Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas decorations!

It's official

All the gifts are wrapped, the kids are out of school, the cookie dough is made and the Christmas music ready! CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!

I've decided that I haven't had enough "moments" yet this season so I am going to do my best to spend some great, "moment inducing" time with my husband and children.

Everyone have a great pre-Christmas weekend. Deck your halls with Jingle Bells because Santa Clause is Coming to town. I hope you have an O Holy Night and that all is calm, all is bright. Stay bundled up because Baby It's Cold Outside and know that I wish you a Merry Christmas.

GFC 10

Here's a new GFC. The challenge this time is to Listen! So often we are preoccupied with our own thoughts that we fail to truly hear what others are saying. Take time to concentrate on the conversations you have this week. It's a great time to practice with family around and special feelings being discussed. One suggestion, take some time to hone your skills with music or radio broadcasts. Have you really listened to the meaning of the words or are they just background noise? I'd love to hear about your Christmas experiences.

Happy Listening!

From the Mouths of Babes

Here are some great vocabulary words from my four year old!

Eat-pies: Magpies
Stink-a-buff: Buffalo
Door waver: windshield wipers
Dumpo: hippopotamus
Air Goggles: binoculars

These are just the ones I could recall quickly. He's a sweet, funny little boy.

'Tis the Season

List of things to do today:

Finish scrap book pages
Put glaze on Chocolate Cheesecake Peppermint Bars for church party
Wrap gifts
Find a store somewhere within a 10 mile radius that still has celophane bags
Put together neighbor gifts
Deliver day 3 of the 12 days of Christmas
Make more chocolate cheesecake peppermint bars for cookie exchange next week


This day may not be possible

Learning alot

I have to admit, since Mitt Romney has begun running for President, I've learned a lot about what other faiths think about Mormonism. I am surprised by how strongly some people feel against what I believe. I've always known that some find Mormonism questionable but I didn't realize that so many people truly feel that I and others of my faith are going to hell. After Mr. Odonnell's little outburst the other day I've been very uncomfortable with how my faith is perceived. I've thought quite a bit about how I feel living a religion that is considered evil and really, hated by many. First of all, I don't like anyone to have negative feelings about me. I want to be liked by everyone. Watching Lawrence Odonnell refer so heatedly to Mormonism as a racist, sexist, evil faith I really felt, for the first time in my life, personally hated. It's a very uncomfortable feeling.

However, as I cleaned my kitchen yesterday and worked on various projects I had some interesting thoughts.

I know all too well the blessings of God in my life and to deny that relationship would be wrong. I know that my relationship with God is what it is because of the doctrine of the LDS church. I'm grateful for the belief that I am a daughter of God and that I can return to live with Him someday. And even more so, I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can live with my children and my husband after this life is over, that those relationships continue even after death. I don't fault others for believing differently. I have no quarrel with those devout followers of other faiths or those who choose no faith at all. I can't make what I believe okay for anyone else but I sincerely hope that if nothing else, the people who live in this country can learn to respect each other for devotion to good things.

Which Reindeer are you?

Here's a fun little holiday diversion. Click on the link below to see which reindeer you are!! Here is my result. Right On!

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Singin'

I had the great opportunity to attend a Messiah sing-in last night. I read a book about Handel and his experience creating the Orotorio and I was grateful to have the chance to participate in the performance of such a profound piece of art. Considering it took Fredrick Handel three weeks to compose the massive Messiah I am nothing short of amazed at the beauty and profundity of it.

I was moved to tears during the chorus "Worthy is the lamb that was slain". I do not know anyone who could not appreciate the moment either spiritually or musically as you hear the soaring sopranos joined in syncopated movement with the altos, tenors and bases as they end the peice with NINE pages of amens.

Of course, it is also thrilling to know as you join with hundreds of voices to translate the Hallelujah chorus from written music to audible sound that you are a part of something that has been performed by thousands, if not millions, of people for over a hundred years.

My heart soared with gratitude and excitement as I sang "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." It was a moment of pure worship and praise.

What a great way to spend a Christmas season evening.

Liked the speech

I read the transcript of Mitt's speech and found it very well done. It caused me to want to be more aware of others.

Mitt Romney:

"Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forebears took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion. But upon finding it for themselves, they at first denied it to others. Because of their diverse beliefs, Ann Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, Roger Williams founded Rhode Island, and two centuries later, Brigham Young set out for the West. Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this, they were very much like those of the European nations they had left."

Tolerance?

Okay, Mitt Romney will give his big speech tomorrow which I'm sure will be met with mixed reviews. Do I think that he will be able to assuage people's fears of a Mormon president, no. (For the record, I'm an Obama girl.)
I think it's funny that so many people think they are well informed about Mormons. There is more to the religion than the Osmonds and Steve Young. Yeah, I know that there are huge differences in the ideology of the LDS church and other Christian sects but that's Okay. We're not murdering people, we're not enslaving people heck, we're not even supposed to swear at people. We believe in basic human rights and moral government. In fact, we believe in being subject to government. How scary can we really be?

Folks, religious intolerance is alive and well and unfortunately, this applies to some Mormons as well.

Frustrating.

From whence comfort comes

It seems that in times of prosperity and wealth signs of comfort go unnoticed and unwanted. I find it interesting that in times of trial and discomfort we grasp at anything for comfort and peace. It is difficult to learn the happy medium of finding peace in the blessings we already have. For this Christmas season I hope that we all can take comfort in the good things already in our lives.

Economic downturn

Is anyone else feeling a little fear about our economy? I think I've read five articles in the last few weeks about what may or may not lie ahead. Seems like America's credit habit has us headed for rehab.

Catch of the day!

Did some Sturgeon fishing in the great northwest this week. Here's a look at what a "keeper" is in the Willamette River.

Let the party begin

We just arrived at my parents house this afternoon and I have big plans for this week. I'm an going to do whatever my little family wants and enjoy every moment. Here's hoping everyone has a great Turkey Day!

Too Old?

Had my yearly exam today. It was a strange experience. My doctor (I've never been to him before, he was very nice and easy to talk with) asked me if there was anything I had questions about. I told him I was tired of dealing with acne at the age of 34. He told me that was common and made some suggestions. Then the conversation changed to menopause. (Lovely)

What a funny stage of life: 34 with mild acne staring down the barrel of menopause. I have to say, I felt my age for the first time in my life. But in contrast, I've never been more comfortable with myself and who I am and how I look. I think that's the trade off, you get older but smarter!

GFC 9

In the spirit of Thanksgiving here is this new GFC. Say Thank you! You can do it however you want. It can be making sure you verbally say thank you whenever you can, writing a letter, sending a gift. Just get creative. Our family is making a poster to put on the garbage can to thank the garbage man. Think of those people who may go without recognition for hard jobs. We've got the whole month so go crazy! And, thanks for reading.

Dim Committment?

My husband surprised me by putting up the Christmas lights last Saturday. (he's standing behind me telling me to add "a major feat of husbandry"). He told be he wanted to show me how much he loved me. He topped that by taking me on a date. When we returned home I saw the display of his handy work as we had left the lights on accidentally. Here's what I saw:


Should I question his commitment?

Election day!!

I love election day! I believe Americans act more like Americans today than on the Fourth of July. Happy voting!

No Vouchers

Anyone living in Utah, please vote no on Referendum 1. I know there has been a big push by a major machine in the voucher war but this is really not a good idea. I'll write what I tell everyone, it's not that I'm against the idea of a voucher but this program is full of flaws and questions. Yes, we need to change the educational system in our state but adding a third tier to an already thin system is not a good answer. For unbiased, third party research on the subject go to uepc.ed.utah.edu. It's a great source of emotion free knowledge.

Don't forget to vote!!

