As I'm sitting here in front of my computer, I'm supposed to be doing stuff - laundry, dishes, sweeping, packing, etc., etc. But, I'm procrastinating and wiling away the minutes doing meaningless things.
This month has been a difficult month. It's gone by pretty quickly, which is good since a lot of times time seems to go by slowly when things are not going well.
I got some sad news on the 4th of July. My dad got shot. Fortunately, he's okay now. He was in the hospital for 10 days and has been recuperating at home. But, yeah, that's the kind of news that stops you in your tracks. I have been feeling fine - I mean, I feel terrible that it happened but I'm okay. You never want something like this to happen to your own father. It's unthinkable even though it happens everyday. Just not to anyone you know and love. You hear it in the news and you don't really think about it. You never wonder how it affects the people it happens to.
Well, I know now.
I'm relieved he's okay. But, even though I'm okay and he's okay, I think deep down, we're all a little shaken. I haven't been sleeping well. The past few weeks since I got the news, I've been having difficulty falling asleep and getting up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back to sleep very well. It's been better lately. I think it's just the shock of the news and my mind processing it.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
18 Years Ago
18 years ago yesterday, I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the most important decision of my life.
I was fifteen-years-old. I had questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the purpose of life? Is there life after death? These are the questions many through the ages have asked. I was trying to find meaning in my life. I felt depressed - I think it's a common feeling among teenagers trying to figure out what life is about and how they fit into the big picture. I am grateful I received my answers.
On an Easter Sunday, I was flipping through the channels and saw part of "The Easter Dream", a production by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the end of the program was an offer for a free video, "Our Heavenly Father's Plan". A free video? Cool! I called the 800-number to request it. A few weeks later, two young missionaries delivered the video and shared the first discussion with me. I felt the spirit. They taught me the gospel and I accepted it. The message they taught me answered all my questions.
I am a child of God. I am here to experience life and to choose whether to follow God and Jesus Christ. Each person on earth has a purpose and a mission. Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve into mortality, a Redeemer is necessary to provide a way back to God. Jesus Christ is the only person qualified to perform the atonement which allows us to overcome mortality and gain eternal life.
The truths and principles I learned have guided my life since then. My conversion has literally changed my life for the better. The teachings of the gospel has helped me to become a better person and to make better decisions. I was able to face my challenges with greater perspective and to not let them discourage me too much.
Before I joined the church, I didn't understand the role of women. Even after baptism, I didn't think too much about it. However, through the years I have come accept that because families are essential to Heavenly Father's plan, the most important thing I as a woman can do is to be a mother. Of course, there are some women who do not have the opportunity to be mothers but they are still valued. The idea that motherhood is sacred and divine became evident to me when I became a mother myself. Contrary to our society's views, motherhood is not a denigration of womanhood. Men and women are equal in the sight of God and neither is less than the other. Husband and wife work together to make the family a successful unit of society.
I am grateful that I found the truth when I did. Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have been blessed with strength to endure my personal trials. I have joy and peace in my life. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Joseph Smith, Jr. was an instrument in the hands of God in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, as is the Bible. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today.
I was fifteen-years-old. I had questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the purpose of life? Is there life after death? These are the questions many through the ages have asked. I was trying to find meaning in my life. I felt depressed - I think it's a common feeling among teenagers trying to figure out what life is about and how they fit into the big picture. I am grateful I received my answers.
On an Easter Sunday, I was flipping through the channels and saw part of "The Easter Dream", a production by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the end of the program was an offer for a free video, "Our Heavenly Father's Plan". A free video? Cool! I called the 800-number to request it. A few weeks later, two young missionaries delivered the video and shared the first discussion with me. I felt the spirit. They taught me the gospel and I accepted it. The message they taught me answered all my questions.
I am a child of God. I am here to experience life and to choose whether to follow God and Jesus Christ. Each person on earth has a purpose and a mission. Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve into mortality, a Redeemer is necessary to provide a way back to God. Jesus Christ is the only person qualified to perform the atonement which allows us to overcome mortality and gain eternal life.
The truths and principles I learned have guided my life since then. My conversion has literally changed my life for the better. The teachings of the gospel has helped me to become a better person and to make better decisions. I was able to face my challenges with greater perspective and to not let them discourage me too much.
Before I joined the church, I didn't understand the role of women. Even after baptism, I didn't think too much about it. However, through the years I have come accept that because families are essential to Heavenly Father's plan, the most important thing I as a woman can do is to be a mother. Of course, there are some women who do not have the opportunity to be mothers but they are still valued. The idea that motherhood is sacred and divine became evident to me when I became a mother myself. Contrary to our society's views, motherhood is not a denigration of womanhood. Men and women are equal in the sight of God and neither is less than the other. Husband and wife work together to make the family a successful unit of society.
I am grateful that I found the truth when I did. Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have been blessed with strength to endure my personal trials. I have joy and peace in my life. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Joseph Smith, Jr. was an instrument in the hands of God in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, as is the Bible. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Maryland
We recently got back from a trip to my old stomping grounds in Maryland. It's always a treat to go home and be among family and friends. This was Ellie's first trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa Chu. My parents and my sisters have been to Wyoming so it's not their first time seeing her. It was however the first time some dear friends and my Aunt Rose got to see her, which was very fun.
We got to stay with the Fergusons, a wonderful family for whom I used to babysit. Their three daughters are now grown up; their youngest, Michelle, just graduated from high school. It makes me feel old that the kids I babysat for are all graduating from high school and going to college! The Fergusons lived a few minutes drive from my parents' so it was very convenient.
Our trip started off with a little more excitement than we'd expected. First off, right out of Cheyenne we missed the exit to the highway down to Denver which led to a 10 minute detour. Luckily, we had left home with plenty of time to get to the airport for once (most people know we're usually running late). When we got to the airport parking lot, I suddenly realized my driver's license was not in my wallet. Usually it is but this one time it wasn't because I'd taken it out a couple days earlier and had put it back in my purse but not in my wallet. When I was packing, I didn't pack my purse and just brought my wallet. Dan thought that for sure I wouldn't be able to board the airplane without a photo ID and that we'd have to reschedule our flights. He suggested that we just leave the luggage in our car and take the bus to the airport terminal to get our flights rescheduled. I said that we should just bring all our luggage just in case they do let me on the plane. Amazingly, when we talked with the Southwest agent about the situation, she said that Southwest doesn't require a photo ID to fly and that the security personnel would just do additional checking on me. I was so glad we brought our luggage along anyway and didn't have to pay extra money to reschedule flights which we would've had to do if we left our luggage in our car because there wouldn't have been enough time for us go back to get the luggage.
