Before We Leave To Go Trick-Or-Treating

I just want to express my disappointment with Trevor.
I made a point to tell him over the phone last night, "Don't lose your Spiderman mask at school."
He said OK.
I call to tell him we're leaving in about a half an hour and I can't wait to take him trick-or-treating.
He said, "I lost my mask at school."

D'oh!

Happy Halloween!

( Sorry about this picture.)

It's my favorite holiday! Halloween is here again. I hope it doesn't rain tonight. Joe and I are Devils and Trevor is Spiderman. I can't wait to get some pictures of us in our costumes.

Joe was super cute today. He got to dress up for work in his costume and have a pizza party with co-workers. I brought some evil cupcakes and ate lunch with them.

Speaking of lunch... I'd like to mention how much I hate potlucks. I hate them for this one simple reason; I get such noxious gas after eating the wide varieties of food, I can't enjoy myself. I'm too afraid of farting. Worse, I'm afraid of farting and getting caught. It makes me so anxious.

But I did have a very nice time with Joe at his work. His colleagues are very friendly and they seem to really enjoy their jobs. His boss is awesome and plays Wii with them. I'm lucky to have a husband who doesn't get stressed out about work. I remember back in the old days, I had an ex that would cry in the walk in closet while he was getting dressed because he hated his job so bad.

As soon as I can, I'll put up my Halloween pictures. I'm so excited!!!

Lunch

Just my luck, Joe gets an invite to a soiree where there will be wine and cheese and interesting people to talk to... and I'm 9 months pregnant. That's the way it goes I guess.

29 days and my little baby will be here! Dan's taking me out to lunch today at BJ's Brewery. Best pizza ever if you ask me. I'm excited to see my friend. I've been out of the loop for a while.

Heather said she'd take me to lunch as well. She's way too flaky to count on seeing her before we move. She's what I'd call a sexy crazy person. She's hot, but she's got a couple screws loose. Love her to death though.


I smell good!
I have this perfume on, I bought it at Nugget Market.
Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava
They have Candles and Soap in this fragrance as well.
It smells like a coconut and berry smoothie!
Delicioso!

I Spoiled Myself Today

My day started when I woke up late. Late being 8:00am. I get up, get my Fiber One Bar and a cup of O.J.
I pour some scented salt into my bath water, hop in and relax, listening to John Legend seduce me with his rhythmic, soulful melodies.

I realized it's one of those great days, the kind I wont have for a long time after Evan comes into the world. I decide to take advantage of my freedom. I start by stopping in at Starbucks. I splurge on the Pumpkin Spice Latte. It's a seasonal favorite of mine.


I had a few chores to do today, nothing big. I cruise on over to Target looking for some devil horns to complete my Halloween costume. Couldn't find horns, but what do I find instead? Oh, only the cutest little pair of flats for my aching fat feet. Best part? They were 50% off.


Then it's lunch time! I think I should treat the baby and I to some healthful food. Pluto's Planet For A Hungry Universe we go! If you've never eaten there before, Pluto's is sort of a cafeteria style restaurant. You can get salads, sandwiches or entrees all made to order. What I order is the most delicious Salad that you just can't make at home. It starts with Farmer’s Greens, Cucumbers, Peas, Parmesan Cheese, California Raisins, Kidney Beans, Strawberries, then add extra Kidney Beans. Top it off with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette...YUMMY!!!

Yep, I spoiled myself today. I feel great!

Trevor & Joe

Last night, Joe's mom called to tell us a story about something Trevor said. Trevor went to a birthday party last night and Joe's foster sister, Sheila drove him. Someone at the party asked Trevor if Sheila was his mom, to which Sheila said, "No, I'm his Aunt."

Trevor said, "I didn't know you were my Aunt."

Sheila said, "Well, Joe's my Brother and he's going to be your Step Dad, so that makes me your Aunt."

Trevor told, "Well soon, he's going to be my real Dad."

That story makes me so happy I could cry. Maybe it's the emotional side of pregnancy, but knowing that my family unit is real and it's all coming together for us, well... it make me want to cry.