It's beginning to look alot like....

My friend and I completed this little project for the PTA gingerbread festival. It only took 5 1/2 hours.

Copy Cat

My daughter likes to wear her brother's Sponge Bob underwear over her diaper while she carries her other brother's Harry Potter wand and says "fy,fy" (stupify spell). But that's only when she's not using the "force" by putting her hand up like a stop sign and pushing it towards you making a "shhh" sound. (Picture Obi Wan pushing someone away using the force). There will be no evil-doer she cannot vanquish.

What's in a Name?

If your town is anything like mine you have a bumper crop of political signs on each street corner. To be honest, one seems the same as any other and since I am not motivated by the sign to vote for the candidate, I pretty much dismiss them all. However,I thought this candidate made the most of it:

"Michael Whimpey: A Strong Voice for Our Community."


Go Whimpey!!

Save Darfur

I just finished watching the trailer for "Darfur Now", a docudrama coming out next month. While I realize that this is an emotionally charged snippet I can't help but ask myself why are we fighting a questionable war in a country that hates us when we could be fighting to save lives in a country that needs us?

How did politics get in the way of people helping other people? Really, isn't that what it comes down to? It's not the US conquering/saving Iraq/Sudan it should be the people on this continent with so much to give helping people on another continent with so little to hope for.

Yes, I'm an idealistic optimist. Someone's gotta be.

Homework Sucks!

I had a friend of mine, a teacher, jokingly tell me that she believed more cases of abuse happened during homework time than any other. Now that I have a ten year old who is struggling in math I wonder if that could be a real statistic. The thing is, I don't think it's the children being abused. Seriously, I have never been told I'm wrong, rude or just not helping more times than I have been in the past few months. I have developed the skin of an alligator when it comes to insults and I have to say, I am developing the patience of Job. So, for all those children out there who hate homework and feel miserable doing it, you're not alone! Your parents feel your pain.

More thoughts..

Here are some more thoughts I've had since my last post. (You need to read the last entry or this won't make sense)

Equality doesn't mean being the same. There is a big difference between being equal and being the same. Rather than being "color blind" Why can't we appreciate each other for the color that we are? It's ok that she's white and it's ok that he's black or brown or purple for crying out loud.

Equality doesn't mean letting people do whatever they want. I think this is potentially a whole other discussion. We can save this for later.

Ooh, I really would love for people to respond. This could be a great discussion.

Trying to understand

Ok, folks! I'm jumping in with both feet on this one.

My older children and I are reading "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry". When we first started it, I was extremely anxious. After all, the "N" word is used several times. I have been so happy to find that this book has led to some fantastic discussions and some serious thought. We have talked about the "N" word and what it means (every time I read it I want to gag.) My oldest, who is ten understands the point of the book best. I was moved during our reading last night by the passage in chapter six when Mama is talking with Cassie after her encounter with rampant racists in a nearby town. Cassie is upset that someone would think they are better because they are white:

"Ah shoot! White ain't nothin'"

Mama's grip did not lessen. "It is something, Cassie. White is something just like black is something. Everybody born on this earth is something and nobody, no matter what color, is better than anybody else."

"... Baby, we have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here. And I pray to God you'll make the best of yours." (pp 127,129)


Why is it that after so many years we still don't get that? There are a lot of things I am confused about regarding black people just as I am sure there are many things others are confused about regarding Mormons. Mostly my confusion stems from fear of offending. I will admit, when I see a black person, I am more consumed with not offending this person than actually attempting to be friendly. I'm not scared of black Americans, I am scared of offending them. As a white woman from a predominantly white area, I don't know what to say/do. All I have for reference is the media (yeah, I know) and books. It's hard to sift through it all to determine what's accurate. There is a part of me that is terrified by posting this entry and yet I am sincere in my thoughts.

Will we ever figure this out? I truly think the big question when all is said and done will be: Did we learn to love each other?

At a crossroads

I read an article about a woman being saved from an oncoming train by a police officer. The interview included a blow by blow from the hero officer. As I got further into the report I realized that the woman who was saved was really very silly. The officer, in his patrol car on break, watched from across the intersection as this lady's car intentionally stopped on the tracks. According to the owner of the car, she was lost in an unfamiliar city and had stopped to figure out where she was. Her first mistake: stopping on railroad tracks. After a minute, the officer, knowing that the Amtrak passenger train came through at about that time of night, approached the women in the car. It took him several attempts to persuade her to exit her vehicle. According to him, she was not fully aware of the danger she was in. Her second mistake: not listening to the police officer.

Only moments later, the Amtrak train barreled into her abandoned vehicle pushing it down the tracks causing it to burst into flames. A few of the passengers were treated with oxygen after breathing in the gas fumes from the explosion and all the passengers were delayed five and half hours waiting for another engine.

It's a good thing someone was thinking clearly that night. A little common sense could have avoided the situation all together. Sheesh!

Very Thankful

As I was putting my house to bed tonight I had a moment to sit and appreciate my home. It's not the most ornate or even the cleanest but I found myself feeling truly grateful for it. I am going to take a moment tonight to sit and sip some hot cider, lean back in a comfy chair and take it all in. Here's hoping that you have a moment to yourself to appreciate what is good in your life.

Check out my Slide Show!

Here's a recap of summer!

close shave

Here's a photo from our jaunt in the mountains. Can you find the problem with the second picture?

Fall Break

Yesterday was our first day of fall break. I'm ready to pull my hair out. The volume level in my house is off the charts. I think we are going to do a photo hike later, after baby's nap. I'll see if I can post some of our photos.

I'm a fan!!

I got to go cheer my sister on in the Portland, Oregon marathon this weekend. I was supposed to walk it with her but totally chickened out. I have to say that I had a much better time cheering on the participants.

We downloaded several fun songs from ITunes for the event: Eye of the Tiger, The Rocky Theme, Superman Theme, Walking on Sunshine and a few more. We got a hold of a bull horn and portable CD player and stood on the side of the road playing the songs on the CD player through the bull horn. You could hear the music a block away. It was awesome! At the beginning it was fun to get everyone pumped up. Everyone was all smiles and filled with excitement. Mile 7 was much the same. At about mile 19 you could see the fatigue and that's when the cheering became more than fun. It truly felt like a responsibility. My sister would pass and we would continue to play music for the people who followed. We stood for 2 hours in one spot to make sure we got everyone. At mile 26 we truly felt honored to play "We are the Champions" and cheer them on the homeward stretch. I didn't walk the marathon but I was so glad I went to cheer. I've realized I don't want to walk a marathon but I think I could be the world's greatest fan.

Kudos to my sister for finishing her second marathon!! Way to go!!

Thought for the day

A lazy mom is one who does everything for her children.

Bait and Switch

Any mother who has purchased a Disney DVD will know exactly what I'm getting at with this post. I have a bone to pick with the folks at Disney home entertainment. I would like to say to the far-reaching, ever-manipulating Disney machine: "stop putting a trailer for every movie ever made by Disney on the preview section of each DVD"! And by the way, that "Fast Play" option is nothing more than a bait and switch. There is nothing fast about fast play. In fact, it's the "scenic" way to the "feature entertainment". Here's a little news flash, the people who are putting your DVDs into the player are BUSY MOMS!! we're tired of having to "select the main menu" before we select the movie. I would estimate that I've wasted a good week of my life standing in front of the TV waiting for the movie to load. Trust me, you have enough of a PR machine to not need the endless previews before each movie. All you're doing is ticking me off!

