Since Tuesday, I've been trying to organize my thoughts on the outcome of the election so that I could rant and rave in all my opinionated glory in an entertaining manner. Then I realized that could very well never happen, but it's still on my mind. So here are my opinionated rants and raves in a not-so-entertaining manner.
Thought 1: It's great that the US has elected our first Black President. Perhaps it's the bubble I grew up in or maybe it's just my generation, but I've never felt like race was an issue. In my mind, we've already overcome racism. Obviously not everyone feels that way. I think this is an exciting and overwhelming way for Black citizens to have this confirmed... and a good way to remind the ignorant people that race should never be an issue.
Thought 2: People are overly optimistic about Obama. I've read many thoughts of people expressing that although they didn't vote for Obama, they think he'll be a good President if he follows through with his promises. I don't think some of his policies will benefit the majority of Americans. I don't think he has bad intentions and I don't think everything he says he'll do is bad. But I won't be thrilled if/when we see some of policies a reality.
Thought 3: I don't agree with many of Obama's policies. HOWEVER, as the President of our Country, I feel he deserves respect from ALL Americans. Not just the ones that agree with him. Unfortunately, there has been too many instances of complete disrespect for our current President. I thought Clinton was a total slimeball. But I still respected him as our President. (Although I sure hope nothing happens to Obama because I have a hard time seeing Biden as respectable).
Thought 4: Given the chance, Obama will probably not appoint what I'd call "good" Supreme Court Justices. By "good" I mean not right and not left, I mean people that can fairly interpret our Constitution. This, of all things, makes me the most nervous about the next four years.
Thought 5: Obama's policies are socialistic and laced with 'big government' (everything except defense...). I think most people are going to be surprised, and likely disappointed, with the implications of some of these policies. Or maybe not. I suppose those with the entitlement mindset might not be disappointed.
Thought 6: Why would they do another economic stimulus package?? I heard Obama plans to have one done quickly after he's sworn in. Yeah, getting $600 in the mail was nice. But let's face reality: $600 won't prevent me from foreclosing on my house and $600 isn't going to encourage someone else to buy that house. I'd imagine that other people struggling financially aren't going to have their financial despair wiped away by a mere $600 check in the mail. If that's all it takes to relieve you of your financial worries, then I would boldly question how serious their financial situation really was.
Thought 7: I don't understand why people protest after certain laws pass (or don't). Having a democracy allows the people's voice to be heard. We vote and the majority rules. If something passed (or didn't) that upset me enough, I'd get to work trying to get something on the ballot to be voted on, not protest. I just don't get it. I'm not saying their protesting is wrong, I believe in freedom of speech. But it just bothers me that after a law is passed, people are instantly trying to overturn it. Like I said, if I felt strongly about something, I wouldn't stop fighting for it until it went "my way", but I would go a different route.
Thought 8: Obama is an amazing speaker. I believe this worked in his favor. People who have the "gift of people speaking" can convince anyone that their ideas are good. Even if Obama doesn't do what he says he will, I think he'll schmooze people over with his ability to speak.
Thought 9: I don't have a whole lot of confidence in Obama taking an aggressive stance when it comes to National Defense. Thus, it should be interesting to see what comes to pass if Obama is tested as Biden has claimed he will be.
Thought 10: I don't think our Country will have peace and prosperity over the next four years, even if Obama does do what he has promised. I don't think McCain would've solved all the problems though either. I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. However, I have a sense of peace knowing that me and my family can (and will) still be happy. So now I'm just curious to see what the next four years will bring. I think it will definitely be different than any other presidential term we've ever had. Oh, and if the economy continues to worsen, people will continue to (in my opinion) wrongfully blame Bush.
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Here's the recipe for my darling cookies.
Celebration Cookies (from my mom)
2 sticks butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. soda
4 tsp. baking powder
4 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll on floured surface 1/2 inch thick. Cook on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 14-17 minutes (I actually do 12-14 minutes).
The dough is pretty sticky. I just put flour on the counter and on the rolling pin. Then, the first time I roll a batch of dough out, I normally have some of it stick to the counter, so I have to scrap some of the cookies I "cut" and roll the dough back into a ball. Just a little more flour and it shouldn't stick much after that.
The trick for the frosting? Well, it's called extra milk. NOT MUCH. Just a smidge and the frosting becomes a WEE BIT runny. This keeps the frosting from getting real thick, but I don't like much frosting anyway, so it works for me. (And who cares what other people prefer because the less they like them, the less they eat. The less they eat, the more I get. :))
That's all.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
FOF - Happiness
It's been a while since my FOF was a reflection of things that make me happy. And it's been a happy week. (Although so many things went wrong.)
1.) Being FREE from one of my jobs. Long story deserving of it's very own post. Soon.
2.) Making progress on my humiliating room
3.) Anticipating a vacation
4.) Cold weather (because it feels great, I can wear long sleeves and I don't have to run my A/C)
5.) Shopping with Jason and Clara
And not that this is interesting to any of you anymore, but for my personal use in the future:
M: pasta with meat sauce (believe it or not), steamed broccoli, carrots and onions
T: butternut squash, corn on the cob, salad (red leaf, red onions, almonds, dried cherries & fresh strawberries) - random meal, but hey, I had to use my squash and corn at some point
W: egg drop soup, chicken lettuce wraps (hit the deck, meat twice this week), zucchini
R: leftovers
F: probably $5 pizza from Little Caesar's - it's a date, Ha!
1.) Being FREE from one of my jobs. Long story deserving of it's very own post. Soon.
2.) Making progress on my humiliating room
3.) Anticipating a vacation
4.) Cold weather (because it feels great, I can wear long sleeves and I don't have to run my A/C)
5.) Shopping with Jason and Clara
And not that this is interesting to any of you anymore, but for my personal use in the future:
M: pasta with meat sauce (believe it or not), steamed broccoli, carrots and onions
T: butternut squash, corn on the cob, salad (red leaf, red onions, almonds, dried cherries & fresh strawberries) - random meal, but hey, I had to use my squash and corn at some point
W: egg drop soup, chicken lettuce wraps (hit the deck, meat twice this week), zucchini
R: leftovers
F: probably $5 pizza from Little Caesar's - it's a date, Ha!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Politookies
Last night as I was winding down, I realized tomorrow (today) would bring me lots of anxiety for two reasons. In an attempt to mitigate my anxiety, I made plans with myself to have fun and bake sugar cookies. Other than waking up with awful knots/ulcer pains in my stomach (no, not because of the elections, although that was the lessor contributing factor to my anxiety), my day has gone well.
I let Clara frost her cookie. Don't let this picture fool you, Clara never intended that big blob of frosting to be smeared on the cookie. It's much more efficient to just eat it straight off the knife. Why wait and eat the frosting with the cookie?
We started with white, but clearly she welcomed the "red" and blue also.
One little, two little, three little cookies...
And as if my cleverness wasn't enough already, I decided to call my political cookies, politookies. Sorry to all non-D and non-R parties, you got lumped with the Independents.
I might not shower, but at least I make some good cookies!
I let Clara frost her cookie. Don't let this picture fool you, Clara never intended that big blob of frosting to be smeared on the cookie. It's much more efficient to just eat it straight off the knife. Why wait and eat the frosting with the cookie?
