My opinion on Palin

After a few days to think it over, I become so opinioned about Sarah Palin for VP that I had to get up at 2 a.m. and re-write my op-ed for next week. In case it doesn't make it in the paper, here is my two cents.

Sarah Palin should not be running for vice president.

She should be taking care of her young family and helping them develop into the citizens she will be claiming she wants every child to become.

You can’t pay anyone to love, or nurture, your kids as much as you do. And no one will help them become the citizens and competent adults our future needs unless their mother cares enough about them to be a mother, not a vice president.

You can call me anti-feminist, old-fashioned or even stupid; this is my soul-felt opinion. If your soul-felt opinion differs, my editor would love a letter to that effect.

Last week, when the camera panned over Palin’s family, in the stands I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them, standing there all alone, a daughter holding the four-month-old baby.

Palin, as I am sure you all know by now, gave birth to a little boy in April. He has Down’s syndrome. She and her husband have an 18-year-old son going into the military later this month. And they have three daughters in between. She is not at the stage of her life to be running a grueling national campaign, much less working as vice president of our nation.

Oh, the Republicans will go on about her commitment to pro-life, her hometown roots, her being a ‘working mother’ like so many millions of others. “What an example she is to our daughters,” they will say. “Women can be anything!”

Her greatest work, at this time in her life, needs to be her family. And her lasting example to the families of America would be to withdraw from the race and say her family comes first.
But once again, we will be told that ‘women can do or be anything’ and that ‘women can have it all.’

I can’t agree.

Everything has a season and when Sarah Palin agreed to give birth to that little boy, and his siblings, she made a commitment to nurture and love them in this season. It will be physically, emotionally and spiritually impossible to care for her family and help run our country.

We cannot afford to have our families compromised for the ‘good of the nation’ or the ‘glory of the working mother.’ Our families, our nation and our world need to get over the quest for power and focus on the mostly invisible work of building of strong character and dedication within our families.

The greatest commitment the Republican Party could show to the family is to find another choice for VP.

Montana

We are in Montana this weekend, visiting Josh's folks (don't rob our house please). I forget how pretty it is up here - and green and there are trees! Ellie LOVES being at Grandma and Grandpa's house. There are dollies to play with, and some balls and some horsies AND orange popcicles in the freezer!

It is SO nice to sleep in and take naps! Today I bought my first pair of skinny jeans - cool! What sort of shoes do you wear with those?

Right now I am going to go make a peach pie. Kellie - a 28 lb box of barlett pears is $15 here - do you want a box or two? Or anyone else? Don't forget that food storage canning is next Wednesday at 5 p.m. - who still wants to go/get foods? Happy Labor Day!

Puzzle finisher

Bugs is now officially known as 'the puzzle finisher' because she helped me finish yet another puzzle. YAH for puzzles! Sariah also helped put in the last pieces - it was great. We had a small swimming party in the backyard and everyone had a good time, and lots of cookies. What great neighbors we have! Last night I got my classes done for next month (very nice) and even re-wrote one of the classes, to clarify assignments, etc. A big relief to have that done.

Also today, I FINALLY got our car registered (and with four whole days to go before the end of the month!). And I mailed (after laying on the floor in an attempt to finish the packaging) my sister Holly our old KitchenAid mixer. And did our contacts for the Families Supporting Adoption program. And got to watch some of our friends while their older sisters went off to kindergarden!

I think tomorrow Ellie and I will head down to Provo to get peaches. Then on Thursday, we will can them with Kellie. I REALLY like staying home - it rocks!

A lovely weekend

Josh came home at like 3 a.m. Friday (the test ended early because of wind). We all slept in (very nice) and worked in the yard. Josh cleaned the safety pin out of the DVD player in the van and I put in the walk-way steps. Ellie 'helped' us both.

Then we got to go on a date to the temple - and had a yummy dinner on Temple Square. Very nice.

Saturday we went to se Mike and Holly's new baby and hang out with the family. I got to go shopping by myself for two hours!! I got stuff for my new recipe organization, got Josh a new Sunday shirt, some scrapbooking stuff and a yummy cookie. So lovely to be alone (and fast in the store!)

Sunday was also nice. It is AWESOME when Josh is home to take Ellie out to play in the sand box, 'tuck mommy in for her nap' (before church - this was heavenly), or help her glue shapes.

Here is a picture of me at Enrichment Night about 'putting on the armor of God" AND a picture of my longed-for emergency prep item: a 55-gallon water bucket! Now if the world ends, we will be able to get a drink and maybe flush the toilet once a day. Happiness!

