This one rocks and is great for heartburn!! Copy and paste the link below! Xoxo
http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/24/my-favourite-homemade-almond-milk-step-by-step-photos/
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Home made Almond Milk
I realize I am posting more about nutrition than I am my pregnancy... More will come once I get moved to Utah on friday. For now, enjoy the recipes.
This one rocks and is great for heartburn!! Copy and paste the link below! Xoxo
http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/24/my-favourite-homemade-almond-milk-step-by-step-photos/
This one rocks and is great for heartburn!! Copy and paste the link below! Xoxo
http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/24/my-favourite-homemade-almond-milk-step-by-step-photos/
Friday, February 21, 2014
Sally and Josh Cook Fundraiser
Please help if you can, even $1 goes a long way to helping a family in serious need. This is my sister Sally and her Husband. Please click the link to read the situation. Please share this page to spread the word, thank you so much
http://www.gofundme.com/71yj98
My brother-in-law Josh Cook was crushed by a 2000lb pole that fell off of a forklift while at his job on February 19, 2014 and was life flighted to Utah Valley Regional Hospital. The pole crushed the right side of his body, his right foot had surgery because the arteries were completely severed and the surgery was unsuccessful, the dead muscle tissue is causing toxicity to his kidneys and he is scheduled for an amputation of his foot and possibly his leg in the morning (Feb. 21). He is also having reconstructive surgery on his right hip, he suffered multiple compound fractures in his right leg, a neck injury, shoulder injury, nerve damage, numb right hand, severe internal bleeding and head trauma. Your prayers are much appreciated at this time as he is still in very critical condition.
Josh was the sole provider for his family, him and his wife have three young children and now they are needing help since he will not be able to return to work. They are still waiting to find out any details about workers compensation, and he has a very high deductible on his medical insurance and must go through several surgeries. Please, if you can donate anything to this cause. I am her younger Sister Hope McCurdy and very worried about this family, please contact me for any questions through gofundme, facebook or aerialempowerment@gmail.com thank you.(which you can also send paypal payments/donations to this email and I will get the money transferred to Sally Cook. Thank you so much for your support. <3
http://www.gofundme.com/71yj98
My brother-in-law Josh Cook was crushed by a 2000lb pole that fell off of a forklift while at his job on February 19, 2014 and was life flighted to Utah Valley Regional Hospital. The pole crushed the right side of his body, his right foot had surgery because the arteries were completely severed and the surgery was unsuccessful, the dead muscle tissue is causing toxicity to his kidneys and he is scheduled for an amputation of his foot and possibly his leg in the morning (Feb. 21). He is also having reconstructive surgery on his right hip, he suffered multiple compound fractures in his right leg, a neck injury, shoulder injury, nerve damage, numb right hand, severe internal bleeding and head trauma. Your prayers are much appreciated at this time as he is still in very critical condition.
Josh was the sole provider for his family, him and his wife have three young children and now they are needing help since he will not be able to return to work. They are still waiting to find out any details about workers compensation, and he has a very high deductible on his medical insurance and must go through several surgeries. Please, if you can donate anything to this cause. I am her younger Sister Hope McCurdy and very worried about this family, please contact me for any questions through gofundme, facebook or aerialempowerment@gmail.com thank you.(which you can also send paypal payments/donations to this email and I will get the money transferred to Sally Cook. Thank you so much for your support. <3
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Real Vitamin Water
Still drinking SODA, DIET SODA, VITAMIN WATER, PROPEL AND OTHER DRINKS WITH ARTIFICIAL COLORS, FLAVORS AND SWEETENERS?????
TRY THESE INSTEAD!!!
Infused waters. Here are their benefits to help with detoxification energy and hydration. Put as much fruit in water as you like and let the water sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking.
1. Green tea, mint, lime -fat burning, digestion, headaches, congestion and breath freshener.
2. Strawberry, kiwi -cardiovascular health, immune system protection, blood sugar regulation, digestion.
3. Cucumber, lime, lemon - water weight management, bloating, appetite control, hydration, digestion
4. Lemon, lime, orange - digestion vitamin C, immune defense, heartburn, (Drink this one at room temperature)
Infused waters. Here are their benefits to help with detoxification energy and hydration. Put as much fruit in water as you like and let the water sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking.
