Happy St. Paddy's Day!

2010 Houston Saint Patrick's Day Parade

This past weekend, Jackson and I invited our friends, Rachel and Matt, along with their three children to ride with us on a WWII firetruck with The Bluebonnet Brigade.

A Houston tradition, the 51st annual Houston St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 was presented by the Houston St. Patrick's Parade Commission. The two-hour event has historically been one of the largest parades of its kind in the U.S. and included 127 entries to delight the Irish and Irish-at-heart. The parade started and ended at Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston and was Free to the public.

We had a lot of fun - I am glad that Jackson and I are able to participate in events like these, but more glad to be able to share the experience with others!

The pictures I took may look a little grainy or the color may be a tad off because I took them with my cell phone.

How cute is this guy here??

This picture doesn't do these beautiful cars justice.
I can't even remember how many DeLoreans there were, here you can see clearly see 6 of them.

Yellow Antique Fire Truck

I really liked this float (it's all the sparkles, I'm sure, lol),
but the lighting of the sun made it hard to see in the picture.

Jackson and I sitting on top of the truck waiting for the parade to start.

You've Got Me Under Your Skin

Well, it appears that I have gotten under the skin of a certain Internet Radio Host for a Conservative Ethnic Group (lol).

Yesterday, I posted the copies of comments and replies about how poorly my candidate was treated during his phone interview earlier this week. Today, I find that said internet radio host responded to my letter (not Jeff Daiells'??) wherein he calls me a liar (huh??), suggests that I don't know details of my candidate or his campaign, and then attempts to twist reality around by stating that I owe him an apology!

Ya...I don't think so, "Larry". But, nice try.

Check out the hilarious post from him below, atrocious grammar and all, followed by my final comments to him!

Thanks for the admission

Mrs. Cole~Pearson, thank you for your commentary here and your admission of numerous idealogical points which Mr. Daiell tried very hard to avoid. As for rudeness, I was polite & Mr. Daiell called me despicable & contemptable as I recollect. Furthermore, while I'm sure you don't know this, it was Mr. Daiell who asked to be on my show and commented afterward that he was actually glad (my conclusion...I don't know if he was actually glad, happy or simply satisfied) he appeared. So, I believe it is you, he or both of you who owe me an apology for both his and your dishonesty. I suspect; however, that like the huge percentage of votes you all were counting on, I doubt that will be arriving anytime soon either. Have a nice day.

• Posted By Lauro Garza at 2010-03-11 19:22

The following are my Final Comments to Mr. Garza:

Not to split hairs, Mr. Garza, but it was you that called me on the afternoon of Thursday, February 4, 2010 and requested for Jeff Daiell to be on your show. You explained to me personally that you had attempted to contact Jeff once on your own, but were unsuccessful. You also stated to me that you would “love to have (Jeff) on your show, but (you) needed to speak with Jeff first because you won't go in blindly on an interview.”

I will agree that you and Jeff were both equally polite and engaged in common courtesies in the beginning of the show, to include Jeff stating that he was glad to be on your show to share his message with your listeners when you welcomed him. After exchanging these pleasantries, your line of questioning became more aggressive toward the break, and by the end of your show, you were completely out of line. You may call these tactics “hard-hitting”, but the reality of it, sir, is that when you personally (not politically) offend someone, it is your responsibility to rectify the problem, unless you intentionally meant to insult the person. There is certainly a difference between a “lively conversation” between two educated, passionate adults, and engaging in a contemptuous, slanderous partisan scheme of baiting and provoking.

...as far as dishonesty is concerned, Mr. Garza, perhaps it would be wise for you to take a step back and re-evaluate your own words and actions. Further, had you provided either myself or Jeff with the full-disclosure that your radio show was nothing more than a set up for you to attack Jeff Daiell and the Libertarian philosophy, we would have never have agreed to have Jeff be a guest on your show, plain and simple.

I will end this now by letting you know that I wish you well in your efforts to reintroduce Latinos to the Republican Party. I’m sure that we will all continue to do our best in fighting the good fight to ensure that the rights and freedoms of our citizens are not trampled on by Big-Government while also advocating Lower Taxes, and Fiscal Conservatism.

Respectfully,

Christie Cole-Pearson

I do suppose Lauro was right about one thing... On his website, he's a self-described "funny guy". Turns out he's right about that!

