Watt's Happenings

family photos

2010-01-14T14:37:00.001-08:00

San Diego Zoo

2009-07-15T09:13:00.001-07:00

San Diego Wild Animal Park

2009-07-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

May 26th, 2009

10 famous people who've been homeschooled

2009-06-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

I ran across this article on a homeschool yahoo group and thought I'd share it. It's fun for my kids to see famous people who've shared some of the same experiences as them.

Go on over and take a look. It's a quick read and full of fun information!

http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/20302.html

Have a great day!

(This funny picture is posted at the exit of the San Diego Zoo. The kids tried to look cross eyed like the lion, but couldn't quite get it, so we gave up and took a straight faced shot)

Birthday on an elephant!

2009-06-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

So Hayden's birthday was on Sunday the 24th, and I finally got the pictures downloaded to share. Since we are in a sparcely furnished apartment, away from our neighborhood friends, I wanted to find a special outing we could take Hayden on for his birthday. Something low key, but highly memorable.
While talking with a local girl at church, she mentioned that the Santa Ana Zoo has elephant rides on the weekends. That sound like a once in a lifetime sorta thing to do, so I packed a lunch and we headed to the zoo on his birthday.
It's a small zoo, which Dino appreciated as he didn't want to spend his one day off walking even more. We headed straight for the elephant ride to make sure we'd get a chance, since there's limited hours.

We showed up just as Dixie was entering the ring. She was a sweet, Asian elephant, about 40 yrs. old. She saddled right up to the ramp and let the kids on. The girls asked her trainer a flurry of questions, and he was impressed with how much they knew about elephants in general. (that's Hannah for you!)
The trainer was so nice, he even has Dixie pause and pose for a minute so overly- enthusiastic moms like me can snap a dozen shots of our kids.

The kids were wild with excitement as they rode around around the ring. Hayden shouted out, "This is the best birthday ever!" It was definitely worth the $5 a ride to see the smiles on their faces.
Then when their turn was over, the trainer told Hayden to stay on and he gave him an extra ride for free because it was his birthday. He also took a picture of him and printed it out and put it in a card that says "I rode an elephant!". He normally charges $20 for the picture, but he included it because he took such a liking to the kids.

We toured the zoo for a bit, and then watched the animal interaction show. The kids got to hold silkworms, and touch a centipede, lizards,etc. They were in heaven.

At home we had some cupcakes to share with the other APX guys and a tiny cake so Hayden could blow out the candles.
It was definitely the low maintenance birthday I had wanted, but was memorable for sure.
Happy 9th birthday Hayden, we love you buddy!

Discovery Science Center

2009-05-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

May 16th, 2009

Our first of many educational stops this summer was at the Discovery Science Center. It's in Santa Ana, so it was only a 15-20 min. drive, which I loved. Sometimes it's a crap shoot with Science exhibits because I never know how hands-on it will be, or what mood the kids will be in. Fortunately, today was fantastic!

As soon as you walk in the door, there's hands-on experiments for the kids to try, along with an explanation of what's happening in a way the kids can understand. Then they include the scientific name of the process as well, which I appreciate. Hopefully it will tuck away somewhere in their brains, ready to be recalled sometime in high school/college.

One of the most entertaining exhibits was the pin wall. It's basically like the handheld version where you can press something into it and make an impression on the other side. Since it was so big, the kids could put their whole face and some body parts in it. That's Avery above.

Next we got to jump inside a cylinder about the size of a phone booth and experience winds the same speed as a hurricane. There's a monitor outside of it showing me how fast the wind gets. They were up to 70+ miles per hour before their turn was over. Doesn't make for a good hair day at all!

We also got the chance to lay/lie (can't remember whic is correct) on a bed of nails- very exciting. The girls we apprehensive at first, but Hayden enthusiastically volunteered to go first. After he did it, the girls summoned up the courage to try.