So, with a sigh of relief we got to the departure gate in time for our flight. However, our adventures were not over! On the airplane, Ellie got sick and was very fussy. We didn't know what was wrong with her. She cried a lot and wanted to be held. Then she threw up. Fortunately, we'd traveled enough with our kids that we were prepared and had packed a change of clothing for everyone. I cleaned her up as well as I could and changed her soiled shirt. Everything seemed fine for a bit, although Ellie was still a little fussy. A while later, she threw up again. This time it was a bigger mess and I didn't have another clean shirt. So, I used one of Charlie's shirts. It was obvious something was wrong but we still were clueless. So, I just held her and tried to get her to drink fluids and be as comfortable as possible. By this point, I was looking forward to getting to our destination ASAP! However, we had a stopover in Cincinnati and then another one-and-a-half hour flight to Baltimore. After the stopover, we continued on in the same plane to our destination. I was not surprised when Ellie threw up a third time. What a mess!! I got to clean it up again because Dan was sitting across the aisle from us. With no clean shirts left for either child, Dan had wisely decided to wash the first soiled shirt since it wasn't too badly soiled. So, by the time we needed it it was pretty well dried.
Sorry to bore you with all the details of our trip there! We were just glad to get there in one piece and to look forward to having our visit go a lot better than our experiences thus far. The next day we were able to take her to a walk-in medical clinic and have a doctor look at her. They couldn't tell what was wrong - it was probably a virus. We figured as much but wanted to have her checked out just in case, especially because she was wheezing a little and seemed to be taking quick breaths. We got a nebulizer for helping her inhale some medicine for the wheezing. We only had to use it a couple times but that seemed to help her breathing get back to normal.
Anyway, we did have a great trip overall. Besides seeing my parents and sisters, we also got to see my dear friend, Jaya. I'm so glad we were able to see her since she is super busy. Jaya and I were best friends in the fourth grade and have been good friends since then. It's amazing that we've been friends for so long despite living in different states and leading totally different lives. Seeing her again made me realize why we are friends and that we will remain friends always. She is a great person!! Love you, girl!
It was wonderful to spend time with my family. We were crazy enough to go down to DC one day. It was SOOO HOT and HUMID!! I'm not used to the climate anymore. We went to the Museum of Natural History and the Air and Space Museum. I can't believe how many people were at each place - it seems like there weren't very many people all the previous times I'd gone. We didn't stay long at the Air and Space Museum because the kids were just really tired and Ellie needed a nap. Before we went to the Air and Space Museum, we saw a carousel and I went on it with Ellie and Charlie. Ellie just LOVED it and cried when we had to get off.
Aunt Rose was off on Monday so we went to lunch with her at the Wheaton Mall - a place at which I've spent a lot of time as a teenager. On the way from the restaurant to the park, I showed Dan the neighborhood where we lived when I was a child. It was strange to see all the changes that had been made since my family and I moved to the house where my parents live now. The Catholic high school right by the apartments we lived in has been replaced by a new development of townhomes. There were more storefronts and other buildings in the area. The library still looked the same though! Ah, what a trip through memory lane!
After lunch we went to the park. Ellie was really excited to see that there was a carousel there and, of course, the kids got to ride on it with my dad. There was also a miniature train and we rode that too. I had ridden on it as a child. Charlie was in heaven! I was amazed that it was about 10 minutes long - a lot longer than any little train ride I'd taken Charlie on.
We also got to see some wonderful friends of mine from church, the Connors, the Fergusons, and Charlene Weaver, who was in Young Women's with me. Brother Connor was my seminary teacher and my employer for one summer. I also babysat his kids during high school. Sister Ferguson was also one of my seminary teachers and Brother Ferguson used to drive me to seminary. Can I just say these are amazing people? I count them among my eternal friends.
Charlie was excited to have his own little backpack to bring whatever he wanted on the trip. Guess what's in it?
Sid and Melody Connor. Sarah Connor & Charlie
Ellie on carousel in DC. Charlie in spinny thing on carousel.
Dan & kids at lunch with Aunt Rose. Kids with Grandma and Grandpa Chu.
On the train ride, Aunt Rose in white hat & shirt. Another carousel ride!
We got to stay with the Fergusons, a wonderful family for whom I used to babysit. Their three daughters are now grown up; their youngest, Michelle, just graduated from high school. It makes me feel old that the kids I babysat for are all graduating from high school and going to college! The Fergusons lived a few minutes drive from my parents' so it was very convenient.
Our trip started off with a little more excitement than we'd expected. First off, right out of Cheyenne we missed the exit to the highway down to Denver which led to a 10 minute detour. Luckily, we had left home with plenty of time to get to the airport for once (most people know we're usually running late). When we got to the airport parking lot, I suddenly realized my driver's license was not in my wallet. Usually it is but this one time it wasn't because I'd taken it out a couple days earlier and had put it back in my purse but not in my wallet. When I was packing, I didn't pack my purse and just brought my wallet. Dan thought that for sure I wouldn't be able to board the airplane without a photo ID and that we'd have to reschedule our flights. He suggested that we just leave the luggage in our car and take the bus to the airport terminal to get our flights rescheduled. I said that we should just bring all our luggage just in case they do let me on the plane. Amazingly, when we talked with the Southwest agent about the situation, she said that Southwest doesn't require a photo ID to fly and that the security personnel would just do additional checking on me. I was so glad we brought our luggage along anyway and didn't have to pay extra money to reschedule flights which we would've had to do if we left our luggage in our car because there wouldn't have been enough time for us go back to get the luggage.
So, with a sigh of relief we got to the departure gate in time for our flight. However, our adventures were not over! On the airplane, Ellie got sick and was very fussy. We didn't know what was wrong with her. She cried a lot and wanted to be held. Then she threw up. Fortunately, we'd traveled enough with our kids that we were prepared and had packed a change of clothing for everyone. I cleaned her up as well as I could and changed her soiled shirt. Everything seemed fine for a bit, although Ellie was still a little fussy. A while later, she threw up again. This time it was a bigger mess and I didn't have another clean shirt. So, I used one of Charlie's shirts. It was obvious something was wrong but we still were clueless. So, I just held her and tried to get her to drink fluids and be as comfortable as possible. By this point, I was looking forward to getting to our destination ASAP! However, we had a stopover in Cincinnati and then another one-and-a-half hour flight to Baltimore. After the stopover, we continued on in the same plane to our destination. I was not surprised when Ellie threw up a third time. What a mess!! I got to clean it up again because Dan was sitting across the aisle from us. With no clean shirts left for either child, Dan had wisely decided to wash the first soiled shirt since it wasn't too badly soiled. So, by the time we needed it it was pretty well dried.
Sorry to bore you with all the details of our trip there! We were just glad to get there in one piece and to look forward to having our visit go a lot better than our experiences thus far. The next day we were able to take her to a walk-in medical clinic and have a doctor look at her. They couldn't tell what was wrong - it was probably a virus. We figured as much but wanted to have her checked out just in case, especially because she was wheezing a little and seemed to be taking quick breaths. We got a nebulizer for helping her inhale some medicine for the wheezing. We only had to use it a couple times but that seemed to help her breathing get back to normal.
