I HAVE BECOME MY MOTHER

Really. We're just alike. And we can't stand each other. At least - during the holidays we can't. We drive each other crazy.

What?! It's only Christmas Eve and why should I already be feeling crazy?????

Tonight's our big dinner. Family should be walking through the door any minute. But I just had to throw in a quick post because I find it absolutely hilarious that I've become my mother, and I don't like it one bit!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

My Favorite Christmas Story

One of my favorite memories of Christmas from when I was a kid was when my parents would ask us each year if we'd be willing to give up some of our Christmas gifts to help those who don't have as much. We always said yes.

At first we would buy gifts or clean up or fix up gently used toys. We did it with other families and we would all go to the house of whomever our parents found and take everything up to their doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run like crazy. Then, from down the street, we'd yell, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!"

After a few years of that, my parents told us that most of the fun is in buying gifts for others, so we just gave money to those they found, so that the parents of those families could shop for their kids.

We've tried to keep this tradition in our family. My dad sent the following story in email and I just loved it. And I just had to share it.

SIMPLE WHITE ENVELOPE
It's just a small white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas --oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it -- the overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma -- the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties, and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended. Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church.

These youngsters,dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford.

Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, 'I wish just one of them could have won,' he said. 'They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them. ' Mike loved kids -- all kids -- and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball, and lacrosse.

That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition --one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning, and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipationas their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year due to cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning it was joined by three more. Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always.

Jessica and the Joy She Brings

I started this post the second week of December, but as you can see, I didn't quite get it done...... Maybe now I can finally complete it. Here it is...


On the first weekend in December, our daughter Jessica was baptized. It was a very touching experience for me.


When Jessica was a baby, she screamed all the time. I don't mean cried. I mean SCREAMED. Nothing we did helped her. And believe me - we tried EVERYTHING. And she never slept more than 2 1/2 hours at a time. She also had reflux. And I don't mean a little spit up. I mean, "HOW THE HECK DID WHAT SHE DRANK TURN INTO ALL THAT??????" She's the reason we own a carpet steamer. The doctor wouldn't give her anything for the reflux because she had steady weight gain.

My husband and I prayed about her a lot because it was very difficult. We felt very strongly that she was not happy here. And we couldn't understand that because we always thought that all spirits wanted to come to earth to get bodies. We just couldn't understand why our little baby hated it here. But we just KNEW that she just wanted to go back and get out of her body.

Over the next year, she had some behaviors that concerned us. I thought she was Autistic because she would slap her head and pull her eyelashes out. She wasn't even a year old, and was displaying behaviors that I had seen in older kids with various issues.

I asked the doctor if she was Autistic and he laughed at me. He told me that there was absolutely no way to tell if she was Autistic at that age. He said symptoms of Autism wouldn't show until she was much older. So we just struggled through the issues.

This picture is named "Happy Jess". At about a year, she started getting better, in that she screamed a lot less. She still had major meltdowns, but she had many happy moments, too. There weren't very many happy moments when she was an infant.

And then when she was a toddler, she had BAD tantrums. I don't mean she threw herself on the floor and screamed for an hour. I mean she would throw herself into walls, grab at the skin on her body and pull until she scratched or bruised herself, and she'd pull her hair out. She would even have blood coming out of her mouth and I couldn't see any injuries where the blood could be coming from. I would ask the doctor about it (a NEW doctor) and she would say, "Every child is different. Don't worry about it."

Everyone kept blowing me off. But I couldn't take her to the park - guaranteed meltdown. I couldn't take her to the store - guaranteed meltdown. I couldn't take her anywhere public - guaranteed meltdown. When she started preschool, she had a meltdown every day after school. It finally clicked and I had enough information to go into the doctor and say, "It's when she's been around chaos." And the doctor said, "Oh - that's sensory. Let's have her evaluated."

So we did and she has Sensory Integration Dysfunction. They told me they don't usually see it this bad when the child isn't Autistic. She is both over-sensitive and under-sensitive. So she seeks stimulation, but can't process it. So unlike normal people, who receive input and simply process it, she didn't know what to do. So her way of dealing was to explode. Most people take in what they see, hear, and feel and when they process it, it all makes sense. For her, it just made her crazy.

She also had gross motor delay, fine motor delay, and low muscle tone. She had speech difficulties as well, in that she would answer a question with a tangent. For example, if you asked her how socks and shoes go together, she'd say, "You need both to go to the store."

What we didn't know when she was an infant, now makes sense. Her body really felt foreign to her because she couldn't process anything she was experiencing. She's had to learn how to take in things around her.

We started occupational and physical therapy with her and that helped immensely. Getting a sensory diet for her made all the difference in the world. We still do sensory activities with her to help her process the world around her.

The neurologist told me that depending on how her OCD tendencies went as she aged, we'd be able to say whether or not she was Autistic. I found that the more we met her sensory needs, the less OCD she displayed. So by the time she was six, which was the age they said you could really tell, she didn't meet the definition requirements for the Autism spectrum.

It's been a really interesting ride as she's gotten older. We've really tried to help her understand herself and teach her how to compensate. Sometimes it's really hard for her to keep it together. Things that wouldn't bother another child make her absolutely crazy. And once she's in that mode, it's really hard to get her out of it.


We rarely have issues anymore. She's done a great job of adjusting. We also try to give her as much notice as possible when things are going to change. Now when she receives input, instead of feeling anxious, most of the time she can process it enough to not have a meltdown. She's at a smaller school now, and that helps, too. She does much better in the environment she's in now.

Now that you know a little about Jessica's struggles, I want to tell about the wonderful things about her. Jessica has always been a very spiritual little girl. When she had just turned two, we took her to a live nativity. It was about 15 minutes long. We put Jessica and Wyatt in the seats right in front of us. I was a little nervous because I thought I'd have to jump over the chairs to get to them if they decided to get up and run around. But they sat very quietly through the whole thing. Right after it was over, Jessica hadn't moved an inch, so I leaned over and asked her if she was okay. She looked at me and she had tears streaming down her face. I was so touched.

She has always had a strong connection to spiritual things. It's really amazing.

