Another thing to think about at Christmas time

Christmas Night, 1776 by Newt Gingrich (more by this author) Posted 12/23/2008 ET On Christmas Day, 1776, nearly all thought the Revolution was lost, except for a valiant few who still believed in “The Cause.” We owe our liberty today to those valiant few. Led by George Washington, most of his army, dressed in rags and barefoot, faced a winter gale of rain, sleet, ice and snow. This band of patriots braved a midnight river crossing and a nine mile march over frozen roads to win a spectacular victory at Trenton, New Jersey, the following morning. Those were indeed times, as Thomas Paine would write, that “try men’s souls.” In a season that has become too commercialized and -- worse yet -- had much of its religious meaning driven from the public square, Washington’s Christmas crossing is a story that should be remembered and celebrated, this Christmas and every Christmas. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, to be with family and friends, and, I would add, to give thanks to God for those who endured so much on that Christmas night, 232 years ago. Coming Next Year: Washington’s Crossing Told In Christmas Night Historian Bill Forstchen and I have started another book which will attempt to give Washington and his men’s sacrifice that Christmas night its proper place in American history. Bill and I have co-authored two “active history” series across the last six years: the “Gettysburg” trilogy which speculates as to what might have happened if General Robert E. Lee had triumphed at Gettysburg, and our “Pacific War,” series with two volumes out so far. More than a decade ago Bill and I considered writing a novel about our American Revolution, but other projects led us away from that idea. This summer our editor with St. Martin’s Press, Pete Wolverton, urged us to consider the topic of our Revolution, and thus we have started on a two book project. The working title for the first book is Christmas Night, which will be published just before Christmas of next year. A Heroic Moment in Our History and the Man Who Lived It Bill has commented more than once that writing about Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Admirals Halsey and Yamamoto was of course challenging but writing about George Washington is something complete different and more than a little daunting. Pulitzer Prize winning historian Joseph Ellis openly discusses this in his exceptional work, His Excellency George Washington. Our first president, Ellis writes, has always seemed somewhat remote and larger than life. It is hard to imagine him with shoes off, feet up on a bench by a fire, sharing a good joke, the way we can so easily picture Lincoln. A Do or Die Mission on a Brutal Winter Night Yet there is so much that is alive and dynamic about Washington. And if ever there is a truly epic, heroic moment in our national story, it is when he boarded a small boat, in the midst of a driving winter storm, and crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Night of 1776 with his exhausted, ragged army of little more than 2,000 men in a do or die mission. Another Pulitzer winner, David Hackett Fischer, in his brilliant Washington’s Crossing, gives us one of the best traditional historical studies of this incredible moment in American history, a book that was truly worthy of a Pulitzer and one that both Bill and I highly recommend as a great Christmas read for this year. Getting “Inside” the Mind of George Washington Bill and I are both trained historians. But we love historical fiction. We both see historical fiction, such as the works of C. S. Forester, Kenneth Roberts and Steven Pressfield, as a fascinating way to get “inside” the lives and minds of those who shaped history. Our forthcoming novels about the Revolution will of course face that daunting task of “getting inside” George Washington and we hope we can do him credit. Hopefully, a year from now you will be interested in reading our book about that Christmas Night. And for our fans of the Pacific War series, we’re taking only a short break from the tale of Halsey and Yamamoto but will resume it as soon as our two books about Washington are completed. When You Start to Feel You Have Nothing to Be Thankful For, Remember that Night in 1776 America is not without its problems this holiday season. Our economy has taken the worst battering in nearly eighty years and enemies abroad still seek our destruction. But when we start to feel like we have nothing to be thankful for, we should think back to the Christmas of 1776. George Washington and those who crossed the Delaware with him had a clear vision of the future. They were willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor, on their actions that night. As you and your family celebrate the holidays, please take a moment to reflect and offer a prayer of thanks for those who risked all for the freedoms we enjoy today. And as always, keep in your prayers those, who on Christmas night and during the celebration of Hanukkah, will stand silent vigil on distant fronts to insure our safety and freedom. Merry Christmas. Your friend,

It's not easy being E

Eden is 3 1/2 and wants to do anything and everything she can. She also only wants who she wants. Very rarely she wants me. It is usually Daddy or Grandma. Which is difficult be Grandma does not live at our house and we do not see her everyday. But even harder is Daddy has been very busy this month with finishing up his first semester at Pima and do shadow work at a Pharmacy. So we haven't seen much of him This week Eden had a hard day. I thought I would share a couple of her tragic experiences. Because they made us laugh.
A couple days a days ago. DJ was home during the day. Although he was working in his office he was in the house. I was having a very very slow day due to the pain in my finger. (dumb) SO I asked DJ to take Lucas to the school bus. Lucas was running slow too and ended up missing the bus. So DJ had to take him, when he did he did not take Eden with him. Even though she really wanted to go. (she is a mess and had no shoes on + very tired) So Eden freaks out and cries and throws a fit for about 15 minutes. I was finally able;e to get her to sit with me and read stories...whew.
So eventually DJ came back. Eden gradually went to him, on her own terms. DJ latter told me what she had to say to him

"Daddy I am sorry"
"why are you sorry?"
"Earlier when I had a fit, I kicked an ornament."

-yeah we laughed

Then Lucas had to be picked up dun dun duunnnn.

DJ left quickly and did not notice the little girl who ran behind him with her flip flops on saying "Daddy!!"

He left and she sadly walked toward me
"This is the worst day!"
"This is the worst day for Daddy."

I laughed and told him when got back.