Inspiring

I've taken a liking to the show "Kid Nation". I know that it's taken some heat in the press of late and that many people are upset that there are kids alone in the desert trying to survive without adults. I have to say that I am so impressed with the children on this show. Thus far they have conducted themselves with amazing intelligence and have accomplished things I didn't believe children of those ages could. I think it's an excellent study in allowing our children to be themselves. As parents I think we forget that it's okay for kids to have hard times and to feel disappointment. In fact, it's necessary. I don't think that as parents we trust our children enough. They seem to be smarter and more capable than we give them credit for.

On the flip side, these children are who they are because they have been taught well by their parents. I guess that's all we can do as parents, teach them what they need to know and then trust that they will use it. I think Kid Nation is an excellent metaphor for life.

I feel great excitement anticipating what kind of adults these children will grow up to be.

Fairy Tales are for Girls

I came across the movie "Cinderella" on ITunes yesterday and bought it for my daughter. I was excited to see it again after so many years and I thought maybe my little girl would enjoy it. After it downloaded I forgot about it for a while and was surprised when my three sons had it on. I could hear their banter from the kitchen. Here are some of their thoughts about the movie:
"Why does she like him,he's ugly."
"That dress is lots better than the one the mice made"
"Oh watch out, she's turning back" (into the maid)
(when the step mother is locking her in her room): "lock her up, lock her up."
(when they kissed) "that's stupid"

I found myself laughing at the view point my sons had versus the one I had of the same movie at the same age.

Boys will be boys.

GFC 8

Here is the newest Good Force Challenge: Pray for someone else. It can be for anyone or anything it just can't be about you. Consider praying for your neighbor, your family members, the leaders of your community or country. Pray for those who are sick or afraid. Pray for those who are abused or harmed at the hand of others. Pray for global awareness or simply for inner peace. If you are uncomfortable praying, meditate. Take a moment to connect spiritually with the world around you and ask for it's protection and direction. Faith is perhaps the greatest force for good.

Reality TV

I was reminded today of the power of a child's imagination. After watching the opening sequence of "Spongebob Square Pants" my four year old son asked me how Spongebob played his nose like a flute. I told him I didn't know and he said, "he must be magic". I chuckled as I went on with my day but I realized that to my son, Spongebob is a living thing. And not only a living entity but also one who has the ability to create music from his nostrils. I feel like there are so many messages to parents today that we should correct our children, teach them the difference between reality and illusion at all times. I know that my son cannot go about his life believing in the actuality of Spongebob, Santa and the Easter Bunny but for today I am happy to know that he just believes.

Life Changing

I am currently reading a book called "Kitchen Table Wisdom" by Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen and it is by far the most profound book I have read in my life. It's a New York Times best seller and I can see why. She does not explore human weakness, she explains it and gives me hope to make my weakness strength (something I believe is the purpose of life anyway). Her writing has opened my heart to better understand myself and my faith and allowing my Heavenly Father to guide me. I am deeply moved by her ability to so beautifully express in writing her wise observations of the human soul. Every page is filled with some wonderful story of change and growth and I have been overwhelmed at the ultimate simplicity of healing. I'll leave you with a passage I read last night.

"Perhaps we are no longer a kind people. More and more, we seem to have become numb to the suffering of others and ashamed of our own suffering. Yet suffering is one of the universal conditions of being alive. We all suffer. We have become terribly vulnerable, not because we suffer but because we have separated ourselves from each other. A patient once told me that he had tried to ignore his own suffering and the suffering of other people because he had wanted to be happy. Yet becoming numb to suffering will not make us happy. The part in us that feels suffering is the same as the part that feels joy." Pgs. 147-148

American Living On

I just read an article by Anna Quindlen entitle "American Forgetting". It's a very well written article with many valid points. I agree with her opinion that America as a super power has made a mess of the response to the Sept. 11th attacks. She puts so succinctly the thoughts about Iraq versus Afghanistan in terms of fighting an enemy. (I'll refer you to her article at www.msnbc.com/id/20657183/site/newsweek/). It is the ending of her article that troubles me. I would like to give some hope to Ms. Quindlen that there are some Americans who have not forgotten. True, I did not stop today to observe a moment of silence for the fallen. I have not watched any special ceremonies or even read many articles about the different memorial events taking place today. No, today I did what many Americans did, I got up and continued on. I made sure my children practiced their instruments, made their beds and did their homework. I packed their lunches and made them wear their bike helmets. We studied scriptures as a family and talked about the love God has for all of us and then I sent them to our local public school. I have filled my day with what many would say are ordinary things but I sincerely feel that it is in these ordinary things that we as Americans best honor the fallen. I will continue to refrain from judging others on the color of their skin or the basis of their faith. I will teach my children to love one another as Jesus loves you and if your friend doesn't believe in Jesus, that's ok. I will teach my children to pray and I will pray myself and when it comes time for me to make my voice heard, I will vote.

Guitar Hero!!

My son got "Guitar Hero" for his birthday and I am addicted. This game is too fun. I have managed to move to "medium" on a few songs which is quite an improvement given that I got booed off the stage on my first attempt. My favorite: "Cherry Pie" by Warrant. This should come with parental warnings that read: "Adults may become addicted and find themselves wasting all sorts of valuable time sneaking in ways to play while the kids are at school and asleep."

My little Kat Von D

My daughter has discovered the joy of art! Well, ok, body art. The other day she completely covered her body with blue ink. What surprised me was her thoroughness. If you looked at each toe, she had taken the time to cover each tiny digit with what appeared to be Chinese characters. I'm hoping that she is a prodigy who speaks in tongues an on her toes was a sincere message of love and peace.

This may be a shock

I want you to prepare yourselves for what I'm about to tell you. This news is astonishing and could very well change the way we live our lives. According to an article by Reuters a new study has found that "Rockers really are more likely to die early".

I know, I had no idea either. They always seemed so healthy and happy to me. I mean sure, you have the occasional head-shaving Diva who runs to rehab or the hot-pursuit-car-chase diva who runs to rehab or the Thirty-days-in-jail diva but I guess they really aren't "rockers" per-say.

I'm feeling extremely moved by this information. Does anyone know if they have a "save the rockers" fund set up for donations?

boys are fun

I was cleaning my back sliding door today and guess what I found? A dead earwig taped to the top of the door. There it was, stuck between one piece of scotch tape and the glass. Now I'm not sure if the earwig was deceased before it was adhered to the glass or if the poor insect faced the traumatic loss of life due to taping but I thought it was nonetheless an interesting choice on the part of my sons. At one time in my life I would have found this act heinous and declared the perpetrator and sicko but as the mother of three boys I have learned that these displays are quite common and no indication of future criminal activity. I have to say, boys just add such a different dimension to any home. I'm glad I've been thrice blessed.

She's here

Here is our butterfly. She emerged this afternoon and we have sent her on her way. We know she is a girl because she is missing two black spots on the lower, center of her wings. Only males have those, they release pheromones. This was a great little experience this summer, I look forward to raising more next year.

Metamorphosis continued

Here are some pictures of the caterpillars. These aren't my caterpillars but this is EXACTLY what they did. The hanging "J" is the first sign they are close to cocooning. The second photo is the skin splitting and the pupa emerging, the third is the pupa stage and the last is the chrysalis. I should have a butterfly in about 2 days, maybe sooner.

Save Yourself

I have to wonder at what Fed. Chair Ben Bernanke has been thinking lately. I wonder if he feels a little like God after looking at the mess we Americans have gotten ourselves into with the debt loads we carry. Too bad he can't just say "Stop making such a mess of the economy people, this has nothing to do with interest rates.". Someday we are gonna have to learn fiscal responsibility.

Human weakness

I've read a lot about the Utah mine disaster and I have to express my disappointment over the media reaction to Mr. Murry, the mine owner. Even the Governor of Utah jumped on the band wagon by chastising Mr. Murray about holding press conferences and being available to the public by saying that if Presidents of airlines don't do that, mine owners shouldn't either. What?

