This is how we do it

Gay parenting music video

2009-01-17T14:57:00.001-08:00

Bear with me while I re-organize....

2009-01-11T18:47:00.003-08:00

Page could be a bit of a mess until I get the new layout situated and decide if it is going to work!

Saying goodbye to a pet

2009-01-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

The boys' dog was put down yesterday. Rosko was about to turn 5. They arent sure what happened to him but something was attacking his immune system and the vet said there was nothing they could do, so they put him down. Two years ago their Great Grandma died and that was their only experience with death so far. Losing Rosko had a big impact on them, especially since he was young and it was quite sudden.
Have you lost pets in your family? How do you deal with it?
The film Marley and Me is playing in the theatres currently and at the end deals with pet death. It is being reccomended as a good way to introduce the facts to kids.

A tribute to Rosko:
(the boys did this in total silence before he went to the vet)

Teach your kids to value (and understand) diversity

2009-01-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Children often question whether I am a "boy" or a "girl". I have short hair and wear loose fitting mens clothing. There is nothing wrong with wondering. Kids will be kids, and I always value their curiosity about the world. If a child asks me I have a whole speech prepared (that I give quite often) about how sometimes girls have short hair and boys have long hair (listing examples if possible) and how all people look and dress differently and that is ok. They are children, they are new to this world and dont understand all that there is to know. When they see a person with a disability, a different colored skin, "funny" clothes or a haircut... anything out of their small world they want to know about it. Children should NEVER be punished for this curiosity! I cannot count the number of times that a parent has yelled at, spanked, or inflicted some other kind of corporal punishment on their child for inquiring about my gender. These kids are learning that it is bad to ask questions and also getting the subconsious message that something is "wrong" with the object of their interest because of the reaction they are getting when they ask about it. And because no one is taking the time to explain differences to them, it is much too easy to grow up ignorant and fall victim to the thought process of many other un-enlightened groups of people.

It is easy to avoid this. Open the lines of communication early. There are great books out there that teach diversity. Todd Parr is probably my favorite author. 'Its Okay to be Different' is a fantastic book to have in any collection. Tell your children to ALWAYS ask if they have a question and to not be embarrassed about it. In order to be effective at this, YOU need to be comfortable talking about things. Its not always easy, but think about the effect it will have on your children in the future and you'll be able to handle it. We took the boys to pride in 2007, when they were 7. Before heading to the parade I explained that they would probably see a lot of things that they had never seen before, and that if they had any questions to ask me. Because Danny is very shy I told them they could just tap my arm and whisper their questions to me. And you know what? They did. They asked questions here and there and accepted most of my answers without protest or further inquiry. And in all honesty, they asked a lot less questions than I expected. Kids are innocent. They take things for face value.

So when your child blurts out "Is that a boy or a girl?", "Why is that lady dressed like that?" or "Why does that man walk funny?" in public, try not to be embarrassed. Answer them to the best of your ability. And dont be afraid to talk to the person. Because in most cases the person in question will not mind educating a child.

And the winner is....

2009-01-09T06:48:00.001-08:00

The winner of the LittleLovies giveaway is..... #21!

"judybrittle said...
My granddaughter goes to sleep each night with her ratty doll. It looks like its been through a war but she loves her. I was always with my Barbie. I love your Pooh and Friends Latchook. My entire kitchen is Pooh and this would look awesome on my wall. Thank you!"

Thanks to everyone who entered. There were only 32 entries and I truly appreciate those 32 people for taking the time to stop by!

The day.....

2009-01-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

Was great! We had a 2 hour delay, so they were only in school for 4 hours, and we only had 4 kids! They were thankful to be back and showed it with exemplary behavior! Yay!

Stop! Baby time!

2009-01-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

*can you tell tha I am avoiding going to bed???*

MY cupcake!She ate the whole thing, too!

Phone? What phone?

School starts tomorrow

2009-01-04T21:39:00.001-08:00

In 10 hours i'll be back at work after a 2 week break. Im pretty sure im going to be a walking zombie! Im excited to see the kids, I really have missed them. I do feel like there should be some kind of de-briefing meeting first, though! Mondays are hell on these children because they had 2 days off. I cannot imagine what 2 weeks will be like. I hope all goes well.

Im going to the School District Office tomorrow after school gets out to ask about the test you can take to be a certified Para. I love the company I work for, but it is just too stressful to not get paid during the breaks. I am missing a full check this month because of the 2 weeks off for winter vacation. If im employed through the district I can choose to be paid year round, and I will also get health benefits, which is huge! I need to have a checkup, and I would love to be able to fill my perscriptions again! One way or another I need to find a solution before this summer, because I need a paycheck those 3 months! The other option is taking out a bunch of loans and going back to school. Ive tried to work and go to school and I just cant manage it; it has to be one or the other. I guess we'll see what happens!