Sad day for Daddies girl.

just one more thing

ok if you haven't noticed I am posting a lot today. I am just trying to get caught up.
Anyway, I have a photography blog and I have posted some of my favorites from my last few photo shoots. I would love to hear what you think!! Oh Wendy your pictures are ready, I'll be calling you.
Thanks

http://limetreephoto.blogspot.com/

knife safty 101

For knife safty I would like to share some steps I learned this week
1. When at the wal-mart deli and you ask for a quarter pound of munster to be cut at a size 2 make sure they cut it in a size 2 and not in 2 pieces before leaving the store.
2. On discovery of 2 pices od cheese, make sure you are not tried, hungry and frustrated. I sujest you call in back up before proceeding.
3. If you choose to proceed by yourself. Try a cheese grater or cut the cheese in small slices away from you.

4. Never! Hold the cheese in your hand and try to cut the cheese toward your finger with a bread knife. Really dumb idea!

5. If you do choose to go ahead with step 5. Call Grandma and grandpa, wash the hold thumb inside a papertowel and lay on floor (during the going into shock part) Go to urgent care and get 7 awesome stiches. BTW the numbing process is the worse part! The best part is not being allowed to wash dishes for 10 days.

Anyway this is all very good advice for the season I hope you all appriciate it.

fondant cake

OK I know I was supposed to post this like 2 weeks ago but here it is finally. I am proud of my lumpy fondant. But the most important part is... This cake was delicious! It was a devils food chocolate cake with chocolate ganach filling. and a peppermint icing that took me 20 minutes to make, it came out like a shiny marshmallow cream. It was good!!

where have you been?

So I haven't posted because I have been busy.
I was released from Primary Music leader about 2 weeks ago and now Primary President. I have also been trying to do family photo shoots. In order to practice my skills. I did one last week and have 2 families this week in addition a baby shoot. So that takes time to got through the photos and edit them. I am excited though.
Life is good I will post a picture of my 1st fondue cake later once I load it up!

Family Thanksgiving Day

cake disaster

sad story

So I finally have my internet back and am ready to share my newest cake pictures. However, when I pulled the cake out of the fridge the handle from my cake holder fell off and CRASH the cake hit the floor. Luckily the floor was clean and the cake was still in tact. I have to scrap my practice decorating and start over. At least the cake was less girls for Dave's birthday and it still tasted FAn-TAs-Tic!! So I am adding a awesome 4picture slide show of my cake drama. nice

need some organization?

So I recently discovered as I sat down monday to pay some bills with some long awated money that the quest bill I recieved was a disconnect notice. oops guess we missed that one. So I have phone service but no internet. Now it kind of makes sense. It is paid now and I am just waiting for the check to get there and for it to be turned on again. This doesn't normally happen but DJ and I have a weird bill system right now becasue of his business. But with the real estate slowdown and the starting school over things got a little mixed up.
SO if anyone needs something to pray about. Pray for DJ to get a job. He has been applying for jobs for 2-3 months now and looking for something in pharmacy for that last month and a half. So we could use some help.

Thanks

what the heck?

For some reason my Internet is not working. Much to the frustration of DJ and I. So we are having to hit up my parents for access. DJ is now working from my parents house. I on the other hand will be unable to show my newest cake. I am taking classes 2 and 3 right now. one right after the other. It is really fun!
Also we had preschool Olympics on Wednesday. The kids had a great time. I have pictures of that too. But it will just have to wait.
So until we figure out what is going on. Have a great day! and possibly a happy thanksgiving!

Aftermath

There are times when I look at my life and the choices I make and I am amazed. Recently our church invited us to stand for a moral issue. To define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Marriage is here to protect the family. I remember when I was single and I was thinking about my future. I decided that marriage was important to me. I wanted to find someone who would treat me well and be a good father. Someone whom I could have a family with. I thought that this was normal but I am beginning to believe that it is not.
I recently voted for this union to be written in the state constitution. I was joined by friends and family in both Tucson and in Ventura, CA. However, the difference is when I went to church Sunday. it was business as usual. However some of my friends in California went to church Sunday and had to drive through protesters. I have also been seeing glimpses of our Temple in CA on the news with protesters. People saying our church gave mony to this prop. But our church never gives money to political organizations. Individulas of our church and other chritsian religions donated money and time to make this happen. I am sure there are plenty of people who doneated money and time to the organizations trying not to allow this to go though.
Basicly I sad when people acuse our religion as being hatful while they themselves are demonstrating and doing hateful things to people who are quietly doing what they feel is moraly right. I know that many people are being abused and vicomized by making this decision to stand up for marriage. I am greatful for all the people who made these propositions go though. I am greatful that my marriage means something. That my family means something.

I would like to share a article written by an poice ditective in LA who witnessed the protests first hand.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/081110hate.html

that is all I am going to say on here. Thanks for reading

everythings comin up roses

So I learned how to make roses in my cake decorating class. I actually did very well. These are roses I made. I also made a lemon cake with lemon filling and lemon butter cream. Yea it was good. I finished the first class and I am probably going to double up and take course 2 and 3 starting next week. That should be fun. Anyway this has been fun to do I hope I get to practice and get better at my technique.

Government for the Good of the People: Ten Questions about Freedom, Virtue, and the Role of Government by Ryan Messmore

Government for the Good of the People: Ten Questions about Freedom, Virtue, and the Role of Government