Anyway, we did have a great trip overall. Besides seeing my parents and sisters, we also got to see my dear friend, Jaya. I'm so glad we were able to see her since she is super busy. Jaya and I were best friends in the fourth grade and have been good friends since then. It's amazing that we've been friends for so long despite living in different states and leading totally different lives. Seeing her again made me realize why we are friends and that we will remain friends always. She is a great person!! Love you, girl!
It was wonderful to spend time with my family. We were crazy enough to go down to DC one day. It was SOOO HOT and HUMID!! I'm not used to the climate anymore. We went to the Museum of Natural History and the Air and Space Museum. I can't believe how many people were at each place - it seems like there weren't very many people all the previous times I'd gone. We didn't stay long at the Air and Space Museum because the kids were just really tired and Ellie needed a nap. Before we went to the Air and Space Museum, we saw a carousel and I went on it with Ellie and Charlie. Ellie just LOVED it and cried when we had to get off.
Aunt Rose was off on Monday so we went to lunch with her at the Wheaton Mall - a place at which I've spent a lot of time as a teenager. On the way from the restaurant to the park, I showed Dan the neighborhood where we lived when I was a child. It was strange to see all the changes that had been made since my family and I moved to the house where my parents live now. The Catholic high school right by the apartments we lived in has been replaced by a new development of townhomes. There were more storefronts and other buildings in the area. The library still looked the same though! Ah, what a trip through memory lane!
After lunch we went to the park. Ellie was really excited to see that there was a carousel there and, of course, the kids got to ride on it with my dad. There was also a miniature train and we rode that too. I had ridden on it as a child. Charlie was in heaven! I was amazed that it was about 10 minutes long - a lot longer than any little train ride I'd taken Charlie on.
We also got to see some wonderful friends of mine from church, the Connors, the Fergusons, and Charlene Weaver, who was in Young Women's with me. Brother Connor was my seminary teacher and my employer for one summer. I also babysat his kids during high school. Sister Ferguson was also one of my seminary teachers and Brother Ferguson used to drive me to seminary. Can I just say these are amazing people? I count them among my eternal friends.
Charlie was excited to have his own little backpack to bring whatever he wanted on the trip. Guess what's in it?
Sid and Melody Connor. Sarah Connor & Charlie
Ellie on carousel in DC. Charlie in spinny thing on carousel.
Dan & kids at lunch with Aunt Rose. Kids with Grandma and Grandpa Chu.
On the train ride, Aunt Rose in white hat & shirt. Another carousel ride!Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Our New Lawn
We have a new lawn!! When we bought the house, we weren't too excited about all the rocks in our front lawn. We love greenery and so after a couple years of talking, we finally acted. We debated for a long time about how to get it done, whether to do it ourselves or contract it out. I'm so glad we decided to have a landscaper do the work because we did not have the skills, tools, or time to do a good job on this project.
Here are the before and after pictures. Sorry they weren't taken around the same time of day so there are shadows in the before picture.
It took 4 or 5 guys at least a day to get the old grass and the eight tons of rock out. I'm sure just this part of the job alone would've done us in!
It's so nice to be able to look out the front window and see green grass instead of ugly rocks and weeds. I love it!!
Here are the before and after pictures. Sorry they weren't taken around the same time of day so there are shadows in the before picture.
It took 4 or 5 guys at least a day to get the old grass and the eight tons of rock out. I'm sure just this part of the job alone would've done us in!
It's so nice to be able to look out the front window and see green grass instead of ugly rocks and weeds. I love it!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Memorial Day Weekend
We had a great weekend! Friday, the 28th was the last day at Charlie's preschool. They held a graduation that evening in which all the parents got to watch their kids perform songs they'd learned throughout the year. Charlie did not want to perform so he sat by me in the audience and sang most of the songs. I wasn't surprised because he has yet to go up to the stand when all the kids sing at church. I hope this is a phase because he sings very well and usually knows the words. I am so glad Charlie had a good experience in preschool; it'll make the transition to Kindergarten this fall that much easier.
Charlie and his preschool teachers, Miss Cathy and Miss Barbara
My little graduate!
Dan's brother, Andrew, and family came to visit for the weekend. We had a wonderful time with them! The kids especially enjoyed being with their cousins. On Saturday morning, we had a pancake breakfast and then we went to downtown Cheyenne. It happened that this weekend was Depot Days, an annual event celebrating Cheyenne's railroading heritage. There were lots of activities related to trains, which as you know is my son's passion. Charlie's two boy cousins, Nathan and Matthew likes trains too, so it was a great activity for all. We chose to go to the Union Pacific Roundhouse Openhouse. This is where the public gets to see the steamshop, where workers repair steam engines, and the Roundhouse where they house many engines and railcars. It was thrilling to be able to see the old steam engines up close. They were humongus! The adults enjoyed learning more about the inner-workings of the steam engines and some railroad history from one of the UP employees.
Later that day, we grilled some tandoori chicken, one of our favorite recipes. It was our first grill-out of the year and turned out very nicely.
On Sunday, we attended church. Before dinner we went to our favorite park and took a walk around the lake. The kids enjoyed seeing all the doggies and playing at the playground. I heard a group of people speaking Chinese and asked them where they were from. We ended up talking a while in Chinese. It's always a surprise to find Chinese people in Cheyenne because there aren't many here. Actually, there aren't many of any ethnic people in Cheyenne, except Hispanics. I miss the diversity of other places.
On Monday, Andrew and his family left. We were sad to see our guests leave. Charlie was especially sad and even a few days later he'd say that he was sad the cousins left.
In the evening, we had a barbecue with a few friends from the ward. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend!!
Charlie and his preschool teachers, Miss Cathy and Miss Barbara
My little graduate!
Later that day, we grilled some tandoori chicken, one of our favorite recipes. It was our first grill-out of the year and turned out very nicely.
On Sunday, we attended church. Before dinner we went to our favorite park and took a walk around the lake. The kids enjoyed seeing all the doggies and playing at the playground. I heard a group of people speaking Chinese and asked them where they were from. We ended up talking a while in Chinese. It's always a surprise to find Chinese people in Cheyenne because there aren't many here. Actually, there aren't many of any ethnic people in Cheyenne, except Hispanics. I miss the diversity of other places.
On Monday, Andrew and his family left. We were sad to see our guests leave. Charlie was especially sad and even a few days later he'd say that he was sad the cousins left.
In the evening, we had a barbecue with a few friends from the ward. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend!!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Happy Birthday, Charlie!