I'm so happy Joe and Trevor get along. Trevor really does need a "dad". I actually told myself that he didn't need one simply because I just couldn't provide one for him. I decided it was better for him to not have a dad than have some jerk in his life that would constantly let him down.

But I've seen a real change in Trevor since Joe has come along. Trevor's drastically more confident and seems to have a lot more fun just being a boy.

I'm not sure if I've ever told Joe in words, but I really appreciate him for being good to my son.

Thank You, Joe. I love you.

Jeri's Office Wish List

My wish list:

• Ergonomic office chair like this one on Overstock.com
• A desk. I haven't picked one out yet due to measurements and not knowing where I'm going to put it.
• A Desk top computer. I'd like it if Joe built it for me so it'll have everything I need in it.
• A camera just like my old camera or even better, my camera fixed.
• An ink jet color printer and scanner.

Koita and Fode Tounkara

The first thought on my mind this morning was about these two young boys from Guinea.
Their names are Koita and Fode Tounkara. They were ages 15 and 14.

They were stowaways on a passenger jet and they died en route to Belgium.

The boys were carrying plastic bags with birth certificates, school report cards, photographs and a letter. This letter, written in imperfect french, was widely published in the world media.

Excellencies, Messrs. members and officials of Europe,

We have the honorable pleasure and the great confidence in you to write this letter to speak to you about the objective of our journey and the suffering of us, the children and young people of Africa.

But first of all, we present to you life's most delicious, charming and respected greetings. To this effect, be our support and our assistance. You are for us, in Africa, those to whom it is necessary to request relief. We implore you, for the love of your continent, for the feeling that you have towards your people and especially for the affinity and love that you have for your children whom you love for a lifetime. Furthermore, for the love and meekness of our creator God the omnipotent one who gave you all the good experiences, wealth and ability to well construct and well organize your continent to become the most beautiful one and most admirable among the others.

Messrs. members and officials of Europe, we call out for your solidarity and your kindness for the relief of Africa. Do help us, we suffer enormously in Africa, we have problems and some shortcomings regarding the rights of the child.

In terms of problems, we have war, disease, malnutrition, etc. As for the rights of the child in Africa, and especially in Guinea, we have too many schools but a great lack of education and training. Only in the private schools can one have a good education and good training, but it takes a great sum of money. Now, our parents are poor and it is necessary for them to feed us. Furthermore, we have no sports schools where we could practice soccer, basketball or tennis.

This is the reason, we, African children and youth, ask you to create a big efficient organization for Africa to allow us to progress.

Therefore, if you see that we have sacrificed ourselves and risked our lives, this is because we suffer too in Africa and that we need you to fight against poverty and to put an end to the war in Africa. Nevertheless, we want to learn, and we ask you to help us in Africa learn to be like you.

Finally, we appeal to you to excuse us very, very much for daring to write you this letter to you, the great personages to whom we owe much respect. And do not forget it is to you whom we must lament about the weakness of our abilities in Africa.

Written by two Guinean children, Yaguine Koita and Fodé Tounkara.

I've decided I want to adopt an international baby if or when we're ready for another child.

Ginger Snaps

I'm officially addicted to the ginger snaps.
I wish I never bought them now.
I weigh 174.4 lbs.
That makes me 15 pounds over weight, not good.
My mouth still hurts.
My face is swollen.
I'm taking the antibiotics.
They taste like farts smell. Eww. Nasty.

Pumpkin Bliss & Tooth Aches

So, my tooth hurts.
It's hurt for a while, but now it hurts bad.
I've been waiting a very long time to get it fixed due to finances.
But now it seems the waiting has made it worse and now I'm pretty bad off in the mouth department.

I need to escape to my happy place.
I envision how happy I'll be when this is all over.
When my teeth are finally fixed.

Follow me to my Happy place:

I think about how happy I'll be when I'm playing with my new baby;
I'm in my new home;
I'm working;
Making money;
Making dinner;
Helping with homework;
Enjoying the company of my husband and sons.

I think about the peaceful bubble baths I'll take...
With my music on...
And my candles burning...
The sweet smell of pumpkin pie in the air...
Ahh...






