Tea Time with Marie

Probably shouldn't take babies to massive protests, so Marie and I stayed home. We want to give props to uncle Matt who made it to two tea parties yesterday though. Matt- props to you.

Yesterday Marie and I helped Brett at the base Tax Center. We filed hundreds of taxes in one day. Literally, I filed them into a filing cabinet. Good job. I know.

Also, I've spent alot of time looking for a new place to live. We can get a bigger place for much less. But, I don't believe we will move. Why? There are no reasonable places to move within our ward boundaries. I guess it wouldn't be a big deal to move wards if I thought we would be here longer. Brett will be "in the bucket" in 2010. That means he will be an option to send to Iraq as early as next January. IF he goes, he will be there for 6 months. So naturally I will probably move in with my parents to keep my sanity. But keeping a place here would be neato.

Anyways, so I was a little torn as whether or not to go my local tea party. Politics are super frustrating. I remember being so excited to vote for George W. and then slowly over the years I watched my vote turn into the exact opposite of what I wanted it to be. And I'm not talking about the War, I believe in women's basic rights no matter where they live. But anyways, I digress. It's just exciting to see the world Marie was born into. People are really taking a stand and it seems there are less "political fence sitters" as time goes on. Anyways, I hate writing about politics, because (obviously like most people) my view is continually molding and I don't want to completely categorize myself to anyone that reads this blog............... hahahaha.. ok that is me falling off my chair laughing because obviously i am super crazy conservative. I'm like 5 minutes away from living on a polygamist farm in texas. Yee haw.

Just kidding Brett. Seriously, Brett. Don't even THINK about it.

Lastly, today was Marie's first day swimming!!! So fun! She was mostly interested in the other kids. It wore her out to the bone. No sun burns though. Oh, and I absolutely recommend the tube Marie used. So wonderful and it felt very safe. It has a removable sun shade.

She was SO tired after swimming. She slept for 3 hours!!!

Brett is going to Camporee tomorrow for scouts. I am taking Marie to Emmett to see grandparents! Three cheers for nonstop tickets! hip hip HURRAY!

Empty Tomb

It's Easter!
Brett gave a talk in church and he did an amazing job. Just perfect for the occasion. I actually wish he would post his talk here, but all he had was a tiny note card with a few sentences on it. People loved it though. I think the part that touched people the most is the story he shared about losing his mom. And it's not so much the story itself. Sure any story about cancer will move people. It's the knowledge that we'll be able to see her again that makes this day especially sweet.

Marie's Easter dress is brought to us by the #3 and the letter "C"- as in C for Christen. Thanks Aunt Christen! This dress was perfect!

Nothing else much to report except it's time to overdose on Cadbury eggs. Whomever thought of putting carmel in the center- you're in trouble! Delicious, delicious trouble. Note the wet stains on her dress. Next time I'll get the camera out BEFORE the huge jar of applesauce.
We have some videos, but can't figure out how to get them on the blog. Anyone recommend a program/website?

Marie is getting so much more active everyday. I can't say she's a daddy's girl yet, she humours both of us pretty well.

It's probably too late for anyone to use this, but in Primary they had the best lesson ever. I'm sure it's in a manual somewhere but I thought I would list it here for anyone to copy and paste. You need 12 empty Easter eggs. In each egg there is one item and a strip of paper to explain the meaning. Considering I wasn't listening very well, I go through them here for my benefit. Copy and paste at your pleasure.

1. Sacrament cup: While Jesus was in Gethsemane he prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt." Matthew 26:39 & Jesus gathered together with his twelve disciples for a Passover feast. Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "take eat; this is my body." And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, "drink ye all of it. For this is in remembrance of blood of the new testament, which is shed for as many as shall believe on my name." Matthew 26:26-29

2. Three dimes: One of the twelve disciples named Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest who wanted to kill Jesus and asked, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" And the high priests promised to give thirty pieces of silver of Judas would show where Jesus was. Matt 26: 14-15

