Anticipation

I'm a political activist!

I never thought there would be a time when I would feel the need to become a political activist.  4  judges have forced me to become one.  Proposition 8 is the most important issue that our generation will face.  The time is now, we are the people to face this challenge and California is the place where the battle lines are being drawn.  I've been to two Yes on 8 rallies in the past 8 days.  My first ever political rallies.  They were both inspiring but the most important thing I took away with me is that we all need to be more than cheerleaders.  We need to get up and make a difference!  Here are some highlight pictures.

Last Monday, at the start of the Yes on 8 bus tour in Sacramento.  I traveled there with my sisters in law and their kids.

 

This morning, on the steps of the Capital in Sacramento.  (if you look closely you can see a homemade sign saying "who stole my yes on 8 sign?"  I thought it was great!

This is the couple who filed a suit against the state of California over the removal of the terms "Bride" and "Groom" from the marriage licence forms and refused to get married as "Party A and Party B".

The ladies from the ward in front of the Capital this morning.

Hurray for Freedom of Speech and the right to assemble peacefully!  God bless America.

Tagged

I was tagged by my friend Heather, so here goes:

8 TV shows that I love to watch
1. Dancing with the Stars
2. Extreme Makeover Home Edition
3. The Amazing Race
4. Antiques Road Show
5. So You Think You Can Dance
6. Flight of the Conchords
7. Gossip Girl (although I don't watch it anymore)
8. Saturday Night Live

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Cheesecake Factory
2. Chipotle
3. Claim Jumper
4. El Torito
5. In N Out
6. Carmel's of Asheville
7. Macaroni Grill
8. Cheesecake Factory (it gets two votes)

8 Things happening this weekend
1. Ward Trunk or Treat Halloween Party
2. Church
3. Taking Tutu to the airport
4. Upload pictures from all cameras
5. Help finish costumes
6. Decorate House
7. Decorate trunk for Trunk or Treat
8. Snuggle some cute kids

8 Things that I am looking forward to..
1. Papa coming back in 2 weeks
2. Tahoe (with all the fam)
3. Michal's Halloween Party
4. Thanksgiving (in Tahoe with all the fam)
5. Catelyn sleeping through the night w/o pull ups
6. Cooking w/ pumpkin
7. Christmas
8. Prop 8 passing with flying colors!!

8 Things I love about this fall..
1. Cool air
2. Trees changing colors
3. Being at Grammy and Papa's
4. Back to School
5. Tutu here cooking great meals
6. Bishop's Pumpkin Farm (bought the cookbooks!)
7. General Conference
8. Cooper learning to play soccer

8 Things on my wish list.
1. iPod nano - it would help a lot at the gym
2. drop 2 sizes from going to the gym
3. Prop 8 passing on Nov 4 (keep up the good work everyone!)
4. Lydia growing more hair
5. Cooper scoring a goal to boost his confidence
6. Martin getting a good job
7. Get organized
8. Get off Welfare

People I am tagging: Cousin Marie, Cousin Jen, Cousin Ellen, Malia, My Three Amigos (I almost posted your name!), Sister Sarah, Mimi, Cousin Steven.

Teaching about gay marriage in schools

It's started already, despite what the State Board of Education president and Superintendent of Public Instruction have said. They claim that there is nothing to compel California schools to teach about the subject of marriage, failing to note that 96% of schools do so voluntarily and therefore must comply by state standards. Here is the letter that "Yes on 8" campaign found necessary to sent to each of these gentlemen, reminding them of reality.
And here we have the real live reality of having gay marriage legal in this state. San Diego school holds surprise "Gay" day for Kindergartners. This was posted Oct 22, 2008! We also have the incident in San Francisco where 1st graders were bussed to City Hall to witness the gay marriage of their teacher.
How anyone can say with a straight face that Prop 8 has nothing to do with teaching school children about gay marriage is beyond me. It's already happened!
Help us pass prop 8 any way you can. If you are out of state, donating even $10 will make a difference if everyone who cares about this issue decides to do so. Spread the word!

Vote yes on 8 this Nov 4!

Fun filled Saturday

Yesterday was action packed and fun filled for our family. Cooper had a soccer game at 11:00. Tutu and Catelyn went with us. The team he played was a team that 3 of Cooper's friends from church were on. I got some fun shots of him playing. He's in the white shirt, #6.

We then headed straight over to Uncle Jared's office for his Patient Appreciation day. Aunt Michal had made lots of yummy food and we even got to see Aunt Alli and cousin Isaac. (Sorry no pics)

After that we went right to Cooper's school Fall Carnival. It was surprisingly warm for the afternoon but the kids had lots of fun going to all the little games, climbing in the fire truck and eating snow cones and cotton candy.

