Month: August 2008

Recap of Our Vacation – Monday

/ Gina Marie / Leave a comment

Well, despite my technical arrogance, I can’t get the internet to work for my laptop and despite my excitement for having JUST RECEIVED MY NEW 3G IPHONE, I do not have the patience to type this post out on its tiny keyboard, one finger at a time!  So instead I am writing down my “blogness” in Word to post at a later time!

I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, but Kenny, Josh, and I are taking a last minute, quickly planned, mini-vacation at the Disneyland Resort!  It’s kind of funny because we live so close that every night we hear the fireworks go off, so when the employees here say, “So where are you from?” they laugh when we tell them.  But heck, even us Southern Californians deserve a trip to the happiest place on earth!

Anyway, my friend Cathy and her granddaughter Hannah are with us as well, and that just adds a level of fun to the adventure!  Hannah is 2 ½ years old and gets SO EXCITED about things……but I am getting ahead of myself……..

So we are staying at the resort through Wednesday – we checked in a little after 3pm and the boys were EXCITED.  When we entered the parking structure (where I happened to nab an AMAZING space), there was a security officer doing something nearby.  Josh wanted to meet “the officer”, to say hi.  But as much as he was excited to do so, he was “too shy” to go alone.  So we walked over and he said, “Hello Officer!”  We had a very nice conversation and he was VERY good with Josh, so that was a great way to start.

Checking is was cool too and I must say, I JUST made these reservations days ago and had requested adjoining rooms for me and my friend Cathy.  It worked without a hitch and the service here thus far has been stellar!

So we spent several hours at the pool, which is located on the 3rd floor of the hotel and includes a cool water slide, although Kenny didn’t like it too much.  He has been to several water parks AND he said it scratched his back.  Josh was not interested in going at all.  He seemed a little hesitant to do anything at first……

Cathy and Hannah went to go get drinks and the boys and I jumped into the pool.  Suddenly, my REAL Josh appeared!  Swimming, laughing, goofing around with his mother.  Kenny was having fun too, and is a very good big brother.  We had a blast and were happy when Cathy and Hannah returned so we could commence the bonding.

Hannah is a little shy at first…..since I haven’t seen her in a while, it was like starting over.  She was shy with the boys at first too.  Then, suddenly in the pool, the giggles started again and I was like, “YES, she is remembering me!”  But that elation was short lived.  Why?  Because she started having all her fun with Kenny and Josh!  She would sometimes push me or splash me, more because when she did Kenny would say, “Good job Hannah, give me five!”  Sigh.

We went back to the hotel, got changed, and then went to Downtown Disney.  Hannah saw Rain Forest Café and really wanted to go there.  Cathy was very sweet and said, “well, let’s see if the boys want to go there” to which Hannah received two thumbs up.  There wasn’t a long wait – we totally lucked out because the masses arrived shortly after us – and we got a great table upstairs.  That’s when the fun REALLY started.  For, you see, Hannah has a new crush……KENNY!  You should have seen her face light up as she sat next to him, the way she practically sat in his chair the whole time, the way that she would give him food (she passed cheese sticks, etc.)  She likes Josh too, but she LOVES Kenny!  Afterward, she only wanted Kenny to push her stroller!  And you must know, she is VERY attached to her Nana, so this was a big deal!

Also in the restaurant, she was adorable when the thunderstorm started!  When the lights would flash her eyes got SO big!!!  It was adorable!  The second storm she covered her eyes and then afterward said, “I was scared of the storm!” but then giggled at Kenny.  Sigh.  Wow, young love!

Josh entertained Hannah as well.  They shared small pirate knives, checked out items in the lego store, and the three of them would play games and giggle and run, etc.

Cathy and I had fun, too – the food was great, the kids were very well behaved, and although Downtown Disney was crowded, it wasn’t crazy.  It was very relaxing!  I think it was a great first day of the mini-vacation!

Oh, I almost forgot!  Cathy bought boulets (I don’t know how the hell to spell it!  If I have internet access I would look it up!) but those delicious donut like things that are famous in New Orleans.  YUMMY!  They were warm, covered with powdered sugar, and an EXCELLENT ending to a great evening!