Now maybe Mr. Murray isn't the most congenial person. In fact maybe he down right stinks at interpersonal relations and can't put a compassionate thought through his lips but please, lets cut him a little slack. He's made himself available to the press and to the families. He originally vowed to pull those men out of the mountain no matter what condition they might be found in. I believe he's tried to help. He cared more about helping others than shielding himself from lawsuits (which will surely follow). He lives on the mountain, he's worked with the rescue miners and now he's getting ripped to shreds in the public press. Folks, I think when human beings are faced with tragedy we lose our ability to see beyond who we can blame for what happened and on to how we can make something better from it. Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes all our technology and education, all our political might, all our public policy can't make things right. It's taken SIX holes to find these miners and there is a high probability these men won't be found. Let's face it, we are physically weak in comparison to the strength of this mountain. We hate to be reminded that we are not in control of everything around us. We hate to be reminded that sometimes, we're just not gonna get the outcome we want. At times like these the difference between the people who are miserable and hateful and those who find peace and start to heal is that latter sees past the obstacles and make a new path.

I feel very sad for the families of those men. I can't imagine knowing my husband is buried inside a mountain of coal and I may never get to mourn him properly. My prayer is that these families can find it within themselves to forgive so that they can grieve and they can heal.

GFC 7

Here's the latest Good Force Challenge: Take 5! Arrange to take five extra minutes tucking your kids into bed. You'd be amazed how much can be said in five minutes and what your kids will tell you if you let them know they have your full attention. Don't have kids? Take 5 for yourself at bedtime. Write in a journal, read a book, meditate. It's a great way to end the day.

Back to School

Got two of the kids back to school today! (Do you hear the sound of angels singing?) My house is quiet and clean. I'll admit, it's nice to be on a schedule again but I am a little bored this afternoon without too much to do. Here are some pics of the kids this morning.

Time to Reflect

In preparation for the marathon I waked 13 miles today. It went well, I am sore and a little tired but no worse for the wear. In those 3 hours I had time to reflect on many things and the one thought that truly stuck with me was this; I have finally realized in my life that I can let go of the person I'm not in order to become the person I need to be. I realize at the age of 33 that this lesson could have been learned a long time ago but I am no less grateful for it today. It was a good day.

Thank You

I read a sweet article in a local magazine yesterday while at the dentist. As I was trying to keep my 18 month old from breaking the glass on the 100 gallon fish tank in the lobby my eyes caught a few sentences from an interview with Jane Clayson Johnson formally of The Early Show. She was recalling the experience she had after giving birth to her son at 27 weeks gestation. "When he was in the NICU he was very sick. The hospital recommended 'kangaroo care' which is skin to skin care.I would go to the hospital every day to hold him. Day after day, week after week, he didn't respond to me in any way. I wondered if I was making a difference. A very perceptive neonatologist sensed my sadness and came to my corner of the unit. She sat down and said 'William can't express it right now but on his behalf let me say "thank you" for being here.'

On behalf of all the kids who are too busy running around the house, making messes and making noise let me say THANK YOU MOM! Thank you for breakfast this morning, thank you for reading to me. Thank you for unloading the dishwasher and loading it back up again. Thanks for good snacks and making me brush my teeth and most of all, thank for loving me so much that you do these things everyday without expecting me to say thanks.

So Mature

I found a good one today! It's an article from MSNBC written by Alex Johnson about the growing push to lower the legal drinking age. Apparently the National Youth's Rights association is backing a drive to put lowering the drinking age (to 18) front and center in the political arena. I don't even know where to begin with this. First, who are the National Youth's Rights Association? Are they seventeen year old high school students with a lot of mojo? Seriously, if they are, I'm impressed with the diligent hard work on getting such an important topic so widely noticed. That takes commitment! My question would be why would such obviously talented youths feel that this topic is a worthy cause? Seriously, if you can get something like this noticed, think about what you could do for poverty in America. Teaching inner city kids about why they shouldn't drink and do drugs. Heck, teaching suburban kids about why they shouldn't drink or do drugs. The list of alternate topics, better topics is endless:

Teen pregnancy awareness
Aids/STD prevention
College admittance
Tutoring
Adopt a country
Violence in Darfur
Violence in America
Why to stay out of gangs
Community involvement

Need I say more?


Yes! I know I'm ranting here but it's really kind of fun on such a no brainer. I'm not even getting into the issues about safety and addiction, that's a whole other post! C'mon parents, what are we teaching our kids? That it's ok to drink as long as you do it in the open? Folks, there was just a big push to raise the driving age because we don't think teenage drivers are ready to be behind the wheel alone so early! Let's make up our minds, do we think they're ready or not?
And to those who say "well they can vote and they can fight for our country" I say raise the voting a draft ages.

It's Time

I've realized after reviewing several entries in my blog that I have very quietly avoided one subject that is very dear to me and really, most important to my life. In my efforts to keep my views open to readers, I have carefully avoided bringing up, alluding to or otherwise discussing the subject of my religion. I am somewhat amused at my discomfort and trepidation simply because it's just flat out wrong and I look at it as just another symbol of my silliness. I have decided that it's time for me to stop worrying that I might "disenchant" a group of readers by discussing my beliefs. One of the items you will find on my "What Drives the Force" is faith. It is true. One of the greatest single forces in my life is my belief in my chosen religion. I was born into, baptized by choice into and continue to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (the Mormons). Every thought that comes from my head comes from that background. What I find interesting, and why I have been apprehensive, is that some people will find me weak because of that. What I also find interesting is that I feel the need to defend myself for it. I am excited to dive into these ideas in future posts and really take a look at religious beliefs in this country. I am adding a link to the LDS website (LDS is the abbreviated name of the church) in case anyone wants to know what I'm talking about. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Metamorphosis

I've added a better picture. It may not seem like it but they are getting so big.

We are raising three monarch caterpillars this summer. If you look closely in the first picture you can see him at the top of the leaf. I think it will be fun to chronicle their lives for the next few weeks.

The Human Race

Once again, perusing the daily news cycle I found a thought that surprised me. By an article about Chauncey Bailey, the editor from San Fransisco who was gunned down in broad daylight, I was surprised at the direction the article went. First of all, I'm very sad for the family and community who have lost this man who seemed to sincerely be interested in their welfare. He was gutsy enough to write an article that was intent on unmasking organized crime, a feat that must be intimidating at the very least and terrifying at the worst. What surprised me is that the article addressed the tragedy of his murder as something that only the black community in S.F. should be awakened by. I appreciate that this man worked in the realm of bringing political might to the African American citizens of that city but wouldn't the point of this man's life be that everyone should work together to fix the ever worsening problem of violence everywhere? There was even a quote of a sign held by a protester: "stop black on black violence". What does that mean? black on black violence is worse than white on black, Asian on black, black on Asian? Why is it that STILL we see things from one side or another? People killing people is just wrong. In San Fransisco, Miami, or "Mayberry" respect for life shouldn't belong to people of one skin color or another, it is the responsibility of everyone.

There, I feel better now.

Happy Thoughts

Did you know the average person thinks 6,000 thoughts a day? Here are a few happy things to occupy those thoughts:

Babies are being born to parents who love them
People are laughing together
Someone is holding the door for others
Children are learning to read
Someone is moving into their first house
Someone has finally sold theirs
Neighbors are talking
A teen "just says no"
A mother decided not to do the laundry and read a book to her son
Someone got a job
Lots of people didn't have flat tires
The price of gas went down
A garden is growing
A child is safe
The brownies are ready
Chocolate has nurtitional benefit
Someone prayed for the first time in a long time
A little girl is meeting Cinderella at Disneyland
There is enough food for dinner

Too much sugar for you? Try staying away from the vinegar!

