Pops

I have gotten out of the habit of doing birthday posts because there are just too many. However, today is my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! Sunday we had dinner, cobbler and root beer floats at my mom's. The cobbler was too hot for the candle, so we put it in a cup. Who's genius idea was that, I wonder? :)

The little girls loved their floats.

Then tonight for FHE we took my dad a little birthday treat and visited for a few minutes. Clara even gave him a birthday hug.

If you know my dad, you know that he's a pretty cool guy. Not to mention he basically knows everything. If you don't know him, I'm sorry. I'm sure glad he's my dad and we love him!

Spiritual OD

I remember one time Nikki had a weekend youth conference then Church the next day and she told me it was fun, but she was certain she had a spiritual OD. At the time, I could definitely relate.

It seems now, however, the older I get, the more complicated life gets. And as life gets more complicated, the more I need my spiritual moments. As my problems increase and grow, so does my need for spiritual nourishment. I no longer believe in such thing as spiritual overdose.

Otherwise it would've happened this weekend.

Saturday night I enjoyed dinner with Angela and my mom at Angela's before watching the Relief Society broadcast. One of the women spoke about creating beauty. It was, well, beautiful. My favorite thoughts came from Pres. Uchtdorf's talk. He said something to the effect of: You (speaking to the women) tend to focus on your imperfections and failures instead of your achievements. It was interesting to realize the truth in this while thinking about a "positive parenting" approach, where we praise our children for the good they do rather than scold them for bad. Shouldn't we do that with ourselves?

This morning Lamar received the Melchizedek priesthood. It was a neat experience and really helped me take a step back and think about things in life that we take for granted. He's so respectful of this authority and he's such a great example. I really admire him and find strength in his story.

I think Clara wants Mancala for Christmas... and check out her little crossed legs. I kept trying to take "action" pictures of these three, but Mason kept turning and smiling at the camera. Ha ha.

Kurt's son, Reed, reported on his mission today. It's amazing how strong the testimonies of these "boys" are when they return. He spoke a lot on knowing and not just believing. I had all these great thoughts come into my mind and now I can't remember them. I guess that's why we're supposed to write them down.

Although enlightening, my day was not really relaxing, it looked a little like this: 8:30am drop off Nursery music props, 9:00am church with Lamar (Dobson Ranch), 11:15am Lamar received priesthood, Noon luncheon for Lamar, 1:30pm Reed's report (North Mesa), 3:00pm visiting at Kevin & Chrystie's (Gilbert), 5:00pm dinner at my parent's for dad's birthday (North Mesa) and 8:00pm Cub Committee meeting. Ahhh, if only 10:00pm was relax and go to bed instead of begin long night of work. :)

Taggies

Lots of kids love taggy blankets. Apparently the blogosphere has their own adult version of taggies that they are obsessed with: "Tags". I've had several come across my way lately. To be honest (no offense, please), I think these are silly. But I do them because I think it's a great way to record interesting facts about ourselves for our posterity that we might not otherwise record. This is probably the last time I do this.


Moving on...

Six Quirks (I might have already done this, but oh well, I have plenty of quirks):
1. I have a hard time looking at things or hearing of different businesses without considering in my mind how they are accounting for it from a financial standpoint. I tell you, accounting really adds excitement to life.
2. My shower routine is always the same. Every time. Even my body is washed in the same order.
3. I can't stand to walk on the left side of the road. It makes me feel unorganized.
4. I get so nervous about messing up when I'm playing the piano that before I mess up, I stop and start the measure over. Jason calls me the stuttering pianist.
5. I don't shave my legs much. In the Summer, it's normally once a week for church. In the Winter, maybe once a month. :) Funny side story: one morning Clara was on my lap and felt my legs (mind you, my hair isn't really that thick) and said "ow!". Ha ha.
6. I am constantly conjuring up ways to save a dollar and will got to great extent to do so.
7. I am OCD about adding. Whenever I add something by hand, I add it at least twice before I'm comfortable that it's right.