20 kids on a swing

But they weren't all on there at once! But a good time was had by all (except Cora's mommy who has to change sandy diapers this evening?)

About 20 kids, and their mommies came to playgroup today and enjoyed the sand, the swing, the slide and generally running around. Here are some pictures (but not as cute as the ones Phoebe takes.)

Does anyone know how to translate .wma files into something else?

Lovely art

Today Kellie, Camille and I went to see the Monet to Piscasso exhibit at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Of course we took the girls, so Camille actually was our au pair - it was AWESOME!!!! I HIGHLY recommend au pairing to anyone who wants to go on an adventure, but wants some child-help. Camille - you ROCK!


Here is a copy of my favorite picture. If you are in the area - it is really quite a delightful exhibit. Here's a link for more info:






http://www.umfa.utah.edu/monettopicassohttp://www.umfa.utah.edu/monettopicasso


It was a very nice day. Josh is off to test lasers until 4 a.m. on Friday - anyone want to puzzle? I mowed the lawn tonight in preparation for the playgroup mommies coming over tomorrow. I am thinking about making digestive biscuits and having popsicles. Did I mention we stopped at the library and I got like 12 books on tea parties? Break out the hats girls!

Here is a link to my column of the week, since some of you said you like to read it.

http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/pages/full_story?article-Tooele-County-is-ready-for-emergencies-but-are-you-%20=&page_label=opinion_opeds&id=184069-Tooele-County-is-ready-for-emergencies-but-are-you-&widget=push&instance=lead_story_left_column&open=&

Best backyard EVER

Yes, it is true. We have the best backyard EVER! Why:

1) we have the only shade tree in the neighborhood. Until about 11:30 a.m. the backyard is shaded by the house. From 3 p.m. on the yard is shaded by said tree. I love you tree!

2) swing set










3) sandbox










4) play kitchen


5) fakie balance beam


6) comfy chairs to read in while the breeze blows


Yah! Thanks Josh!

Times

http://www.stansburyassoc.org/community/Stansbury%20Days/2008%20triathlon%20race%20results.htm

You can see how I did. The swim KILLED me - ugh - in a pool I can swim 400 meters in less than SEVEN minutes. Whatever.

Lake lung and an anniversary

This is me, re-enacting swimming through the seaweed at the triathlon. I was #32.












So at 6:10 a.m. I got out of bed and kissed my sweetie (not feeling well) and our baby (still sleeping) good-bye and headed out. It was a whopping 58 degrees - air temperature -when I got to the lake. I got all my stuff set up and finally we started.

I was in the first 'wave' (people who swim faster) because I like swimming in POOLS where there is 1) cholrine 2) no seaweed 3) no people swimming on top of you 4) you can see where you are going 5) the sun is not shining directly in your eyes so you have to stop every 10 strokes and make sure you are on the right path 6) you can actually do the crawl stroke, not the breast stroke (because of all the reasons above) and make decent time. (The guy next to me back stroked the whole thing. It was allegedly 400 meters.

I got out of the water and ran over to the bike area. Tight socks are HARD to put on wet, grassy feet - make a note for next year (last year I decided it would be my goal to do a spring triathlon every year - this year has made me reconsider that goal - did I really get THAT old in 365 days?). Went out biking. Dropped water bottle full of energy-giving kool-aid within the first mile. Did not stop to get it. Biked. Not too bad - could breath at least. Was 12.2 miles.

Got off bike and re-racked it. Took off helmet. Start running - the winner ran past the finish line as I started running (they don't have the times listed (they did it by hand and not with those timing ankle straps) but he probably finished in less than an hour). Ran slow. Was tired. Knee hurt. At one point I cheered myself up with images of giggling in bed with Ellie and having Josh rub my back. 3 .1 miles is a lot. I ran fast up to the finish line.

Thanks to my sister Heather for her butter-cream frosting (PLEASE can I have the recipe, wait, no, maybe I DON'T want it) because I made a treat bag of raisins and dark chocolate chips and graham crackers with your frosting - and it got me through the bike and gave me energy for the run!)

Went to lie in van for a while. Didn't win a prize (I decided half way through the bike that my big goal was to finish and still be breathing on my own). Didn't win a raffle. Went home. Had the best hot bath of the year. Had a 2.5 hour nap, nice, warm and tired in my soft bed - thanks Josh! When I woke up, my muscles were SORE. Still are. Oh yah, and I have lake-lung - a weird, deep cough that started after my first two mouthfuls of lake water (and thanks Kellie for telling me that a few years ago it was ILLEGAL to swim in the lake because it was contaminated!!!)