Okay, I need to get back to bed!  I woke up at 2:30 am and need my sleep for our first day at the theme parks!  GOOFY, HERE I COME!

Gina OUT!

August 15th – An Awesome Day

/ Gina Marie / 2 Comments

Okay, I have been having a little too much fun with the convertible, because I missed an important post!

August 15th would have been my Grandma Minard’s 90th Birthday. I wish she were here to celebrate with all of us that love her……her last birthday on earth was her 80th and she was amazingly fit at that time! Of course I don’t have any of the pics from the occasion scanned, so I can’t share, but I do recall asking her to walk more slowly as I couldn’t keep up with her…….

My Grandma – Mary Catherine – was an amazing woman. She grew up during the depression and had many siblings. I laugh now in fondness, but the woman would bend over for a penny! I would tease her, say, “Hello Grandma, it is a PENNY!” and she would come back with a witty response. All of my life she was a strong woman, and I remember sitting enthralled listening to stories of her youth, the early years of her marriage, some of the trials she experienced over the years, and so much more. I remember when she passed away, well meaning people would say, “Well, at least she had a long life….” which really ticked me off at the time because she was so RESILIENT and FIT! I wish you could have met her so you’d know what I am talking about. I see these qualities in my Dad and Aunt Kay as well and that helps to fill the empty space my Grandma left when she was called to heaven.

There are still many times when I feel the loss of her – I STILL have thoughts when I say to myself, “Oh my gosh, I need to call Grandma and tell her this!” Or there are times when I have vivid dreams about her, I am SO EXCITED that she is alive, and when I wake up I have a mini loss/grief session again when I realize it was just a dream. Or small things like I will be on the phone with my Dad and he will say something that sounds SO MUCH like her and my heart does a combo sigh/sob. But most of the time I smile at the many memories and life lessons Grandma gave me and I walk through my life with the heritage she provided through my veins.

Christine – I know you TOTALLY understand this so it brings me comfort that you’re out there!

Some quick memories:

  • When I was VERY young, we had cats in my house. I have a faint memory of them jumping on the back of her robe in the morning and she was not happy. LOL
  • Grandmas was always way cool. She would come visit every summer and that meant ACTION for us kids! Dineyland, Knott’s……yep! I rode my first roller coaster with my Grandma, who actually shamed me into it! I didn’t want to go but she said, “Are you going to to tell your friends that you were too chicken but your GRANDMA went on it?!?”
  • When Grandma came out for my graduation from high school, I had the privilege of body surfing with my Grandma! YES, body surfing! She was 68 and kicked butt!
  • One of my fondest memories is of Grandma and Kirstie singing and dancing to “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”

There are many more…….

I know this may sound two dimensional to you on this blog – can one really get the essence of a person in this medium? But this post is more for me – a granddaughter who loved deeply, was loved deeply as well, and who is proud of her Grandma beyond measure. Happy Birthday Grandma – I am glad you got to spend it with Grandpa and Jesus…….and I love and miss you very very much.

Gina has her brain on again…..

/ Gina Marie / 2 Comments

…..and well, thinks she smells smoke!

When I was at the Museum of Tolerance (MOT), I was touched very deeply.  (To hear some thoughts already posted, check out this blog entry.)  When I was there, seeing the propoganda the Nazi party shoveled out, see the faces of so many tortured…..seeing the faces and hearing the stories of the millions who were murdered…….well, it made it easy to despise those who caused such carnage.   Hearing Hitler say, “I am doing the work of the Lord” DID tick me off pretty well, and directing the bulk of my anger towards him was quite easy.

So, the last few days I have lived with this anger, judgement, and actual hate for Hitler.  Thinking of him burning in hell day after day, being tormented as he so deserves.

But yesterday, a thought hit me (and also collided with a picture a friend sent….) – what if this whole time Hitler has been in heaven because he repented and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior?  To be candid, my first reaction to such a thought was, “Please Lord, tell me You didn’t save HITLER!  He doesn’t deserve it!”

That was a painful place for me to be…….actually thinking someone didn’t deserve to be saved!  Let’s think about that…….I could go on and say “Well, I am not as bad as Hitler, so I deserve to be saved.”  Or maybe, “I would rather see Hitler in hell and learn that Christ’s blood is not strong enough than see him in heaven!”

