Cowboys are my heroes

Today Amy & I checked off one of our things to do before we leave Southern California today - we went to the Gene Autry Western Museum in Griffth Park. I've driven past it countless time, and have always wanted to see what was inside. So today we went in. They had an exhibit on the streets in Los Angeles named after Saints that was really cool. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has donated lots of items including a first edition Book of Mormon as part of the different communities of the West. I saw a painting about Westward Expansion that is used in my history books and I have used an overhead of it countless times. They had the actual painting (yes I bought a print in the museum store!)!!!!!. We saw all sorts of guns and western movie memorabilia. Amy sat on a saddle and got to be part of a movie scene. We had lunch in the cafe. The museum wasn't laid out well, but they did have some cool stuff. I think we are going to get Grandpa Carter's birthday gift there. Lincoln & Sawyer are going to have a cool gift arriving at their house soon!

Makin' Money

We are in the middle of our stock simulator game in my business math class. I set up each of the students with $100,000 on investopedia.com stock simulator game. They have to spend it all on stock, and then complete an additional 20 trades. It's been HILARIOUS to watch them pick stock. One student went from head to toe to pick his stock, Nike shoes, Adidas socks, Fruit of the Loom underwear, Seven jeans, etc., all the way down to his AT&T cell phone. Then I have some students who sit there and just ask if they can save the money. "I don't want to spend it, what if I lose the money??" Come on guys... it's not real money anyway!!! But this one is my favorite.....

Justin decided he wanted a stock from every letter of the alphabet. Yep, every one. So he typed in A then picked a stock symbol that started with A. Then B, C, D, E, F, G, H,... all the way down to Z. Then announced he had spent all of his money. By the time the period was over, not only had he spent his whole $100,000.00, he had made an additional $36,000 as the stocks he magically picked had gained that much in an hour!

Oh, if that was a real stock strategy that worked!!!

Nothing Like the Geek Squad

Well I had to leave my computer with the Geek Squad. (I'm using Amy's right now) A couple of months ago I believe I wrote about my problem with Microsoft and Windows. Aside from the fact I couldn't use my windows installer, the computer was okay - well freezing once in a while. Friday, I decided that I would download some new music to use in class for the 60's, 70's, & 80's and to prepare for the long driving trip to Washington State in June. I open iTunes - it won't open - something is wrong with the settings. I go to the help section, where it tells me there is something wrong with my Quicktime application and I need to reinstall it. So I try that and guess what I need - that's right - the Windows installer. Now I can live without Microsoft Money, new games, even Outlook - but I cannot live without my music. I copied all my music, documents, and photos onto my external hard drive and took my computer to the Geek Squad at Best Buy today. It will take two weeks because they are so backed up. I'm not happy - but I've got to have iTunes - at least when I get it back I can finally install Microsoft Money!

Nothing Exciting

I don't have anything exciting to write about, but it's been awhile since our last post. Amy had Spring Break this past week - so she's been loving it since she can get enough sleep. I on the other hand have been battling something - a cold, flu, sinus infection - I'm not sure what, but yesterday and a little bit today I've run a fever. I'm not sure how I made it through work Friday - all I could think about all day was getting grades done so I wouldn't have to go in on Saturday and trying to stay awake. I just wanted to sleep - I probably even could have slept through my loudest class. Oh well! All my applications have now been submitted to school districts in the Seattle area and hopefully I'll have a job before I move! Have a happy Easter!

Back to the land of the living

Hi everyone!

I'm back in the land of the living! I'm healthy and back to breathing normally. So that's good!

Things are starting to heat up a little bit here, and I'm not just talkin about the weather! As the countdown to the move date continues, the number of things we have to do goes up. We're looking for jobs, checking out the housing market, saving money, planning trips, and trying to find cheap boxes. (If you know where I can find cheap boxes, let me know.) So we're doing all of that and trying to keep up with our classes and normal lives. So it's a bit busy.

Sunday was eventful in my life as I was released as the Primary President. I've had big callings before, but this if the first time I was released and felt like I could almost instantly sit up straighter. I was suprised by the amount of mental space the release opened up. I love the Primary. I love children. I think we highly underestimate the capabilities of children to understand the gospel. I had great success with teaching children things like the apostasy and the restoration. I really fee like my experience allowed me to understand the commandment to become like a little child greater. It was an amazing experience, one that I am grateful for.

Well.. that's it for now. I'm going to try and be better about this whole blog thing as I've become addicted to reading so many of yours. Thanks for sharing!

Amy :)

The Single Adult Conference

Last weekend was the Single Adult Conference. I am our representative to the Single Adult (31+) committee at church for our region. Just after I was compelled to take this position, I found out that a Single Adult Conference was planned. I went to the first meeting about it and learned that it was being organized by an 80+ year old man, who thought that a class called Sex and the Single Adult was appropriate. So I sent in my registration, forced myself out of bed on Saturday and went. I lasted 1 1/2 hours - I listened to an 85 year old man tell me the very same things I learned in Primary and that my time would come to be married. Then I looked around the audience and realized everyone there was as old if not older than my parents. That sealed the deal. They had a pretty good turn out - and I was not needed - I left to come home and sew quilts!
Mel