Taking all the credit

I would like everyone who has a minute to go back to my October 21st post. It was a tag and scroll to 8 things on my wish list. If you do you will notice the "I wish all my friends to be able to have all the babies they want". Well I would just like to take credit where credit is due. I now have two of my very good friends who are expecting June babies. (Even though technically they were already pregnant when I blogged the wish, It had been on my mind for quite a while) They are both friends that have had a little bit of a rough time getting pregnant. Anyway, one of them has already announced on their blog, but the other one is still being secretive, so I won't mention any names. I would just like them to know that I expect a Thank You card for my granted wish in the mail, along with any other thing they might want to slip in as a gift. I am so happy for both of them. I think I literally teared up when I found out (maybe just because I am eight months pregnant and will cry over a snickers commercial), never the less I shed tears of joy for their families. I know what a joy and blessing children can bring to a relationship. I still have my wish out there for all the rest of my friends who are still trying and hope God will bless them how he sees fit.

Mom School

The last few weeks have been insane, but lesson packed. My sister and I thought it would be really fun to put our three year olds in a joy school program for the year. Benny and Esther love each other so much and were not getting enough play time together. They would seriously go crazy when ever they saw each other and put on these pathetic begging acts to play every time they did see each other. This is really sad since we only live three blocks away and attend church in the same building. So some of Hannah's friends invited us to take turns teaching Joy school. There were five moms and we each took turns teaching two days a week. So basically I only had to teach every five weeks. The other weeks I would just drop Benny off for two hours on Tuesday and Thursday at another mom's house and they would teach the lesson. The semester went pretty well and it was nice to have the two hours to go to doctors appointments and only have to wrestle with Caleb. Benny really enjoyed playing with his cousin.
I have to say though I have learned my lesson of early childhood preschool's. I never liked the idea of putting your child in school at three and four and only decided to try this cause at first the lessons I saw seemed pretty layed back and the kids were learning fun stuff like about bodies and nature, but the more it went on I realized that it was way too structured for little children. The lessons got really lame. I realized I had spent money on lessons teaching my child things that I already taught him on an everyday basis. He was learning how to be kind and polite. How to take care of the world and how to eat right. I'm sorry but if you are not teaching your kid this everyday on your own then what are you doing all day. Benny also learns this stuff in Primary and Family Home Evening lessons. I realized that I could do all this stuff on my own and get way more done. You don't need fancy lesson plans just talk to your kids. Have conversations with them while you grocery shop. Talk about what your buying. Show them by example not to litter and be kind to animlas. You can take them to the Post Office and Fire stations on your own. With out all th tacky songs and flannel board stories. I think that more moms need to quit passing off their children's education and developement to other people. They love being with their mother's and father's at this age. They want to mimick everything we do. They don't need ten other people to tell them how to be nice they just need us. If your worried about your kid getting social interaction with other children then organize play dates or fun crafts so they can have fun and work on motor skills,take your kids to church and primary activities. Go to the park. It is amazing how quickly kids can find another kid to interact with. Preschool would be my last choice for social interaction. What time do they really have to interact and play if it is spent sitting on the floor listening to a lesson or learning to recite songs.
In my opinion Kindergarten is soon enough for kids to be away from there parents on a regular basis. Now I am not saying I am against structure or routine. We have a very structured day and follow a regular routine, but we need to enjoy these few years that we have with our little ones and just have fun teaching them about life and Heavenly Father's plan. Show them they are loved. Take a little time to think before you get in the car or go for a walk, or make their lunch to think about what you can talk about or what they can learn right now here with you. I am also not saying that Benny didn't enjoy his school but he really didn't learn anything that he didn't already know. The mom's always mentioned that they had a little trouble keeping him still or paying attention. Well for goodness sakes he is three how long were they wanting to keep him still. When it was my turn to teach I could never get any of them to sit still for more than five minutes, and I wasn't about to try or punish them. We simply went to play time or a ring around the rosy game. But benny was always excited to go and always wanted to stay and play. I am simply saying that I need to take more time to make sure he gets that interaction and quit worrying about how clean my house is or if dinner is going to be spectacular. I need to just stop breath and say hey it will be there tomorrow. Today we are going to the park.
I have learned a great deal about my self and the kind of mom I want to be. I want to read more books to them and play more games. I want to let my kitchen floor get sticky from glue and glitter. I want to have more fun chats with other moms while our kids play in the back ground. I especially want Benny and Caleb to always be able to say, "My mom and Dad taught me that". And when the time comes for them to leave and go to school. I can say we had so much fun together. I know that they know I love them and will still be here when they get home.