1. Green tea, mint, lime -fat burning, digestion, headaches, congestion and breath freshener.
2. Strawberry, kiwi -cardiovascular health, immune system protection, blood sugar regulation, digestion.
3. Cucumber, lime, lemon - water weight management, bloating, appetite control, hydration, digestion
4. Lemon, lime, orange - digestion vitamin C, immune defense, heartburn, (Drink this one at room temperature)
The Website
I am such a happy HTML Nerd... I figured out how to create quick navigation buttons on my website so I just spent the last hour writing in the coding! HAPPY NERD MOMENT!! I have had a passion for HTML since I was 14 but now it's coming back! The website is still a little messy but I figure the more I study the better it will come together!
http://aerialempowerment.com/aerial-store.html
http://aerialempowerment.com/aerial-store.html
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Arroz Imperial (Imperial Rice)
We have a cuban couple as our neighbors here in Las Vegas that Roilan has been helping out. The woman made a cuban dish called Arroz Imperial (Imperial Rice) and invited us over my god it was yummy... I found a recipe. I will try to cook it in a few weeks (but exchange a few ingredients for some healthier alternatives) but I sure enjoyed it tonight. I will miss them when we move to Utah two weeks from now but we'll keep in touch. My husband is Cuban so this brought back memories. I need to learn to cook more Cuban food, so good! Plus to expose our Cuban American baby to his culture in the future.
Cuban Imperial Rice recipe - Receta de Arroz Imperial Cuban imperial rice
Arroz Imperial is not served in Cuban homes as often as arroz con pollo, yet it's still a popular meal. It's not clear exactly when and where this casserole originated in Cuba, but it's unique in that cooks typically add a layer of mayo on top after removing it from the oven.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup rice
1 can (4 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup green peas
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Dash of salt
Dash of red pepper
Instructions:
Add enough water to a large pot so that the chicken breasts will be covered. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Wash the chicken breasts and cut them in half before the water boils. Reduce the heat the low, then add chicken and garlic and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Remove chicken, and save the broth in the pot. Shred the chicken into large chunks using two forks, then set aside.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over low heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion, saute until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and chicken, bringing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add peas, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Mix in a dash of salt and red pepper, remove from heat and set aside.
Add a cup of rice to the chicken broth mixture, and one teaspoon of ground annatto seed or achiote paste for color. Cover pot and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice absorbs most of the broth. Remove from heat and stir the mayonnaise into the cooked rice until it is mixed well.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread half of your rice mixture on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add a layer of shredded chicken on top of the rice. Add the remaining rice mixture to the top of the chicken, pressing down with a spatula to make everything firm and level. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top of the last layer. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, remove before cheese starts to brown.
Optional: Add a thin layer of mayo to the top layer of rice after removing from oven. It may sound unusual, but it's a very popular way for Cubans to enjoy this dish. This recipe serves 8-10.
Cuban Imperial Rice recipe - Receta de Arroz Imperial Cuban imperial rice
Arroz Imperial is not served in Cuban homes as often as arroz con pollo, yet it's still a popular meal. It's not clear exactly when and where this casserole originated in Cuba, but it's unique in that cooks typically add a layer of mayo on top after removing it from the oven.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup rice
1 can (4 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup green peas
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Dash of salt
Dash of red pepper
Instructions:
Add enough water to a large pot so that the chicken breasts will be covered. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Wash the chicken breasts and cut them in half before the water boils. Reduce the heat the low, then add chicken and garlic and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Remove chicken, and save the broth in the pot. Shred the chicken into large chunks using two forks, then set aside.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over low heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion, saute until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and chicken, bringing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add peas, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Mix in a dash of salt and red pepper, remove from heat and set aside.
Add a cup of rice to the chicken broth mixture, and one teaspoon of ground annatto seed or achiote paste for color. Cover pot and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice absorbs most of the broth. Remove from heat and stir the mayonnaise into the cooked rice until it is mixed well.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread half of your rice mixture on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add a layer of shredded chicken on top of the rice. Add the remaining rice mixture to the top of the chicken, pressing down with a spatula to make everything firm and level. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top of the last layer. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, remove before cheese starts to brown.
