Having House Guests, Chinese Ones

Posted on July 16, 2012 by

You can’t imagine the things you would learn having three Chinese children living in your house for a week. They were the perfect way to illustrate #80 on the list.  It’s a cultural lesson we’ll always remember.  Here’s the highlights so far…(it’s not over yet)

Several months ago, My friend asked me if I might be interested in having some Chinese exchange girls come stay with our family for a week in July.  At the time I had just started reading the book Yes Man and I was empowered to say YES to as many things as I could. Plus, my daughter is starting a Chinese immersion program next year at our local elementary school and we thought it would be a perfect introduction.

We picked up our temporary children from the airport last Tuesday.

It was a rush of excitement when we saw the 26 Chinese tweens, three of which would be coming home with us, move through security.  They looked a little shocked to be in the moment.

Here’s my friend Brittany’s boys.  She took home “Tom” and “Star.”

We found our very tired jet-lagged girls, loaded them up in our van and headed home.

I tried to gauge how much English they spoke.  Two of them spoke very well.  “Linda” and “Emily” both 11-years-old from Shanghai, seemed to understand at least half of what I was saying as long as I spoke clearly, simply and slowly.  The third, 10-year-old Sinyiu from Taiwan, spoke and understood less than the others but still was able to communicate.

When we arrived home, they were obviously very excited!  They could hardly wait to get into my American house and see everything in it.  They opened every single door in the house wanting to see every corner, even the ones I hadn’t cleaned for them.

They were also really excited to see my backyard swimming pool! Unfortunately, we have no backyard swimming pool.  You can imagine their frustration when I crushed the dream that every house in America had a pool.

Day one highlights included seeing the inside of the kitchen pantry.  As soon as they opened the door and saw our dreamy stash of Club Crackers, Quaker Oats and Cambell’s Soup they took a step back with jaws hung open and immediately started to chatter rapidly in Chinese.  I guess in China they don’t keep a pantry of food?  My stash is nothing spectacular.

Day two’s highlights were eating at In-N-Out where I forced them to try fry sauce. They all shreiked when they saw me emptying a side of spread into a condiment cup.  They all told me in unison,…”It’s for salad!”

Despite their reservation, two of the three seemed to like it. The third so far has shown almost no interest in any American food except margarine.  She’s been eating a grotesque amount of Country Crock.

We also took them swimming at our local rec center which was an amazing experience for them.  I guess they don’t have pools in China and swimming is a very rare event.

We’ve noticed a large amount of cultural differences.

First, they DO NOT clean up after themselves.  Make a mess, walk away. They made themselves some Chinese Noodles at 10:30 the other night.  They trashed the kitchen and then went to bed.

Second, privacy.  They don’t seem to need any.  We started locking doors after one of the girls walked into our master bedroom and bathroom looking for a toilet even though she passed two along the way.  Unfortunately my husband Steve wasn’t quite ready for work yet and he had to direct her to the hall bathroom.

Some of the other families have reported their girls wandering through the house wearing only underwear.  One family reported that after our swimming night their 12-year-old boys stripped off their Speedo swimsuits in the entry way of their home in front of the whole family including their 8-year-old daughter.  The whole family was treated to a Chinese show they never asked to see.

Honestly, this has been a little more work than I had anticipated, but communicating has been easier and more fun than I was expecting.  Completing #80 on the list has been an amazingly unique and fun experience.

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Who’s Your Inspiration?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by

It’s time for my Friday Feature–Inspirational Person of the week.  Today’s inspiration is YOU!

Everyone who reads The Vocal Sokol inspires me.  Knowing that you enjoy reading these posts inspires me to look for things that make life better, fun and more meaningful.  I hope you’ve found a little bit of fun in the content you’ve read on this site. I know doing and writing about these things has been good for me. If there’s been one person who has tried something new or read about something that made a positive difference in their life then this whole endeavor is worth it.

Since this post is about YOU, I’d LOVE to hear who inspires you! I’m always sharing my inspirational people.  I’ve never once asked who your inspiration was.  Leave me a comment and tell me who inspires you and why.

If you need a little help thinking about what kind of people inspire you follow this link for a list of the inspirations I’ve blogged about in the past.

And I know it’s not SAPPY SATURDAY, but I couldn’t resist posting this cheesy video since it goes so well with our subject today.  It’s a good one.  Enjoy!