Fiesta Navidad

This past Monday the library had a community Christmas celebration. It had a kind of Spanish theme, but was really fun. We got to watch some entertainment from Brazil and play some fun games and crafts for Family Home evening.

Benny had to be Santa Claus.

The highlight had to be Benny seeing Santa Claus. As most of you know Benny is a very scary little guy. So before we went I told him he was going to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what he wanted for Christmas. So I practiced with him so he would remember what to say and maybe it would help him not be so scared. We finally got to the front of the extremely long and hot line and Benny walked right up got in his lap and told Santa he was three years old. He never says I am three. He always says no I am three years old. Then He told him he was a good boy and he wanted the Bat cave and four super heroes and four bad guys. Then they cuddled and he hopped down and got his little book. It was really cute.


But the cutest thing was that two days later we had our ward Christmas party and Santa came there too. As soon as Benny saw him walk in he ran and yelled Santa and jumped in his arms and gave him a big hug. I have never seen him hug anyone like that except me, Chris, or his cousin Esther. Even his grandparents have to ask for hugs. Of course we didn't have the camera close enough to take the picture but I seriously couldn't believe how he just seemed to take right to him. After that he was mad he had to wait in line again and didn't want to get out of his lap when his turn was over. On the other hand Caleb was not quite as receptive to Santa Claus.

Oh well maybe next year.

Christmas Tag

I am creating a new tag. This one should be fun. I got the idea from Chris cause he keeps trying to get me to tell him what I want for Christmas even though I have been dropping all kinds of hints. Plus I am curious what all my friends are wanting this Christmas. So no "I want peace on earth or anything sappy"; This is strictly superficial. I want you guys to tell me about your desire for an angora sweater or china plates. If you are tagged you have to list at least ten material wishes and tag ten people.

My list:

1. A new pair of black sunday shoes that pregnant feet will like.

2. An apple slicer peeler thing.

3. One or both of the new Nancy Drew PC games.








4. Family photos after the new baby comes.

5. A supply of the white fudge covered Oreos that only come out during Christmas and I can't enjoy because of the diabetes, but I can save and enjoy in the hospital after.

6. Baby number three to come before the first of the year(healthy)

7. A really fun board game that me and Chris can play just the two of us on date nights

8.Someone to print out all my blog posts and put them in a journal for me cause this is the only journal I've got. Basically I can't afford the printer ink.

9. A gym membership that will provide a daycare for my three boys, so I can lose a hundred pounds. (I can't take the new baby till he is six months)

10. My mother and father to come for Christmas. (I know it is a long shot, but I still wish it)



and I tag Hannah, Dawn, Tia, Chelsea, Shelsea, Lisa, Andrea, Sandy K, Gisela, & Chris. So get to wishing, and happy Holidays.

Grateful

Okay so since it is Thanksgiving in two days I have been trying to think of things I am grateful for when I get stressed out. I have really enjoyed reading all my friends lists. They really helped me remember some of the things I am grateful for. So here goes.

1. I am most grateful for he gospel. When ever I get really down I can always turn to all the wonderful resources our Heavenly Father has provided us with i.e. the scriptures, the Ensign, visiting teachers, prayer, and family. With out our Savior's sacrifice all the joys and trials of our earthly life would be for nothing. Thank you Heavenly Father.

2. I am grateful for my husband. He is always there for me when I need him, ready to take on more than his share. He has worked harder than anyone I know at his Chemistry degree and deserves every point of his 3.9 GPA. He loves his children more than anything an never grumbles when he has to give me my personal time. He actually begs for daddy time and will babysit whenever he has a chance.

3. I am grateful for my parents. My dad has always worked hard to take care of us and even though he is not a religious man has chosen not to partake in the worldly substances. It was his example of how a man treats his wife that helped me know who to look for as my husband. My mother is always there to help. She always listens and gives advice. I know that she is hurting to when I hurt and laughing too when I laugh. I still call her every day and don't know what I will do if she leaves this earth before me...so buckle up Mom.