Optional: Add a thin layer of mayo to the top layer of rice after removing from oven. It may sound unusual, but it's a very popular way for Cubans to enjoy this dish. This recipe serves 8-10.
ZUCCHINI FETTUCCINE
This recipe looks absolutely awesome and I want to try it! Instead of using pasta noodles you can make pasta out of Zucchini using a spiraled! Check out the details here: http://www.insonnetskitchen.com/how-to-make-zucchini-fettuccine/
After you make your noodles you can make the pasta :-)
"Zucchini, chopped tomatoes, oranges (chunks), and a "spinach-cilantro-parsley-dried basil-garlic pesto sauce."
After you make your noodles you can make the pasta :-)
"Zucchini, chopped tomatoes, oranges (chunks), and a "spinach-cilantro-parsley-dried basil-garlic pesto sauce."
19 Weeks Pregnant and still Fit and Flexible
I am now 19 weeks pregnant and still trying to stay in shape. :-)
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Salad in a Jar
Not only does SALAD IN A JAR save space in your fridge, it also reduces food waste and gets non-salad eaters to mow down daily. THE ARRANGEMENT From BOTTOM to TOP: Dressing Shredded carrots Cherry tomatoes Sunflower seeds Hard boiled eggs Baby spinach DIRECTIONS 1) Arrange ingredients in a large mason jar 2) Store in fridge for up to a week 3) When ready to eat: shake jar, place on a plate, and eat! You can make any arrangement you want… you can add red onion, cucumbers, radishes or peppers. Always remember to put the dressing at the bottom and the lettuce at the top—a MUST. As long as the dressing does not touch the greens this will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Food Dye the Colors to DIE for
I'm to the point where I don't particularly want to eat anything that I didn't prepare myself... I hate reading through ingredients only to find some crazy name for something that I can't pronounce and to discover that the food is artificially dyed!! I bought Olives, I looked at several canned brands and ALL of them had artificial coloring and color preservatives... I looked up the particular ingredients and found that those ingredients are hazardous long term. I found one brand of olives that didn't have the fake dye or color preservative (only consisted of olives, water, and sea salt) and yes the olives were a brownish color and had a shorter shelf life but they tasted the same as the perfectly black ones that are packed full of chemicals... I am buying olives and don't expect to have more than 6 ingredients in one can of Olives!!
I checked out some tortillas that claimed to be more healthy and also spinach tortillas only to discover that Yellow #6 and Blue #1 were ingredients and spinach was not... Check out this chart to see what these colors can potentially do to you when eaten.... YEESH!
Source: Special-Education-Degree.net
I checked out some tortillas that claimed to be more healthy and also spinach tortillas only to discover that Yellow #6 and Blue #1 were ingredients and spinach was not... Check out this chart to see what these colors can potentially do to you when eaten.... YEESH!
Source: Special-Education-Degree.net
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Pregnancy and Nutrition
I think the number one question I have been asked during my pregnancy thus far is “Do you get food cravings?” and I always hear some crazy story about some woman who craved tree bark or licked the ants off the sidewalk..
I have not had any unusual cravings really. The most difficult food time was in my first trimester when my stomach constantly felt like I had a tight rubber band wrapped around it combined with the feeling that I had drank too much coffee and was constantly floating. I didn’t really want to eat anything except for carbs and eggs and then I kept throwing up and I hated life and hated being pregnant.
Then my husband made me a salad one fine morning when I was hungry and crying that food made me too sick and he put apple cider vinegar on top of it for a dressing and it made my stomach feel sooooo good that I began drinking a couple of tablespoons of applecider vinegar mixed in cold water every time my stomach got really crazy and it made life more bearable and overall cured my morning sickness.
The only other cravings i really got was for spicey brown mustard which I put on a lot of my foods, and I also craved lamb curry, almond butter with green apples and cheerios (which i picked up the Trader Joes version with dehydrated fruits.)
At my first checkup, they drew my blood and informed me that I was probably the most healthy pregnant woman they had ever seen and that my nutrition levels were very high and that my baby has the perfect home for growing sufficiently. Everyone has encouraged me to cut loose and eat crazy now that i’m pregnant because it’s the only time that I can eat without guilt but I still prefer my health nut tendencies.