Conservative Latino Talk radio hosts Libertarian candidate for Governor Jeff Daiell

I realize I haven't posted anything in a while... It's honestly a good thing because I've been very busy lately! However, at the moment I want just want to rant about something.

Recently, and man contacted me about having my candidate for Governor of Texas, Jeff Daiell, on his Conservative Latino Talk Show entitled, "Latino Talk Texas". We, of course, were very happy to have been invited to be a guest on the radio, and the host, Lauro Garza, seemed to be as well...

Jeff Daiell was on this show on March 8, 2010, and can be heard at the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conservative-latino/2010/03/08/0042-2010-conservative-latino-talk-radio
Have a listen, and see what you think.

I won't go into detail, other than by posting what Mr. Garza had to write on his blog after the hour-long interview with Jeff, followed by what Jeff Daiell and I both wrote in response to Mr. Garza.

"Libertarian Candidate for Texas Governor, Jeff Daiell, discusses Libertarianism, his history with it and his campaign for Texas governor. Mr. Daiell, not surprisingly, avoids answering questions with regard to religious principles and governance but was willing to discuss his advocacy regarding the dangers of illegal drugs.

He advocates for legalization of dangerous drugs and cessation of the effort in what he calls "Lifestyle" laws. Arguing that although he recognizes dangerous drugs "damage people" he still prefers they be legal so that people on drugs can and will seek treatment.

The discussion was lively and Mr. Daiell became annoyed with me when I pointed out the weakness in his argument that he did not wish to admit. Although he felt he won his argument, legalizing dangerous drugs, in his mind, does not, still, make them "okay" but he was glad for his appearance on my show.

Despite his assertions otherwise, Libertarianism is not the purer Republican faith nor is Republicanism a type of libertarian lite. They are fundamentally different and when confronted, crypto-libertarians and, apparently, real Libertarians attack. Among other things, he called me a "Republican". I can handle that.

- Lauro "Larry" Garza

This is Jeff's response:

Mr. Garza's inaccuracies

I'm not sure I can count them, but I will try:

I never said that using drugs was "OK", and Mr. Garza knows full well that I did not. What I said was that drug use was not a matter for the government, and that it was more important to punish murderers, child molesters, car thieves, etc., than those who smoke marijuana. Mr. Garza is entitled to put imposing his views on drugs ahead of safe streets, schools, and homes; as the father of twin daughters who were both molested by a man already convicted of child molestation, who had been given probation after that first offense because the prisons were too full of drug offenders, I put the safety of Texas's citizens, especially the children, first.

I answered his questions, to the extent he would allow me to without interrupting, so any claim that I did not is nonsense.

Rather than avoid discussion of morality and religion, I made it clear that the Republican Party had no monopoly on either, and that many Libertarians, like many Republicans, came to their respective viewpoints because of religious principles.

I never claimed that libertarianism is a form of Republicanism - indeed, I pointed out that the Republican Party is not consistent on ideology, bragging about its "big tent" approach that includes both conservatives and liberals.

For Texas, Liberty, and public safety,

Jeff Daiell

And finally, here is my response:

I must admit that I am quite surprised that you would request (multiple times) for Jeff Daiell to be on your show, only to treat him the way that you did on the air. I was simply floored that you “dribbled on” (your words) for approximately 6 minutes during the introduction of your show before you introduced your guest. One would think that as a host, especially a host with your credentials, you would know more about radio host/guest etiquette.

In the beginning of your show, Lauro, you boast about Jeff and the Libertarian Party - stating that you "respect and admire (Jeff), and want his message to be heard". Unfortunately for your listening audience, they didn’t get the opportunity to hear his message because you were too busy talking about yourself and interrupting him! As a matter of fact, you rudely spoke over my candidate on more than eighteen occasions and twisted his message many times! Although this behavior is rather typical of uber conservative folks like yourself, I expected more professionalism from you.

For whatever reason, you refused to accept the Libertarian point of view when you asked for Jeff Daiell's position on Anti-Prohibition (Is it really too much to ask that individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make?), of Separation of Church and State (In order to govern a body of people effectively, religion has to be removed from laws in order to “level the playing field”, if you will, because we all do not share the same faith.), and regarding positions on Nullification (Do you really have an argument about the U.S. or the State having the right to invalidate any federal law that is deemed to be unconstitutional??).