4. I am grateful for my In-laws. They have been a great support to me and my husband as we have struggled to make ends meet. Always sending gifts and special notes to let us know they care and love us. I know they will always answer a call for help.

5. I am grateful for the roof over my head, the food in my fridge, and the clothes on my back. So many out there who are out in the cold with empty stomachs will be in my prayers and thoughts as we offer our meager tithe and fast. We know we are blessed for what we have.

6. I am grateful for a computer that I can use to keep in touch with all my friends and family. I am a horrible letter writer and phone call maker so if it weren't for modern technology some of you would think I had dropped of the face of the Earth. Special thanks to Tia and Stella who always try to call me and unfortunately get thrown into the forget to call list I have accumulated. Sorry I love talking to you guys.

7. I am grateful for Fall weather. I have a personal heater growing inside me so the cool weather is wonderful. I haven't even had to pull out a jacket. When Chris and the boys are bundled like eskimos mommy is wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

8.I am grateful for modern medicine. I have great doctors who because of modern medical research can help me control my gestational diabetes. They also provide the shots I need for being RH-, which keep my babies healthy.

9. I am grateful for the country we live in where we have freedom of speech and liberties to work and worship as we like. Hopefully it will stay that way.

10. I am grateful for my children. They are every laugh, smile, and good memory I have. They have made our family everything it is. They teach me patience, love and respect.

Texas Here We Come

As you all know my brilliant husband applied to Medical school this summer. He had seven interviews out of the eight schools. All the interviews went really well and most interviewers told him they felt he would be a perfect fit for their school. Well we have been waiting since August for the early acceptance letters to be released, and finally November fifteenth got here. Chris received early letters of acceptance from three of the seven schools; A&M, Galveston, and the D.O. school in Fort Worth. I am so proud of him. These are actually his bottom three choices, but at least we know that we got in somewhere and he will be starting Medical School next fall. Hip Hip Hooray! I feel confident that we will hear from at least one more of the other schools. The ones at the top of his list are Dallas, Houston, And San Antonio. Lubbock is right in the middle. We still have over two months till the final match and like I said I know we will hear from at least one of the others. Chris is just too smart of a guy to pass up. So everyone cross your fingers. With that said we are just so grateful even if we don't get any other offers. We know that Heavenly Father will lead us exactly where we are supposed to be and that no matter where Chris will get the best education he can get. It is all what you put into it. I am so grateful for my hard working husband and the support he gives me at home. He rarely has a bad day and always tries to make my bad days better. I know he will make an excellent Doctor. With the way I am always ailing with something (mostly just for attention) we will need a good Doctor in the family. His heart is so caring and patient. If you have a chance to call and congratulate him please do. We are very excited about this next step and are trying to not be impatient and just enjoy the moment. We are going to miss living in Utah so much. I am not looking forward to the Texas weather, but it will be nice to be close to family again; especially with three boys on my hands. Hopefully after Med school and Residency we will end up here again.

My Last Word

Okay, so the election is over and we have a new President. Well I will be the first to admit that my team lost. I am completely and utterly disappointed in America, but I will have respect for our future President. I will not boo him in crowds or speak ill of him in other countries. I will respect that he is genuinely a good person and thinks that what he is doing is right,but I will not support him. Here is a copy of letter I sent to Rush Limbaugh on the same topic. It basically sums it up so I will let you decide if you are still conservative and ready to fight for what we want or turning a little liberal around the collar and just want everyone to be happy so let's all root for history and hold hands.

