Santa's early delivery

Thanksgiving was great. Our family spent the vacation with my sister and family. We ate and then ate and then ate again. We played a few games and did some Karoke too. It is wonderful to have family close by. We left my sisters house Saturday night. When we got home there was a letter taped to our door addressed to the Puhlmans from Santa. Caleb read it and was super excited. Everyone else had fallen asleep so they were not able to enjoy it last night. This is what the letter said:

Dear Puhlmans,

I know you wanted a trampoline but there was no way it would fit into the sleigh along with all the other gifts I had to deliver to the kids around the world. It is just too big and heavy so I decided to deliver it early. Your dad will be able to put it up. It is a bit dirty because I had a hard time making my way to your home with NO snow. But we finally arrived and unloaded it with the help of my elves. It is a very nice trampline with a basketball hoop attached and a netting to go around so no one will fall out. Have a great Christmas and be very very good.

Love Santa and the Elves

Santa is very generous. How thoughtful of him to take our family into consideration by delivering to us early. I love the excitement of Christmas. I love thanksgiving but I think Christmas is my favorite. I like to decorate the tree and the house and this year I am going to "attempt" outside lights. I have never done it before but we will see how that goes. So thank you Santa for a great gift that will be enjoyed by many many kids for many many years. Zach made a special thank you note during Sacrament Meeting today. He put stickers all over a piece of paper and then wrote "Thank You Santa for the trampoline" Love Zach.

Today we are going to get some of our decorations to put up inside the house. We have about three nativities to put up and a few other things. For Family Home Evening we are going to go to a tree farm and cut down a tree and bring it home to decorate. And then MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, I will get up on the ladder and put up some lights.

Uneven walls

A few days ago I was excited to put some border in Rachel and Mayah's room. It is very cute and so girly just like Rachel loves. It has pricesses all over it. I was amazed at how easy it was to put up. Rachel wants me to paint it pink but now then you will really be able to tell that it is uneven if I paint.

There were times I had to take it down and put it back up but it sort of pulled off some of the paint. When I was done I looked it over and realized that one side is off by quite a bit. I just KNOW that when the builder put those walls up he must have measured wrong. I know this because I measured and measured to get it just right and it STILL didn't turn out even. I tried explaining it to Don but he doesn't think it has anything to do with the builder. I wonder what he thinks it has to do with then? Can anyone tell me? :)

Ethan and his blanket

Ethan asleep with his blankie. I hope it doesn't fall apart too soon.

Ethan is the only one of the kids that sucks his thumb and has a special blankie. Any time he watches a movie he has to have his blankie. Sometimes we have to take it in the car but other times he is OK without it. If he gets really cold he always has to have it. This is actually a very cute blanket. I got it from a yard sale for $1. It is red with tractors on it and has red ties. Some of the ties are starting to fall off because Ethan uses them to twist in his fingers whenever he is holding it. Well tonight he got into bed and happened to notice a pretty big hole. UH OH. He looked at me with such big concern. I felt so bad for him. He thought maybe someone has ripped it so he had to ask Mayah and Rachel and they both denied doing anything. Then I told him it would be OK. So during his prayer this is pretty much word for word what he said:

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for this day. Please help us not to rip stuff. Please help us not to rip blankets. Please help us not to rip MY blanket. Help us to put it in the dryer to fix it perfectly. In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Oh I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. It was hilarious. And it was so cute.

Then when I was putting Rachel to sleep she was asking me some questions. She was almost in tears when she asked, "MOM, what happens if when I become a mom I won't know how to bake"? (She had just helped me make homemade rolls). I told her that I would teach her how. Then she said, "But what if I mess up"? Too funny. I wonder if she see's how many times I mess up. I told her that I would help her and teach her. Then she said, You will still be a mom when I am a mom? I think it helped her to realize she still has a little bit of time to learn to bake. :)

POW WOW

Today was the Thanksgiving feast at the kids' school. Ethan and Mayah and I went to the school at 11:15 to be with Caleb (I love that even though he is growing up and in 5th grade he still wanted me there). Then we went and sat with Zach during his lunch hour and then Rachel had her feast at 12:30. All the grade K kids were dressed as Indians and the parents were supposed to dress in black and white and be the Pilgrims. It was so cute and I have to say Rachel was the CUTEST Indian girl in the whole school. They were all so cute.

On a side note: I emailed the kids' teachers to see if their classes could do a coat drive. One of the teachers sent the email to the principal and she thought it would be a good idea to announce it to the whole school. I would then collect the coats every Friday when I carpool the kids. Well, since I was already at the school and it was only a day earlier I just collected the coats today. The box was full so it was a good thing. I took the box out to the car and tried to open the trunk. We had Don's car. It wouldn't open. So I turned the key around thinking maybe it was stinking a bit. That didn't work either. Then I realized it wasn't Don's car. Again a big laugh out loud. I am so grateful for these funny moments that help me stay young. I should have noticed that it didn't have a Steeler sticker on the back but it looked exactly like his car (there are tons of Honda's like this around here). AND it was parked only three or four cars away so I wasn't losing it totally---------just slightly.