Yesterday, Charlie turned five. As trite as it may sound, I really can't believe how quickly he's growing up! In the weeks leading up to his birthday, I've been reminding him that his birthday was coming up. He would say he didn't want his birthday to come. And, when people asked him how old he would be on his birthday, he'd say "four!" and deny that he would be five. I figured out that it was because I had told him that after he turned five, he'd be able to go to kindergarten. He really loved preschool and didn't want to go to kindergarten. I think he thought that the moment he turned five, he'd have to leave preschool and go straight to kindergarten. It's interesting how kids think of time. Well, I think he's accepted the fact that he's five because he now says that he's "five years old". I'm sure it helped that he got to go to preschool on his birthday.
As mentioned previously, Charlie didn't just love trains, he LOVES trains. I can't remember when it all started but I do remember the early days of him learning to eat solid foods and lining up whatever was cut up for him on his plate like train cars. So, it was very appropriate that Grandma sent him a locomotive cake mold. I thought it'd be fun to bring the cake to share with his preschool friends on his birthday. Since I'd never used a mold for a cake before, I made a practice run for playgroup on Friday.
So here's the trial cake:
And here's the one I made yesterday for Charlie's preschool:
I must admit it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. The hardest part was greasing the pan, which took a very LONG time because of all the nooks and crannies. Charlie got to pick where he wanted the different colors of frosting. That was the funnest part!
I was too lazy to make the cake a THIRD time so we had the leftovers of the preschool cake for our little family birthday party. Charlie wanted pizza for dinner so that's what we had! I loved that I didn't have to cook but I would've enjoyed making something at home for him if he wanted. Not having to cook and do too much clean-up was a bonus.
He got to pick out his birthday gift from us at Target. It's a remote controlled GeoTrax train. I'm glad I let him pick because I wouldn't have thought to get this toy for him. I thought he would've wanted a Thomas train because he loves Thomas. But maybe he chose this one because he already has several Thomas & Friends trains. It's so fun to watch him be so happy playing with a toy he really loves.
As mentioned previously, Charlie didn't just love trains, he LOVES trains. I can't remember when it all started but I do remember the early days of him learning to eat solid foods and lining up whatever was cut up for him on his plate like train cars. So, it was very appropriate that Grandma sent him a locomotive cake mold. I thought it'd be fun to bring the cake to share with his preschool friends on his birthday. Since I'd never used a mold for a cake before, I made a practice run for playgroup on Friday.
So here's the trial cake:
And here's the one I made yesterday for Charlie's preschool:
I must admit it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. The hardest part was greasing the pan, which took a very LONG time because of all the nooks and crannies. Charlie got to pick where he wanted the different colors of frosting. That was the funnest part!I was too lazy to make the cake a THIRD time so we had the leftovers of the preschool cake for our little family birthday party. Charlie wanted pizza for dinner so that's what we had! I loved that I didn't have to cook but I would've enjoyed making something at home for him if he wanted. Not having to cook and do too much clean-up was a bonus.
He got to pick out his birthday gift from us at Target. It's a remote controlled GeoTrax train. I'm glad I let him pick because I wouldn't have thought to get this toy for him. I thought he would've wanted a Thomas train because he loves Thomas. But maybe he chose this one because he already has several Thomas & Friends trains. It's so fun to watch him be so happy playing with a toy he really loves.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Changed
I had planned to have playgroup at my house tomorrow morning. Charlie's birthday is coming up and I wanted to have a small celebration with our playgroup friends in our home. I was going to put up a few decorations and make a train cake with the locomotive cake pan my mother-in-law sent us... Charlie loves trains; it's his passion.
Anyway, my husband called from work to tell he'd have to go into work in the middle of the night. He used to have to go in at night about once a week and I never could host playgroup. Now that he has a new job, it's rare for him to have to do that but it happens. I couldn't believe that the one time I actually planned to have playgroup at our house he has to go in the night before. I wasn't happy about it.
Later I was on the computer and I read about Stephanie Nielson. When I got on Facebook, I saw a link for a YouTube video that a friend had posted. I watched the video and was touched. I changed my mind about playgroup and decided that it wouldn't be so bad to have to do it at the church. Now I don't have to clean my house or worry about decorations! I'll still make the cake.
Anyway, my husband called from work to tell he'd have to go into work in the middle of the night. He used to have to go in at night about once a week and I never could host playgroup. Now that he has a new job, it's rare for him to have to do that but it happens. I couldn't believe that the one time I actually planned to have playgroup at our house he has to go in the night before. I wasn't happy about it.
Later I was on the computer and I read about Stephanie Nielson. When I got on Facebook, I saw a link for a YouTube video that a friend had posted. I watched the video and was touched. I changed my mind about playgroup and decided that it wouldn't be so bad to have to do it at the church. Now I don't have to clean my house or worry about decorations! I'll still make the cake.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Lost and Found
I have a bad habit of losing things. I've lost my wallet a few times and luckily have been able to find it each time except once. I looked everywhere I could think of but couldn't find it so I had to go through the routine of calling the credit card companies and getting my driver's license renewed.
A week or so ago, I lost my cell phone. I hadn't had much luck finding it in the house or the car. Last night, I just felt like I should look in both cars. So, I combed through Dan's car and my car. Not only did I find my phone (yay!), I found some other stuff. I wonder how long that's been in there? Can anyone guess what it is??
A week or so ago, I lost my cell phone. I hadn't had much luck finding it in the house or the car. Last night, I just felt like I should look in both cars. So, I combed through Dan's car and my car. Not only did I find my phone (yay!), I found some other stuff. I wonder how long that's been in there? Can anyone guess what it is??
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Amazing People
Recently, I finished reading two books about people who are inspiring and amazing. These two individuals were just human beings but what made them great was the love they had for others and how they showed that love. Their lives were great because of how they chose to do the things they did.
The first book was Glimpses into the Life and Hear of Marjorie Pay Hinckley which is a compilation of Sister Hinckley's own words as well as those of friends, acquaintances, and family members. These recollections allowed me as an outsider to really see what Sister Hinckley was like as a person. They showed her as a real person with an extraordinary ability to show love and kindness to everyone with who she came in contact. I felt inspired by her positive attitude, faith in the Gospel, and the personal touch she gave to loved ones and strangers alike.
The second book was Three Cups of Tea which is about a man named Greg Mortensen, who after suffering personal loss decides to help the impoverished people of Pakistan build schools. He accomplished this by much personal sacrifice - the kind of sacrifice most people would not be willing to do. The way he worked with the people demonstrated that each culture has its own way of doing things and that when we respect other cultures, they respond. I enjoyed not just the story of this man's journey in fulfilling his promises to the people in the remote part of northern Pakistan but also the understanding of what life is like and who the people are on the other side of the world. This book shows that peace in the world can be achieved more effectively through education than military action.