What makes a good parent?

2009-01-04T21:16:00.000-08:00

I have touched on the fact before that some people do not belive that I will be a fit parent (at least not yet) because of some of my... differences. I truly belive I was born to be a mother. Its all i've ever wanted to do. I know that I am fundamentally capeable of caring for a child. So im a bit odd. My child will simply be exposed to more things. Many people with disabilities have kids. Monica has Ceberal Palsy, a physical disability. My problems are more neurological. But they will not get in the way of my parenting.
I was eating rice today and the spoon tasted too metally, so I had to get a new one. My body shakes a bit when I get overly excited. Loud noises bother me. Tell me why any of these should prevent me from being a parent?
They shouldnt. Thank you for staying tuned for this broadcast.

Giveaway!

2009-01-04T00:35:00.000-08:00

I've become addicted to making fleece tie/no-sew blankets! Im even working on mass-production! I've got the rudimentary beginnings of a store going here: Little Lovies

To celebrate my hopefull success in this endevor, im having a giveaway! I made a couple super cute little lovey blankets tonight in an ABC animal pattern.

I told you it was cute! They're about 12" by 12", and oh so soft! And im giving one away! All you have to do is comment here saying what your childs favorite lovey object is, or what yours was as a child! (I still sleep with a stuffed Heffalump!)
Feel free to check out my store as well, but dont criticise too hard yet- its 1am and I just put it together!

Giveaway will run through Thursday, December 8th at Midnight! Winner will be chosen at random!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T01:40:00.000-08:00

I hope 2009 brings health and happiness to all of you, your family, and friends. I have a weird feeling at the moment, which for some reason I think is attached to the New Year (though it could be the fact that its 2am, the nacho's I had for dinner upsetting me, or the 13 episodes of Big Love that i've watched today!) In any case, I had nightmares while taking a nap earlier, and my head is kind of up in the clouds at the moment, pondering life, love, and the world as a whole! I'd love to write around 2am every day, but with our household schedule the way it is once I start work again, that isnt a possibility!

I have a feeling that this week will go really fast. School starts again on Monday so it's back to work, and a crazy few days it will be I am sure! With two weeks off of school the kiddos are going to be all sorts of worked up. I just hope that the holidays treated them all okay.

I have so much to do this week, and its already Thursday. I need to finish taking the Christmas decorations down (Once the holiday is over, Monica is DONE with it until next year!), do dishes and laundry, de-clutter the house, and clean the garage! Our garage is a complete disaster. I am quite literally giving most of it away. Im a packrat and keep absolutley everything. So im putting it all in boxes, setting it on the front snow (read: lawn) and posting on craigslist for people to come take it away. I hope it goes quickly because otherwise every time I have to walk past im going to be picking things out of the boxes!

Im getting all nesty. It happens quite often. Ive fallen in love with a house thats pretty much down the street, just a couple blocks away. Its incredibly cramped to have 3 adults, 3 dogs, and 2 cats in a 900 sqft, 2 bedroom house. We're going nuts! The house is on my favorite street in town and its beautiul, plus it has a yard! Its on the high end of what we could afford right now, but its there still. We could stay there for a while without outgrowing it, too. Des could bring more of her stuff over and not leave it sitting in the garage. We've put a lot of work into this house and I love it, but its just too small for us now. Not to mention the other work that needs to be done I dont really want to pay for. We need a new fence in the backyard, and we need new windows throughout the house. Last week there was literally a 1/4 inch of ice in the INSIDE of our windows. Its costing $300 a month to heat our little place!

Anyways, we cant really afford to move at the moment. Especially this month since im missing a check because of the winter break when I didnt work. And come summer time I wont have work either. I really need to get on with the school district so I can choose to get paid over vacations. Or find a way to afford to go to school so I can get that over with and earn a decent living and not have to worry.

Ok, feeling a little loopy. Best be off for tonight I suppose.

We got the loot!

2008-12-30T09:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas was great! We got some really cool stuff! :-)
(pics are from google, not our actual stuffs)

My dad got me a 9inch Dell Mini Inspiron laptop (which im writing this on right now) Its wicked!

Monica's family got us 7 sets of FiestaWare in 7 different colors. Each set is a dinner plate, bowl, saucer, and coffee cup!

Monica got me an awesome 8.5 inch digital photo frame that holds 3000 photos! Its on permanent slideshow on our desk! :-)

Destiny got me a beautiful Jewelry Armoire! (I've wanted one for a long time!)

My dad and Monica's parents both got us pots and pans!