Here are some pictures of the cutest Indian girl. They each had to make up a name for themselves and with help Rachel came up with Dancer of the Night. CUTE.

Runaway shopping cart

I went into Food Lion today for a quick trip to get milk and some bread. I ended up seeing a coupon for a certain amount off of milk if you purchased a certain kind of bread. So I thought that would be a great deal. The milk was much more expensive there than at Martins where I usually go. But oh well. So I ended up with more things than I was intending but doesn't that always happen? I got in line and the check out guy kept looking over at everyone that was leaving and saying "Thanks for shopping at Food Lion". He did this everytime the sliding doors opened and someone exited. So he is ringing up my items and I handed him my coupon. As he is ringing items up he is still acknowledging those leaving the store with his "thanks for shopping at Food Lion." He finished and told me the total and I finish by sliding my card through and paying (all while trying to keep Ethan and Mayah happy and in the cart). At this store you bag your own items. As I finished bagging and loading I looked at the register and saw the coupon. Then I asked him if he used the coupon and he said, "OH, I have so much on my mind. I am very sorry". Yeah like trying to talk to everyone leaving the store instead of paying attention to me? Didn't say it, but thought it. Then he gave me the coupon back and said it would be good even the next time I came to the store. Well the only reason I bought that more expensive bread was so I could get the milk cheaper. And he also tried to smooth it over by giving me a coupon for buying 6 milk and getting the 7th free.

SO I was kind of irritated. We went out to the car to load the groceries. I started putting a few things in the car. I turned around to get some more things but the cart wasn't there. I looked up and heard laughing. Ethan was pushing Mayah in the cart in the parking lot. I took off running and once he knew I was chasing him he went even faster and laughed even harder. I was SO glad he wasn't too far away. It wasn't a super close call but I know if he had gone further he would have ran into a parked car. When I grabbed his arm to keep him from running he was laughing so hard. It was actually really funny and I couldn't get mad at him. As we were walking back to the car he said to Mayah, "baby was that fun"? That only made me laugh harder. We noticed an older lady coming toward us and she was laughing and said, "they give us a heart attack sometimes don't they". SOMETIMES? Take that sometimes and multiply it by 5 and you pretty much get always. :)

That made the whole coupon thing not such a big deal. I was still laughing on the way home and Ethan kept asking me what was so funny. I couldn't tell him why I was laughing otherwise he might think it was OK to do it again.

Painting the living room QUESTION

Ok so I have painted "part" of the living room and my biggest issue is knowing where to stop. SO do you think I should just do the living room this color or bring it into the informal dining area. The living room, informal dining and kitchen are all open. I have a couple of pictures to show. The three windows is where you could possibly put a dining table. Although we don't have anything there. The wall with that closet is opposite the three windows. Kitchen is to the right of the three windows. SO what do you all think? And now you can vote on what color I should do the kitchen. I will keep an open mind. And if I shouldn't paint the informal dining area the same as the living room what do I do? HELP.

Those who are gone

Thanks alot Nadia.........You made me cry watching this. I wanted to share this. It made me cry because there are so many gone from family during the holidays and I know how lonely they can be and yet we are here in the U.S. able to enjoy so much and yet I believe we take it for granted. So this whole month I am thinking of those who are fighting for us and not able to be home. And also for my own dear husband who is gone during this time. I am so grateful for his hard work and I know that it is making a difference in MANY people's lives------including ours. I love you babe.
OK guys I am not sure how to add a link. HELP!!!!!

Happy Birthday Zach

Zach on the climbing wall. He got scared even before he went up. So he asked the guy to take him off.

The kids in front of Fun Expedition.

Kids inside the miniature golf. It was so cool in there. It was dark but many things were glow in the dark. Kids loved it in there and we were the only ones.

Mayah is looking for the ball and helping Zach golf.

Fun Expedition (out front)

Zach golfing.


Zach with his BB's

The BB gun. I am so sick of electronic stuff and decided to get him this BB gun. I thought it would be more exciting for him to go out and shoot windows and cars instead of being addicted to the PS2. LOL

Zach doing his scavenger hunt.

Zach and Ethan. This is actually when Zach first came into the dining room. I kept it a surprise that we were doing it a day ealier.

The tank cake.


Yes we had two birthdays this week. Zach is now 8. And how exciting that he gets to be baptized. Once Don gets back we will have to set a date. Zach's party actually started yesterday. I decided to go ahead and do his cake and icecream and presents last night because I was taking brownies into his class today and then we were going to go out of town to Fun Expedition. I thought it would be too much to do it all in one day so we spit it up. He wanted an army theme birthday and I made him a tank cake. We did a scavenger hunt where I put clues on paper and he had to look around the house and find his gift.