"I was listening to your show this morning, when you were talking about all the E-Mails telling us that we need to be congratulatory and try to meet in the middle on issues. Basically, they're telling us to not be a sore loser. I was so mad. This was not some kind of Personality contest. This was the President of the United States. We were voting on our's and our children's future, not a Prom King. I was not voting to change history or elect the most charismatic candidate. I was voting on the issues, and I thought that is what everyone else was supposed to be doing also. I resent being called a sore loser. I am not accusing them of fixing the polls, or some other illegal act. I am fully aware that this was a fare win for Obama. That he won because that is who the majority voted for, but that doesn't mean that I have to say Hurrah! Hurrah! for history. It simply saddens me to realize that there are so many people in our society who don't truly understand the issues and simply vote to make history or because someone is hip. I still feel strongly that if he is able to accomplish all the Tax changes and Health care issues he has used as his campaign then we are in for a big disaster. That is not being a sore loser that is simply being conscious of what we need to fight even harder for. I hope that all the conservatives out there will take head of what you said and not change our opinions just to be courteous to the First Black President. Take it as more of a sign that this shows that the U.S isn't as racist as everyone still wants to believe. It's time for us to pay more attention to our state and local Representatives and vote in senators and congressmen who will still fight for our rights."


Here is a fun story for all you out there who think socialized medicine is so great.

As most of you know my husband is a full time student and I am a stay at home mom, so needless to say we use a lot of financial aid. One of those sources is Medicaid. In order to get medicaid you have to provide tons of paper work and fill out even more. You are required to do this every six months. And in between if you have any income change or such you pretty much have to do all of this again. Now I am not complaining about the process because I realize the need for it in order to keep people from taking advantage of the system. But this last month was time for our six month eval. So I filled out all the paper work and got copies of all the necessary financial stuff and returned it all on time. A week later I get a letter saying they still need something that was not on the first list and if I don't have it there in three days my case will be closed. I will lose all me benefits. Well our wonderful 93 Ford was in the shop,so yes I missed the deadline but I let my case worker know in advance and she said that was fine she would reopen it and let me know if they needed anything else. Since then the Workforce office has been closed fro holidays and Fridays and whatever else Government officials can get off for and I am still not covered technically. Meanwhile I am due for a Glucose test and a RhoGam shot and my kids need dental check ups and it is grocery time. All of these things I cannot do with out my current medicaid cards. Well the Glucose and RhoGam have to be done at 28 weeks of pregnancy so I have to go into the hospital and doctor's office provide a credit card and promise that as soon as I get my new cards I will come all the way back and give them a copy. If I don't within a week they will charge my card and I will have to deal with getting a refund from the Government....Headache. Now I strongly support the government providing these kinds of services to people going through school, single mother's, disabled,elderly etc. But just think what it would be like if everyone in the nation had Socialized medicine,what a mess, what a pain. I am willing to go through this because we as a family are progressing. My husband is going to school to better our situation so that one day we won't need the governments help and we can make our contribution to those students to follow. This is definitely not a system I would wish on anyone as a permanent way of life. I can't wait till we have a real Health Insurance plan. People want to complain about the price of Health Care but yet they drive a new car or own a home with all the new gadgets and spend money on toys and recreation. Priorities people. Put your health first then go from there with what you have left.

So there that is my last political spill. I promise, now it is up to you. I personally will be rallying for Mitt Romney 2012.

God's Little Plan

I feel like I have been able to blog a lot more lately. Probably due to the fact that my kids are staying a little sick and so I am forced to stay in a little more. I hope you don't mind reading my little thoughts. The other night I had an epiphany. I was so tired and achy from a very long day and my little boys were starting to not look so sweet and cute anymore. Chris and I decided that it was time to put them to bed. After they were asleep and I was finally able to relax I realized that in the morning I would wake up and be so happy to see their smiling faces. I love when they first wake up and are happy and playful. I also love to watch them sleep. I realized at that moment that God's sole purpose for creating rest was for Mother's. So that when our children start to not look their best to us we can have a few hours to revive those loving feelings and start again the next day with perfect kids.

Hot Chocolate and a full bed

Yeah the cooler weather is finally here. I am not really looking forward to the long months of snow but I am enjoying the fall right now. Unfortunately it always makes me crave hot chocolate and goodies. My kids had fun Saturday playing in the leaves. Benny didn't really get the jumping part,but instead carefully hopped into the piles. Sorry the video is sideways. I do that sometimes and don't realize until I put it on the computer. He also loved helping me rake. I didn't complain.






We also had some fun at the park with Chris. He has been so busy lately that one day it had been like a week since the boys had seen him except for bed time and Benny kept asking all day when daddy was coming home, so I called Chris and said we need some daddy time. He did his best to put things on hold long enough for us to go to the park for about an hour. The boys loved it.