I also acquired an iPod because I got Monica a new orange one!

So yeah. All in all, it rocked! I have cute pictures of the boys unwrapping presents, but I left my camera at their house! So as soon as I get it back i'll post those!

How was YOUR holiday?

Christmas 2008

2008-12-17T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hello family and friends and welcome to the Bock’s eco-friendly (but mostly because stamps are expensive and we ran out of time) Christmas card! It’s been quite a year!

The biggest news would be that Monica and I registered as Domestic Partners on August 8th! We drove over to Olympia and did it in person, got our registry cards and everything! We had a little dinner in Ellensburg, nothing big and fancy. We were planning to have a reception, but money and work schedules didn’t really permit it! So we decided to wait until marriage is legal so that we can have a big wedding and reception! We were in the local paper this summer in an article focusing on Domestic Partnerships!

Monica and I both changed jobs this year; she now works for CWCMH (Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health) as a Mental Health Worker in the Detox Center. I work for Elmview in the Yakima Schools Program, and im currently an aide in a kindergarten classroom for kids with behavioral disorders. I’m not currently attending school, but hoping to go back at some point once life calms down and I know what I want to study. I love what I do, and im considering looking at a Behavioral Specialist program in school. Im still interested in Occupational Therapy and have even considered being a Kindergarten teacher, but I know I couldn’t make it through all the schooling! I am working on learning sign language a little at a time, and I am really enjoying that!

We now have 3 dachshunds (Camden, Dashiel, and Skittles) and 2 cats (Nigel and Ripken). Our house is busy, to say the least! We have got lots done, including painting the entire interior, putting wood flooring down in the living room and kitchen, and getting the yard in decent shape; along with tons of other little stuff that has kept us super busy!

This year we went to a couple Storm (WNBA) and Thunderbirds (hockey) games, to Silverwood this summer, and to Jeff Dunham in November. Monica and I also saw Fergie and I saw Neil McCoy. I got my first tattoo in June, a bear in honor of my mom. It was an incredibly painful experience and I thought I was going to go into shock, but im glad I did it and I love it! Monica got 2 new tattoos this year, on on her calf [Rainbow infinity symbol with M2 (Marcy & Monica squared) 381, (3) words (8) letters (1) meaning- I LOVE YOU] and on her wrist [start love, end hate in computer coding].

Monica got me a Yamaha scooter for my birthday in June, and we also bought a Yamaha 4-wheeler! I ride the scooter all over town (100 MPG is pretty great these days!), and we keep the quad at my dad’s place in Ellensburg. Dad is doing well, still driving cars for Ellensburg Chevrolet and always busy doing something! My brother Josh and his girlfriend had a baby girl, Loreli, so I am an aunt for the second time!

Monica’s family is doing well, the boys are 8 already and in 3rd grade. Charlie is a genius and Danny is a jock, they reach a pretty good balance! We bred my dog Dashiel and got one of the puppies, which we gave to Monica’s family. They named her June and she is a very sweet little dog!

Well, I think that’s about it for this year! We have really enjoyed getting cards from all of you, and I will make sure to get cards out next year! Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment, and enjoy the Holidays!!

-Marcy & Monica

A special Christmas Card

2008-11-24T07:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas cards for Recovering American Soldiers

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get. A Great Idea!!!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, pleaseinclude the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001

Blog layout...

2008-11-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

I really want to switch mine... but its such a pain to re-add the widgets and whatnot....

No tickling in school

2008-11-16T23:45:00.000-08:00

The rules never seem to cease. Last week I was reprimanded to tickling a child. The teacher informed me that it is a red flag for pedophile's. Makes some sense I suppose. But some of these kids love tickling as a reward, and now I cant do that. Many have trust issues with adults so for them to trust me to tickle them is big. Oh well I guess.

Christmas is coming....

2008-11-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

I have strict holiday traditions. I will NOT decorate for Christmas, not a single paper snowflake, until the day after Thanksgiving. I will not buy any Christmas themed items or decorations in the store until the day after Thanksgiving.
But I WILL shop for Christmas presents. Because if I leave myself less that 30 days, it isnt possible. I try to collect things throughout the year, and come November start buying a few presents every paycheck. Christmas really WILL be a bit smaller this year, no presents for extended family and such. I always hate that, but its necessary. We're SO CLOSE to having some bills paid off, next year will be better. Trying to keep presents at 1 per person this year, and not to expensive. So I really am hunting for the "perfect presents", because if people are only getting 1, it better be cool!

AMAZING giveaway

2008-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

I happened by a giveaway this morning that is too good not to share! Head on over to The Dirty Shirt and check out her Christmas Giveaway! Its a 1 Terabyte (thats HUGE, guys) Seagate FreeAgent Xtreme External Hard Drive. Seriously, go check it out!