Is that blasphemous?  Can I really call myself a Christian if 1) I don’t want to see EVERYONE saved, and 2) don’t fully acknowledge that the blood of Christ can and does cover ALL sins to those who love and accept Him?  (Now, I am not a theologian and have no desire to get into predestination/elections and so forth, so please don’t take me down that road!)

ANYWAY, as a Christian, do you thin we would REJOICE to see Hitler in heaven?  I mean, seriously, to see him there knowing that Christ totally did an amazing work would get me stoked.  (And as I am writing this, my body is STILL saying “I can’t, I really can’t want him there!”)  But what about me?  I did not participate in a horrible genocide of an entire culture, as well as include anyone that opposed me, but do I deserve to be saved?  I mean, I cuss like hell, I hate, I lose faith, I am a horrible rendition of what I was created to be…….except for that guy named Christ.  And I haven’t done anything remotely good enough to make myself deserve to be saved…….that’s that guy’s job too.

So, on that note, what does this picture do to you?

Okay, don’t get all political on me.  OF COURSE I am not suggesting that actions on this earth do not lead to consequences – hello!  But let’s think about this…….if Hitler repented and accepted Christ……..and what about Bin Laden?  What if he had a Damascus road moment?  What if that moment was seconds before his death – a death so many would probably celebrate – and then we run into him in heaven too?  Would that tick you off?  Does the mere image of Christ washing his feet send you over the edge?

It did me, and that has really gotten me thinking about this Christian thing!

John 3:16 (New International Version)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

More on this shortly………….Gina OUT

Update on Gina – yeah, I know- HOW EXCITING!

/ Gina Marie / 3 Comments

Some updates to my loyal readers. You know who you are!  Special shout out to Martin – “I’m a Man” by Chicago I think of you!  (Note to other readers:  Not that I need reminding Martin is a man or anything like that, but he LOVES this song and told me about it once and yeah, so there you go.  It’s a great song, BTW).

THE SHOULDER – Okay, remember I hurt it about 2 weeks ago surfing? The doc at the time kind of blew me off. Said doc was a man. Now, I am NOT trying to be mean or over generalize, but women I have a question. Have you noticed that male doctors often blow off issues we have? It seems to be a trend with me…..at the time he was like, “Yeah, you probably pulled a muscle. Wear this sling and take some motrin and if doesn’t get better come on back.” (Incidentally, my male Chiro moved it all around, said “yep, you hurt your shoulder” and nothing else!). So, since it was NOT getting better at all, I went back yesterday. The FEMALE doctor was much more attentive, asked about 100% more questions, actually TOUCHED my shoulder, took x-rays, and determined I had a partial rotor cuff tear. She prescribed steroids, showed me some physical therapy moves to make sure my shoulder doesn’t lock up, and was cool. So yeah, I guess I will NOT be surfing again this summer…….lol.

HANGING WITH KEN – Kenny called me at 11:30pm Wednesday night asking if he could hang with me and spend the night Thursday. Yes, he was awake at that time and calling! LOL So we did hang out. We went on a “date” too – dinner at Red Robin and tooling around the Brea Mall. Of course we had a blast at the Apple Store, checked out the animals at the pet store (“Why didn’t you pet the rabbits, mom?”), went to Radio Shack (he loves this store and likes the remote control anythings….), and ending the fun at Champs where we got two caps for him.

Here is Ken with one of his new caps

MY CAR – Okay well my cute little car has been a little sick. When I accelerate especially, it won’t shift and then I can’t go faster and – well – that’s bad on two fronts. First of all, I could get killed. Secondly, I like to drive fast so it really crimps my style! So I took it into the shop yesterday. Since I hadn’t made an appointment, I figured I wouldn’t get a rental car so had planned to get one on my own. Sure enough, they told me they could get me one Monday. ANYWAY, turns out it is NOT my transmission, but rather my catalytic converter! I don’t know enough to really understand that, but this fix will also take until at least through Monday. They are getting me a rental car Monday morning so that is cool. AND I am having my 30,000 mile service – this is an American car people! Not dissing, but I have found you need this sort of thing to make sure they don’t die……