If I crave ice cream I just make a fruit smoothie instead or I suck on frozen fruits... I try to drink a green smoothie every morning when I wake up consisting of kale, spinach, apples, pears, carrots, and whatever fruit or vegetable I feel like blending for the day, and I have tried to up my protein intake and limit simple carbs.
I have gained 20lbs in the 17 weeks but I accept that some of that is baby, amniotic fluid, placenta, other things and the fact my hormones are completely out of whack and my body has gone into fat storage mode. I really don’t worry about it as long as my baby is getting what he needs but I refuse to give up my fit lifestyle so I still make time to workout and attend the gym. I do know that once the baby is out, I will get back on track… I did it before and I can do it again.
There are two types of cravings, irrational cravings where you just crave the taste or texture of something, preferably something that is tasty and not very good for you, and then there are rational cravings. These are when you crave something because your body needs the nutrients. Like maybe you’re craving chocolate but you really just need magnesium as an example.
When pregnant women get cravings for non food items it is generally a sign or severe nutrient deficiency, (the condition is called pica) if they want to eat the grass and the dirt on the ground, they probably need some iron or folic acid or something necessary is missing from their diet and the baby needs it.
I do feel as a pregnant woman that smoothies are a great food idea for early mornings as the vegetables I juice in my blender not only satisfy my hunger but it also helps my stomach set a good PH balance for the day and gives me more energy than if I were to eat greasy bread, bacon and cheese. Plus the fiber in the smoothies help prevent that pregnancy constipation that you read about in the books, I am fortunate for my diet that I haven't had to experience that first hand. It’s just always good to listen to your body and take it seriously. I am eating approximately 6 small meals a day so that I never really get hungry. Even when you are not expecting, your body can only absorb so many nutrients at a time. Most people eat huge ungodly proportions, even if it is healthy food, your body can’t use all of the nutrients and some go to waste/fat storage. Here is an example of my average eating in a day whether i’m pregnant or not, and keep in mind you don't have to eat for two, the pregnant woman only needs 300 extra calories per day...
Meal 1: Smoothie (Kale, Spinach, Apple, Carrots, Cucumber, whatever I feel like throwing in there)
Meal 2: Oatmeal with cinnamon, cashiews, dried fruits and a boiled egg for protein
Meal 3: Salmon/Chicken/Turkey/Lamb with Veggie Side or a salad
Meal 4: Fruit and nuts (or apple&banana with almond butter)
Meal 5: Beans and Rice/Quinoa mixed with veggies
Meal 6: Usually another salad to keep my stomach light at night (romaine, kale and spinach mixed with sliced hardboiled eggs, diced chicken/fish/turkey/lamb with tomatoes, onions, olives, corn, nuts, green peppers etc mixed in with a vinegar dressing or ranch)
I don’t eat this menu every day but it is just an example and most of my portion sizes fit on a small plate vs a full sized plate. And most importantly DRINK YOUR WATER! It is so important. When I am not pregnant I drink a ton of iced tea that I brew throughout the day, I had to give up the tea during this time due to inconclusive studies as to whether or not tea is harmful to the baby... I do drink a few caffiene free ones that my midwife cleared for me called Organic Pregnancy Tea, Roobios Tea, and Mint Tea but I am not too fond of the flavor. I really miss my green tea, chai, early grey, fruit teas and other collections but I can wait. I also get a weird variety of foods from my husband since he came from a 3rd world county… I've eaten Chicken hearts (which I like), Gizzard, which I am not too fond of the chewy texture. He made liver the other day which tastes like beef marinated in soap. Malanga (cuban potato type starchy root) Mamey Zapote (a fruit that looks like a pink avocado and tastes like pumpkin and sweet potato had a delicious love child) So it is kinda hard to be nutrient deprived when i eat so many weird things.
Here is a photo of a Mamey, they are very good. I need to find where to buy them in Utah, you can make an amazing milk shake out of them just with your blender and some milk (or milk alternative)
I have not had any unusual cravings really. The most difficult food time was in my first trimester when my stomach constantly felt like I had a tight rubber band wrapped around it combined with the feeling that I had drank too much coffee and was constantly floating. I didn’t really want to eat anything except for carbs and eggs and then I kept throwing up and I hated life and hated being pregnant.