Cant fight the fatigue.....

2008-11-14T06:48:00.001-08:00

Once it gets cold out, I get tired. DJ told me last night its like I hibernate! I can easily sleep for 18 hours straight in the winter. This also comes with lots of body pains. Two years ago it was so bad I actually saw the doctor and got tested for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Sleep Syndrome, and some thyroid disorders. Everything came up negative. And its not Seasonal Effective because im HAPPY, just exhausted. So I spent this week sleeping as much as humanly possible to see if that would help. Nope! Next week im going to try staying up and active as much as possible. Keep in mind that we arent drinking soda anymore, maybe once a week. And im used to drinking 2 lieters of Dew each day, on average. So that doesnt help. BLAH. I need to figure something out. Gotta be on my feet at work. They are like animals, they can smell when you're weak!

Day with the boys

2008-11-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you what Zilla is wearing in this picture. Of his own accord. Camo pants, a suit jacket, a beanie, vans, different colored socks, a marble necklace, and his rasta bracelet. He's gonna be a rock star.

Diggy is a bit calmer!!

We went over to see them on Tuesday and went Glow (in the dark) (miniature) Golfing. It was pretty fun. Zilla was thrilled because he usually gets shafted, but we went somewhere HE wanted to go, and he even won a free game of golf! While DJ and Moe shopped I took the boys to a game store they had been begging to look at, and they spent an hour immersed in a trial run of WarHammer (think D&D) and even got to paint their own miniatures. They had a blast! :)

Let me give you an idea of how my day went....

2008-11-12T20:05:00.001-08:00

The letter of the week is "N". The kids worksheets full of things that start with the letter N and have blank space to draw a new item. The ONLY word that I could think of that started with the letter N was "noose".
Yes, long day. And with that, im going to bed. And perhaps i'll have more to say tomorrow!

Savior of the playground

2008-11-08T17:38:00.001-08:00

A little boy (who isnt in our class) came up to me on the playground on Thursday and told me that his ball was stuck in the tree. I lifted his up to see if he could bat it out, but it was too high up. So I told him to go get another ball and I could get it down. A few moments later I was surrounded by 40 kindergartners as I knocked the ball out of the tree. A bunch of the hugged me; it was pretty cool to be the playground savior for the day! LOL

Why did Prop 8 pass?

2008-11-06T17:51:00.001-08:00

It was noted earlier on the news that Prop 8 may have passed because people are illeterate. They quidkly skimmed the ballot and saw 'Gay Marriage' listed. Thinking "oh yay, I love gay people!" they checked the box, not understanding that this would BAN gay marriage.

Hey, its a thought!

An election to go down in history?

2008-11-05T18:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is for sure. The nation's first black President! I bought newspapers today to keep for memories.
Christine Gregoire was re-elected, YAY!
Death With Dignity, the Washington State assisted suicide initiative, was also passed. Thats a big one- even many of the people backing the initiative didnt think it would pass! But it did, and it's exciting (to me at least).
Im still waiting to hear who the new Superintendent of Public Education is.
All-in-all, Washington did pretty damn good in the elections!

Some of the other states, however, disappointed me.
"Gay-marriage bans passed on Tuesday in California, Arizona and Florida, while Arkansas voters approved a measure aimed at gays that bars unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Massachusetts and Connecticut are now the only states to allow same-sex marriage." Think about that Arkansas measure. Unmarried couples cannot be adoptive or foster parents. Single people can. Married people can. But two people in a loving relationship, no matter if they are straight or gay, cannot adopt or foster. Do you see anything wrong there? The gay marriage bans PISS ME OFF. They make me livid. This Arkansas law? That hurts the kids. That just isnt fair.

Tomorrow's Headlines:

2008-11-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

"Black Man Wins Presidency: Ice Skating Celebration to Take Place in Hell"
Obama is our new President! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27531033/?GT1=43001

Are you sick of high-paid teachers?

2008-11-02T02:14:00.000-08:00

I did not write this. It was stolen from someone who stole it from someone. But it rocks!

Are you sick of high paid teachers? Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - baby sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM
with 45 min. off for lunch and plan — that equals 6 1/2 hours).

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

Now how many do they teach in day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

LET’S SEE…. That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 peryear. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children
X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute — there’s something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher’s salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student–a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your
kids!)

WHAT A DEAL!!!!

The people who lose on Halloween....

2008-11-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

are people who dont have kids! You go out and buy candy to give out to all the neighbor kids, and have no kids who you can charge the Candy Tax once they get home!

Speaking of public toilets.....