She also has a very strong love for others, but especially for those with special needs. She was in Special Ed preschool and her best friend there was Joseph. He had Cerebral Palsy and he couldn't walk or talk. But he loved it when Jessica would pour sand on his feet in the sandbox. And he loved it when she would sit and read him books (pointing to pictures and telling him the story). When she meets someone with special needs, she doesn't see their limitations, just their spirit. She has such a sincere heart.

When she started kindergarten, she left the Special Ed program. And she's done well.

Jessica brings a joy to our home that wouldn't be here without her. It's an amazing feeling that you just can't help but notice. She is always trying to help others and make others feel good. She is so "outside" of herself, it's amazing. Most 8-year-olds don't focus that much on others.

Jessica will always have difficulties with some things. My only hope is that others will be understanding when she's struggling. She's so sweet and I just hate for her to be made fun of. It's happened before, but she, for the most part, hasn't been aware of it. She's so sweet and loving and happy, it's just hard to accept that she's going to be faced with the harsh realities of life.



When she was a baby, I really struggled with her. When I was exhausted and distraught, I had no idea that some day I was going to be so very grateful for having her in my life. She's one of the best things that's ever happened to me. She inspires me to be a better person. And I hope to be more like her.

Holy Cow and Swamp Land, Batman!!!!

I know, I know.....I'm behind in my posting. And while you all might be very nice and understanding and try to make me feel NOT guilty for NOT having posted about my daughter's baptism and other things, I feel WAY behind.

I've just been totally slammed with stuff lately. And I have ERRANDS to run. And it's, like, pouring GIANT SIZED raindrops on ANT LAND!!!!!!!!

What the heck????????

So while I haven't gotten things done like I should, I have at least enjoyed sitting in my chair today with my Lanz Christmas nightgown while all my kids are thankfully back at school! Darn cold that Savannah got!

This post will assuage some of my guilt until I once again have some time to blog some things I'd really like to blog about.

One exciting thing to share - I've been asked to be a guest blogger on a couple blogs. One of them will be an ongoing guest spot and I'm so excited. I'll post details later. I'll be starting in January.

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I just have to scream in frustration at the rain! There's a reason I live in Southern California and NOT the south. I wanted to GET OUT of the rain!!!!!! What is going ON??????? It's rained more in the last two days than it has in the last three years!!!!!! I'm not kidding!!!! This is INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!

K - I don't feel better, but I tried. The rain is seriously giving me the crazies!!!!

Do you know your Christmas songs????

Found this on a bulletin board. Y'all just might hate me for this. LOL! I've gotten a couple. Mostly, it just makes my brain hurt. Check it out:

This is a brain game to test your knowledge of Christmas Songs. The list below has a list of letters, which represent the first initials/letters of the words in the first line of Christmas songs. You have to figure out what song it is! For example, the line and song for OCAYFJAT would be Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant - O Come All Ye Faithful. Good Luck, and have fun!!!!


1. HYAMLCLYHBL
2. TFNTADS
3. GRYMGLNYD
4. BWBRTGGNOWACTHTB
5. ICUAMCTGSOO
6. SNHNAICAIB
7. OTFDOCMTLGTM
8. DTHWBOHFLLLLLLLL
9. YBWOYBNC
10. JTTWTLHC
11. YKDADAPAVCACADAB
12. ISMKSCUTMLN
13. CSBSDIHS
14. HTHASGTTNBK
15. GGROBARWHFOHCE
16. OHNTSABS
17. AIWFCIMTFT
18. DTTSIAOHOS
19. SBSASUTTFM
20. WTKOOA
21. ITMWTOTY
22. IDOAWCJLTOIUTK
23. CROAOFJFNAYN
24. IBTLALLCEYG
25. OLTOBHSWSTL
26. SBRAYL
27. IBHFCYCCOM
28. WWYAMCWWYAMCWWAMCAAHNY
29. IHTBOCDTOFCP
30. IHABCWY
31. FTSWAJHS
32. JOSNLYETW
33. IWAHFCOAHWD
34. GKWLOOTFOS
35. UOTHRPOJGOSC
36. JBJBJBR
37. HHHHWTMBKRMYEVCT
38. JHTSBJRTTT
39. IRCSBICO
40. GCHABSTCRIT
41. CTTMPRPPP
42. OBGBYITFMAH
43. AWHHOHSSOTP
44. HAHJCITBTOTY
45. AIAMNCFHB
46. STNWTTLLDYSWIS
47. OTWOIFBTFISD
48. WCITWLTROMLIS
49. OCTOCTHATLSV
50. LTBPOEALIBWM
51. YBWOYBNCBNPITYW
52. YAMOMGYRAAH
53. WCITWLTROMLIS

Imperfections and Second Chances

I've been meaning to post about Jessica's baptism, but when I started the post, I wanted to talk about Jessica a little bit and I haven't had the time to really do that yet. So I will blog about her and her baptism, but it might not be for a little while.

So I thought I would post about second chances. It seems that there have been a lot of happenings in my life lately that have involved mistakes and opinions and judgments and hurt feelings.

I think it's very easy to be afraid to let people see that we're less than perfect. And it's very easy to be critical of others when they don't completely agree with us. I think I've been on both sides of that coin and I wish I couldn't say that. But it's true. I often feel judged and I judge other people. And I wish I didn't. Because we're all just hanging out - going through pretty much the same trials, just different specifics. I think we have WAY more in common than we think. And I think our commonalities can be found more in our imperfections than anything else.

I remember, growing up, that I just loved to be ME, with no pretending. When I was young, I didn't care what others thought of me. I loved life and ENJOYED it. And somewhere along the line, I became more concerned about fitting into a mold and trying to be something I'm not. I think, in the process, I've lost some of myself. Why do we do that --- get caught up in the person others think we should be instead of who we ARE???

I wish we could all just accept ourselves and others just as we are - with all our failings and idiosyncrasies. That we could just enjoy life and get over the mistakes that we and others make. That we could focus more on the second chances, instead of the mistakes themselves.