My ABC's:
A. Attached or single: Attached
B. Best Friend(s): I have a best friend from every stage of life (Poway, Snowflake, Mtn. View, career life and marriage)
C. Cake or pie: A really good cake or a cream pie
D. Day of Choice: Friday because Jason normally gets off early and I am guaranteed to be free of work phone calls until Monday and if I'm not, I don't feel guilty for ignoring them
E. Essential Item: Love
F. Favorite Color: Mostly greens
G. Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: Um, they are pretty much the same
H. Hometown: Mesa
I. Indulgence: Treats, eating out, cooking and pedicures
J. January or July: I love both for different reasons. January - anniversary, cooler weather & still enjoying the holiday residue; July - 4th of July, summer, swimming & bbq's
K. Kids: Clara (maybe more later)
L. Life isn't complete without: family, friends & Gospel
M. Marriage date: 1.10.2004
N. Number of brothers/sisters: 4 brothers and 4 sisters (and I just realized I had a dream last night my mom was pregnant again, oh mercy, that was scary!)
O. Oranges or apples: Oranges
P. Phobias: death
Q. Quotes: I love quotes and there is no way to specify one or two favorites, so here are a few good ones:

When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. Dr. Seuss

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Walt Emerson

I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not. Kurt Cobain

In all living have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. Gordon B. Hinckley

It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us,...if we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers. Gordon B. Hinckley

R. Reasons to smile: Life
S. Season of choice: Winter/Fall/Spring in Arizona (so basically, the 9 months out of the year that we have beautiful weather)
T. Tag some people: Anyone who wants an excuse to record random facts for your posterity
U. Unknown fact about me: I am an open book... but maybe people didn't know that when I moved here in 9th grade, I was anything but outgoing. Now, I have no qualms about talking to just about anyone about nearly anything.
V. Vegetable: I don't know if I can decide, I love veggies. Maybe sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach or corn.
W. Worst habit: Falling asleep without getting ready for bed. I've gotten SO much better at avoiding this though.
X. X-ray or Ultrasound: If I brake my arm, I want an x-ray; if I am having a baby, I want an ultrasound. This is weird, who cares?
Y. Your favorite food: I love food. I have never been able to narrow this to one. I love fresh well-prepared fish, salad, a good steak, sweet potato fries, pizza
Z. Zodiac Sign: Another dumb question, so I'm not going to answer it. Because, who cares?


In One Word (if you know me, you'll know this is the hardest thing for me to do... keep my responses to a word and not add additional commentary):
Where is your cell phone?................................. Charging
Your significant other?...................................... Jason
Your hair?........................................................... Crazy
Your mother?..................................................... Lovely
Your father?....................................................... Genius
Your favorite thing?.......................................... Life
Your dream last night....................................... Funny
Your favorite drink........................................... Water
Your dream/goal............................................... Happiness
The room you're in............................................ Bedroom
Your children?................................................... Awesome
Your Fear?......................................................... Failing
Where do you want to be in 6 years?............. Arizona
Where were you last night?............................. Home
What you're not?............................................... Tired
Muffins?.............................................................. Tops
One of your wish list items?............................. House
Where'd you grow up?...................................... Different
What'd you read last?....................................... www.notmilk.com
What are you wearing?.................................... Clothes
Your TV?........................................................... Off
Your pet?........................................................... None
Your computer?................................................ Dell
Your life?........................................................... Going
Your mood?...................................................... Relaxed
Missing someone?............................................ Family
Your car?.......................................................... Civic
Something you're not wearing?..................... Shoes
Favorite store?................................................ Costco
Your summer?................................................. Fun
Like someone?................................................. Yes
Your favorite color?........................................ Depends
Last time you laughed.................................... Today
Last time you cried?........................................ Yesterday

Yeah, I know, this post was lame. :)

FOF

This morning my visiting teachers left and I looked at the messy room that was spotless moments earlier. I started wondering why my house ALWAYS seems messy. So here you are. Five reasons my house is MESSY:

- Too much junk. This is mostly because I have too many client files and we have residue from when Jason worked from home. Not to mention Clara's toys.

- Not enough storage/space (I can't wait to have an office that is NOT in my bedroom and a place to put Clara's toys). I guess maybe I should consider getting rid of some of Clara's toys, but seriously, she doesn't have a ton, we just don't have anywhere to put them. Her bedroom is 8'x9' (that's right, 72 WHOPPING square feet).

- I schedule too many things in my day. This results in me scrambling to get things done on time and then rushing to start the next thing, leaving me with no time to clean up or organize from the previous task. Vicious little cycle.

- I have a little problem. If I don't have time to deep clean (which is pretty much never), I have a hard time cleaning at all. I'm working on this.

- At night, I think: I'm too tired to clean, I'll do it tomorrow. In the morning I always tell myself: I will put that pile away tomorrow. These cycles are killing me.

**Today Jason took Clara fishing with him. I've been home for three hours trying to organize my room. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at it (I'm sitting in the only little clean corner on my bed), but I'm three hours closer to having a clean room. And I'm sure when my room is finally clean enough to be pleasant and relaxing, we'll move. That's my luck!

I had a cute little picture of Clara to put on here, but my awesome computer is being quite lame.