2008-10-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Where does everyone stand on germs? The whole world seems so germ-phobic these days, especially parents! I work in schools with young children. I wash my hands a lot. Not because im afraid of germs, but because im constantly covered in tempra paint and glue. In the past few years it has become increasingly common (and rule, not the exception honestly) to use hand sanitizer in schools periodically throughout the day rather than have 30 kids waiting in line to wash their hands 5 times a day. Many parents also tote hand sanitizer around for their kids. I keep some in my car in case of emergency but personally im just not a fan of the way it makes my hands feel. I'd rather wash them if I can. Then theres my mother in law. She forbids the boys (8 years old now) to use hand sanitizer and sends a letter to school every year notifying their teachers that they are to wash their hands in the sink when the others use hand sanitizer. She has the organic, go green mentality and feels that the chemicals in hand sanitizer can harm you (they cant use bug spray either, but if I keep going i'll get off on a tangent.)

So using hand sanitizer would be protecting you against something you had already come into contact with. Its similar I suppose to spraying down household surfaces with lysol, and that makes sense. Then there are people who dont come into contact with stuff in the first place. Do you hold your child above the toilet in public restrooms? Wipe down the silverwear when you go out to dinner? Do you use a shopping cart cover?

I have no fear of public restrooms provided you arent rolling around on the floor. Heck, I throw the paper towel away BEFORE I open the door! I dont even use toilet seat covers, and you know thats the cardinal sin. I dont wipe down shopping carts. I let kids play in the dirt. I dont feel like germs are going to take over the world. WITHOUT germs, we would die. Germs make the world go round, baby.

How do YOU feel?

Kids and public bathrooms

2008-10-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

At what age did you let your kids go into public bathrooms by themselves? Was it different for boys vs. girls? What about the grocery store vs. a concert? For dads with daughters- how do you deal with potty breaks?

Quit Scooting!

2008-08-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

"Quit rolling, stand up! Dont scoot on the grass! You're going to get your clothes dirty! Stand up!"
"Mom, cant you just let them have fun?"
A quote from John and Kate. Kate was yelling at the little kids because they were rolling down a grass hill and this was Cara's reply. Touche!

"Twin" does NOT mean "the same"

2008-08-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Diggy came into the world 6 minutes before Zilla. They are as different as night and day. Its kind of crazy, actually. They turned 8 in March. They were totally unexpected babies; Eeyore is 27 and BigBro is 21, parents thought they were done with kids when they boys came along! Because of the crazy age difference the boys get insanely spoiled. I cant tell if the issues that the boys have are genuine or if they are caused by the fact that they are so spoiled.
Zilla is a genius. Ok, im exaggerating. But he is very smart, and incredibly inquisitive. I had to explain Stem Cell Research to him when he was 7, and when I couldnt give him enough answers so he said "UGH! I'll just Google it!". If he doesnt know the answer to something, he finds out and comes back to tell you. He is a fantastic reader, very quick. He doesnt care to participate in or watch sports unless we attend a sporting event in person. However he loves to bowl. He doesnt like trying new foods and doesnt take big risks (like water-slides or ramps at the skatepark). He still uses a plug (pacifier) when he is overly tired or stressed. He stays quiet until he is pushed to the brink and then he will finally snap. He likes to sit around half naked. He is obsessd with anything that is army related, flies, or blows up.
Diggy is the brawns of the family. He will play any sport he can possibly try. His favorite is baseball, and if this kid practices he will go far. He is very strong. He loves clothes and shoes. He will always try new food and loves Sushi and Subway. He doesnt know how to tie his shoes and refuses to learn. He is still reading at a kindergarted level and doesnt try to improve. He has pretty severe anger problems that are actually quite scary at times. He will lie forwards, backwards, and sideways just to strike up a conversation and will go to the grave to prove that he is right.
"Twin" is a word not to be taken for granted!

Riding the waves

2008-08-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

The boys had a blast last week when we tried out the new surfing machine at the water park!

Where have I been?

2008-08-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well, Eeyore and I got our Domestic Partnership! That was fun :)

I also lost my job (due to a store closure)- not so fun! And since most of my internet use was done at work, its been tough getting back into the swing of things. In any case, im back for now! Not sure what life will bring when I get a new job, but lets just take it day by day!

Just to re-enforce that fact....

2008-08-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Leashes really AREN'T necessary. He was having a blast. We didn't lose him. He didn't get run over. He didn't trip anyone. And it was FUN!

Child-leashes

2008-08-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

Child-leashes have been around forever. And i've never been a fan. But if you MUST use them, at least use them responsibly. When we went to Silverwood I saw dozens of these things (I think they sold them in the gift shop, dont even get me started on that). And i constantly saw the parents walking along, child being drug behind. And more often than not, that child landed on their face because the parents werent paying attention. Seriously guys.

