Thinkin' Thursday - My View In Lieu

In lieu of a separate Thinkin' Thursday post, I left my opinion on my Tuesday post in the comment section. Click here to read. And for all of you who apologized for your comments being so long......well......no need to apologize.

WebCam Wednesday - And Bean-O Was His Name-O

My brother Sam returned home from his mission in Mexico City on Wednesday. We were all very curious to see how his dog Bean-O would react when seeing him for the first time. So I decided to make a video of the reunion. Here it is for those interested.

We The People

It is only 27 days until our country and it's citizens elect a new president. What a ride it has been to get here. I think the next 27 days will be just as much "fun", if not more so.

I am curious as to who you will vote for, so I thought I would host my own little poll, right here. Who are you going to vote for? Take the poll to the right and let us know.

I am also curious as to why you are voting for the candidate of your choice. So please leave a comment on this post stating at least one reason why you have chosen to vote for your candidate.

I'm really curious and I really want you to be able to express your opinions. And that's all I want. Just your own reason why you have chosen to vote the way you are voting. Please don't comment on other peoples comments. And let's all just be nice. You can comment using your name or if you prefer comment anonymously.

Monday Morning Musings - And Party EV-ER-E-DAY!

I was trying to bribe Emily to do something last week. Nothing was working. So I said, "Fine. Then I won't tell you who the next person in our old neighborhood is that is having twins." Yep. It's true. I just found out last week. Whew! Looks like I escaped just in time. (knock on wood)

The other night I had the TV on and I was listening to the news. They were talking about pirates. Like real, live, actual pirates. I was slipping in and out of consciousness while it was playing in the background. I started dreaming about Johnny Depp. Ya know, pirates. If you're gonna dream about a pirate, you might as well dream about him.

The kids hate it when I sing in the car. Whenever I start to sing, they always say, in exasperated tones, "MOM! QUIT SINGING!!!" The other day I was driving and it was just Addy and me in the car. I started singing and she said, "MOM! QUIT!". My sweet little baby is already turning on me. Stinkin' older siblings.

We were sitting around the dinner table the other night and we were talking about my dad. Aubrey said, "Can we please not talk about Papa?". We asked her why and she said, "Because whenever we talk about him, water starts shooting out of my eyes." Ohhhh.....

We had access to a wii on Saturday. I played Guitar Hero for the first time. I am hooked. Majorly. I need one. But I really shouldn't have one. But I want one.

So while I was playing Guitar Hero on Saturday, I was playing and belting out the song, "I Wanna Rock & Roll All Night". I was really into it. So into it that I had no idea that one of the guys who works for Steve came over to get his paycheck and was standing in the doorway watching/laughing at me. I think it should be a rule that if your wife is doing something that would be embarrassing if an outsider were to see, you should tell her, "Hey, there is an outsider watching you." Steve, on the other hand, doesn't think that would be a very fun rule.

The Building Of A House

Steve and Ashley working in the big hole thingy they dug to put some kind of tube thingy and some wires in.

Zac, Emily and Aubrey reading on the ledge. Luckily no one has fallen off yet. Knock on wood.

Thinkin' Thursday - Sit Right Down On Your FannieMae And Have A Listen

Wow! It has been over a week since I blogged. I have been a very bad, bad blogger. Sorry.

OK, it's like this. I wasn't sure I wanted to continue to be all political with my Thinkin' Thursdays. I am just so sick and tired of it all. I really am. But then I went to church and this letter from the First Presidency of my church was read:

As citizens we have the privilege and duty of electing office holders and influencing public policy. Participation in the political process affects our communities and nation today and in the future.

Latter-day Saints as citizens are to seek out and then uphold leaders who will act with integrity and are wise, good, and honest. Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties. (emphasis added)

Therefore, in this election year, we urge you to register to vote, to study the issues and candidates carefully and prayerfully, and then to vote for and actively support those you believe will most nearly carry out your ideas of good government.

The Church affirms its neutrality regarding political parties, platforms, and candidates. The Church also affirms its constitutional right of expression on political and social issues.

Sincerely yours,
Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf The First Presidency

So I decided to actively support those I believe will most nearly carry out my ideas of good government.