Different Points of View

Clara: This morning when i woke up, I realized that in all my independent and big girl glory, I didn't need to wait for my mom to come get me. I just climbed right out of my crib and walked into her room. I told her the truth: I didn't fall out, I climbed out.

I've been a big girl the rest of the week too. I put my lip gloss on all by myself, I hid my key chain and sticker where no one would look for them and I kept myself entertained by playing with my toys when I woke up from my nap.

Me: I have been waiting for some time for this morning to happen. Not the morning of September 25th, just the morning that I woke up to Clara's cry and realized it was getting closer. In walked sweet little Clara. I pulled her up on my bed and asked her if she fell out of her crib. She said no. I asked if she climbed out and she said yes. I took her in her room, put her in her crib and told her to show me how she got out. She started climbing out (I didn't let her finish). I knew it was merely a matter of time.

Clara loves lip gloss and I don't care if she takes lip gloss and puts it on. While I was getting ready, I heard the "pop" of pulling a brush from a tube and figured she was helping herself to the gloss. If only it was gloss. It was mascara. She didn't know any different and spread it beautifully near her lips. Hopefully she doesn't come to believe that black lips are attractive.I haven't had time to put my giant bag of sugar into ziplocks. I walked past and noticed something in it. I looked closer and noticed two somethings in it. Clara had hid her toys in the sugar. I figure I mostly just use sugar to bake and cook, so any germs she might have shared with the sugar will surely be killed with heat.The other day I never heard Clara wake up from her nap. I walked into the kitchen to grab something and heard her toys going off. My first thought was that she'd climbed out of her crib and was just playing with her toys. Instead, I opened the door to see this Clara pushing the noise button over and over and over. Clever Clara, clever.

Easy Prize

Here's a blog that's all about Mesa and surrounding areas. It gives ideas of things to do, places to go and ways to enjoy where we live.

And they're doing a giveaway. All you have to do is follow the instructions here and you'll be entered to win. Why not?

You Never Know Who's Watching

Last week, Jason got to go to the Diamondback's game (a few days after him and I went). While there, he saw some people eating peanuts get up and go somewhere, leaving their bag of peanuts. Another guy walked up, sat in the recently vacated seats and began to eat the bag of peanuts. Jason said something like, "Hey, someone was sitting there." And the guy acted surprised and left. Who in the world eats a stranger's peanuts?

Tonight, Clara and I went and watched Jason play Church softball. In between an inning, he came and sat by me in the bleachers.

Jason: Remember that guy I said ate the other guy's peanuts at the game?
Anna: Yeah.
Jason: That's him pitching.
Anna: Are you sure?
Jason: Yeah, I already talked to him about it.

He's in our Stake. That's awesome. What are the chances?

For those of you wondering, I was not upset after my phone call today. It was a little discouraging, but at this point, I really do just laugh. After all, we can pay our bills and we have food to eat. Plus I occasionally buy wants. I recognize every day how blessed we are and know that we are being watched over. So no worries, for now, our needs are being met. :)

19 m 30 s

I just got off the phone with a man who loves our (Utah) home. He said they've been watching it for a while. I told him how much we're asking and he said he'd buy it if that's what their price range was. But it's not. He said they could afford it, but they don't want to "after what happened with their last house". Completely understandable. It's the same reason Jason and I are tempted to live in this house for the rest of our lives.

Then the very nice man proceeded to talk to me for another 18 minutes or so. We talked mostly about the kind people who are "short saleing" and foreclosing on their properties, making it seemingly impossible to sell ours. Too bad he did the same thing with his house. Which is why I found it ironic he said it was "sad" that a home as beautiful as ours had to be surrounded by so much of "that" (people practically giving their houses away).

He was saying how the only thing we did wrong with our house was the timing (which shouldn't have been an issue...). I told him we've learned some good things from this bad situation. He responded with "Education is expensive no matter where you get it." Now that, is profound. Because the things we've learned from this experience, can't be learned at any Ivy League school. And I'm pretty sure the price tag is comparable to 5 or 6 years of tuition.

So now I wonder... is it worth it to people to buy a more beautiful home and pay more? Because he seemed like if he'd be happy to pay for it because him and his wife loved it so much, even it was more than other ones. There is a short sale down the street and it's not as nice or beautiful of a home (I'm not the only one that thinks this...) but it's lots cheaper. I also think people are holding out and waiting, thinking if they wait long enough, the house they like will eventually be as cheap. Sorry friends, it's not happening any time soon on our house. And I wonder why that man was so friendly and talkative. Maybe just to help me keep a positive attitude about our beautiful slice of Utah real estate.