Zach, I can't believe you are already 8. I so remember the day you were born. I was due on Nov. 11th and Lori and Grandma McHargue came to California to help out. They came a week early and were only staying for 2 weeks so when your due date came and went we were getting a little worried. We were able to do some sight seeing and it was so fun taking them to Pebble Beach and other areas near where we lived. The ocean was just gorgeous there. But the night came when it was time to go to the hospital. Daddy and I got in the car and headed toward the hospital but then we realized we had a very low tire so we quickly went to the gas station to air it up. Finally, after getting to the hospital and checking me they knew I was in labor. Thank goodness because I was already three days late. I remember thinking that if this was labor it wasn't going to be that big of a deal. Things were progressing very quickly and within three hours of arriving at the hospital you were born. It was the easiest labor of all the kids (even with NO medicine) and yet you were 10 pounds and 22 1/4 inches long. The first thing the DR. said when you came out was "he is already 2 months old). You were huge. You had big feet and big hands and you cried for like three hours. I remember being soooooooooo happy and excited to have another addition to our family. You were so quick to walk a bit before 10 months. You talked at an early age and really progressed quickly. We were out and about 2 days after you were born. We went to Salinas and also to the Aquarium in Seaside.

You have been a huge blessing to us, Zach. You are an awesome kid and you try very hard to please. You are good with your hands and someday you will be successful at whatever you decide to do. Always remember who you are and the importance of this life and why we are here. Keep the commandments and you will be blessed. Happy Birthday to a son that is very much loved and admired by both his mom and dad. We love you a ton.

5 or 15?

I was laying beside Rachel tonight at bed time and she was talking about school. She was telling me that kids get to choose others who are being very quiet. She told me that a boy in her class (our brand new neighbor) really really REALLY likes her alot and he chose her. She said how she wanted him to choose her so bad but she didn't want him to choose Anna. WHAT? Ok she is only 5!!!!!! HELLO. Then she went on to talk about the boys and girls that she likes and the ones she doesn't like. That is when I had a talk with her about trying to like everyone or atleast being nice to everyone. Then she asks "how am I supposed to be nice to someone who is like that? (someone is her class apparantly doesn't like her and she said he is always mad) OH dear. Is this an indication of her teenage years? I'm not sure I have the energy for this. I am drained already and it has only been 5 years. :)

Ethan turns 4

Yesterday was Ethan's 4th birthday. He was so excited all day. Grandma and Grandpa Burns sent some money so I took him to the store and he picked out a couple of toys. He wanted to go home and wrap them up for himself but we never got around to that. That would have been funny to see him wrap up his own toys to unwrap himself. Then I took him out to eat at McDonalds. He was pretty much only excited about his happy meal toy. I had to encourage him to eat his food on more than one occasion. Our last stop was to the store to get icecream. We got home and made his cake and he decorated it by himself. I tried a new thing that I have never done before and it didn't work too well but oh well. It was one of those flimsy cake pans for pull apart cake. It was shaped into a dinosauer. The cake stuck to it pretty good but we still managed to get it out and try to shape it into the dinosauer it was supposed to look like. After he requested pancakes for dinner we played musical chairs (so glad we have a large family). We also played duck duck goose (helped me realize it isn't as easy as it used to be to get up off the floor) and then hide and seek. Then Ethan was able to open his presents. Zach was so nice. He gave Ethan the cute monkey he bought for himself at the museum his class went on for a field trip. Ethan had a great time and when he opened on of the presents he said, "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT". It was cute.

Ethan at McDonald's holding up 4 fingers for his new age


Ethan decorating his own cake.


That poor dino.



Ethan blowing out the candles. It took two big blows.


Ethan so excited for the gift Zach gave. He gave him a big hug.




Ethan enjoying his gifts.

Ethan, Happy B-day. I am so blessed to have you as part of our family. I love you so much and can't imagine life without you.

Yesterday was also a little eventful. Sunday I was doing Mayah's hair. I instantly knew when I saw it that it was a tick. SO GROSS. I remember getting ticks growing up and I also knew that my parents would either burn it or put something on it like vaseline or shortening to suffocate it. It would then release itself. Well I got oon the internet and found that those things are not done anymore because the tick could then release a toxin into your body and that is what spreads diseases. So they said the only way to remove it was to take tweezers and pull it out. OH EVEN MORE GROSS. SO I did it. I tried to remove it with the tweezers and well.......ummmmmmmm..........I only got the body of the tick out. The head stayed in. YUCK. So I tried and tried to use the tweezers to try and get the head out but there was no way it was coming out. I had to wait until Monday and I called the dr. and the nurse there told me to dig it out witha needle. I knew Mayah was not going to like this just like she didn't like me messing with it on Sunday. There was a little hole where I had been digging around trying to get the head out. It was very sore but I had to do it. Finally, I got the head out. Had to put hydrogen peroxide on it and then neosporin. I didn't take any pictures so you have to use your imagination here. Now I have to watch it to make sure there are no problems. I pray there isn't.