The Myth About Boys

I just read a fantastic article in TIME by David Von Drehle and I had to share some snippets of it with you. The title of the article is "The Myth About Boys" and of course, having three of my own it peaked my interest. Ten years ago, when I became a mother for the first time, I of course became subject to all the worries and apprehensions that accompany motherhood. These seemed to be fed a healthy dose of anxiety by the growing belief that boys in this day and time were falling behind. A belief fed by researchers and psychologist, doctors, educators and of course, the media. Apparently I was not the only one who felt bombarded by these "new findings". In his article, Mr Drehle frequently mentions a book called "The Dangerous Book for Boys". (I haven't read it yet but have added it to my list) He describes it this way; "bound in an Edwardian red cover with marbled endpapers (it) has many of the timeless qualities of an ideal young man: curiosity, bravery and respectfulness; just enough rogue to leaven the stoic;....It celebrates trial and error, vindicates the noble failure." He talks at length about how we as a society have moved away from allowing boys to learn in the manner they do best, by trial and error, experimentation and hands on experience. Boys as a gender group do best under these circumstances. He points to the fact that because of the lack of these techniques and the diminishing numbers of classes in the subjects in which boys excel, it is no wonder that boys test scores have declined in an era of education geared for girls. He quotes several experts who believe boys are doing fine. "Sara Mead, a senior policy analyst at Education Sector: 'with few exceptions, American boys are scoring higher and achieving more than they ever have before.'" Another, Michael Gurian says: "I think it would be an error not to be optimistic." Ultimately, the final thought in this article is the one I love most: "Worrying about our boys-reading and writing books about them, wringing our hands over dire trends and especially taking more time to parent them-is paying off. The next step is to let them really blossom, and for that we have to trust them, give them room. The time for fearing our sons, or fearing for their futures, is behind us. The challenge now is to believe in them."

The article is well worth the read for anyone who is interested in the balance of the future of our society.

Kudos Mr. Drehle!

GFC 6

Here is your new Good Force Challenge. Go on a date night! Too many spouses don't take enough time together, (myself included) and we need to put the time in to make our relationships work. My hubby and I are celebrating 12 years this weekend and I'm excited to say he's got something planned he's keeping a secret. So everyone, spend some time with the one you love, reconnect and have a good time.

You'd think I'd get it right

Why is it after twelve years I still put the beaters to my KitchenAid hand mixer in the wrong way? You know the little bar that is on one beater and not the other? Here's a news flash, it goes in the RIGHT hole! UGH!

One Sided

I've been reading about the letters being exchanged between Senator Clinton's office and the Pentagon recently. The latest is a letter from Def. Sec. Gates trying to convince Sen. Clinton that his undersecretary Eric Edelman didn't mean to impugn her patriotic honor.

In Mr. Edelman's letter (his response to her suggestion for congressional oversight of the pentagon's war policies) he scolded Sen. Clinton saying "that public discussion of withdrawal 'reinforces enemy propaganda that the U.S. will abandon its allies in Iraq' and exacerbates sectarian tensions there." (MSNBC, July 26) (I happen to agree with Mr. Edelman) Unfortunately the partisan monster has reared it's ugly head and now we are having a debate between a woman who got her had slapped and is miffed and a guy who got a little hot under the collar and fired a round into the air to prove his strength. What we have is a classic case of two children fighting over who's fault it was. If I were Secretary Gates, I'd have just put them both in time out.

Kind words

I had two missionaries of another faith come to my home this morning. I don't know what faith they respresented but I was moved by their message. The woman was very kind in sharing some uplifting thoughts about what she believed and although I opted not to read her material, I let her know I appreciated her kind words. I was particularly impressed by the fact that she was there not to convince me that what I believe is incorrect but that she sincerely wanted to share what she believed because she was truly devoted to it. I am glad to know that there are people in the world who are interested in sharing what they believe in a kind way and are happy to know that it's alright that we agree to disagree. Isn't that what this country is all about?

Moved to tears

Have you ever heard a song and sat in utter awe of the way it moved you? I love hearing something that makes me feel completely and utterly weak to the core with emotion. Do performers who are capable of evoking such strong reaction realize that there are many who sit in silence and ache with the desire to create within themselves what seems to flow so effortlessly from them? I wonder, does it come like tap water? I realize that hours of training are involved but when they open their mouths or pluck the strings, are they merely releasing what was placed in them from birth? Does the sound simply find it's way out? They seem to be the keepers of music, holding all of the sounds, notes and chords only to organize them at their whim. I used to feel envy for those with such talent but I have grown to appreciate them. Perhaps I am not gifted like they are but I have found a talent within myself, that of an appreciative listener. I would wager that perhaps the appreciation would be reciprocated.

In Memorium

My neighbor's son was killed in Iraq last week. The funeral is set for this Saturday. I have been surprised by how this news has affected me. Maybe it's because I know this person and have participated in several functions with him but I can't help but feel the hopelessness of it all. His son was 23, he was part of a helicopter crew and as they were landing, they opened the doors to deploy and he was killed by small arms fire as he tried to exit the craft. Even reading that sentence I realize the surgical language I've used to make it less personal. I've spoken with my friend and extended my heartfelt condolences but even as I was expressing my thoughts to him I realized how absolutely small my words were. What do you say to someone who has lost a child to war? How do you let them know that even though the words you say have been used a million times by a million people, you actually mean them from the bottom of your heart? I find myself lacking in the ability to provide comfort. I pray that this family who has sacrificed so much will find solace in the knowledge that they will be together again, in another place and time.


Here are some statistics: Over 42 million men and women have served in the defence of our country throughout it's history. Of those, over one million have perished and another million have been wounded.

pooper duty

I'm taking our puppies to Colorado this week for "hunting school". They will be gone for 3 months so we are feeling sad around here. But here's the upside, no pooper duty!

The Parade is Done!!!

It's over! I managed to pull off a city parade yesterday and I think it went pretty darn well. There were a few hiccups (the police blocked off the wrong street and were sending people the wrong way) we delt with them though and guess what, everyone had a good time. I had a great committee who made sure things went smoothly and the staging I had designed worked like a charm. I was happy with the end result. I'm going to spend the next week playing with my kids and getting caught up on the movies I missed.

thought for the day

"Wringing your hands only keeps you from rolling up your sleeves."

(unknown source)

the super hero within

I know, I know. It's been way too long since I posted. The parade is next week and I'm freakin' busy. I hope everyone had a great holiday and stayed safe.

I decided to post today because I needed something to distract me from parade duties and because I went to a movie with my boys and it prompted some thoughts I wanted to express. Now I realize that my credibility will totally be shot when I tell you what movie prompted my thoughts but hopefully you'll forgive me. We went to see Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and to be honest when my boys asked if we could go, every negative review I had read flashed before me. Reluctantly I said OK because I owe them for putting up with me these past few days. I will admit I was surprised by the fact that I liked the movie. No, it wasn't the best movie I've ever seen but I liked it still the same. My thoughts stem from the super hero idea. As human beings I think we all have a love affair with super powers in general. I believe it is for one reason, it's our simple round-about way of acknowledging our divinity. I know I will lose some people there but I like this idea. To believe that we have some undiscovered power that allows us to exceed our day to day abilities and help others is necessary. Too bad we get so caught up with the notion that unless we can do something that truly astounds people that we miss the beautiful qualities that make each of us who we are. I think that if we can get past the need to do one big, highly visible deed we will see our ability to do many deeds that add to the big picture. I really believe that each of us has divine qualities that make us super and that when we watch a super hero movie or read a comic and we get that little wistful feeling in our chest that it's just our spirit saying-"see, you can do that too."

