Venting

Everyone is losing their jobs. The economy is terrible, and good people are being punished for the sins of others. It all started here in Vegas with greed and stupidity. The houses here were going up like match sticks being bent up on a book. Furiously mortgage companies were determined to get anyone and everyone into homes, regardless of credit history, or ability to pay. Greed was the main component. Like leasing a car most people never read the fine print, or had the sense to use their critical thinking to figure out that if you are buying a 400,000 dollar home and your payment is $900 dollars, it may be to good to be true. That is where it began. Then is snowballed. More easy loans, more buyers. It attracts investors, more homes, prices go up, values go up, too many homes, not enough buyers, but values are still up, investor homes sitting empty, turn into rentals. Then it hits, that ARM mortgage that was signed for all of a sudden balloons. Now instead of a $900 payment, it starts to creep up, $1000.00, $2000.00, and now the real payment is being made. People foreclose, no one sells or buys homes. Real estate agents lose jobs, then the mortgage brokers, then the lenders, then the car dealers, then the construction industry, then the casinos, then the small businesses close, then the large businesses start the layoffs. Ladies and gentlemen, that is where we are at. As of today; my dad is out of work, my aunt is out of work, my dad's best friend is out of work, and my husbands best friend is out of work. These are the people who have been in their respective industries for years, they are the people with integrity. Who loved their work, who had purchased homes the right way, raised familes, and had already had to struggle. It isn't right. It just isn't right. I don't have any power to change any situation, and that is the worst part of all. I am angry, because of materialism, greed, and ignorance. In 2009 I am going to start on my progression away from consumption and materialism . After all, what is it that we all need?
Duane Elgin said, "we can describe voluntary simplicity as a manner of living that is outwardly more simple and inwardly more rich, a way of being in which our most authentic and alive self is brought into direct and conscious contact with living."

Dad's Birthday cake

Here is my dad's birthday cake, he was born on the reservation, pretty much in an abandoned hogan. He was born on christmas day, so this is a tribute to his humble birth.

My Present

I got my christmas present early, I got a 1 terabyte external network hard drive for christmas. I know that sounds super nerdy but my computer was at capacity ( which I never thought would happen) I really needed to transfer tons of pictures and music to a new drive. It is awesome, and I am so excited. I never thought I would get a terabyte! Merry Christmas to me!

Survivorman Lament

Last night was a dark night for me. I had to bid farewell to my most beloved series. Survivorman. Les Stroud, the most awesome guy on the planet (not in my family) Reminds me every friday night why I appreciate the city, & how someday I'd like to return to my roots on the reservation. WHY?!?!?! WHY!?!?! is it over, whaaaaaaaa. (me crying like a 2 year old girl) It was the best show on television, and the end was even worse because they taunted me with High Def. Someday, my precious. Someday, you will return to me in another form of survival awesomeness. We will then use our kudlicks and snares again!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

SNOW

Our new Christmas Tradition

I am still sick, but this evening I was feeling better, so I thought it was a good night to go out a nd start our newest family christmas tradition. I thought it was important to have a few christmas traditions that we as a family could do together. So to the mall, to visit Santa, and tell him what we want for Christmas.Brock let Santa know he wanted Thomas the Tank Engine stuff, and an airplane. The other tradition is to go to build-a-bear & make a stuffed animal for christmas. He picked out the cutest black bear, and we put a personalized message in it, which was me singing "I am a child of God" Which is his favorite song. My major cold sounded interesting on the recording, but he loves it. When we looked at the outfits to pick out, we has to try on a ton of things, we finally settled on a Scout shirt (like daddy's) And then it was time to do a birth ceritificate. I asked him what he wanted to name the bear, and he got this serious look on his face, like he was thinking really hard. He named him "Fike", dont ask me where that came from. We ate at Johnny Rockets as well, which is really good. burgers and fries, who can beat it!
We also had snow in vegas. It made the national news, a friend of ours was snowed in! He got 11 inches at his house. We got about 3 inches. It was really cool, and weird! Happy Holidays.

UPDATE:

Olive oil and Dish soap works! yeah!

The Snow, The Cold, the hair...

It is beautiful and clean smelling outside, but really cold. I had to run out and cover my flowers with trashbags to keep them warm. Hopefully that will work, and they wont die. I also came down with a cold, and this time I could take some major meds, instead of steam & tylenol. I have been pregnant the last few times Ive been sick, and could not take anything. Hopefully the kids wont get sick. WHile I was drugged out this morning, Brock got out of bed & "fixed" his hair with petroleum based hair wax, he caked it on and so I spent an hour just getting the top layer off. Then combed little by little some of it out. His hair is still full of it, but its not obviously caked on. I've been reading on the internet that olive oil & dawn dish soap will get it out. SO, we will try that tommorow! There is no rest for the wicked!

feelings

I am so grumpy lately, I am not sure why. I just wanna bury my head in the sand, and get this year over with. I have nothing to complain about, I bought a house, had a baby, moved three times, got a ticket, messed my knees up, and my kids are healthy and happy. I just have the christmas blues. I guess this is the time of year I wish I had a ridiculous amount of money to spend on people I love, I would get them whatever they want. Especially Pete, he works so hard, and he deserves the triathlon bike of his dreams, but instead he just has to make due with what he has. I just hope someday I can buy him that bike. I need to got out of this funk, I know! I think the insomnia is a huge part of it.