Then my husband made me a salad one fine morning when I was hungry and crying that food made me too sick and he put apple cider vinegar on top of it for a dressing and it made my stomach feel sooooo good that I began drinking a couple of tablespoons of applecider vinegar mixed in cold water every time my stomach got really crazy and it made life more bearable and overall cured my morning sickness.
The only other cravings i really got was for spicey brown mustard which I put on a lot of my foods, and I also craved lamb curry, almond butter with green apples and cheerios (which i picked up the Trader Joes version with dehydrated fruits.)
At my first checkup, they drew my blood and informed me that I was probably the most healthy pregnant woman they had ever seen and that my nutrition levels were very high and that my baby has the perfect home for growing sufficiently. Everyone has encouraged me to cut loose and eat crazy now that i’m pregnant because it’s the only time that I can eat without guilt but I still prefer my health nut tendencies.
If I crave ice cream I just make a fruit smoothie instead or I suck on frozen fruits... I try to drink a green smoothie every morning when I wake up consisting of kale, spinach, apples, pears, carrots, and whatever fruit or vegetable I feel like blending for the day, and I have tried to up my protein intake and limit simple carbs.
I have gained 20lbs in the 17 weeks but I accept that some of that is baby, amniotic fluid, placenta, other things and the fact my hormones are completely out of whack and my body has gone into fat storage mode. I really don’t worry about it as long as my baby is getting what he needs but I refuse to give up my fit lifestyle so I still make time to workout and attend the gym. I do know that once the baby is out, I will get back on track… I did it before and I can do it again.
There are two types of cravings, irrational cravings where you just crave the taste or texture of something, preferably something that is tasty and not very good for you, and then there are rational cravings. These are when you crave something because your body needs the nutrients. Like maybe you’re craving chocolate but you really just need magnesium as an example.
When pregnant women get cravings for non food items it is generally a sign or severe nutrient deficiency, (the condition is called pica) if they want to eat the grass and the dirt on the ground, they probably need some iron or folic acid or something necessary is missing from their diet and the baby needs it.
I do feel as a pregnant woman that smoothies are a great food idea for early mornings as the vegetables I juice in my blender not only satisfy my hunger but it also helps my stomach set a good PH balance for the day and gives me more energy than if I were to eat greasy bread, bacon and cheese. Plus the fiber in the smoothies help prevent that pregnancy constipation that you read about in the books, I am fortunate for my diet that I haven't had to experience that first hand. It’s just always good to listen to your body and take it seriously. I am eating approximately 6 small meals a day so that I never really get hungry. Even when you are not expecting, your body can only absorb so many nutrients at a time. Most people eat huge ungodly proportions, even if it is healthy food, your body can’t use all of the nutrients and some go to waste/fat storage. Here is an example of my average eating in a day whether i’m pregnant or not, and keep in mind you don't have to eat for two, the pregnant woman only needs 300 extra calories per day...
Meal 1: Smoothie (Kale, Spinach, Apple, Carrots, Cucumber, whatever I feel like throwing in there)
Meal 2: Oatmeal with cinnamon, cashiews, dried fruits and a boiled egg for protein
Meal 3: Salmon/Chicken/Turkey/Lamb with Veggie Side or a salad
Meal 4: Fruit and nuts (or apple&banana with almond butter)
Meal 5: Beans and Rice/Quinoa mixed with veggies
Meal 6: Usually another salad to keep my stomach light at night (romaine, kale and spinach mixed with sliced hardboiled eggs, diced chicken/fish/turkey/lamb with tomatoes, onions, olives, corn, nuts, green peppers etc mixed in with a vinegar dressing or ranch)
I don’t eat this menu every day but it is just an example and most of my portion sizes fit on a small plate vs a full sized plate. And most importantly DRINK YOUR WATER! It is so important. When I am not pregnant I drink a ton of iced tea that I brew throughout the day, I had to give up the tea during this time due to inconclusive studies as to whether or not tea is harmful to the baby... I do drink a few caffiene free ones that my midwife cleared for me called Organic Pregnancy Tea, Roobios Tea, and Mint Tea but I am not too fond of the flavor. I really miss my green tea, chai, early grey, fruit teas and other collections but I can wait. I also get a weird variety of foods from my husband since he came from a 3rd world county… I've eaten Chicken hearts (which I like), Gizzard, which I am not too fond of the chewy texture. He made liver the other day which tastes like beef marinated in soap. Malanga (cuban potato type starchy root) Mamey Zapote (a fruit that looks like a pink avocado and tastes like pumpkin and sweet potato had a delicious love child) So it is kinda hard to be nutrient deprived when i eat so many weird things.