GFC 5...a big wave

Ok, this Good Force Challenge is easy! This next week make sure you wave to someone everyday. Maybe it's your neighbor you have always meant to talk to or the guy on the freeway who cut you off (I do mean wave, no obscene gestures) either way a friendly wave always makes people feel better.

Your life....to music

Here's a little weekend activity I think will be fun.
Make a playlist of your favorite songs. It can be as long or short as you want it just has to have your favorites.
Make a list of your favorite places you go to regularly.
One weekend, take a musical tour of your life. See if your life set to music is what you expect, or better. Take some time to enjoy what you do everyday without the stresses and requirements that accompany it. Aren't all things better with a musical soundtrack? I think so.

Seriously

I've spent some time reading the news everyday. It's something that I believe is important for everyone to do and I truly believe not enough people do. It's been an exercise in self education for a while now. I don't know why but for the past few days especially, the news seems to me to be not a tool of education and understanding but a growing outlet for the negative, disgusting and frivolous things that take place (according to many news outlets) everyday. I do not believe, I can't, that the world is as dismal a place as many would have me believe. Yes, I understand fully that bad things happen all the time to many. I'm not airing grievance about others who do not share my views I'm simply tired. Fatigued not by the act of reading but depleted by what I've read. I believe I will have to find ways to educated myself that will balance description of current events both positive and negative. There has to be someone out there who can still see a silver lining and encourage people to act for good when so many aren't. I'll keep looking.

Something to Laugh At

One day a policeman stopped a motorist who had just gone through a four way stop sign and was about to give him a ticket when the motorist said. "Officer you can't give me a ticket for that!' "Why not" said the officer. "Because although I did not stop I slowed right down and its almost the same." "But you did not stop" replied the officer, "and the sign says STOP." "But the way was clear and it was safe" replied the motorist. The officer then pulls out his batton and starts hitting the motorist. "What are you doing!" yells the motorist in surprise. "Do you want me to slow down or stop" says the officer.

(Eric's clean jokes)

Thought for the day

Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?

GFC 4

After a horrific experience at Walmart tonight I had a thought for the next Good Force Challenge. Here it is. Instead of writing a letter of complaint or verbalizing a complaint to someone, send a note of thanks for something good. Even better, say it in person. Without going into a lot of detail, it will suffice to say that I was treated with rudeness and impatience at my local Walmart this evening. Even the manager on duty was curt and abrupt. It was my first reaction to tell him how I had been treated by his employees but when even his manner was cold I assumed it wasn't worth my energy. It was then I decided to contact the local Sears to ask about the same item I was searching for at Walmart, an experience that was in stark contrast with the other. The employee at Sears was courteous, kind and above all, patient. He went above and beyond physically seeking out my item. I felt compelled to express my thanks and explained to him that it was because of his treatment of me that I would purchase from Sears.

So there's the challenge and my story. Hope you all make an effort to make someones day a little brighter.

Stop That!

As a mother, I have come to wonder how many times I will have to repeat that phrase. Seriously, it has to be the most repeated phrase in the history of the world. I'm assuming Eve said it to Cain on more that one occasion and probably even Abel at times. I think that today alone I've said it twenty times. It got me thinking, would saying it in another language be more effective? It might at least get their attention. So here is the translation of "Stop that" in three languages and for those moms who think this might be a fun experiment, here's "pick that up" too.

"Stop that"
arretez-le (French)
pare esto (Spanish)
horen sie das auf (German)

"Pick that up"
Ramassez-le
recoja esto
nehmen Sie das auf

A couple of those have accentuation marks that I can't put in with this program but really, are they gonna know?

And for those moments when they actually do what we ask,

"I love you"
Je vous aime
Le amo
Ich leibe dich

Guten Tag!

Presidential Justice

Once again, I was reading MSNBC and the article about the new Supreme Court Justices and their role on the court really stood out to me. I'm sure in what was meant to be a concession to President Bush, the author makes the comments that Justice Alito and Chief Justice Roberts have ".....rejoined the Reagan judicial philosophy."
While I am a moderate conservative and am grateful that the court "swings that way" I can't help but be concerned by the fact that the highest court in our land follows any one presidents philosophy. Why do we have to categorize such things? Why can't we look at one branch and say, they act in a conservative manner or they follow a conservative rule of law. Why does everything have to be partisan? Wasn't it the point of the organization of our government for each branch to check and balance the others? I'm sick of the "Republicans did this or the Democrats did that" tantrum. It's time to stop being so concerned with who holds the power and use the power (whomever holds it) for the benefit of this country and the world.

Back to Reality

I know, I know it's been way too long since my last post. I have a good excuse, really! I went to Hawaii!! Yes, it was awesome and I had a good time and as soon as I have a minute I'll get some pics up. Maui was great, we stayed at The Renaissance on Wailea and it was pretty descent. We spent alot of our time at The Grand Wailea though (someone said Oprah stayed there recently) and it was jaw droppingly, blow-you-out-of-the-water amazing. Just a little FYI, if anyone is planning a trip to Maui, you've got to eat at Mama's Fish House in Pa'ia. The ambiance is amazing and the food is just as great.
I got some great jewelry and some much needed R&R but best of all it was great to reconnect with Ceetoe and just enjoy each other's company. All in all, I'd highly recommend Maui!

Use Your Brain

So I'm gonna spout off here a little. After an unpleasant brush with pornography (using the "next blog" button), I'm a little bugged at people who think I want to see their "business".

I found this article on MSNBC and I think it's quite true and illustrates my point. It reminds me of another article I read about our young girls dressing like prostitutes and our young boys being taught to act like pimps. (I'll see if I can find it) For the record, I don't believe that taking your clothes off for exhibition empowers you in any way. Call me a prude (I've been called that before so "sticks and stones") but showing your hooch to everyone doesn't make you a better person. It takes restraint, smarts and high self esteem to allure people in other ways. Yes, God gave us bodies for reproduction and pleasure but he gave us our minds so we could control ourselves.

Enjoy the article, it's worth reading.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18924743/

Ha Ha

I'm sorry but I can't think of anything fun or whitty to write about today. So I went online to get a joke. Hope you get a laugh.

"A woman named Shirley was from Beverly Hills. One day, she had a heart attack and was taken to Cedars Sinai hospital. While on the operating table, she had a near-death experience. She saw God and asked, "Is this it?" God said, "No, you have another 30 to 40 years to live." Upon her recovery, she decided to stay in the hospital and have collagen shots, cheek implants, a face lift, liposuction and breast augmentation. She even had someone dye her hair. She figured since she had another 30 to 40 years, she might as well make the most of it. She walked out of Cedars Sinai lobby after the last operation and was killed by an ambulance speeding up to the hospital. She arrived in front of God and said, "I thought you said I had another 30 to 40 years?" God replied, "Shirley! I didn't recognize you!"

(Eric's clean Jokes)

Good Force Challenge Week 3

In the wake of my grandmother's death I have not had time to present the GFC for this week so this week's challenge will extend into next. I'd like to make this week's challenge in honor of my grandmother, Esther. She loved to get letters and so for this week your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to get in touch. That's right! It's letter writing time. I know, I know, many of us have forgotten how to use pen and paper so this is your chance to practice your handwriting. You can make it as short or long as you like it just has to be to someone you haven't spoken with in a while. I hope everyone has fun doing this. I think it will be great.

Happy Writing!

School's Out for Summer!

Our last day of school was yesterday. My kids got up, got dressed and went to one and a half hours of classes and came home. I will admit to a tiny feeling of panic at the realization that I am the sole source of entertainment for my kids. I haven't put together any projects or anything yet so I have to get going. Today I think we are going for a picnic at the local park, (the one down the street, not the one behind my house). In the past I have always dreaded the first week of summer for the simple fact that my routine stops and I have to come up with some fun activities for the kiddos. I am looking forward to this year. I think as I get older I am getting better at this mom thing. Maybe by the time my kids go to college and move away I will be ready to be a parent.