by Ryan Messmore

Today's political debates are often muddied by misconceptions of the role of government and its responsibility to American citizens. What are the limits of good government? How can the virtues necessary for freedom flourish? Sustaining ordered liberty depends on good answers to these questions. 1. What should government do? Government plays an indispensable role in a healthy community, but this does not mean that everything a community needs to be healthy is government's responsibility. Government expresses society's understanding of justice and enacts judgment in light of that understanding. Government's task is to articulate the rights and duties of citizens and protect them from threats. This is very different from the belief that government should create rights or exercise people's duties for them through programs that replace individual and community initiatives. 2. Does morality have anything to do with government? The government, acting on behalf of the people, declares certain actions to be just and unjust. This is a moral distinction between right and wrong. Whenever government debates whether or not certain actions and institutions are lawful, it takes moral considerations into account. Put another way, by formulating and upholding laws, government encourages and expresses a society's fundamental moral principles. 3. What should limit government's authority? "If angels were to govern men," wrote James Madison, "neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." But even if political authorities were angels, there would still be limits on what government should and should not do. In this sense, government power is inherently limited by the role of other social institutions, such as families, religious congregations, schools, and businesses. The rightful authority of these institutions helps to check the authority of the state. Government's formal authority is restrained by its primary purpose (see question #1). Government is supposed to protect the ability of individuals and social institutions to exercise legitimate authority within their own particular areas of influence without unjust interference from other institutions. If the government is supposed to protect this freedom for citizens, its power to intrude must be subject to clearly defined limits. Such limits are defined in the United States Constitution and individual state constitutions. 4. Does big government pose moral problems? When government oversteps its bounds and begins to assume more authority, it weakens other important social institutions, including those, like the family and religious congregations, that are particularly capable of encouraging moral virtue among citizens. Big-government programs and policies also tend to confuse the lines between citizen responsibility and government responsibility. As a result, they erode our understanding of the ethical obligations we have to one another—especially in regard to issues such as poverty and economic justice—and encourage us to assume and to expect that government will provide for our neighbors' needs. 5. What is the relationship between freedom and virtue? Freedom relies on virtue for its survival. Government protects ordered liberty, but it is virtuous citizens taking personal responsibility for their actions and exercising mutual responsibility for the welfare of others who make ordered liberty possible. As Benjamin Franklin declared, "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom." All political communities are held together by common civic bonds. As the motto of the United States—e pluribus unum,or "out of many, one"—implies, the bonds that unite the nation's many individual citizens into one people are of critical importance. These bonds often take the form of moral obligations that we owe to one another as members of the same community. To fulfill these obligations, citizens need to exercise certain virtues. A virtuous citizen is someone who is enabled by character to act in a way that promotes the common good within the community. Americans tend to see freedom, prosperity, and security as necessary elements of the common good. The habits needed to achieve these ends include trust, cooperation, self-sacrifice, hard work, and a sense of responsibility for others. These are key virtues for members of the American community and essential to the preservation of ordered liberty. 6. If virtue is necessary for freedom, what institutions are best equipped to promote virtuous behavior? America's founders recognized that local forms of association are the best way for citizens to fulfill their moral obligations to one another. They believed that families, religious congregations, and other institutions of civil society are most effective in uniting their members in cooperative pursuit of the common good and thereby cultivating the indispensable virtues that are the foundation of a healthy democracy. The founders especially emphasized the role of religion in moral formation. The belief in a "God All Powerful wise and good," claimed James Madison, is "essential to the moral order of the world." George Washington declared that "reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." Religious communities bind people vertically to God and horizontally to one another. These social bonds not only depend upon, but actually help to generate, trust, cooperation, respect for authority, self-sacrifice, and a shared pursuit of and participation in the common good. The family is also crucial to the cultivation of virtue and moral sense. In the family, continual character training and moral authority are exercised by those who love and desire the best for each member. In addition, sports teams, orchestras, schools, professional guilds, neighborhoods, theatre troupes, and other voluntary associations can function as local communities that cultivate moral development in similar ways. On a basketball team, for example, players learn what it means to trust others, work together, train hard, respect authority, identify and coordinate different personal skills, accommodate the errors of others, and rely on others to accommodate their own errors. Team members are trained not to consider just themselves, but to act in the best interest of the whole team. 7. How does big government weaken smaller, virtue-producing communities? As government claims responsibility for more tasks, it absorbs the allegiance that citizens once placed in other relationships and forms of association. When the federal government assumes more responsibility for fulfilling the moral obligations among citizens, it tends to undermine the perceived significance and authority of local institutions and communities. This encourages citizens, instead of looking to their families, churches, or local communities for guidance and assistance, to depend on the government for education, welfare, and various other services. As individuals begin to look more consistently to the government for support, the institutions that are able to generate virtues like trust and responsibility begin to lose their sway in the community. Excessive bureaucratic centralization thus sets in motion a dangerous cycle of dependence and social decay. 8. Does government have a role in the moral formation of its citizens? Smaller institutions can encourage virtue among their members because of the strong social bonds and personal contact they share, but government is more dependent on fear of punishment to motivate good behavior. Government can promote political goods such as justice and equality and can contribute to habits such as self-restraint and moderation. However, it is not as equipped as other institutions to cultivate the virtues necessary for many other important ends. As Martin Luther King, Jr., explained, laws can restrain the heartless; they cannot change the heart. But while government is not equipped to cultivate some virtues in citizens, it does have a role to play in their moral formation: It articulates a sense of justice, impartial judgment, and equality before the law. Government also protects those institutions that, through their strong social bonds and personal contact, are equipped to encourage other virtues among citizens. By protecting virtue-forming institutions such as the family or religious congregations against unjust interference from other institutions—including the state—government can influence the cultivation of virtue and the strength of social bonds. Government officials should work to provide the social and legal conditions that help local associations to exercise the authority that rightly belongs to them. 9. How does government influence public opinion and values? Government actions subtly shape how citizens think, speak, and act, thereby influencing where we tend to place our trust, hope, and expectations. The authority to enforce laws carries certain implicit powers: the power to promote certain causes, prioritize certain risks, endorse certain values and beliefs, uphold certain standards, encourage certain expectations, and define and interpret certain terms. For example, government policy dictates that American taxpayers must contribute to Social Security, and that shapes how we think about addressing need in our society (regardless of one's opinion of the current Social Security program). Government also has the power to influence our expectations and outlook on important social questions, such as where to seek assistance for material needs (the welfare state); whom to blame in times of crisis (FEMA, the President, the Federal Reserve); and what people are entitled to by right (privacy, cheap prescription drugs, same-sex marriage). The powers to pass laws and collect taxes therefore entail the power to set social priorities and to define, to some extent, the terms of public understanding, involvement, and debate. 10. How much should we trust government? We should be able to trust our government to perform its appropriate tasks of promoting justice and punishing injustice. Without this protection, communities would not be as free to strengthen social bonds, encourage pursuit of the common good, or cultivate virtue. Therefore, the government deserves a certain degree of trust, hope, and loyalty. But a healthy democracy is one in which citizens give government only the loyalty it deserves without diminishing their trust in or allegiance to other institutions and authorities. Cultural allegiances to family, church, and local associations are some of "the most powerful resources of democracy," according to Robert Nisbet. By not placing complete trust in the government, citizens can help to prevent any one institution from becoming too powerful. For this reason, the diversification of authority and allegiance among various social institutions actually strengthens democracy. Conclusion The power of government carries significant moral implications. The amount of responsibility yielded to or claimed by government can shape attitudes, motivations, expectations, and even the terms of public debate. Government can also influence the cultivation of character and the strength of social bonds by protecting institutions that help to encourage virtue in society, such as the family or religious congregations, against unjust interference from other institutions, including the state. In other words, there is a strong moral case to be made for limited government authority. Ryan Messmore is William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society in the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! This is a fun year for us. Lucas and Eden are both in Preschool now. Which means they get to wear costumes to school. Lucas is an awesome cowboy this year. He won most creative costume. Eden is a flapper. Although she really wanted to be a kangaroo again.