Retain our Governor!

2008-08-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Proud to be white?

2008-08-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

I got an email forward the other day. Ive gotten it before, but this time it really got me thinking. Check the fwd text out below, along with my commentary and additional comments.

"Proud To Be White

Someone finally said it.

How many are actually paying attention to this???

There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Native Americans, etc. And then there are just - Americans! Gee, maybe thats because these people have immigrated here and become US citizens? But they were still born in another country, or their family was. Maybe its because if someone with dark skin or an accent says they are
'American' we shoot them crap. Just a thought.

You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you, so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?

You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Hispanic History Month. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Asian History Month. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Kawanza. You have the NAACP. And you have BET. God-forbid we celebrate our heritage. We are obviously taking the whole 'mixing pot' description too far! Every person deserves to learn about and celebrate their culture, and to learn about others. Diversity is supposed to be what makes this country so wonderful.

If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month, we'd be racists. If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives, we'd be racists. Ok.... somewhat true. But think about it. Every day is white history day. Every channel on TV is white programming. Why are we better? Maybe once our country begins to live up to the diversity it says it has no one will need special days. Once the minorities are truly appreciated and equal, every day wil be full of white pride, black pride, purple pride, and everything else, and we wont need special days.

We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that?

If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships you know we'd be racists. There are over 60 openly-proclaimed Black-only Colleges in the US, yet if there were 'White-only Colleges' THAT would be a racist college. Once again with the minority issues... try being a minority. It sucks. There ARE a lot of racists out there still And when a minority student is in a room full or majority students with a majority professor, it is intimidating. Especially if that majority professr is racist. Demographics show that minorities also tend to be closer to the poverty level. So without scholarships many wouldnt be able to attend college at all. Less people in college = more people in the street. And we continue to aide stereotypes and keep populations divided.

In the Million-Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.

You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and red, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.

You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug-dealer who is running from the LAW and posing a threat to ALL of society, you call him a racist. OK, thats a slam and being stereotypical. Dont go listing all these bad things. There are plenty of white robbers, car-jackers, and shooters.

I am proud, but, you call me a racist. Why is it that only whites can be racists?

There is nothing improper about this e-mail. Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on..."

Right then. Its a tough call. I am kind of a nut politically. I never make much sense. I can totally see where the person who wrote this came from. But a lot of it is ignorance too. Its hard to know where other people are coming from when you havent been in their shoes.
I am a member of the white majority. But I also live in a community where the hispanic population is at 45% currently and growing. And I am a member of the gay minority. I know what its like to be on the outside.

Dont judge too quickly. Take the time to look at it from other peoples points of view.

See ya!

2008-07-29T06:26:00.001-07:00

We're off for 3 days, going to Silverwood! See you Thursday!
Oh, and a few pics before I leave! The boys came to visit the other day :)

Goodies!

2008-07-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

Be sure to look on the left-hand column of my blog to see links to my favourite blogs and favourite stores. Click the links and check them out, its worth it!

Turn down the volume please!

2008-07-26T15:32:00.001-07:00

I have some issues. I have never denied that. Im not going to make a list. But one of the big things is a sound intergation issue. All the noise around me comes into my ears at the same time. The dog scratching, the tv, pages turning in a book, and the person trying to have a conversation with me. Most peoples brains automatically decipher what sound they should be focusing on (in this case, the person talking to you).
Men have an easier time of this than women. Tests have been done where they have a person put on a set of headphones and listen to one story in one ear and another story in another ear. Men are able to completely tune out one story (this wont surprise the heterosexual females out there!). Women have a much harder time doing this.
In my case, I can hear everything, every little sound. And when I try to focus on someones voice, sometimes the sound of the dog scratching overpowers it. Noises also bother me. I have never been able to touch styrofoam because of the sound it makes. At the moment I am at work and someone is putting chalk on a cue stick. Its enough to make me nauseous.
Because of this I wear my ipod a lot, and on occasion will wear ear plugs. I wore them the other night for a few hours because my ears were feeling especially sensitive.
The next morning DJ and I were sitting on the couch watching tv and she said to me "How do you think you can raise kids if you have to wear ear plugs just being around us?" I happen to think I will be just fine, thanks. For the most part children screaming and crying does not faze me a bit. And on those days where noises are bothering me, I will cope. Just like I do in everyday life.
I know she didnt mean to offend me, she was really trying to make a point and understand, and thats fair. But im not worried about it.

