Friday, October 24, 2008

More of my girl

these are mostly for grandma and journal videos. Nothing too exciting! Just love my girl!

Sadi Jade

I love my boy!

Another video!

A COUPLE OF VIDEOS

Jackson sings high school musical and does limited choreography. I just had to post a few videos.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

A More Serious Issue

I stole this from Jamie's blog (apparently I'm stealing a lot tonight). This is exactly what I was going to blog about tonight so I'll post this post and write my feelings tomorrow. They're pretty much here, though.

BLOG LIKE YOUR FAMILY DEPENDS ON IT BECAUSE IN FACT IT DOES...One year ago yesterday we moved to beautiful California. I love it here! When I started this blog I thought I would blog about all of our fun adventures here, but this post today takes a very serious issue that I hold so close to my heart: my family. Earlier this year, 4 judges overturned what 61% of the voters in California voted for... to keep marriage between a man and a woman. It scares me that just 4 people can change the will of a majority, but what's done is done and now we have a chance to vote again! As many of you know, California is engaged in an unprecedented battle over the definition of marriage... Proposition 8! Many people don't understand or don't take the time to find out why this is the most important thing we might ever do to protect our family! PLEASE HELP!I make a simple but urgent plea for understanding. What will really happen to society and especially the family if Proposition 8 does not pass? There are many places to get the facts. Won't Gay people loose their rights?In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits. This is NOT the real issue here. Although if you live in California the ads against Prop. 8 seem to make that the issue. (read your voter guide!)Failure to pass Proposition 8 will affect children.If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will put it on equal footing with traditional marriage. Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages. (Click here to to see...)Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt churches.The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about marriage and family. Having tolerance without condoning.We can love others while still maintaining and advocating our standards and beliefs.Proposition 8 will allow us to continue to teach our beliefs and standards.This is my belief:"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose." The Family- A Proclamation to the WorldWe have family members and friends who are gay. We love them. I say to them... if this amendment does not pass you will be given the right to call your "partnership" or relationship a marriage, but I lose the rights that I hold so dear- what my children learn in school, what our society values, what churches are able to discuss. Homosexuals will not be given or lose any rights by this amendment, but the outcome of this not passing will effect the society in which we live. Take the challenge to get the word out, especially to your friends in California, Arizona, Florida...Another way to support this cause, is to join a nation-wide fast with much needed prayers on October 12. Check out the information here.Doesn't this just involve California? NO!!, the decision made will effect other states and our society as a whole!California is only the beginning...(click here to see) If you live in California: What can you do?? REGISTER TO VOTE!! and educate yourself on Prop. 8YES on Proposition 8....WHY??? (click here to read more)

I was a good mom today!

Let me tell you why! For those of you who remember my plea last March 6 ( I don't know how to link this or I would. Go to archives), I have "part two" this evening. Today I was at Albertson's picking up a few things when lo and behold the magazine in front of me was of three women in lingerie (thongs, actually) with their rear ends toward me with the seductive look. Oh please. I'm so tired of this. Anyway, a worker walked past me and I stopped her and pointed to the magazine and said it was offensive and I didn't want my kids to see these things. She informed me that the store just got all of these brand new magazine racks for every aisle and they were all over. So I went on to tell her that a bunch of moms and I were on the hunt for stores willing to help us out in this cause to get crap off the shelf and I asked who I needed to talk to to get them off. She said she didn't know but could maybe find out and walked away. I thought it was a fruitless attempt.

Fifteen minutes later I have kids strapped in the car and groceries in when the manager came running out after me. She told me that this girl had told her what I said. She told me she just had to meet me and then actually thanked me for saying it. I asked what I needed to do to get the ball rolling and she said to go in and show her the magazine and then went on to say how the family unit in this country is falling apart and she was just talking to her husband last night about how they didn't want their grandkids to grow up in a country like this and isn't it ridiculous that we can't teach children about church in school, but gay and lesbian marriage we can? I was thinking "is this for real?" She got in my car and talked with the kids and we chatted for a good fifteen minutes and then she carried Sadi while I carried Jackson (cause he had no shoes) and I showed her the magazine which I had actually covered up with a different magazine. So she took the entire stack and promised I would never see this magazine in the store again. AND if there was ever anything inappropriate that I could personally come find her and she'd take care of it.

How's that for an awesome experience? I can't tell you the high I was on as I left the store thinking I was doing something!

So now I might be up on a soap box, but I've got to ramble. I recognize that conservatives get that name because that's just what they are. We tend to silently have our opinion and don't want to be pushy with anyone. I am done being quiet! With this whole Proposition 8 (gay marriage amendment) going on here in Cali, I have felt such an urgency to go out and stand up for what is right. I do not think that when I stand before the Lord someday and He asks what I did to prevent this from happening, I will feel justified in saying that I was shy about those kinds of things or just busy being a mom. As a member of His church, I have been asked to stand up for what is right. I don't think God is taking this issue lightly and I am feeling Him push me out of my comfort zone to stand up for him.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!! Vote "yes on 8" on November 4!

And if you happened to me at Albertson's on Las Tunas, find Janet and tell her thank you for taking crap off the shelves!

An Extended Family Recipe

So these are seriously the best pumpkin yummy cookies EVER!!! And I think I have good taste in food! They are much better cold or frozen than not, though. Seriously, folks! You gotta try these!

Hoopes’ Pumpkin Cookies

Wet Ingredients:
1 ½ C. shortening
4 ½ C. sugar
3 eggs
1 lg. Can of Pumpkin
Dry Ingredients:
7 ½ C. flour
3 t. baking powder
½ t. soda
2 t. salt
3 t. cinnamon
3 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
1 t. allspice
1 t. ginger
AT LEAST 1 bag of chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Once they are cooled, top with cream cheese frosting: 2 blocks of cream cheese, 2-3 C. powdered sugar, and a little milk. Beat together with mixer.
* Note: This recipe makes a TON of cookies!! Like over 100!
PS I copied this blog from my cousins ! Thanks Lisha~!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

On a different note...

To help me calm down so I can sleep I should share a quick Emma story. Tonight:

me: "Emma, what time is it?"

Emma: "Party time!" (habit from watching HSM)

me: "Nope. What time is it?"

Emma: "8 o'clock?"

Me: Nope. 8:30-which means it's past your...."

Emma: "Gas!!!"

And then she laughed so hard at herself she had tears rolling down her face.


WHAT DO I DO?!!?

i'm really tired and want to go to bed. but i have to tell someone, everyone! I killed 31 black and brown widows TONIGHT!!! About once a week, I go around at night and kill anywhere from 6-12 widows. I've even found one in my playroom in the corner where my kids played hide and seek. Would you say I have an infestation? And if you have read one of my past blogs and know my absolute skin crawling awful experiences you should know MY SKIN IS CRAWLING AND IT WON'T STOP!!! Tomorrow the termite folk are coming, yes I have those too. Oh and fleas. I can't wait to be done renting old houses. I want out!!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Recent conversations


1. Mom: "Emma, will you put the wipes away? You and Jackson go through those like hotcakes!"


Jackson: "Hotcakes?!!? Mmmm, yummy, I want some!"


2. Emma: "Mom, I need some milk or water. I'm sweating like a....like a...."


Jackson: "Hotcake?"


......Does it sound like he hears that word a little in our home?
3. The other day we were getting the kids down for bed and Jack wanted to hug Jackson and said "come over here!"
Jackson reply: "Daddy, what did I do?"