Books Mitigate Reality

In the last six weeks or so, I've finished four books. That's a lot for me. Here's what I read and my humble opinion on each.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale: Maybe I didn't have high expectations, but I adored this book, which in turn got me adoring Shannon Hale. This was a fantasy, but the reason it was so didn't overwhelm the entire story. I also enjoyed the unpredictability. And of course, the love story sealed the deal. It wasn't just a rosy fairytale though; there was some action and plenty of downs.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale: I really enjoyed this one too. It is in The Goose Girl series, but it could stand alone as well. I think I liked The Goose Girl too much, so this one didn't compare, but it is still one I would like to buy. The fantasy parts were more prevalent in this book, but I was intrigued by it more than anything else. Plus, more love stories. I do have to say, parts were a little disturbing. I can't say much more without giving things away, just know that the title has literal meaning in the book.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd: I enjoyed the humor of the main character, a young girl, throughout this book. It was a pretty good book and I think more than anything I liked having a glimpse into that time period (I think it was the 60's) in the South. I also happen to love analyzing child-parent relationships and the effects they have on children's decisions. This book had plenty of opportunities to do that. The suspense level was pretty steady, which was good for my blood pressure. (I get so worked up when books are suspenseful, and by suspenseful I mean ANYTHING that is remotely suspenseful).

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one. I don't like reading (or thinking) about death and I don't like reading (or thinking) about Heaven, because if you're in Heaven, you're dead. But I totally loved this book. It was a library copy and the whole time I was reading, I was wishing I had my own copy to mark up. I took notes instead. It's not every book that is entertaining and inspiring. It wasn't a book that created these lovable characters and then let them die. From page one, you knew what was going to happen. The book begins, "This is a story about a man named Eddie and it begins at the end, with Eddie dying in the sun. It might seem strange to start a story with an ending. But endings are also beginnings." (From Albom's site).The format was very unique and it was a quick read. I loved the deep thoughts that were presented and it was an unusual perspective of Heaven. My book club buddies might hate me after I talk non-stop at our next meeting. :) Furthermore, I liked this author's style. I might just have to check out his other books.

I have come to the conclusion that I'm a total sucker for a good love story. If there's a good love story running through a book, I'm bound to enjoy. It allows me to think happy thoughts and be momentarily distracted from reality.

I can't wait to read my next Shannon Hale book. It's on my bookshelf waiting patiently. And I just went to her site to post a link here and now I love her even more. Her url is not "Shannon Hale" but "squeetos". Obviously that confirms her coolness. Now read her bios. She's completely hilarious.

FOF

It's been too long! But alas, FOF has returned.

Anna's

Five reasons I love having a Zoo pass:

1. Good quality visiting time for moms and fun cousin time for kids.

2. Good exercise

3. Splash pads (the new one is awesome)4. The animals, of course (and monkeys are the best)

5. It's free (after I bought the Membership. Ha ha!)

Clara's

Five reasons why I'm funny

1. If I'm holding my dolly, bunny or kitty and it's time for prayer, I have to make sure their arms are folded. Even funnier though, was when I didn't realize I was folding the bunny's ears and not the arms.

2. I run away from my mom as fast as I can any time I get a chance. It's even funnier when I hear her running after me and so I run faster and laugh really loud.

3. After my mom sings me my two songs at night, if I don't go to sleep and she asks if I want another song, I say no. And then when she puts me in my crib, I shut my eyes tight and pretend I'm asleep. But I think I'm even funnier when I scream after she leaves the room because I didn't really want to go to sleep without another song. And I wasn't really asleep when she put me in there.

4. Last night I told my mom I needed to go poo poo in the middle of the Pack Meeting. So she took me. I just went potty and when she asked me if I needed to go poop, I pushed until my face was beat red. I didn't really have to go, but I wanted to show her I tried. It was even funnier when she was telling someone the story later so I re-enacted how I "strained" and pushed until my face turned bright red.

5. I love to climb onto my mom like a little monkey and give her big hugs and kisses. I think I'm so funny and she does too. But I think I'm even funnier when I try to kiss the camera as my mom tries to take my picture.

HUGE Impact

Dear Devil's Advocate,

You raise a valid concern wondering What is the impact of not protecting traditional marriage in our state? Just let two people who are in love get married. I see your point. I realize many people may not have the answer to this. As your friend, I will gladly provide you, free of charge, with several frightening impacts of not protecting traditional marriage in this state. Of course it will be lightly infiltrated with my opinion. Then it is important to help other people become educated so that they too will see the impact.

Before we begin, I would like to clarify one thing. I do not have a problem with gay people. I actually am fairly close to someone that is gay and he is a great person. I love and admire him for many reasons. In fact, he probably has a stronger testimony than many people we view as "good" people.