I think the highlight of the day for Hannah was holding a real brain in her hands. One of the reasons I took the kids on this particular day was that they were going to have a brain presentation and an opportunity to hold/touch one at the end. Since we had just studied the brain in one of our science units, I wanted to give the kids an opportunity to see one up close.

Hannah, the budding veterinarian that she is, was the first in line when the time came. They let us hold a sheep's brain, but they had different versions of real human brain in the jars on the table. They had an intact one, and then some sliced various ways so you could see the two hemispheres, the brain stem, etc. It was pretty fascinating. I wish we could have held the specimens longer and asked more questions, but a line was starting to form as some of the younger kids were finally mustering up some courage to come try it out.
I'm sure this won't be the last time Hannah has a chance to hold brains in her hands!

Later that day we came back to the
same room so that Hayden could watch the Dinosaur game show. It was like aversion of jeopardy. Since his good friend Cameron has taught him a lot of facts about dinosaurs, Hayden raised his hand to volunteer. He got picked as one of the contestants. He had a rough couple of rounds because we the audience persuaded him not to go with his gut on some of his answers, and then we were wrong! He would've gotten them right. But in the end, he got the double jeopardy answers right and tied for first place with the teenage girl next to him who knew nothing, and ended up only getting the answers right because Hayden gave them to her. How about that for good sportsmanship!

Upstairs was a tribute to the science of sports, and hockey specifically. LA has a hockey team so they were the sponsors of some fun exhibits. There was a full-size zamboni that kids could climb on. They had some goalie leg pads on display that you could try on and attempt to kneel and block a puck. They were almost as big as Hayden! And heavy too. It took all the force he could muster to push them down.

The biggest draw were the 2 simulators; one for practicing shooting a goal, and one for goalies to practice catching a puck.
I've never seen the mitts/gloves up close before, it was pretty interesting how complicated they were. The kids got a chance to try out both simulators. They were pretty good at batting the pucks out of the air, but weren't so good at slapping the puck into the net, even with 5 tries.

Outside there's a dinosaur exhibit and scavenger hunt that we spent a hour at, but I didn't get great pics of.
There's a ton more I could share, but suffice it to say, we had a great time and I would highly recommend a visit if you live or travel through Orange County.

La Brea Tar Pits

2009-05-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

May 21st, 2009

Since we were still technically homeschooling until the 22nd of May, I've been planning a bunch of educational field trips for the kids. Our second stop was the La Brea Tar Pits & museum. Perfect weather and a light crowd made for a great day. Soon after we got there we were able to join a walking tour of the grounds.
The kids were fascinated by the tar seepage right out of the ground and onto the grass. Luckily they resisted the urge to touch it and get it all over themselves. One of the cool parts was getting to see an active pit that's being excavated, Pit 91. It's the longest and most fruitful dig in history.

Right next to this area is a big shopping center under construction, and 2 years ago, while they were digging out the underground parking, they found remains. Turns out, it was an intact mammoth; the biggest and most complete they've ever found. They named him Zed.
There's a glass observation area in the paleontologist's lab so we got to see them actually working on his tusks, pelvis and femur. Wickedly cool, as Hayden would say.

The museum is on the smaller side, so the whole excursion probably only took us 2 hours. Still, I think that it's one of the more impactful trips we've been on lately because it sort of links the past with the present. Before when we've seen fossils in book or museums, it's kind of an abstract idea. But to come here and see the active tar pits, and the real bones of a mammoth that's been recently recovered, it made history really come alive for my kids.
So if you're ever in LA, try to make time for a trip to the Page Museum. It's not too far from the rest of the Hollywood attractions (depending on traffic) and worth the trip!

Newport beach (2 weeks ago)

2009-05-25T13:23:00.001-07:00

In order to switch things up a bit, I thought I'd take the kids on a drive up north a bit and check out one of the beaches I used to frequent as a kid. We drove along the PCH until we got to Newport. The kids were enthralled with some of the million + homes along the way, but were even more excited to set out on the ocean. The beach was pretty empty, but they didn't get in the water for almost an hour, as they found shells on the shore and that immediately took precedence. I have to say there were some pretty neat shells, and Avery found over 200+ before the day was over.