3. Twine: Judas led chief priests and elders to Jesus and said "whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he, hold him fast." The chief priests and elders bound Jesus and sent him to the governor, Pilate to be killed. Matt 27:1-2

4. Piece of soap: When Pilate the governor could not convince the people to release Jesus he washed his hands before them saying, "I am innocent of the blood of his just person; see ye to it." The people answered "His blood be on us, and on our children." Then the governor gave Jesus to the people to be crucified. Matt 27:24-26

5. Piece of red cloth: And they put him in a scarlet robe and put a crown of thorns on his head and mocked him saying "Hail king of the Jews," and they spit on him and hit him. Matt 27:28-30

6. Small cross (possibly made out of toothpicks) and small nail: After they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him and put his own clothes back on and led him away to crucify him. And he was crucified.... nailed to the cross. Press this nail in your hand. Imagine how much it must have hurt. Matt 27:31-32

7. Little bag of rocks and dirt: While on the cross Jesus cried with a loud voice and yielded up the ghost. And behold... the earth did quake and rocks did rent... Now when the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly, this was the Son of God." Matt 27:50-51, 54

8. dice: Luke 23:34 "They said Jesus, Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."

9. White cloth: Then Joseph a rich man who was a disciple of Jesus went to Pilate and asked for they body of Jesus. Joseph wrapped the body in a clean linen cloth and laid it in a tomb dug out in a rock.

10. A stone: Then Joseph rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher and left. The chief priests and Pharisees sealed the stone and set watch over the tomb to make sure no one took his body and then falsely claimed Jesus had risen as he had prophesied. Matt 27: 60, 65-66

11. Small bag of spices: And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. And the angel.... said unto the women, "Fear not, ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified." Mark 16:1 Matt 28:2,5

12. Empty: "He is not here; for his is risen, as he said." Matt 28:6

Hope that helps anyone in need of a good Easter lesson.

Fondant, Flowers and a Hacksaw

Today I bought fondant, flowers, and a hacksaw. I'm making a wedding cake. Obviously the hacksaw gave it away. It all started with me doing my visiting teaching (first time in 11 months of living here- ouch). A lady's son and his girl friend decided to get married on the fly so she had to "whip up" a wedding by Friday. No worries though. They did it in a courthouse and just called immediate family to come so all they needed was a cake. And since I am practicing for Cassie and John's wedding (in a mere 4 weeks!) the timing could not be any better.

So... I found out on Monday.

I baked all day Tuesday.

Kneaded fondant and whipped butter cream Wednesday.

Ruined the fondant on Thursday and

bought a cake on Friday.... kidding

Fondant is no walk in the park though. Oye! That's all I will say about that.

"People you don't know"

(kidding! Not really though. I mean, isn't that what you think when you read someone's blog and it has pictures of people you don't know on it? I don't know them either so it's OK. But they looked happy about the cake... OK except for the groom. But I think he was a "serious kind of happy."

It was great though. Making cakes is alot like the show "24." Very thrilling, very intense, and at some point I needed a hacksaw. (If you don't know that reference then that means you NEED to rent every season of 24 and watch it as quickly as possibly. If you have seen it you already know the reference I am making because no one could ever forget Day 2 of season 2 hours 8:00am to 9:00am). The reason I got a hacksaw (or a mini hacksaw) is because I need a tool to cut my wooden dowelrods that hold up the layers of the cake. I'm always doing it with scissors or some dull tool that doesn't make a clean cut. If you know where to find real dowel rod cutters please tell me. I saw Martha Stewart use them and all I know is they don't sell them at Michael's. I guess the lesson learned here is that a frantic Molly Mormon whose carting a baby and has a cake that's "due" in 3 hours WILL get lost in a Lowes department store and not have the guts to ask for help. In other words, I need to find it before I start making John and Cassie's cake.

The finished product. Whew!

The gift I left for my sweet husband to come home to. And think- he took me out to dinner after seeing this. I guess if that's what I have to do to go out to eat.... JK I'm spoiled - Brett takes me out WAY too much.

And all the while the little Goose entertained herself. What a sweetie!