(The world's best smelling pumpkin candle and I want one.)

Last night, while wrestling around with my sweetie, I got hurt. I'll admit, I totally had it coming. Joe was leaning over me shirtless grabbing for the remote and I bit him in the ribs. (I'd say more of a nibble than a bite, but you'd have to ask him.)

He said, "sweetie, don't bite me or I'll crush you."

I weighed the consequences and made the decision that biting him would result in hilarity. I decided it was worth it. Boy, did I decide wrong.

Now I want to preface this with, Joe would never ever try to hurt me on purpose. But here's what happened...

I bit into Joe's ribs while making my rabid monster noises. He grabbed me by the jaw, squeezed my jaw and put all of his weight on me.

Now, at any other time in my life, this would not have been such a terrifyingly painful experience. However, as I mentioned earlier, I have a tooth infection and his grabbing it and squeezing it made me cry like a little girl. Literally, I don't remember crying like that since I was little, 7 or 8 maybe.

The best part is I know it's all my fault. I instigated it and got what I deserved. Serves me right. :)

I wont mess with the Joe unless I can take what the Joe serves up.

Trevor & I Made a Deal

Trevor and I made a deal.

I told him I'd rather reward him for good behavior than punish him for bad behavior.

So we made a written contract that says...

For every subject - Reading, Writing, Math, Science, History, P.E. Etc.
The reward system is as follows:
*Every O = $5.00
*Every S = $1.00
*Every U = -$10.00

If he can make a perfect report card, He will receive $50.00.

I told him he can do whatever he wants with the money he earns. He said he'd like to save it for a Nintendo DS. (Which is what I was planning to buy him for Christmas anyway) He said he's been really good in class too. He said his card has never gone to yellow, (which means he's on warning for a timeout.) I'm excited to see what he can do.

I know I always work harder when there's a prize involved. It's even how I quit smoking.

Speaking of prizes... There is no Pumpkin carving contest at Trevor's School. They encourage you to bring a pumpkin, but there will not be a winner, and everyone gets a ribbon. I asked Trevor if he knew about this, he said no. I asked him if he still wants to go through all the trouble of carving another pumpkin if there is no 'winner'. Luckily for me he said no.

I do not like the way the schools are eliminating competitions. We had contests in school, and we all turned out OK. When did some screwball hippie decide it's bad for kids to lose? It's great for them to lose. It teaches them how to be a gracious loser and it also teaches kids that if they work hard, they can achieve. I would never enter my son into one of these "everyone who participates, wins" contests. It would teach him that he doesn't have to try hard, all he has to do is show up and get a ribbon. Life doesn't work like that.

We all know who would have won that Pumpkin contest anyway ;)



Elementary school grades are different than other grades if you don't know:
* O is the equivalent of an A+
* S is the equivalent of a B
* U is the equivalent of an F

My Tooth

I would have been emo all day if it wasn't for my wonderful family. :)
I had some bad news related to my teeth today,
I don't really want to get into it right now lest I become emotional again.

Trevor picked my spirits up immensely. I watched him do his last Karate lesson of the year. He was actually pretty good. I'm so glad I got to see it.

Joe was super duper sweet and let me use the comfortable car to drive to Placerville in. He said, "Don't get used to it." I know he was playing.

My Mother-In-Law was also great when she got me in this morning to see the dentist on short notice. My Abscess hurts a little, but not as much as it would if I had to wait another 11 days for my first appointment.

I have such a great family. I love them all. :)

Ginger Snaps

Oh my poor tummy!
I figured out what's been giving me this pain.
Milk. (shut up Joe)
It makes me gassy and my poor belly can't take it.

This morning I woke up and had a craving for my ginger snaps. I poured a glass of milk and sat down. By the time I was done with my milk, the gut wrenching pain sunk in. I was on the floor, rolling around, crying. It didn't stop for 10 minutes! 10 minutes might not seem like a long time to you, but when you're in constant pain... it feels like forever.

I took a scalding hot bath and waited for the pain to go away. Thank God it did.