These ideas of Common Sense may not coincide with your definition of Republicanism, and that is fine. As we Libertarians say, “Live and Let Live”, but to have the audacity to charge that my candidate “can not distinguish between arguments” when you make a claim that Lifestyle Crimes and Child Molestation go hand-in-hand is outrageous! If this was your attempt at playing the Devils Advocate, Mr. Garza, you failed.

You may not make any apologies for being a Conservative Republican (no one is asking you to), but you certainly do owe an apology to Jeff Daiell for misleading him when you asked for this interview, and also for your ill-mannered behavior during this “show”.

--
Christie Cole-Pearson
Campaign Manager
Jeff Daiell for Governor
www.jeffdaiell.com
"Because We're Texans"

Hmm. I'm glad I got that off my chest.

DAIELL CAMPAIGN PROMOTES COLE-PEARSON TO CAMPAIGN MANAGER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR CONFIRMATION, CALL:

Jeff Daiell, (713) 777-1776

Stephanie Zachary, (713) 777-1776

Christie Cole-Pearson, (832) 298-8887

http://www.jeffdaiell.com/

JeffDaiell@Yahoo.com

ChristiePearson03@gmail.com

DAIELL CAMPAIGN PROMOTES COLE-PEARSON TO CAMPAIGN MANAGER

(Houston) - Jeff Daiell, a candidate for the 2010 Libertarian nomination for Governor of Texas, has appointed Christie Cole-Pearson as his Campaign Manager. Ms. Pearson will be responsible for developing a multidimensional field strategy, mobilizing and coordinating volunteer efforts and activities.

"The Jeff Daiell campaign will provide a vehicle for voters who respect both civil liberties and the free market, reaching across party lines and the political spectrum. We are not conceding a single constituency or a single county to the two tax-subsidized parties." explains Ms. Pearson.

As a Libertarian, Jeff Daiell’s positions allow for an advantage on the gubernatorial playing field. Daiell’s platform includes the Texas Affordable School Choice plan; refocusing of law-enforcement resources away from lifestyle crimes to concentrate instead exclusively against violence, theft, and fraud; and respect for The Tenth Amendment. Complemented with a campaign manager who fosters the importance of Responsibility of Self as well as a dedication to Civil Liberties and Personal Freedoms, this combination is a reflection of efforts that are hard at work to provide Texans with the progressive leadership they deserve. The candidate welcomed Ms. Pearson into her new position stating, “I'm confident that Ms. Pearson's leadership ability to lead our campaign efforts will speak volumes. Her leadership experience is matched only by her commitment to serving the community and helping those in need of assistance."

As the founder of Luggage for Kids, Ms. Pearson has lead grassroots involvement activities to coordinate and provide donated luggage to Children's Protective Service for children in foster homes. She also hosts the quarterly blood drives at Gulf Interstate Engineering. Ms. Pearson has successfully transitioned her leadership skills from pageantry to public service.

To learn more about Jeff Daiell or to become a volunteer, visit the website at http://www.jeffdaiell.com/. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook (Jeff Daiell For Governor) and Twitter (WeAreTexans)!

http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Texas_News/DAIELL_CAMPAIGN_PROMOTES_COLEPEARSON_TO_CAMPAIGN_MANAGER/25492

FROM PAGEANTS TO PRECINCTS:

FROM PAGEANTS TO PRECINCTS:

FORMER MISS TEXAS TEEN USA

NAMED DAIELL CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR

FOR STATE SENATE DISTRICT 7

(Houston) - Jeff Daiell, a candidate for the 2010 Libertarian nomination for Governor of Texas, has appointed Christie Cole-Pearson his campaign coordinator in State Senate District 7.

Now employed with Gulf Interstate Engineering, a Top 100 petroleum pipeline design and engineering firm, Ms. Pearson was Miss Texas Teen USA in 1998. She is married; she and her husband Jack have one son, Jackson Alexander.

Ms. Pearson is the founder of Luggage For Kids, a non-profit that provides donated luggage to Children's Protective Service. She also hosts quarterly blood drives at her workplace.

Ms. Pearson's responsibilities will include seeking volunteers within the district, arranging campaign events (including speaking engagements), and serving as the campaign's contact person within the district.