IF people only knew.........If people understood.........

Ok so I wasn't going to post anything until tonight because Ethan's birthday is today. But I have to put in this post today. I am very saddened by the things that are happening in California regarding Prop 8. We lived in California for two years and Zachary was born in California. I have to say If only people knew why we are so passionate about Yes on 8. It has nothing to do with discrimation. It has nothing to do with not liking gay people. It has everything to do with what God wants and what is right. When you define marriage it strictly says it is between a man and a woman. It isn't about taking away their rights because they already have the same rights as a married couple. I can understand that they are angry with the LDS church for putting so much time and effort and even money into getting this passed. But to violently do things against us and against our temple is very disheartening to me. We were not the only people that voted yes for Prop 8 but I guess we are an easy target. Seven out of 10 African American's vote yes. The majority of Hispanics vote Yes. As I read an article about it today I just broke down and cried. If people really knew what our religion was about. If people only knew how much peace and calmness is inside the temple. If people only knew that we are trying to save families and help the future by voting yes on 8.

By nature I am a bit of a fight back person. Seriously, to have angry people outside the LA Temple harrassing the Mormons (by they way we are not the only group that voted yes on 8) and writing on the outer walls and putting hate signs up??????????????????????????????? When people get in the way of the church I sometimes want to fight back and get angry. I know that is Satan's way but sometimes I just let myself go and get pretty darn ticked. In the article it also talked about some Hispanic ladies who are not even memebers of the church went down the the Temple grounds removing the hate signs all while in tears. The mobs got angry and started beating the ladies down.

After reading this quote from the article it helped to open my eyes more. I know we need to pray for these people and I know we need to pray for the anger to stop. Here is the quote:

In a recent article on Christian Courage , Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote, “I would say that one of mortality's great tests comes when our beliefs are questioned or criticized. In such moments, we may want to respond aggressively – to put up our dukes . But these are important opportunities to step back, pray, and follow the Savior's example. Remember, Jesus Himself was despised and rejected by the world. And in Lehi's dream, those coming to the Savior also endured ‘mocking and pointing … fingers' (1 Nephi 8:27). ‘The world hath hated [my disciples],' Jesus said, ‘because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world' (John 17:14). But when we respond to our accusers as the Savior did, we not only become more Christlike, we invite others to feel His love and follow Him as well.


“To respond in a Christlike way cannot be scripted or based on a formula. The Savior responded differently in every situation. When He was confronted by wicked King Herod, He remained silent. When He stood before Pilate, He bore a simple and powerful testimony of His divinity and purpose. Facing the moneychangers who were defiling the temple, He exercised His divine responsibility to preserve and protect that which was sacred. Lifted up upon a cross, He uttered the incomparable Christian response: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34).”

We have often been instructed to love our enemies, and despite the current horror of our trials, this is no time to do differently.

I know that this Church is true. I have no doubt in my mind about it. I also know that it will go forth. Nothing can stop it. The Lord is in charge and as much as Satan wants to put a stop to things he has no power over the truth. It is going to get harder I PROMISE YOU THAT. So I know for myself I have to get moving on strengthening myself and my family so we can withstand it all. There will come a time in this life that we will be begging for the second coming to come.

I know there will come a time (it is happening now) that we may all have to face the pointing of fingers and be singled out for being members of the church. Our children will have to endure it even more. But I know that if we raise our children up in such a way that they can stand strong despite everything that goes on around them they will be stronger for it. Remember everything that Joseph Smith had to endure? Yet, he stayed strong and even died for the progression of the church. Christ was the greatest example. Being spit upon, whipped, stuck with thorns and more, HE still stood for what was right and yet during it all, HE also prayed that they would be forgiven. What a great example to us all. I encourage everyone that has read this blog to pray for those in California. Look at how hard we prayed to get Prop 8 passed. Now lets pray just as hard to have the horrible hate feelings softened.