Now, onto more important topics, food. Pepparkakor Swedish Ginger Snaps to be specific. These delightful little cookies are $9.99 for a tin of 180 at cost plus world market. They taste like a chai tea latte and they melt in your mouth as soon as they hit your tongue. I bought them for my baby shower. I thought I would make some pumpkin mousse and use the ginger snaps for dipping. Unfortunately, they have proven to be very addictive! So I do not recommend buying them unless you have people to help you eat them.

Update: Twin Babies

This just in: Not twins!
One very healthy baby boy!
I'm relieved and disappointed at the same time.
It's a strange feeling.

I got to see some more of what Evan looks like, even in utero he's very handsome. I'm happy he's only one baby. This way I can give him all the love and attention he needs. I was really hoping they would move my due date up a week. I'm tired of being pregnant.

Twin Babies

I'm a little nervous.
I'm a little excited.
We'll find out in an hour and a half!
Other boy names I like: (just in case)
Oliver
Travis
Ian
Eli

I Found The Waffle Iron, Joe.

Buy this and I'll finally marry you. :)

Jeri's Waffle Iron

8 Things About Trevor

Trevor has so many little quirks that make his personality great.

He has developed into a very unique little boy.

Even if he wasn't my kid, I'd still hang out with him... that's how cool he is.

Yes, I'm proud to be his mom.

Some of the things I've learned about Trevor:

1: When playing or designing new games, he makes up new rules in the middle of the game; or sometimes completely changes the rules all together.

2: He has a very sophisticated palate. He is known to enjoy most seafood varieties. His favorite being shrimp, he also likes king crab and salmon but not lobster. He brags about eating roast duck and is never afraid to try new foods.

3: He likes to relax with a warm latte. He even slurps it correctly as not to burn his tongue. His favorites are chai and vanilla. Don't worry, I give him decaf.

My favorite moment at Starbucks was when he sipped his chai and said, "Ah! There's nothing better than a hot drink on a cold day!"

4: He's very aware of other peoples feelings and is sensitive himself. He is also nice to animals and said he wishes he wouldn't eat them.

5: He wants to be a video game designer when he grows up. He already has an idea for one game; Spongbob Square Pants - rated M for Mature. Joe and I told him adults might not want to play Spongbob video games. He said they would if there was more blood.

I'd say that's a good point.

6: He doesn't like to wake up early on his days off. He considers the weekends to be his days off and expects us to let him sleep as late as he wants.

7: Trevor is the only little boy I've ever known who at 6, is planning for a family. He says things about the kind of wife he's looking for and says he's saving some of his toys for his kids to play with.

So far he has a small collection of hot wheels and video games for his sons.

8: He is somewhat of a philosopher. When playing golf with Joe in the yard, Joe's ball was set back quite farther than where Trevor placed his ball. When Joe Complained Trevor said, "well, you start where you start."

We've applied this philosophy to our own lives and shared it with the other children.

Evan and ???

So Evan looks like twins again.
He even sounds like twins, the doctor says.
I have another ultrasound on Monday.
Joe says it would be awesome if we had twins.
I'm slightly scared at the thought.

If it is twins. I think I like the name Reid for a boy, I doubt it's a girl. Actually, I doubt it's twins at all. I think my doctor likes messing with me. I bet it's just one big baby boy inside.

We signed the papers on the house last night and wrote the first check to the contractor for the excavating. My dad, bless his heart, will do the electrical. We're on track for late November/Early December. :)

Strange thing... The lady who's selling us our house confided in me that she has a yeast infection. Is that the type of thing you share with people or does this officially make her and I friends?

Prop 8: From The Mind of a Mormon

Sometimes I'm goaded into debating.
It has to be an issue I'm passionate about.
for some reason, I'm especially concerned about Gay Rights.
The following is the opinion of a Mormon man named Kurt Keyser followed by my rebuttal.


Why Proposition 8?
I propose that marriage was not originally intended simply as a legal contract. It has been around longer than law itself, regardless of which culture you take as an example. The reasons we have for wanting to protect it for what it truly was intended as go much deeper than a simple civil rights discussion. Modern ideas and political pressures should not be used to trample under a religious rite, which, to many, represents far more than a method of obtaining civil rights. It is a covenant. A sacred three-way covenant in which only a man, woman and God can enter into. That the state additionally recognizes it and affords benefits to it as a contract between two people was convenient at a point in history but is showing its age in our changing social climate.

