Monopoly

I was cruising the internet tonight, or should I say surfing? I found that at http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/ you can vote on the next Monopoly game coming out this summer. Basically, Hasbro has picked 22 cities across the States, and for each city has chosen 3 famous landmarks. Each person can then go and vote for their favorite landmark, and the one with the most votes is the landmark that will be on the new Monopoly game. And yes, Seattle is one of the cities. Also, the city with the most votes will be the city that is located in the famous blue Boardwalk spot.

So, come on get out there and vote for something that is worthwhile. Let's see Seattle make it to the Boardwalk spot. Each individual can vote once a day from now until May 12th.

VOTE...YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Goodbye!

So two of my favorite shows were on tonight! Amazing Race http://www.amazingrace.com ...which I have watched religiously for every season except for season one, and American Idol http://www.americanidol.com. Both shows happen to be elimination of contestant shows. So tonight we say Goodbye to Fran and Barry (married couple of 40 years) on the Amazing Race and Kellie Pickler on American Idol. Quite honestly, I wasn't very fond of either, so it didn't break my heart to see them voted off or come in last.






Kellie Pickler







Fran and Barry

American Idol!

So I am an American Idol freak, as is my fellow blogger and friend Jessica Cagle. I know some of my friends could care less about American Idol (right Marcie?); however, this season has some great singers. There are six left, but after tonight only five will be with us.

Who do you think is going to be gone?


Paris Bennett





Taylor Hicks






Chris Daughtry






Katharine McPhee






Kelli Pickler






Elliott Yamin

More Pics!

This is my baby! Madalyne Ember Ramirez cute as always



Me and Grandpa Shorty and Grandma Pat at my uncle's wedding back in March

All about Mason!

Mason is my sister Shannon's youngest child. Between my sister and her husband Ernie they have six kids! Mason is your typical youngest child. He is 2 years old, he turns 3 in August. He talks alot know; however, listening to him over the phone it isn't always understandable. But I always understand when he says, "Rachie, I love you!"



Mason Cole Ramirez--Isn't he just adorable in this picture? I love him so much!



Mason and his mommy Shannon...Cheese!




What a beautiful smile


And beautiful eyes...he is going to break hearts someday.


This picture was taken a couple of years ago; however, I think it is a great picture of him!

Family Photos

I don't have my own digital camera so I rely on the mercy of others and CD's from Walmart Photo Processing to be able to post pictures to my blog. The one thing I love the most (besides God) is my family, so I thought I'd let you all see my precious family.


These are my precious Grandparents. Romayne (Shorty)and Patricia Knutson. They have been married 55 years and are such wonderful grandparents! I love them so much.



This is my nephew Joshua...age 15



This is my oldest nephew Brandon...who will be 16 in two months...watch out on the freeways!



This is my baby Maddy...she is 7 and she is the cutest Mexican girl I've ever known!

Me!

Weird People.....

....most of you know (and if you didn't, you do now!) that I work for KMPS Radio. We are out of Seattle and play country music. So my job is Promotional Assistant. Which basically means that I go to events in and around Puget Sound and hang out at our booth talking with people that come up, hand out stickers, and get them to enter whatever contest we are having. I have been working with KMPS for four years now; however, when I hired on no one told me about the people that come up to talk with you!

IF THIS IS YOU.....I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE!!!!

There are some totally weird individuals that go to events and talk to me about nothing for 15, 20 even 30, 40 minutes. Do these people not have a life? Do they think it is cool to visit a radio booth and talk to an individual that isn't even a DJ for more than 10 minutes? And the things they talk about!?! Good gravy...I don't want to hear about your dog! I don't want to hear about the Jerry Springer episode that your family is going through! I don't want to hear about how you know this artist or that artist! (I know more than you, so let's not count!) I don't want to know that you met your spouse through KMPS, when KMPS thought it was a good idea to have a "Dating Service" of somekind.

I want to have normal conversations. Like Hi, where are you from? Are you having fun tonight? Answer a few questions about who sings what song, when is this person coming in concert, when is this CD out, and other normal entertainment gossip. If we've really hit it off, then maybe we'll chat for 15 minutes; however, after that...please move on to the next event! The only people that should be hanging around me for more than 15 minutes are those people that I actually know. My family! My church family members! The Graver boys who visit me every year at the fair (love them!). People that I grew up with (maybe).