Miracles do happen!

P.S. People always say to me "oh I would love to make cakes!" And I tell them the same thing; all you need is a library, the internet, and Michael's and you can make anything. So if you would like any of the recipes I use for butter cream, crumb coating or fondant just email me. Or I recommend getting "The Cake Bible"-an excellent book for the serious baker.

Ready For Summer

Taken in front of the mirror, because there are few things she loves more than her own reflection.

"Mom, apparently you just bought me this ensemble for picture taking and not actually ever going swimming."

She has a hungry look in her eyes as she reaches for my keys.

Oprah, I'm On To You!

HEY YOU! I know this post looks too long to read, but I encourage you to read it and follow through with I am doing to help make my America a better place!
....

I hate these types of "rant" posts.... or do I? Sorry, I just have to get this off my chest and into the minds of others. Oprah is trying to make everyone gay. Just kidding, but actually not really. Oprah has made herself the Pope to many, so today's (Wednesday March 25) episode on "Women leaving Men for other Women" is no bueno for society.


First of all, I've been boycotting Oprah for about 2 years, but sometimes- darn it all- I just catch myself watching her! Anyway, I started my boycott when I saw this show she did about this mom who, after being married for many years and having two children, just "realized" she was gay. So what did she do? Immediately divorced her husband, left her kids, and pursued a relationship with a woman. And THEN she somehow convinced her ex-husband that he was gay too. The woman was so darn proud of herself! And Oprah validated her pretended courage. I still remember her sickeningly smug smile to this day. Essentially Oprah was celebrating this woman's selfishness. And then, in the middle of it all are these two boys whose parents are divorced and they are supposed to be happy that their mom "found herself." Whatever.



The second Oprah-ism is how she had a show on how mad she was that prop 8 passed. (Ironically though, she had to cut into that segment because her house almost burned down from a wildfire and she did some quick interviews with her neighbors- act of God? Possibly...)





And third, Oprah is going to have another show on soon about all these middle aged woman who have kids, husbands, "regular suburban lives" and who just "found out" they are gay! Hurray! They get to leave their families and start new selfish lives!


Anyways my point is that who do these women think they are? Do we as a society really think the most important thing in the world is attraction? And if we follow what we are attracted to we will be completely fulfilled? Oprah seems to think so.

And just to further clarify, love is not attraction. How could you explain Brett loving me after the stretch marks Marie gave me? Seriously though, the best advice anyone every gave me is that LOVE IS A CHOICE. It's true, and it works on every level. Attraction may not be, but love is always a choice. So Oprah-women - get over yourselves!



Think I'm wrong? What if we replaced the "gay moms" with men who "realized they were attracted to brunettes instead of the blonde women they married?" Can you imagine Oprah headlining this story? Or what if it was about a middle-aged family guy who realized he was supremely attracted to goats? Should he leave his family and start a goat farm? And should Oprah validate his courage?

I don't think you'll be hearing anything like that except for on Jerry Springer.

P.S. Oprah likes to "diss" Mormons. It's true. I think she might have mentioned it in her "I can't believe Prop 8 didn't pass" show. However, she did a show with reporter Lisa Ling on the FLDS compound. In it Ling said she interviewed the children about their History Class. She asked what book they were reading and they replied "The Book Of Mormon." And of course, you would have to see the clip, but the way Oprah and Lisa talked about it was as if they were reading a book called "Brain Washing 101." Anyway, I hope that made sense.


A long time ago a friend told me she heard about a talk Sherri Dew gave that referenced shows like Oprah. It implied that LDS women need to pay less heed to these type of shows. If you are familiar with this talk or know where I can find it please let me know.


So my point here is not to be annoying, but i guess to examine what main stream media 's agenda is: accepting homosexuality. But MOST importantly it's important to recognize what perspective these women are living in. I think they are thinking "happiness is NOW" no matter what stage of life you are at, or what commitments (like being devoted mother to your children) you have made. I guess it's up to us to tell them there is more than this life, and there are better things than fleeting excitement.