Now on to the impacts of not voting yes on prop 102 and, consequently, not protecting marriage in our state...

[-] Our religious freedom will be jeopardized. I found a very interesting presentation from a lawyer documenting such instances in CA. Read it here. Or search the guy's name and the title to find the actual powerpoint presentation. This is just the html version so it's a bit difficult to read.

[-] If we attempt to exercise our freedom of speech, we'll be accused of discrimination. Somehow, the discrimination is always one-sided. Read this interesting pamphlet.

[-] Adoption agencies will be forced to allow homosexual couples to adopt children. I could go on endlessly about the impact of this, but I'll stay focused on one topic for now.

[-] As Amy, Kathryn and I agreed: Marriage, between a man and a woman, is essential to creating and maintaining the stability in our communities that only a family unit can create and maintain. It is imperative that we not only teach this critical message to our children, but that they receive the same message at school and in other public areas of influence. Again, there is PLENTY of research to support this, but that will be for another day.

And speaking of children, who will be most impacted by the legalization of homosexual marriage...

[-] Your children (starting in Kindergarten) would be taught about transgenderism. (See here).

[-] Additionally, at school your children would learn about sodomy and lesbianism disguised as "diversity" in school. (See here). PS If you are easily offended, don't click on that link as the article may not be PG-13. I'm embarrassed reading it and I'd be horrified to know children were being exposed to that material.

[-] Story time at school could include books like this and you wouldn't even know about it. You can't complain because all they are doing is reading about something that is legal (same-sex marriage) in their state.

I think a big reason homosexuals want this is so that they can have the same benefits as a married couple (insurance, taxes, retirement, etc.). In that situation, we should write a law to allow this. But that is not the issue at hand and before that is done, we need to fight to protect marriage to protect our children, our communities and our country.

Yours Truly,
Anna

PS Do Devil's advocates believe in the Bible (which, by the way, clearly teaches us that homosexual marriage is a sin)? Because if not, how do they believe in the Devil? :)

PPS It's all your fault I have eaten non-stop for the last hour plus and gotten nothing done during Clara's nap.

PPPS You better come tonight. I'm in charge of refreshments. I thought about having frozen bananas, but I think I decided on something more traditional. :)

Other interesting reads:
An apology from Canada Canada legalized marriage. See what a group there has to say about it.
The LDS Church's view (I LOVE how this is worded. Even if you're not LDS, read it. It's short and you'll probably find it is a lot like how you feel). We all have temptations. Temptations aren't a sin. It's acting on the temptations that causes us to sin.
Words from Catholics (I don't know if this is an official Catholic Church website, but there views and opinions are very similar to LDS. They don't think it's okay, but they say "homosexuals deserve respect".)

Calling Strangers

Last night I got to volunteer to call people asking if they support Prop 102. The ordeal is sponsored by YesForMarriage dot com. They are trying to get a sense of people's position so they know where and how to direct their marketing. If someone is opposed, they won't waste their money on them. If someone is undecided, they will spend more time and money helping educate them to encourage them to vote yes. Obviously, calling people from the voting records can be a bit intimidating. I know how annoyed I get when people call me. Luckily, I was with some good humored people and for the most part, people were polite. You could tell they were irritated, but they weren't rude. We had a short script that read something like this (I didn't bring a copy home with me... but after repeating it nearly 100 times, it's pretty close):

Hi, I'm Anna and I'm volunteering my time on the Yes For Marriage Campaign. Proposition 102 is simple and clear. It says only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid and recognized as a marriage in this state. Can we count on you to vote yes for marriage by voting yes on Prop 102?

Here were some of the best conversations:

Volunteer: Recited script
Old man: So this is saying marriage is for a man and a woman?
Volunteer: Yes
Old man: Isn't that what marriage is?
(These were the good calls...)

Anna: Hi, is so-and-so there?
Man: She's not here, can I take a message?
Anna: I was calling to let her know (gave him the general idea)
Man: Probably
Anna: Is that a yes?
Man: Is it saying a man can only marry a woman?
Anna: Yes
Man: Yeah, then she'd say yes
(This gave me little confidence that people understood what we were asking when they answered)

Anna: Recited script
Man: So this is saying only a man can marry a woman and only a woman can marry a man?
Anna: Yes (hopeful he was getting clarification for the right reason)
Man: I'm sorry, that's ridiculous.

