Storytime and LOVE!

This week I decided to take Cameron to the library for storytime and also to find some new books to read! Cameron was very excited about storytime and really wanted to know who was reading the story. So we sat down with the other 5 kids and their mom's and then entered "Miss Molly"! As soon as she sat down and introduced herself, Cameron felt the need to get up and stand right next to her and say "Hi Miss Molly, my name is Cameron!" She acknowledged him and then used the moment to let the rest of the kids introduce themselves to her. After she met all the kids, they sat in a circle, and Miss Molly started reading a story about an owl who was lost. The kids were all sitting politely listening...at which point Cameron...stands up again and says "I think the owl is saying 'I want my mommy!' Sometimes I miss my mommy, but my mommy is right there so I'm not scared of the library!" "Oh I'm glad you're not scared Cameron" Miss Molly says as she continues reading. At this point I just feel like cracking up because I've never seen Cameron so animated in front of people before...but I keep my cool and just hope he doesn't stand up and interrupt again. Miss Molly finished the first story and picked up the second...at which point...AGAIN...Cameron stood up and walked over to Miss Molly to tell her "I'm SOOOO happy you're here Miss Molly. You're my teacher and I am so happy!!!" Keep in mind...he's totally jumping up and down because he's so happy! After a couple of more stories and Cameron's "Sometimes at my grandmas house..." interruptions, it's time to leave. We got in the car to go home, and the boy started crying. A really quiet, sad, passionate cry. I asked him what was wrong...and well..yes...his next words were, and I quote "I miss Miss Molly sooo much, mom. She is sooo sweet. She's going to miss me so much." I told him that she will probably miss him and that we'll definitely go back and visit during story time next week. We went to a different library today for story time, but when Cameron didn't see Miss Molly he decided we should "go back home".

So we'll be patiently waiting for next Wednesday's story time at the El Cajon library. And I'm going to try my best to keep Cameron's mind off how much he misses his "teacher".

Just an FYI - I don't at all wonder where he got this crazy sudden passion for Miss Molly. My mom or anyone who knew me in high school would tell you that I always had pretty intense love for my teachers!!...from elementary school all the way through high school...I did my best to make my teachers know how much I valued them! It's actually really cool to identify that trait in Cameron. I can already sense his passion for people, and as over dramatic he can be, I really hope he keeps that characteristic as he gets older!


The AMAZING Miss Molly...yes camping socks over leggings and all!

La Mesa Train Depot

As we begin the season of Fall, my family is adjusting to a new season of life! Steve started working on the night crew at Albertsons about a month ago. He goes into work at 10PM at gets home at 7AM. Although it is nice to know he's making money while I'm sleeping, the mornings have been kind of complicated. By the time Steve gets home, he's ready for bed. He needs to sleep early because he also works during the day and early evenings at Journey. So when I hear my front door open at 7AM, the boys and I need to be up, dressed and ready to get out of the house. There's no way Steve could get any sleep with us in the house, so...almost every morning, I pack the kids in the car, and just kind of sit there until I figure out what to do. Sometimes it's nice enough outside at 7AM to go to the park...but sometimes it's too wet and cold still. I try to do things that don't cost money...sometimes that's hard.

This morning when Steve got home, I rushed out the door with Cameron. Riley isn't feeling great, so he stayed with daddy for a nap in his crib. I took Cameron to Cosmos, because I really needed coffee, and then we decided to walk up and down La Mesa BLVD. We walked by some neat antique shops and saw disney characters, we walked over the trolley tracks, walked by Camerons favorite hang out, The Yogurt Mill, and then headed back to the car. On our stroll back to the car, we saw that cool old La Mesa Train Depot...you know...it's the one you always pass by when you're on Spring Street. Well...Cameron LOVES trains...like...A LOT! So...since we had time to kill, we stopped by and checked it out. I never realized how much history there is...just a few blocks from my house. After taking a few pictures, Cameron and I came home to find some info on the La Mesa Train Depot. It was very interesting. Here are some really cool facts:

The La Mesa Depot Museum is La Mesa, California's oldest building in its original form and is the sole surviving San Diego and Cuyamaca Railway Station in existence. The building you see today on the corner of Spring Street and La Mesa Boulevard in downtown La Mesa has an colorful history.