SUPER EXCITING

I am just totally excitd today. Our company just got a new product. It is called Glucaffect. We just found out this morning. OK so this may be a plug but that is OK because I honestly believe this is what can help a ton of people. Dr. Karl is a brilliant guy that has formulated this product. We are the first to assemble this array of ingredients of this type of product. They did a clinical trial with this product for 8 weeks. They had 50 subjects. Half of them were taking a placebo. The other half were taking Glucaffect. After the 8 weeks those taking the product reduced their fasting blood sugar levels by 30%. That is totally awesome. AND even more exciting is that they lost an average of 15 pounds in those 8 weeks WITH NO SIDE AFFECTS. This is very very exciting for all of us that distribute these products. These products are to help other people. This is truly an exciting time for me becaue my mom is diabetic. With the obesity rate that alot of times ends up leading to diabetes and with pre-diabetes this is going to be an exciting thing to share with others. Plus I have a friend who was able to take this product even before they announced it. She is a type 1 diabetic and has had it since childhood. She has taken the Reliv products for quite awhile and was able to reduce her insulin by over 60%. She started taking this product and only after 1 week she dropped five points. WOW. I can't wait to tell people about this. The number one ingredient in Glucaffect is Pycnogenol. Check out the benefits of this. I can't wait to take this product either. I am not diabetic but I do need to lose weight. WOOHOO.

TAGGED----all about HUBBY

These are some of my favorite pictures of Don. The one with all of us was when he graduated from college. I painted on the kids' shirt from oldest to youngest----YOU DID IT DAD. It was so cute.

Ok so thanks Denise. I guess I will take part in this tag.

1. Where did you meet?

Don and I met on a boat out in Washington state. The church rented a boat for the singles ward and invited many of the surroundings wards to come. I liked someone else at the time and I was trying to hunt them down. Don told me that he was following me around. STOCKER. Then him and his friend were actually in charge of it and he was the Elders Quorum president. Can you believe he asked me to give the opening prayer? Of all the people on that boat!!!!!!!!!

2. How long did you date before you were married?

Let's see. I believe it was about 4 weeks. Just long enough to know. :) Then we were married about 3-4 months later.

3. How long have you been married?

12 years. Will be 13 in February. Is that possible?

4. What is your favorite feature?

I love his large stature. He has big hands and broad shoulders. I LOVE that. I feel so safe when I am with him. And he has the most muscular legs ever. He has to make sure to buy certain pants because his legs are so buff. Too bad you can't see that anywhere on me!!!!!!!!!!!

5. What is your favorite quality he has?

I love that Don rarely talks bad about people. He doesn't gossip. I think that is very commendable. Sometimes if I want to talk about someone he will say "Don't want to talk about it" or "don't want to hear it". He doesn't want to get a bad idea of someone before getting to know them himself.

6. Does he have a nickname for you?

UMmmmmmmm yeah. It is kind of funny. After we were married we were at some friends house playing Scattergories. There is a dice with letters of the alphabet. Whatever letter you land on you have to use that letter in every category. One of the topics was nicknames. The letter was R. He couldn't think of anything so he made something up. And now he calls me that but only when he is joking around. It is Roodlebums. WEIRD. I KNOW.

7. What is his favorite color?

It used to be blue right Don? But now I think it is green. But it has to be a certain kind of green.

8. What is his favorite food?

This depends. He loves homemade chili and homemade bread. He loves many dishes from Jordan. He also really likes city chicken. Guess we won't be eating that now that we don't live in the city. :)

9. What is his favorite sport?

OH brother. Can I just say STEELERS. And did you know that they beat the Redskins? YEAH. GO STEELERS. He loves football but only when his team is playing.

10. When and where was your first kiss?

OK I had to laugh. Well never mind. Our first kiss was in front of the Institute teachers house. Him and Don were really good friends and we spent alot of time at their place. I know Don was wishing it were long before that. That is all I am going to say.

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?

Well I absolutely LOVE being with Don. We hardly ever get to go out but I so love spending time alone with him when we can get a chance. My favorite time of day is when he walks in the door from work.

12. Do you have any children?

We have five very high energetic kids that are keeping us very young. I think five is a great number.

13. Does he have a hidden talent?

Don would never admit any of his talents. He can draw. He can sing. He can play the guitar and piano (not amazingly but a little). He has an absolute amazing sense of direction. If he has been somewhere he can get there with no problems again. This drives me nuts. I am so terrible with directions and he makes fun of me because of it. But that is what my GPS is for.

14. How old is he?

35. Don is 37

15. Who said I love you first?

He did.

16. What is his favorite type of music?

He loves many types of music. He loves classical, religious, rock. His favorite band is a band called YES. YUCK

17. What do you admire most about him?

The thing I admire most about Don is when he gets knocked down he doesn't hesitate to get right back up. He just keeps plugging along. He works very hard and is not a quitter.

18. Will he read this?

I hope so. I want him to know that I really miss him. He is the one who is more positive than me and he helps me to see and understand that alot of time things just don't matter. His idea is if you can't change it don't worry about it.

Disappointed but hopeful

Ok so I have to agree I am disappointed about our new President and a bit worried about the future. I wonder if this is the Lord's way of getting me to pray harder. :) I do have hope though. It is very amazing though to be a part of history. I pray Obama will be a good change for our country and that he will lead us into a direction that will benefit all.

