Soccer Girl

I don't have any pictures but soccer camp started today. G is one of 4 girls at the camp. There are three college students here teaching through the sports crusade ministry team out of MO. They are actually pretty good with the kids. Some of the boys are a bit wild needing quite a bit of re-direction.

It was very very hot and directly in the sun with roughly three breaks for water/gatorade. G was breathing kind of funny when we left; I was just a bit worried. I stayed in the shade the whole time, but for the rest of the week I think I am going to not go. She will be fine just dropped off.

Actually, she told me she wished I wasn't there, so I told her I wouldn't be the rest of the week. She had at first told me that her grandparents wouldn't get to see her play and was sad about it, so I video'd some for them to see from where they are. I just haven't loaded it yet.

Got out her slip 'n slide yesterday while I fixed lunch. She of course loves it. My grass doesn't love it so much though.

Played many many games of Go which she learned at Chinese camp last week. She did cry everyday but she only called me once. She got to do everything in that week that she loves: painting, clay, cooking, writing, math, just everything.

Picked the garden Saturday, gave most of everything away, except the green beans. Need to go out and pick it again today. Also, made hummingbird food, just letting it cool so I can put it out.

It is very hot and humid outside again today. Sort of wish it would rain to cool everything down a bit. I think that is wishful thinking on my part however.

We are slowly working through the Junie B. Jones series of books. G loves them and so do I. I tell you that Junie B. is a real stinker. So glad G isn't like her, heh.

Okay off to sweat really badly pick the garden.

Day 3 of Camp

Okay so it isn't so much immersion as cultural camp which is also fine. G can't seem to remember much by the time she gets home which is frustrating for me, heh.

Monday she said she had fun. Tuesday morning she said she missed me on Monday and that she cried in her stomach because she missed me. She said she cried but held it inside. Tuesday evening she said it was "funner" than the day before but that she cried twice for me. She said she cried when I dropped her off and then again when they had cleaned up the tables and someone accidentally threw away a picture G colored. Even the garbage lady couldn't find it in the trash. G tried to re-create it by drawing it though.

Today is day three, 5 hours left to the day. G hasn't seemed to mind going in the morning. She actually looks forward to it. I think my being jobless has been both a blessing and a curse. The curse is a bit obvious, but another part is that being with G so much has made separating from me difficult for her. For me, not so much! I am okay separating ;}.

G made a new friend at camp. K, of whom I know not much, is G's new best friend. K was put in timeout though yesterday during free time for running around like crazy and pulling a computer off the table tripping on the cords. Hopefully, G won't follow her too much.

I told G to be sure to remember today's lesson of jiaozi making, yum. One thing though, G hasn't had any math or abacus training yet. I am a bit disappointed. I think the math would be helpful this school year. She can't seem to remember the language anyway so why not teach the math?

One of the teachers told me that G writes beautifully, which she does. It is so nice because G does have a wonderful hand, not like mine!!! G is learning a bit of calligraphy and the basis from where the characters came. She learned bird yesterday. If they told her the the name she didn't remember it, but she has a pretty character.

All Hail the Mosquito

"Malaria killed 863,000 people in 2008 (I’d have guessed it was more); 89% of them were African and of those, 88% were under 5. A further 243 million were infected worldwide. Seven African countries – the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, southern Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda – account for two-thirds of all the world’s cases."

Go to the link and see for what we have sacrificed 863,000 people. It should make us all pause in our lust for saving the environment. Funny how satan can use a good thing like caring for the earth (which God gave to His special creation, man, to care for) and turn it into a thing to worship and harm people. All in his evil plan. Thank God that Jesus has turned the curse around on the cross and many of those children are now will Him in a perfect place with a perfect parent.

We need to turn around our desires and help the Africans kill the mosquito so that it never kills another child again even if that means sacrificeing a few birds!

Even in the Dark Days, You Have to Laugh Some

The Israelis know how to do satire. I hope YouTube keeps this one up longer than the last but if they don't it will be moved and I will update it. We all need to know where the real hatred comes from, which is ultimately satan- the mortal enemy of us all without Jesus.