Cute story... the other night Benny said he wanted to sleep with me but I said there just wasn't room for everyone in our bed any more. So he said he could move Daddy's pillow and put his next to mine. I said well where is Daddy going to sleep. Benny said in his bed. I looked at him thoughtfully and said so lets see you are going to move Daddy's pillow to your bed and he can sleep there and you are going to sleep with me. He held up his hands and very relieved said "That sounds like a good idea". Needless to say he ended up getting to cuddle with us for a while. Caleb of course had to join in. I think we need to invest in a king size bed.

Oh yeah here is Caleb's hot chocolate belly.


I just love the differences in my boys. Benny was always a little chubbier than Caleb is now(not much he was still slender), but Caleb has this great Buddha belly Benny never had.




Well I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather and getting ready for the Christmas season. Lets try to remember during these times that we still have our Savior and the sacrifices he has made for us. Be grateful for all the blessings we have.

Saving the World One Door at a Time

Here you go! The much anticipated Halloween creations for all the Grandparents. I have to admit I did not think that my creations would turn out as well as they did. I am not a very good seamstress, but I only spent $14 on both the boys costumes, YEA!! and they are even cuter than I expected. It took awhile to get Benny to wear his suit, but Chris finally said "Look do you know how lucky you are to have a mom who will let you wear such an awesome costume. My mother made me dress up as a crayon, so be thankful" Benny got really sad and kept telling me, "Thank You mommy. Nona made daddy be a dumb crayon". Sorry Nona to villianize you but it worked. By the time we made it to church he liked his costume and kept trying to make his cape fly. Unfortunately there were no masks allowed at the Ward Party so their secret identities were revealed.



My kids were both sick with a cold, but we doped them up and they ended up having a blast.I didn't have time to do mine and Chris's costumes,but we got into the Halloween spirit with the help of the balloon lady at the ward party.



Benny really wanted me to go as Wonder Women but I had to explain that Wonder Woman couldn't be touched by men or she would lose her powers so it just wasn't possible for her to be pregnant. He resolved to let me just go as Pregnant Girl and told everyone that is what I was. You can see how much fun Caleb realized it was to reach for free candy through out the night. Benny kept a close eye on his trick or Treat bucket. He ran into Joker while we were neighborhood Trick or Treating and used his Ninja skills to scare him away.

Instead of our kids saying Trick or Treat we had them say "Batman and Robin want you to do the right thing and vote for John McCain." It seemed to work, by the end of the night they had collected way too much candy. I think we will have to ration it. Just in case Obama wins and candy factories have to lay off all their workers cause the rich don't have any money to buy it. HA HA HA (witch cackle)



Hope everyone had a safe Halloween!!

Randomness

Well really not much going on this week. Chris is still swamped at school, our car is falling apart, I have cavities for the first time ever...ugh, but my kids have beautiful teeth(thank you fluoride tablets), and Benny won't wear his Batman costume I have been working on for two weeks...turd. We are still trying to persuade him. I think he doesn't like the feel of the fabric on his skin so we will try it with clothes underneath. Caleb has become an extremely picky eater. So he is living of of bottled apples bread and hotdogs.
So like I said we went to the Dentist and Benny was a little scared. He didn't freak out too bad. There was a kid next door who must have been getting his jaw sawed in two from the tantrum he was throwing. It was pretty funny. I thought Benny would do the same cause he is so scary about loud noises and stuff, but he just cried a little and then watched them clean my teeth. He sat in the chair next to me and asked very sweetly every now and then"Are you okay mommy". Caleb stood next to me with a concerned look on his face. They are really protective over me. You think I am kidding but it is amazing with all the different doctors we have visited lately. They watch me like a hawk and get all crazy when the doctor does something loud or scary looking that they don't recognize and sometimes won't even come in the room. Benny likes to ask the nurses if he can call his Daddy to come helpMommy. Anyway so maybe having all boys will be a good thing. They sure are fun to watch grow. Caleb doesn't say anything but expects me to know just what he wants by pointing and saying "umm". Where as Benny's vocab has gotten so good that I have to say everything just right or it is not what he wanted. Well sorry no pictures, but Halloween is three days away, so I will post lots of fun ones then. Hope every one has a Scary Halloween.