I had to go back to Manassas to vote. I took Caleb and Zach with me and they were so proud to be there. It made me so happy to see how excited they were. The kids were disappointed that we couldn't vote here because their school gave them each a ticket to take to the voting booth. The kids were allowed to cast their vote for fun and they wanted so badly to do this. Caleb was so excited when he got home. He announced to me that McCain won with over 1,000 votes to Obama's 800 and some. Too bad the kids' votes didn't really count. :)

America is a wonderful place and I am glad to be a part of it. I hope I can still say that in four years.

A few pictures of the kids

So yesterday I took Mayah and Ethan down a little trail by our house to do a few pictures. Mayah had messy hair so we didn't do her. We just took a few until the bus came and I pretty much only ended up with one of each of the kids except Mayah. After the bus dropped off the kids they joined me in the picture taking. It isn't easy getting kids to smile their natural smile. I tried so many things. It was actually kind of funny. Then as we were walking back to the house (Mahay in my arms) I stepped wrong and twisted my ankle. OK so that had to be a funny sight. Thank goodness we don't have too many neighbors. I would have been totally embarrassed. I was crying pretty good and all the kids came running to me. I was wondering how I would get back up and all the way up our steep driveway. But with Caleb and Zach's help they were able to pull me up. Had to be tough to get me up. I limped into the house and Caleb immediately got me a blanket and pillow and an opened back of brocolli. After getting a new ice pack I was on the couch with leg up and icing it. The only thing that made me mad about the whole thing is that I would have to stop my exercising. GRRRRRRRRRR.

Well here are the pictures I thought were pretty cute. I need a big fancy camera if I want better ones.

very well said BUT if you don't like politics DON'T READ

This is exactly how I feel but I am horrible with putting my thoughts down on paper. This is long but so worth it. It is funny that Don and I were just discussing this exact same thing and how in the Pre existence Satan wanted to make everthing perfect for people. He never wanted us to feel pain or sadness. He always wanted us to be happy and never make mistakes. But with that plan we would never grow and we would never have to work hard and perservere. But I feel that they want the governement to totally take care of us and do everything for us. They don't want anyone to have to suffer. Well that sounds like a great plan. In fact it sounds easy and lazy. But is that really what this life is about? Is it really about making sure EVERYONE has exactly what they need to feel comfortable? Do we not need to take care of ourselves anymore? Do we not need to sometimes suffer--sometimes go without----sometimes be poor---sometimes struggle to make ends meet? Isn't that where we find ourselves striving more to be better and brainstorming and using our minds to figure out how to make things better? SO here is the article that really states how I feel.

Prosperity Principle: Voting for Broccoli
I rarely speak out on stuff that might tick people off. And I've tried to keep my mouth shut the last few months. But I can't stay silent any longer. To save you some time, I'll tell you if you're going to want to read this…

You'll want to read this if you are a God-fearing poor or middle class person. You'll appreciate it if you are a self-made rich person. You'll like it if you are down-and-out but expect to change that, somehow, someday. You'll hate it if you do things that religious people call sinful, and have no plans on changing that. You'll like it if you do things that religious people call sinful, but are trying to improve. You'll hate it if you don't believe in God. If you do believe in God, then you might find it interesting.

With the premise that we are all children of God, we have to consider the greatness that lies within each of us. We were all created to succeed, to grow to our fullest potential, to enjoy prosperity: the bounteous blessings He has in store for us. We have within us seeds of excellence!!

What does this have to do with elections? Well, I remember being in a political science class my senior year of high school. We were studying a method of government that was based on the premise that everyone would be well cared for. Everyone would have all they needed, because the government would see to it.

I came home confused because it seemed that it sure sounded like the right plan. But I knew my father disagreed with the philosophy, and I couldn't figure out why. I was embarrassed to bring it up, but I finally mustered the courage to ask him about it. "Dad, what's so wrong with it? Don't we as Christians want to make sure everyone has what they need? Shouldn't a government do what they can to make sure everyone has the prosperity they want?"

His reply was profound. He said, in essence, "Leslie, it all goes back to how God deals with us." With that, he had my attention. He continued, "God sent us to earth to live and grow and learn. He wants us to reach our highest potential. Many choices we make lead us to bondage of one form or another. For example, if a young woman chooses to be sexually active before she is married, then when she becomes pregnant, her 100 choices were just reduced to a small handful of choices. She must decide if she will have the baby or not, if she will keep the baby or not, if she will quit school or not. No longer is her future wide open. Her errant choice reduced her own freedom. Or maybe it is a sexually transmitted disease that evaporates her wide variety of choices. On the other hand, as we make wise choices, such as getting a good education, we are laying the foundation to be able to make hundreds of choices in the future. So many more doors open to us when we have made good life decisions. The better the choices we make, the greater our freedom." I continued to listen. "Now, do you think He wants us all to do what is right?"