MY RENTAL CAR – So, I had made reservations for a car through Thrifty……it was a good deal actually. Kirstie was nice enough to pick me and Kenny up at the dealership, take us to breakfast, and then take me to John Wayne Airport to get my rental car. We get there and it’s empty except for the LONG line at Thrifty Rentals…….a line that moved about 5 feet in 30 minutes! I am NOT exaggerating! So, about that time two guys that were behind us decided to check with Avis. One guy left and then came back saying, “Hey, they have a car now and its cheaper than our quote here!” So Kenny decides to go on his own to ask them if they have a convertible! He comes back, tells me to go with him, asks Kirstie to stay in line “just in case”, and we head back…….YEP! They had a convertible for LESS money than Thrifty and I didn’t have to wait any longer in line! Kenny was SO excited because we got a Spyder and its very sporty and FUN! He cant’ wait for me to come back today to drive him around! He even hopped into the car without opening the door and was STOKED! And truth be told, I am having a blast with it too! Special thanks to Kir for calling Thrifty to cancel the reservation – LOL! AND being my taxi!

Here is my car for the weekend!

MY MAC – for some crazy reason, but CD burner is dead! I am sad! It seems the problem I am experiencing is a BIG problem for many peeps and I am sad. I have an appointment today at 4pm so we shall see.

KIRSTIE – many of you know that Kenny and I are very goofy. At times Josh joins in the ranks and lets loose a bit in the goof factor. But Kirstie? Not so much. She is more serious in nature and is usually one who is bemoaning the way we act, especially in public. It’s kind of fun to embarrass her sometimes (shhh, don’t tell her!). But yesterday she surprised me not only by putting in these gag teeth, but also letting me take a PICTURE of it!

MY UPCOMING MINI-VACATION – I was sitting here this week kind of sad that summer was coming to an end – maybe Josh’s song put this sentiment in my mind. Anyway, I got a bee in my bonnet and thought it’d be fun to take the boys to the Disneyland Resort. It morphed into getting a package and staying at the resort for a few days! Woohoo! So we are doing that next week and they are EXCITED! I am looking forward to it, too! So yeah, woohoo to summer!

Okay, that’s it for now! And hello peeps, where are the comments???? LOL

Remembering and the Museum of Tolerance

/ Gina Marie / 1 Comment

Hope lives when people remember. Simon Wiesenthal

I love history – well, maybe not so much in high school, but since growing up, it enthralls me. English history, Russian history, American history……learning from the past and reaching to the future. So, on the way to the Museum of Tolerance yesterday, I didn’t expect to be surprised by any of the facts about WWII and specifically the Holocaust. I expected to be moved, to be challenged……but not to really learn something more than I have already learned by searching out history.

Of course, you can probably tell that I was wrong! SEEING real people, their real stories, made it much more REAL to me…..not some historical occurrence that seems to have a clinical aspect to it. But these were people – it could have been ME!

I had the privilege of sitting for almost two hours listening to Mary Natan (formerly Maniusia Rybowski), a woman that, at the age of 10, was forced into a Jewish Ghetto in Poland with her family. I heard harrowing stories of how that was, her need to smuggle food back into the ghetto so her family would not starve, the horrible – and kind – treatment of Nazi soldiers, her time in the death camps…..and so much more. Part of me began to see this was not “just history”, but reality…..and not that long ago! And part of me was so amazed by this woman…….partly because I knew survivors of the Holocaust are getting pretty old (she is 80) and this opportunity would someday end. And partly because, although I heard horrible aspects of her life, she seriously was not bitter. In my own life – with trials that pale in comparison to Mary’s – I have strong areas of bitterness. Yet Mary did not. I look forward to learning more about this……

The museum also moved me…….it took this information and made in PERSONAL. I was sitting there, hearing real stories, being amazing that – yes – how could so many “ordinary people” like you and me see this persecution and not do anything? How could so many countries not want to help the Jewish People who were trying to flee from the persecution? I began to feel the helplessness that existed – something that was just a theory prior to this.