In 1885 the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroads extended service to San Diego. At that time, the locomotives burned coal and access to the wharf to load coal from ships was critical. The section of the San Diego and Cuyamaca Eastern Railway extending through La Mesa Springs was originally planned to join with the Santa Fe or Southern Pacific Railroads at Needles, but, due to the mountainous terrain, never got past Foster, just east of Lakeside. Transportation past that point to Julian was accomplished via stagecoach, at a price thirteen times that of railway travel.

It was in 1888 that the railway came to La Mesa Springs and in 1894 the original station in La Mesa was constructed, its first name being the Allison Station. In 1915, the small original building was moved across the tracks and expanded to its current size.

The railway served the residents of the area in a variety of ways and the station was truly the center of town to its people. The City of La Mesa and its environs certainly would not have progressed as far or as quickly without the help of the trains. Students used to commute to San Diego High School for their classes, the alternative being a one-hour ride in a buggy. The many lemon farmers appreciated and took advantage of both their proximity to a railroad and their access to the flume for irrigation. The flume had been constructed in 1887 and brought water down from Cuyamaca Lake.

In 1928, passenger service stopped on this section of the what was, by then, a branch line of the San Diego and Arizona Railway. Freight service continued, though several floods and the construction of Gillespie Field for air travel had shortened the end of the working line back to El Cajon by 1943. In 1954 Spring Street was widened and the La Mesa Depot building was sold to the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce for one dollar, to be used as part of a "western town." The city of Lakeside never used it, and shortly thereafter a woman by the name of Flossie Beadle purchased it and ran an antique store and museum out of the building. After she passed away, the structure was used as a worm farm and chicken coop over the years and fell into disrepair.

In 1974, the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association located and purchased the remains of the building, again for one dollar. In 1980-1981 the building was returned to its original site and, using money from a federal grant, was restored to its 1915 condition. Preservation was truly a labor of love for volunteers of the San Diego Railroad Museum, with help from members of the La Mesa Historical Society.

Today the Railroad Museum owns and maintains the building, and the City of La Mesa owns and maintains the grounds and land beneath it. The public is admitted free to the La Mesa Depot Museum for tours on weekend afternoons. Visitors can inspect the steam locomotive and string of freight cars on the nearby track and pass through the ticket/waiting area and view the telegrapher's station and a small exhibit area in the baggage room. This building and its past are a fascinating look at a bit of small-town railroading from yesteryear and its importance to the community it served.


Me and Cameron had a great time exploring this morning. Hopefully we can find something equally as fun and educational tomorrow!

TREVOR HOFFMAN

IS REALLY TERRIBLE.

GET HIM OUT OF SAN DIEGO! SOMEONE PLEASE!!!

Things are looking brighter!

Tonight marks the first night of a lighter, more jubilant season of life! The Office. For anyone who watches the Emmy award winning show, you know what I'm talking about. I seriously haven't laughed as hard as I did tonight since the finally of season 3. If you haven't watched it yet, rent the first season and watch it all the way through. You will be blessed! I guarantee it!

Here are some of my favorite quotes from tonight's season premiere:

Michael Scott: Ladies and gentlemen, I have some bad news. Meredith was hit by a car. It happened this morning in the parking lot. I took her to the hospital and the doctors tried to save her.. life.. they did the best that they could.... and she is going to be OK.
Stanley: What is wrong with you? Why did you have to phrase it like that?
Oscar: So she's really going to be fine?
Michael Scott: Yes, she has a slight pelvical fracture, but people have survived far worse.
Pam: Thank God you were there.
Michael Scott: I know.
Andy Bernard: Did you see who did it?
Dwight Schrute: No need. We can just check the security tapes.
Michael Scott: Kind of good news bad news there. I was able to be on the scene so quickly because I was in the car that hit her.
Jim Halpert: Who was driving?
[Michael pauses and is speechless]
Pam: Oh Michael.