"Of course,"

"Does He make sure that we do?"

"Not really, He's kind of left us on our own to make mistakes and stuff."

"And when we make mistakes does He protect us from feeling the pain that comes from making mistakes?"

"No, He doesn't."

"So, He sent us all down to earth, knowing full well that we would make mistakes and knowing full well that we would suffer for those mistakes."

"Yeah, I guess so… seems kind of harsh."

"What happens to a child that grows up with a parent that doesn't let him get hurt, or bails him out every time he goofs up?"

"It ruins the kid. He grows up thinking that life owes him something. His pain is always someone else's fault."

"Honey, that is why we always look for leaders that understand that principle. Give us a leader who will protect our freedom… to succeed, and even to fail. Give us a leader who is more concerned about what God thinks than what a deteriorating society thinks. Let the deteriorating souls vote for candidates who promise to protect them from the consequences of their own unlawful choices, but as for me, I want leaders who hope I succeed, but will not try to save me from myself. I have lessons to learn, too. I want to become all I can be, and that requires that I learn from my mistakes."

As I thought about what my dad said, it raised more questions in my mind. As I got older, and married, and struggled through school and struggled to raise little kids, I often reflected on his words. For example, I tried as best as I knew how to live the way I thought God wanted me to live. But what did it get me? We were living in poverty, and the stresses that go with financial lack sent me into anger and depression. I lost confidence in the notion that the righteous will prosper. I felt pain. And I remembered my Dad's words and wondered what I must be doing wrong to be living so miserably. Our multiple attempts to rise out of the wretchedness were of no lasting effect. But I believed him, anyway, and continued to vote for political leaders who represented philosophies consistent with my beliefs. I believed we could make it on our own. I believed that we would somehow find our own solution to the problems with Social Security, and medical insurance coverage. We weren't succeeding, but I clung to the principle. I voted for what was good for us, like eating our vegetables when we'd rather be eating dessert.

You know, it isn't very common that people naturally do what's good for them, when something more enticing is available. It's much easier to get someone to eat a cupcake than a head of broccoli. Just as it is enticing when one candidate promises that all our needs will be met. That makes sense, doesn't it? Who in my situation wouldn't want that? I suffered the pains of poverty, the frustrations of not having insurance, and the agony of unemployment. I endured the depression, the suicidal thoughts. Seven years of financial bondage and the stresses that accompany it. On a couple of occasions we reluctantly accepted a handout. But deep inside I was screaming, because of what my father had taught me. I felt that somehow I was giving up a piece of my soul, selling it away.

(I recognize that there are people that truly are in need of welfare. These are the people it is meant for. I am happy that my tax dollars are going to help the genuinely needy citizens. But I knew I was not one of them. There are too many people out there who give up searching for ways to be self-sufficient because either they haven't needed to, or they don't know that they have seeds of greatness and their own hidden genius. I cannot blame them for giving up the effort.)

So even though we were destitute, I continued to vote for leaders who were more committed to the strength of the American military causes than the ones who wanted me well fed. Give me leaders who will protect me from enemies so that I can be free to search for the answers on how to provide for myself. Free my mind from the worry of bullies so that I can spend my concentrated effort on how to untap the hidden talents within my own God-given potential.

Don't protect me from the natural consequences of my actions. Don't promise to keep me healthy. Don't promise to rescue me from everything I struggle with. Of course, I want all of these things. But I don't want them from the government. Let me find the power within myself to solve my problems. Let me feel the pain so that I might discover the remedy. Let me discover what I can improve about myself so that I can enjoy the rewards of living in harmony with God's natural laws. Let me discover them, and choose with my own free agency to live them or not. Let me struggle so that I might grow. Let me fall so that I will learn. Let me be.

So what is the government for, anyway? It is to do what I cannot do. I will vote for the people who understand their role. It is not their role to meet all of my needs.

For example, it isn't their job to make sure I have one. It isn't up to them to pass initiatives that make me feel better about my errant choices. Their role is to throw down the murderous, evil influences that threaten our ability to reach our own greatest potential. It is their job to provide us with as much freedom as possible. One thing I know for sure is that the more government does to take care of its people, the higher the taxes. And the higher the taxes, the less freedom we enjoy. If our free agency is the one thing in which God will not interfere, then I deduce He would prefer leaders that do all they can to preserve that free agency.

All politicians do have to tax us to some extent. Pay attention to their philosophy, though. Are they taxing us to spread the wealth more evenly, thus discouraging the ambitious; or are they taxing us primarily to provide for those who -truly- cannot help themselves, and for a strong military force that provides the protection we cannot provide as individuals? If we must be in bondage to taxes at all, let it be to purchase our liberty.