After we got her all dressed up she began to dance and shake it. Her fringe looked really cute! Tonight we are going to David and Tammy's neighborhood party. Like we do every year. Aaron and Shawna join us and we trick or treat in the neighborhood. It is a lot of fun and the kids love getting to see there cousins!

So happy Halloween everyone and have a wonderful day!

Cake decorationg

So I am taking a cake decorating class at Michaels. 3 weeks into the 4 and I finally got to decorate a cake. We were supposed to practice a bunch of stuff we learned in class. But because Halloween was today I scraped the grapes, apples,flowers, and cherries and just did the border, dots and leaves and made up the vine. I made a pumpkin patch. I am very proud and wanted to share!

Dinomania

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So last Friday was Lucas' birthday. He is 5 now and I can't believe how much he has grown and how fast it has gone. He is a truely amazing little boy. Definitively an apple that didn't fall too far from the tree. DJ and he share so much in common. I can turn on animal planet and the two of them would be entertained for hours.
So for his birthday we had a dino party. Since last year we had the African Safari. We invited only a few of his little friends. Just the boys this time. Then I let Eden have one friend. We had a great day. The children colored dino pictures.When all the children had arrived we played pin the plate on the stegosaurus. We then we went outside and DJ made a volcano. They thought that was pretty cool. But they just wanted to play for a while.
After a bit we came in and made dino slime (flubber) DJ read some dino books and then he opened presents. When that was finally all done we had dino bites, french fries. apples carrots and dino kool-aid.
Finally I made awesome chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate butter cream frosting and attempted a chocolate filling. Which I couldn't get to fill the cupcake right so I used it on a birthday cake we had on Sunday.
Each child went home with a goodie bag of things we had done during the party, candy and the dino they picked for there cup cake. 2 hours baby I am good!

Anyway here are some photos of the day. I hope I don't scare anyone but looking cute was not my first priority!

technical difficulties

SO today was Lucas' 5th birthday that is right 5!! We had a fantastic Dinosaur birthday party and we are all exhausted now. I took a bunch of pictures but apparently my camera was set on Raw so I have to do some rearranging won't really be able to post any photos for a day or 2. Because tomorrow (sat18th) is our 7 year anniversary and we are going to Mesa to a very special friends sealing. The adopted a beautiful baby girl and invited us to be part of this special day!
So I will post pics as soon as I can I promise!!

need something to read? I got 16 out of 100

The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books. They estimate the average adult has read only six.
Here’s what you are supposed to do:
Look at the list and bold those you have read. Italicize those we intend to read.*Star the books we LOVE.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen **
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien **
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling *
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible (not sure if this counts for me reading because I've never read cover to cover)
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller1
4. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell **
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis **
34. Emma - Jane Austen **
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen **
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis **
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery **
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility- Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ( i did start this)
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett **
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

YUMM-O

I made this today. I guess I should have taken a picture but it didn't last long enough. I will double the corn cakes recipe next time.

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes the Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

1 hour | 30 min prep

SERVES 4

• 
  

Salsa Verde

• 2 tomatillos, diced
• 4 ounces mild green chilies, drained and diced
• 1 green onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper

For Tomato Salsa

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper

For Southwestern Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon water
• 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch onion powder
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash garlic powder

For Cakes

• 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup corn masa harina flour (corn flour)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For Garnish

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Prepare salsa verde by combining all prepared ingredients. Chill.
2. Prepare tomato salsa by combining all prepared ingredients. Chill.
3. Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients. Chill.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
5. Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well.
6. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
7. Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3" wide patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom.
8. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.
9. Assembly: Place all three cakes on a warmed serving platter. Dollop each with one of the three sauces. Garnish with diced avocado, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Seven

7 Things I plan to do before I die

1. See more of the USA and if possible the world

2. Be a grandparent

3. Go on a mission with DJ

4. read a lot of books

5. become a good photographer

6. learn to decorate cakes

7. build my dream home


7 things I do now

1. I can cook yea!

2. love my babies and take good care of them

3. organize

4. talk... a lot

5. sew pajama pants for my kids

6. clean and do laundry

7. go on play dates, host play dates, volunteer in the classroom, and be the best Mom I can be.


7 things I can't do

1. play any sport well

2. math

3. crochet, for real I've tried a few times

4. memorize

5. cut hair

6. drive in LA, very very scary!