Here is a photo of a Mamey, they are very good. I need to find where to buy them in Utah, you can make an amazing milk shake out of them just with your blender and some milk (or milk alternative)
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Madness at the DMV
I promise I didn't make this blog to vent anger and frustration but this was an instance that I wanted to share. Anger in pregnancy is not good, normally I am not a very angry person but when i'm pregnant it makes me more primal with bloodshed on my mind… So i'll tell a story of what happened recently. My husband has only been in the USA for two years now, and when we first met he didn't speak hardly any English. We met in May 2012 in Brigham City Utah and since I had very little knowledge of Spanish, we communicated primarily though Google Translate.
Within 4 months of being with me he was speaking basic enough english to get by and by 6 months we are having full conversations in english. I was stoked, he learned fast and I have been so proud of him. He has an accent that I understand and many other American's don't though so I have been working to clean up his pronunciation. My husband finally naturalized in the USA and received his green card in December of this last year (2013) so now he is legal to get a drivers license.
Since we have been living in Nevada for work he has been just working to get it here before we return to Utah and then he can exchange it for a Utah License. Nevada offers the written exam in Spanish after all. He passed easily and has been driving me everywhere with his permit. I feel he has done a good job and i feel that he is ready so I have been pushing him to take the driving skill test to get his actual license before we move out of here in March. When we went to LA last week, he drove the whole way, his only struggle is changing lanes and gauging distance of cars and blind spots.
We had to wait over a week for an appointment available at the Sahara DMV in Las Vegas, so we booked it. When we got there Roilan was hearing all sorts of complaints by the mexicans in spanish saying how that DMV is really strict and how one guy got failed for going slightly under 25MPH in a residential road, or how someone failed for having their blinker on for too long before changing lanes... I told Roilan not to listen and to just have his own experience, listen to the teacher and don’t rush anything.
So I sit down and Roilan goes with the teacher and I am VERY confident that he would pass... Less than two minutes Roilan comes back and says the teacher said he was finished and failed and he had no idea why. I asked the teacher what happened and he screamed at me that Roilan was in the car and the teacher was checking the lights behind the car and Roilan started reversing so the teacher failed him instantly...
I asked Roilan “Why on earth did you reverse” and he says “The guy told me to Back up, so i did.” the instructor was yelling that that was a lie and that my husband is hopeless... As we were walking out the door, I am totally confused and Roilan asks me “Hope, what exactly does Backle Up mean?” I stopped in my tracks, Roilan continued “I honestly thought he shouted at me to Back up, but since he is Chinese I figured he just threw the L in the word because Chinese do that, even in spanish...” I turned around and went marching back in the door.
And I went up to the guy and I said “Hey, listen, you said a word that he didn’t understand, I have never told him to “Buckle Up” I only say “Put on your seat belt” my husband honestly thought you were telling him to Back Up. The guy tells me my husband is stupid and should learn english and I fight back and say “He knows english you ignorant ape, Buckle up is a slang, one in which he DID NOT KNOW, how about you use PROPER ENGLISH especially since you deal with so many immigrants here.” The man and I went at it for a while and I called him a racist because of how rude he was being... Finally a different female worker told me to leave before security was called and I finally gave up... after saying to her “Your lazy worker didn’t even give my husband a chance, he failed him because he didn’t understand an english slang used by the instructor and not because of his driving skills, all i want is for him to be given a fair chance, if he fails while driving I will stop complaining but we had an appointment and you didn’t even take him out!” She asked me if I wanted to set up another appointment and I replied “We HAVE an Appointment right now!” and she says “Sorry he failed...”