Do you get the point? Do I make myself clear? I just had to say something because I was working by myself tonight and the same guy came up to my booth 3 times. The first time he was there about 20 minutes...mind you he was enticed into a conversation he didn't want with the garbage pick up guy about cars (I tuned them out at one point), BUT he came back!!!! And was this guy with other people? Nope, he was walking around the fair by himself (which I don't have a problem with as I do lots of activities by myself). Was he cute? Of course not! He was your typical redneck guy with grungy cowboy clothes on and in need of a dentist. Please don't get me wrong, I am not looking for perfection in the people who come up and talk to me, but couldn't I get someone who was somewhat cute and that I could possibly daydream about once he walked his cute little wrangler butt away from my booth? Is that too much to ask for?

Anyway.....if you feel the need to come and talk with me at the Puyallup Spring Fair, I'll be there Friday night, Saturday night and all day Sunday. We are set up by the extrem scream. I won't be hard to miss....I'll be the one talking while my eyes are glazed over and I have this "please help me" look on my face!

MC Puyallup Foursquare

MC Puyallup Foursquare

Our Masters Commission at Puyallup Foursquare is very fortunate to have Mr. Roderick Graciano come each year and teach a module for our first year students. He is an awesome man of God and the students love what he teaches. I constantly hear great comments about him, and more importantly that he is making the Bible more interesting to learn about.

Thank you Mr. Graciano for spending Tuesday mornings with our students, you are greatly appreciated!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 24th Birthday to my baby sister Camille Rose! Her special day this year falls on Easter Sunday. I just want to wish her a Happy Birthday and pray God's blessing over for the next year.

I remember the day that she was born, I was seven years old and my other sister Shannon was six. We spent the day at the hospital waiting in this room (instead of going to school), and we were totally bored. We didn't have adults in the room with us all the time...so we sat and twiddled our thumbs. Occassionally, one of my Mom's girlfriends would come in and see if we were doing ok and see if we needed to eat or such. Finally, my Dad came in to tell us we had a new sister and that we could take a quick peak at her as they wheeled her past our little room. We anxiously went out to see what all the fuss was about, and immediately I thought, "Now why would Mom and Dad want to keep something that was so bloody, red and ugly?" I wasn't a very nice big sister, was I? However, over the years she has grown into a very beautiful young lady, and I am glad that she is my sister.


My best story about my sister though is how she became known in our family as the "Gypsy Princess". Growing up I constantly told my sister that she was adopted from the gypsies and that her parents didn't want her, and so my parents bought her for a penny. I told this story to her over and over and over....and my other sister helped foster this notion of adoption. She would cry and cry because she was bought for a penny, and then we would get in trouble for telling her such stories. As we grew up, the stories came farther and farther apart. However, at family events and such I would always tell the younger kids to go up to Camille and say, "Hi Gypsy Princess!" She would then come storming over looking ready to kill. Needless to say, everyone knows her as the Gypsy Princess. The funny thing though is that I am truly adopted and my heritage is actually one that would support a Gypsy background (I am Slovakian). However, my sister never truly say the humor in it, yet she is nice enough to answer to Gypsy Princess to this day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GYPSY PRINCESS!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Happy Easter!

I hope that everyone who reads this, has a wonderful Easter Sunday! Enjoy all the chocolate goodies that the Easter Bunny brings you. And more importantly, remember to find all your hidden eggs so that your house doesn't begin to smell!!!

I won money!!!!!

So 102.9 FM, Q Country (go here to check out their website http://www.qcountry1029.com), out of the Olympia area is doing a song of the day contest right now. Sometime during the day they will play a certain song, and whoever is the 102nd caller wins $500!

And guess who won today? ME!!!! Rachel Ann McAskill won $500 dinero this afternoon. You don't know how excited I was when the guy answered the phone.