7. draw well

7 things that attract me to my husband (in no particular order)

1. cute butt

2. kind heart

3. he watches movies and shows that I like

4. amazing father

5. patient and calm

6. devoted

7. the best person for me


7 things that I say most often

1. "This is your warning"

2. I am tired

3. That's frinkin awesome

4. Hell yeah

5. So I was thinking...

6. I love you bunches

7. Your my favorite


7 celebrities that I admire

is this really a question


7 favorite foods

1. Ice Cream

2. whatever I can put in a tortilla

3. Mom's bean dip

4. Thanksgiving.. the whole thing (stuffing mashed potatoes, pie...)

5. I like Easter too (ham, sour cream potatoes...)

6. Baked Potato with the works

7. I perfect steak


7 people who need to do this

1. Jana

2. Tiffany

3. Katie baby

4. Tammy

5. Heather

6. Shawna

7. Sara G

7 year itch

So here it is. DJ and I are coming up on year number 7. I am wondering where normal people are at in their 7th year of marriage. What itch is being scratched. I was thinking about that a while back. What kind of itches need to be scratched?
For me I am taking a personal journey on becoming a better photographer. I want to really understand my camera and become confident in my skills. So I am doing a self teaching adventure. I have made another blog so once I start posting I'll let ya know. I have also begged my amazing Mom to support my way though Wilton cake decorating class at Michaels. I am pretty dang excited about this adventure. I have been talking about cake decorating for years now and now I think I have finally made it almost official. I just have to get mom and me and the money in Michaels by next Thursday to sign up. yea!
DJ on the other hand has taken a different approach.Here it is folks. He is going to school. No not real estate not business. What is he going to do? Pharmacy. That's right and not the one's my brother in laws hang with. An actual white coat in a real pharmacy. He is registering for classes starting next month to begin his 5 year journey to a good, stable, career. I am thrilled surprisingly. We are already poor so it won't be a fall back from comforts. In fact we'll be moving back to my parents some time early next year. (They are planning ongoing on a mission and the house we are renting is being put up for sale in January)
SO wish us and mostly DJ luck!

And really all of my friends married more than 7 years. Did you have a 7 year itch? What was it? If not 7 when was your itch?

help my friend

So my friend Tana is going to the Paul Michell school in Phoenix
there is a video contest and I want her to win so watch the video and make a comment please!!

Any CA friends might recognize Mike Helm. He is one of the teachers!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_nU1bBx4Z0

Thanks

piggy bank

So little story I want to share.
Eden was in her room and I walked by as she was dumping out toys and putting the storage boxes together to stand on.
"What are you doing?" I asked
she points to her piggy bank on top of her dresser
"you want your piggy bank?"
"yes" she says.
I told her to pick up her toys and I would get her piggy bank down.
After this was done I continued on to my journey to DJ's office to discuss some future matters with him. As we where talking we could hear Eden playing with her money.After a short while she came in proudly holding a handful of mostly pennies.
"Is that your money?"
"Yes"
"wow are you going to show it to Daddy?"
"No", she said "I am going to give it to him"
I laughed as she put he handful on his desk.

Then the truth came out.

"do you know why she did that?" DJ asked me
"no" I said
"Because she asked me to play with her and I told her I had to go work and make some money."

It is amazing to see that she wanted to help her Daddy out so he would be able to play with her. I awed and teared up by my sweet baby and her sincere jester to help him out.

This is one of the reasons I have sacrificed working to be at home with my children.

house of care

So my brother Corey has some awesome back issues. week or so he reached down to pick up a chip. He had already over worked his back that day and the little act landed him on my kitchen floor. There he stayed for 24hrs. We were able to pull him into the "LR" by getting him on a blanket and pulling.

Anyway, my kids instantly pulled out the doctor kit and teddy bear and such and went to taking care of him. It was really funny. So I thought I'd share

BTW Corey is doing better and has been home and even back to work. I also have to confess I enjoyed Corey's accident because he stayed the night and I had people at my house all weekend. yea!

Say hello to my little friend

So I am not a bug person. I don't mind them but I don't really like them on me or in my space. However, my kids love them and they are interesting. Yesterday I picked up my Mom and was on my way out of the neighborhood. I saw something on the road.
"What the heck was that?"
I stopped the car and backed up. Mom jumped our of the car; she likes bugs. I found a plastic bag. She caught it and we ran to my house to get Lucas' bug box. I showed it to DJ. He said it was a lubber or something.
We took it to Corey's house to show him.

Eden and I brought it home and waited for Lucas to come home from preschool. When Lucas got off the bus we took him over to the side walk ( very close to where we found the bug in the 1st place. We then let the bug go. Lucas and Eden followed him around for a while. It was a fun bug experience.

Saturday Night at the Desert Museum

getting off the bus

So I said I'll get a picture of Eden getting off her school bus. Well, here it is. She had a great day at school. Except the fact she is wearing different pants because she had an "accident." I guess that is normal when dealing with 3 yr olds.

roosters anyone?

So we had gotten some little chickens who all turned into roosters. They pleasantly began crowing at 5:30 am. So I asked for them to be removed. We were not interested in the preparations for having fried chicken for dinner. So grandma and grandpa came and took the away,
Mom told Lucas they were going to Mr Gonzales's farm and that was Spanish for Ole' Mac Donald. I laugh every time I think of it.

So farewell to the roosters I hope they enjoy there life with the other chicken on Mr Gonzales' farm.
We'll try again for chickens we want eggs.

Preschool

So I got a call this week. The 3 year old preschool wanted Eden. She started today. She will go Monday and Friday mornings. I took her today but she will come home on the bus. They will drop her off at my door. She is very excited and so am I. I now get 1 on 1 time with Lucas. This has been a great week for me.