After reading these books, I wondered to myself if I could do what these people did. What would I be willing to sacrifice for the people I love, let alone those I've never met, whose language I do not speak? Am I content to sit in the comfort of my own home and focus on my daily activities while the world passed me by? I know that what I'm doing everyday for my family and the people around me is important. However, am I willing to stretch beyond my boundaries and give more of myself? Would I be willing to work at a job knowing that most of my paycheck will go toward a cause that wouldn't benefit me or my family as Greg Mortensen did? Would I be willing to patiently endure while my husband spent most of his life traveling and attending to the affairs of the Kingdom of God as Sister Hinckley did?
Well, my path is not the same as Sister Hinckley's or Greg Mortensen's. I know that each of us has our own path in life and that the important thing is to do our best with what we have. I hope that I can be just as willing as these people in offering of myself in whatever mission is mine to accomplish in life. For me, that may be doing yet another load of laundry without grumbling or substituting (for the third time in a month) in primary without wishing I could attend Relief Society instead. Or, getting through a day without yelling at my children...but with showing patience and love.
The first book was Glimpses into the Life and Hear of Marjorie Pay Hinckley which is a compilation of Sister Hinckley's own words as well as those of friends, acquaintances, and family members. These recollections allowed me as an outsider to really see what Sister Hinckley was like as a person. They showed her as a real person with an extraordinary ability to show love and kindness to everyone with who she came in contact. I felt inspired by her positive attitude, faith in the Gospel, and the personal touch she gave to loved ones and strangers alike.
The second book was Three Cups of Tea which is about a man named Greg Mortensen, who after suffering personal loss decides to help the impoverished people of Pakistan build schools. He accomplished this by much personal sacrifice - the kind of sacrifice most people would not be willing to do. The way he worked with the people demonstrated that each culture has its own way of doing things and that when we respect other cultures, they respond. I enjoyed not just the story of this man's journey in fulfilling his promises to the people in the remote part of northern Pakistan but also the understanding of what life is like and who the people are on the other side of the world. This book shows that peace in the world can be achieved more effectively through education than military action.
After reading these books, I wondered to myself if I could do what these people did. What would I be willing to sacrifice for the people I love, let alone those I've never met, whose language I do not speak? Am I content to sit in the comfort of my own home and focus on my daily activities while the world passed me by? I know that what I'm doing everyday for my family and the people around me is important. However, am I willing to stretch beyond my boundaries and give more of myself? Would I be willing to work at a job knowing that most of my paycheck will go toward a cause that wouldn't benefit me or my family as Greg Mortensen did? Would I be willing to patiently endure while my husband spent most of his life traveling and attending to the affairs of the Kingdom of God as Sister Hinckley did?
Well, my path is not the same as Sister Hinckley's or Greg Mortensen's. I know that each of us has our own path in life and that the important thing is to do our best with what we have. I hope that I can be just as willing as these people in offering of myself in whatever mission is mine to accomplish in life. For me, that may be doing yet another load of laundry without grumbling or substituting (for the third time in a month) in primary without wishing I could attend Relief Society instead. Or, getting through a day without yelling at my children...but with showing patience and love.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easter
We've enjoyed a wonderful Easter weekend. It was General Conference weekend so we reveled in the fact that we could stay home and watch it on TV. We made breakfast on both days - waffles on Saturday and pancakes on Sunday. We were able to watch all the sessions except the one on Saturday afternoon and the kids behaved relatively well which was great! The kids loved looking for the things the Easter Bunny brought and hid for them. They also loved the gifts Grandma Schmidt sent in the mail.
We've decided on a new family tradition: watching a family movie with popcorn. We did it on both Friday and Saturday evenings, we started a movie and continued to watch it the next evening. We're still not done with the movie... The popcorn did not last long as you can imagine.
After an Easter feast, we finally dyed some Easter eggs. A great end to a great weekend!
We've decided on a new family tradition: watching a family movie with popcorn. We did it on both Friday and Saturday evenings, we started a movie and continued to watch it the next evening. We're still not done with the movie... The popcorn did not last long as you can imagine.
After an Easter feast, we finally dyed some Easter eggs. A great end to a great weekend!
Monday, March 29, 2010
My Thoughts
I'm not sure about this blogging thing... I find it difficult to put a lot of my ideas and thoughts in writing in a place where I know it might be read by family and strangers. One reason is that most people would find what I have to say or write about quite mundane and uninteresting. Another reason is that I don't have the time necessary to compose and edit a piece I feel would be enjoyable yet informative - perhaps I setting my expectations a little high in this regard. One last reason: A lot of times, I censor myself, especially when it relates to political issues because I know politics is an emotional and controversial area.
As far as politics is concerned, I have only ever been able to talk about it with one dear friend of mine without feeling anger and frustration. In fact, we talked about it yesterday evening and I came away feeling like we were both on the same side even though I know we disagree on many aspects of the issue we discussed. Interesting isn't it? I think our discussion was calm and rational only because we have such a good relationship with each other that we were trying to understand rather than change the other's opinion.
So, hopefully I'm not going to offend anyone here but here's my take on Healthcare Reform: I feel that we do need to change the current state of healthcare in our nation. It's ridiculous that the wealthiest nation on earth has millions of citizens that do not have access and/or cannot afford health care. It's ridiculous to me that an insurance company can raise premiums at will - that recently, an insurance company in California increased premiums by over 30%. How about the fact that most personal bankruptcies are a result of high medical bills? And, our emergency rooms are being used as urgent care facilities by the uninsured which is dangerous for people who really need emergency care and also increases cost of care for everyone. These are just a few of the problems we have in our current health system.
Now, whether or not the bill just passed by Congress is the right solution is arguable. I know that many people around me believe that it's the first step toward socialism. I agree that forcing people to do something is not a good idea. It's too bad that the politicians can't seem to work together toward a real best solution. I feel that there was too much ego and money involved. The whole process wasn't about finding the best solution, it was about power and perception and even deception. Would it be too much to ask that everyone involved be rational? Probably.
My only idea is what my friend suggested - that we put all the engineers in charge of solving this problem. I like it. We could use the Six Sigma methodology. Here's the Six Sigma methodology as defined by Wikipedia:
As far as politics is concerned, I have only ever been able to talk about it with one dear friend of mine without feeling anger and frustration. In fact, we talked about it yesterday evening and I came away feeling like we were both on the same side even though I know we disagree on many aspects of the issue we discussed. Interesting isn't it? I think our discussion was calm and rational only because we have such a good relationship with each other that we were trying to understand rather than change the other's opinion.
So, hopefully I'm not going to offend anyone here but here's my take on Healthcare Reform: I feel that we do need to change the current state of healthcare in our nation. It's ridiculous that the wealthiest nation on earth has millions of citizens that do not have access and/or cannot afford health care. It's ridiculous to me that an insurance company can raise premiums at will - that recently, an insurance company in California increased premiums by over 30%. How about the fact that most personal bankruptcies are a result of high medical bills? And, our emergency rooms are being used as urgent care facilities by the uninsured which is dangerous for people who really need emergency care and also increases cost of care for everyone. These are just a few of the problems we have in our current health system.
