"How Much You Bet I Can Throw A Football Over Them Mountains?"

The Winner Is..... no one!! The correct answer to my problem was "tell your land-lady to fix it."
And I did. The maintenance guy came by and did some weather stripping. I believe this is what a couple of you were trying to describe to me. I almost risked buying the materials and installing it myself, before I realized I live in an apartment!!!
So I thought the fair thing would be to take all the names of people who responded, put them in a hat and have Marie pick out the winner. She's really good at grabbing things these days. The name she picked was..... Zack! Congratulations Zack you are getting a Milky Way in the mail. Mostly because I want you to report back and tell me if it melts and arrives to you mis-shapen.

Marie was quite the grumpy goose while picking out the name. In fact, she's been pretty grumpy today and yesterday. I think it's one of two things. 1) She could be a little sick or 2) She's becoming more "aware" and needs more attention. When she doesn't get one on one - in your face attention she gets pretty annoyed.


In semi-related news, I do like our apartment complex we live in. One reason is because it is around the corner from all the shopping outlets you could ever imagine, but also next to a little private school and across the street from an empty lot of trees. I always thought it was just that- a bunch of trees and over-grown bushes. However that is not the case. I was walking Marie near there when I realized it was actually an abandoned orange grove (of sorts). There were old roads running through it making it a perfect little place to walk Marie. Even little clementines were growing off the trees! I was examining a clementine while walking and suddenly I realized I had almost just walked into a campsite! A tent was pitched and there were clothes strung about. Underneath an overgrown pine tree which is right next to the road mind you- was a home for ... well ... homeless people. Right next to my house- which is right next to Target and the rest of civilized society. Anyways, I got freaked out and ran me and my baby right out of there. To bad, it seemed like a nice place to get out of the house. I'm sure they are fine people, however I wasn't about to put my Marie in danger to find my own "Uncle Rico." California is a weird place.

Tie Loose Ends- I Knew I was Preachin' to the Choir!

BRACE YOURSELF! It's a prop 8 post! Dun dun dun!!! I know I said they would be over... but I just have to tie up a few loose ends.

For the record if you felt like in the last month that I was trying to convince you (you being any reader of this blog) about Gay Marriage (which from now on I will refer to as Garriage)- you are misled!

Any postings done on this blog were not official "Rachel Campaign" actions. I just used this blog to iron out arguments and facts that were boggling around my head. I was using my readers to give me support and help me understand all the facets of Garriage. In the last 3 months I have been so innundated with information it was hard to know exactly what information to give to the right people.

In the end I think I only really had to convice one person of the realities of Garriage- but even she was not really a California registered voter. Just Mormon gone.. well.. I have no idea where she is or if she will ever really talk to me again. But whatever. I love her and hope she "gets it" someday.

In fact, really none of you are registered California voters.. so i'm sorry but your feelings matter to me.. but not that much.

The real campaigning we did consisted of vote surveying, sign waving, door knob hanging, "Yes Voter" call reminding, and having a good old bumper sticker on the butt of our car.

If you are wondering what basics were talked about in my LDS ward campaign meetings I only came away with two urgent thoughts:

1. The Prophet wants us to warn our fellow man not to be in homosexual relationships- lest God will seriously smite California. So we need to warn them.
(Just a thought: when same sex marriage was legalized in June I recall that the "fire season had never been worse" (I know fire gets bad every year, but still!) and that it took the Goverment over two months to solidify a budget for the state. Alot of government workers lost their jobs, and alot of people who needed government programs (like the mentally handicapped) sufferred.)
We specifically discussed the very last paragraph in the Proclamation.

2. The second (and less important than the first, but still important) was that if Marriage was legalized it would mean a slew of lawsuits for the church. Apparently there were (in July) already a few lawsuits waiting in the shadows- but my bishop did not specify what/when/who/how.
According to Matt M. there are some lawsuits trying to be put against the church for "using their free speech" anyways. I have no idea whatever that means but just goes to show people don't care for the church. My dad always said, "people leave the church, but they will never leave it alone."

Here are some thoughts I shared with my cousin about Garriage:

...A close friend "came out" and that made me question why God would make someone gay. What a hard thing to be judged for! Well I didn't know what to think, but I knew I had to ride on my parent's testimonies and parrot their answers until I did. I had to assume God was right, before He let me know why He was right.
It took no less than a year before I was able to come across all the material and experiences that would help my testimony be as strong as it is today. One thing that always sticks out to me is an article I found on the "Rights of Children." Along with basic things like the right to food, shelter, love, and innocence was the right to a mother and a father. It was years ago that I found this article, but if I run into it again I will make sure to post it.

Anyways, God was gracious and gave me the information I needed as I showed faith.