... later I'll post her getting off the bus.

ward camp trip

Preschool

Today is a special day! Lucas got to ride the school bus. I think he was nervous and excited. I am surprised he didn't explode.
I found out a few weeks ago that Flowing Wells had a preschool. I finally called and stopped by last week and picked up the paperwork for the "economically challenged" yes that is for real! preschool. I turned in the paperwork and Lucas was admitted that day. So yesterday he went to his first day. It is awesome! The teachers have their bachelors and a certificate in early childhood education. Because it is with the school they also have a budget and grant money and such. So what does that mean?? The school is beautiful. Filled with sand and water tables, tricycles on the playground. Stories and music. Play dough and art supplies. Pictures on the wall. Toys and activities. Lucas said it was way better then his other preschool. Which was a free 2 day a week program at the community center. It seemed like glorified babysitting. But it was a nice introduction.
Lucas will go to kindergarten next year. I know he is ready now, so this preschool is going to give him that opportunity to learn.He is so ready. There is a 3yr old program too so Eden is on the mile long waiting list. But that also bumps her up to the 4yr old program as well. So she'll go next year and he'll go to school.
In the mean time Eden and I went to the mall and then went and had ice cream. Lucas is gone for 4 hours basically from 12-4. Because he takes the bus. But it has been great for me. I know he is getting what he needs and Eden is getting a little extra time. I am also less stressed and happier in the evening. This is a miracle!!

So all in all I am just so happy right now! Can you tell? I thought today I should be a little more sad that my baby is growing up. But really I am loving seeing him become this amazing little person.

mosaic

Here are the questions:
1. What is your first name? Sheila
2. What is your favorite food? baked potato
3. What high school did you attend? Flowing wells
4. What is your favorite color? Pink
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Ryan Reynolds
6. Favorite drink? Italian cream soda
7. Dream vacation? Italy
8. Favorite dessert? Ice cream
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? Happy
10. What do you love most in life? family time
11. One word to describe you? Sincere
12. Your nickname? Shera



If you want to do your own mosaic, here are the rules. Go to either Google images or Flickr and search for images with the answer to the questions below. (for instance, if your name is Jenny, go to one of the sites above and search Jenny) You must select a graphic from the FIRST page of your search. Pick out the best one, or your favorite one and go to http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php and set up a 3 by 4 mosaic and enter the URL of the picture you selected. Have fun!

Today we went to the Zoo

Memories...

Memories...

Do I dare?

A friend has a post on her blog asking for her "commenters" to share memories they have of her and her family. I'm a little scared to find out what people remember about Jeff and me but I guess I'm feeling gutsy. It really can't be any worse than the stuff I post about us already!

Here are the directions:


1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you had with DJ and/or Sheila. It can be anything you remember.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. I dare you!

update

I have not gotten to cut out my apron yet. I opened the pattern last night and said. "I need my Mommy!" Mom was at the church doing a child care lesson with the enrichment girls, so my kids were there too being entertained and DJ was at mutual. Yeah I could have washed the dishes, cleaned the house. But nope. I don't get my house to myself too often. So I watched project runway and cut out patterns.
This week has been a pretty fun one too. Tuesday we did a play day switch. My friend Michelle to Lucas and her little boy Tyler to the park and to get ice cream. I took Eden and her little girl Meagan. The decided to invite her older girl Rebbecca and my friend Katie's daughter Madeline. After the girls decided to stop chasing the cats, they played dress up, cooked in the little kitchen and did a lot of cute little girl things. It was fun. On Monday I watched Michelle's kids for an hour while she went to the doctor. Wednesday we ran around. I planned primary then visited my friend Michelle D. (a lot of Michelle's this week.) The kids all played. I got to hold he baby she is adopting and enjoy her AC. Then we went to the library. Then off the kids went to the church yea!
Today we are on our way to swim with Tyler and co. I am also feeding the missionaries. tomorrow have a primary meeting. And we are having a Chinese dinner to celebrate the Olympics.

TONIGHT is the So You Think You Can Dance Finale!!!!! So excited yet sad that this season is over. At least I have Olympic swimming (and other games)starting Saturday! I am so excited I love the summer Olympics!

whoa Doggy

So I guess I've got the cleaning bug this week. Kind of. Today I finally when through the kids clothes and took out the clothes that are too small for them. Then I cleaned out the toys. Whew. Organized separated and starred at them for hours. Then the kids came home from grandmas... so much for that project.
Kidding kind of. They are getting toys out but it is sort of organized now. I just have more work to do.

Also thanks to Jana, I am sewing. Or at least getting ready to. Mc Calls patterns are on sale for 99 cents. Yeah!!!! So Mom and I went and bought a ton of patterns and some material. I am starting with a super cute apron. I'll post pictures of my 1st sewing project. I am so excited. I want to go buy the rest of the patterns I wanted.

I am excited to be doing something different from my normal routine. Lucas is excited too I have a pj pattern and a cowboy and Indian pattern too.

Fun stuff!

Happy Birthday DJ

Step 2

OK I seem to get pretty much what I do is mostly everyone else is doing.
So step 2

What did you feed your family today?

Cheerios
grilled cheese and tomato soup
tostadas

snacks
blueberries
carrots
grapes

Meal Planing

So I am trying to accomplish an amazing task. Meal planning. I make week-month worth of meal plans. For dinner that is. I have things written down for lunches and breakfast. I also have the staples that are always needed. Like bread, milk, and ice cream.

So basically I am wonder what everybody else does. Where they get ideas. How often the repeat meals. How do you get all the healthy stuff in the day?

Just wanted to know

I need a nap!

It is Saturday and it is a busy morning. I had clean the building this morning at 7am. Then I came home cleaned up and packed up to make it to the church ballpark by 8:40 so I could searve syup to people eating pancakes for 20min. When I was all done with that we hung out. Lucas discovered a dunk tank. All he had to do was throw a ball at a target and people would fall in the water. He thought that was awesome. Eden did too. They were so cute. Then the played in the sand box and Lucas ran around with a water balloon. DJ played ultimate frizbee with his friend Tyler.
IT was hot and humid today.
So since we have been home I have been so tired and the kids are wanting to play and DJ has to work and do homework.
I am so tired right now I could fall over. It has been a long month.

