Splendid Press

The winner

Jyles had his first Pep Rally today at school.  There was a contest where you had to put your face into this bowl full of pudding and get the gummy worms out with your mouth only.....guess who won? I love this kid!!!

Creepy Night

 Look what we have grown up to be....creepers! 

Jyles went to one of our lovely neighbors and she bought him an entire bag of candy....I tell you I never had it so good as a kid!  After hitting our current neighborhood, we ventured over to our old neighborhood in Irvine to visit all of our friends and neighbors.  What fun to see everyone.  We also went to a really really great haunted house!  People really go all out on those haunted houses. 

We finally got home, went though all the candy and after just a few bits Jyles announces...."I have a tooth ache"....ugh.  I think people ought to hand out money to us parents for all those cavities.         

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Caution

We ran over one of those trick-or-treater kids.....kid just got right under the car.....

Hawaii or Halloween

 Since we had to cancel our trip to Hawaii I was forced to toss out my hula skirt and swap it for some green paint and a big witch like hat. What do you think of my "witch" costume?  Stunning don't you say....We are off to haunt all those ghouls & goblins..... 

J

Todd Stock

Todd has been teaching my boys how to drum and guitar for about 6 years now.  I can still remember Jyles as a 5 year old and Coach Todd coming over to our home to teach this little boy to drum. At 5 years old, Jyles seemed so out of control, but not for Todd.  Todd took the challenge.  Jyles, now 11 is incredible on the drums due to Todd's awesome instruction.  

We were devastated to hear that Todd was diagnoses with Leaukemia.  The entire neighborhood at Northwood rallies together to help this great family .  OC register just recently wrote an article about Todd (thanks Suz). http://www.ocregister.com/articles/larsen-todd-family-2606906-leukemia-supporters     

Jane Porter

I was invited by one of my dearest-sweetest friends, Shannon Schell to attend the book signing of Jane Porter http://janeporter.com/janeblog in Laguna Beach.   I joined Jane, Shannon and Jennifer (Shannon's sister) at Sapphire's http://www.sapphirellc.com. Jane was very beautiful, down to earth, the real deal sort of lady. After coffee and great one-on-one conversation, we ventured over to the Laguna Beach Book Store http://www.lagunabeachbooks.com, wherein Jane shared more about her books, her inspiration and her future stories to come.  Jane Porter wrote; Mrs. Perfect, Flirting with Forty, Easy on the Eyes, Odd Mom Out, and The Frog Prince. 

Thank you Shannon for the lovely invitation.  I am so blessed to have such a beautiful wonderful friend such as yourself. I am off to read Mrs. Perfect...I cannot seem to put it down! 

“When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable.”

~Madeleine L’Engle

Fat

In the L.A. Times an article caught my eye. The California Assembly passed a bill that requires day care centers to feed young children a vegetable at lunch and dinner. It also requires kids older than two years old to be given low-fat or skim milk and limits sugary cereals and fried foods. 

Why? 

Because in California, 25% of kids between the ages of two and five are obese. 

I understand the good intentions of our lawmakers here to try to put their finger in this dyke, but buried in the article is this finding:  

“A study funded by the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation that looked at lunches at 54 child-care sites in Los Angeles County found the least nutritious food was eaten when children brought food from home.”

It doesn’t cost the state anything to mandate that daycare centers provide healthier food, and it can’t hurt. But it won’t do much, either. 

If our lawmakers really wanted to make a difference, they would give poor people (who are more likely to be obese)  financial incentives to buy and eat healthier foods.  It’s tough to compete with fast food, where you can feed your family for under $10, but how about starting here: every family on food stamps receives discounts on fresh fruit or vegetables? 

Or, every kid who passes her school’s physical fitness test gets $25? (that money would probably be a lot less than paying for diabetes treatment later on.)

And while they’re at it, why not mandate that schools reinstate P.E. every day? 

Champion of Justice 2009

The Orange County Trial Lawyers Association presented, Jay Horton, my most wonderful husband, with the 2009 “Champion of Justice Award” tonight.  We are so proud of our man!!!  We have always known him to be a “Champion”.  Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary describes a “Champion” as someone who exemplifies excellence or achievement.  Jay has always illustrated excellence in everything he does.  Congratulations my love~

Jay dedicated this award to his father, Jess Horton, who taught Jay….”you do the right thing, not because you are afraid of getting in trouble for doing the wrong thing, but you do the right thing because it is the right thing to do”.  

 

Amanda, Malena, Jay, Carrie, Jyles and Jace

Courage

Courage is a huge theme in my life. It seems that I'm either praying for some, feeling grateful for having found a little bit, appreciating it in other people, or looking for it to fall out of the ski….”pick me”!

After many years, I finally have realized that courage is one of the most important things that resilient people share in common. I wish to be more resilient.