Here is another helpful piece about Israel from 2004 by a former prime minister of Spain. And here is the blog where I found it.

Wise Up Power book

I ordered this book for G from Amazon. It is time to empower my girl about her history, life and looks against other kids who don't know what to do with someone different.

Last week in VBS no less than 4 kids asked G if she was Chinese, why didn't she speak it, and why was her hair black. G told me that AC told about going to a Chinese restaurant once and seeing a waitress who had eyes "like this" (pulled tight at the corner). G demonstrated that to me and I said, "Well, G that is what your eyes look like. She was trying to make Chinese eyes." G vehemently said, "Nuh uh, Mama, see (pulling her eyes tight at the corner) I can't even see like this. That isn't how my eyes look." Um, yeah, okay.

So it should be shipped this week. G asked me if she "is the only Chinese people in American?!?!" I assured her she wasn't and that she would see many at camp this week. Of course I dropped her off at camp this morning and all I saw were caucasian kids being dropped off. Maybe Chinese camp is only for caucasian kids and American camps are for Chinese? I can't see how it will be a true immersion camp, but they will learn a lot I hope anyway.

They will have one hour a day (2-30minute sessions) of abacus training and 1/2 hour of mental math. That will help her in school hopefully. There will be many craft times and some cultural things as well. I am quite jazzed about the week as well as a bit nervous about how G will do. I know she will be very tired though as the camp is 8-5.

We have to stay busy to make the next month and half go very quickly due to family situations that I am not at liberty to mention. Anyhoo, busy times ahead. Also, I am making fun colorful earings for sale and will be posting pics soon with more info coming.

Okay so now off to do laundry and wait to pick up G.

Catchin' Catfish

G and her grandad caught 3 catfish today. She wouldn't hold it so Grandad did for her picture. Her hair bands broke in the almost 100 degree heat and 80%+ humidity so that is why her hair is down.

The Hits-They Just Keep on a Comin'

Just received notice that escrow on the rental house (the house I tried but couldn't sell) was short $1600+ which makes the new mortgage payment either $100 more a month if I pay the escrow shortage or $140 more a month if I don't. Either way the new rent amount that I stressed over is now not covering the mortgage and unemployment is about to end (I think).

I am not handling this well at all, just so you know! Life under a job killing administration sucks big fat rotten eggs!!

Happy Flag Day!

The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics

By Francis Scott Key 1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,

A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

May our flag remain the beacon of real hope of freedom for all those peoples oppressed under governments of ill intent.

Budgee Pictures from the Zoo

G was able to get several birds on her own. Our friends got a few to feed on their stick as well. The birds are really pretty and not too terribly squirmish. The birds are pretty comfortable with all of us humans feeding them.

Novel Way to Earn Money

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

What an awesome way to earn money by completing tasks or checking into a business or service during this not so good economy. I think normal advertising is going the way of the dinosaur, or at least that is what it is looking like. This is a simple way to get interest in a business: request participants of WeReward.com to stop by, submit a photo and a brief review of themselves using the business' services, to Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare, and earn points which translates into money. Brilliant marketing strategy, don't you think?

With WeReward.com there are three ways to earn points: check-ins, tasks and referrals. After acquiring 1000 points you can cash out through your Paypal account. Earn points just by doing what you would normally do anyway during your regular day to day activities. Meeting friends for dinner and a movie? Download the App to your iPhone to let you know which restaurant is offering check-in points for a short review.

This may even be bigger and better than those big coupon books because you earn money based on businesses needing to advertise without having to discount services. It is a win-win for all parties involved. Now everyone can be a secret shopper, ::evil grin::.

Now I wish I had an iPhone so I could participate. Of course it would take me way to long to figure out how to properly use one if my past phone usage is any indication of the learning curve. Check out this video for more information.

History Provides Perspective

If any reader of this blog is interested in Israel's history in the Middle East the link will offer a context for the whole flottilla incident and why Helen Thomas's remarks couldn't have been more foolish if she tried. Good riddance to bad rubbish there.

