For Sale

We took the kids to the circus to see how much they'd give us for them. No luck. I guess that means I have to go back to correcting they're inappropriate behaviors. I mean, if someone can't profit from them. Especially the short one who shoots everyone he can with his finger gun...the congregation at church, his brother (of course), and any authoritative figure who stands in the way of his mischief.

I Can't Take It Anymore

Another response to this.
I can't believe I am even typing this, dreading hitting the publish button. I'll have to warn you, my thoughts are going to be all over the place. I've decided to honor my beliefs and opinions and share them. Chef Messy did it and I can too. I rarely post rants/venting of any sort, but this article and the comments/discussions have struck a chord.

The article itself is more amusing to me than anything, but the dicsussions are repulsive and offensive. This may come as a surprise to some, but it's hard living in Utah being a Mormon. For the most part, there is this barrier built between Mormons and Non-mormons and it's getting old. It exists in my own immediate family. If anyone talks of values or morals, its always the "Mormons forcing the issue". Why do you have to be Mormon to believe that pornography is morally wrong and breaks-up families? Why is it the Mormons' fault that we're a republican state? Last time I checked we're not the only republican state.

I cherish the experience I've had with ideas about Mormons in other states. My sister lives in Washington. It's refreshing to me that you can say, "I'm a Mormon" and the only label you get is "religious". I'm more comfortable talking about my religion there than I am here.

Furthermore, I really am a happy person. I like being happy. I really do love being a Mom. It's easy if it's a priority to you. It's hard if you feel like its a burden or your heart lies elsewhere. My husbands a happy person. That's why we really are happy together. We really do fun things. We really do have difficult times. What was this writer thinking classifying NieNie as someone who makes life out to be better than it really is? She was burned over 80% of her body for crying out loud!
I've chosen to stay home with our children. I also happen to have a degree. Knowledge is encouraged and valued in our religion. I could at any time drop my children at daycare and further my career. Oh wait, I am! My children are my career! They are my heart and soul and they give me more depth than I could get in any career. That is my choice, just like it's any other mother's choice to go to medical school or travel the globe. However, I don't accuse them of falsifying the joys of either of those two things. Who's job is it to decide what others get joy out of?
Do I think that Mormon housewives are painting a false picture of their happy lives through blogs? No, I don't.
I also really love being creative and making things. Is it because I have nothing better to do (hahahahaha) staying home and need a creative outlet? Absolutely not, for those of you who knew me pre-children when I had a full-time job. My production and creativity level is running at about 25% and goes down 10% with each child.

'Nuff Said

Other people are so much better at "telling it like it is". I didn't even know this article existed, but I love Chef Messy's response and have to whole-heartedly agree.

http://www.chefmessy.com/2011/01/go-team-mormon.html#tp

Ted Ligety

Sometimes I refer to "W"s hair as "Ted Ligety hair". It's irreverent and unruly and will stand straight up if left to it's own right, just like Ted Ligety's. Today was "W"s first day on the slopes (Chickadee, Snowbird). PBTB says he's a natural, he went more than one run without falling at all. He may have something else in common with Ted. It was a blizzard, they were up there for 6 hours and he still didn't want to come home. That's some dedication that he did not inherit from his mama. I last about 5 minutes in the cold.

I'm re-thinking this hobby as I consider the financial commitment, PBTB says it will be good incentive for him to do well in school. Well, yes, that's true.

Built-ins

It's always a hit when the cousins come for a visit. Built-in playmates. ET hasn't stopped asking for each of them individually by name since they left. Guess he thought our new live-ins were going to be permanent.

My Sunbeam!

I am so proud of my little Sunbeam. He was so happy to be in with the bigger kids. They had him help hold a sign during singing time, which he was sooo proud of. He also thought it was so special that I gave him his own BOM. Here he is walking around the house in his "man" voice, pretending to read his book, which sounds like a prayer. In true "W" fashion.