Look, look. Look at Abby. . .

A few years ago Mike's mom gave Anna some retro Dick and Jane books for her birthday. They are awesome!

Now Abby is reading them and is really enjoying her new found independence in reading. She calls them her "chapter books" because they have little chapters. The pictures are great, the words sometimes crack me up.

"Look, look Jane. Look up there." "Run Dick run!"

No one names their son Dick anymore. I wonder why not. . .

Fall

I love fall! I love, love, love it. I love crisp air, the leaves turning colors, and the excitement of college football games. I even enjoy raking up the leaves, crazy I know. On this particular day, my intent was to rake up the leaves and actually get them into the green waste bin. I knew my kids would want to play in them and I was prepared with my camera. They had so much fun

rolling,

jumping,
throwing and

burying each other in the leaves.

By the time they were done it was dark and cold. The leaves would have to wait until the next day to make it in the waste bin.

As a family we helped rake leave for some elderly (like 80's) neighbors who were both sick. The surprising thing was they told me how much they liked jumping and rolling in the leaves, too. They said that just a few years ago they gently lowered themselves down in their leaf pile and had a good roll (or maybe just a sit) in it.
Oh, those youthful souls!

It made me think I need to be jumping into a few leaf piles myself!

Happy Fall!

What is going on?!

Yet another post without pictures, but I am just disturbed by everything that is happening in California!

The misinformation the media is putting out against the LDS church is awful and fueling some of the protesters and other events against the church. Some LDS leaders have had threats on their lives, and they claim WE are not tolerant?! The LDS church is totally being singled out. We, like all the other citizens of California, exercised our right to vote!!! The opponents to Prop 8 are exercising their right to protest, but in some cases they have crossed the line. Using threats and spreading lies about The Churches involvement (they are saying the Church broke the law by contributing money or lobbying, "The Church" itself didn't donate any money, they asked the members to donate time or money out of their own free will and choice, some did and some didn't), and vandalizing church property.

Prop 8 was a proposition that had already passed, but was overturned by judges misusing their authority (judges are to interpret the law, not make new laws) and had passed again. Although it was close, it was clearly the voice of the majority of California. It passed the vote of the people twice.

I remember the same proposition being passed in Nevada. There was nothing like this going on! No protests, threats, or hateful redirect being spewed out against the Church. What's the deal?!

I actually have gay and lesbian friends (some are LDS) and family whom I love dearly and deeply respect. I think we have more in common than not. But I feel it a moral issue to define marriage as "one man and one woman." I totally recognize that may be offensive to some, but there is a place in this country to disagree and to vote your conscience and still be nice and love each other. It is possible to just agree that you don't agree on an issue, however personal it may be.

All of the inaccuracies about the Church and our doctrines are nothing new, but very offensive. And people believe it hook, line and sinker! I can't believe it. Please ASK a Mormon if you have questions about our stance and involvement in Prop 8, not turn to the media for answers! They used an ex-Mormon as an expert in Mormonism for one newspaper article. Please!! Couldn't they find a current Mormon to be an expert? But then that wouldn't give them enough controversial fuel, I guess.

Here is a link detailing some of the abuse and protests the church has been receiving:http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081110hate.html

And here is a link to the Church's official statements regarding the issue:
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/

Boy, I've had a lot to say about politics lately. I'll now step off my soap box.

8 Things and Gratitude

OK, I've been tagged by 2 different people on this "8 things" tag, so I thought I should do it. The "Gripes to Gratitude" tag is probably fitting for me since I've been griping A LOT about my computer that has a stupid virus! (stay tuned for my gratitude after the 8 Things. . .)

8 Favorite TV Shows (I don't really watch a lot of TV)

1. Biggest Loser
2. American Idol
3. HGTV (when I am at my mom's who has Dish)
4. I have to admit I did enjoy the Saturday Night Live Prime-time shows about the Elections
5. General Conference
6. Ummmm, that's all I have. . .I don't watch a lot of TV.
7.
8.



8 Things I did yesterday

1. ran on the treadmill
2. carpooled for the Kindergartners (it's my week :) )
3. went to Harmons
4. watched Biggest Loser with a bowl of ice cream that they are not allowed to have :) and was totally shocked by the ending!
5. watched my neighbor's daughter
6. Picked up Anna from school then after an early dinner took her to dance
7. talked to my mom on the phone
8. worked on this on-line class (Stories in Hand by Jessica Sprague, anyone else doing it?)