Wouldn't that make life way more fun??? I've been trying to be more true to myself. It's not easy. But I'm going to keep on trying. The true me is very forgiving. And fun. I don't dress up my words with frills to make them pretty - I just say what I think. And it's often the WRONG thing. (That's one of my most annoying weaknesses.) I struggle with being a good mom. I struggle with being a good wife. I REALLY struggle with being a good daughter. I get frustrated when things don't go my way. I have great ideas. I'm horrible at keeping house. And some people think I'm organized, but I'm really not. My life isn't perfect. And I need a never ending supply of second chances.

And I guess that's all that I wanted to say. Don't we all need second chances like that???

Why I've been a flake the last two weeks....

This is what I've been doing the last two weeks. I've been making pickles, olives, and croutons. I sold them in a boutique last year and sold out. I was given the opportunity to sell in the boutique again this year and I expected that I would have a successful day. However, this year, we had a lot less traffic, so I have a bunch of product left over.

I made Onion Pickles (like old fashioned bread and butter pickles), Mui Caliente Fire & Ice Pickles (super hot & sweet), Fire & Ice Pickles (hot & sweet), Fire & Ice Relish (super spicy sweet relish), Garlic Olives, and Garlic Croutons. I sold the olives and relish for $8.00, the pickles for $7.00, and the croutons for $3.00.

I would do a giveaway, but I can't mail them because they're canned in glass jars full of liquid and perishable. So now I guess I have Christmas gifts for all those I would otherwise have made baked goods for. Hope they like pickles and olives.......

P.S...........Tomorrow I'm going to post about my daughter's baptism. So my life hasn't only been about pickles and olives the last couple weeks. We had Thanksgiving and family visiting and my daughter's birthday, so it's been a full couple of weeks. But today was all about pickles and olives......thus this post. :D

What Women Can Do

got this from my sister this morning......

Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of crap in return.

JC Penney: Beware of the Doghouse

Thanks to Melissa, I can now embed this on my blog. And yes, I sent this to all the men in my life. I don't think any of them will find this amusing. But their wives will all thank me. :D



Merry Christmas!!!!!

Be Nice to the Newbies

The day I met Lisa was our first day in a new ward in a small town in South Carolina. After Sacrament meeting, she came up to me and said, "Hi. I'm Lisa. My husband is the bishop. You're sitting in my pew."

You would think that this would be the axe to any future friendship, but you'd be wrong.

Lisa lived in a trailer on a family compound. Her parents, her cousin, I think her grandparents, and maybe a few other family members, all had houses or trailers on the family's land. Her family had been there for generations. At least four generations of her family were in our ward. It was a small town, and an even smaller ward, if you only counted attendance. If you judged by geography, it was a HUGE ward.

Lisa was the Nursery Leader. I was seven months pregnant, on medication and bedrest to stop early labor, and I had a 16 month old. She offered to take him in Nursery even though he wasn't 18 months yet.

The first day he went to Nursery, he went right in. When we got there to pick him up, he screamed and reached for her. He didn't want to leave.

Since people doubled up on callings, she was also the Compassionate Service Leader and she "made sure all the food came from clean kitchens" when people brought in dinners after the baby came. (Those are HER words, NOT mine. LOL)

Our new baby cried ALL THE TIME. And Lisa would come up to me and take her at church to give me a break. Lisa's oldest cried just like Jessica, so the screaming didn't faze her at all. And I REALLY needed the break because she didn't sleep, either.

Lisa babysat for me all the time. She only let me pay when we were going out on a date or doing something fun. If I had an appointment or something like that, she wouldn't let me pay.

She invited me over for dinner when my husband was gone.

She became one of my best friends.

Then we moved away less than a year and a half later.

I talked to her last year. She had finally moved away. The first thing she said to me was, "I've sure learned that I need to be nice to the new people in the ward." And I said, "You were nice to me!" And she said, "Well, that's because I liked you. I need to be nice to everyone."

It just cracked me up. She was a great friend to me when I needed one and she was always nice and helpful. She was a great example to me. And I never, in a million years, would have thought on that first day, when she said, "Hi. I'm Lisa. My husband is the bishop. You're sitting in my pew," that I'd be thinking of her and missing her eight years later.

Anyone Love James Bond???

Just had to share this:

What's the acceptable waiting period....

between Thanksgiving and working out?

Seriously, I really feel the need to hit the gym. But we still have family visiting, and to be honest, I'm still feeling gluttonous. In my mind, I keep thinking that I deserve a break and shouldn't feel pressured to work out until the guests are gone. Makes sense, right?

But if I wait too long, I'm sure to find more and more arguments to avoid the gym. And with Christmas right around the corner, I can't afford to sit on my butt too much!

So there has to be an "acceptable" number of days that we can justifiably take some time off from the gym. How long do I have before I'm just seriously delusional???

Christmas Carols Already????

This is for you, Alison!!!

Straight No Chaser




And check out this one on Della Hill's blog. It's a cute turkey day video/song.

Overcoming Writers Block

I'm trying random stuff....

Some of my best and longest lasting friendships are with former roommates. I think that means I was more likeable when I was single.

I really detest girly stuff. I hate having to get my hair cut or taking the time to paint my toe nails. And shaving??? I wish there was another way to not be hairy! (Another way meaning one that didn't require any time or effort.)

I didn't really like Twilight, the movie. I was expecting way more..... Ducking and running for cover now.....(OUCH! Stop throwing things at me!!!!)

I think I know everything and it shows. It's a horrible trait - to be so knowledgeable. It's extremely annoying to all I come in contact with. I know this. Because I KNOW EVERYTHING!!!!

When I have writers block, I'm terribly boring. It's a tragedy. So I have convinced myself that if I just write anything, it will pop me out of my rut..... Still trying....

Target's Method products are great because they're non-toxic and you can make your own slave labor with your children. They can clean the bathroom and help clean the kitchen without danger of poisoning themselves.

Okay - here's the explanation for my boring random stuff. I got tagged and I haven't had any writing inspiration of late, so this is what you got. :D It was supposed to be six random things about myself.

I'm tagging anyone who reads this whose name has an odd number of letters in it. (Yeah, I know that's not exactly what the rules say, but work with me here.)

Wait! Don't ignore the tag!!! I want to read random stuff about you, so please blog some crazy stuff and let me know!!! I need more inspiration!!!