Michael Scott: Well, I ran down Meredith in my car.
Ryan Howard: Ohhhh, did you do this on purpose?
Michael Scott: No, I was being negligent, but she's in the hospital, she's fine, recovering nicely, tiny little crack in her pelvis, but she will be up in...
Ryan Howard: Did this happen on company property?
Michael Scott: Yes. It was on company property with company property. So, double jeopardy. We are fine.
Ryan Howard: I don't think you understand how jeopardy works.
Michael Scott: Oh, right. I'm sorry. What is "we're fine"?

Michael Scott: Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh I don't know... I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I'll hit somebody with my car. So sue me. No, don't sue me... that's the opposite of the point I'm trying to make.

Michael Scott: You know what they say in the Bible about forgiveness. Forgiveness is next to Godliness.

Michael Scott: Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked. But it's not like this compulsive need to be liked. Like my need to be praised.
Michael Scott: Why I'm taking responsibility, and it is up to me to get rid of the curse that hit Meredith with my car. I'm not superstitious, but I am a little sitious.

Michael Scott: Is there a God? If not, what are all these churches for? And who is Jesus' dad?

There are a TON more quotes worth memorizing from this episode! Check em out...HERE!
Thank You Lord for the next 13 weeks of The Office!

Now THAT'S Ghetto!

As you know, from Riley's Journey, My friend, Cat and I were in LA yesterday. After Riley's appointment, it was getting close to his bedtime, so instead of sitting down at a restaurant we decided to find the nearest drive through. So...we ended up at a Kentucky Fried Chicken really close to the freeway. We ordered our $2.99 meal deals and pulled up to the window. Upon arriving at the window, we see this:
If you can't figure it out, this is a picture of a steel box encasing a sheet of bulletproof glass. Fully equipped with a speaker box.

I'm not really sure what to do at this point. I look at Cat and we're both kind of confused and starting too look around kind of nervously. A man approaches the window and through the speaker box, I hear my total: "$7.19 please". I didn't know where to put it right away because I didn't want my 10 dollar bill to fly off of the tray. So I looked at the man, held out my money and he motioned for me to put it down on the tray...so I put it on the tray, and as he turned his little contraption around to take the money, my immediate instinct reaction was to put both my hands in the air so that the man knew I wasn't concealing any weapons. I looked at Cat, and she put her hands up too...just in case! Seconds later we saw this:
Our food and the change of course.

We SLOWLY drove away avoiding any quick movements. Then we decided to roll up our windows and lock the doors until we were completely out of the area!

A STEEL CASED BULLET PROOF DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW...
now THAT'S ghetto!

Happy Birthday Cameron Lee!!

The night before Cameron's birthday this year, I held him and told him about how at "this time" three years ago, mommy was crying in her bed because she was soooo excited and happy that her son, Cameron Lee Faiai would come in to the world the next day. I didn't tell him that I was also crying because I was SCARED TO DEATH about the day to come...labor, giving birth, the responsibility of caring for a baby for the next big chunk of my life!

I still really can't believe that day was 3 YEARS AGO! This boy has really changed my life forever. I don't think I could have asked for a sweeter son!

We didn't have a huge party for Cameron this year. We knew that he'd be just as happy with a few new toys, cake, and us telling him he was the birthday boy all day! He soaked it ALL in!

We spent some time with family, and went to the park with a couple of Cameron's friends. Here are some pictures that highlight Cameron's special day.

All in Baby!

Today marks the first day of Steve's new 64 hour work week. He just got another job at Albertsons working with the night crew from 10pm-6am four days a week. He's actually really pumped and excited about this job. He LOVES meeting new people more than anyone I know and he just thrives working in an environment where he can tune the world out and just bust butt stocking merchandise while sweating his brains out! I can already guess that he'll come home tomorrow morning with new fantasy football league friends, small group bible study additions, and some kind of hook up at a restaurant nearby. I'm not kidding. He will.

As hard as it is not being able to see him as much as I'd like, I'm so proud of my husband. I don't think any other person in the WORLD could care about me and the boys as much as he does.

If you think about it, please pray that God would continue to give Steve strength. Also for rest between jobs. Thanks!