But we are going to dinner at our friend Katie and Tyler's house tonight. Yea I don't have to cook and the kids will have entertainment!! YES!

another day

So Eden likes to cook. I mean she loves to cook. I think it is her favorite thing. So she helped me make lunch yesterday. She had to wear her apron so she would get tomato soup all over her leotard. I think all women should cook in a tutu and an apron. Wouldn't that freak out the husband. hee hee hee

additional comments
-when I was little I constantly cooked with my mom too.
-Eden's apron was mine when I was a little girl.
-ok Jana there is a sneak peek at my kitchen how it always looks, dirty dishes, something cooking, and a kid "helping"

A day at the pool

my girl

so to add to the whole rain thing. Eden told me she was a superhero after this episode. Yeah I was taking pictures of flowers ok!
anyway I asked she if she was man-girl so she ran around saying "I am man-girl!" in a very superhero like way.

That's my girl!

monsoon

Tucson has this wonderful time in july and august dubbed as monsoon season. After a good thunder storm we are happily cooled down. Today our highs will be 92. However, we do have to endure our share of humidity. But it is nothing compared to Florida in August. That is humidity!!

We also get a good share of puddles and frogs. I let my kids hit the puddles when we are at Grandma's house. Much to DJ's disgust. He is afraid they will catch something. But getting wet and dirty won't make you sick. He now has resigned himself to the idea that our kids will spend more time in the mud then clean as long as I am around. So he is much better at it now. He can enjoy it better now then he used to. Not perfect but better. So here here to thunder storms. I love rain love love love it!!

Peace

I recently have gone through a physical trial. I don't really want to blog about it. However, I have been resting all weekend. DJ took care of the kids and my parents, sister, and brother Corey all enjoyed themselves in various locations of Utah, Idaho, and Yellowstone park.
So what to do? I was beginning to read Anne of Green Gables. I haven't read it since I was in jr high. I am now on the 4th book Anne of windy poplars.
What I have discovered. Reading all about Anne and her adventures through life. She starts out as a silly over imaginative young girl. Sounded familiar to me. But she grew became able to focus on something for more than 3 minutes. Also familiar. Grew into a well rounded women.
But I have noticed the last few days I am using more descriptive words when I speak. I am more at peace and I think the sky is bluer now. She has a knack of being cheerful and seeing the world for it's beauty. She sees people and gets below their exterior skin and finds out what is in there heart. She loves and she works hard. She wants to be loved but more importantly she loves. She is never jealous, bitter or besides Gilbert Blythe ever holds a grudge.
She values each friend but is always the most loyal to her bosom friend and the people who brought her to green gables Marilla and Mathew. She loves every place she is in and finds the best in it. She loyal to green gables but finds happiness in whatever situation she is in life.
Then there is Gilbert Blythe. I think he kind of beats Mr Darcy is being truely good. He has never been prideful, conceited, or treated anyone unkindly. At least when he grew up. He did tease the girls a lot as a teenager but what can you really expect of a teenager? He as well as Ann competed to be the best in school. Studied hard and never gave up. Even when he (and Ann too) had to teach school They both still worked hard on independent courses to finally get to go to College 2 years later. When he got there he worked hard, was friendly and joined everything he could to enjoy his stay.
Gilbert loved Ann all his life , well since he was 16. He never gave up. He valued there friendship and was patient for Ann when she finally figured it out. The only thing Ann was slow about. Then he went to get his medical degree. That's where I am right now.
I know I sound silly right now but for anyone who needs a new outlook on life. Ann is where it is at! I wish I read this in High school and college. Then maybe it would have reminded me to put things in perspective. I am still resting but I think I might have to till I have finished the series.
Aghhh I love a good book

huh?

So I changed my background and somehow lost all my friends. So if you read my blog comment so I can get your blog and repost it on my page so I can read everyones blogs again. I don't know why I am so retarded.

why??

So not to go into to much detail my doctor doesn't want me traveling right now and asked me to postpone my trip to Ventura. We are really sad. But maybe when we get to come we'll be able to stay longer.

goin back

we're goin goin back back to cali cali...

that's right we are heading to Ventura for a little weekend visit tomorrow. We are leaving Tucson some time Thursday and we'll go home Monday. It's short but we need, want, have to go!!!
So good bye 107 degree's and hello 70's! I can't wait. I wish we could go longer.

So we'll be at the street fair Friday so all you Ventura people look for us
DJ's cell is 520-631-5499

some things are just too funny

I am on my Mom's computer looking at pictures.

This I found of Eden make a sand angel... priceless.

My new love!

So I have a new obsession. Yes it is the Elizabeth Gaskell collection. For all you Jane Austin fans I invited you to partake. There are 3 movies. 1st wives and daughters. I enjoyed it, after I got used to the girl. 2nd Cranford. So hilarious!! It will make you laugh and cry! Then my favorite North and South. beautiful and rivals the beloved Pride and Prejudice.
What is so fantastic about these works of art is the stories are more real. They cover the classes. You see what each class is dealing with and how they live. Warning people die. But It is so real and beautiful. I love love love them. DJ is enjoying them too.
The acting is great. I encourage all to partake!!

bummer

SO DJ and I went on our date last night. However, the dancing place was in Catalina. For those of you not familiar with Tucson. Catalina is north and kind of out of town. Ranchers and such and resorts. Trouble, especially when we pulled into the Lariot steakhouse and saloon. Yea a nice country band playing and people doing west coast swing AKA cowboy swing. Now I am game for dancing and I enjoy country music. But this was too much for the 2 of us. Our date then consisted of attempting a movie then decided that it was to late we don't want to spend that much money. So we bought eegees (eegees are a local specialty, a sort of crushed ice drink but it is so think you have to eat with a spoon. It has fruit in it. yum of a hot day!) anyway then we went to the parents hung out and brought the kids home. Then watched video 3 of north and south (my next blog)
so much for getting cute.
But it was nice just being with DJ anyway.