That's the report. I'm alive.

Also today - is my brother John's birthday - happy b-day bro! I am glad you are my brother!!

Big anniversary today is that ONE YEAR ago TODAY, I had my LAST day of FULL-TIME employment. Yes, a year ago today I quit my job (well, it was my last day). Although, technically, I work 'full-time' teaching, I really do NOT work that much and have considered myself a full-time, stay-at-home mommy for the past year.

What have I learned in the year? I think I am a LOT calmer than I used to be. I am more patient, I think, with Ellie and live in general. I REALLY LOVE being at home. I like being the happy homemaker and ironing and making dinner. It's really nice. Thanks Josh for supporting us!

Swishing

On our anniversary, I like to put on the wedding dress and swish around it if for like half an hour once a year. I LOVE how it swishes. AND it only cost $100 - so I really feel justified for 1) keeping it 2) swishing around the house if I feel like it. Here is a picture.

Also, Ellie likes wearing 'princess crowns' (NOTHING D.isney- just headbands - please I HATE D.isney). So here is her wearing the veil. The parts arrived and the swing set is in place. We had a nice lazy day. Tomorrow at 7:15 a.m. I am jumping in the Stansbury Park lake and swimming 400 meters before biking 12.3 miles and then running 3.1 miles. If you think of me, take a few extra breaths and send me the oxygen. More tomorrow if I don't drowned, die or get eaten by a snake.

Yard update

OK, we retrieved the swing set and as my sweetie was putting it together, he noticed they forgot to give us THREE vital parts. So they are going to FedEx them to us and we will finish the details up tomorrow morning! We did enjoy some swinging and sliding this evening - followed by a lovely dinner with our friends, the Korths.

On our SLC trip, we stopped by IKEA and they had those fun tunnels that kids crawl through, and we bought two! (Which is when I really realized I was a mommy because Josh and I agreed that we have the most fun getting stuff for Ellie to play with!) So come over and wiggle through the tunnel or go for a swing!

Also, Matthew tried to wiggle through the tunnel and Kellie jumped on him and starting wacking on him! What was up with this I do not know - but it was really funny. Check out his feet coming out of the tunnel.

Teeth update

Guess what - my teeth ARE moving! On the bottom I used to have those huge gaps from getting two teeth pulled AND two VERY crooked teeth - well it's all closing up! Pictures:

Also, Ellie like to paste shapes now - and she loves smiling for the camera. Josh made it home safe and sound. Yah! Due to a machine break-down, our swing set was not ready until today so we are going to get our eyeballs checked out and then get the swings! Pictures will be forthcoming.

We're licensed!

Oh yah, I forgot the real news of yesterday. We are now licensed foster care parents! We can host a younger birthmom, apply to adopt kids already in foster care, get a kid from foster care, etc. And it only took four months - apparently that is fast.

Our home study said we were "loving and consistent parents" and 'able to adapt to new situations' and that Ellie was a 'highly intelligent little girl who communicates above her age' (of course parents love to hear that stuff!)

That's the news. There are a lot less remains of once poky plant roots in our yard, in preparation for the swing set arriving Wednesday night! Josh will put it together Thursday morning - so come over and play for playgroup!!

Puzzle

So I have the best neighbor. I am trying to put Ellie's goo and bandages on and Bugs calls and asks if I'm lonely. After the monkey goes to bed (she can't bend her little arms too well) I call her back and, since her hubby is 'studying,' I invite her over for an ice cream bar! (This was at 9:09 p.m.) then we talk, and eat, and then have some chips, and some Reeses cups. And at 1:01 a.m. the puzzle was done! Yah Bugs! You are great!

P.S. What did we do before blogs?

Bandage-girl Ellie

Ellie officially has that ecsazama thing. This is how she looks with her bandages (to hold the medicine on her creases at night. (Poor monkey.) Apparently you can only use this medicine for like two weeks at a time. My little baby! (This is her in a little modesty bikini).

Sunday

Woke up. Help Josh get ready for trip. Took Josh to airport. Took a nap. Felt tummy-bad. Entertained Ellie. Organized rest of day. Packed for overnight trip. Prepared Gospel Doctrine lesson. Did visiting teaching. Made dinner for new-baby family. Went to Sacrament Meeting. Took Ellie to nursery. Taught Gospel Doctrine. Helped in nursery. Found cups for snow cones. Found snow cone machine. Had someone else make snow cones. Cleaned up snow cones. Left for Heather's house. Ate a lot. Felt full. Very nice. Ellie went to bed good. Watching Olympics with family. Ate some chocolate ice cream. Ate some rice cakes. Going to check on our precious baby. We miss you Josh!