Comment-a-thon

2008-07-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Mary at Now Entering Momville is running a really cool Comment-a-thon with a giveaway. She is visiting 50 blogs a day and commenting on them, meeting new people and trying to drive traffic to her blog. Tying in with this she is also hosting a giveaway with 3 different prizes for 3 different people. Click the link, check it out. Its a pretty cool thing and im going to keep it in mind for the future as I try to get more blog visitors.

"Change the life of a child...forever!"

2008-07-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

This is the catch-phrase of Compassion International, the child sponsorship program. I have always loved the idea of sponsoring a child. I know many people who are sponsors and some have even visited their sponsored children in their home countries. I have been browsing different programs, seeing which seems the most reliable and honest and where the children will benefit the most. During my web-surfing today on Compassion's website, I found this:

Is there anything I cannot send to my sponsored child?
"As a sponsor, you have many opportunities to communicate with the child you sponsor and we encourage you to do so. When you communicate with him or her, however, we ask you to provide comments and materials consistent with the Christian values and philosophies we share with our partnering churches. We will not forward photographs and other mateirals depicting activities that:

Might be considered inappropriate in another culture.
Promote lifestyle choices that we view as unhealthy and inconsistent with biblically based lifestyles or otherwise inappropriate for sponsored children.
Might threaten the safety of the sponsored children in any way.

For example, we will not forward materials that depict or describe the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, unlawful drugs and materials or activities that we regard as dangerous or unsafe. We will not forward materials or communications that advocate another religious worldview. In addition, we will not forward materials depicting persons dressed in immodest clothing or engaging in activities inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs, including the living out of a homosexual lifestyle."

People in the GLBT community face all sorts of problems when it comes to adoption and childrens rights. Evidently we also arent good enough to send money to help children in 3rd world countries. Of course, we could sponsor the child and just not mention the fact that we happen to be lesbians. But if I am going to ahve any influence in a childs life, i'd rather not start out the relationship with a lie. Sorry Compassion, we are looking elsewhere. I hope someday you really will put the children first.

Marriage = Jail time

2008-07-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

"Same-sex couples marrying in California could face prison time in Wisconsin"
Wow. So evidently Wisconsin has a law that makes it a crime for Wisconsin residents to get married in another state if that marriage is illegal in Wisconsin. The law has been around since before women could legally vote. All states have some wacky laws on the books. But this one packs a fine up to $10,000 and nine months in prison. Ouch.
After a little research I found out that in Wisconsin:

-Butter substitutes are not allowed to be served in state prisons.
-State Law made it illegal to serve apple pie in public restaurants without cheese.
-The state definition of rape stated that it was a man having sex with a woman he knows not to be his wife.
-It is illegal to cut a woman’s hair.

So are we going to arrest all of the hair stylists along with the gay couples?

"Lesbians all look the same"

2008-07-23T20:37:00.001-07:00

So an acquaintance of mine (who happens to be a lesbian) came into my work today. I was sitting at my table running the game and she was at the pool table behind me playing pool. She played one game and then left, before I even had a chance to say hello. 5 minutes pass and a guy walked up to me and said "Hey, you know that girl that was just here? Are you two related?" and I said "No, lesbians just look alike." The guy just about died laughing and gave me a high five. Everyone else around had expressions somewhere between amusement and confusion. He went back to his group and said "That was the coolest thing ever, that totally made my day." A few minutes later he came and apologized in case he had offended me. He hadn't. I found it entertaining, lol.

PROOF of American Military Atrocities in Iraq!!!

2008-07-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Are my future children doomed?

2008-07-22T13:20:00.001-07:00

AJ at Thingamababy posted today about regulating things your kids know about and have access too, from electronics to juice. (Read the post here.) I nodded my head in agreement for a lot of this post. Okay, i'd be a bit more lax im sure. About 75% of the strictness. But I like the idea. And his beautiful little girl seems like the coolest kid on the block! I would love my kids to reach kindergarten without being obsessed with whatever disturbing cartoon charectar happens to be on Cartoon Network at the moment.
Yet I have to be honest with myself. I love tv. I have attention problems, and I need to be doing two things at once. Meaning the tv needs to be on while I am online or readhing a book or cooking. I cant concentrate without having my attention going in two directions. I am always on the computer. I drink soda and eat Lucky Charms. And I love gadgets and electronic things. Im scared that my habits will set my kids up for inevitable disaster and they will end up being just another specimine of the next generation.
So lets take a look at the topics AJ covered, im going to give my input on them.

Licensed characters - I am amazed how people avoid this. I suppose not watching television helps. But even just going to the store seems like it would get things engrained in your kids head. There are billboards. The displays in the stores. I am fascinated that a child could see a 4 foot tall Polly Pocket display and not want one, even if they didnt know what it was. When it comes to licensed things I must say that I have a few things I will fall for. I love anything Pooh, and im also a fan of Care Bears. Other than that I might be able to handle not having anything in the house. Once they hit kindergarten tho, I think you're automatically a gonner.