Redefining marriage to include discriminated individuals or groups does not eliminate the discrimination. It simply gives it a new name.

What Prop 8 does is open the way to change existing discriminating legislature (laws giving benefits to married couples but not civil unions) without defacing the institution of marriage. You don't change the included list of people in a discriminatory law to include your group; you change the law and the definition of that group stands separately. The laws regarding segregation didn't get changed to say, "Blacks are now White and therefore are given rights." Saying that homosexual couples should be included in the definition of marriage is the same argument.

ProtectMarriage.com:
"...Prop. 8 will not “rob” anyone of anything. Gay couples in domestic partnerships have and will continue to have the same legal rights as married spouses. We’re not here to stop anyone from expressing their commitment or responsibility to another. We’re simply here to protect the definition of marriage ... - a union between a man and a woman."

While I understand that the federal government may currently discriminate, this is a state law, not a federal law we're voting on. People deserve equality from the state on both sides of the issue. Supporters of Prop 8 believe marriage is a religious institution and not just a contract recognized by the state between two consenting adults. As a religious rite, it deserves full protection from the state. The same is true of other religious rites, be they whatever they may be.

Civil Unions and the rights thereof are a totally separate discussion - one which you'd find me and my church on the same side as homosexual couples.

Kurt Keyser


Marriage is not a "sacred three-way covenant" as you would suggest. If this were true, only religious people would be allowed to marry. As you know, anyone (male/female) can get married.

"We’re simply here to protect the definition of marriage"... It would be great if the law said, only a man and woman who love and respect each other can marry. Unfortunately Kurt, the law does not say that. At this current moment in time, Americans are getting married for frivolous unholy reasons... to save someone from deportation, to save money on taxes, because someone got pregnant, for money, out of spite or stupidity.

Just go to Las Vegas, see who's allowed to get married. You'll be horrified at what you see. I can tell that you and you're family are good and honest people. You yearn for a world in which only good and honest people exist. But the sad truth is, the "sanctity of marriage" has been a warped concept for many years. You can't 'protect the definition of marriage' it simply does not exist.

If degenerate drunks can do it in the middle of the night in Las Vegas, or Anna Nicole Smith can do it with an old man for money, what are you trying to protect? Who would want to protect this?

I'm sure the deeper concern is your desire to protect your religious beliefs. I know that the Bible frowns upon Homosexuals. This isn't as much about marriage as it is about Gays, and there's nothing wrong with trying to protect your beliefs. I for instance stand firmly against abortion. I believe it's murder, therefore it should be illegal. Of course I want to see my views expressed as law. I do understand your position, Kurt. However, you're going about it the wrong way. You can't protect something that doesn't exist.

Jeri Beumel

Thanks Anonymous!

Thanks anonymous for this youtube video that explains prop 8. I didn't know that catholic churches in Massachusetts had to close their adoption agencies because gays had the right to adopt.

THAT'S INSANE!!!

Are you daft?! You don't get it!

Q: What do religious people hate more than gays?

A: Abortion!

Follow me...

If gay people get married, they adopt more children. Adopting more children means less abortions. It means more loving families, it means protecting our children. Isn't that what you're trying to protect, the American family? Isn't your slogan, protect our children?

Jeri's Jack O Lantern Tips

Tips for carving the perfect Jack O Lantern
By: Jeri Beumel

Finding The Perfect Pumpkin

• Go to the pumpkin patch! Find a local pumpkin farm, I think it adds to the Halloween experience and is great fun for kids. It's even better if you can cut them off the vine yourself. This way you can leave a little extra stem, (which adds to the aesthetics off your pumpkin)
• Check all sides of your pumpkin, looking to see if there are any soft spots. This is especially important if picking your pumpkin right off the ground at a pumpkin patch.
• See if your pumpkin will sit upright without tipping over. You cannot have a successful Jack O Lantern if he is going to fall over all the time. (However, don't rule out all imperfections. I think a lopsided pumpkin has a lot of character as long as it can stay up.)
• Make sure the stem on your pumpkin is sturdy. A missing or loose stem is not ideal for carving. Try to find a pumpkin with an unusually curvy stem or with a bushy top, it can add a lot of silliness to your Jack.
• Be sure to place your pumpkin in a cool and dry environment before carving. This helps maintain its freshness before you begin carving.