We started with white, but clearly she welcomed the "red" and blue also.
One little, two little, three little cookies...
And as if my cleverness wasn't enough already, I decided to call my political cookies, politookies. Sorry to all non-D and non-R parties, you got lumped with the Independents.I might not shower, but at least I make some good cookies!Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday Fun
Saturday, Clara and I went to a baby shower and then to the Fall Festival at Duck and Decanter. On the way to the Festival, Clara fell asleep. Ah, so peaceful.
Angela walked around with us for a little bit. Someone had these giant exotic birds. Clara loved them.
Shadows fascinate me.
They had a few bouncy things. Clara's never been in one and loved it. The second time I letter her play on it, a nearby lady must have thought Clara was younger than she is. She gave me this look and asked how old she was like I was crazy to let her in it (there were only a few other kids). Anyway, Clara climbed the stairs to the slide and was so proud of herself. She was at the top and finally I thought I'd coaxed her to slide down after several minutes.
Angela walked around with us for a little bit. Someone had these giant exotic birds. Clara loved them.
Shadows fascinate me.
They had a few bouncy things. Clara's never been in one and loved it. The second time I letter her play on it, a nearby lady must have thought Clara was younger than she is. She gave me this look and asked how old she was like I was crazy to let her in it (there were only a few other kids). Anyway, Clara climbed the stairs to the slide and was so proud of herself. She was at the top and finally I thought I'd coaxed her to slide down after several minutes.
But just as she was about to slide down, she stopped and went back to the top. It was funny. Not long after, some girl went and grabbed her and slid down with her. While I appreciated the girl, after that, she wouldn't leave Clara alone. In the bouncy part, she wouldn't let Clara play. I find it odd that girls, perfect strangers, will walk up to a two year old and just pick them up. Lily's friends do that with Clara, but that's a different story. This happened once before at the Zoo and I thought it was Lily's friend, but nope, just some random girl wanting to hold her.
On my way home from the Fall Festival, I saw at least 29 cop motorcycles and several police vehicles. I figured they were on their way back to Phoenix from Officer Figueroa's funeral and started thinking about how ironic it is when officers are killed on duty. They put their lives on the line to make our communities safer for us. Then to have their lives ended by the very people they are protecting us from is just so sad. It such a respectable way to lose your life, but bitterly ironic at the same time. So often it's not until something like this happens that we realize the respect officers deserve. I am grateful for so many brave people willing to risk their lives to make our streets safer. My heart aches for the policeman that lost a friend and for his wife and family.
While we were gone, Jason decided to buzz his head. Funny. Oh, except for the fact that we're supposed to be having family pictures Saturday.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween - Yesterday
I had two goals for Halloween this year: go to a pumpkin patch and have Clara's costume done early. We never went to a pumpkin patch and I started working on her costume at about 5:00pm on Friday (yes, the 31st). So much for setting goals... but we did have a fun Halloween.
In lieu of carving a pumpkin, I let Clara paint one. Sometimes it is so fun just to watch her and see what she'll do with crafts. She kept touching the paint and was so upset it was on her hand. She told me she was done, but really she just wanted to wash her hands.
After I got Clara's costume ready (she's a bat if you can't tell from the pictures), we went to my mom's for the party they have across the street every Halloween. It's fun seeing people from my old Ward. We had planned to go to that then head back to our house/neighborhood. The little bat doing her "trick" and the little bat flying down the sidewalk (I don't know if you can see her wings because it's so dark, but she was flapping as she ran down the sidewalk). Clara loved running up and down the sidewalk. She's fast and she just goes and goes. She holds her arms with her elbows bent at a 90* angle when she runs fast and it's pretty darn cute. The funniest was when she started running, heard some scary noises playing at the neighbor's, turned around super fast and started running back with a really uneasy look on her face.
Lily wanted to take Clara around the block, so I let her. They were gone for at least an hour so I started getting a tad worried. Jason drove around looking for them and never found them. He was driving real slow, by himself and staring at all the kids trying to find them. He said all the parents probably thought he was a sicko. Probably.
Lily and Clara eventually came back, just in time to do a little trick-or-treating and candy eating with Lucy and Elsa. PS They are Chinese gymnasts. And they're 16 in case you're wondering. My mom gave them each a little pack of gummy Lifesavers for the picture and each of them stared at the camera as they shoved them in, one by one.
Then Elsa left a few of her's on the ground to go see the trick-or-treaters at the door. I told Clara to put it back as she bit into it. So she did. She threw it right back on the ground where she found it. So obedient in her own special little way.
In lieu of carving a pumpkin, I let Clara paint one. Sometimes it is so fun just to watch her and see what she'll do with crafts. She kept touching the paint and was so upset it was on her hand. She told me she was done, but really she just wanted to wash her hands.
After I got Clara's costume ready (she's a bat if you can't tell from the pictures), we went to my mom's for the party they have across the street every Halloween. It's fun seeing people from my old Ward. We had planned to go to that then head back to our house/neighborhood. The little bat doing her "trick" and the little bat flying down the sidewalk (I don't know if you can see her wings because it's so dark, but she was flapping as she ran down the sidewalk). Clara loved running up and down the sidewalk. She's fast and she just goes and goes. She holds her arms with her elbows bent at a 90* angle when she runs fast and it's pretty darn cute. The funniest was when she started running, heard some scary noises playing at the neighbor's, turned around super fast and started running back with a really uneasy look on her face.
Lily wanted to take Clara around the block, so I let her. They were gone for at least an hour so I started getting a tad worried. Jason drove around looking for them and never found them. He was driving real slow, by himself and staring at all the kids trying to find them. He said all the parents probably thought he was a sicko. Probably.
Lily and Clara eventually came back, just in time to do a little trick-or-treating and candy eating with Lucy and Elsa. PS They are Chinese gymnasts. And they're 16 in case you're wondering. My mom gave them each a little pack of gummy Lifesavers for the picture and each of them stared at the camera as they shoved them in, one by one.
Then Elsa left a few of her's on the ground to go see the trick-or-treaters at the door. I told Clara to put it back as she bit into it. So she did. She threw it right back on the ground where she found it. So obedient in her own special little way.We ended up staying at my parent's because we had too much fun hanging out. Then a tiger came and ate the poor little bat. The tiger was scared and was being completely stiff and wouldn't move her head, especially after Grandma put her in front of the mirror. Then she warmed up to her new outfit. Lucy chased the tiger outside, touched the tiger's face with one little finger and exclaimed, "Clara!" (in her little 2-year old way).
Guess who's pregnant??
Ryan is afraid of the camera. Poor Ryan.
Guess who's pregnant??
Ryan is afraid of the camera. Poor Ryan.
I feel like I was kind of 'unfestive' this year, but I had a busy and stressful day Friday, which means the week leading up to it was busy and stressful too. But it was for a good reason and I'm hoping to have some order back in my life relatively soon. More on the later...
Friday, October 31, 2008
FOF - Vegetarian
Five reasons I'm going to become a vegetarian:
1.) It's cheaper.
2.) It forces me to eat healthier (more grains, fruits and vegetables) and it's helped me be more aware of making sure I get the nutrients I need.
