want creative children.
Boy! Was I excited to go home with star student Christina! Not only is she a star student, but a star child. She shines like no other and lights up everybody’s life. She was very loving and held me almost all weekend!
I was very happy to meet Yaya Sofia, Christina’s great grandmother. We went to her home for dinner and she is a great cook! It must have been all that practice as she was the oldest of 8 brothers and sisters. They are from a country called Greece. That’s where the Olympics started!
Christina read me a couple books and I got really sleepy. They had some pajamas for me to wear, which were very comfy!
Saturday January 16, 2010
I woke up to a very special surprise! Yummy dog bone and puppy shaped pancakes! I’ve never had those before, have you? They were delicious. And so was lunch! Christina wanted to take me to her favorite restaurant- Shang Hai. We met up with her grandparents, Yaya and Papa. Yaya Christina is who she is named after! It’s a Greek thing to be named after your family.
Over by Shang Hai is a little Toucan named Jerry that lives in a store called Ace Hardware. I guess Christina and her family go often to say hello to Jerry and see how his day is going. He was a little weird for my taste, always caw-ing and staring at me with his beady eye. I thought he might eat me. Christina told me not to worry…. He was caged.
A quick trip to Target and we were set for the next event for the day….
A birthday party to go to at Pump it Up. Woo Hoo! Bounce around fun! I was a little scared to go down that HUGE slide, but with Christina and Maria (her little sister) being so kind I got up the courage and sat on their laps. I was safe and boy, was it a rush! With the wind in my fur, I felt like one extreme sport puppy!
Sunday January 17, 2010
Sunday is a special day with Christina’s family. They “keep Sabbath”. It’s a day of rest for them. We went to church and that was about it! They did happen to have some company for dinner that night… which was absolutely scrumptious! Christina’s mommy should be a chef! Their guests were the missionaries or “elders” from their church. They teach people about Jesus Christ and the church that Christina and her family belong too. It was very interesting! Christina has a little brother who died, baby Joe, but because of the knowledge they have (things they have learned) they are not too sad because they know they will see him again!
Monday January 18, 2010
Happy Martin Luther King Day!! Christina and her family LOVE this man and what he has done for the country. Because of him African Americans/ Blacks are treated more fairly. Christina is African American. She has light skin so you probably couldn’t tell. But like Dr.King said, you can’t judge a person by the color of their skin… only by the content of their character. Woah! Big words! What do you think that means?
Christina and her family have books out for the month of January they keep by their fireplace. They have a lot of Martin Luther King Jr. books and books talking about the beauty of different colors. They did an art project coloring shirts with as many colors possible!! Christina is a Star Artist! Her home is filled with hundreds of her artistic creations. Also, for the holiday they crack open brown and white eggs because it shows how the eggs are different on the outside, but the same on the inside.
This year Christina’s daddy won an award for helping people of all different colors get to college. He was in the newspaper. He and her mommy had to go to a fancy dinner, called the Martin Luther King Dinner. I didn’t go because I didn’t want to get 2nd hand smoke poisoning from the Peppermill. Ew. Smelly! Christina’s mommy said I could sit at the VIP table (which means Very Important Puppy) but in the end I stayed at home and watched Barbie 3 Musketeers with Christina, Maria and her grandparents! It was really great to be a part of the Lykes’ family for the weekend. I learned a lot! I had lots of fun! Christina is such a wonderful friend and I love her a lot!!
I was browsing in Wal-Mart and found these wonderful tools for imagination. The girls could have decorated all of our windows... if only we had a tall enough ladder.
Very fun. Great product!!! (And of course, I just noticed the Artful Parent posted the exact same thing today... odd... what can ya do)
1. JOE IN THE PAPER (again)!!!!! Wooooo Hoooo!!! There was a great big picture of Martin Luther King Jr. and then his picture. He's getting the prestigious Youth Service Award at the Martin Luther King dinner this year at the Peppermill for his work with the community. I'm so proud of him. I'm even breaking my no casino policy to go to the awards with him.... did I write about this already? I'm senile. Anyways. All our family has been calling to congratulate and even our boys called to say great job. I got some fantastic shoes I can't wait to wear!!
2. We had a wonderful FHE. I was really thrown off by a psychotic email I got about my "political" views... aka I think Obama is hot and doing a good job running the country. Mind you, I'm not trying to force my opinion on anyone... but if sent a criticizing forward about his associations to the Muslim community, I'm gonna say... look. He's hot. Do we really need to worry if a pretty man is running the country? Obviously not. Look at Putin. Thank you hunting and Russia is doing just fine. .... .... Totally off point. So point. FHE. We're talking about Heavenly Father and who He is. We passed around a paper crown to wear and write down ideas we know about Him. Well what do my children come up with? And I very hestitantly write "my" because after comments like this, there can be no question that they are indeed divine children from a divine Father in Heaven. Christina: " He created our spirits and loves the prophets." Maria: "He gave us Jesus Christ as a sacrifice."
I admit, I've become totally obsessed. I even met the guy years ago and had no clue the positive impact he'd be on my life. His books make me laugh out loud. They are happy. They are good. They are easy to read and absolutely wonderful. I'm drawn to his characters that are inherently peaceful and kind and almost perfect they are so good to others.
So far in the past month I've read the following:
Maniac Magee ... classic.
Fourth Grade Rats
Report to the Principal's Office
Crash... tie between Abby and Stargirl as my all time favorite Spinelli characters. Favorite parts included a 5th grade girl wanting to turn her backyard into a wildlife refuge and sabotaging the lawn mower and using a baseball bat on the ChemPro weed man.
The Library Card... much different from anything I've read of his. Takes the perspective of 4 different young ones and weaves in a library card. Very enjoyable even though again, some of the characters have large problems (one even cuts themselves)
Wringer , Eggs... These 2 a lot more serious in nature, but even though heavier, still very enjoyable... if not more so because he could turn such sorrow into happiness.
When we went to Salt Lake I was very happy at the distribution center!! I got all the picture story books of the BOM, Bible, etc. They are PERFECT length for my girls at night time. Also, I got a large picture of the 12 apostles... so the girls (and myself!) are working on learning names. We keep it on the refrigerator because it's the perfect height and we look at it often.
I try to tell my children this. "Watch out for walls, they don't move...." But inevitably, someone always ends up running straight into one.
Perhaps it's time to see the eye doctor.
However, tonight when Christina was crying (which she rarely does, so I knew it must of hurt) I was rubbing her back and holding her. Maria was right by her side and all of the sudden Christina requests that she wanted Maria to comfort her. "I want Maria to hold me." To which she did.
I know that these little ladies will be best friends forever. I'm so grateful to see their love for each other and how they take care of each other so well... 98% of the time :)
Today was a little odd, because I just decided to drive after school somewhere... but I wasn't sure where and we ended up here. About 25 minutes from our home, out towards Pyramid lake.
About 800 wild mustangs are corralled here. The government tries to adopt them out.
This is only a small shot. It's pretty big. But it's not the great wide open either. I'm amazed at how beautiful the desert can be at times.
I couldn't believe these magnificent animals let us touch them. It was humbling and really amazing. They just watched us. They were so beautiful.
I wish I knew the answer. But it really was a great experience. The girls were in 7th heaven. We also got free posters, coloring books and pencils. It's a federal program and the history behind it is quite interesting.