Now, whether or not the bill just passed by Congress is the right solution is arguable. I know that many people around me believe that it's the first step toward socialism. I agree that forcing people to do something is not a good idea. It's too bad that the politicians can't seem to work together toward a real best solution. I feel that there was too much ego and money involved. The whole process wasn't about finding the best solution, it was about power and perception and even deception. Would it be too much to ask that everyone involved be rational? Probably.
My only idea is what my friend suggested - that we put all the engineers in charge of solving this problem. I like it. We could use the Six Sigma methodology. Here's the Six Sigma methodology as defined by Wikipedia:
Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes.[2] It uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization ("Black Belts", "Green Belts", etc.) who are experts in these methods.[2] Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified targets. These targets can be financial (cost reduction or profit increase) or whatever is critical to the customer of that process (cycle time, safety, delivery, etc.).[2]Part of Six Sigma is identifying all the causes of defects and then choosing those that would have the highest impact and lowest cost. So if we applied it to the health care problem, we could list the causes of high cost and then work on the areas that would reduce the cost for everyone. By reducing the cost of health care we make it more accessible to the lower income population and more affordable for everyone. The government would not have to spend billions of dollars to help people buy health insurance.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Spring Fever
It is gorgeous outside! Sunshine, 50 degrees. Looking out of my sunroom windows, I realized they desperately needed cleaning. So, I grabbed the glass cleaner and some newspaper and went to town. Initially, I meant to just clean the big picture windows but then I saw the smaller windows and decided they had to be cleaned as well. Our sunroom is surrounded by windows on three sides so it was no small task. "Any job worth doing is worth doing right" as the saying goes! I did cheat a bit - I cleaned the outside of all the windows and only did the inside of the two largest windows.
Here's the before picture of the outside of some of the windows:
And, here's the after:
Earlier, I scrubbed the kitchen sink and the stove top and vacuumed the sunroom. Could it be spring fever?
It might also have to do with the carpet cleaners being here to clean the carpet downstairs. Here's the story for those of you who haven't yet heard my tale of woe:
On Valentine's Day, we called some plumbers to unstop our main drain in the basement. We'd noticed the problem the day before but it wasn't too bad and we didn't want to pay the premium charges for getting it fixed on a weekend. Also, I was sick as a dog and was in bed all day. But, by Sunday, the utility room had flooded from the kids taking a bath so Dan called around and got some plumbers to come out in the afternoon. One of the guys broke the clean out which was located in our guest room closet downstairs. They couldn't figure out what was causing the slow drainage so they stuffed a rag in the clean out and left for the night. Unbeknownst to us, dirty water flowed into our guest room every time we flushed the toilet. Keep in mind, I was still sick with some sort of stomach bug and was going to the bathroom more than usual. The next day, they came back in the late morning and fixed the problem but the water/sewage had to be cleaned off of the carpeting. We rented a Rug Doctor and Dan cleaned the carpet as well as he could. Unfortunately, there was still a residual smell in the carpet.
It took me a few weeks to finally talk to the plumbing company to get them to fix the problem. I'd been sick with the stomach bug and two colds in the meantime so I didn't really have the energy to deal with it but this week I managed to get my act together to have take care of it.
Anyway, maybe having the carpet cleaners here inspired me!
Here's the before picture of the outside of some of the windows:
And, here's the after:
Earlier, I scrubbed the kitchen sink and the stove top and vacuumed the sunroom. Could it be spring fever?It might also have to do with the carpet cleaners being here to clean the carpet downstairs. Here's the story for those of you who haven't yet heard my tale of woe:
On Valentine's Day, we called some plumbers to unstop our main drain in the basement. We'd noticed the problem the day before but it wasn't too bad and we didn't want to pay the premium charges for getting it fixed on a weekend. Also, I was sick as a dog and was in bed all day. But, by Sunday, the utility room had flooded from the kids taking a bath so Dan called around and got some plumbers to come out in the afternoon. One of the guys broke the clean out which was located in our guest room closet downstairs. They couldn't figure out what was causing the slow drainage so they stuffed a rag in the clean out and left for the night. Unbeknownst to us, dirty water flowed into our guest room every time we flushed the toilet. Keep in mind, I was still sick with some sort of stomach bug and was going to the bathroom more than usual. The next day, they came back in the late morning and fixed the problem but the water/sewage had to be cleaned off of the carpeting. We rented a Rug Doctor and Dan cleaned the carpet as well as he could. Unfortunately, there was still a residual smell in the carpet.
It took me a few weeks to finally talk to the plumbing company to get them to fix the problem. I'd been sick with the stomach bug and two colds in the meantime so I didn't really have the energy to deal with it but this week I managed to get my act together to have take care of it.
Anyway, maybe having the carpet cleaners here inspired me!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What I found in the middle of the night...
Ellie has a new habit - a very bad habit. It started about a week ago during naptime. I was glad it was just during naptime...
Then, one night I checked on her and this is what I found:
I was glad that the sheets were clean and dry. Unlike the times when her bedding was wet or poopy. I'm thinking it might be time to get her to wear big girl underwear.
Then, one night I checked on her and this is what I found:
I was glad that the sheets were clean and dry. Unlike the times when her bedding was wet or poopy. I'm thinking it might be time to get her to wear big girl underwear.
I do it!
Ellie loves to do everything herself. Brushing teeth, feeding herself, putting on a diaper... the list goes on. One day, I clipped Ellie's fingernails. Well, of course she had to do it herself...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chinese New Year
We love celebrating Chinese New Year! It's a great excuse for a party and we love making the food. This year we had invited the missionaries and a family with whom we are friends. Unfortunately, our friends weren't feeling well but we still had fun with the Elders. As per tradition, we made dumplings. This year, I decided to also make a shrimp stir-fry. Served with rice and some mandarin oranges (for good luck :-) ) and we had a feast!
The Elders enjoyed learning to make the dumplings. I was pleasantly surprised that Ellie kept asking for "more orange, please"! We had given the kids some mandarin oranges in nursery several weeks ago and she didn't touch hers...but this time she decided she likes them.
Elder Sneary and Elder Yee
The Elders enjoyed learning to make the dumplings. I was pleasantly surprised that Ellie kept asking for "more orange, please"! We had given the kids some mandarin oranges in nursery several weeks ago and she didn't touch hers...but this time she decided she likes them.
Elder Sneary and Elder YeeThursday, February 11, 2010
Big Girl
This week has been especially hectic - mainly because I've been looking through the paperwork for benefits through Dan's new job. Sometimes it is a full-time job to keep up on our financial affairs! Hence why I'm finally getting around to putting up pictures from our little celebration for Ellie's birthday.
I love this face! Charlie's showing how much he's enjoying the cake.