Prepping Your Pumpkin

• Clean the dirt off of your pumpkin before you begin.
• Lay out newspapers and have all of your tools ready. It's about to get messy.
• Have a bowl ready for the seeds.

• You'll need a set of tools to help you carve your pumpkins.
  
• I like the carving kits you find at any discount retailer. If you're heavy handed like me and break your tools, buy two sets.
• Don't be tempted to use the stencils they give you in the book. You'll feel a much better sense of accomplishment for designing your own, plus this is a great way for children to express their creativity.

• Cut the top of the pumpkin off. Don't cut straight down! You'll need to cut at an angle or the lid might fall through.
• Scoop the seeds and pulp into the bowl.
• Scrape the inside of your pumpkin to thin the flesh and make it even.
• Clean the outside of your pumpkin as to get a better grip for carving.

Carving Your Pumpkin

• Sharp objects should be handled by adults only
• After you have done a rough draft drawing of your pumpkin, spin your pumpkin around until you find the side that's best for carving.
• I either use a wax pen to sketch out the design or use the pounce wheel to etch it out.
• Let the kids that are too young to carve draw the face of their design on a sheet of paper and copy it to the pumpkin for them.
• Begin! I always start with the mouth then adjust the eyes to make sure the Jack is looking in the right direction
• If the kids are too young to carve, give them an opportunity to help by letting them pop out the pieces you've carved.
• If you accidentally cut out a piece that's supposed to be in your design, you can use a paper clip to snap it back in.
• For extra macabre, use the seeds and pulp for brains, vomit or guts. It adds to the gruesomeness of your Jack.

Preserving Your Jack O Lantern

• To preserve your carved pumpkin, you will want to soak it in cold water for at least an hour after it has been carved.
• Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can be rubbed on the edges where the pumpkin is carved to help prevent shriveling.

Displaying Your Jack O Lantern

• Put the Jack in the front of your house proudly for everyone to see.
• One of the best choices for lighting your carved pumpkin is a votive candle placed in a clear glass. This makes lighting your Jack O Lantern safer and will help the pumpkin last longer.
• A tea-light candle works well for smaller pumpkins.
• Of course, manufacturers have come out with lights for pumpkins, which you can purchase, these will cost a bit more than buying candles but are a safe alternative to an open flame.

I hope you enjoyed your pumpkin carving experience as much as I did! - Jeri

Pumpkin Pictures

Here's some of my various Halloween pictures

Pumpkin gathering in apple Hill: This was great because we got to cut the pumpkins off the vine!

Pumpkin Carving With Trevor: We had a lot of fun. I think he has a knack for design.

Prop 8 Propaganda

I got a phone call from this guy who said, "Hi is this Jeri? I'm Frank your neighbor on Shasta street."
So, right away I knew this was going to be an unusual phone call.


He says, my wife and I are concerned about an issue and we need your help. We need you to vote yes on prop 8. (What's prop 8? Proposition 8 is an initiative measure on the 2008 California General Election ballot titled Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.)

He asked, "Have you given this any thought?" I told him yes, I plan to vote in favor of gay rights. He said, "Jeri. I want to inform you voting yes doesn't take away anyone's constitutional rights. It just means we can preserve the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman. This would also make it so they can't teach about gay marriage in schools."

I said, "Teaching gay marriage in school? That's ridiculous, I never remember them teaching 'straight marriage' in school."

He said, "You know, when they tell stories of princes sweeping princesses off their feet, they fall in love and get married? This way they can't tell the story of a prince who marries another prince."