Posted in INSPIRING PEOPLE | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Power of YES

Posted on July 11, 2012 by

Ever feel like you’re in a rut?  Have you looked at other people and they seem like they are doing fun and exciting things and somehow you are missing all the fun?  Me too.  Enter– Yes Man.

I just finished reading this amazing book called Yes Man.  Steve read it years ago and INSISTED that I read it. I don’t read all that much.  I average about .75 books per year, but I read this one in just over 18 weeks (That’s fast!).  I know because I had to renew it from the library six times.

I don’t want to spoil it because I think you should read it, but the premise of the book is this British guy named Danny Wallace, a man down on his luck.  Recently dumped by his girl and in a rut at work.  He finds himself closing the world out.  Saying no to everything.

He meets a stranger on a bus who tells him three words.  Say YES more.  The encounter empowers him. He vows to say YES to every request for the rest of the year.  For six months, he says nothing but yes.  Yes to every junk e-mail.  Yes to every stranger on the street asking for help.  Yes to school, work, church. Yes to every scam.  You can only imagine what this would be like.  It hilariously details a life where NO doesn’t exist.

Over the 18 weeks it took me to read this book, I couldn’t help but think twice to every request I received. It changed my behavior and I sure said YES a whole lot more.  Coincidentally I did more and had more fun.

Yes to playing a major role in building a float.

Who knew saying yes to building a parade float would lead to new skills, experiences and friends. I’d say yes to that any day.

Yes to hosting Chinese exchange students.

We had a ball picking up our Chinese exchange students. So glad we said yes.

There were lots of yeses, and none that I really regret.

I could go on, but this isn’t really about me.  It’s about the opportunity for YES.

I highly recommend you read this book.  But if you choose NO, then at least read these excerpts I have painfully transcribed for you.  Think about them and consider saying YES more frequently.

“When you think about it, probably some of the best things that have ever happened to you in life happened because you said yes to something.  Otherwise things just sort of stay the same.”

“Yes has the power to change lives and set people free. It has the power of adventure. Sometimes it’s the little opportunities that fly at us each day can have the biggest impact.”

If you really stop to consider it, those statements are a matter of fact.  We keep ourselves from what should be our joys by being too lazy to stubborn to accept opportunities when they come.

Anyway…It was a delightful book for many reasons.  I found the idea of YES to be life-changing.  Think about it a little.

Posted in THOUGHTS ON HAPPINESS | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ten Terrific People #35

Posted on July 9, 2012 by

My pleasant event for this week is #35 on the list, making a list of 10 Terrific People.  I wasn’t in a great mood when I started writing this post, but after thinking about all these terrific people and how they’ve shaped my life, my mood changed.

So here they are, Ten Terrific People, in random order.

  1. Miki Eberhardt: I met Miki at church several years ago.  She radiates fun and beauty inside and out.  Her hilarious quick wit leaves you looking forward to your next conversation.

    Miki and her husband Johnathan.

    I always leave her feeling better about myself.  She really is terrific!

  2. Jimmy Fallon: When he started doing late night, I fell in love with him as a charming entertainer.  His songs, his impressions, his comedic timing, I LOVE it all.  I actually love the whole team, Higgins, The Legendary Roots Crew, all of it. Plus, Jimmy just seems like someone you could be friends with, doesn’t he?

    Since no cameras were allowed in the studio, this is the best I could do for a photo with Jimmy Fallon.

    I even got to meet him once for a brief second when I saw his show in New York.  It was terrific and so was he!

  3. Colleen Perkins: She was my boss while I worked through college.  She basically taught me everything I know about being a professional, working hard and keeping commitments.  She’s a RN BSN and a retired Air Force Officer.  My life would be different if I hadn’t known Colleen, she’s one of the strongest most terrific women I’ve ever known.

    Here’s Collen with her daughter who when I knew her was six years old. She’s 21 now. Time really flies! Don’t they look like twins!

  4. Jaycee Tuttle: I met Jaycee at the crossroads of my life, the very first day of my mission and I was terrified! She instantly invigorated me with excitement.  We later served together as unstoppable proselyting missionaries.  I’ll never forget the complete joy of being around her 24-7. She’s TERRIFIC!

    Here she is 10 years later with a crop full of children and a husband from the mission. I would have married her too except, you know…she’s a girl.