Apparently, there is so much that this administration has decided is not worth protecting at home or anywhere; throwing Israel under the bus is par for the course, isn't it?

Feel safe with the Muslim-in-Chief?

Just Another Day at the Zoo

We headed to the zoo yesterday with some friends. We had a picnic in the nice airconditioned building (where picnic means eating anywhere away from home and bringing our own food as I don't wish to eat outside in the 90+ heat). G finally got to get wet in the water fountain outside of the newest exhibit. She LURVED it! Then the day promptly ended in the pits as we stayed up way to late and that always brings tears at bed time.

We Need to Remember Our Heritage

This has an awesome background story here.

This Is Brilliant

There are some spectacular conservative/libertarian bloggers out there who find some of the coolest stuff on line to share. Bookworm is one of those bloggers. Her blog is where I found this video. I tell you, if it weren't for Obama, I wouldn't have known about most of these bloggers!

NAVTEQ Asks, "Need Directions?"

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

NAVTEQ's technology is used in the majority of GPS systems currently in use. As the summer begins with all of the comings and goings, it is easier now to find your way around just by updating your GPS system at this link:
www.updateyourmap.com. Summer is too short to not know where you are going or to get lost on the way there.

We moms are heavily relied upon to make sure our precious cargo, AKA children, are toted from hither to yon as well as always being on time. So make sure your GPS system is as up to date as your calendar of events by going to this site www.updateyourmap.com.

We have a very busy summer planned at least for the next three weeks. G has two vacation Bible schools to attend in the same week, morning and afternoon. Then off to the Chinese immersion camp for a week (days only). Then off to soccer camp the next week. Then summer is almost over and back to school she goes. This is all on top of one baby shower Saturday, a family reunion trip Sunday, a zoo trip with friends, blueberry picking, swimming, playdates, library times and any other thing we can think of attending.

Granted, most of our activites are local but for some of you readers, there are many locals to visit far and wide. So be safe, arrive on time and at the correct spot by updating your GPS with NAVTEQ's technology at the above links.

Interesting Take on Obama by None Other Than...

Fidel Castro:

"'President Obama can give hundreds of speeches, trying to reconcile contradictions that are irreconcilable ... dreaming of the magic of his well-articulated phrases,' he wrote.

"But Castro said Obama 'makes concessions to personalities and groups totally lacking in ethics and draws fantasy worlds that only fit in his head and that unscrupulous advisers, knowing his tendencies, plant in his mind.'"

Link is in the title of this post. Can't imagine anyone being more right with this statement, can you?

Small Blessings

So G graduated Kindergarten and received the class award for "Most nosey Curious." G's last day of school was Thursday a week after graduation. They (the ones who came anyway) helped clean up the room so much so that when I picked G up early she didn't wish to go! She told me "the boys were HELPLESS, I did ebrything." She was funny.

We swam all day Memorial Day. It was fun and I didn't get sunburned, YEA! That was a very busy and disappointing week for sure. I needed a win and didn't get it. So one door is closed to me. Job hunting is disappointing and becoming depressing. Now that is enough about that.

The place where I volunteer fed 345 families on Friday. That was a tiring day for everyone. Because school was out, G had to be with us helping. She was so good all day. We have another give away in another two months. This time we will be signing up 425 because it seems 50 or so don't bother to show up for free food anyway which means people are feeling entitled so no need to come get it right? Now that is all I'm gonna say about that.

There are small rewards volunteering there though. Someone donated 4 boxes of movies, some never opened. Because the shelter is mostly for emergency food and clothing I was able to keep some of the movies for myself. The original Little Women and several other movies were in the boxes. Also, some of the clothes are donated from a local women's store that I am able to keep as well. Sometimes it is only a matter of needing a new zipper or something. G benefits as well, someone donated a t-shirt that says "My pretending to listen to you is enough."