Candy, juice, soda and other sugary treats - This is a hard one because I am a sugar addict and I dont drink milk. Ideally I would say that I will try to limit my kids to 1 juice a day, soda on special ocassions, and candy/cookies.... well thats a hard one. I like dessert. How about saying no unlimited access to sweets for now.

Talking stuffed animals — Not necessary. The only thing way you could convince me are the ones that y ou can record your own voice in.

iPod/MP3 player and Digital camera — No question. My kids will always have these things. Music is my driving force in life. We will have a rule about when the music needs to be off, and will monitor the songs, but they will always have music. Same with the camera. A great thing to learn early.

Cell phone — Cell phones will only be necessary once the kids are old enough to be away from the house by themselves.

Videos/DVD — I really want to have sucessful movie nights someday...

Television — I just know im going to be guilty of this. And it makes me sad. I never want to use the TV as a babsitter. I dont know how we will regulate television. Purchasing a Tivo so mommies can catch their shows would be a good start.

Movie theaters — I want to take my kids to movies as soon as they are old enough to be interested and to sit through the whole movie. I think movies are a great treat.

Console video games — Ok, video game addict talking here. When I was a kid I played Nintendo with my dad and I loved it. We played stuff like Donkey Kong. We didnt hole up in the house and never leave. He was a farmer. I was constantly on the tractor with him. But I enjoyed gaming with my dad. I want to play video games with my kids too. There will be a limit on time and on types of games played. But we will have consoles in the house.

Educational PC games — I dont think any skills should be LEARNED by using a computer or any other learning device. However I belive that in fine-tuning skills some of these things can be helpful. Plus, I love Zoombinis!

Personal computer — To be determined on a kid-by-kid basis. I want my kids to have a strong grasp on technology, it is important these days. I would be happy with having two desktop computers in our office. After 13, we can discuss a laptop that the kids can take in their room when they need to type a paper. (With remote desktop so I know what they are doing.)

Pierced ears and make-up - No makeup until at least 13. No, probably not even play makeup. Chapstick is great. Nail polish, okay. Pierced ears im cool with at any time.

Ok, so am I doing to be a horrible parent? No, probably not. I'm sure we will do okay and our kids will turn out fine. I just hope that they have a good head on their shoulders and are happy people.

Got it!

2008-07-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I lost the cool background graphic but I kept my colors and I now have a 3-column layout! Yay!

Layout issues

2008-07-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that I really like my layout? Because I do. But im frustrated with not having 3 columns. Its hard to link to other blogs and whatnot without lots of space. Am I being too picky? I have tried to find 3-column layouts out there, but all of them give me an error message and dont work. Ugh.

Giveaways are fun!

2008-07-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

I've become addicted to Prizey and online giveaways.
Best one today?
A $50 Amazon Gift Certificate from Robyn's World. Check it out, and check out Prizey too, they give daily links to giveaways all over the internet. Most of these things are easy to enter and they not only give you a chance to get free stuff, but to learn about new products and find fun new blogs to read!

GPS Child Locator

2008-07-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

"The BrickHouse Locator with Distance Alert, powered by Duracell, lets you keep a constant eye on your child--even when you're not looking."

Wait, should'nt you be looking? Did I miss something here?
I saw a Duracell commercial today (you know the type: our batteries power the things you cant live without). This time the batteries were powering a GPS Child Locater.

Ok, I knew they had GPS on cell phones for teenagers so you'll know when they are at the mall instead of school. But how far away do you let your 3 year old wander? Almost every kid gets seperated from their parents for a few minutes early in life. But in the large majority of those instances, a GPS locater seems a bit extravagent.

Of course, these arent just for children! The BrickHouse website says you can "Locate Wandering Children, Pets, Or Elderly Family Members" Great, it has multiple uses. Im still not dropping $200 on it. Pay closer attention. Put the cell phone down and watch your kid. If your grandfather had Alzheimers, dont leave him in the pharmacy while you go look at clothing. These things should be common sense!

I am not totally throwing this product ouf the window. I can see it being useful to some people. Working at the Village I saw families with multiple special need children. While they were all very capeable parents; having 5 kids with special needs in tow can be VERY overwhelming. Some of these children have boundary problems and take off running. In this case, I can see the Child Locater being helpful.

Me? I'd probably throw the homing tag in my car and use the tracker to find it in the mall parking lot!

Its a blog eat blog world out there....

2008-07-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

... and i've decided to join it! Welcome to my world:)