Tag

Thanks Hannah for tagging me. Here it is:
1. Post the Rules to your blog
2. Answer the six 8 items
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog.

8 favorite TV Shows:
The Office
Heroes
Smallville
Cash Cab
The Cosby Show
Super Why
How It's Made
Survivor Man

8 Things I did yesterday:
Made breakfast
Went to the gym
washed a load of clothes
Talked to my mom
Talked to Tanya
Lectured my little brother
Went to the park with my family
Ate some yummy french Fries

8 Things I look forward to:
Chris getting into Med school
Baby number three being born healthy
Halloween
The Last snow
Christmas
My very own home
Paying back student loans
This dreadful election being over so I can quit worrying and focus on the things I need to do to make sure my family is not affected by Obama's crack pot policies.

8 Favorite Restaurants:
Sonic
El Mexsal
Lotus Garden
Smart Cookie
Rocky Mountain Burger
Burger Supreme
Cheddars ( Tyler)
China Cafe (Tyler)
can you tell I like ice cream and meat.

8 Things on my wish list:
an apple peeler/corer(maybe one that has better suction than Ben's)
a pressure cooker
The new Nancy Drew PC game (I know I am a nerd)
an early Healthy baby boy( preferably
before the 1st of the year for tax reasons)
My friends to be able to have as many babies as they want
A portable picture printer for my camera.
My Mother-in-law to have a complete recovery from her back surgery
McCain to win (I know it's a long shot)

8 People to Tag:
Beth
Shelsea
Tia
Chelsea
Kerri-Anne
Sandy
Amy
Chris
(I know I tag the same people but I just don't have that many friends, Don't feel obligated.)

here is the picture tag
fourth picture from fourth folder


This is a fun picture of Benny and Annabelle. We were babysitting Anna and they started rolling each other in the hamper. It was pretty funny. I think that was before Caleb came to our family. It reminds me of how much fun we had living in Wymount and all the great friends we made who have now moved on. We miss all of you!!

There Hannah I fixed my lists.

Okay so I know you guys are ready to see something besides politics. So here are some pictures of my cute boys, which may I say are the cutest boys in the world. Yes some of you may say that I am being partial, but the truth is that you need to except the facts. They are truly without argument the cutest. Sorry if you thought yours were.



Yes I know this last one is supposed to be the other way around but,Caleb really likes to push things around and Benny really likes everything done for him. What you can't see in the picture is my cattle prod.

We had a lot of fun picking out pumpkins for carving and there was this really great toy tractor. My kids weren't in the mood for photos. So I did my best. Luckily as I said they are the cutest so the pictures came out half way decent.


Benny really wanted the pumpkin shaped like a butt.


Hope to have more to report next time.

I have gone back and forth with myself whether or not to get political on my blog or not. I try to keep my blog fun and unbiased since I have so many friends of different beliefs and cultures, but the more I pray about it, the heavier my heart gets about our country and the upcoming election. I feel right now that unfortunately neither of the candidates are a strong choice for President. Both seem unsettled on there issues. Therefore I have stopped concentrating on either candidate as a person and simply looking at the issues.
I will add in here several quotes from my husband Chris. He is much better at wording my feelings than I am.

I do not support higher taxes for the riches. I think it is morally wrong.
"Right now the top 5 % of wage earners are paying for 95% of the government. Yet Obama says that they should pay more. It is easy to hate the rich if you envision them as evil, white, oil barons who sit on their thrones thinking of ways to dupe the American people, but the fact is most millionaires are first generation, self-made men who worked hard, got out of debt, lived within their means, invested, and took risks, and are quietly living their lives. If those people continue to be penalized for their "greed" then what will motivate the rest of us to better our own situation."

I am also against socialized medicine.
"The long term effects of welfare weaken our society because they remove the incentive for hard work, and create a dependence on the state. When the people are dependent on the state, then the people are no longer in control. Socialism and democracy cannot coexist.

Examples:

I live in the poor part of town and their are dozens of people that I know personally that could better their situation by getting job-training, and getting a better-paying job. But by doing that they would lose their welfare benefits and they would not make enough to really better their lifestyle. In other words, they are making more money, but now they have to pay for groceries. Why bother?