The girls thought the waves were too hard so they wouldn't go in again after the first 15 min. So I had them pose for a few pics on the lifeguard station instead.

I think Hayden had the best time as he had brought all of his Army guys and a few dinosaurs, and spent the day building elaborate tunnels, prisons, and mounted a massive offensive over the "hills" to take the dinosaurs alive and capture them. It was very fun watching him. He definitely can get lost in his land of imagination for hours. He's going to be one creative adult.
After picking our favorite sea shells for making necklaces, we left. It was a fun afternoon, despite the girls boycotting boogie boarding. Anytime where we can sit in the sun, with the sand between our feet, and hear the ocean= a great day for me!

Baby Buster is finally here! ( 7 weeks ago)

2009-05-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

Tons to catch up on so I will start with news in March. My friend Jennifer had her baby girl a month early! Kate was born the end of March, giving us more time to spend with her before our summer in Ca. She is a doll and I can't wait to get back and spend more time getting to know her.

Jen having a baby has definitely filled a void in my kid's life. They've wanted a baby in our family since they were all so young when I was done having kids. Hannah especially. So "aunt Jen" has been a fabulous alternative solution to their baby hunger. She let the girls touch her tummy everyday, and answered all sorts of graphic birthing questions, and let them be as a part of the process as possible. The girls love her so much, and I know they are going to have a great bond with Kate as well!

Beach adventures Parts #1-4

2009-05-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

So I have a lot to catch up on from the past few months, but I'm going to jump in and start with the past week. We are in Ca. for the summer (insert: big smile on my face) and we are only a few miles from the beach. Thus, we go every chance we get.

Our first trip out to Laguna was on a cold and windy day, but the kids insisted we go. We pretty much got sand blasted and then came home soon after.

Our second adventure was better. We went to Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, and the weather was great. The kids were enthralled with all the surfers and the cool waves.

Dino took the girls out and taught them how to boogie board, and they are in love! They were in the water for 3 1/2 hrs. straight. They are just riding the little 2 ft. breaker waves, but having a ball learning how to catch a wave and ride it.

Hayden tried it as well, but after a little rash in the nether regions, he prefers to stay on dry land and build elaborate tunnels in the sand.

We are having a blast living so close to the beach. More photos to come...

Kids say the funniest things

2009-03-20T15:42:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday I was helping Hayden get ready for Scouts as he was close to being late. As I'm stripping his shirt off, and in the process of putting his uniform on, he says the following:

Hayden: "Mom, I noticed the other day that I've got a new smell."

Me: "Like what?" (slightly distracted and trying to hurry)

Hayden: I got a new Man-smell. You know, like a grown up man. When I sniff myself, I smell like Dad. Kinda like dirt and sweat mixed together.

Me: Huh? (chuckling at his description)

Hayden: (in his most serious voice) "I think I'm turning into a man already."

Me: (smiling & laughing at how cute he is) "Hold on there Sparky. Puberty is still about 3 yrs. away. And I do hope you grow up to smell as good as your dad. But for now, enjoy being a boy. And take a bath when you get home!"

Hayden: "K. Bye, Mom."

And then he was out the door and biking off to be with a bunch of other 8 yr. old man-boys.

Those are the moments that make motherhood so worth it. So worth staying home and being a part of their lives, their conversations. I never know what they are going to say next! Usually it's something hilarious, and totally unexpected. It's so fun getting to see who they really are, and who they are becoming. Raising kids is fun!

Jen's baby shower

2009-03-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

So my dear friend Jen is having her last baby, and her first girl after 2 boys, in about a month. She's never had a shower so I wanted to throw her one. Even if I didn't want to, my girls would've twisted my arm since they are so ready for a baby in our lives!