Here are the rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged you. (Anderson And Our Fun)
2) Post the rules on your blog (copy and paste 1-6).
3) Write 6 random things about yourself.
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Check out this store!!!

So, I saw this giveaway on Motherboard's blog, Crazyland. I thought the necklaces were so cute, I had to pass the word on.

You can register to win the giveway at this site: Half Full

Check it out!

Here's the store:

Are you hiring someone to clean your house?

...said my mom when we were talking about Thanksgiving dinner and all the people who are coming to my house next Thursday.

me: No.... money's kind of tight right now.

my mom: Well, who's going to clean your house, then?

me: Um..... me???

my mom: Okay, well at least get the downstairs done.


I'm starting to feel the pressure..... good thing it works for me. :D

Yeah. I Know. I Heard Ya.

So the last couple days have been filled with doggie barf, doggie diarrhea, doggie baths, and lots of cleaning. The dog obviously ate some plant outside or something and got sick from it. For those of you who already commented about doggie messes previously....please note the post title above.

The highlight of it all??? Matt coming home, referring to the dog being sick, and saying, "I'm not happy about this." And me saying, "You're not happy???? I cleaned it up all day!"

Still want to support Prop 8?

Got this in email....

SEND A QUICK EMAIL TO GOVERNOR & STATE OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY

Nancy Kraemer who is involved with the Republican Headquarters and is very knowledgeable on this said we need to encourage ALL who can to email or write letters to ALL the State Assemblymen and State Senators encouraging them not to put into process the overturning of Prop 8. She said even just an email saying "Do not overturn Prop 8" is good as they don't read any full letters; they just take note if you're for or against. And to not just limit it to the Assemblymen or Senator who represents your area, but send it to ALL in the State....and there is an urgency in getting it done quickly..as always.

1. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - governor@governor.ca.gov
2. Sam Annestad - State Senator - senator.aanestad@sen.ca.gov
3. Doug LaMalfa - State Assembly - assemblymember.lamalfa@assembly.ca.gov
4. Rick Keene - State Assembly - assemblymember.keene@assembly.ca.gov

Note that some, including an earlier email from me, are saying that we've lost momentum since 2000 when we received 61% of the vote on prop 22 and 53% on prop 8. At second glance we had 4.3 million votes in 2000. This year we added a million + to that number, 5.3 million. The opposition just had more involved on their side, which reduced the %.

Following the Prophet and Prop 8

I am very upset about all the protests about Prop 8, especially from members of the church. I was on a Mormon blog earlier this evening and they explained how we shouldn't follow the Prophet if his words aren't supported by scripture. This is baffling to me. So I'm posting a talk by Ezra Taft Benson that talks about fundamentals in following the Prophet.

I followed what the Prophet said because HE'S THE PROPHET. I don't have to understand, I don't have to agree, and I don't have to like it. I will continue to support Prop 8 until the Prophet gives us different direction. And the talk below explains it all very clearly. Please take a minute to read this talk. I can't think of a more relevant message that speaks to the dissension going on right now.

First Presidency Message
Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet

President Ezra Taft Benson,
Of the Quorum of the Twelve

Ezra Taft Benson, “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” Tambuli, Jun 1981, 1

(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)

My beloved brothers and sisters. I am honored to be in your presence today. You students are a part of a choice young generation—a generation which might well witness the return of the Lord.

Not only is the Church growing in number today, it is growing in faithfulness and, even more important, our young generation, as a group, is even more faithful than the older generation. God has reserved you for the eleventh hour—the great and dreadful day of the Lord (D&C 110:16). It will be your responsibility not only to help to carry the kingdom to a triumph but to save your own soul and strive to save those of your family and to honor the principles of the inspired constitution of the United States.

To help you pass the crucial tests which lie ahead, I am going to give you today several aspects of a grand key which, if you will honor, will crown you with God’s glory and bring you out victorious in spite of Satan’s fury.

Soon we will be honoring our prophet on his 85th birthday. As a Church we sing the hymn, “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.” (Hymn no. 196). Here then is the grand key—Follow the prophet—and here are fourteen fundamentals in following the prophet, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

In section 132 verse 7 of the Doctrine and Covenants [D&C 132:7] the Lord speaks of the prophet—the president—and says:

“There is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred.”

Then in section 21 verses 4–6 [D&C 21:4–6], the Lord states:

“Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;

“For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

“For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.”

Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the Standard Works.

President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living prophets and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: ‘You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.’

“When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, ‘Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’ That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.’ ” (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)

Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine.

Beware of those who would set up the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.

Fourth: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.

President Wilford Woodruff stated:

“I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of the Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 212–13.)

President Marion G. Romney tells of this incident which happened to him:

“I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Heber J. Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’ Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.’ ” (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 78.)

Fifth: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or diplomas to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

Sometimes there are those who feel their earthly knowledge on a certain subject is superior to the heavenly knowledge which God gives to his prophet on the same subject. They feel the prophet must have the same earthly credentials or training which they have had before they will accept anything the prophet has to say that might contradict their earthly schooling. How much earthly schooling did Joseph Smith have? Yet he gave revelations on all kinds of subjects. We haven’t yet had a prophet who earned a doctorate degree in any subject. We encourage earthly knowledge in many areas, but remember if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet and you’ll be blessed and time will show you have done the right thing.

Sixth: The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to give us scripture.

Sometimes there are those who argue about words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel but that we are not obliged to follow it unless he says it is a commandment. But the Lord says of the Prophet, “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you.” (D&C 21:4.)

And speaking of taking counsel from the prophet, in D&C 108:1, the Lord states:

“Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed.”

Said Brigham Young, “I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call scripture.” (Journal of Discourses, 13:95.)

Seventh: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

“Thou has declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear,” complained Nephi’s brethren. But Nephi answered by saying, “The guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.” (1 Ne. 16:1–2.)

Said President Harold B. Lee:

“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)

But it is the living prophet who really upsets the world. “Even in the Church,” said President Kimball, “many are prone to garnish the sepulchres of yesterdays prophets and mentally stone the living ones.” (Instructor, 95:527.)

Why? Because the living prophet gets at what we need to know now, and the world prefers that prophets either be dead or worry about their own affairs. Some so-called experts of political science want the prophet to keep still on politics. Some would-be authorities on evolution want the prophet to keep still on evolution. And so the list goes on and on.