  5. Spencer Hardenbrook: Spence HB is from my college days.  He was a stand-up guy and delight to be around. He knew what he wanted and stuck to his plan even leaving parties early to do homework or go to bed so he’d be prepared the next day. I’m so proud to say that he just graduated from Medical School and is an MD.  Now that’s terrific!

    This could be your new MD?

  6. Alyson Myler: I have such fond memories as a child of sliding down the stairs in sleeping bags with my cousin Aly.  She’s a ball of unstoppable fun.  Now she constantly impresses me.  She’s a black belt in Karate, owns and operates a Karate School, travels the world and has amazing stories to tell. Oh, she also has four kids including a set of twins. Terrific, YES!

    Oh…did I mention her and her hubby have sic bods! I guess Karate does a lot of good for the body. This is their photo after finishing the Spartan Beast.

     

  7. Matt Lauer: I started watching TODAYseveral years ago.  I rapidly built a relationship of trust with Lauer.  I can’t exactly say why I like Matt Lauer.  Maybe it’s because he delivers the news so well?  Perhaps it’s because he’s unexpectedly funny at just the right moments?   Possibly it’s just because he reminds me so much of my brother Randy.  Either way, he’s terrific!

    Here’s my big TODAY victory! I love New York.

  8. My Brother Randy:  Speaking of my brother Randy, he’s a constant in my life.  Before I met my husband, he helped me figure everything out.  He’s the voice of reason.  Plus, one day in 7thgrade I forgot my lunch money and he gave me his.  If that’s not a terrific person, I don’t know what is.

    Here’s Randy and his cute family. His father-in-law took this photo. Maybe that’s why he looks nervous.

  9. Paul and Patsy McGreevy:Paul and Patsy were kind enough to open the door and listen to our missionary message.  They also read and prayed about the things we shared.  Watching their conversion was one of the most meaningful things that has ever happened.  My life surely wouldn’t be as full or happy without having known them. They’re terrific!

    Here’s me and Steve with the all Mormon McGreevy Family (minus one, where are you Ryan???).

  10. Warren Buffett: He stands as a folksy, very wise billionaire.  Steve talks about his business practices and we often adopt his sayings and principles. His wealth hasn’t changed him.  He still lives in the same house in Omaha, drives a Cadillac, and eats at DQ (which he owns).  The most terrific thing about him is he’s promised his entire fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Posted in PLEASANT EVENTS | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

If You Like Steffon From SNL You LOVE This Video

Posted on July 7, 2012 by

This video has has everything!  Zombies, gymnasts, highschool football players, innappropriate teacher student relationships, light bulb eyes and what appears to be a trip to Venice!  Steffon would be so proud!

So, with out further adu, please enjoy this AMAZING video!

Posted in SAPPY SATURDAY | 1 Comment

Authoring Misty Moncur

Posted on July 6, 2012 by

I thought I’d take this Friday Feature to introduce you to an important fixture in my life, Misty Moncur.  In addition to authoring more than 10 books over the last three years, she’s been my BFF since we were children.

Misty has always been a stand-out when it comes to anything brainy.  She’s one of those people who is just good at everything which was lucky for me because in addition to being my best friend she also tutored me in almost every subject from junior high through college.

Misty has recently taken her long standing love and talent for writing to a whole new level.  That’s why I am featuring her here today.  If there is anyone out there that has ever wanted to write, you probably want to hear her story. It’s a “how-to” on beginning to write a novel.

A few years ago I took several excited phone calls from Misty about an organization she’d found called NaNoWriMo.org (National Novel Writing Month).  It’s an online program that issues a challenge to aspiring writers every November. The challenge is to inspire hopeful writers to put pen to paper every day during the month.  At the end of the month, the author has written enough content to fill the pages of a short novel.

“I have a full time job and I’m a full time mom, so I don’t have a lot of time to write. I would carry a small notebook in my purse, and on my five minute break at work I would pull out the notebook and a pen, open up the notebook and just start writing,” Misty said.  “I would write like crazy for five minutes because I knew I only had those five minutes–no time for staring at a blank paper trying to think of the exact perfect words.”

For a first time author, creating an entire book full of words seems insurmountable.  The NaNoWriMo breaks it up in to daily bite-sized pieces.  By the end of the month, you’ve accomplished the impossible.