Anna: Recited script
Woman: Even though I just got divorced, I will still vote yes
Anna: I'm sorry to hear that, but thanks for your support.
Woman: It's okay, it worked out for the best.
(I really don't understand this. I'm very sorry to those that have to deal with divorce. And I'm very happy that this lady was able to see the importance of this amendment despite her situation. But just because a marriage fails doesn't make homosexual marriage okay. It's the Bible people. I don't understand how you can believe the Bible and believe that homosexual marriage is okay.)

Anna: Recited script
Man: You can count on me to do the right thing
Anna: So you'll vote yes?
Man: I'll do the right thing
(Smart alec)

Anna: Hi, Jeffrey?
Boy: Um, this isn't Jeffrey. And I don't know any Jeffreys.
Anna: Is it Jeff?
Boy: I know a Jeff, but this isn't his phone.
Anna: Oh, well can I tell you something?
Boy: Sure.
Anna: Recited script
Boy: I would totally vote yes, but I don't even think I'm old enough to vote.
Ha ha!!

Some of the most common rejections after the people heard us out: absolutely not!, that is ridiculous, I see things a little differently so no, I don't discuss my political views over the phone, don't call me any more, *cursing* if a gay person wants to get married, let him get married!, I've been divorced three times - if heterosexuals can't figure marriage out I think we should let the gays try it out and of course the unoriginal NO! (usually followed quickly by a click).

Some of the best excuses if the people asked for were suddenly unavailable when we told them who we were: she's eating dinner, she's cooking (I think this was a yes though), she's in bed (this was at like 6:30pm), he's deceased (I shouldn't make fun of this, but these people weren't convincing), she's 85 years old (and that is too old to have an opinion?), her mom just died on Monday, he just had surgery (this was actually a yes, but it was still funny), I'm not going to let other people make my decisions, I'm in Mexico I can't hear you and we don't accept calls after work.

It was also interesting to see what number people put down. We called the Verizon Wireless payment center, a ring shop, Pizza Hut's Headquarters (and by the way, I found the guy's name from the directory and left him a message), the retired guy that put his work phone number and other places of business.

I was surprised at how many people hadn't heard of it and didn't know how their spouse would vote on it. Who doesn't talk about this type of thing with their spouse?? It also surprised me how many old people were violently opposed to this. It would seem to me that they would be more supportive of traditional marriage. We did have a lot of people that said Yes! and absolutely, of course, I support it, we believe in that, etc. But it was a real eye opener to see how many people didn't feel that way. To know there are that many people in our state alone that do not understand the impact this would have on our society. This is why it is SO important that all of us do what we can to protect marriage.

I Love to Laugh

I try not to judge other parent's parenting techniques. I don't know their kid's personalities and I don't know the situations.

However, I get really annoyed when I am in public places and see a parent (or one appearing to assume the role) responds with yelling or smacking a child that is being "naughty". I am embarrassed for the child and the adult.

I'm sure the seven people in line and the two workers at the post office today were equally annoyed when they witnessed my parenting in the following scene:

I picked Clara up, much to her disapproval, and she began the most high-pitched squealing I've ever heard come from her mouth. Not a yell, scream or cry, an ear-piercing screech. I don't really yell or smack Clara. Normally we "talk". Sometimes she has to go in time out. But today, she was so loud she couldn't hear me and obviously raising my voice would create more unwanted commotion. I tried my hardest to be grown up, but I laughed. What else are you supposed to do? I'm sure the snickering old people who seem to have forgotten what toddlers are like figured that's why she acts that way. Oh well. We worked it out after I told Clara I'd take the keys away if she didn't stop and Clara promised she wouldn't attempt that in Costco and no promises got broken.


While I was typing this, I was making cupcakes for Scouts. I gave the bowl to Clara and told her she could lick it. So she started to suck on the rim of the bowl. I laughed, showed her how to stick her finger in the batter and she quickly learned her entire hand was much more efficient and sticking her entire head in the bowl made a better mess.

Dreams Do Come True

Dear Ryan and Kathryn,

I enjoyed using your tickets to the Diamondback's game last night. Anna and I had fun. My whole life I've dreamed of being on Sports Center. At the beginning of the game I told Anna, "Someday I'll be on Sports Center. I don't know how, but I will."

Last night, all my dreams, and prophesies, came true. I think I could have caught Adam Dunn's two-run homer in the 8th inning that won the game for the Diamondbacks. I was glad the little girl got it and would have given her the ball anyway. Even though I didn't catch the ball, I still made it on Sports Center. You can see me by watching the video in the link below. I am above the left side of the State Farm sign on the very first row in my navy blue polo shirt. I am running towards the ball. And of course I have my glove. Maybe now Anna will stop laughing at me for bringing my glove to every game we ever attend.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3590259

Thank you for making it possible for all my dreams to come true last night.