How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

Said President Marion G. Romney, “It is an easy thing to believe in the dead prophets, but it is a greater thing to believe in the living prophets.” And then he gives this illustration:

“One day when President Grant was living, I sat in my office across the street following a general conference. A man came over to see me, an elderly man. He was very upset about what had been said in this conference by some of the Brethren, including myself. I could tell from his speech that he came from a foreign land. After I had quieted him enough so he would listen, I said, ‘Why did you come to America?’ ‘I am here because a prophet of God told me to come.’ ‘Who was the prophet?’ I continued. ‘Wilford Woodruff.’ ‘Do you believe Wilford Woodruff was a prophet of God?’ ‘Yes, sir.’

“Then came the sixty-four dollar question, ‘Do you believe that Heber J. Grant is a prophet of God?’ His answer, ‘I think he ought to keep his mouth shut about old-age assistance.’

“Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living prophet of God.” (Conference Report, April 1953, p. 125.)

Eighth: The Prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

There will be times when you will have to choose between the revelation of God and reasoning of men—between the prophet and the professor. Said the Prophet Joseph Smith,

“Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire.” (Scrapbook of Mormon Literature, vol. 2, p. 173).

Would it seem reasonable to an eye doctor to be told to heal a blind man by spitting in the dirt, making clay and applying it to the man’s eyes and then telling him to wash in a contaminated pool? Yet this is precisely the course that Jesus took with one man, and he was healed. (See John 9:6–7.) Does it seem reasonable to cure leprosy by telling a man to wash seven times in a particular river, yet this is precisely what the prophet Elisha told a leper to do, and he was healed. (See 2 Kgs. 5.)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8–9.)

Ninth: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter—temporal or spiritual.

Said Brigham Young:

“Some of the leading men in Kirtland were much opposed to Joseph the Prophet, meddling with temporal affairs …

“In a public meeting of the Saints, I said, ‘Ye Elders of Israel, … will some of you draw the line of demarcation, between the spiritual and temporal in the kingdom of God, so that I may understand it?’ Not one of them could do it …

“I defy any man on earth to point out the path a Prophet of God should walk in, or point out his duty, and just how far he must go, in dictating temporal or spiritual things. Temporal and spiritual things are inseparably connected, and ever will be.” (Journal of Discourses, 10:363–64.)

Tenth: The prophet may well advise on civic matters.

When a people are righteous, they want the best to lead them in government. Alma was the head of the Church and of the government in the Book of Mormon; Joseph Smith was mayor of Nauvoo and Brigham Young was governor of Utah. Isaiah was deeply involved in giving counsel on political matters and of his words the Lord himself said, “Great are the words of Isaiah.” (3 Ne. 23:1.)

Eleventh: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees with them, otherwise the prophet is just giving his opinion—speaking as a man. The rich may feel they have no need to take counsel of a lowly prophet.

In the Book of Mormon we read:

“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

“And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.” (2 Ne. 9:28–29, 42; italics added.)

Twelfth: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the wordly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins. Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them.

Thirteenth: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—The highest quorum in the Church.

In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord refers to the First Presidency as “the highest council of the Church” (D&C 107:80) and says “whosoever receiveth me, receiveth those, the First Presidency, whom I have sent …” (D&C 112:20).

Fourteenth: The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

President Harold B. Lee relates this incident from Church history:

“The story is told in the early days of the Church—particularly, I think, at Kirtland, Ohio—where some of the leading brethren in the presiding councils of the Church met secretly and tried to scheme as to how they could get rid of the Prophet Joseph’s leadership. They made the mistake of inviting Brigham Young to one of these secret meetings. He rebuked them, after he had heard the purpose of their meeting. This is part of what he said: ‘You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves to hell.’ ” (Conference Report, April 1963, p. 81.)

In a general conference of the Church, President N. Eldon Tanner stated:

“The Prophet spoke out clearly on Friday morning, telling us what our responsibilities are …

“A man said to me after that, ‘You know, there are people in our state who believe in following the Prophet in everything they think is right, but when it is something they think isn’t right, and it doesn’t appeal to them, then that’s different.’ He said, ‘Then they become their own prophet. They decide what the Lord wants and what the Lord doesn’t want.’

“I thought how true, and how serious when we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not follow the Prophet of God. No, we should never discriminate between these commandments, as to those we should and should not keep.” (CR, October 1966, p. 98.)

“Look to the Presidency and receive instruction,” said the Prophet Joseph Smith. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 161.) But Almon Babbitt didn’t, and in the Doctrine and Covenants section 124, verse 84 [D&C 124:84], the Lord states:

“And with my servant Almon Babbitt, there are many things with which I am not pleased; behold, he aspireth to establish his counsel instead of the counsel which I have ordained, even that of the Presidency of my Church.”

In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.

1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.

3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.

5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.

7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.

10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.

11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.

14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.

May God bless us all to look to the Prophet and the Presidency in the critical and crucial days ahead is my prayer.

I Feew Wike a Woman!

At first, I couldn't think of anything to post about, but then I remembered that on Thursday I was driving home with just my 4 yr. old in the car. And Shania Twain came on the radio. Savannah LOVES "I Feel Like a Woman" so she was singing along. Only she doesn't quite have her L's down yet. So it came out, "I feew wike a woman!"

Needless to say - HILARIOUS being belted out of the mouth of a 4 year old.

*********************

Tonight we were working on Wyatt's 3-D model of his latest research project - a wild animal. He chose to learn about the king cobra. So I had this great idea that we could get small paper cups and stack them loosely with wire in the middle and form it into the shape of the snake, using parts of paper plates for the flaring thing. Then we'd modge podge black crepe paper onto it.

It was great in theory...... Practical application? Not so much.

It's kind of a tricky thing. And since it's due on Monday, we couldn't nix it and come up with something else at the last minute. I guess that's what I get for procrastinating. Matt and I had to help with the modge podging because it was a little more complicated than we expected. Matt kept saying, "I better get an A on this!"

But it does look really cool! I'll post a picture of it when it's done.

A Post in the Midst of Hot Flashes....