After participating in NaNoWriMo for a few years Misty had first novel published.  Daughter of Helaman is available on Amazon.com. 

Misty has taken the success of her first novel and turned it into an 8 book series!  If you liked the Hunger Games, you’ll LOVE this series.  The second and third novels in the series are now available on WattPad.com.

Several years ago if anyone had told Misty she’d be a published author she would have told them to get lost!  She’s long had a passion for writing but was intimidated at the writing process.  “I’m a total perfectionist by nature, and I don’t want to start things I can’t do perfectly the first time. To be a writer, you have to bag that philosophy. You can’t edit something you have not written,” she said.  “I don’t keep rough drafts around. I keep a work in progress. I think that’s how life is too. We don’t keep old, imperfect versions of ourselves lying around. We are continually making ourselves better.”

I admire Misty for finding a way of accomplishing her life-long goal.  Since she’s broken through this barrier, she’s really awakened her senses.  She participate in writing groups, book clubs, on-line author forums and keeps a professional blog.  I’m so proud of her and her accomplishments.

She’d tell you that if she can write a book, anyone can.  So here’s the permission you’ve been waiting for.  Go for it!

Posted in INSPIRING PEOPLE | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Procession of Freedom

Posted on July 4, 2012 by

I hope everyone enjoys the 4th of July holiday!  It’s one of my very favorite days of the year.  I love to celebrate our country and it’s accomplishments. I love to remember our heroes that gave and continue to give our country the freedoms and protections we all enjoy.

I recently came across this video.  I’ve posted a similar one a few weeks ago.  It’s a little heavy to watch, it will probably make you cry, but I think it’s appropriate that we remember why we celebrate this holiday.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes out of your holiday to watch and honor our American Soldiers.

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Food Nanny Cookbook Giveaway Winner

Posted on July 3, 2012 by

It’s been such a busy week that I forgot to pick a winner for the Food Nanny Cookbook Giveaway until today.  Better late than never!

As always I used a random number generator to select a winner based on the number of entries I received.

The lucky winner is Michelle T!  Congratulations Michelle.  I know you’ll love the book!  I’ll be contacting you shortly to get your address and have the booked shipped to you.

Be sure to like The Vocal Sokol on facebook so you get notified of our new posts and contest giveaways.

Have a Happy 4th of July everyone.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Summer Sledding–No Mittens Required

Posted on July 2, 2012 by

A box of Sokols down the hill!

Think sledding down a steep hill is out of the question in the summer? Think again.

You might think I am talking about using an ice block.  You’d be wrong though, we’re using CARDBOARD!

A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law told me about a group of people she saw sledding on cardboard boxes at one of our local parks.

I was skeptical that cardboard would be slippery enough to get a very fun ride down the hill, but we decided to make a family night of it anyway.

We gathered up as much cardboard as we could find. Luckily we had plenty of cardboard packaging leftover after building our new swingset a few weeks ago.  The boxes made the most perfect cardboard toboggans! They were big enough to ride several children at once.

With a quick push the kids went flying down the hill!

We rounded up some cousins and had some of the best sledding ever!  No bundling up, or finding matching mittens required.  It wasn’t freezing and we didn’t end up soaked and cold.  In fact, we were roasting hot!

Whoosh!!!

The downside to sledding in July is you get awfully thirsty.  We weren’t bright enough to bring our own water.  Luckily the group next to us sliding on ice blocks thought to bring water and shared with us.

The one thing we DID bring besides cardboard was a plate of smores cookies.  You may see some evidence of the cookies on the faces of the kids sliding down the hill.

It was just as much fun for grown ups.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.  We had a great time sledding in July.  You should definitely try this!  I’m counting it as # 84 on the list.

You’ll think twice the next time you are throwing away a big piece of cardboard!

 

Posted in DAYTRIPS, PLEASANT EVENTS, VOCAL SOKOL LOCAL | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Hello…Best song, Creepiest Video

Posted on June 30, 2012 by

I, like everyone else in the world LOVE Lionel Richie for his music mainly and for his daughter Nicole who I find very entertaining.

I also love Lionel Richie for making this video.  It took guts. It’s a classic video I know i’ll always treasure.  Feel free to share this video with your friends.  They’ll be glad to see it too.

Posted in SAPPY SATURDAY | Tagged , , | 1 Comment