I finally gave up... What could I do? I had no idea. And I cried, much to Roilan’s frustration but the situation really upset me... I have never dealt with as many assholes in my life as I have met here in Vegas and San Diego.... Utah always felt so safe to me because I really rarely met assholes. Roilan and i really have some shit luck with a lot of people. I always want to believe humans are inherently good but they learn bad but lately I just want to push people out and keep them out after quite a few instances we’ve been through recently... I guess the good thing that came out of this situation is Roilan’s english vocabulary expanded by one slang term of “Buckle Up.” We have booked another test at the Henderson Location for Tuesday since the wait for the Sahara location was over 2 weeks for next availability as well as we have heard nothing but good things about the Henderson location… I hope it's true and that Roilan can just get a fair shot to pass or fail without prejudice, impatience, or screaming chinese men… I have a headache!
Within 4 months of being with me he was speaking basic enough english to get by and by 6 months we are having full conversations in english. I was stoked, he learned fast and I have been so proud of him. He has an accent that I understand and many other American's don't though so I have been working to clean up his pronunciation. My husband finally naturalized in the USA and received his green card in December of this last year (2013) so now he is legal to get a drivers license.
Since we have been living in Nevada for work he has been just working to get it here before we return to Utah and then he can exchange it for a Utah License. Nevada offers the written exam in Spanish after all. He passed easily and has been driving me everywhere with his permit. I feel he has done a good job and i feel that he is ready so I have been pushing him to take the driving skill test to get his actual license before we move out of here in March. When we went to LA last week, he drove the whole way, his only struggle is changing lanes and gauging distance of cars and blind spots.
We had to wait over a week for an appointment available at the Sahara DMV in Las Vegas, so we booked it. When we got there Roilan was hearing all sorts of complaints by the mexicans in spanish saying how that DMV is really strict and how one guy got failed for going slightly under 25MPH in a residential road, or how someone failed for having their blinker on for too long before changing lanes... I told Roilan not to listen and to just have his own experience, listen to the teacher and don’t rush anything.
So I sit down and Roilan goes with the teacher and I am VERY confident that he would pass... Less than two minutes Roilan comes back and says the teacher said he was finished and failed and he had no idea why. I asked the teacher what happened and he screamed at me that Roilan was in the car and the teacher was checking the lights behind the car and Roilan started reversing so the teacher failed him instantly...
I asked Roilan “Why on earth did you reverse” and he says “The guy told me to Back up, so i did.” the instructor was yelling that that was a lie and that my husband is hopeless... As we were walking out the door, I am totally confused and Roilan asks me “Hope, what exactly does Backle Up mean?” I stopped in my tracks, Roilan continued “I honestly thought he shouted at me to Back up, but since he is Chinese I figured he just threw the L in the word because Chinese do that, even in spanish...” I turned around and went marching back in the door.
And I went up to the guy and I said “Hey, listen, you said a word that he didn’t understand, I have never told him to “Buckle Up” I only say “Put on your seat belt” my husband honestly thought you were telling him to Back Up. The guy tells me my husband is stupid and should learn english and I fight back and say “He knows english you ignorant ape, Buckle up is a slang, one in which he DID NOT KNOW, how about you use PROPER ENGLISH especially since you deal with so many immigrants here.” The man and I went at it for a while and I called him a racist because of how rude he was being... Finally a different female worker told me to leave before security was called and I finally gave up... after saying to her “Your lazy worker didn’t even give my husband a chance, he failed him because he didn’t understand an english slang used by the instructor and not because of his driving skills, all i want is for him to be given a fair chance, if he fails while driving I will stop complaining but we had an appointment and you didn’t even take him out!” She asked me if I wanted to set up another appointment and I replied “We HAVE an Appointment right now!” and she says “Sorry he failed...”
I finally gave up... What could I do? I had no idea. And I cried, much to Roilan’s frustration but the situation really upset me... I have never dealt with as many assholes in my life as I have met here in Vegas and San Diego.... Utah always felt so safe to me because I really rarely met assholes. Roilan and i really have some shit luck with a lot of people. I always want to believe humans are inherently good but they learn bad but lately I just want to push people out and keep them out after quite a few instances we’ve been through recently... I guess the good thing that came out of this situation is Roilan’s english vocabulary expanded by one slang term of “Buckle Up.” We have booked another test at the Henderson Location for Tuesday since the wait for the Sahara location was over 2 weeks for next availability as well as we have heard nothing but good things about the Henderson location… I hope it's true and that Roilan can just get a fair shot to pass or fail without prejudice, impatience, or screaming chinese men… I have a headache!
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