Yes. I get hot flashes. I've been getting hot flashes since right before my hysterectomy. I know I'm only 38, but I guess my body wants to make sure I suffer for a LOOOOOOONG time. LOL!

I usually get them when I'm stressed, sick, or in the middle of the night. Why I'm getting them today (and the last several days)? Probably because I'm still getting over my cold.

Something I've learned (and my husband has learned this, too) - when I'm having a hot flash, I have NO PATIENCE, I'm GROUCHY, and IRRITABLE.

But I'm going to push through this hot flash - which is lasting FOR FREAKING EVER - and post about how wonderful my friends are that I serve with at church. I'm in the Primary Presidency and it is just the greatest presidency I've been in EVER! Everyone is working so hard right now and I just had to say I think they are just so wonderful!!!!

Thank you Jennifer, Annie, Kristin, and Kim!!!! You guys ROCK!!!!!

a post for NaBloPoMo

oh - I hate these posts when you HAVE to come up with something. I feel like my funny bone was surgically removed. Okay - so what to write....

An update on my cleaning schedule..... what cleaning schedule???

It kind of hasn't worked, but in my defense, I've had a cold all week and felt like I was walking around in a bubble.

And my kids have been NORMAL!!!! No funny or odd things to report there. And the worst thing that's happened to me is all the good Halloween candy is GONE!

On a side note - I've learned that a person can consume a gallon of orange juice in two days. And that no matter how long you wait, laundry doesn't do itself. The dog won't drink water out of the black bowl (WEIRD). And several handfuls of peanut butter pretzel nuggets are not what health professionals would deem a good serving of protein and carbohydrates.

IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION

The elections were coming. I was not liking how it was going after the primaries. I have been very troubled by this election. We had candidates that I was not happy with and propositions that were very controversial.

When Prop 8 was first introduced, I thought, "What's the big deal?" I didn't think it was worth worrying over and didn't particularly feel a need to fight for it. But then we got instructions from the First Presidency of our church. I was shocked. It didn't take long to get on board, though.

The more I learned about what was happening, not just in California, but all over the nation regarding gay marriage, the more concerned I got. And the more vested I became in the fight for Prop 8. I've never hated gay people. I have gay friends that I love. And I was heartbroken that they would be sad or angry that I was supporting Prop 8. But we are commanded to follow the prophet. And the prophet said we needed to do all we could to support Prop 8. So we did.

We cut our own expenses to contribute money and we volunteered our time. We posted signs and shared opinions. We did it because we felt in our hearts it was right.

The Bible story that has repeatedly come to mind is the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abraham was commanded by the Lord to sacrifice his son. He obeyed, even knowing that it was not in line with the teachings of the Lord. The Lord stayed his hand and provided another offering. But Abraham had proved his loyalty to the Lord.

We were asked to support Prop 8. Regardless of how we feel about it, it was a commandment. I never thought we would be asked to just blindly follow. I didn't even realize at first the similarities in what we were asked to do and what Abraham was asked to do. My testimony has grown because of it.

In the past, I've frequently visited an author's message board. Her son is gay and she was encouraging people to vote against Prop 8. I very respectfully shared why I was going to vote FOR Prop 8. It turned into a very long and very civil discussion. People who didn't agree with me were still civil. They expressed their disagreement, but people also learned a lot about possible consequences if Prop 8 failed.

Today, someone asked about our views on Prop 8 since it passed. This is what I posted:

this is a sensitive subject

Posted by Tracy on 11/5/2008, 14:54:07, in reply to "prop 8"

While I supported and voted for Prop 8, I understand that there are others who are hurt by it. But we had conflicting rights and concerns and one side had to win. And while it could have been initiated and accomplished in a different way to appease everyone, there's always the chance that no matter what anyone came up with, people wouldn't have been happy.

My heart breaks for those that are hurting. But I feel that the people's voices were heard and should be respected. And I think the fact that California and the nation voted Obama in as president proves that we're not a nation and people controlled by prejudice and descrimination. Prop 8 was not a civil rights issue and didn't pass because people were prejudiced. It passed because people have fundamental beliefs about the family.

I really hope that we can all accept things and find ways to live together, instead of continuing to fight. I fought hard for Prop 8, and I'd do it again. But that doesn't mean I enjoyed it or that I want the contention to continue. I really hope we, as a people, can heal after this election.

Since that post, I have received numerous replies that have been excruciatingly hateful. I am amazed at the level of anger and hatred that has multiplied since we fought for something the Lord set for us. I thought the fight would be over after the election. But I'm comforted knowing that we obeyed and we did what we knew to be right.

In D&C 4:2, it reads: "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."

Stepping away from Prop 8 and towards the election in general, I am deeply troubled that John McCain and Barack Obama were the best our country had to offer. I liked John McCain slightly better than Obama. Or maybe I should say, I thought he'd be a better president. I didn't like either of them. But Obama won and now we're moving into a new administration.

I have said on many occasions in political discussions that I don't think any policy or law is going to fix our country until we fix the character and integrity of the people and rebuild the family. We are in a different world than ever before.

I don't think there has EVER been a time when good and righteous parenting was more important. It is imperative that we all, as mothers, fathers, teachers, leaders, take it upon ourselves to teach our children what is right. To strengthen their spirits that they might have the fortitude to overcome the world that is falling apart around them. We have an obligation to provide our children with the knowledge and understanding to take on the challenges that they will face and find ways to improve life for themselves and others. We need to raise future teachers and leaders. People who will, when asked, follow the Lord. Even blindly, if asked to do so. I'm overwhelmed by these responsibilities. But I will try my hardest to be the kind of mom I need to be and follow the Lord.

Yesterday, after the election, I thought the fight was over. But today it's becoming more clear to me that it's really just beginning.

HELP! I need a snack recommendation that starts with S

I have a cold, so I don't want to make something. Any ideas on what I can buy pre-made that starts with an S?

Thanks so much!

Yeah, I know - ANOTHER POST

This is inspired by Della Hill's Be Grateful, Sunday post. As I thought about what I was grateful for, I at first started thinking of all the things I always say - family, gospel, etc. So I thought I'd take this down the "What I don't realize how thankful I am for..."