I said, "Are you for real?" When he said yes, I wanted to die laughing. I had to let him know that it's not likely that they will swap out all the old fairy tales in school for homoerotic literature if Gay people have the right to marry. But let's say do... Let's say my son goes to school and reads a story about a boy with two moms or two dads. I said, "If they do teach about that in school; I don't have a problem with it. Why do you?"

He said, "Well I'm not here to argue with you. Good bye"

Adios, Homophobe!

Seriously though, Isn't that ridiculous? Teaching Gay Marriage? I had to look it up. I undoubtedly thought this jerkoff had pulled that story out of his ass, about a prince marrying another prince. But then I discovered a commercial about the same cockamamie bullshit this guy was parroting.



Even better, here's the transcript of this unbelievable garbage:

MEDIA ADVISORY, October 9 – Yes on Proposition 8’s second television ad began statewide airing Wednesday. A Spanish version began airing Tuesday. Copies of the ad are available on the www.ProtectMarriage.com website or by calling the campaign at (916) 446-2956. The text of the ad follows:

Protect Marriage

“It’s Already Happened”

Draft TV Script – FINAL APPROVED FOR PRODUCTION

INT. KITCHEN. A mom is sitting at the kitchen table working on paperwork. Her young daughter, a second-grader, comes into the kitchen and excitedly starts talking.

GIRL

Mom, guess what we learned in school today?

MOM

What, sweetie?

MCU:Girl is fishing something out of her backpack.

GIRL

We learned about a prince who married another prince.

CU: The girl hands her mother a copy of the book, King and King.

GIRL

And I can marry a princess.

CU MOM. She has a look of total disbelief on her face.

EFX: The footage of the kitchen scene freezes. We have a distinguished gentleman in a dark suit walk on screen. (He’s standing before a green screen.)

SUPER: Professor Richard Peterson

Pepperdine University School of Law

PETERSON

Think it can’t happen? It’s already happened.

EFX: Peterson walks off screen. Footage of court scene comes up.

ANNCR

When Massachusetts legalized gay marriage, schools began teaching second graders that boys can marry boys. The courts ruled…

SUPER: No Legal Right to Object

Parker v. Hurley, 414 F.3d 87 (1^st Cir.2008)

ANNCR

Parents had no right to object.

EFX: We see footage of a book that reads California Education Code. A hand opens it to section 51933. Camera moves to a close up and the words are highlighted in yellow: “Instruction and materials shall teach respect for marriage.”

ANNCR

Under California law, public schools instruct kids about marriage. Teaching children about gay marriage WILL happen here,

EFX: We are back in the kitchen. We see the mother holding the book in her hands with a dumbfounded look on her face.

ANNCR

…unless we pass Proposition 8.

SUPER: Protect Our Children. Restore Marriage. Yes on Proposition 8

www.protectmarriage.com

EFX: A red swoosh line comes on screen underlining the text as if from a magic marker.

ANNCR

Yes on 8.

SUPER: Paid for by ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8, a project of California Renewal. Major funding by Knights of Columbus, National Organization for Marriage California Committee and Focus on the Family.

Here's Our House!

I plan to decorate pretty much the same way as the model.
Exceptions are the color of the walls; I'm thinking a golden color,
The window in the dining area becomes french doors,
And the dining area will be wood laminate instead of carpet.


Things I will duplicate will be the bar stools,
The round glass dining table,
And the shiny metal ceiling tiles above the table.

Joe's Birthday

I took my sweetie out for his 28th birthday.
I bought him a Remington electric shaver and a prime rib dinner.
The restaurant wasn't as awesome as I remember it but the food was good.

Here's his new shaver:




Here are the pictures from Cattleman's:









Happy Birthday Sweetheart.
I hope you got everything you wanted. :)

6 Things That Made Me Happy Today

It was a wonderful day today.
The only thing that would have made it better would be a comfy chair on the balcony for me to sit in.
You couldn't ask for nicer weather.


Here are the six things that made me happy today...

1) Beautiful fall weather:



2) Trader Joe's spicy chai:



3) My new haircut

4) My gorgeous fiance:



5) Knowing my baby will be here in 50 days

6) Survivor Gabon: Earth's Last Eden:

Our House

Our house, is a very, very, very fine house.
With two cats in the yard,
Life used to be so hard,
Now everything is easy 'cause of you.
~Crosby Stills & Nash


We're signing the papers on our home!