In Sweden (the capital of socialism), they are trying to pass a law that says that women who have received a degree (paid for by the state of course) must go out and work. They cannot stay home to raise their children (this is reasonable, the state has paid for everything, it is only fair that everyone who has received benefits pay back into the system.) By having socialized programs, they have lost their freedom to live their lives according to their own conscience.

Remember LBJ, and the Great Society. This is what kicked the welfare program into high gear. Now the vast majority of black culture is completely dependent on the government for its sustenance. Yet things have not improved that much for black communities. Teen pregnancy, STD's, broken homes,lack of education, and general ignorance abound. Why is that?"

Some people say that I shouldn't let my religious beliefs be the only factor in how I vote politically. I say that is wrong. My religion affects every part of my life. It is in everything I do. I follow the word of wisdom in order to care for my body and my health. I follow the Proclamation to the Family in how I raise my children and treat my husband. I follow the plan of Salvation in how we choose career paths, and also political decisions. The LDS church does not and will not tell us which party to vote for, but they have given us guidelines in every aspect of our lives to help us know how to follow the spirit. They do not outline every step we should take, but in my opinion at times it is very clear which political stance we should take. "What is the difference between Obama's economic plan and the church's plan?
1. The church's plan is designed to help the needy become self-sufficient. Welfare historically has only succeeded in sweeping the poor under the rug (while keeping them poor). Very few people on welfare ever get off.

2. The church's plan is based on the generosity of members. Rich and poor give (though those who have more, give more naturally since we all pay an even ten percent). Fast offerings are not taken out of your paycheck, nor is the amount you pay based on what you earn. Everyone is encouraged to be as generous as possible.

3. The funds are distributed by bishops who have an intimate knowledge of their community and those whom they serve. Taxes are distributed by politicians who often have self serving interests.

4. An interesting note. Prior to the great depression, charitable organizations were on the same scale of major corporations with respect to size and resources. Since the government took the reigns, the amount of charitable donations has decreased proportionally with the increase of taxes on the rich. Meanwhile more and more people are added to the welfare rolls every year. Is that really a good thing?"

As I said before I do not feel that McCain is the best man for the job out there. I personally felt Mitt Romney had the best economic plan and most experience in taking care of the things that our country needs, but unfortunately it is now a choice between the lesser of the two evils. "Obama's economic plan will accomplish nothing to strengthen either the economy or our society. What it will do is help Obama get the votes of the 95% of the non-rich, while helping that same group of people become even more dependent on the government. Regarding the spirituality of his plan. If our purpose in life is to become wise stewards, and to grow and progress, how can we do that if our leaders are encouraging us to be dependent on them for everything?"

I hope that all will enjoy my insight an know that I still love each one of you and know that each of you are praying about your decisions no matter what your final vote is. This is simply my personal revelation on this matter. And for all of you out there who can't vote anyway, don't waste your prayers cause they don't matter anyway. Just kidding. Our country needs all the help it can get if we are going to keep our place as a world leader. If you haven't registered to vote. DO IT! NOW! Why are you still reading this, get going.

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks! ( If you have a name that starts with Q!)

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names,things..nothing made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

1. What is your name? Sara
2. A four-letter word? some
3. A boy 's name-- Samuel
4. A girl's name-- Sharon
5. Occupation-- sonographer
6. Color-- salmon
7. Something you Wear-- shirt
8. Beverage-- soda
9. Food-- sandwich
10. Something found in a bathroom-- soap

Caleb is Walking!

So my little Caliboo decided that he is going to expand his horizons. He has decided to ditch the four legs and give two legs a try. He is so much fun to watch. Every time we get him to do it he gets so excited he can barely keep his balance, most of the time not.


He also has started playing peek-a-boo on his own. We have always played it with him and he love it. But now when we put him down at night, he pulls his blanket over his head and waits for us to respond with "Where's Caleb?". Then he pulls it off and giggles. Benny loves to play it with him every night. In this video he was a little more tired than usual but it is still cute.