That first experience was about 5 years ago. I'm happy to say that this newest opportunity to show faith (being on the Yes on 8 campaign) has helped me realize more reasons to encourage a society that supports traditional marriage. The latest one that sticks with me is a realization of what our joy will be in the next life. As I raise Marie I realize that my joy in the next life will be the continued joy of having children. However, what about someone who maintained a same-gender relationship in this life? Sure in the next life they could accept the gospel if they hadn't done so here. But what if they spent 70 years on earth loving someone who couldn't help them complete their joy in the next life? Even in their bodies most perfect form they would not be able to have children (let alone be with each other) and would be denied that ultimate joy.
I would feel horrible if I didn't do everything i could to prevent someone from making that mistake. "


WHEW! Alrighty, I just wanted to clarify that I already knew I was preaching to the choir when I was posting stuff. It probably didn't feel like that to some of you though. It was just a great place for me to contemplate, vent, and vent some more. Also, I came out of the experience with a great poem about a lady who smokes.

Also, the election was two weeks ago- I just got the memo.

Notable Notables

Marie got her Hib shot today. She cried for two minutes so loud that everyone seemed really alarmed. Maybe I didn't notice the other kids crying, but man Marie sure made herself known. I could hear people commenting on her scretches as we walked out, so I guess other people noticed. Then I changed her diaper and she started laughing. Maybe she thinks it's funny I had to change her diaper after I put her through so much pain. Naw, she's too nice. Getting this shot was not as bad as last time.

These pictures are from Halloween. I know, I'm a freak about Halloween.

Ok, I have a question for anyone that can answer it. I will send you a candy bar if you solve my problem. We live in an apartment where there is a slight space under our front door. Spiders have been coming in that way all Summer and now cold air is our newest guest. If you can tell me a way that I can fix this you will win. I saw a commercial on tv for some sort of contraption to fix this, but I forgot the number and what it's called.

It's official, Proposition 8 passed- Good job California! And just in case you've been living under a rock for the last 6 months, Obama is our new President. First African American is pretty darn notable. Though maybe I don't like his politics (I don't like most peoples) I will officially get behind him and not be Debbie Downer. Officially will stop talking about politics on this blog until the Prophet tells me to blog about it again. Who knew the Prophet would ask me to blog?

It's my blog, right?

So I got a hair cut today. I wanna look good for when Hell freezes over tomorrow. I kid - I kid. Actually the good news is that whatever happens is that nothing in my house is gonna change. This whole Prop 8 dealio has just help me sort out how I am going to approach Marie & future kiddies about same gender attraction.
Now, I have to preface the following by saying I'm a Libra. Libra's don't really care for confrontation, so discussing an emotional issue has been interesting for me. I know I was given strength beyond my means to do all the little things I was asked to do. And now that voting day is upon us I can feel my desire waining, and I am slowing to care for my new blog. It's been good though, replying to the comments. Rachel and The Devil... I mean Chad ;) have kept me on my toes and I hope will still do so in the future. Because however the outcome on the 5th I feel like I want to keep my new blog current. I have alot to say on marriage and families and it will be a good way to keep me reading good books and help me be a better writer. Even though, alot of the things posted I have taken from other people.
Speaking of which... I want to take a second and publicly embaress.. I mean THANK all the people that have been so encouraging... especially:
Christen- you rock. Keep the east coast real.
Matt & Bubs- The Indpendent Elephant makes me feel sane.
All the Youngbergs- Thanks for being such a rad family. We freakin' rock. And p.s. sorry I kind of abandoned editing our family site. I've been a touch busy... but I love your blogs.
B Man- thanks for voting Yes on 8. I like being married to you.
And most importantly- everyone that donated to YES on 8. I see the commercials you help pay for and it really makes my day. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Ok so the rest of this posts is for you super conservatives out there. It's been a rough time, so I think we could all use a good laugh.

Here is the very first commercial yes on 8 commercial featuring Mayor Gavin Newsom. He has been the butt of many good jokes in our home. So good infact, I wanted to dress up as him for Halloween and walk around saying "Whether you like it or not!"- however I refrained.




Enjoy this little gem:


And lastly, (hopefully I have lost all my undedicated readers at this point) I DID end up writing Joe Biden a letter saying he owes me 5 bucks. I didn't want to offend anyone (I know like 60% of the people who view this blog are voting for him tomorrow) but Brett wont stop bugging me until I post it. I think I will wait until he wins though. Than 60% of my readers won't be annoyed, and 100% of Brett will be happy.

Marie My Favorite Chick

"Hmmm... this is warm."

"What has my life become?"

Of course, when she smiles the camera goes blurry!


Marie: The Cozy Chick

Birds of... well, yah we don't match at all. But hey- we're all birds!

If your looking at this picture and thinking, "Weren't Rachel and Brett birds last year?"

The answer is: yes.

The reason: I'm lazy. And also Brett agreed to be Big Bird for the rest of his life. He wasn't joking.

The top picture was not posed. I just realized that we had a similar one taken the year before with my nephew.

Lucked Out!

Sadie & Marie

We are so lucky to have met another couple here to hang out with.

Sam, Sadie, & Allison

Origionally they were going to be military people for Halloween. But Sam already is a military person (he flys planes!) so I bullied them into matching Sadie's kitty outfit. I know, I'm so bossy.

Bad Picture City! I just couldn't help myself, Marie's arms say it all.