The party turned out great. Some friends helped to bring finger foods and drinks. I bought the cutest poof ball decorations from a Martha Stewart party line of paper goods to go along with the balloons. (gotta love Martha's cleverness) One of the gals made the most amazing slushie-punch drink. Yummy. Another friend made the cutest custom Bingo cards for a game I wanted to play. It's so nice to have talented friends!

Over 35 women showed up. She got awesome, thoughtful gifts. Everyone chatted the night away, and it turned out to be 2 1/2 hours long so I'm guessing everyone had a good time. So glad for Jen and her baby girl.

So part of my gift to her was handmade artwork for Katie's room. I used a canvas and some of my scrapbook and art supplies. I think it turned out cute for my first attempt. The picture doesn't do it justice, but after a dozen shots, I give up!

Fun project. Fun party. Can't wait to meet baby Kate!

Birthday fun

2009-03-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my birthday and had a great time hanging out with the family. I think the best part by far is watching the kids and how excited they get doing stuff for me. They woke up early to make me breakfast and give me their handmade birthday cards. Seriously, there's nothing cuter than a card made by kiddos. Got to open some presents, loving the craft/art supplies they bought me.
I got my hair done and then we went out and had some family time. We went to a gourmet bundt cake store and picked up some mini-cakes to celebrate.Then we dropped the kids off at home so Dino and I could have a date night. We went to the movies with the Busters, grabbed Red Robin take out, and then played board games with them til late.

The best part of the whole day was when I put Hayden to bed and he said, "Mom, I really like your voice. It's so soft and lovely. Some moms have crackly voices, but I just really like to tone of your voice. " Then he wraps his arm around my neck in the biggest hug. How cool is that??

Lil' Heartbreaker! That was the best present ever! (and I can't believe my baby used such a grown up word like "tone"!) Not sure where he picked that up, but it was adorable coming from him.
It was a great day. Very relaxing. Lots of love from my friends and family. Feeling very blessed.
Happy birthday to me!

Hannah & Harry

2009-02-21T09:38:00.001-08:00

When the Harry Potter craze was at it's peak, it pretty much passed our family by. The girls were into books about ponies and tweenie girls, not magical boys. Dino was the only one to read the entire series, and loved it. He kept encouraging me to read it out loud to the kids at bedtime, but other books would capture their interest more, and we ended up putting Harry at the back of the pile.

Then out of the blue, right after Hannah's 11th birthday, she picked up the first book and started to read it on her own. And she read, and read, until pretty soon she had completed it and immediately picked up the next one. And then the next one. In the month of October she read the first 3 Harry Potter books!

We were on vacation pretty much all of Nov. so she didn't read book #4 until Dec., and then #5 & #6 throughout Jan & Feb. Cold weather has made it easy to want to stay in and snuggle up with a book, which is great because she is consumed in the story. She wakes up early to read before school, and has even snuck in a few chapters at night after "lights out".

Now she's on the last book and is facing the realization that the series is almost over. She's in turmoil trying to decide if she should read fast to know what happens, or to read slowly and savor it. She fluctuates daily, poor thing. I know exactly what she's going through, as I was an avid reader at her age as well. I spent hours reading Little House on the Prairie and Ann of Green Gables, etc. Those stories and relationships become such a part of your life, of who you are. Good books make good friends.

I am so proud of Hannah for delving into the world of literature. Before this she read often, but this experience has transformed her. Nothing has touched her imagination, or her soul as deeply as these books. They are now living, breathing objects to her. I am so grateful for such a vivid and complex book series that has captivated her imagination for the past 6 months. I'm sure she will always look back at this period of her life fondly. So thank you, J.K. Rowling, for touching yet another kid's heart.

Now, what do I offer for her to read in the post-Harry Potter future? What compares to this in richness of characters and entertaining action? Any suggestions??

Inspiring thought for the day

2009-02-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

14 years ago I picked up a book by Deepak Chopra called, "The 7 spiritual laws of success". Recently I dusted it off and began re-reading it. It has some really great insights in it, and I thought I'd share one that struck me last night.