3.) It's more sanitary. For some reason, I get grossed out after I cut chicken and put the knife cutting board in the sink. I feel like it contaminates my whole kitchen.
4.) It will help me lose weight.
5.) I feel so sad for the animals that are slaughtered.
Okay, so I'm not really a vegetarian. And I don't really want to lose weight nor do I care about animal slaughtering. But we have greatly reduced our meat intake around here(admittedly more because of budget constraints and not choice) and I've actually really enjoyed it. Thinking about chicken and red meat makes me feel full. I don't feel like I need lots of meat and I don't really miss it. However, I did realize I don't think I could ever give up bacon. I LOVE bacon. In salads, as a side, on sandwiches, in pasta, you name it. However you serve it, I'll probably like it. Bacon is good. And I also wouldn't mind a nice steak every now and then, but I don't really crave meat like I thought I would if I stopped eating it.
And since you've been waiting all week for another inexpensive meal plan, here you go (this week was probably below $25 --seriously it might be more like $15-- if you add it up because I made my own bread and we didn't use two cubes of butter):
M: Bean and cheese burros, enchilada style (I have the easiest homemade red enchilada sauce that is really good), Spanish rice, steamed carrots
T: Grilled cheese sandwiches with homemade bread and tomatoes, cucumbers
W: Nachos (cheese sauce from Costco, tomatoes, green onions, olives and sour cream), cantaloupe
R: Pizza w/ onions, mushrooms, olives & bell peppers (I found my beloved crust recipe I haven't used in forever... it's a good one), smoothies (frozen bananas, frozen peaches, tiny bit of cream, milk and a little ice)
F: Halloween candy (just kidding, but we won't eat here)
So you know: For breakfast we almost always have either cream of white, oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, toast and fruit or eggs. For lunch we usually have cheese crisps, sandwiches or leftovers.
For the record: I have always made fun of Angela when she says stuff about being a vegetarian. Here's my public apology: I'm sorry little sister, I shouldn't have made fun of you. I made fun of your idea before trying it. I guess in my ignorant state I thought all vegetarians were created equal and were all vegans. Not so. If I did decide to become a vegetarian, I'd be a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian (eats eggs and cheese)... and I'd eat bacon.
1.) It's cheaper.
2.) It forces me to eat healthier (more grains, fruits and vegetables) and it's helped me be more aware of making sure I get the nutrients I need.
3.) It's more sanitary. For some reason, I get grossed out after I cut chicken and put the knife cutting board in the sink. I feel like it contaminates my whole kitchen.
4.) It will help me lose weight.
5.) I feel so sad for the animals that are slaughtered.
Okay, so I'm not really a vegetarian. And I don't really want to lose weight nor do I care about animal slaughtering. But we have greatly reduced our meat intake around here(admittedly more because of budget constraints and not choice) and I've actually really enjoyed it. Thinking about chicken and red meat makes me feel full. I don't feel like I need lots of meat and I don't really miss it. However, I did realize I don't think I could ever give up bacon. I LOVE bacon. In salads, as a side, on sandwiches, in pasta, you name it. However you serve it, I'll probably like it. Bacon is good. And I also wouldn't mind a nice steak every now and then, but I don't really crave meat like I thought I would if I stopped eating it.
And since you've been waiting all week for another inexpensive meal plan, here you go (this week was probably below $25 --seriously it might be more like $15-- if you add it up because I made my own bread and we didn't use two cubes of butter):
M: Bean and cheese burros, enchilada style (I have the easiest homemade red enchilada sauce that is really good), Spanish rice, steamed carrots
T: Grilled cheese sandwiches with homemade bread and tomatoes, cucumbers
W: Nachos (cheese sauce from Costco, tomatoes, green onions, olives and sour cream), cantaloupe
R: Pizza w/ onions, mushrooms, olives & bell peppers (I found my beloved crust recipe I haven't used in forever... it's a good one), smoothies (frozen bananas, frozen peaches, tiny bit of cream, milk and a little ice)
F: Halloween candy (just kidding, but we won't eat here)
So you know: For breakfast we almost always have either cream of white, oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, toast and fruit or eggs. For lunch we usually have cheese crisps, sandwiches or leftovers.
For the record: I have always made fun of Angela when she says stuff about being a vegetarian. Here's my public apology: I'm sorry little sister, I shouldn't have made fun of you. I made fun of your idea before trying it. I guess in my ignorant state I thought all vegetarians were created equal and were all vegans. Not so. If I did decide to become a vegetarian, I'd be a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian (eats eggs and cheese)... and I'd eat bacon.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
You Are My Sunshine
I love to laugh (long, loud and clear ah, ha ha ha). But the reality is, there have been more days than I'd like to count in the past few months that would've passed without a laugh or smile if there hadn't been CLARA. I feel true joy every single day by being with Clara. She's so sweet, innocent and full of life. Her little personality is thick with mischievousness but love and concern (you should see the look on her poor face when she sees me cry). She's pretty much awesome. (See?) 
For the record, here are some reasons why (she's awesome)...
/.\ When Clara does "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with me, sometimes that spider walks right up her arm.
/.\ Clara reenacts when she gets hurt. If you get the full version, it's totally hilarious. She makes sound effects, has great facial expressions and will show you how she bonked.
/.\ She prances all over the house with other people's shoes on. Each time, she is so proud of her accomplishment.
/.\ At Tanner's baptism a little bit ago, they showed a slide show (projected on a screen in the Chapel) while we were waiting for his Ward's turn. In it they showed Christ healing a woman's eyes. The next day in Church, Clara pointed up where the projector would've been in our building and pointed to her eyes with a deeply concerned look and said "ow". Now when she sees Jesus, she'll do that too.
/.\ She dumped my peony beads for Scouts all over the floor. She'd grab a handful, look up to make sure I was watching, give me her look ("I'm just making sure you are watching so I can see your reaction") and drop them everywhere. I didn't mind, I just made her help me clean them up.
/.\ While I was trying to play the piano for FHE, Clara sat with me, pounded on the piano and sang her own version.
/.\ Last Friday night we went to Steve & Lindsay's house in South Phoenix for dinner. Clara loved playing dress up with their little girl, Ariel. Ha ha. Clara loves her accessories. We could always tell where she was headed because of the click-clack of her shoes on the tile. Before this, she was walking around with some sunglasses on saying "Cheese, cheese, cheese".
/.\ I think water is the ONLY thing that will keep Clara occupied (inside) for more than 15 minutes. When I was making my bread bowls last week, I sat Clara on the counter to play in the sink. She climbed right in so she could have better access. 
/.\ This evening as I was walking with Roccy, I noticed something instantly rubbing on the tires. I stopped, looked over the sunvisor to see what I'd run over and saw Clara, face down on the seat, dangling her feet on the ground, head stuck between the tray and the seat. She thought she was going to escape the stroller by sliding right out of it. If only her head was a tiny bit smaller. We laughed and laughed after I got her unstuck and back in the stroller, the proper way.
For the record, here are some reasons why (she's awesome).../.\ When Clara does "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with me, sometimes that spider walks right up her arm.