I've got a hot date!

So I am so excited! DJ and I are going on a date tonight. We are not going to dinner, we are not going to a movie. We aren't even going to costco!!
So what on earth could we possibly do? Yea we are going dancing!!! I am so excited! DJ has a friend who teaches dance west coast swing and other social dances. He has invited us to attend the "free dance" time at the studio he teaches at and DJ said yes! I haven't been able to dance in years. For those who knew me in my formal life. You would know that was a big portion of my existence. I had surgery on my right foot and with shoe and crutches I still attended swing dance club and even danced a bit. You can do most tricks one legged.
I love to dance I wish I could have had more classes because it is inside me. To quote Lady Catherine de Bourgh "If I have ever learned to play, I would be a true proficient.!"

Good Day

Without going into to much detail, yea right! I had a great day.
I was able to go to the Temple today. I went with my Mom and Dad. A cousin on my Dads side was being sealed to her husband today. It was lovely. Then we went through a session. Had a nice lunch and went to the visitor center. They have a photography display right now. It is the cast of the Easter pageant. They took some beautiful photos demonstrating the life of Christ. I guess the Presidency likes it so much it is going on tour! We enjoyed it very much.
Then we went to IKEA. Yea good times. I got spoiled like I used to when my parents would come visit me in Ventura. The nice think about Ikea is the most expensive thing I wanted was a $7.00 wok. Which I was willing to pay for myself. But I got that, an ice cream scoop, whisk, ice trays in the shape of stars and a couple other things. It was a fun day for me.
The kids spent most of the day at Saras and DJ tried to get some of his tons of work and homework and the workshop his is taking done. As well as go to a couple appointment. He is really working so hard.

That's all I had a nice day off. T hat rarely happens!

Well then I came home and did the 3 days of dishes I have been avoiding. but it wasn't really that bad.
The End

My Husband and Father in law too.

So I wrote all about my Daddy this morning. Now I will celebrate my husband. DJ and I met about 8 years now. We actually met at President Hinckley's Birthday celebration. The one where they had a broadcast and Gladys Knight sang.
I'll go into the courtship when it is our anniversary. Anyway, when I was looking for a husband I wanted someone who would love me and be a great Father. When DJ took me to meet his family I met his Father. At one point I saw his Father on the floor playing Austin (grandson. He was playing Winne the Pooh. I knew that if this was going to be my father in law. DJ was said not to fall to far from the tree. I knew I picked a good apple.
Boy did I! DJ is kind, loving and calm. He is happy to kick a soccer ball around with Lucas. Dance with Eden. Tell the kids stories. Books or something he makes up. He watercolored with them the other day. He walked Eden home and a bike tonight. (it has a push handle to help move along the process)
He is excited to see his children grow. He loved them, loves them and will always love them. Not to mention he treats me like a precious gem stone. Because I am there mother. I am glad he is the Father of my children. He is a great father and he wants to be better. He is willing to take the good and the bad of being a parent. He allows me to be the Mom and he listens to me.
I know he loves me and our children and will love any child to come. He is my darling DJ.

My Dad

On that note. Today is also Fathers day. I am greatful for my own Father. My Dad was born in Chuichupa, Mexico. He is the youngest child of 8 children. He and 2 of his older sisters are the only ones still alive. When he was 13 his own Father passed away. His Mother was deaf and very poor. He moved to Arizona and was raised my different siblings. He lived in Pomerine, and later in Miami AZ.

He married my Mother is Jan 1961. They raised 7 children. But had 8 Losing one child a daughter in 1963. She lived about a month. They buried her in a small cometary in Pine Arizona.

My Father is a hard working man. Since I was a small child around 2 he was put in a bishopric. He worked in bishoprics, high councilmen, and stake presidency most of my life. He was one who understood the gospel. Believes in the smallest of principles. Works hard to do what is asked of him. He recently was released from his Bishop calling and has happily been serving with my mother in th Bishops store house.

I know my Dad will do anything for his children. We have never been a wealthy family but he has done what it takes and continues to make sure we have what we need. Even some things we just want. He loves his children and will no questions asked be willing to do what it takes to take care of them. He loves his grandchildren and is so proud of them. He loves it the most when the little ones will just sit in his lap and let him hold them.

I love my Daddy and I am so glad he's my Dad.

29

Today I turn 29. I feel like I am 19 but no I am 29. It's so weird. I have a wonderful Husband..(BTW Happy Fathers Day DJ). I have 2 beautiful and crazy children Lucas and Eden. I have to say I am happy. It is really strange how quickly the last 1o years of my life have flown by. It seems like ages ago yet it feels like yesterday. I know I have a wonderful life to live and many things to accomplish. I guess it is exciting to discover what the next 29 years of my life have in store.

Blessings

On Friday night Lucas wondered out from his bedroom. Instead of going to the bathroom across the hall he wonders in the dark to our room to our bathroom. DJ got up and turned the light on. He freaked out about the light. When he turned it off Lucas tripped over a bad of foot stuff. (I was cleaning my feet before bed) Then slammed his right eye into our sink.
Then the screaming began . DJ brought him to our bed to check out the damage. His tears were pink so we new there was a little blood somewhere,. But he refused to open his eyes. They hurt to bad. I was worried...really worried. After a few minutes I called my parents. Amazingly my Dad was awake at 12:30 pm watching a ball game he had recorded. They came over and DJ gave Lucas a blessing.
The next day his eye was a little puffy. Today you can't even tell anything happened. I along with everyone who saw him, thought he would for sure have a black eye at least.

I am thankful today for priesthood blessings. That my husband has the priesthood and is worthy to use it. That my Father lives down the street and has oil, because DJ didn't have any more. To have the peace in our home and the spirit in our hearts. This was a testimony to me. I wanted to share.