This picture was so funny because someone was announcing over the speaker about a winner and Catelyn says "We're the lucky winner!" with her finger pointed up like that. And yes, her chin is blue.

Prop 8

Proposition 8 has been on my mind a lot lately. With the election just around the corner I feel it is important to make my beliefs heard (even if only maybe 15 people read this blog and all are friends and family).

I don't know if there has been an issue for which I feel as strongly, as I do about the 4 judges overturning the people's voice to legalize same sex marriages in California. I find it appalling that despite the people having voted 61% in favor of keeping marriage between a man and a woman, these 4 judges felt it right to overturn that and legalize same sex marriages, effectively redefining what marriage is.

For me this issue is so concerning because of the likely ramifications for my children in the years to come. The idea that my children will be taught in school that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage and there would be nothing I could do to request an "opt out" as has already happened in Mass where same sex marriage has been legal since 2003.

I hope everyone will research this issue and find where they stand on it. This is more than a "let and let live" issue that the opponents to Prop 8 would have us believe. There will be huge consequences if this initiative fails and marriage is redefined as anything other than "one man and one woman" as God ordained it to be with our first parents, Adam and Eve.

I believe that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children." as stated in A Proclamation to the World by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints. I can't imagine the consequences to my freedom of religion and speech if Proposition 8 fails. Please, get the word out that this is an issue that really matters, for all of our futures.

Yosemite 10/08

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Playing catch up

We've had some fun time here lately and it's about time for me to catch everyone up.

First, the weekend before this last one, Cooper's team won their first game.  The boys were so excited, all their hard work practicing twice a week paid off.  The score, 1-0.

Then on Monday, Mom, Tutu, and I took Catelyn and Lydia to the same pumpkin patch that Cooper's class had visited on their field trip.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all had lots of fun visiting the animals, eating yummy pumpkin muffins, riding the train, buying cookbooks and apple cider, seeing friends from church on a field trip and eating lunch.  Catelyn and I took the hay ride way out to find her "perfect pumpkin" and a beautiful fall day was had by all.

This past Columbus Day weekend we all headed down to Fresno to visit Papa (or Popa, as Catelyn spells it) and go to Yosemite with Uncle Jared, Aunt Mimi, and cousins Ben and Lucy.  The last time I had been was when Martin and I took Cooper when he was just a few months old, toting him around in his car seat.  We sure had a great time.  I'm still uploading pictures but Aunt Mimi has already got a great blog up with picture and video montages so please head over there to see some of our fun.

I'm going to try and upload pictures today so check back later.

Bishop's Pumkin Farm!

I was able to go with Cooper on his first field trip this year. All the Kindergarten and K/1 classes went and I'm betting that everyone had a great time.
Firstly, it was great weather. Our first storm of the season was moving in so it was cool and cloudy but not cold or windy.
Secondly, we were going to a pumpkin farm in Wheatland, maybe 15 miles away, that has a miniature train for the kids to ride, a hay wagon to take them out to the pumpkin patch to choose their own pumpkin (no restriction on size), barnyard animals to observe and interact with, a great play area, including a real railroad car, and the most delicious smelling bake store! Here are some of the highlights!

Getting ready to get on the field trip bus with his friend David. Being a chaperone I was in charge of 4 kids. Cooper, David and two of the kindergarten girls, Victoria and Vanessa. (You'll see pictures of them coming up)

The Bear class. I thought this picture was so cute!Cooper is in front, third from the left. Victoria and Vanessa are just right of him.

Here's Cooper inside the real train car. It was dark and dirty and scary in there but some of the kids spent 30 min straight inside that car.

This is one of my favorite pictures. I remember many years ago when we came here with Cooper and taking this same picture. I wish I had it on hand to compare but we'll just have to compare future pictures with this one.

First graders on the train. It took us on a trip around part of the pumpkin patch, some horses' fields, a walnut grove, and many scarecrows and old farm machinery.

Pumpkin picking! I'm so glad that I was able to spend this time with Cooper. He's such a sweet boy and I'm just thrilled that he's growing up to be such a fine young man.

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Catelyn can read!

Well, it looks like this barely 4 year old knows how to read! Catelyn loves for me to read to her and we usually compromise on how many books I will read before she has to go to sleep each night. She loves to sit and listen while Cooper reads his homework books as well. Well, we have all sorts of early reader books on hand for Cooper, now that he's in 1st grade, and just the other day, Catelyn sat down with one.

To be continued on this next video...


I'm so proud of all my bookworms!
Here is Lydia joining in the mix.

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Backyard fun

Yesterday the girls were playing in the back yard and Grammy caught them on camera.