/.\ Clara reenacts when she gets hurt. If you get the full version, it's totally hilarious. She makes sound effects, has great facial expressions and will show you how she bonked.
/.\ She prances all over the house with other people's shoes on. Each time, she is so proud of her accomplishment.
/.\ At Tanner's baptism a little bit ago, they showed a slide show (projected on a screen in the Chapel) while we were waiting for his Ward's turn. In it they showed Christ healing a woman's eyes. The next day in Church, Clara pointed up where the projector would've been in our building and pointed to her eyes with a deeply concerned look and said "ow". Now when she sees Jesus, she'll do that too./.\ She dumped my peony beads for Scouts all over the floor. She'd grab a handful, look up to make sure I was watching, give me her look ("I'm just making sure you are watching so I can see your reaction") and drop them everywhere. I didn't mind, I just made her help me clean them up.
/.\ While I was trying to play the piano for FHE, Clara sat with me, pounded on the piano and sang her own version./.\ Last Friday night we went to Steve & Lindsay's house in South Phoenix for dinner. Clara loved playing dress up with their little girl, Ariel. Ha ha. Clara loves her accessories. We could always tell where she was headed because of the click-clack of her shoes on the tile. Before this, she was walking around with some sunglasses on saying "Cheese, cheese, cheese".
/.\ I think water is the ONLY thing that will keep Clara occupied (inside) for more than 15 minutes. When I was making my bread bowls last week, I sat Clara on the counter to play in the sink. She climbed right in so she could have better access. /.\ This evening as I was walking with Roccy, I noticed something instantly rubbing on the tires. I stopped, looked over the sunvisor to see what I'd run over and saw Clara, face down on the seat, dangling her feet on the ground, head stuck between the tray and the seat. She thought she was going to escape the stroller by sliding right out of it. If only her head was a tiny bit smaller. We laughed and laughed after I got her unstuck and back in the stroller, the proper way.Other funny things she does: puckers when she wants to kiss you or wants a kiss, but only her top lip "suctions" in, said "Yees" when I ask her if she wants a spanking (she had no clue), said "Yees" when she almost hit a little boy in Nursery and I asked her if she was going to hit him, drinks her milk from her cereal bowl, sees treats and says "poo poo" and will do whatever necessary to go potty so she gets the treat, kisses her own owies and squeals when she realizes were driving to Grandma's.
Things she loves: standing on stuff (I have a stool for her in the bathroom and she carries it all around the house so she can see on the counters, in drawers, etc.), her fingernails cut and barrettes and pigtails.
It's about time I have a "lighter (in context not length) side of life" post.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Grab a snack and prepare for extreme boredom...
Wanting to find somewhere that listed political issues and what each candidate stands for, I searched "who should I vote for?". This website came up. Who knew, a website with the url: whoshouldyouvotefor. I should've known.
Before I disect the issues, here are my general thoughts on our lovely presidential candidates, neither of which I'm super excited about:
Obama: Great speaker, very inviting charisma and picked a lousy running mate. That guy (Biden) just bothers me.
McCain: Seemingly older and wiser, not as outwardley passionate as Obama, strong "old fashioned" values (especially those related to economics) and picked a bizarre running mate. I think he picked a female to get female votes since Barack will get the black votes. Call me racist and sexist, but that's what I think.
Back to the little quiz... I think the questions present interesting discussion points. So here I go...
PERSONAL, CHARACTER AND EXPERIENCE
Long service in the Senate is good preparation for being President - I think there are plenty of people that can have the qualities and values of a good President for our Country that haven't served long in the Senate.
The nominee should NOT have taken illegal drugs - I actually don't really care, as long as they don't do them now!
The nominee should be less than 65 years old - Again, I don't really care how old the President is. Since when is someone younger than 65 more qualified?
The nominee should NOT be a divorcee - Some things don't work out. Without knowing the extent of the circumstances, you can't determine someone's character just from knowing they've been divorced.
The nominee should be a person of colour - This should NOT be an issue. Ever.
The nominee should have served in the US military - I will admit I think this is a plus, but at the same time, the upcoming Presidents are going to be from newer generations that didn't experience War like the older generations. For me, the only reason this is a plus is because I feel like someone who's served in the US military would recognize the importance of National Defense.
SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY
The USA should NOT have invaded Iraq - There are two very, very opposite stories coming from Iraq. From the "real" stories I hear, not from our lovely media, it seems more good has come from than this bad.
US troops should remain in Iraq for as long as is required to ensure peace in the region - I think the US has some responsibility to help other countries while ensuring that the US is protected. However, knowing that nowhere in the world will ever have 100% peace, there needs to be a more definitive plan on when the Troops will come home.
The President should be prepared to meet with the Iranian leadership without requiring them to meet any pre-conditions - I don't get why everything has to be so complicated. But since they are, if leaders aren't willing to agree to certain conditions, what's the point of meeting with them?
Waterboarding should be allowed as a means of interrogation - Um, no. Torturing someone is never okay in my mind.
LAW AND SOCIETY
A woman's right to an abortion as laid out in Roe vs Wade should NOT be limited - We all have the same rights. People that choose to have sex choose to take the risk of becoming pregnant. The only form of birth control that is 100% effective is abstinence. Once they've made their choice, they've exercised their right and now it's the unborn child's rights that are priority. Obviously the unfortunate event of rape and incest carry this into a different level of discussion.
Partial birth abortion should be banned - I dare you to read just one article about this practice. It is nothing less than murder.
The death penalty should be banned - I do not believe in "an eye for an eye" BUT, there are some terribly wicked people on this earth that will be a risk to anyone they come in contact with as long as they are alive. Last weekend Jason was watching "Lockup" (I think that's what it's called). Some of the guys were saying how they aren't sorry for murdering people and they will keep killing people any chance they get until they die. Some of these people kill more than one person (guards, workers, inmates, etc.) while in prison because "I'm already in here for life, so what do I have to lose?" Why is the federal government paying to keep these sickos alive? Marijuana should NOT be decriminalised - I don't agree with legalization of marijuana. Drugs just aren't okay. But my understanding is marijauna isn't addictive. So why not legalize this and ban alcohol, which seems to be more harmful to society?
The sale of assault weapons should be banned under Federal law - Aren't murder weapons usually stolen? People that buy and register their weapons typically aren't the crazy ones using them on other people. My favorite phrase to prove the point: Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Banning the sale of assault weapons won't decrease crime, I think it would increase because criminals would find ways to sneak guns into the Country.
The Federal Marriage Amendment (amending the constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman) should be passed into law - You all know how I feel about this. I think defining marriage is important. It doesn't mean disallowing civil unions, it doesn't mean other relationships should be disallowed, it means not changing the definition of the word MARRIAGE.
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigrants should have the right to remain in the USA and follow a path created to enable them to earn the right to citizenship - Hmmm, why do people want to pick and choose which criminals get away with their crime? I have met so many immigrants that I love. They bring intriguing culture and diversity to our Country. In fact, I'm related to one. Immigration isn't the problem, but ILLEGAL immigration. It's against the law. If the law is too restricting,reform the laws, but we still need the laws for order.
Illegal immigrants should NOT be given US drivers licenses - Seriously, some of these are SO ridiculous. Just like citizens have to obey laws and wait until they are 16 to get a license, people wanting to live in our Country should also have to wait until they have obeyed the law to get their's.