We will remain unfulfilled unless we nurture the seeds of divinity inside us. In reality, we are divinity in disguise, and the gods and goddesses in embryo that are contained within us seek to be fully materialized. True success is therefore the experience of the miraculous. It is the unfolding of divinity within us. It is the perception of divinity wherever we go, in whatever we perceive-in the eyes of a child, in the beauty of a flower, in the flight of a bird.

When we begin to experience our life as the miraculous expression of divinity-not occasionally, but all the time- then we will know the true meaning of success.

I thought that was a beautiful expression of who we are, and why we are here on this earth.

Have a great day!

2009-02-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

25+ Random Things About ME:

Since I've been tagged several times on Facebook to create a 25 Random Things about Me, I thought i would add it to my blog as well. In fact, I'll add a few more that weren't in the original post.

1. I worked on a salmon fishing boat in Alaska for a summer in order to pay for my mission.

2. I met my husband when I was 6 years old. (No, it wasn't an arranged marriage. We were neighbors.)

3. I was a pitcher for my high school softball team.

4. I moved out of my parent's home when I was 16. I lived with my older brother through high school and some college.

5. All of my children were over 10 lbs. We had to return all the newborn diapers & clothes.

6. My kids were born c-section. (refer to #5 for part of the reason)

7. I used to own a line of scrapbook and paper products. After 3 years I got burned out and didn't renew my licensing agreement.

8. When I was a teenager I had a horse. One good thing about living in the rural desert.

9. My first job was working at K-Mart as a cashier. (Hey, at least it wasn't fast food!)

10. My husband proposed to me in a hot-air balloon ride over Temecula vineyards at sunrise. Very romantic.

11. I'm left-handed, but can only cut with scissors or throw a ball using my right hand because when I was little teachers were still trying to "fix" lefties and force them to use their right hand. Go public education!

12. I've been a massage therapist for 14 years, but now mainly only trade other services for it, like; haircuts, chiropractic,kids' tutoring, etc. Very convenient skill to have if I do say so !

13. Dino and I had our first kiss at Disneyland.

14. My favorite color has always been green. It's the color of my eyes. It's through out my house. Love, love, love it.

15. I have a red house! It sounds shocking, (my mother was perplexed when I told her), but I live in a community inspired by vintage, turn- of- the- century homes and it's a beautiful craftsmen design.

16. I have my realtors license but I'm inactive right now. Why would I want to work in this market, right?

17. I love to snorkel. We went on 2 Carribean vacations this year and I am hooked on the warm, tropical water. I want to go back!

18. We are planning to take the kids on a one year RV trip around the U.S. soon. If we don't kill each other, it will probably be one of the most rewarding things we'll ever do.

19. Two years ago I pulled my kids out of public school and started homeschooling them. No, I'm not one of those religious fanatics, nor do I live on a compound. Just want to give them MORE of alot of things... More info, more independence, more diverse learning styles, etc. So far, I have kept my sanity, and I've learned stuff I never knew.

20. I love to read. But when I start a book, or series, I like to finish it quickly. Dino didn't enjoy it when I went MIA and read the Twilight series in 6 days. He's patient with my reading quirks :)

21. I was one semester shy of getting my bachelors in Elementary Education from NAU, but dropped out to move back to Ca. and marry an actor and go to massage school. It was the best decision of my life.

22. I have attended some personal development seminars where I've had the chance to eat fire, walk on broken glass, break boards, etc. Very empowering.

23. I make a great spaghetti sauce. (I learned some tips in Italy.) Dino loves it so much that I call it my "insurance policy". He will never leave me cuz he loves this sauce so much- lol!

24. I will be 47 when my last kid graduates from high school. Dino and I plan on doing a couples mission, humanitarian work, and traveling the world once they leave.

25. If I ever embark on a new career, it would be in photography. I'm a hobbyist now, but would love to incorporate travel, volunteerism and photography in some way... someday.