Right now, I'm real tired. I said it like this "I'm reeel TY-rd" with a thick accent. That's how I say it when I'm really really tired. So to be quick about it, I am just posting this video. Then I am going to bed. For more info about the political neutrality of my church clickity click click right here. I said that like this, "rawt hare". That also means I am TY-rd. I really should just shut up and go now. Enjoy the film!

WebCam Wednesday - Flashback: Halloween 1987

While trying to find something to entertain my children the other day, I stumbled across home videos from when I was just a youngsta. I was able to locate a VHS player, not always an easy task nowadays, and we spent hours viewing (and laughing at) my family. They were hilarious. First of all. HELLO! We all sound like a bunch of hicks. Somehow over the course of the last 20 years we all seemed to have misplaced our accents. At the beginning of one of the tapes, when I told the kids it was me that they were watching, Emily turned to me and said, "Mom, you have been in Utah too long!".

I had to share this video from Halloween 1987. My friend Darcy and I went as Jim and Tammy Baker. Darcy and I were best friends all through Elementary and Jr. High, but lost touch when we both attended different High Schools. I have recently been reunited with her on Facebook (my newest addiction)(Thank you Farrah). I thought she would get a kick out of seeing this.

You will have to forgive the video quality. I have not the means nor the know how to get the VHS tape to the computer, so I just used my flip camera and recorded it straight from the TV.

Enjoy, and please, always remember that "I love you, I really do".

The House That Steve Built

I have had some requests for pictures of the progression of the house. Here is a picture of the kitchen so far. There is a stainless steel island that goes in the big empty space.

This is the master suite looking toward the bathroom. Steve just finished this wall last week. The wood he put on it is hardwood flooring and it is the same flooring that will be upstairs. The whole main floor is stained concrete, and it is beautiful (good job honey). You can kind of see it through the dust on the kitchen floor.This is Steve's office floor.

Monday Morning Musings - I'm Holding Out For A Hero

So Emily, she can't just say things normally. Like Saturday morning, she was trying to tell me something that had to do with something that happened the night before. Now, if it had just been the two of us in the room, she probably would have said it normally. The thing is, Aubrey was in the room. So in her loudest voice she said, "Mom, remember last night when I stayed up until 11:30 watching TV with you and eating ice cream...", just so she could make her sister jealous. She is always giving way too much information. The other day we were in front of my mom's house and 2 missionaries walked by. So she yells across the yard to me, "MOM! Isn't it exciting that Sam is coming home from his mission in Mexico City, where he is a missionary, in just 3 weeks!".

The cutout of Sam is, at the moment, sitting at the kitchen table. He is wearing one of the girls flower hats and a white and purple scarf is tied around his neck. It cracks me up because it startles everyone else when they walk into the room. But this morning when I took Addy in to eat breakfast, she just waved and said, "Hi Sam!".

I am now the last person on earth to finish reading Breaking Dawn. I just finished it last night. I think I did good considering that I was averaging about 3 pages a day. I really must say that I enjoyed it very much. Bella was not even a little annoying. I have fallen in love with vampires once again. I didn't think I would like the book if Bella and Jacob didn't hook up, but I was wrong. It all worked out. Everyone keeps saying that it was the end of the series, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few years from now we get another little taste of Forks. I mean, the Volturi are gonna want revenge, right. They aren't just gonna let them get away with that. Now I gotta go out and find some kind of library around here.

I know you have probably been worried sick about me not having a life. So to put your mind at ease I thought I would let you know that we now have a DVR in the basement of my mothers house. And this being premiere week and all, I am so excited I can't contain myself. Heroes starts tonight!!!

And one last thing. This song is making me crazy. It just won't stop.

Onety One

Zac turned 11 on September 2nd. Hard to believe 11 years have gone by already. His birthday was right after we moved and he started school in his new school. Since all our friends live so far away from us now, and he didn't really know anyone at his new school yet, we had a family party. His best friend Garrett that lives next door to my mom came with us. We went to see the Star Wars movie, you know the cartoon. It is a must see, by all means.......yeah, kidding. Zac loved it though and that is all that matters. We let him pick where we were eating for dinner. He picked The Outback Steakhouse. Ummmm....we got to eat bluebell for dessert.