And then it got more emotion – walking into the model of Auschwitz…….a sign saying “millions walked through this gate to their death”. Standing, looking at the model with synthetic ashes to represent the bodies that had been burned, the museum volunteer explained the two ways to enter the camp – those that were able bodied and those that were not. Children, women with children, those 40 and older – they were not able bodies and would be most likely be killed immediately. I stood there, feeling a shadow of the terror that they must have felt, realizing I would be killed and the children with me would be, too. For no other reason than a decision by someone who hated me. I could not stop the tears, which got more prevalent as I viewed the whips used on the people (some still stained by blood), the braids of children who had them cut off before having their heads shaved prior to entering the gas chamber. The reality of this horror became a fixture in my heart immediately and I could not stop feeling the pain of the millions who actually lived this.

I could go on and on…….and I might write more later. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this museum! It is not just sadness, but encourages you that so many survived the hatred that was intent on ending those that did not meet “the standards”.

Yes I will write more. But for now I must go…..

Holy Crap! The Countdown Begins!

/ Gina Marie / Leave a comment

Should I say “excuse my French”?

Today marks one month before my BABY GIRL turns 18!  Hoooooly, freaking CRAP!  LOL.  At least I know I was very young when she was born (ahem, 22.75) but still…..to have an adult for a child is a bit chilling!

These pics were taken yesterday as Kirstie, Kenny, and I went to sushi for lunch!

The almost adult…..

I have NO idea where he gets his silliness from!

My Joshter

My Aunt Kay mentioned a while ago that she like the boys having longer hair now.  Me too!  It is a little messy right now (have to get it cleaned up soon), but I like the longer look.  Kenny used to have HUGELY curly hair when he was little – that hasn’t shown up yet.  Josh is showing more curls and he had less when he was little!  LOL

Kirstie?  Well, she colors her hair and it is much darker than her natural color.  She had blonde hair when she was little and then it slowly turned to light brown.  Yesterday, her Dad said, “you should lighten your hair……like your Mom’s.”  She said, “I would look ridiculous!”  I guess the look on my face was like, “What?!!?!” because everyone laughed and then she had to clarify that it looked good on ME, but she didn’t think it would work for her!  LOL……..Reminds me of a comment Rona made before going to the eye doctor.  I will keep THAT one to myself!  Ha.

Okay, I am going to wrestle with Josh now, at least pretend to as I am not wanting to aggravate my shoulder more!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly…..and the Amazing!

/ Gina Marie / 2 Comments

Okay, I had an interesting day.  Let’s get it in words……

The Good – Gracie is an amazing dog.  She is truly this woman’s best friend!  She follows me everywhere – when at my desk, she sits under my chair (even when there are a gajillion more comfortable places to sit), when I eat, she sits under my chair there too.  When I go upstairs, she follows.  When I go to bed, she cuddles.  She is amazing.

The Bad – well, I have been recording lately, creating somewhat fun music that will never get me famous or pay my bills.  When finishing, I rolled up my mic and instrument cables and laid them on the floor next to my guitar, saying “I will put these away later”.  About 30 minutes later, I went back to take care of them……..THERE WERE PIECES EVERYWHERE!  YES, PIECES of cable!  Since Gracie follows me everywhere, she saw my reaction and looked VERY guilty!  Yep, my dear dog tore my cables up!

The Ugly – today Kenny and I had a date and had agreed to go to K1 Speed indoor kart racing.  You may remember, this is intense, and very fast.  We are both very competitive.  Yes, we really take this to a new level.  And it was great fun, except remember I hurt my shoulder surfing?  I did okay on the first race, but the second car I had was much more difficult to steer.  And further, the brakes were not as responsive and when Kenny spun out a bit, I was not able to stop quickly enough and BASHED into him!  His poor head swung forward and snapped back, and my shoulder SCREAMED in pain!  Yeah, we didn’t make it to our third and “free” race after that.  Kenny’s neck is better now, but boy my shoulder is ticked off at me!

The Amazing – as I mentioned before, I have been composing and recording music lately.  It has been very therapeutic for me.  Today Josh heard some of these songs for the first time and was VERY excited and thought I was cool.  What more can a mom ask for?  But then it planted a seed for him and he, too, wanted to write a song.  We got home late, around 8 or so, and sat down to start the process.  He wanted to record the singing right away, but I explained that we didn’t even have a melody or words yet!  So we sat there and he came up with a melody like THAT (picture me snapping)!  I found the right key for his voice and then we started on the lyrics.  He came up with the majority of them with me helping to fine tune them a bit.  I explained how verses, choruses, and bridges work in songs, and he very easily incorporated them into his!  I quickly recorded the drums and guitars and then he recorded the singing!  I know I am biased, but I think he did a great job in the time involved, for a first song, for being almost 8-years-old, and having never done anything like this before!  To listen to the song, click here.  I think it’s quite amazing really!