Giddy as a school boy,
Jason

P.S. Tell Anna the fly ball Chris Young missed did hit his palm beforing popping out. You also might recommend to her not to argue with me in the future about sports-related matters. Especially those that involve observing things from afar. Unless she doesn't mind being wrong.

Schmucks

I don't really get embarrassed. If I trip, oh well, happens all the time. If I had a booger in my nose, oh well, our bodies need to get rid of stuff one way or another. If I call someone by the wrong name, oh well, my memory isn't perfect. If I have my fly down, oh well, who hasn't.

When Jason started working full time, we cancelled his private Health Insurance policy with HealthNet. First they said they didn't get the fax and so we had to do it again. Shortly after that, they charged our credit card for the monthly premium. I was mad. Especially since I predicted that's what would happen. Jason called and they said he didn't cancel it in time (whatever) and that it would take 6-8 weeks to send us a refund check. Lame, but oh well.

Last night I sat down to update our budget. You can imagine my instant fury when I saw "HealthNet" show up when I downloaded our credit card history into Money.

This morning I called them up.

Man: (After verifying personal information) And who are you?
Me: I'm his wife (last time I called, they said they couldn't tell me how to cancel the insurance, I didn't want to cancel it, I just needed to know how to do it. They said he had to call and get the instructions).
Man: (Kindly) What can I do for you?
Me: (Shaking mad) A little while ago we cancelled our policy with you. You still charged our credit card and when my husband called you said it would take 6-8 weeks to get a refund.
Man: (Calmly) That's right, because he didn't cancel in time (it was, mind you, before the first of the month, but oh well).
Me: (Full of fire) Right, I know. But you charged my card again for another month. We can't afford to wait 6-8 weeks for another refund. If you charged my card, you can reverse the charge just as easily. If it's not done by the end of the week, I'm reporting you to my credit card company for fraudulent charges.
Man: (Politely) Can you hold on a minute Miss?
Me: (Irritated) Yes.

Then the thought crossed my mind... what if it wasn't a charge but a credit? While on hold I went to the computer. Behold, it was a credit. They had said they'd send a check so when I saw their name, I instantly assumed it was a charge and didn't take the time to notice which direction the charge was going. Instant embarrassment and humiliation overcame me. I got so upset at this nice British-accent-speaking man for NOTHING. So I hung up. I know, totally immature. But I just couldn't sit on hold knowing what a total schmuck I was today because I was completely embarrassed.

Destination: Nowhere

Last week was simple. I spent it enjoying time with Clara, pretending to finish unpacking from all of my trips and looking forward to a weekend not out of town.

Highlights included:

Presents. I enjoyed Monday morning watching Clara discover the presents I brought her from Tahoe. A little bear key chain and three poker chips. Ha ha. They say Lake Tahoe, they are kid-friendly and they were cheap. I wasn't looking for much more. After that, we ate a giant sugar cookie for breakfast. Clara missed me. Enrichment. We made freezer dinners and it was fun. Afterwards, Genny, Roccy, my computer and I ate Pizzookie at Genny's. They wanted BJ's, but I had to work, so they sacrificed for me.

Posing. Clara was walking around the house in my shoes and Jason took a picture of her. She held her arms straight down, hands flipped out.
Wedding Reception. I know, I know, not another one. But yes, another one. Unfortunately, we had plans for this night, but I love Mary, the bride. I visit taught her before her mission and I didn't want to miss it. So on our way to Ryan's, we stopped, I ran in, gave her a big hug and then left. I think I was in there for three minutes. And I was to Ryan's by 6:15. He was so proud of me. :) (He's Mr. On-time)

Celebration Dinner. Ryan and Kathryn have been wanting to take Jason out for a graduation congratulation. And they invited me. Since we were finally not out of town, we did it Friday. The original plan was T.Cooks, but Jason wanted something else. He chose Donovan's. None of us had ever been. It wasn't fine dining like T.Cooks, but I got my steak med-well and I still probably could've chewed it with my tongue. It was SO tender. Mmmmm. Then they brought Jason creme brule with a candle and told him congratulations. Very good food. Fun conversations. Thanks Ryan and Kathryn. Oh, and PS, they even let me leave Clara with their babysitter.

Scout Training. Scouting is a lot of work and normally I'm a little bitter with the never-ending things I'm having to do for it. Saturday I had a training for half the day and it actually wasn't bad. Plus, I got a few new ideas and my enthusiasm was recharged. The Scouting program is so good for these young boys.