HEALTHCARE
There should be universal health coverage - The government can't run a program and I certainly don't want them running healthcare. It's already a mess, so reform the industry. It's expensive, I know. But, often people choose not to afford it because it's expensive and then they complain they can't afford it. There was a time where we didn't have healthcare through a group plan. We had an individual policy. It was expensive, but we cut other expenses so that we could afford it because we know it's important. Don't tell me you can afford cable, a cell phone and eating out regularly but you can't afford health insurance.
Health coverage should be increased through tax cuts enable personal choice rather than state provision - I'm not sure I completely understand, but I do think having the option to make personal choices is generally better than having the government make those choices for you.
TAX AND ECONOMY
The Bush tax cuts for families making >$250000 a year should be repealed to fund tax cuts for middle class families - I don't make $250k or anywhere near that. However, I know several people that do and I know that they pay a disgusting amount in taxes. The Bush tax cuts were to take this tax bracket from 39% to 35% (I think those were the numbers). But they are still the highest tax bracket than the middle class and they still pay a higher percentage of taxes than people that make less. Also, for those people that make that much, they are lucky, a hard worker, or often times, both. Good for them! Just because I'm not making that much doesn't mean I expect them to subsidize my income. They earned it and they most likely deserve it. Plus, those people generally started where we are and worked their way to that point. Not to mention they are the ones investing in real estate, giving us jobs and buying things from the retail store we work at. So in a sense, they are helping out the middle class in a very natural way. Maybe someday I'll have my chance to work to that point, but until then, I don't expect someone else to share their success with me.
The US should retain CAFTA and NOT hold back from similar new trade agreements - Too tired to research this one... :)
Tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs overseas should NOT be abolished - This is a hard one. A really hard one. Outsourcing keeps our costs low but it also reduces the availability of jobs. I don't know if I have a solid opinion on this.
The minimum wage should be increased at a rate higher than inflation to return it to its historic spending power - This is another hard one. The whole root of economics, supply and demand, will generally keep minimum wage in check. Meaning, if the market down the street will pay you $5/hour and the one a block away will pay $6/hour, you'll go with the higher one. When the market down the street realizes this, they'll pay more. I'm pretty neutral on this point.
There should be tighter government regulation of financial institutions - I agree with this. However, I don't think the role ignorant borrowers played in the mortgage disaster should be disregarded. Nor the shady actions of the loan officers. Once again, accept responsibility, people. I happen to have a perfect example: our house in Utah. We were totally misrepresented when we got our construction loan and I found out later that the loan officer totally lied to the lender in an effort to get us the loan. He lied to us throughout the whole process and failed to mention several important factors. Now, over two years later, we still own the house. We could very easily just give up and walk away (okay, emotionally it wouldn't be easy, but financially it would) because we have a mortgage that is out of our league. BUT, Jason and I were both taught the importance of taking responsibility for decisions and working hard to get out of tight situations. So yes, more regulation of financial institutions, but that doesn't mean relieve other's of responsibility.
There should be no limit to offshore oil drilling - I'm a big fan of moderation and most things need reasonable limits, so to say no limit is too broad. Allow offshore drilling, but enforce certain regulations and restrictions, just like with anything else. In the meantime, I would also like to see more research done on alternative energy plans.
ENVIRONMENT
US greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by at least 60% by 2050 to cut global warming - Once again, I'm all about moderation. Yeah, we need to be better at conserving. But I'm still not convinced that global warming is that big of a threat. Just like we have record highs sometimes, we also have record lows.
$150 billion should be invested over the next 10 years to build a clean energy future - IF the budget allowed for this, I think it's a great idea. However, there are plenty of other things that are of higher priority in my opinion.
Conclusion: All of these issues are important, but some are more so in my opinion. If I had to prioritize, the economy/taxes, abortion, health care and national defense would be at the top of my list. Now, what does each candidate have to offer in these areas?
Economy/taxes - last night I read through both candidate's tax plans. Most of the things they are claiming they'll change won't effect me right now. However, if capital gains taxes are raised and if small businesses end up paying more taxes (both would happen if Obama's plan is realized), I think that will really hurt our economy. Those people won't be investing and they won't be able to stay in business. With small business shutting down, that is just more job loss. I feel like McCain has a better understanding of the economy. Unfortunately, so many people in our generation are ignorant when it comes to economic principles. (Side note: I don't think either candidate will carry out their plan in entirety, it's just not possible).
Abortion - After seeing an ad on Obama voting against the infanticide bills (it's true, I checked the voting record), I was totally disgusted. Having no respect for life is as low as you can go. I saw him field a question about this and he said there were other things written into the bill. All I can say, is what else was written in there that was more important than one, let alone thousands, of lives? Besides, who knows if he's just trying to make himself look like not such a lefty. Oh how I wish we could believe these presidential candidates.
Healthcare - Watching the debate on this topic made me so angry. Obama kept saying his plan would be to force all big businesses to offer healthcare, but that small businesses wouldn't fall under the same laws. Can someone please tell me of a "big" business that doesn't offer healthcare? Seriously!
National Defense - I feel safe living in America. I hope it stays that way. Obama hasn't convinced me that this is something of importance to him. From what I've seen/heard/read, it almost seems like he's naive to the potential threats of other Countries.
Now get out and vote. Whoever wins and no matter how the next four years go, R will blame D and D will blame R. I will say my biggest immediate fear if Obama gets elected is the economy. I think it will suffer more before it gets better. Unfortunately, too many people are ignorant about economics, so they don't understand the implications of Obama's tax plan.
The End (thank goodness).
Before I disect the issues, here are my general thoughts on our lovely presidential candidates, neither of which I'm super excited about:
Obama: Great speaker, very inviting charisma and picked a lousy running mate. That guy (Biden) just bothers me.
McCain: Seemingly older and wiser, not as outwardley passionate as Obama, strong "old fashioned" values (especially those related to economics) and picked a bizarre running mate. I think he picked a female to get female votes since Barack will get the black votes. Call me racist and sexist, but that's what I think.
Back to the little quiz... I think the questions present interesting discussion points. So here I go...
PERSONAL, CHARACTER AND EXPERIENCE
Long service in the Senate is good preparation for being President - I think there are plenty of people that can have the qualities and values of a good President for our Country that haven't served long in the Senate.
The nominee should NOT have taken illegal drugs - I actually don't really care, as long as they don't do them now!
The nominee should be less than 65 years old - Again, I don't really care how old the President is. Since when is someone younger than 65 more qualified?
The nominee should NOT be a divorcee - Some things don't work out. Without knowing the extent of the circumstances, you can't determine someone's character just from knowing they've been divorced.
The nominee should be a person of colour - This should NOT be an issue. Ever.
The nominee should have served in the US military - I will admit I think this is a plus, but at the same time, the upcoming Presidents are going to be from newer generations that didn't experience War like the older generations. For me, the only reason this is a plus is because I feel like someone who's served in the US military would recognize the importance of National Defense.
SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY
The USA should NOT have invaded Iraq - There are two very, very opposite stories coming from Iraq. From the "real" stories I hear, not from our lovely media, it seems more good has come from than this bad.