So here it is... I'm thankful for:

1. makeup
2. deodorant
3. epidurals
4. disposable diapers
5. flushable wipes
6. dishwashers (the mechanical kind)
7. washing machines
8. water bottles
9. orthodontics
10. Lasik
11. automobiles
12. DVR
13. ipods
14. frozen yogurt
15. Ghiridelli chocolate
16. running showers
17. blogging
18. road side service
19. air conditioning
20. Ibuprofen

It makes sense to me, but...

Today I'm going for random. My cold has taken a turn for the worse. I feel like that scene in Haunted Mansion where Eddie Murphy is down in the mausoleum and he just stole the key and all the zombies are getting out of their crypts coming after him. That's what's happening in my body. The mucus is taking over and it happened all of a sudden. Yuck!!!

***On to the next topic....Okay - so my mother-in-law is coming on the 12th. (NO! It's not another scene from Haunted Mansion, unless you count the scene when they first get to the mansion and it's dusty and there are cobwebs everywhere and you're thinking, "Man! They really need to clean!")

(We watched a movie Halloween night. Wanna guess what we watched?)

Okay, so Matt & I are going to Virginia for a quick trip and his mom is coming to babysit. So now I'm in panic mode. I don't care if my house is clean when my family comes, but with my in-laws, it's a different story.

So I figured if I set myself a schedule to get it all cleaned, then I can get it done in time. Cuz really, it's probably a month long job. But if I work fast, I can probably get the most important stuff done in time.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Monday, Nov. 3 - master bedroom

Tuesday, Nov. 4 - master bath

Wednesday, Nov. 5 - vacuum & mop floors

Thursday, Nov. 6 - dust office & living room

Friday, Nov. 7 - family room, Savannah's room, & kids bath

Monday, Nov. 10 - guest room & guest bath

Tuesday, Nov. 11 - kitchen

This is my plan. I hope that by putting it on my blog, I'll be motivated to get it done. (I know - I can see you ROFLOL!!!)

And seriously, if you're thinking all these jobs can be done in one day - there's a reason you haven't seen my whole house!!!

***Next topic...... I'm doing the NaBloPoMo challenge (National Blog Posting Month). The deal is you're supposed to blog every day for a month.

Here's a button if you want it:

<a href="http://www.nablopomo.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Chocoholic" src="http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp176/superseriousblogs/nablopomo3.jpg"/></a><script type="text/javascript">
${widget.hasDynamicSize}</script>

It was created by MomBabe. I got it from Melissa B's blog.

***Next topic.....you have to check out my friend Melissa R's blog. She & her hubby look so authentic in their Halloween getup. ROCK ON!!!!

***Last topic (I promise!!!)....please vote on my poll (to the right). I never know how to reply to comments, so I'd like to get a consensus. Thank you! Thank you!

FINALLY - A New Look

My blog was really bugging me. I was feeling claustrophobic every time I saw my blog page, so I finally got it all fixed up. I love all the blog helps and buttons for websites, but it was just too much, so I created another blog where I can keep all that stuff. It's all at Mormon Blog Stalker (the button is on the right side of my blog). I like gathering up stuff to play with on my blog, so if you want to dress up your blog, check it out. There's going to be all kinds of stuff for blogs. Right now I have some stuff - it's going to take me a little bit of time to get all the stuff on it that I want. But my plan is to really stock it well, so I'm going to keep adding to it. Check back when you get a chance to see what's new. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Food Storage Gone Wrong

Did you know...

1. #10 cans of fruit can explode.
2. When they do, they look like someone put a straw in them and blew them up until there were no edges. ANYWHERE.
3. When they explode, the liquid sprays the entire inside of your cupboard.
4. Then it runs down the sides, past all the shelves, and pools at the bottom.
5. If you don't catch it soon enough, it all hardens into a hard carmel-like substance.
6. And it starts to SMELL. BADLY.
7. When you move the cans, they start making a hissing sound. Like the air hoses that you use to put air in your tires.
8. If you don't think before you move them, you spray your whole kitchen.
9. You have to take a ton of breaks during cleaning because the smell is GROSS.
10. You may never be able to eat peaches again.

Looking Over the Fence at Prop 8

I spent most of last night on an author's message board, discussing Prop 8. This author has written books I absolutely love, but over time she has gotten more vulgar and pushed agendas that I don't agree with. I don't read her anymore. But since I have friends who frequent her message board, I've stopped in there on occasion.

Her son is gay and she is very much opposed to Prop 8. When she posted a plea for people to vote no on Prop 8, I respectfully shared why I was voting YES. It turned into a HUGE thread and surprisingly, it remained very civil. There were only a few mean posts. I ignored them, as my goal was only to express the other side, which I think I managed to do adequately.

I have been actively involved in promoting Prop 8. But that doesn't mean I don't feel troubled about those who think I hate them or don't care about what they want. It is extremely distressing when people assume you feel a certain way. Especially if that "certain way" is negative.

I know God loves ALL His children. And I know He grieves for those that are hurting because of Prop 8. But He will not change His law to appease man.

In Corinthians 11:3, 8-12, we read: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God...... For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God."

I think this scripture is often misinterpreted. But when we spend the time to really think and pray about it, we understand that everyone has their place in the family. And that's what Prop 8 is all about - establishing members of the family.

Vote YES on Prop 8!!!

For more info on Prop 8, please visit my other blog - Protecting Freedoms, Protecting Families.

Where I See Cordy in Five Years

Okay, like probably about a million other people, I was disappointed to read that Cordy was fictional and her story was over. (Click here for the deets on Cordy's story. Click here for the deets on the reveal.) Some had already guessed, and I admit I wondered a few times myself, but I blocked those thoughts and went with the assumption that she was real.

So instead of being mad (because I too sent an email to Cordy, which in hind sight made me feel kind of stupid), I decided that I just had to laugh. No other feelings were going to be productive for me.

And then this morning, I started thinking.....what would Cordy's life be like in five years? Here's what I came up with. This is just for fun and I figured I and a few others could get a laugh out of it and ease the disappointment of yesterday.