Jet Rides. Clara LOVES flying on the jet plane. Good thing she's little, otherwise she wouldn't get jet plane rides from me.Bridal Shower. Holly's bridal shower was Saturday. It was fun celebrating a happy soon-to-be bride, eating too much (I just pretended that second plate full of food was my first), visiting with cousins, "uncousins" that I call cousins and aunts, laughing and talking to my mom in the car afterwards.

Family Dinner. Of course, I've missed having dinner with my family at my parent's while I've been traveling. The three little girls did dishes. They even washed a roll (look in Elsa's hand) and all the styrofoam dishes. My mom bought five of those plasma cars a little while ago and it's finally cooling off so the kids can use them. This wasn't the "best" picture, but it shows how much fun they had. Plus, you can see the reason I couldn't get a great picture is because Elsa thought her job was to chase me. I'd run ahead to get a picture, turn around and by the time I was about to take the picture, she was about to run over my feet. As I was leaving, Lily got back on one and my mom on another. I took pictures, to her surprise (although maybe it shouldn't have been surprising). It was funny.

Yes on 102

If you aren't aware, there will be a VERY important proposition on our Arizona ballots come November. Kathryn is cool and put this on her blog. Her friend Marily is cool for making it. And you can be cool by putting it on your blog. As you can see, it is important to vote YES on 102 because it's cool. Need more reason than that? Turns out there is more of a reason. Marriage is a very sacred unity that we should all want to protect and we can help protect it by voting yes on 102 and helping others see the importance of doing so.

I know when someone tells me to do something, I often don't want to just because I don't like to be told what to do. I rarely forward e-mails. And I don't like to do what everyone else is doing. But this is really important. Like REALLY important.

So here are your instructions:

Click on Customize Your Blog
Click on "Add a Gadget"
Then scroll down and click on the one that says "HTML/Java Script"
Then copy and paste the codes from here: (Click) - You'll see her code on the right of her blog, under her button
Then hit save.
Then see how many people YOU can get to add it to their blogs.

How important is it to you?

Clever

Clara tells us poo poo when she needs to go.

Just now, she had gas that was clearly more than air.

"Poopeedo," Clara chimed.

I looked in her diaper.

Excellent description Clara.

Beauty Defined

Erin and Jason's wedding was amazing. Every little detail was remembered, planned and executed well. The location was gorgeous, inside and out, the flowers were lovely, they provided guests with an individualized handkerchief (as Erin's mom explained: So you can cry!), the food was incredibly delicious and each individual place setting had a box of several (scrumptious) pastries. But I wouldn't have expected any less from Erin...

The cakes. Oh my, the cakes. They were lovely looking and tasting. Each table had a different cake on it. I seemed to keep catching Erin and her dad in very tender moments. Saturday night they sat on the dock visiting. After pictures she was adjusting his tie and he was adjusting her necklace. And their daddy-daughter dance. So sweet.Hit the deck world, Anna turned fancy. I bought and wore a necklace. I am pretty sure the last time I did that was for my wedding. Times are changing, my friends.
While this isn't a super great picture, it tells a super great story. As Erin and Jason were signing their marriage certificate, check out her mom resting her head on her dad. What a sweet couple, and they celebrated their 30th anniversary this week. Notice that EVERY head is looking at Jason fixing Erin's dress. I just thought it was funny.
The wedding party. Not everyone, okay, maybe no one, is looking, but I just like the colors.
Two cool accountants. This is the mirror that was on the wall across from our table. I zoomed in once of the mirror (I thought that's the one I uploaded, oh well) and it was so clear that it just looked like a picture out the window.
Our table attendees. Funny crowd.
Aren't they good looking?
Proof that I was not the only one taking pictures. I have some pictures that show like five other people with a camera.

I think the world is glorious, and lovely as can be. This is Erin's sister Megan. She's hilarious. She had her camera and took lots of pictures, but also gave it to other people and assigned them "paparazzi duty". Jason's friend Jason (the groom's friend, not my Jason... too many Jason's) took the most random pictures when he was on duty. One time he said, "The paparazzi is always watching." Ha ha.
Karen with her butterflies.

Erin and Jason letting their butterflies go (you can see Erin's to the right of her head if you look close).
Now that's cute.
And that water is SO clear! But I wouldn't have wanted to get thrown in... like the worker from the restaurant where lunch was. His co-workers carried him down the dock and threw him right in, clothing and all. Apparently, that's their definition of initiation.
And that's just a cute beach picture.
It was fun to take pictures, laugh with Karen, get to know friends of Jason and Erin and enjoy the beauty of a lovely wedding. I cried. Every time I cry, I evaluate my tears. I guess I feel I need to justify. I don't want to be the crazy person that cries for no reason. So why, I asked myself, do I cry at a wedding? Love, I say. True and sincere love is beautiful.