My sweetie

Josh tumbled into bed around 5:30 a.m. this morning and we ALL slept until 9:30! It was WONDERFUL. Even Ellie - wow! I think she likes sleeping with us now - a BIG change from when she was a baby and did NOT like the co-sleeping.

OK, we are completely doting parents. Ellie's new favorite outdoor activity is playing, digging in and moving around dirt. So we got her a sandbox today. We are setting it up tomorrow - come and play! (no cats invited). Josh heads out for San Diego (some 'learn how to align lasers class at a big national conference) until Wednesday. He is so cute. It is nice to have him home to take care of us. My tummy is NOT doing well - is it from swimming last week at the public pool? I am nervous. The Stansbury Triathlon is next Saturday (the swim is in the 75 degree lake AHAHAH - I did NOT know that when I signed up) - I need to practice!

OK, I'm lonely

So Josh drive home at like 4 a.m. and collapsed into bed. When he was conscious, we went shopping for some window well covers (Home Depot does NOT carry our size). The ones we got a nice and metal and you can stand on them! On our way home, we were on the lookout the the playground store we had seens-with metal pole swing sets! So we went in and found the PERFECT set!!! It will be ready for pick up on Monday - I am SOSOOS excited! It looks almost like this one, but all the swings are on one bar - two swings and one of those glider things that two kids can ride on AND a slide. We are SET!










We got home and Josh ran off to work until Friday morning (do NOT come and mug us!)

Here is Ellie enjoying the backyard that is mowed, wood-chipped and fun! I put out the old beam that the construction people left and now she uses it for a balance beam - Olympics here we come!

Home Teachers ROCK!

This evening our FABULOUS home teacher, Jimmy, came to our house and fixed our locks. Apparently (according to state foster care caseworker ("I have no concerns about you")) we don't have the right locks securing our chemicals. And Josh had to go off to work ASAP after her visit. And we could get approved by the end of the week if we got these two things (also need covers for the window wells) fixed. So Jimmy came over and fixed the locks during the Cooking Club (three jellos and two hamburger dinners) while his lovely wife chatted with us.

Also - my gardening piece came out today - here is the link. http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/pages/full_story?article-Gardening-makes-a-comeback%20=&page_label=hometown_features&id=172040-Gardening-makes-a-comeback&widget=push&instance=lead_story_left_column&open=&

And also my column link. Hum, it's not up yet. No biggie.

So those of you that know me might realize I am a bit of an over-achiever. OK, OK, a HUGE over-achiever. Today I went and worked in our garden (only 45 minutes!) and I got TWO blisters (and popped) on my thumbs. I am trying to do less, and, inspired by my neighbor Adrina, tomorrow Ellie and I will be having 'Pajama Day" at our house (you can come and visit). Yah!

Also, I am not really lonely when Josh is gone for these days on end. First of all, I know he is coming back. Second, we talk a lot on the phone. Third, I have spent more time as an adult NOT being married, than being married, 18 to 28 is 10 years and we've been married for 8) so it is sort of like being single again (but with a COOL house and a baby). Fourth, I have TONS of cool friends here and they like to play with us, so I just invite them over! Fifth, at night I can work on my new puzzle and watch "King of the Hill" and "Malcolm in the Middle" reruns off the DVR. So life is good. But we like visitors!

Finally, I mowed the lawn yesterday and here are some picture of how AWESOME our yard looks now!

Happy 8th Anniversary

This is my FABULOUS anniversary present from my sweetie. It makes NINE dozen cookies at one time! And SIX loaves of bread. I will be baking this week - come on over.

I am so happy to be married to Josh, he is a wonderful husband. He is kind, thoughtful, smart, funny and plays Tetris with me for hours!

"Is OK, I make lamb"

We love "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and when we got a lamb leg to grill we thought of this great quote. So here is Josh after his successful lamb rotussiary adventure. The lamb was quite yummy and we all enjoyed it.

This weekend Heather, Jason and Emma came to play. We went to the Erda Drive-In movie and saw "Hancock." Then Heather and I took the sleeping babies home and the boys enjoyed the second movie.

My great bro-in-law also helped me finish my puzzle (I was stuck on the pumpkins - all the same color! ugh!) So here is the finished product.