US troops should remain in Iraq for as long as is required to ensure peace in the region - I think the US has some responsibility to help other countries while ensuring that the US is protected. However, knowing that nowhere in the world will ever have 100% peace, there needs to be a more definitive plan on when the Troops will come home.
The President should be prepared to meet with the Iranian leadership without requiring them to meet any pre-conditions - I don't get why everything has to be so complicated. But since they are, if leaders aren't willing to agree to certain conditions, what's the point of meeting with them?
Waterboarding should be allowed as a means of interrogation - Um, no. Torturing someone is never okay in my mind.
LAW AND SOCIETY
A woman's right to an abortion as laid out in Roe vs Wade should NOT be limited - We all have the same rights. People that choose to have sex choose to take the risk of becoming pregnant. The only form of birth control that is 100% effective is abstinence. Once they've made their choice, they've exercised their right and now it's the unborn child's rights that are priority. Obviously the unfortunate event of rape and incest carry this into a different level of discussion.
Partial birth abortion should be banned - I dare you to read just one article about this practice. It is nothing less than murder.
The death penalty should be banned - I do not believe in "an eye for an eye" BUT, there are some terribly wicked people on this earth that will be a risk to anyone they come in contact with as long as they are alive. Last weekend Jason was watching "Lockup" (I think that's what it's called). Some of the guys were saying how they aren't sorry for murdering people and they will keep killing people any chance they get until they die. Some of these people kill more than one person (guards, workers, inmates, etc.) while in prison because "I'm already in here for life, so what do I have to lose?" Why is the federal government paying to keep these sickos alive? Marijuana should NOT be decriminalised - I don't agree with legalization of marijuana. Drugs just aren't okay. But my understanding is marijauna isn't addictive. So why not legalize this and ban alcohol, which seems to be more harmful to society?
The sale of assault weapons should be banned under Federal law - Aren't murder weapons usually stolen? People that buy and register their weapons typically aren't the crazy ones using them on other people. My favorite phrase to prove the point: Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Banning the sale of assault weapons won't decrease crime, I think it would increase because criminals would find ways to sneak guns into the Country.
The Federal Marriage Amendment (amending the constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman) should be passed into law - You all know how I feel about this. I think defining marriage is important. It doesn't mean disallowing civil unions, it doesn't mean other relationships should be disallowed, it means not changing the definition of the word MARRIAGE.
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigrants should have the right to remain in the USA and follow a path created to enable them to earn the right to citizenship - Hmmm, why do people want to pick and choose which criminals get away with their crime? I have met so many immigrants that I love. They bring intriguing culture and diversity to our Country. In fact, I'm related to one. Immigration isn't the problem, but ILLEGAL immigration. It's against the law. If the law is too restricting,reform the laws, but we still need the laws for order.
Illegal immigrants should NOT be given US drivers licenses - Seriously, some of these are SO ridiculous. Just like citizens have to obey laws and wait until they are 16 to get a license, people wanting to live in our Country should also have to wait until they have obeyed the law to get their's.
HEALTHCARE
There should be universal health coverage - The government can't run a program and I certainly don't want them running healthcare. It's already a mess, so reform the industry. It's expensive, I know. But, often people choose not to afford it because it's expensive and then they complain they can't afford it. There was a time where we didn't have healthcare through a group plan. We had an individual policy. It was expensive, but we cut other expenses so that we could afford it because we know it's important. Don't tell me you can afford cable, a cell phone and eating out regularly but you can't afford health insurance.
Health coverage should be increased through tax cuts enable personal choice rather than state provision - I'm not sure I completely understand, but I do think having the option to make personal choices is generally better than having the government make those choices for you.
TAX AND ECONOMY
The Bush tax cuts for families making >$250000 a year should be repealed to fund tax cuts for middle class families - I don't make $250k or anywhere near that. However, I know several people that do and I know that they pay a disgusting amount in taxes. The Bush tax cuts were to take this tax bracket from 39% to 35% (I think those were the numbers). But they are still the highest tax bracket than the middle class and they still pay a higher percentage of taxes than people that make less. Also, for those people that make that much, they are lucky, a hard worker, or often times, both. Good for them! Just because I'm not making that much doesn't mean I expect them to subsidize my income. They earned it and they most likely deserve it. Plus, those people generally started where we are and worked their way to that point. Not to mention they are the ones investing in real estate, giving us jobs and buying things from the retail store we work at. So in a sense, they are helping out the middle class in a very natural way. Maybe someday I'll have my chance to work to that point, but until then, I don't expect someone else to share their success with me.
The US should retain CAFTA and NOT hold back from similar new trade agreements - Too tired to research this one... :)
Tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs overseas should NOT be abolished - This is a hard one. A really hard one. Outsourcing keeps our costs low but it also reduces the availability of jobs. I don't know if I have a solid opinion on this.
The minimum wage should be increased at a rate higher than inflation to return it to its historic spending power - This is another hard one. The whole root of economics, supply and demand, will generally keep minimum wage in check. Meaning, if the market down the street will pay you $5/hour and the one a block away will pay $6/hour, you'll go with the higher one. When the market down the street realizes this, they'll pay more. I'm pretty neutral on this point.
There should be tighter government regulation of financial institutions - I agree with this. However, I don't think the role ignorant borrowers played in the mortgage disaster should be disregarded. Nor the shady actions of the loan officers. Once again, accept responsibility, people. I happen to have a perfect example: our house in Utah. We were totally misrepresented when we got our construction loan and I found out later that the loan officer totally lied to the lender in an effort to get us the loan. He lied to us throughout the whole process and failed to mention several important factors. Now, over two years later, we still own the house. We could very easily just give up and walk away (okay, emotionally it wouldn't be easy, but financially it would) because we have a mortgage that is out of our league. BUT, Jason and I were both taught the importance of taking responsibility for decisions and working hard to get out of tight situations. So yes, more regulation of financial institutions, but that doesn't mean relieve other's of responsibility.
There should be no limit to offshore oil drilling - I'm a big fan of moderation and most things need reasonable limits, so to say no limit is too broad. Allow offshore drilling, but enforce certain regulations and restrictions, just like with anything else. In the meantime, I would also like to see more research done on alternative energy plans.
ENVIRONMENT
US greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by at least 60% by 2050 to cut global warming - Once again, I'm all about moderation. Yeah, we need to be better at conserving. But I'm still not convinced that global warming is that big of a threat. Just like we have record highs sometimes, we also have record lows.
$150 billion should be invested over the next 10 years to build a clean energy future - IF the budget allowed for this, I think it's a great idea. However, there are plenty of other things that are of higher priority in my opinion.
Conclusion: All of these issues are important, but some are more so in my opinion. If I had to prioritize, the economy/taxes, abortion, health care and national defense would be at the top of my list. Now, what does each candidate have to offer in these areas?
Economy/taxes - last night I read through both candidate's tax plans. Most of the things they are claiming they'll change won't effect me right now. However, if capital gains taxes are raised and if small businesses end up paying more taxes (both would happen if Obama's plan is realized), I think that will really hurt our economy. Those people won't be investing and they won't be able to stay in business. With small business shutting down, that is just more job loss. I feel like McCain has a better understanding of the economy. Unfortunately, so many people in our generation are ignorant when it comes to economic principles. (Side note: I don't think either candidate will carry out their plan in entirety, it's just not possible).