Let's start by letting Oprah/NBC know the flaw in their logic (that they are implying).

Go HERE or paste in these to your browser.

https://www.oprah.com/ord/plugform.jsp?plugId=215

or https://www.oprah.com/contactus

AND
http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us/ or click HERE to become a TV panel viewer.

Feel free to wait after today's show, but on second thought, don't! Just write!



Remember- their logic is flawed. Today's show "Women Leaving Men for Other Women" is essentially reminding everyday suburban moms that lesbians are people just like them. Whether you agree with that or not you have to admit the logic of women leaving husbands and children just because they are gay does not make the divorce any less horrific for the children. Even if the children are grown and out of the home. Don't let being gay be the "free card" and allow anyone out of their commitments which affect their children's lives.


Elder Robert S. Wood of the Seventy on Upholding, Nourishing and Protecting the Family.
"For too many, responsibility seems to end with hand-wringing and exclamations of dismay. Yet talk without action accomplishes little. We need to be vigorously engaged in the world. If our schools are inadequate or destructive of moral values, we must work with fellow members of the community to bring about change. If our neighborhoods are unsafe or unhealthy, we must join with the civic-minded to devise solutions. If our cities and towns are polluted, not only with noxious gases but soul-destrying addictions to smut, we must labor to find legitimate ways to eliminate such filth... We have the responsibility to be a blessing to others, to our nations, to the world." ("On the Responsible Self, Ensign March 2002, 30-31).

It is the Month of March.

Update for the sake of an update. It's been busy. We got home from Bama and did a quick U-turn back to Utah for Grandpa Millburn's funeral. It was as good as a funeral can get. A small gathering, considering Grandpa outlived most of his friends. The stories told over the pulpit were funny and comforting. He planned every detail of his funeral decades ago so everything went smooth. Grandma seems alright, but I'm sure it's not easy.

When we got home we were greeted by visitors. I won't say their names because they ditched work to be with us. They told their boss they had a funeral to go to. Ironic?

In other news, Brett and I have been thinking about how many children we are going to have. It would be so easy just to have two or three. But when we think about our families, the last three are always the most interesting, or at least the most fun. We can say that because we are near the oldest. So are we on the road to 6 kids? We'll see.

My youngest sassy brother Malcolm. Always a hoot.

So now, with our first 2009 visitors gone, we would like to officially invite anyone who reads this blog to come stay with us.
We'll take you to the bridge. Week days in the Spring are best, because the weather is good (or as good as it gets) and there are actually parking spaces!

We could take you to Santa Cruz to see the boardwalk and the beach.

We'll even bring you to the starving hippies at Haight and Ashbury. I think they are about to eat that dog.

Or we'll even go to the Mystery Spot. I went to the Mystery Spot when I was pregnant I really didn't "get it." I guess my center of gravity was so strong I couldn't tell the difference. But i went last week and it is AWESOME. So weird! At the end, I was so dizzy I had to leave. I think it made Marie sick too because she was freaking out at the end. Don't understand what I am talking about? You will just have to come and experience for yourself.

Well I gotta go. I have to give a talk tomorrow on Temples. I assume everyone is going to hear about Temples because of the "Big Lame" episode that is about to air. Oh well, anyone that is looking for inspiration from Bill Paxton is already a lost cause. Hey! I should use that in my talk tomorrow! Just kidding. That's going to be painful enough. I do admit I really like the sound of my own voice though. So its just going to be a test of patience for my ward.
In other thoughts, I've been thinking alot about Mormonism and immigration. It's pretty obvious that most Mormons in America are politically conservative. But I don't want to have a conversation about how all Mormons are not conservative, because I'm already set on the fact that I'm right, and I like it that way. However, apparently it doesn't matter if members are illegal immigrants in matters of church assistance and temple recommends. I guess you're a member first before all else. It kind of makes me think that The Church is already making exceptions against the government because our country is going down the crapper anyways. Don't worry, I won't get into this in my talk tomorrow.

Lastly, Marie is not crawling yet. Just rolling around and being awesome. That is all.