I think the Jew comes out in me at times like this. I want to know what everything costs and where we can pinch pennies. One of the things I opted to do was downgrade the carpet. It saves of $750.00.

My thought was, I'm about to have a little kid. Kids are notorious for destroying carpet. So I figure, let's get the basic carpet, let Evan destroy it and once he's 5, we get berber. (When Trevor was 2, he painted a beautiful picture for me in acrylic on the carpet of a house I was renting.)

The other thing I have to do on my chore list is find a set French Doors. They were trying to sell us an Atrium Door for $1,500.00!

Good grief, it's 1.) Expensive
2.) Not the doors I wanted.

They said it might be possible to put up a piece of plywood and We'll install the doors we want before the inspector comes.

I found some doors I like...

They'll maximize natural light. the other set I like are these...

I'm so happy it's finally coming together! :)

Happy Birthday to my Sweetheart!

Oh my god, how I hate the IRS.

Oh my god, I HATE The IRS. I Hate 'em! Bastards!
Even though I could consider this a victory,
Did I really need to spend an hour and a half on the phone, burning up my minutes?
Next time, Joe does my taxes. :)

Trevor Is Spiderman

We went to the pumpkin patch.
It was amazing!
We picked our pumpkins right off the vine.
Trevor got his costume.

Birthday Season & Trevor's Award

Jeri: "Do you want a bite of my salad? It's really good."
Joe: "No thanks. I'm a meatitarian."
Jeri: "What?"
Joe: "A meatitarian. You know? Bacon, Beef ...I have to stay committed. It's a personal thing."


It's Birthday Season!

Joe's birthday is October 8. He'll be 28. He's so hard to shop for because he says he doesn't want anything. I refuse to get him nothing. He hasn't liked any of the gifts I've gotten him thus far, so I've decided to him take out to dinner, where I will treat him to a steak. We'll be going to Cattleman's. It's for meatitarians, like Joe.

Kira turns 22 on October 18th. I bought her birthday present yesterday. I like it so much, I think I'm going to get one for myself. We're walking to raise awareness for AIDS on Kira's birthday. I get to make AIDS jokes, so I'll be happy,

Lance turns a year older on November 20th. I figured out what I'm going to send Lance for his birthday. I can't say what it is in case he reads my blog, but promise you this... it's freakin' awesome! He, like Joe said not to get him anything. I never listen to him anyway.

Trevor Got An Award!

I spoke with T-Dog last night and he told me that his teacher and principle gave him an award yesterday. He was awarded for good behavior and citizenship. I'm so proud!

He's such a good kid. He even does his homework without having to hassle him. As a reward, I'm going to get him the Star Wars movie. He said he wants to be a Star Wars character for Halloween. Me, I've never seen Star Wars, never cared to. I'm going to be watching it with him, who knows, maybe I'll like it.

Joe told me that there might be special treatment going on down at the school. He either got that award because they found out Trevor's a Christopher kid or because mom's got mob ties in the local school district. I'm telling your mom you said that, Joe. :p

Too Early For Defeat

Anyone who knows me knows I love grand openings!
They know I'm always up for an early morning adventure!
They know I love prizes!
And gift cards!

I woke up early this morning so I could get in line for a $100 gas card at the grand opening of the $10 store in Roseville.

DEFEAT! People slept in line! I show up and saw there were already way more than 100 people there. I stood in line for a bit, some assholes were smoking in line and I heard someone say, "yeah. we don't stand a chance."

The line was wrapped around the side and I counted 40 up to the post so I put my tail between my legs and drove home.

You know, in my younger and less pregnant days... I'd have been in front of that line.

I was very disappointed until Joe texted me and said I get a "gift card" for my efforts.
Now, I'm excited.

How'd That Squash Turn Out?

Beautifully!
I didn't know it would be so hard to cut in half.
I could have lost another finger if I did it myself.
Luckily, I've got a muscle man. :)

We're gonna eat it tonight!