Ode to an Oreo

Oh little cookie of black and white
It's strange that I find you such a delight
To twist or dunk, that is the question
Your hold on me is too great to mention
I could eat you for lunch or dinner
Even for breakfast you are a winner
Although you are made of fat and sugar
To be without you would be a booger
Thank you Nabisco for your creation
America is truly Oreo nation

Bands Galore!

I'm so exicted! I've finally heard from the local bands and I've got four coming. I know this may not seem like something to shout about but how lame is a parade with no bands? Yee ha! I'm a happy girl.

You know it's bad when...

I've been reading an article on MSNBC about the fighting in Lebanon. I'm sure many are aware of the attacks on the refugee camp there and the toll it is taking not only on military personnel but the civilians living in the camp. They are estimating that 29 Lebanese soldiers have died and approximately 20 militants. There is no count for the civilian lives lost because aid workers can't get into all the areas. There are refugees running from the camp saying that there are bodies buried in the rubble and lying in the street. All in all it is a horrific situation that seems out of control. What struck me was the statement that the group Islamic Jihad is the mediator trying to work out a cease fire. I had to read that sentence twice. Do we really think that a militant Islamic group can initiate a cease fire between a military force and another militant Islamic group? No matter whether you pray to Allah or God or Buddah or whomever, Lebanon needs all the help it can get.

Good Force Challenge Week 2

Ok, here's the GFC this week. Give It Away!!! It's time to clean out your closet, garage, under your bed whatever, and give something away. You can give to whomever or whatever you wish just make it free with no strings attached. Once again, share you stories if you want. I love to hear them. The only condition is, it has to be whatever you did this week. I want to hear how many people take the challenge. Happy Giving.

Waiting

I'm so sorry I haven't posted for a few days. Life has been so crazy. This week has been the state PTA convention so I've been learning about my responsibilities for next year. It's been great.

So here are my thoughts. I've actually been thinking about this for several days now. I've heard the new John Mayer song, "Waiting on the World to Change"and I have to say it's bugs the 'begeebers' out of me. It has a great tune and I love his voice but seriously talk about the anthem for complacency! Here's what I'm talking about:

"Me and all my friends we're all misunderstood. They say we stand for nothing and there's no way we ever could. Now we see everything that's going wrong with the world and those who lead it. We just feel like we dont' have the means to rise above and beat it. So we keep on waiting, waiting on the world to change. We keep waiting, waiting on the world to change."

What I think is even funnier is that he sums up my point very well in the next phrase,

"It's hard to beat the system when we're standing at a distance so we keep waiting, waiting on the world to change."

He has a good point in the next phrase:

"Now if we had the power to bring our neighbors home from war, they would've never missed a christmas, no more ribbons on the door. And when you trust your television what you get is what you got. 'Cause when they own the information,oh they can bend it all they want." I have to say, I tend to agree.

But...what scares me is this:

"One day our generation is gona rule the population so we keep on waiting, waiting on the world to change."

Ok, maybe I'm making more of this than needs to be but seriously, what kind of world are we gonna have when "his" generation of "waiters" gets their shot at leadership. It's hard to lead when you don't know how to work.

Just a thought.

Everyday is Mother's day

As most of you know, yesterday was Mother's Day. I'd love to describe what my "boys" did for me. First, my daughter woke up at 6:45 and very nicely, my husband got up and took care of her. The next thing I knew, it was one hour later and my three sons and my husband were entering my room with a very nice breakfast of omlet, sausage, fresh strawberries with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh orange juice. It was very fun to have everyone on my bed sharing my breakfast and giving me their sweet homemade gifts. Next, I got up and went downstairs to spend some time with the kiddos. After a couple of hours it was time for my daughter's nap. Again, my hubby took the reigns. He took her upstairs, changed her diaper and put her to bed. I didn't see him again for two hours because he decided that it was time for his nap too. Thus my Mother's day came to an end. The rest of the day was pretty much like every other so when my friends asked me how my mother's day was, I honestly answered: "Every day is mother's day at my house".

The Good Force Challenge

I was helping with our Bike Rodeo at our elementary school today which was a lot of fun. My friend who was in charge had spent a lot of time getting things planned and ready. I could tell that as the event got closer she was getting nervous. As the night progressed I mentioned that things had gone well and that I thought she had done a good job. She looked so relieved when I said that I couldn't help but feel that I had eased her worries for a moment and given her some much needed validation. It was a simple exchange and in fact writing about it has taken longer than the actual event but as I think about her reaction I want to do it again. So here is my challenge, if you're reading this today, take a moment and thank someone, compliment them. Just say something nice. I guess it's my watered down version of pay it forward but I figure it's a good copy. If you're interested, share your experience in the comments. I'm interesed to hear them. Thanks for reading, Lu

Just admit it!

As Iwas doing my dishes this morning I wondered, how many of you have had to plunge your kitchen disposal? My next question is how many of you used the same plunger you use in your toilets?

Yep, I thought so.

No more "next blog" for me

Just a friendly warning. That "next blog" button can be dangerous. I stumbled upon some
"full monty" photos and had to gouge my eyes out. People, zippers and buttons were invented for a reason. Gross.

I Love A Parade!

So I'm in charge of our city's annual parade. I volunteered for this position thinking, well, I don't know what I was thinking, but that didn't stop me. So in NINE weeks I will be standing on Main street holding a clip board and having someone administer Prosac via intravenous drip. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally stoked for the big day. I've hired clowns, stilt walkers, SpongeBob (A lookalike, he was busy that day), Ariel (once again, a lookalike, she has this whole scaly skin reaction to harsh summer sun), and balloon artists. Oh, but the fun doesn't stop there, I've got a Dixieland band, a Pipe and drum band and a Mariachi band not to mention the local highschool band (top in the state). I'm trying to arrange for a C130 Military aircraft flyover but that is proving to be harder than I thought. Basically, I'm trying to make this a very entertaining year. I think this will be a great time so I've decided that I'm going to keep a count down here so everyone (I mean you Andrew) can see how it's going. So everyone put July 14th on your calendars!

L,M,N,O (P)

A small event from the other day caused me to reflect on a couple of little boys I knew as a child. On my street there lived twin boys. They were a couple of years younger than I and the only thing I really recall about them is this one event. In order to explain this memory I have to give you some history. When I was really young, maybe six or seven, my dad built a shed in the back yard. He left one third of the shed for my sisters and I to use as a play house. It was a great little space that housed our rocking chair and "kitchen set" along with our assorted dolls. The shed was built about a foot from the fence that enclosed our backyard. Now that you know that, I'll explain where the twin boys come in. One day the boys were playing at our house and my sister came inside to tell my mom that one of them had just peed behind our playhouse. Now, to anyone who had brothers this probably wouldn't have been a big deal but I grew up with three sisters so this was a whole new, unwelcome world. The matter was quickly dealt with by my mother. I think the kid was sent home and his mother called. All I remember thinking was that boys were gross. I will admit I was somewhat confused as to how all this had taken place.

Fast forward twenty five years. I now have three boys (yes, you can see where I'm going with this). My oldest two have never done the "pee on the spot" thing although I will admit that when we are camping or at our cabin I let them pee in the woods. I've always been thankful that I've never had to keep kids from "dropping trow" whenever they feel like it. That all changed this week when my youngest son (3) decided that the back porch was a suitable toilet. My boys informed me about two hours after the fact that their youngest brother had relieved himself on my stamped concrete patio. After a quick investigation I discovered the place of the offense and got it taken care of.