At the yard sale Saturday I made enough to pay my half of G's Chinese immersion camp. I also picked up several new chapter books for G (Jackie Chan's adventure books and the Dish series). I picked up an Amelia Bedelia book and three other books of which I can't remember the names. I also picked up a new very cute brown/pink lunchbox for G for next year or whenever she wishes to use it (may be too prissy for her for next year). I also made enough to keep us swimming this summer.

G received some money for graduation and just because from my aunt in Fl. The money is absolutely burning a hole in her pocket. I personally don't want to see her spend it until there is something she really wants other than a toy. I don't mind toys it is just that she wants to buy a toy, no specific toy - just any toy. Anyway, that is enough about me, how about you?

Renaming a Song

One time, a long time ago, when I was rich a friend and I traveled to Europe. We had a grand time there. We saw all of the great places: museums, theater, castles, cities etc. Once while in a disco in Lucerne with all of the beautiful Swiss people, a song came on over the speakers, an American song. All of these non-English speaking beautiful Swiss people stood in the middle of the dance floor and sang along perfectly and loudly to this song. The song was a song that I couldn't get discos around here to play because they said it was too slow. The song--I Will Survive-- is one of my favorites of course.

G calls it, The Dead Song. It is on a karoke CD being given out in the Wendy's kids meals. There are four different CDs but I think there are only like 4 songs on each. I had to beg to let me trade the original 80s CD for the one with the dead song on it.

Here are some other G renaming of songs, the coconut song- is "I'm a Little Acorn," the bear song could be "The Bear Went Over the Mountain" or "I Met a Bear," and the bakery song of which I can't remember the name talks about a girl buying a donut with a nickel with a hole in it.

I can't remember right now some of the other funny renaming of songs but I know each and every one when she asks for them.

Since this is the second official night of summer vacation G is spending it with the grandparents. Due to the Saturday yardsale she spent Friday too. Saturday morning she and her grandad went fishing and today she called him before church to go fishing afterward. She caught 8 or 10 fish but all too small to bring home TTL. I am so glad they have that time together (almost every week now). I will be sad if it ever ends mostly because I get great nap time in of the bonding time they have together. When it ends it will either mean he is too old or she is.

D-Day: An Important Rememberance

"D-DayJune 6, 1944, the US and our allies invaded Europe through France, a country that had not attacked us, to get at Germany, another country that didn’t attack us and only declared war because we went to war with their ally, Japan, after firing on their planes over Pearl Harbor, long after cutting off economic materials to them through an embargo. Germany was in much the same situation as the Palestinians today, fighting the Jews. In the process of our invasion and aggressive war against Germany, hundreds of thousands of innocent French, Belgian, Dutch and German civilians were killed by us, including thousands of children. And we interfered with Germany’s sovereign right to deal with its citizens internally, just as we more recently did with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Neither Saddam’s treatment of the Kurds and Shi’a, not Adolf’s treatment of Jews, Gays, Gypsies, Communists, Christian agitators and others he determined were undesirable were any of our business. Nor is it our business to spread our culture and political system to countries like Japan, German and Iraq against the wishes of their government. Unfortunately for Germany, they did not have the allies they would have in today’s UN, American media and leftist Americans to rally support for their side against Amerika. If they had, the National Socialist Workers Party and state capitalism might still be efficiently running the Third Reich.

"All honor and eternal remembrance to our troops and those of our allies who, at the cost of their lives and unaware of the blessings of multiculturalism, put down those rabid tyrannies. Let us continue to defend the values they died for, regardless of the cost to us, and of the leftist allies of tyranny at home."

Thanks to the Tartan Marine for reminding us.

Spread the Word

The truth of the Gaza flotilla will not come through the MSM. The Israeli soldiers were set up to create a crisis. The more countries condemn Israel for defending herself the stronger the Hamas grows against her. We must stand up for our friend Israel. Every country has a right to self defense and Israel is no different.
YouTube is pulling down conservative and pro-Israeli videos due to false claims of copy right infringement even though videos like the one above fall within the fair usage laws. So the videos will be picked up and changed as needed.