Mr. Claus

Santa came to preschool today.

He brought presents for all the kids and for the school.

The school dogs Princess and Shelby even got a present.  

The kids sang him all their Christmas carols.

Oh how we love Santa.

 

Merry Christmas!

Children of our Heavenly Father

A group dedicated to gender equality in the Mormon Church called All Enlist, has asked women to wear pants to church meetings on Sunday as a show of solidarity. They’ve also asked men to wear something purple like a shirt, tie or socks (a historically common suffragette color) to show their support of the equality movement. This does not sit well with me for so many reasons. I’ve thought about this for days now and wanted to document my feelings. If you disagree, don’t read on. My intent is not to excite emotions, but simply to explain mine.

As parents of multiple children, we often give privileges to one child but not another. For example, we allow one child to stay up later than the other. We ask for one child to call home throughout the day while other we don’t. Though our children do not see equality in this, we do it because we know there is a reason behind our unequal treatment. This unequal treatment is not unchangeable. As the younger child grows up, we may change the rule to let them stay up as late as the older child. Perhaps we move to a better neighborhood and we don’t need our child to check in as often. Circumstances change, the world changes. But the fact of the matter is, our children don’t understand why there is inequality and as their parent, we just ask them to trust that we know better and that we will make things “equal” when the situation is right and when we, in our wisdom, deem the time to be right.

I believe that women and men are loved equally by the Lord. I also believe that women and men are not the same. I trust that our Heavenly Father, who loves us and has greater wisdom than us, knows when the situation is right for change to occur. His church is run by His children but if we truly have faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we believe that these men (our prophet and the apostles and other leaders of the church) direct and guide the church based on direction from Heavenly Father. And if we believe that, can’t we be patient and trust that the Lord knows what he is doing?

Is it possible to have belief in the worth of women, in the equal love of our Heavenly Father, but still accept and believe that for whatever reason, Heavenly Father has asked the church be led by men who hold the Holy Priesthood and not by women? Why must we question this as a matter of feminism? Why must we spend so much energy questioning and bemoaning the fact that women serve a mission for 18 months versus the men’s 24 months? Why do we question the guidance from the church authorities that mothers not work and raise the family in the home (where possible)? Why do we cry “it’s not fair!” in the name of equality? Can we not trust that the Lord maybe understands something that we don’t? 

Shouldn’t we spend our energies improving ourselves in any way we can, in improving our self-image, in finding ways to allow the Priesthood to impact our lives, in prayerfully asking Heavenly Father to confirm our testimonies of the gospel and in asking for the Holy Ghost to confirm that God is in control and understands things we may not?

As parents we know our children cannot understand, we ask them to trust. We don’t make changes simply because they cry for change or complain “it’s not fair”. We understand that our children do not have all the information. However, we will listen to them as they come to us calmly, asking to understand, and pleading for change. Sometimes we adjust and sometimes, we still say “though your request is valid and though I love you, trust me a bit longer as I can see the time is not yet right.”

Now all of that said, I don’t understand why, but can accept, that some women of the church do feel they are treated as lower class citizens. This is a valid feeling and some of stories I’ve heard that foster these types of feelings break my heart. Whatever that feeling is, however, Sunday worship is not the time or place to plan a political movement.

It’s not just about the pants. I would welcome anyone to church who doesn’t have a dress to wear or who feels that a dressy pair of pants is their “best dress”. I once went to church in jeans after camping out in Moab because we were not planning to stay in town till Sunday but ended up doing so. I agree with those who say that the Lord will welcome anyone who is coming to worship him. But when I know that my “best dress” is in fact a dress and I choose to wear pants to prove a point? In my mind, not appropriate.

We come to church to commune with the Lord, to partake of the sacrament and to renew our covenants with Heavenly Father. We come in humility and respect. Sunday worship is not about whining or "showing solidarity" in a political movement, it is about individuals coming to the Lord with humble hearts.

Women are smart. These women are especially smart. Surely they could find a better way and place to calmly come before the leaders of the church to express their concerns and to ask the prophet to pray for guidance. The Lord, like any of us parents, may listen to the pleadings of his children and make a change, or he may say “though your request is valid and though I love you, trust me a bit longer as I can see the time is not yet right.”

Extreme Couponing

Let's just get this part out of the way. I am not an extreme couponer.

 

I don't know how it all works - you get a million coupons and buy 50 of one product and pair it with 20 of another product and then you get a ten dollar store credit and fifty dollars in rebate rewards and then somehow, the store owes you thirtytwo dollars and sixtynine cents! 

 

Doesn't compute for me. I know that it must work becuase all these folks have it figured out. I just don't get it.

 

After watching a few episodes, I have to ask, doesn't it look like these people buy a whole lot of stuff they don't need? Or, a whole lot of stuff they need but that they won't have time to use before it expires? All that said, I have to say that I experienced a bit of the high yesterday that is "couponing".