So I knew the song was going to play sometime in the 2 o'clock hour, so I got in my car at 2pm to run errands. I headed up to the South Hill Library and got there at 2:15pm. I hadn't heard the song yet, so I decided I would sit and listen until 2:30. Well....at 2:28pm the song came on and I started dialing (by the way, most of the radio stations are on my cell phone pre-dial)...it started ringing, the guy said caller number 58! Schucks....so I dialed a few more times, decided to get out and continue dialing while I went inside the library. I headed into the library and towards the restroom...I really had to go! So as I am still dialing while walking into the restroom (yes, I know, I know) I head into a stall and start unbuttoning; however, the phone actually starts ringing so I button back up and head right out the bathroom door. It was ringing and ringing and ringing...to the point that I almost hung up...but no, I've learned to hang on until someone comes on and tells you that they've already gotten a winner. So this guys comes on asks me my name, what town I'm from and how old I am, and I'm thinking you better not be chatting just to chat but to tell me I won. And WHOO--HOO!!!!!! YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!! I WON $500!

I had to drive into Seattle today to sign the paperwork, and then the check will be mailed to me sometime in the next month. And check this out....most radio stations have a "win once every 30 days" deal; however, this station doesn't sooooo....I can try to win again and again....which is especially great news since the contest just started yesterday and is running for 3 more weeks.

Now I wonder if I can get through again????!!!!????........

Hello

Hello all....just thought I'd pop in and give a shout out to y'all. And to give you an update on life (if you are interested)!

Never heard back from the job interview that I had down in Tacoma, but that's all right, God obviously has other things in mind for me. Let me encourage anyone who reads this when they are facing a new situation (like job interviews)...I pray the same prayer everytime I go into an interview, "Father, if it is your will for me to have this job then open the doors wide and make it obvious that this is the place for me to be. If you don't desire for me to be here then slam the doors shut and do not let me be discouraged about shut doors."

I did have an interview today with the Sumner School District about adding their district to my Emergency Substitute Certification, and I am a new sub within the Sumner School System. I have to drive to Olympia tomorrow and get my certificate updated so that I can attend an orientation on Thursday and then I am eligible for subbing on Monday! This is great for me because I now have two school districts that I can sub in so that means more eligibility to work and I love Sumner (as it is where I grew up and went to school). Plus they are really shorthanded at the highschool, and that is my favorite place to sub!

So now my dilemma is...do I do one more year of just subbing and working for KMPS during the summer along with other side jobs to get through the summer? Or do I move to Cali???? I thought God said to say in WA through the summer of 2007, so maybe I just need to hang tight and see what happens in the next couple of months. God has been taking care of me financially, which is a total blessing, so....we'll see!

As a side note...I went through training last week for this job that I was doing temporarily and when I was sitting there totally bored out of my gourd I realized that I can come up with over 20 words just from my last name: McAskill

So if you are really bored, see how many words you can come up with! :)

Have a totally blessed day! If any of you are planning on going to the Puyallup Spring Fair sometime between April 20--23 stop by the KMPS booth and say HI to me!!!!!

Interview Update

So I had my interview on Friday. I think it went well. I was interviewed by 6 people (principal, vice principal and counselors) so that i wasn't expecting. They said they would let the candidates know sometime this week. So until then, I just wait.

I do have a five week contract grading WASL tests though, so that is good.

I will let you all know if I get the job or not.

Job Interview

If you read this today, Friday March 24th please pray for me. I have a job interview at 2:15pm for an office position at a middle school in Tacoma. Please pray that I do what God wants me to do, and not what I want to do. I'm still struggling with whether to move to CA or stay here. So if God wants me to move, then I believe he'll just shut the door on this interview. And I believe if He wants me to stay he'll open the door wide.

UGH...I hate interviews!

I will post later tonight how it went. Thank you all my prayer warrior friends.

PBR....

....the toughest sport on dirt!

I'm not much of a sports watcher. I don't get into football, basketball, and baseball; however, you bring around the boys of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and my eyes light up like its Christmastime. So most of you are thinking...she's just watching because the cowboys are cute and they look good in their wranglers. Well yes, that is one reason I watch :) However, I truly love the sport of bull riding. It is fascinating to me how a man can get up on a mean nasty looking tough bull week after week and ride for eight seconds. The get dumped on their heads, knocked off on their keisters, and who knows what else happens...yet they dust themselves off and away they go again. Our family has been watching bull riding since I was a little kid, going to local rodeos to watch one of my uncles ride. It's in my blood!

Working for KMPS I get tickets into events that we are working at, so we were set up at the Tacoma Dome on Sunday for the PBR. We sat in the "Built Ford Tough Tailgate Section". Which means that we were directly down from the shoots (where the riders come out) with a clear view of all that was happening. We had great comfortable stadium type seats. AWESOME! The cool thing about watching the rides on Sunday is that you get to watch the final round of 15 riders that were the best from Saturday and Sunday...so about 3 hours of bull riding.