8 Things I look forward to

1. Getting Aaron out of diapers, he is totally NOT interested
2. being closer to my family
3. Thanksgiving
4. Christmas
5. Spring
6. another baby, not anytime soon
7. any kind of quality time with the fam or just with Mike
8. being totally healthy again, or just getting off half my meds for my thyroid (that would save me about $100 a month, terrible insurance!)


8 Favorite Restaurants

1. Training Table
2. Red Robin
3. Bajio
4. Macaroni Grill
5. Kneaders
6. Magleby's Fresh
7. Cheesecake Factory
8. Anything my mom or brother will make!


8 Things on my wishlist

1. To go to Disneyland again
2. Taking some Photog classes
3. Live closer to my family, including Jill :)
4. find some time to scrapbook again
5. more CUTE crafty or home decor things at Enrichment (San Destin Ward I miss you!)
6. To travel the world and see and photograph different people and cultures and hear the stories of their lives (kind of like National Geographic)
7. To raise good and righteous and compassionate children
8. To own a home again, so I can paint and landscape the way I want (the white walls and mauve chair-rail with wall paper is starting to drive me nuts!) although I am grateful for this house.


8 People to tag (Good Luck Ladies!)
1. Cali
2. Traci
3. Jamie M
4. Heather
5. Linde
6. Carol
7. Kimm
8. Amanda


OK, now the Gripes to Gratitude tag. The whole idea behind this tag is to take something you gripe about and instead of griping, find things about it to be thankful for. Others chose laundry, I am going to choose my computer with it's stupid virus and now my printer that is very hungry because it keeps chewing up my paper and then eating it! Printing anything these days is a nightmare.
So now I guess it's time for me to think grateful thoughts (give me a minute here. . .)

1. I am grateful for my computer and that it allows me to communicate so quickly with loved ones.
2. I am grateful that my mom who lives far away can see pics of her only grandchildren with just a click of the mouse.
3. I am grateful that I have access to any info I wish to acquire
4. I am grateful that I don't have to clutter up my house with magazines, because after I've read them I can throw them away and find all the articles again online (why do I pay for magazines?)
5. I certainly have gained more appreciation for those who know a lot about computers to fix them
6. I am grateful that when my printer is working I can print pictures from home
7. I am grateful that when it is working my printer prints things out pretty quickly
8. I am grateful that just because I have a computer and a printer means that I live in a country with many luxuries and have been fortunate enough to acquire them.
9. I am grateful for the country that I live in that allows me to say whatever I want on my computer.
10. I am grateful for spellcheck

Now, I tag anyone who wants to do this. It is kind of fun and therapeutic. I feel much better now. Thanks Danielle :)

Quote of the Week

"(As women) we are here to influence the world, not to be influenced by it."
Sheri L. Dew

Bugged. . .

Seriously! My computer has a virus! I can't pull up certain web pages, my email included! Posting pictures is hard because sometimes it will and sometimes I'll wait and wait and wait and then it won't upload them! Some blogs I can't pull up. . .it is so annoying. I guess it's time to take the computer in to the doctor!

A 3rd Choice Please. . .

Happy Election day! It is snowing outside today, and I feel just as cold inside. I don't really want either candidate to win! I fear for my wonderful country's future in the hands of either party for different reasons. I've heard people say they are voting for "the lesser of two evils." But on which issues? Abortion? Foreign Policy? The war? Bringing our Troops Home? Health Care? The Economy? I think depending on which issue you are focusing on, "the lesser evil" could be either one. I've also heard some are voting because of who they chose for a running mate. Did you know that really the VP is just there to step in if the Pres. dies and cast a deciding vote should there ever be a tie (which I'm not sure there ever has been)? The Pres does not have to take advise from the VP, so voting on the basis of the VP seems silly. The Pres may not even consult with him/her, they may have only chosen him/her to boost their polls during the election. Who knows.
I think I'd rather "write in" a name than vote for either one. I know people say that is throwing my vote away, but I look at it as making a statement. At least I'm not endorsing some one I cannot agree with, but I'm saying "I don't like either of you."

I will get off my soap box now. Go Vote your conscience. We'll see how it all plays out tonight.