 

I've been spending far too much time on Pinterest as of late. I found a great pin that was kind of an introduction to couponing with a focus on being realistic. I'm not dumpster diving to find 5 more Red Plum mailers so that I can buy my 99th tube of Crest Toothpaste for only 26 cents. Sorry, that just grosses me out a bit. The philosophy behind this site was this: take your store sale circulars and circle the stuff you use on a regular basis and need that is on sale. Then go to various website and coupon sites and see if you can pair a good sale with a coupon to make it even less expensive. Don't buy more than you can realistically use up before it expires, and don't buy things that don't need. Also, if you have some money to stock up on things, then you can wait to purchase, say canned corn, until the next great sale.

 

So, I got my Harmons mailer, I circled the canned corn and the stove top stuffing and the cereal and spices all on sale. I went out to various coupon sites, blog databases, and manufactur sites to get some coupons (not as many as I thought I'd find actually) and then the next day I went to Harmons. I was disappointed to find that the Pillsbury Cake mixes that we on a great sale were all sold out (Others had my same idea) as well as the chicken breasts other than the large you-break-it-apart-yourself-at-home size. I didn't buy anything (except the vinegar) that wasn't on sale. I tried to only stock up on things that we actually use. I had her ring up all the products and then ring the coupons. I have to admit, when I got my receipt and noticed I had saved $71.59, I got a glimpse into why people spend all this time and effort. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have two carts full of groceries worth $300 that only cost $20! That must be quite the rush.

 

 

So, while I will not ever be featured on TLC's Extreme Couponing television show and I will probably never walk away with the stoe owing me money, I also will not have to expand my storage room into the spare basement bedrooom and hopefully will never have to dumpster dive before I go grocery shopping.

And you shall find the babe . . .

 
Maddy's favorite part of decorating the house for Christmas was this Fisher Price nativity scene. As she set it up, she proceeded to put Baby Jesus in the Stable and every other character in a big straight line in front looking in. I wish I had captured that. It was so representative of her understanding that everyone was there to see the baby. This is still good but not quite as obvious.

Of course, when we later set up the nativity on my bureau, the animals getting something to eat took precedence.

Frosty the Snowman

We got our first big snowstorm a few weeks ago which meant it was time for a snowman.  I'll admit, our snowman was not anything special - it certainly won't show up on the cover of some holiday magazine, but we had fun making it anyhow. The snow didn't pack well and when we tried to roll the ball, it just crumbled. We gave in and kind of just packed it into a ball and filled in holes and low spots rather than trying for an actual "ball".

We scrounged for body parts - a bit of rebar for arms, screws for a smile, sunglasses instead of eyes - but we did have a carrot nose and Maddy was pleased. She was more interested in eating the snow than actually helping wit the snowman. Instead, she stood on the side and directed me and grandma where to put things and what parts were missing.

 

 

the 31st day of October

Mitt and Obama share a Halloween moment

(aren't those masks just awful?)

(I of course am Mitt - ps don't forget to vote Tuesday)

On Halloween, Katie picked Maddy up from school in the afternoon and brought all the kids to trick-or-treat at the office. There was a haunted house that Holly and Dalton and Katie visited. They went in with instructions to scope it out for the littler ones. I had gone through earlier in the day and it was actually quite scary, but I had heard that they toned it down for the kids to come through. According to Holly and Dalton, it was pretty scary. Well, Dalton was probably tough and didn't get too scared. Katie and I decided we didn't want to deal with nightmares so we didn't send the younger ones in. We visited all three floors of the building though and the kids got tons of candy.

Earlier in the day, I was asked to participate in a dance number for the company party. I think my shiny pants and cape actually make for a much more captivating YMCA line dance don't you think?

When Maddy filled her pumpkin bucket halfway and started asking me to carry it because it was so heavy, we decided it was time to go home. After all, mommy's co-workers are all a little bit crazy anyhow.

We got home and grabbed Scott and headed out into the neighborhood. Last year, Maddy trick-or-treated at the Buhlers house and grandma's house but that was it. This year, we actually tagged along with the Buhlers as they canvased our street but once her bucket was filled to the brim and my high-heeled silver boots were long past comfortable, we called it a night. I forced some chicken nuggets into my tired, over sugared, over excited daughter and then tucked her into bed. I then soaked my aching feet in the hot tub before crashing into bed myself. Now, it's time to take down the Halloween, put up the turkeys and pilgrims and be thankful that we have such wonderful friends, jobs, family and lives.

Happy Halloween to everyone.

Maddy's pre-Halloween

What a fun Halloween season we have had. Early on in October, Maddy told me that she wanted to be Belle for Halloween. I searched for costumes on Amazon and Disney.com and finally figured, we may as well just go to Wal-Mart to pick up something. To our chagrin, there was no Belle. I was fully prepared for a melt-down but Maddy just found a Minnie costume and decided that she wanted it instead.