Abortion - After seeing an ad on Obama voting against the infanticide bills (it's true, I checked the voting record), I was totally disgusted. Having no respect for life is as low as you can go. I saw him field a question about this and he said there were other things written into the bill. All I can say, is what else was written in there that was more important than one, let alone thousands, of lives? Besides, who knows if he's just trying to make himself look like not such a lefty. Oh how I wish we could believe these presidential candidates.
Healthcare - Watching the debate on this topic made me so angry. Obama kept saying his plan would be to force all big businesses to offer healthcare, but that small businesses wouldn't fall under the same laws. Can someone please tell me of a "big" business that doesn't offer healthcare? Seriously!
National Defense - I feel safe living in America. I hope it stays that way. Obama hasn't convinced me that this is something of importance to him. From what I've seen/heard/read, it almost seems like he's naive to the potential threats of other Countries.
Now get out and vote. Whoever wins and no matter how the next four years go, R will blame D and D will blame R. I will say my biggest immediate fear if Obama gets elected is the economy. I think it will suffer more before it gets better. Unfortunately, too many people are ignorant about economics, so they don't understand the implications of Obama's tax plan.
The End (thank goodness).
The answer my friend...
There are some things I wonder.
Such as...
Why is it okay for someone to have a mannequin mimicking Sarah Palin hanging from a noose? Do you realize how fast someone would get busted for racism if they did that for Mr. Barack? And they are saying this isn't a hate crime. I seriously can't get over this.
Why can't politicians' ads spend time focusing on the qualities they have that makes them deserving of election rather than why their opponent isn't? Today I saw one, I don't even remember who it was, what political party it was or what the position was for, but it didn't say ONE single quality of whoever it was, only things ripping on the opposing candidate. Can't people say what they are and not who they aren't? Seriously. Grow up. And yes, both sides do this.
Are there really people out there that want higher taxes? Or does everyone think that life is magical and the candidate they support offers an equally magical tax plan that will lower their taxes?
When are people going to start taking responsibility for their own actions and realize it's not the government's fault your child is in first grade and can't write the alphabet, it's not the government's fault you are overweight and it's not the government's fault you didn't go to college?
Why is it funny to me that our 401(k) has gone down nearly 37.5% this year?
Would there have been a more comparable number of Republican and Democratic jokes from Jay Leno and David Letterman if there was a different (meaning, not black) Democratic presidential candidate? I read those two late-night guys made 475 jokes about the GOP and only 69 about the Democratic team. I'm all about joking around, but slandering one side nearly seven times more than the other makes me think someone was afraid of being called a racist.
Why am I still awake?
...is blowin' in the wind.
If I have the energy, you'll get my full-fledged opinion on this upcoming election later this week. If not, it just means that I'm totally worn down from work and life as I know it (an unpregnant life that is, all you folks that are waiting for the day that I actually am pregnant).
Such as...
Why is it okay for someone to have a mannequin mimicking Sarah Palin hanging from a noose? Do you realize how fast someone would get busted for racism if they did that for Mr. Barack? And they are saying this isn't a hate crime. I seriously can't get over this.
Why can't politicians' ads spend time focusing on the qualities they have that makes them deserving of election rather than why their opponent isn't? Today I saw one, I don't even remember who it was, what political party it was or what the position was for, but it didn't say ONE single quality of whoever it was, only things ripping on the opposing candidate. Can't people say what they are and not who they aren't? Seriously. Grow up. And yes, both sides do this.
Are there really people out there that want higher taxes? Or does everyone think that life is magical and the candidate they support offers an equally magical tax plan that will lower their taxes?
When are people going to start taking responsibility for their own actions and realize it's not the government's fault your child is in first grade and can't write the alphabet, it's not the government's fault you are overweight and it's not the government's fault you didn't go to college?
Why is it funny to me that our 401(k) has gone down nearly 37.5% this year?
Would there have been a more comparable number of Republican and Democratic jokes from Jay Leno and David Letterman if there was a different (meaning, not black) Democratic presidential candidate? I read those two late-night guys made 475 jokes about the GOP and only 69 about the Democratic team. I'm all about joking around, but slandering one side nearly seven times more than the other makes me think someone was afraid of being called a racist.
Why am I still awake?
...is blowin' in the wind.
If I have the energy, you'll get my full-fledged opinion on this upcoming election later this week. If not, it just means that I'm totally worn down from work and life as I know it (an unpregnant life that is, all you folks that are waiting for the day that I actually am pregnant).
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wispy
It's no longer a surprise that I seem to be out of town non-stop for weddings/receptions. Not that I'm complaining, because I LOVE weddings/receptions. On Saturday Holly got married in Snowflake. We rode up with my mom and Lily first thing Saturday morning. We went straight to my Aunt Jana's to help, although nearly everything had been done. Tangent: We were looking for the sugar and my mom asked me where I'd put the sugar if I was Aunt Jana. I told her if I was Aunt Jana, I wouldn't eat sugar. If you know how healthy my Aunt Jana eats, you'd laugh too. After we chopped strawberries, we got lunch and then got ready.
I went with Lily to wait outside the temple. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, there was no wind, something that very rarely happens there. We all decided that Holly must just be extra special for such miraculous weather. Pictures while waiting for the happy little couple... Wow, really, there are trees that change colors in Arizona.
Lovely ladies.
Lovely Temple. For some reason, the Snowflake Temple doesn't look very grand to me from far away, but every time I'm up close and personal with it, I am awed by how simply beautiful it is. I love the windows. Definitely my favorite detail.
Ankle crossing.
Shawna, Mad White Woman and Michelle. Tangent: Shawna's hair used to be much lighter and SO many people have assumed that her and I are sisters. We're cousins and her and Michelle are sisters.
Holly looked beautiful (Anthony is in this picture, he's just behind her fluffy dress). 
While they were taking pictures, we had our own fun photo shoot, jumping. 
Then Kara, Stephenie, Sarah and I tried to jump off the ledge, but we all just looked like we were falling. And maybe some of us did fall when we hit the ground.
(PS Jason and Clara were home taking a nap. I decided not having them at the Temple was worth having a happier baby at the dinner and reception.) Fun, fun girls they are. After jumping, I put my shoes on and started to walk away, but realized (after far too long) that there was a slight problem. If only I could remember which shoe goes on which foot...
We had to run back to my Aunt Jana's to get some stuff for the reception before the dinner. So we did. Why, you ask, is there a lame picture of a crow on your blog? Well, let me tell you. It's so I can tell you what we saw and you can imagine it easily. As we were driving down the dirt road, we saw a crow, on top of a wooden fence post, devouring a mangled rabbit. We tried to get a picture, but the bird flew away, so here he is, up, up and away.
We went back to the Church for the dinner. Between dinner and the reception, the kids got to play with playdough in the "kid room". Some people just think of the greatest ideas. Clara meant business.