This is Sean Willingham who beat everyone to take home all the money yesterday.



This is Jody Newberry who took second.

The way the PBR works though is by a points system, so even though these two came in first and second the top spot in the Ford Series is Adriano Moraes, a bull rider from Brazil, who is absolutely amazing.

The best part? As we were leaving ALL the boys were walking around signing autographs, and since we were already down on the concourse where they were walking I just stayed right were I was and got an autograph from every single rider who came out. It was cool. If you have never watched the PBR, check out the OLN (Outdoor Life Network) station and check it out.

Congratulations to the Burns Family

Welcome to the world Guenevere Grace Burns, born to friends Chris and Jenni Burns this morning at 7:02 am. What a beautiful name they have picked for such a beautiful gift from God! Congratulations goes out to the whole family, and I pray many blessings on Guenevere and guidance and protection throughout her life.







This is a family picture of the Burns with their two little boys. I'm sure if you link to the Burns (located in my friends section on the right) they will have pictures of Guenevere Grace soon.

Disney Cruise!

I'm so excited, I'm so excited....

I am headed to Port Canaveral, Florida in July to join up with my best friend Susana and her family for a vacation on the Disney Cruise Ship, Disney Wonder. We leave July 9th and return the 13th. We will be visiting Nassau, Bahamas and Disney's Castaway Bay. We will be seeing lots of Disney theatre presentations, swimming in the Mickey pool, and eating 24/7!

Whoo Hooo! Now, I just got to figure out how I'm getting to Florida!!!!

Attitude!

So, I was required by the State of WA to attend a mandatory class to explain unemployment benefits and to encourage you in your search for a new job/career. I was supposed to take this class in February; however, with my trip to Asia I had to put it off for a month.

I have to admit, I went in with a terrible attitude. Thinking, "WHY??" I know how to job search, I know about unemployment benefits, I didn't like the lady who answered the phone and tried to help...the list goes on. So instead of being encouraged on how to search for a job, I left knowing that I needed to search my heart concerning my attitude towards the whole thing.

I am not above others. I have nothing more than those that are in the same boat as me with unemployment. Why do I think myself above these menial classes? Is it pride? Ouch! What I do have is Jesus Christ living in my heart, but was He evident today? Probably not and for that I do ask forgiveness.

My faith level has increased since being unemployed, as I am relying solely on God and his provision in my life. However, my attitude sometimes needs a little adjusting. Just as people go to a Chiropractor for regular adjustments, I find I need to go daily before the throne for my attitude adjustment. Thank you Jesus that I am mature enough to recognize the bad attitudes and snottiness that can come forth, and thank you that you forgive me and show me how to move on and which road to take.

I am still praying for open doors and direction during this time in my life. At my current "Y" in life, do I go to the left or go to the right? What is down each path waiting for me at the end? Have I hesiatated too long at the Y? Did God nudge me one direction, and I just didn't pay attention? Thank God, He is there at the Y making sure I make the right decision. And you know what? Even if I didn't make the perfect decision, I serve a God that can make that lesser decision the best for me life. What an awesome God. I firmly believe that the direction to take is coming soon.

Thanks for listening, or should I say reading.

Project Runway Winner

Ok....Marcie do not read any further if you haven't watched the finale of Project Runway!

So the three had their final runway show at Olympus Fashion Week last night! Debra Messing from Will and Grace was the celebrity judge...she is so cute! The collections were absolutely fabulous...ok, maybe Santino's wasn't fabulous. He decided to play it safe and didn't show much "Santino" in his work, which meant he was asked to leave the runway.

My favorite of course was Daniel's! Did you see the white coat he made...fantastic. The thing I liked about his collection was that it was so versatile. There were coats, pants, evening gowns, etc...a little something for everyone. Alas...my fav didn't win....but he was offered a job by Michael Kors...impressive.

...so that means Chloe took home the Project Runway Title. She did excellent work. She focused mainly on evening gowns, as she said that it was her fantasy to create evening gowns. I liked most of them, but not all of them.

Congratulation Chloe on a job well done!

So...just a quick note to ask, "Why do we have SNOW falling on March 9th?????" It is looking like a blizzard at my house, what's up with that?