So, there you have it!  I am really jazzed right now, despite my shoulder!

Gina OUT!

Pastor protests in China…..um…..yeah……

/ Gina Marie / 2 Comments

Okay, I received an email from a friend telling me their former pastor (as in, they no longer go to his church) was protesting in China, during the Olympics, in favor of religious freedom. When I first heard, I was like, “wow, that’s pretty brave – China is a scary place regarding religious freedom!” Then, since my curiosity was peeked, I did a google search.

The following are excerpts from the CBS Denver affiliated site, as written by the Associated Press, and can be found here.

An American pastor checked into upscale hotels in the Olympics host city this week, filmed himself painting two of his rooms with slogans like “Beijing 2008 Our world Our nightmare” and then disappeared. Without paying. Eddie Romero’s unusual protest, now making the rounds on YouTube, shows foreigners can still sneak through the tight security measures China imposed to keep potential troublemakers away from the games. Romero’s friends said the preacher was in hiding, but planned to surrender to Chinese authorities as soon as the Olympics end Aug. 24. They said he began thinking about his elaborate, one-man protest of China’s human-rights abuses when Beijing was selected as the host for the 2008 Olympics seven years ago.

On Tuesday, in a sometimes unsteady hand — he had to teach himself how to paint — the California-based pastor splashed the walls of his two hotel rooms with demands for the release of five Chinese activists. He slashed pillows and staged mock killings with stuffed people propped on the bed, red paint spattered like blood on the headboard.
 Romero, who appears to be alone, tells the camera he doesn’t want to disrupt the games. He talks about religious freedom for groups that remain highly sensitive with the Chinese government — Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims, the Falun Gong spiritual movement. The protest is heartfelt, said Bob Fu, leader of the Texas-based China Aid Association who is among a group of Romero supporters monitoring the protest from California. “This is not like middle-age crisis, craziness,” Fu said. “He’s very genuine, a caring, loving pastor. And very creative.” Another friend, British-based pastor Tony Thomas, said Romero had no special connection to China, but he had a vision for the project in 2001 after watching Beijing win the right to host the games. Thomas said Romero hatched the protest plan — which he eventually named “The Gadfly Project” — after consulting with a few close friends at his Hacienda Christian Fellowship church and talking with American activists who campaign for Chinese rights.

Okay, I am ALL FOR freedom of speech, human rights, freedom of religion, and would be the first to admit China has some things they could learn. I am not alone. And I praise the strength and bravery for people who stand in the face of oppression such as those that exist in China – and other countries – today. I applaud them. Protests have their place, can be affective……..

But VANDALISM? Destruction of hotel rooms, without paying? Getting the message on YouTube, where I imagine the majority of those in China would not even SEE it, let alone be able to do something about it? And, as a Christian Pastor, who admittedly does not appear to be trying to spread his faith, I think it further damages international views of Americans AND Christians! I think protests should be brave and RESPECTFUL – think of that student that stood in front of the tank……..his message still pops up today! But DISRESPECTING things……hmmmmm, not so sure…..

Am I off here? I would love to hear your opinions because, admittedly, I am reacting here……

Gina OUT

Gina the Sap

/ Gina Marie / Leave a comment

Okay, I started out the morning innocently enough – got my coffee, chatted with my friend online (shout out to Teddi!) and signed onto MySpace. I noticed that my sister posted a YouTube video about Christian the Lion, and I was intrigued. So I decided to check it out……

Well, this is an old story – having taken place in 1969 and 70 – and you may have already heard about it. I mean, over 2.4 million people had seen the YouTube clip in question! However, I had not. So I started watching it, and before you know it, was sobbing like a baby! A happy, sappy, sentimental cry! I don’t want to say more so as not to ruin it for you, but check it out! And yes, I cry every freaking time I watch it!

Click here to see the video!