And then there is the reception. It was all set up, so Cindy, Lori, my mom and I just had to prep and set up the food and then keep everything moving. They had peanut butter bars, brownies (with and without nuts), Zebras (aka Hello Dolly's), four kinds of cookies and sundaes with every topping you could imagine (Butterfingers, oreos, fresh strawberries, fresh raspberries, caramel, hot fudge, nuts, M&M's and Reese's pieces).
And then there were the mints. But these were not any ordinary mints. Mixed with the Junior Mints were "premium" mint M&M's (the shiny ones). I wish I would have got the memo on these things because they are awesome. YUM.
Sarah, just hanging out.
Braden, did your mom or dad teach you that trick?
H: Anna, look, I'm eating healthy! (As she shows me her ice cream topped with fresh strawberries).
C: .... (must've been some good ice cream)
J: Look how stinking cute I am in my bow tie.
Clara didn't recognize the girls from KS right away, but once she did, she couldn't get enough of Sarah. Kind of like when we're in the office. Good thing Sarah likes her, otherwise we'd have a serious problem.
Clara and I dancing... allow me to introduce to you, wispy. That's right, that lovely patch of hair encroaching on my forehead. Not sure why, but all day, my left horn decided to do that. It's cute, trust me.
I went with Lily to wait outside the temple. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, there was no wind, something that very rarely happens there. We all decided that Holly must just be extra special for such miraculous weather. Pictures while waiting for the happy little couple... Wow, really, there are trees that change colors in Arizona.
Lovely ladies.Lovely Temple. For some reason, the Snowflake Temple doesn't look very grand to me from far away, but every time I'm up close and personal with it, I am awed by how simply beautiful it is. I love the windows. Definitely my favorite detail.Ankle crossing.Shawna, Mad White Woman and Michelle. Tangent: Shawna's hair used to be much lighter and SO many people have assumed that her and I are sisters. We're cousins and her and Michelle are sisters.Holly looked beautiful (Anthony is in this picture, he's just behind her fluffy dress). While they were taking pictures, we had our own fun photo shoot, jumping. Then Kara, Stephenie, Sarah and I tried to jump off the ledge, but we all just looked like we were falling. And maybe some of us did fall when we hit the ground.(PS Jason and Clara were home taking a nap. I decided not having them at the Temple was worth having a happier baby at the dinner and reception.) Fun, fun girls they are. After jumping, I put my shoes on and started to walk away, but realized (after far too long) that there was a slight problem. If only I could remember which shoe goes on which foot...We had to run back to my Aunt Jana's to get some stuff for the reception before the dinner. So we did. Why, you ask, is there a lame picture of a crow on your blog? Well, let me tell you. It's so I can tell you what we saw and you can imagine it easily. As we were driving down the dirt road, we saw a crow, on top of a wooden fence post, devouring a mangled rabbit. We tried to get a picture, but the bird flew away, so here he is, up, up and away.We went back to the Church for the dinner. Between dinner and the reception, the kids got to play with playdough in the "kid room". Some people just think of the greatest ideas. Clara meant business.And then there is the reception. It was all set up, so Cindy, Lori, my mom and I just had to prep and set up the food and then keep everything moving. They had peanut butter bars, brownies (with and without nuts), Zebras (aka Hello Dolly's), four kinds of cookies and sundaes with every topping you could imagine (Butterfingers, oreos, fresh strawberries, fresh raspberries, caramel, hot fudge, nuts, M&M's and Reese's pieces).And then there were the mints. But these were not any ordinary mints. Mixed with the Junior Mints were "premium" mint M&M's (the shiny ones). I wish I would have got the memo on these things because they are awesome. YUM.
Sarah, just hanging out.
Braden, did your mom or dad teach you that trick?
H: Anna, look, I'm eating healthy! (As she shows me her ice cream topped with fresh strawberries).
C: .... (must've been some good ice cream)
J: Look how stinking cute I am in my bow tie.
Clara didn't recognize the girls from KS right away, but once she did, she couldn't get enough of Sarah. Kind of like when we're in the office. Good thing Sarah likes her, otherwise we'd have a serious problem. 
Clara and I dancing... allow me to introduce to you, wispy. That's right, that lovely patch of hair encroaching on my forehead. Not sure why, but all day, my left horn decided to do that. It's cute, trust me.
P: I have the biggest brown eyes you've ever seen and my cheeks couldn't be more inviting. So just take a picture.
Cousin love.
Cindy and my mom. Happy (and good) little helpers. 
I helped when I didn't have Clara. Jason came and said he would scoop ice cream so I could socialize and watch Clara so he didn't have to.
Cousin love.Cindy and my mom. Happy (and good) little helpers. I helped when I didn't have Clara. Jason came and said he would scoop ice cream so I could socialize and watch Clara so he didn't have to.C: I said, GIVE ME A COOKIE!
I'm not sure if Jason wore this black shirt so we could match... identically. Or if he did it to make me mad (it's not my favorite shirt).
Certainly it wasn't a near 30 year old father of two that hid a pile of Hershey Kisses underneath the cloth on the table. And definitely not one I'm related to.
I'm not sure if Jason wore this black shirt so we could match... identically. Or if he did it to make me mad (it's not my favorite shirt).
Certainly it wasn't a near 30 year old father of two that hid a pile of Hershey Kisses underneath the cloth on the table. And definitely not one I'm related to.As the reception was coming to an end, I was dreading the clean up. My feet hurt, I was running on five hours of sleep and I just felt exhausted. To my pleasant surprise, it only took about an hour. So many people helped so it was down in no time.
Sunday we ate breakfast and then headed home. Michelle's a great hostess. Tangent: Her pantry made me want to live in our house in Utah so I too can have an awesome pantry in the basement. One of my favorite parts of the weekend was getting to spend so much time with my mom. We visited all the way up and all the way home. We visited while we went and got lunch. We visited while we cut strawberries. We visited while we got everything reaady to set up for the reception. And my favorite picture was of me and my mom. The sun was so bright so I told her and Lily to keep their eyes closed and then open them when I said three. On cue, my mom opened her eyes about twice the normal size. The picture is hilarious, but she asked that I not share it. I told her I wouldn't put it on my blog, but that it'd be the first page, full-size, on her Mother's day book next year. :)
We got home at Noon. I was thinking about just missing Sacrament Meeting and then I realized that would be silly. Why miss the most important meeting? Especially since we had 30 minutes to get ready (none of us had showered... and one of us never did, sorry). We were late, but we made it before the sacrament. After I did Singing Time in Nursery, I went to RS and just left Clara in Nursery. It's been so long since I've done that. The teacher in there held her and after a bit, she calmed down. Ahh, the start of a new phase, hopefully.
I have a lot of {heavy} things on my mind. But I have been trying to counteract it all with some thankful thoughts from my weekend...
I'm thankful that I got to go to Snowflake for Holly's big day.
I'm thankful for good cousins.
I'm thankful for beautiful trees that make me happy.
I'm thankful for people that listen to me whine and complain.
I'm thankful the two policeman were talking to each other when we came up over the hill going 85 MPH. The driver of our vehicle will remain anonymous.
I'm thankful that Jason has a job. Losing 20% of his hours/pay is better than 100%.
I'm thankful for Clara. Have you hung out with her lately? She's pretty awesome and keeps me smiling. More on her later.
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