26. Dino and I are movie junkies. We love to go to the theater at least once a week, sometimes more. Usually we go in the middle of the week, in the afternoon. Perfect for beating the crowds, screaming babies and cell phone violaters.

27. I was Dino's model when he went to Special Effects & Beauty Make-up school. Which means I have pictures of me with heavy wrinkles, scars, bullet holes, and fanciful butterflies (ala Vegas Showgirl) It was a fun time.

28. I never plucked my eyebrows until I was 23 yrs. old. Refer to #27

29. My mother-in-law made me wear Lee Press-On nails at my wedding. I'm still haunted by it. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive her. Other than that incident, I love her.

30. I have a thing for McDonald's Diet Coke. My husband calls it an addiction, I like to think of it as a passion. It just tastes better than out of the can. It's creamier/smoother. I heard it's a special formula made just for McD's. Either way, I love it. But I need to wean myself off, so when they create a DCA (Diet Coke Anonymous) group, I'll be there.

Hayden's first Pinewood Derby

2009-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know much about the scouting program. My brother never did it. Dino only did a little when he was a kid. So now as a mother of a scout-aged boy, I find myself in a land of merit badges and oaths to memorize and other tasks foreign to me. It's been a crash course into a world I never knew. A world with more depth than I ever imagined. That being said, it's been a fun, bonding experience for Hayden and I. I am a somewhat organized person, and I love lists. The scout book definitely has a lot of lists to check off, so I dug right in and started working on his achievements with him when he started the program back in May.

Then the Pinewood Derby rolled around and I immediately passed it off to Dino. I

think it's definitely a father/son kinda thing. I had no grand hopes of Hayden having the fastest, most tricked out car, I just wanted it to be decent. Finishing in the middle of the pack was fine by me. It's our first year, I had modest hopes. My biggest fear was Hayden crying as his block of wood on wheels slowly limped down the coarse, dead last, while his friends smirked. Or that the other dad's would be such zealots that no matter what we did, it would never compare to the semi-professional masterpieces that they created.

I wasn't sure how immersed Dino would get into the project as he's not the mecha

nically inclined type, didn't build them when he was a child, and he's had a lot of stress with work lately. But I have to say, he did a fabulous job!

The first step was to go to Uncle Hugh's hou

se and get all the tips and tricks of how to build a decent car. Hugh has 3 older boys and could show my guys the ropes. However, Hu

gh was more helpful than we could've imagined! He took the guys over to a friends home and used his workshop to carve the car's shape out of the block of wood. He dug the holes in the top for the weights to fit in, and gave a bunch of tips on building a car. I'm sure we could've gone there several times in order to glean all the secrets he knew, but one afternoon was enough to get them started. Besides, Hayden's got a few more years of this race to perfect his car.

They spent a couple afternoons painting, sanding, adding weights,etc. Dino made stickers using labels and our printer. It turned out pretty darn cute for their first attempt.

On the night of the Derby, the boys were so excited. A lot of families showed up to support them. The races were done in heats, leading up to the semi-finals and then finals. It was nice that every boy got a chance to race in multiple heats. And even though there was a range of styles and abilities, no car was far superior to the others. No over zealous dads either. It was a good competition. Hayden's car, the Mach 8, placed 2nd in two heats, 1st in two heats, and then 3rd in the finals. He was thrilled.

At the end there were twinkie cars and certificates given to every boy. It was a fun first experience for dad & son. Hayden is already planning a new design for next year. Dino is reluctant to even think about working on another car. But secretly I think he enjoyed it more than he let on. And when next year rolls around, I bet he'll be back on board creating not just a spectacular car, but a great tradition with his son.

Joining the global conversation

2009-02-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

How do you start a blog? What's the first thing to say? It's all archived, so people can read your words, either brilliant or lame, for generations to come.
These concerns have kept me from starting my family digital journal. But no more. There are things in my life, my family, and the world that I want to record and remember. So here goes....