Five years down the road, Cordy thinks her life is CRAP! That's right, CRAP! Her 4 year old just pooped and wiped herself. And while Cordy is grateful that she is so independent, she's less than thrilled that her daughter's counting skills are still developing. So instead of counting out so many squares of toilet paper to get the job done, she used half a roll of toilet paper. Yes, that's right, HALF A ROLL of TP. So then Cordy had to clean all that toilet paper out of the toilet (while the poop was still in there, of course). And while she was so diligently engaged in bringing cleanliness to her house again, her 2 year old was sitting on her knees, reading the children's book that Cordy had written and gotten published. While that was a righteous endeavor, her feet were under her bottom. Which was covered in a diaper. Full of poop. That leaked. Because Cordy wasn't able to promptly change her because she was up to her elbows in wet toilet paper. So then, her 2 year old walked around the house (like in Family Circus) and tracked poop all over the house. Yet another poop mess for Cordy to clean. Then to top it all off, Cordy is pregnant again. BIG pregnant. Like, ready to POP. And she's a little stopped up.

Cordy remembers how life was five years ago and wonders how she got to this point. A life full of POOP. CRAP. DOO DOO. She turns on her computer and starts reading Mommy Blogs. Cuz don't we all need an escape sometimes?



How'd you like my "crappy" post? Oh, COME ON!!!! Like we haven't all been there!!!!!!!

Update on Sharing

Savannah threw up ALL NIGHT LONG. I am SOOOOO tired.

I talked to her teacher this morning and apparently her teacher and 3 other students were also sick all night long. They make assignments for snack, so they all ate the same snack yesterday. The only difference was that some had barely any frosting, while others had lots of frosting. Considering that they all got sick within the same 2 hours, I think it's a pretty safe guess that they had food poisoning.

Things are better this morning. She's kept down a popsicle and a few bites of applesauce.

My hat's off to moms of young babies. I swear - I only went one night with barely any sleep and I feel like I want to die, or sleep for a week.

Share and Share Alike

Apparently it was sharing day and no one told me. It's been a while, so I forgot that children can share so well.

When Savannah started complaining that her stomach hurt, I figured it was because I was late in getting dinner together. I was wrong. Someone else had shared the other day at school, and then Savannah shared with us tonight. Lots and lots of vomit. Right after dinner was on the table. Nice.

I sure hope sharing time is OVER.

A Couple Laughs

I apologize in advance to any Democrats.



Give it a few minutes and then try not to laugh.

I AM SUPERMOM!!!

I forgot that Savannah had to bring snack today until this morning. So I didn't have it ready when the carpool picked her up, which meant I had to bring it down to her school, 20-25 minutes away.

I got in the shower, makeup on, dressed, took the dog out to pee, ran to the store to get the snack, and got to the school ALL IN 45 MINUTES!!!!!!!! Can you believe it???? I can't!!!!!

So I just had to post that I'm supermom, I was so proud of myself.

Okay - I know the fact that I forgot she had snack negates my supermom status, but cut me a break, will ya? It's a miracle I got the snack there on time!

P.S. You have to check out Della Hill's site: The Life and Times of Della Hill. That video is hilarious!!!!

Seven Random and/or Weird Facts About Me

This was fun to do. Tagged by Melissa B - everyone who has visited her blog has been tagged. Check it out - Because I Really Can't Get Enough of Myself. And now.....everyone who visits here is tagged. And I DO mean that. If I don't see this on some blogs soon, I'll be bugging you! And yeah, I know that's not really what the rules say (see the pic at the bottom of this post), but ask me if I care. I'll still be looking for random and/or weird facts about you!

So here we go:

1. I never liked the name Jessica. I don't dislike it, I just never liked it. Kind of like the name "Tracy". It's okay - nothing spectacular. My middle child was named Jessica because I had a dream that I had a baby named Jessica and when I got pregnant, I knew I was pregnant with "Jessica". And I have to say - there is not another name that would fit her better. The name has grown on me. Now I kind of love it. And she's an amazing child!

2. I love starting projects, but rarely finish them completely. I can't help it. It's just what I do. And it drives my husband CRAZY.

3. I'm afraid of the ocean. I'm scared to death that I'm going to get eaten by a shark. I know - it's a ridiculous fear, especially when I'm only in up to my knees. But I can't help it.

4. I love romantic stories. I love to read them. I love to watch them. I love to hear them. I'm just a sucker for romance. Matt thinks Die Hard is a romantic movie. He also thinks it's a Christmas movie. What's wrong with this picture????

5. Christmas Eve is the BEST DAY OF THE WHOLE YEAR!!! I'm a sucker for Christmas. And Christmas Eve is our big traditional family gathering. We eat potitza bread, kielbasa, cole slaw, and a potato casserole or macaroni casserole. I'm not a real fan of much of it except the potitza bread. My cousins and I always used to joke that when the old people get really old, we'll just make them hotdogs and say, "Here's your kielbasa." Then we'll all eat filet minon.

6. My great aunt is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PEOPLE. She is an amazing woman. She'll be 93 on Friday. She was a model in the 30's & 40's. She is one of the happiest persons I've ever known. She loves everyone and always makes people feel good. She is fun to be with and she hates to clean. (Yes, that's where I got my "cleaning hate" gene.) And how many times can I say "she" before I drive someone besides myself crazy?

7. I lost my patience. And I can't find it. I know it's here somewhere. But it's been gone for a while and I'm getting a little concerned. My kids haven't been able to help me find it. Same deal with my husband. But I better find it soon. If you know where it is, please tell me. I really need it back. I think Matt & the kids want me to get it back, too.

Now.....

Trunk-or-Treat, Shrek, and the Florida Gators - What do they all have in common?

Nothing - I just needed a title. ;)

We had our trunk-or-treat tonight. Here are the kids (We don't go all out with costumes. I try, but my kids like being the same two or three things over and over again. Jessica really wanted to wear that outfit, so I told her she could be a gypsy. She kept asking me all night, "What am I again, Mom?"):


And me (I think my mom wore this outfit in the early 70's):


Baby Shrek bungee jumping (Don't ask me why I'm posting these on my blog. Even I don't know.):






And how could I not mention the KILLING Florida served up to Kentucky? Sorry to any Kentucky fans. Go Gators!