Accepting the position, Ms. Pearson said, "The Jeff Daiell campaign will provide a vehicle for voters who respect civil liberties and who know that compassion requires 'Sunsetting' the statutes, regulations, and agencies that either burden the less fortunate or make it difficult for the private sector to relieve suffering. I look forward to competing with other State Senate District coordinators in making District 7 Jeff's best district on General Election Day, 2010 -- and I have experience with competition!"

Daiell added, "This is further evidence that the Jeff Daiell campaign will set a new standard in organization and infrastructure for Texas Libertarian campaigns."

Those wishing more information on the campaign can visit its website, www.JeffDaiell.com.

Happy Hooky-Day!

On Tuesday the 4th of August, we decided to play Hooky...

That's right, I told my boss that I wouldn't be coming in, Jack took his regularly scheduled day off, and we kept Jackson out of his last day of Summer Camp at his school so we could have one last "Hoo-Rah" as a family before Jackson started Kindergarten.

We told Jackson that we were going to take him to Splashtown, but before we went to the water park, HE got to decide where we ate for breakfast, since it was his special day. So he chose IHOP because that is his favorite restaurant in the whole wide world!

It was so funny to watch him eat his pancakes too! People watching him must have thought we starved him or something because after he so delicately poured each and every one of the syrups displayed on the table (there was at least six of them) on to his pancakes, he literally inhaled them! He had strawberry syrup from his lips to his ears!

Jackson was a little bummed because usually IHOP has someone there making balloon creatures, and today that person must have not been working. After we finished our meals, we practically had to roll ourselves out to the truck. We ate like kings!


Splashtown is such a fun place to go during the week in the Summer-time. We are lucky that we live so close, maybe 30 minutes (if that!) from the water park.

We were smart and printed our tickets from home so that we could bypass the ticket stand at the front of the park and just we just went right in. This method makes things so much easier for everyone, and you get to start having fun just as soon as you get your personal items in your locker! We all put on our 45 block sunscreen, and we were ready to get wet!

(Click on the picture to enlarge map of the Rides and Slides)

Jackson now meets the height requirement of 48 inches to get on the rides/slides. For a five year-old little boy, he's pretty darn big! The first slide we went on was called the Texas Free fall! It's five stories of heart pounding, side by side free falling excitement. Daddy went first, then Jackson, then me, and let me just say, OH MY GOODNESS! Jack and I both screamed...but not Jackson. No, he was either very brave, or too scared to scream! I think maybe it was a mix of the two. This slide was one of Jackson's favorites!

Then, we swam into the Wild Wave Pool. It's about a half-million gallons of water and every 30 minutes or so waves surge through the pool just like at the beach, only without the seaweed! It's great fun for the family, and is really nice for kids of all ages. They also have life vests available for free!

The Blue Lagoon Activity Pool, Tree House Island, and the Guadalupe River (Lazy River) were also a lot of fun. Jackson was swimming underwater all by himself in the Lazy River and he also hitched a ride on Daddy's back a few times. Tree House Island is a three-story play area with climbing nets, slippery slides, and a huge 1,000 gallon bucket that tips over periodically and blasts water over anyone and everyone who is standing below!

We also went on the Rip Qurl (I have no idea why it is spelled that way!) and Big Spin, both of which remind me of toilet bowls being flushed, Space Rapids, and the Tornado.
I have to admit, the Tornado was a pretty great ride! We rode in a quad-raft, and I was lucky enough to be in the position that made me face backwards pretty much the entire time, and it was scary! The ride begins on a platform set 75 feet in the air, then riders are set in motion down a 132 foot long tunnel and thrown into the giant open-ended funnel splashing back and forth on 5,000 gallons of swirling water. I seriously thought we were going to fall out of our raft because we went up so far on the sides of the funnel!

I really enjoyed taking the day off to spend with my husband and soon-to-be Kindergartner and our 'Family Fun Day' certainly was a lot of fun, but after four hours at Splashtown standing in long lines with the sun beating down on us in 107 degree heat (with the heat index), we were spent!
Jackson passed out pretty much once his seat belt was fastened, and I sat in the passengers seat looking back at his sweet little sleepy, sun-kissed face. Jack and I reminisced about how little he used to be, and how there are times now that when he moves a certain way, or when we catch a glimpse of his profile, it takes us back to the day he was born!

There are times when it makes me sad to think about how fast the years have gone by, especially knowing that I can never get that time back, but more often than not it makes me happy to see how much he's grown over the years. He's turned out to be quite the charmer - he's very intelligent and also very handsome.