Benny has started going to a little Joy school twice a week. Me and four other mom's take turns teaching each week. He has so much fun. They learn about all kinds of fun things like their bodies and how to keep them healthy, the earth and creatures. Plus it gives me two hours on Tuesday and Thursday to do some shopping or errands with just Caleb. Today I taught and we talked about exercise and good foods. I built an obstacle course in the back yards and the kids loved it. Here is Benny's attempt.



Then here are just some fun pictures we have taken lately.




As for me, I am going to the gym three times a week to keep healthy and loving it. I feel so much better when I go. Hannah says I am starting to show but I still think my butt is wider than my belly. I bottled peaches and apples for the first time last week and surprisingly I enjoyed it. I think I need to get out of Utah quick. Chris is so busy with work and classes, we are missing our lazy summer. He is trying not to get the last year fever, but it is tough. I am a mean wife though and expect him to keep his GPA just as high. He is waiting till November when we have our first chance of hearing from Medical schools. We are hoping to hear from Houston, Dallas , or San Antonio. Keep your fingers crossed. All of his interviews went really well and almost all his interviewers felt like their school was the place for him. Of course who wouldn't want him.

As an end note we said goodbye to some really special friends the Gibsons. Dave got a job for Coleman in Wichita Kansas. So it is good bye to the mountains and hello great plains. We are really going to miss them. But very glad they found this opportunity. Here is a picture of us with all our kids and plenty more on the way.

So I need to make an addendum to my Mother's Party. I very rudely and I must add absentmindedly, which I can blame my pregnancy for, forgot to mention all the wonderful ladies that helped. Since I was planning this from Utah and the party was in Texas, I had to recruit my Aunts and Mom's friends to help me with all the purchasing and ideas. Let me tell you they were the best. Everything turned out as wonderful as it did due to there patience with my continuous calls and last minute needs. I would specifically like to praise Lynnette for the sacrifice her little finger made to the construction of my Mom's hat. And to Sandy for leaving that brand new Grand baby to come to the party. Thank you everyone for being such important people in my Mother's life.

Alright, So I went to Texas and threw my Mother a surprise party for her fifty-fifth birthday. I was a little skeptical as to whether or not I would be able to pull off the surprise. But we did and it was so much fun. We wore big flowery hats and had a nice little lunch while Chris serenaded us with some music. Most of my mom's friends were able to make it and the ones who had prior engagements all took time to call or send a card. I just wanted her to know how much we love and appreciate everything she does for us. We love you Mom.

Also while in Texas we went to the zoo. Tyler has one of the best zoo's I have ever been to. One of my favorite things is the Bird walk about where you can feed the parakeets bird seed and let them fly all around you. They really loved Chris and Benny. Benny did not love them so much. They also have lots of big cats and a play ground for the kids. It is really a fun place. If you are ever passing through Tyler Texas you have to check it out.

We also took a trip to San Antonio for a medical school interview. While Chris was at the school me and my cousin James went to Sea World. It was a lot of fun especially without my kids. I will definitely have to bring them back though cause there was a lot of fun kids stuff to do. The Shamu Believe show was pretty cool but the music was pretty lame, although James said he cried, what a wuss. All the if you just believe you can be anything you want even a whale trainer that holds poor whales hostage in a little tank and makes them do tricks for food, was pretty nauseating. It just made me think they must be desperate for help. The new baby Beluga whale was cute and it was really fun getting to pet and feed the dolphins.

I also got to see my beautiful nieces and my cute nephew who is Benny's age. They are growing way to fast. Nicholas went right back to calling Benny "Benny Boy" like he had never left. I hope we will live closer soon so they can get to know each other better.




Before we headed home we went to see my Grandma Ledavon who was too sick to make the party but feeling better for our visit. We had fun beating her in scrabble.


Although we had fun in Texas it was good to get home and back in a routine. Chris has started school. I have started school with Benny, well a little fun preschool we do with some other moms and Caleb is trying his best to not walk. We know he can he just would rather crawl, but like Benny he is super fast. Also we found out that we have another healthy active little boy on the way in January. Our Sonographer was great she spent a long time showing us all his little parts, his heart and lungs and even his spine. Then we got cute shots of his feet and arms. We are so excited to have another future missionary. Only six more to go before we will have our baseball team. Although I don't think I will ever be able to rent another chick flick again.