I can't believe Ellie is TWO! It's amazing to think that this time last year she hadn't even started walking yet. I love watching her grow and figure things out. She is all girl. She loves taking care of her baby doll - feeding and changing her. She enjoys getting dressed up in her dresses and fancy shoes on Sundays.
I giggle to myself when I see her putting on her pretend lipstick.
Here's Ellie helping me sweep our kitchen floor.
Ellie loves her daddy!
She's tickled to have figured out how to open and close doors. Nothing's safe from her now!
Ellie loves having a big brother!
I love this face! Charlie's showing how much he's enjoying the cake.
I giggle to myself when I see her putting on her pretend lipstick.
Here's Ellie helping me sweep our kitchen floor.
Ellie loves her daddy!
She's tickled to have figured out how to open and close doors. Nothing's safe from her now!
Ellie loves having a big brother!Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Apollo 13
January seemed to fly by! I meant to write more than the one posting but it didn't happen. It's not like we had anything specific going on -- I'm just busy chasing my two little monkeys.
I've been thinking about a lot of things though... It's hard to put it all down in words because they're all random stuff just floating around in my head. I'd write them all in here but I'm afraid no one will really get it or understand where I'm going with it all.
Anyway, here's something coincidentally interesting -- I was looking for something to read from my bookshelves and found the book, Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. I loved the movie and had gotten the book from a library book sale a long time ago but never finished reading it. So, since I was looking for something to read, I started reading Apollo 13 again. For those who are not familiar with the event, Apollo 13 was to have been the third moonlanding for NASA but the spacecraft suffered some damage and the crew had to return to earth. I love this real life account especially because as an engineer, I'm still amazed by the fact that we are able to send human beings into space and have them come back alive and well.
I was interested to see if there was anything on the NASA website about the incident but there wasn't much about it. However, I did find out that on each January 29th, NASA holds a Day of Remembrance to honor the men and women who lost their lives in support of the agency's mission to explore space. This day was chosen because most of the unfortunate events killing these astronauts occurred around this time of year:
January 27, 1967 - Astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chafee were killed by a fire in the command module during a dress rehearsal for the Apollo 1 mission.
January 28, 1986 - 7 astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded during liftoff.
February 1, 2003 - 7 astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Columbia exploded minutes before landing.
I feel kind of a connection with NASA because of two personal experiences. When I was in college studying engineering, I really, really wanted to work as an intern for an engineering company. So, after my sophomore year, I was determined that that's what I was going to do. I'd gone home for the summer break and still hadn't found the internship I wanted so I pulled out the phone book and looked under "engineering, mechanical" for all the mechanical engineering firms in our area. I started going down the list and calling each company. I'd reached the 3rd company on the list and still hadn't gotten a live person and had to leave messages. (Thinking back on this made me realize how bold I was! My high school job as a tele-receptionist had prepared me well for this experience.)
Anyway, I finally reached a live person at this one company called Genesis Engineering. The man who answered said that they didn't have an internship program but that he'd transfer me to the engineering department. The next person I talked to said that I was welcome to go in for an interview and submit an application. The next thing I knew, I had a summer internship with a NASA contractor. They build space enclosures that NASA astronauts used to haul supplies into space. It was really cool to be a part of something so exciting!
My other experience happened a few years later when I was working as an engineer in Michigan. I was very involved with the Detroit Section of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at the time. The annual conference was being held in Detroit that year and I was in charge of the slide show for the opening ceremony. Our keynote speaker was Sally Ride, a former NASA astronaut. Because I was so involved with the conference planning, I was invited to accompany Dr. Ride to an interview with the Detroit Free Press after the opening ceremony. A few of us rode in the limo with her to her interview. I can't remember anything we talked about but I remember thinking that she was just normal like the rest of us.
Another coincindence: I was reading the paper today and read an article about President Obama changing NASA's direction. He wants them to focus on building an updated rocket instead of trying to go to the moon again. I think that it's a good idea to focus on updating our space technology rather than trying to redo something we've already done before.
Oh, I get it!! I just realized why Charlie's preschool class had space as their theme for January!
I've been thinking about a lot of things though... It's hard to put it all down in words because they're all random stuff just floating around in my head. I'd write them all in here but I'm afraid no one will really get it or understand where I'm going with it all.
Anyway, here's something coincidentally interesting -- I was looking for something to read from my bookshelves and found the book, Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. I loved the movie and had gotten the book from a library book sale a long time ago but never finished reading it. So, since I was looking for something to read, I started reading Apollo 13 again. For those who are not familiar with the event, Apollo 13 was to have been the third moonlanding for NASA but the spacecraft suffered some damage and the crew had to return to earth. I love this real life account especially because as an engineer, I'm still amazed by the fact that we are able to send human beings into space and have them come back alive and well.
I was interested to see if there was anything on the NASA website about the incident but there wasn't much about it. However, I did find out that on each January 29th, NASA holds a Day of Remembrance to honor the men and women who lost their lives in support of the agency's mission to explore space. This day was chosen because most of the unfortunate events killing these astronauts occurred around this time of year:
January 27, 1967 - Astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chafee were killed by a fire in the command module during a dress rehearsal for the Apollo 1 mission.
January 28, 1986 - 7 astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded during liftoff.
February 1, 2003 - 7 astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Columbia exploded minutes before landing.
I feel kind of a connection with NASA because of two personal experiences. When I was in college studying engineering, I really, really wanted to work as an intern for an engineering company. So, after my sophomore year, I was determined that that's what I was going to do. I'd gone home for the summer break and still hadn't found the internship I wanted so I pulled out the phone book and looked under "engineering, mechanical" for all the mechanical engineering firms in our area. I started going down the list and calling each company. I'd reached the 3rd company on the list and still hadn't gotten a live person and had to leave messages. (Thinking back on this made me realize how bold I was! My high school job as a tele-receptionist had prepared me well for this experience.)
Anyway, I finally reached a live person at this one company called Genesis Engineering. The man who answered said that they didn't have an internship program but that he'd transfer me to the engineering department. The next person I talked to said that I was welcome to go in for an interview and submit an application. The next thing I knew, I had a summer internship with a NASA contractor. They build space enclosures that NASA astronauts used to haul supplies into space. It was really cool to be a part of something so exciting!
My other experience happened a few years later when I was working as an engineer in Michigan. I was very involved with the Detroit Section of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at the time. The annual conference was being held in Detroit that year and I was in charge of the slide show for the opening ceremony. Our keynote speaker was Sally Ride, a former NASA astronaut. Because I was so involved with the conference planning, I was invited to accompany Dr. Ride to an interview with the Detroit Free Press after the opening ceremony. A few of us rode in the limo with her to her interview. I can't remember anything we talked about but I remember thinking that she was just normal like the rest of us.