 

 Like any normal mother, I bought it, but in the back of my mind had that dread that on the night before Halloween, she'd be crying for the Belle costume. To my surprise, Minnie was actually worn and I didn't hear another word about Belle. Hooray.

 

 

We began our Halloween festivities the Saturday before with a party thrown by the Ontiveros'. Maddy was so very excited to play with Maya and Mason. She let me put on a black nose and whiskers as long as I also applied blue eyeshadow, blush and lip gloss. I picked up a "costume" for Scott at Wal-Mart because we were told that no one got into this party without being dressed up. I hoped that a Halloween themed shirt would appease Linda. To my surprise, Scott had an idea for a costume in mind.

 Maddy thought that this swamp monster costume was pretty cool. Scott just thought it was a good excuse to wear his gilly suit that he purchased several years ago but didn't get to wear. After hiding out on the lawn and in the bushes, we thought that maybe he ought to break it out on Halloween to jump at the trick-or-treaters from the bushes. But, that would just be mean right?

In true Linda fashion, we had a wonderful party filled with doughnut eating contest, balance beam walk through the snakes, coloring station, and of course a pinata.

I dressed up as a Mexican luchador for work but tried it out at Linda's party. we made a fairly odd little family group.

Isabella, Maya and Maddy

Next up in the Halloween festivities was Maddy's preschool program on the 30th. Families were invited to come over at 9:30 for the  parade and a program. Miss Swendy greeted us and mentioned they had some songs to sing and then mused that some we might actually already know. That is very true. Maddy has been singing her Halloween songs since early September.

 I was a very proud mommy. She knew all the words and sang with gusto and joy.

Grandma scooter-ride's favorite song was the one that involved the scared face

The final number they performed was called The Witches Brew. After they were done singing. Miss Swendy made a brew with all the things from the song like crispy leaves, rotten eggs, fingernails, lunch pails, motor oil too. All the ingredients came in then everyone closed their eyes while the magic words were said (and the dry ice was dropped in) and then the kids all opened their eyes to the wonderful bubbling brew.

Maddy and her adoring fans

Maddy and her favorite girls

Maddy's new preschool teacher Miss Stacy

Miss Brandy was Maddy's 2-3 year old teacher and still her favorite

I was so impressed with Miss Swendy and her interactions with the kids. She was wonderful and so very good with the kids. She was silly and over-the-top and it was a great program. I'm glad that Maddy is in a wonderful place if she is not home with me.

Next up, Halloween day. . .

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween
From the Tax Department
 

a late 4th



The 4th of July is long past but Linda took such cool pictures I wanted to post them in my Blog.



I'm so glad that Maddy has such good friends. Maddy loves to play with Mason and Maya and we love to play with their parents.



Cheese

Why is it that kids can't just smile nicely when you say
"Look at me!"

Halloween is coming

Does this freek you out as much as it does me?

Pumpkins

Via

 

Holy cow I love this idea!!!  I think that is just about the most adorable pumpkin I've ever seen and I have all the stuff. I think I need one or two. Maybe one with narrow mouth lids and one with the wide mouth lids. They would turn out with different sizes right? Maybe I need three. Maybe I should make them for my ladies I visit teach. 

So Far September

September is a busy month for CPA and I've worked a lot over the past few weeks but we did make time to visit... THE STATE FAIR!

 Maddy LOVES the state fair. We took her last year and she had such a great time so we decided to come back again.  Unfortunately, the only time we could come was on a Monday night so we didn't spend quite as much time as we would have liked but it was still so much fun.

Maddy loved this balloon ride but two years in a row I've gotten off it feeling might sick to my stomach. Next year hopefully she'll be old enough to ride it without me. I could handle all the other kiddie rides but this one about did me in.

In other September news:

Granny, Granny . . .

Over labor day weekend, Scott joined his brother Jeff and Jeff's father-in-law for some salmon fishing on the Colombia river. I flew to Portland on Friday evening and spent a glorious day to myself in the hotel room and then on the side of the road in the car while Scott did some fly fishing. That evening we visited with Jeff and Chantiel and her family and then Sunday morning we got on the road for the long trip from Kelso, Washington to  Boise, Idaho and then Monday from Boise, ID to SLC, Utah.

 Oregon was both pretty (with lots of trees) and ugly (with lots of blah).

We came home with salmon. Lots. Too bad Scott doesn't like it. He made some for me to eat and we gave some to our sweet neighbors in trade for the vegetables they've been sharing with us all summer.

Katie watched Maddy while we were gone and she was wonderful to her, as evidenced by her cute hairdo you can see in the above picture. Why won't Maddy sit nicely for me and let me do pretty things with her hair? Thanks Katie.