We are all very excited for Jackson to start Kindergarten and I will post very soon to tell all about his First Day!

Our Busy Weekend

I will start with yesterday, and work my way back through the weekend. I am most proud of this one anyway!

Jackson can now ride a bike without training wheels!!!

I was milling around the house picking up and folding laundry (towels) in the living room yesterday after I came from from the Bridal Extravaganza when Jackson returned from the movies with Mimi and Pappy - they went to go watch G-Force. Jackson said the movie was "really awesome!". Jackson asked if it was okay if he rode his bike in our cul-de-sac while I finished the towels, and I said that would be fine. I started to go outside to help him open up the garage door, but he insisted that he didn't need my help, and that he could do it all by himself. Jackson waited for me to get completely inside the house before he opened the garage door to bring his tricycle out.

I had just about finished the towels when he comes back into the house telling me that I NEEDED to come outside right away and watch him because he could ride without using his training wheels. To be honest, I thought he meant that he finally found his balance on his bike and didn't need the assistance of his training wheels...boy was I wrong.

I go outside, not to find his tricycle, but rather his BIG bike that looks like a dirt bike that we were saving for him for when he got a bit bigger. The bike is easily 40 pounds, and he wants to show me that he can ride it. (It was then that I realized why he insisted on him getting his bike out by himself.) My heart must have been beating 90 to nothing as I was steadying the bike for him. Once he got situated, he began pedaling and made two circles around our cul-de-sac, and then went straight to the last mailbox without falling at all!

Giant tears filled in my eyes, and I ran over to him telling him that he was the Coolest Boy I knew, and how happy and proud of him I was! We ran inside and got Daddy so he could see too! Jack was so proud of him, and he went straight out to remove the training wheels off of his other bikes so we could put the other heavy bike up. I think it's too much bike for Jackson to be safe on...especially since he's just figured out how to ride without training wheels.

We are soo happy for him! He said that he's going to practice every single day until he doesn't have to wear his safety pads...I told him that it's going to take a lot of practice before that happens.

(I just wanted to note that once he came out and told me that he could ride, I immediately put his pads and helmet on. He fussed and whined and cried until Daddy, yes Daddy, said that he didn't need to use them. We explained that they protected him in case he fell, and he still insisted that he didn't want or need them, so he took everything off except for his elbow pads.)

Congratulations Jackson! You're getting to be such a BIG BOY!!!

The Bridal Extravaganza - July 2009

On July 25th and 26th, I was a model in the Bridal Extravaganza for Ventura's Bridal. I'm the second from the left. There were several fashion shows over the weekend for different bridal shops and designers. The gowns that I got to model were so beautiful! MUCH more expensive than my own wedding gown cost! My Mother came with me to help out backstage, and I was so happy that she was there. It's not very often that she and I get to do something together - just the two of us.

I got five blisters on my feet the very first day (Saturday) because Mom and I didn't know where to park, so of course we chose the parking lot furthest away from where we actually needed to be. By the time we walked to the Convention Center, I was limping (and complaining). I had to suck it up for the show, and if I do say so my self, I did pretty well. I didn't trip, or wince in agony while on stage. When I got home that night, I could barely move!

The next morning, I drained my blisters, and they felt a million times better!!! I could actually walk again! For the Sunday show, Mom and I certainly learned our lesson and parked right across the street of the Convention Center. This time, our fashion show was earlier, so we were able to find a close spot in the parking garage. The Ventura fashion show was a HUGE hit! The crowd was really into the models, the dresses, and the music!

I had forgotten how much I loved the runway from my old modeling days... It was a really good feeling. I did, however, get tangled up in one of the wedding gowns..my last one to be exact. The changing area backstage is so chaotic that we don't typically get to see what we are putting on next...we just grab and go. I didn't pay attention to the length of my train, and when I made a full turn in the middle of the runway, the train wrapped all the way around my feet! Some women in the audience gasped and their eyes were HUGE! I guess they really thought I was going to fall! I didn't though (THANK GOD!). As a matter of fact, I walked right out of my little predicament. It took about three good steps, and then my feet were free, and the train was trailing off like it was supposed to behind me, and I played it off so well! When I got to the end of the runway, I grabbed the side of the train and fanned it out so that the audience could see how pretty the back was. It got lots of "Oooh's" and "Ahhh's". When I walked back up the runway, I made another full turn in the center, sort of to make up for my first mishap, and it was perfect! The audience cheered loudly, and I very coyly looked over my shoulder, gave a wink, and exited the stage!