Another coincindence: I was reading the paper today and read an article about President Obama changing NASA's direction. He wants them to focus on building an updated rocket instead of trying to go to the moon again. I think that it's a good idea to focus on updating our space technology rather than trying to redo something we've already done before.
Oh, I get it!! I just realized why Charlie's preschool class had space as their theme for January!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Inspiration
It's a new year and around this time I'm thinking of goals and looking forward to the year ahead. Instead of making resolutions I know I'm going to break, I'm continuing to work/improve on goals I've had all along. I find it easier to make progress towards a few big goals little by little. What I seek is the inspiration and motivation to keep going as the new year rolls around.
Here are a few things that have inspired me recently:
*A QUOTE - "Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again.
Here are a few things that have inspired me recently:
*A QUOTE - "Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again.
Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other" (Marvin J. Ashton, “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 18).
*FIRST - For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology is a non-profit organization founded by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen to make science and technology fun for kids. I heard an interview of him on NPR today and got online to learn more about FIRST. They have programs for kids from K - 12 that are geared towards giving them experiences in problem solving and team work. I wish I had been involved in something like this when I was a kid! It's awesome! There's a documentary produced by PBS called "Gearing Up" on one of their programs, the FIRST Robotics Challenge, where kids have to build these robots and take them to compete against other robots. Having been an engineer, I think it's neat that FIRST provides hands-on experiences for kids and helps them see that engineering is fun. We need bright minds to go into science and technology and create better solutions to today's problems. Given today's economy, it's even more important to encourage our children to pursue higher skills that can't be outsourced to other countries.
*JILLIAN MICHAELS - If anybody out there is looking to get better results from their fitness routines try working out with one of her videos. I've been using her video, "No More Trouble Zones", and I'm definitely seeing results. It makes you sweat but it's worth it!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Dear Family and Friends:As 2009 comes to a close, we review the year with gratitude for the many blessings we've enjoyed. We are mindful of the people who may have faced job loss, health problems, and other misfortune. Despite the ups and downs of life, it is comforting to know there are caring people all around willing to strengthen and support us. Our year has been busy but unmarked by any earth-shattering events. That is definitely a good thing!
Charlie is four-years-old and lets everyone know this fact! He started taking gymnastics in the spring and is loving it. He enjoys building towers and railroads. Charlie is a great helper to his family. He helps set the table, makes sure Ellie doesn't get into things she's not supposed to, and dresses himself. Charlie is learning new things all the time! He loves to spell and can spell his name as well as Ellie's. He knows all about the letters and the sounds they make. Another thing Charlie loves to do is sing. We enjoy Charlie and his great personality.
Ellie, 22-months, has grown so much this year. She went from crawling to walking to running. Her bright smile brings cheer to everyone around her. Ellie loves doing everything her big brother does. She loves to talk and laugh and sing. Her favorite songs are “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, “As I Have Loved You”, “I Am a Child of God”, and the alphabet song. Ellie is also a great dancer. She and Charlie have a lot of fun dancing to the music on the piano. We just love this sweet little girl!
Dan continues to work hard at Echostar as a network engineer. He's usually the go to person when others can't fix a problem. He's great dad and husband. The kids are always glad when he gets home from work. When not at work, Dan's busy working around the house. He's very handy when the computers break or if the garage door doesn't work. His latest project is fixing drywall and painting it.
I'm just trying to keep up with it all! I love being mom to two great kids. They are the joy of my life. I try to keep balance in our schedule and to enjoy this time while they are little. We have three things we do every week: gymnastics, story time at the library, and playgroup. When the kids are napping, I get to work on my hobbies: exercising, learning more about personal finance and investing, reading books, and blogging.
So, that's what we've been up to this year. I hope you are all well. We'd love to hear from you and to keep in touch. We are grateful this season for the Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the meaning he gives to our lives. May you and your family be blessed with peace, joy, and happiness now and in the new year.
Love,
The Schmidts
Dan, Linda, Charlie, and Ellie
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Christmas Parade
The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, especially with little ones. I love the decorating, making treats, and all the other activities we do with the children. Even going to Lowe's to get the stuff we need to fix our kitchen walls turns into a family activity. The kids love looking at the Christmas displays they have. Charlie's favorite thing to look at is the Christmas village with a moving train going in circles.
Our first event to kick off the Christmas season was the Cheyenne Christmas Parade. We thought we were going to miss it because although we arrived in the downtown area on-time, it took a while to find parking. Finally we parked a couple blocks from the Wyoming State Capitol and I asked a passerby whether we were far from the parade route. I was pleasantly surprised by the reply that we were very close to it because the parade passed the State Capitol. So, we didn't miss much when we got there. Despite the freezing cold, I think it must have been literally freezing temperatures, there was a good crowd along the route.
I read a neat story in the paper about how they started having the parade. Since we're Michiganders, it's fun to know that this parade was modeled after a parade in Michigan. The couple who got this parade started had been driving back to Wyoming through Michigan when their car broke down and they had to stay overnight in Marshall, Michigan. They found out there was a parade and enjoyed it. It was held after dark and all the floats had lights on them. When they got back to Cheyenne, they thought it would be neat to have a parade like that here. The woman has been involved with the parade planning for the past 17 years.
We were really cold but enjoyed the parade nonetheless. I was glad we had a blanket to keep the kids warm! I couldn't believe it lasted over an hour!! The parade organizers did a great job getting different businesses and organizations to sponsor floats. It was wonderful to see the community coming together for this event.
One of my favorite floats was the one where they had this huge flame coming up.
Here are a few other floats with pretty lights.
Our first event to kick off the Christmas season was the Cheyenne Christmas Parade. We thought we were going to miss it because although we arrived in the downtown area on-time, it took a while to find parking. Finally we parked a couple blocks from the Wyoming State Capitol and I asked a passerby whether we were far from the parade route. I was pleasantly surprised by the reply that we were very close to it because the parade passed the State Capitol. So, we didn't miss much when we got there. Despite the freezing cold, I think it must have been literally freezing temperatures, there was a good crowd along the route.
I read a neat story in the paper about how they started having the parade. Since we're Michiganders, it's fun to know that this parade was modeled after a parade in Michigan. The couple who got this parade started had been driving back to Wyoming through Michigan when their car broke down and they had to stay overnight in Marshall, Michigan. They found out there was a parade and enjoyed it. It was held after dark and all the floats had lights on them. When they got back to Cheyenne, they thought it would be neat to have a parade like that here. The woman has been involved with the parade planning for the past 17 years.
We were really cold but enjoyed the parade nonetheless. I was glad we had a blanket to keep the kids warm! I couldn't believe it lasted over an hour!! The parade organizers did a great job getting different businesses and organizations to sponsor floats. It was wonderful to see the community coming together for this event.
One of my favorite floats was the one where they had this huge flame coming up.
Here are a few other floats with pretty lights.
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