Should the government raise the minimum wage and increase taxes on the wealthy? Has anyone ever stopped to wonder who it is that provides all those minimum wage jobs in the first place? Should the entreprenuers be punished for their ambition? Or should we encourage more entreprenuership so that more jobs will be created for those who prefer depending on others to supply them with jobs? If you work for minimum wage, and you don't like it, it is within your control to begin changing your circumstances. Don't wait for the government to raise the minimum wage. Doing so only causes the cost of living to go up as companies have to pass the increased expense along to the consumers... including the minimum wage-earners!

Here's another issue to consider: Life itself is the greatest gift we have. I am sorely disappointed in any political leader that feels it is the government's business to prevent people from tampering with the way in which human beings EXIT life, but shies away from any moral stance on the subject of how a human being ENTERS life. Society seems to be unanimously in opposition of murder, for example, but dares not take a stand on the conditions surrounding the creation of life. Since when did that become an issue of religion, rather than the basics of healthy society?

My own realm of influence can discover, even create, solutions to my own problems. My health, my income, my family. Let the government protect my liberty, and I'll rely on God to show me how to prosper.

After all, it is In God We Trust.

Granted, it's easier to turn to the government for solutions to our personal problems. Therein lies the Cupcake. But the real answers, the lasting, substantial, life changing answers come from our Creator. Vote for Broccoli, and then get to work searching for the answers to the dilemmas in your own life. Let's learn to provide for ourselves, and be self-sufficient. Financially, emotionally, spiritually.

Candidates who are passionately committed to pulling down the powers that threaten our liberty (even if it has to be at the expense of programs intended to make life easier for us) - that's Broccoli. We'll find our own solutions to our own immediate problems as we seek them. "Seek and ye shall find." It's a promise. But relying on government to solve our problems will hamper our quest for reaching our own greatest potential. Let us be free to succeed, or to fail.

That's just what God does: He helps us succeed, or He allows us to fail. And if it is a system good enough for Him, who are we to think there's a smarter system than that?

Halloween

We spent Halloween with my sister, Sue and her family, in Springfield. They kids had such a great time and I am so glad we have family close by. What a treat it is to be close both in distance and in relationship to your family. For dinner on Friday we had fingers made from string cheese. We used a small piece of green pepper for the fingernail. We also made peanut butter and jelly and tuna sandwiches and then shaped them with halloween cookie cutters. Then we made spiders using ritz crackers with peanut butter in the center and then pretzel sticks for the spider legs and raisins for their eyes. The kids had fun. Then they all got dressed in their costumes for a fun night out going door to door in Sue's neighborhood. I can't believe how many times Mayah fell down. Then we ended up losing Zach and Sara for a bit. They had gone on ahead because Zach thought I said it was OK. Sue had to go back to the house and get the car to drive around to see if she could find them. There was another mom with us that ended up finding them a ways ahead. We also went with another dad and his kid. He sure was quiet and I am sure our large SLOW crowd scared him. :) All in all the kids had SO much fun. I can't believe how much candy they brought home. I got sick from too many candy bars and I think I am going to get rid of their candy. I can't have it here. But I can't have them hide it from me because then they would get into it all the time. I can't hide it from them because then I would get into it all the time. Anyone want it?

I have a new calling in our new ward. They don't waste any time. They are so grateful for the 7 or 8 new families that just moved in. They needed people and they needed alot of help to fulfill callings. I am the asst. nursery leader. That was a bit of a surprise for me. I have never been in the nursery. I was only in primary shortly and have always been in Young Womens or Relief Society. Mayah is so happy to have me as her teacher but today in class she got mad and she said, "you be Ethan's teacher". The nursery leader got a kick out of that and laughed. Mayah has this thing where she ALWAYS wants to say the prayer. I am talking ALWAYS. So when I get ready to choose someone for prayer I always tell everyone I will choose the one that is being the most reverant. But if I choose anyone other than Mayah, she has a fit and will cry the entire prayer saying "I WANT TO SAY IT". So last week in church when the Sacrament Prayer was being said she threw a fit. After the prayer on the bread she was crying and saying "I want to say it" "I say it". I had to distract her and get her mind off of that. She is such a stubborn child and unlike any of my other kids. It was a bit easier to try and talk my other kids into things. But with her, NOTHING works. I have tried MANY things but she is a toughy. But a cute one.

YEAH so Don has been gone two weeks and we have six left. We are getting closer and Caleb keeps track on the calendar. He marks off the day with a pen and then counts how many days we have left. It has actually gone pretty fast. We have alot to keep us busy here. Now if I can get brave enough I can maybe start painting. OOHHHH scary even typing that.

We are so excited because last night when we got home from our Halloween weekend we noticed we have new neighbors moving in. We are going over to introduce ourselves and hopefully not scare them too bad. :) I hope they have some kids for Caleb and Zach to play with. FINGERS CROSSED.