After the show was over, the owner of the store gave me a very nice hand-written note thanking me, and telling me how much she and the audience liked my performance, and she asked if I would like to be a permanent member of the "Ventura's Bridal Dream Team".

Going to the Mall for Earrings, Hair Combs, and Trampolines?? Oh My!

I had to run to the mall this weekend to grab some last minute items for the upcoming fashion show for the Bridal Extravaganza. While we were there, Jackson and I saw this set up in one of the wings in our mall. It's some kind of "Euro-Bounce" thing. They hook you up to a harness that it attached to bungee cords. They raise the cords, and then you begin jumping - higher, and higher, and higher until it makes every 'rider' squeal like a girl! It was very funny!

I told Jackson to do a back-flip, and he told me that he didn't know how so I explained that he needed to tilt his head back and look behind him, and then swing his legs over his head. He nailed it the second time he tried! In all, he did five back flips, and one flip going forward. The man working the trampoline told me that front flips are much more difficult to do than back flips, and he was impressed that Jackson was able to do it!

It was so nice that this was set up in the mall when we went. I normally don't go shopping at the mall, but it was nice for me to be able to go to a few shops, and then let Jackson do his thing. Then I was able to go to a few more of my stores, and then we went to get some cookies. Breaking up shopping trips like this makes it so much easier when little ones are with you, especially when they don't like "long stores". Helps to keep every one's sanity, that's for sure!

Jackson is taking Piano Lessons!

Jackson had his first piano lesson this weekend, and he LOVED it!. We enrolled him in the Suzuki Music Academy here in Houston, and he will have four half hour private lessons a month.

We have been waiting to put him in lessons for years now. To be honest, other than Jackson's apparent love for music, the biggest reason we put him in lessons is because Jack's mother, Evelyn (May God rest her soul), wanted more than anything for Jackson to learn how to play the piano, and in the end that became her last wish. After she passed, we inherited her piano. Jackson has always loved to pick at the keys, and create his own songs to put on 'shows' for anyone who will listen. I have to admit that it is actually quite soothing to listen to him play. He doesn't just bang at the keys, as a matter of fact, he never did. He is very meticulous and deliberate when he plays - and is very much a perfectionist.

My Mother came with us to his first lesson, and she and I both wanted to stay in the room to observe. I could tell that our presence was distracting Jackson's focus from his instructor, so I suggested that Mom and I leave the room. We waited in the lobby for about 20 minutes. After his lesson was over, he came skipping down the hallway with a HUGE smile plastered to his face! He was so excited, and said that he had a lot of fun learning the keys.

His instructor is Mariblanca De Pujadas, and she has quite the resume! Apparently, she was a child prodigy at the age of two, and began performing as a soloist, touring several countries in South America before the age of five!!! She studied with many prestigious master teachers, and eventually did her post-graduate work at Julliard School of Music in New York. She has over 35 years of teaching experience, and her students have been winners in many competitions and have also performed as soloists with symphony orchestras.

During the private lessons, students of an early age are taught the value of reading music, understanding note values and music theory to be able to understand the structure of music. Also, the student develops strong rhythmic skills as well as good sight reading skills. As the young student advances, he is introduced to the basics of music by learning scales, arpeggios and cadences for the development of technique and musicianship. Ear training is also emphasized as its an important tool to learn to recognize musical tones, chords and rhythmic dictation among other valuable things.

I am going to the store this afternoon to try and get "Key Cards" that identify each of the white keys on the piano so it will make it easier for Jackson to learn each key. If not, I'm not opposed to getting little stick-on letters to label each key, lol!

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center - Celebration of Life

On February 11, 2009, Christie was invited to the Reliant Stadium to receive the 'Path for Success' award on behalf of Gulf Interstate Engineering from the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.

GIE has now become a Gold Level Commit for Life Member, and we have been recognized for our efforts in our Quarterly Blood Drives! All gold-level Commit for Life groups that achieve at least 100 donations in a year are invited to Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's "A Celebration of Life" group recognition event.

The Path for Success award commemorates our achievements from the previous year. I am very proud to announce that in 2008, Gulf Interstate collected 65 units of Whole Blood, and saved 195 lives!!!