The boy quickly got an earful and I was pretty sure that I'd gotten my point across. Then last night I look over to see my half undressed three year old preparing to commit the same crime. (Luckily he was arrested before he acted.)

I really don't know what else to say about this so I'll just have a good laugh.

Gimme a break!

So I was just reading an article about that little phone message Alec Baldwin left for his daughter Ireland. (I heard a recording of the message on the news over the weekend). Mr. Baldwin apologized for "losing his temper" and then blamed his wife Kim Bassinger for leaking the recording when all communications (etc) are sealed from the public due to the ongoing court battle. What a jerk! So rather than saying: "yes, I verbally abused my daughter and intentionally proceeded to pyscologically harm her and physically threaten her...", he presents himself as a victim by saying "I'm mad because I got caught. Oh and by the way, it's my ex-wife's fault."

My question would be this, does Mr. Baldwin think that it's ok to verbally abuse a child as long as no one finds out? Because when I read his statements I can't help but think he's more concerned with the image his publicist is going to deal with than with the damage he's done to his daughter. Really I just think he's bugged that Ireland likes her mother better. Wonder why.

What a schmuck!


For a laugh check out msnbc.com "Parental Controls: 10 reasons celebrities shouldn't have kids"

Spring Break!

Our family had a great time visiting St. George, Utah last week. The weather wasn't all that great but it was still comfortable. I so enjoyed being with my children. Whenever we're on vacation and we have time to relax I'm always excited to re-discover them. They are growing up so fast and turning into such great little people. Here's some pictures from our adventures.

condolences

May I add my voice to the many who are expressing sorrow and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings. As I read through the bios of those who lost their lives, I can't help but hope that we all take a moment to show the ones we love and appreciate how much we care. It seems easy to do and yet is all too often something that I overlook each day. I assume they know.

At the same time I can't help but wonder what the family of the shooter is feeling today. My prayers are with them as well. I won't pretend that I don't have my preconceived notions of what drove this man to do what he did. I am trying to look past them. Before yesterday he was just another guy after all. I can only imagine what they will face.

All I can do is make something good from this. I will act when I see someone who appears lonely or depressed. I will try to be a friend to those who may not have any and I will do my best not to judge. In my way, I hope to comfort those who have suffered loss by learning something from their loss. Please take some comfort in knowing that the world is different today not just because of your tragedy but because someone has learned from your tragedy and will do their part to keep it from happening again. Once again, I send this out into the wide expanse and hope that it makes something better.

Volunteer!

I'm trying to help our local PTA get positions filled for next year and I'm having a difficult time. In a moment of frustration I'm going to suggest that everyone take a moment and ask yourself, "what could I do for someone else?" (I'm not suggesting that everyone sign up for PTA.) It's not about spending lots of hours and doing hard physical work (although those are greatly appreciated), it's about doing something to help someone else for no reason other than it feels good. If you're looking for a way to volunteer whether it's locally, or on a bigger scale, try starting at you'r city's web site or local food bank. Churches often have programs in place and could always use more help. There's a never ending list: old folks homes, hospitals, schools and rec leagues. Still can't find anything? Try www.volunteermatch.org. It's a web site that matches people looking to volunteer with companies, non-profits and organizations looking for volunteer help. It's a nice time of year, time to get out and enjoy the revitilzation that comes with spring. Use that energy to help out in your community.

Lock Down

My son asked me again last night if he could get an email address. That was after he wanted me to log him into the chat room his friend invited him to. I'm seriously freaking out here. My son is 10! My husband and I are scrambling to find parental controls that will basically convince my son that there is nothing on the internet worth looking at. Do they make those?
Seriously, I realize that if my children are going to succeed in life they have to have a working knowledge of the interenet and it's functions. My fear stems from all the horror stories I've heard lately. For example, People Magazine (I realize this is fluff) just ran a story about a girl who was abducted, tortured and assaulted by a guy she met online. Locally our law enforcement officers caught a guy meeting a 16 year old girl at a mall to "hook up". He was in his 30's and he had his kids in the car. Then there is the other guy who was a teen himself and had sex with a minor in the bathroom of the local mall. Guess where they met? He didn't even know her name and they had met before. Can you see why I'm a little freaked out? So after I'm done writing this little diatribe I'm going to install a fortress around my "virtual home" and talk to my kids about internet safety. I'll let you know how it goes. If anyone has some good tips, send 'em my way.

The Great Roundup

Spring is here and I'm so excited. I've been watching my rose bushes begin to bud and unfurl their little leaves. It won't be long until I have blooms to cut. The trees are beautiful in all their spring splendor and the warmth of the sun is getting everyone out of doors. As I survey my yard I am excited as I plan the gardening tasks that I need to get done in the next few days and weeks but there is one small smudge on my shiny green thumb outlook. You see, last year my husband got tired of fighting the grass that kept creeping into the rose garden. You know the pesky three blade clumps that somehow climb over the six inch rock edging and within hours have produced a whole colony. After pulling and pulling week after week he simply decided Roundup was the best solution. Now the pragmatist in me says right on! Quick and deadly. No more bending and weeding with no result. It worked in fact until I reminded him that underneath those tyrranical blades of grass rest my Tulip bulbs. All winter I fretted about whether or not the Roundup had penetrated into thier underground incubator. Well I'm here to tell you Roundup doesn't kill tulips! It Mutates them!
This year with great excitement and anticipation I watched my tulips come up, stretch forth their green blades and.....that was it. No blooms, no flowers no nothin'. So in the next few days I will go out and cut off all the green blades, gently cover up the opened earth where they emerged and hope for better next year.

On Target

" I love being a mom", I LOVE being a mom"! This is what I was repeating in my head as I checked out of Target yesterday. No, this isn't my normal behavior I was under duress! As my three year old was literally lying on the floor screaming, (and I'm not exaggerating here), I WANT A SNACK! The checker was really nice but I think that is only because my one year old inexplicably cut her finger on the wall clock I had just picked up in Home Decor and had bled onto the now cracked glass face. By the time the "Target Team Member" brought me a replacement clock my son had worked himself up into a category five tantrum and I had to carry him to the car. At this point he ran away into slow moving, oncoming traffic while I placed his bleeding sister in her car seat. My six year old thought this was all amusing and quite thankfully his laughter convinced me that were still good things in this world. Soon after I found myself at a nearby bakery buying bunny shaped sugar cookies to feed my six year old because the extra time it took to get my hurricane three year old into the car put me off schedule and my kindergartner was now unfed, poorly dressed and late for school.

While it may sound like I'm griping in this post I am actually performing a public service. Because later that night I had to return to Target (alone) to get some things I had forgotten earlier (because I was distracted) and as I was strolling through Home Decor, what do you think I found? The cracked faced, blood covered wall clock I had opted not buy earlier that day. I'm not kidding! There it was in all it's unclean splendor just waiting for Dateline to come do a swab test. So let this be a warning to you, shop alone at Walmart!

So I'm out here in the world

Well this is my innaugural post on a blog that I hope will live up to it's name. I've decided that there are alot of people out there with alot of words and not much to say. I don't profess to be a genius or have all the anwers but I think that what I have learned in my life has to sound familiar to many people out there.
While I haven't decided exactly the direction this blog will take I do know the directions it won't:

• I will never slander my family or their beliefs nor will I intentionally verbally mame someone.
• I will never break my spouse's or my children's confidence.

I think those are pretty good ground rules to start off with. I'm sure there will be more as I learn to navigate this medium and express myself.

So here's to all you out there making your way in the world. I hope we find common ground and join together to create better things in our daily lives and in the lives of those around us.

Happy blogging!