A very special THANK YOU to those that have made it possible for GIE to take part in this program - We could not have done this without your help! I hope you all will continue your commitment to saving lives in 2009!

Celebration of Life

Today, I will be attending a Celebration of Life Awards Ceremony and Luncheon, hosted by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, at the Reliant Stadium .
I partner with GCRBC and host quarterly blood drives with our company and others in our building. Our company has reached a Gold Level status for the Commit For Life group, and I will be accepting an award, "Path For Success", on behalf of Gulf Interstate Engineering.

I will try and post pictures of this event later today when I get back.

Also, the time has come...
Our little guy is growing up so F-A-S-T! Tonight, Jack and I will attend Kindergarten Night, An Introduction To Montessori Kindergarten, at 7:00pm.

Houston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club

First, Jackson and I are taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Typically, the instructor only allows children ages five and up to join the class, but due to Jackson's comprehension level and size, they went ahead and let him join. During Jackson's first lesson he was paired up with another young girl to practice with. The children are given drills and taught different maneuvers to learn, and at the conclusion of the class, the children get to demonstrate what they have learned with their partner in front of the instructor.

Jackson did very well, and out of the lessons he demonstrated, he only "lost" one match. He was crushed, and yes, he cried. He is such a perfectionist that when he "loses" or can't do something the first time, it upsets him greatly.I was very happy that the instructor showed him compassion and patience instead of belittling and chastising him. That right there showed me that I made the right decision in choosing this class for him!

I am taking the adult class after Jackson's class, and I have to say...it's pretty intense! I am the only woman in the class, so of course I had to prove myself and "earn my respect" from the other guys. Before the class started, I went to the restroom to change out of my dress, and when I came out, one of the guys said to me, "Oh...for a minute there I thought you were changing for the adult class.", to which I replied that I did. Then, the guy laughs at me! I asked him why he thought that was funny, and he says to me, "(still with the smirky-smile) Well, what made you decide to do Jiu-Jitsu? Have you done this before?" I furled my brow at him, and basically stared him down. I explained that, no, I have not done anything like this before, and that I suppose I decided to do jiu-jitsu for some of the same reasons he decided to join. (Cue staring match no. 2...)

Once I received my gi, I joined the guys who had already began their drills. We ran, galloped forwards and backwards, had to do flips (where you basically dive between your legs and flip over), and did this exercise the really works your lower abs...more than I have worked them in six years, lol! We also had to do this thing called a "caterpillar", which is where you begin in a push-up position and do a push-up, "jump" your feet to where your hands are, and then "walk your hands out" back to a push-up position and start over...and we had to to this the entire length of the practice area. I was tired before our lesson even began! Unfortunately (for me) I could not let on that I am out of shape because I was still trying to prove myself.

We learned how to get out of someones mounted guard, and put them in your guard, and also how to get out of a standing head-lock, and submit (or break one's arm out of their rotator cuff) them.

At the conclusion of our lesson, all of the students have to show the instructor what we have learned and receive our critiques. I am very happy to say that I was one of the few students in the class that did not have to re-do my maneuvers for the professor because I nailed it the first time! YEA FOR ME!!! After the class was over, the guys came up to me and introduced and congratulated me on my Job Well Done! That made me feel good!

Again, it's all pretty intense, but completely worth it to know that I am able to take care of myself (and Jackson, too!) if I should ever be put in that situation!

International Radio Talk Show...WOW!

I just wanted to let you all know that I will be appearing as a featured guest on Pageant Talk Radio, the pageant industry's leading live Internet talk radio show. The show will air live on Tuesday, September 16th, from 11:00 AM to Noon CST (Noon to 1:00 PM EST/9:00 AM to 10:00AM PST).

I'll be taking live questions, so if you'd like to dial-in to ask a question the number is 1-888-463-6748 for callers within the U.S., and international callers can dial 011-847-470-0937.
If you'd like to email a question for the show, just send it to info@PageantInterviewCoach.com with my name and "Pageant Talk Radio" in the subject line.

To listen to the show live, just go to www.PageantTalkRadio.com and click on the Listen Live red box in the upper right corner. To listen to a broadcast after it has aired, scroll down the Pageant Talk Radio show page to access previously aired episodes.

I'm excited about being a guest on the show and hope you'll be able to tune in or call-in with a question!