A Family Is Forever

In case you miss us

2011-01-31T10:18:00.002-07:00

And you haven't updated address'....AHEM! What are you waiting for?

http://nedandnicholeandboys.wordpress.com

Read about our last bash of 2010 and plans for 2011 at the new place

2011-01-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

We'll try a little Wordpress to start off the new year.

http://nedandnicholeandboys.wordpress.com/

Happy Holidays One and All!

2010-12-27T13:26:00.002-07:00

Too bad Blogger won't let me post a family picture so you can see my family smiling at you for this holiday wish.

Bummer.

Still looking for a new address.

Enjoy the season!

I'm out

2010-12-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Seriously? I have too may photos on my blog? Isn't that what it's all about? You won't let me post photos? My readers would revolt. Because nobody wants to read anymore. Entertain us with photos the masses cry.

Blogger. I quit.

You're going to start charging and limiting, I'm out.

I will be abandoning Blogspot so watch for address update soon.

Hunting for a...

2010-12-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

tree!

Check out the adventure on the photo blog

I always thought I liked Craftsman Style

2010-12-09T14:48:00.001-07:00

THE CRAFTSMAN STYLE
(1900-1930)
The simple, Craftsman Style, derived from the English Arts and Crafts movement, often associated with William Morris, includes a low-pitched gable roof, overhanging eaves sometimes with exposed rafter ends, wide porches, and wood frame or stone construction. Urban bungalows with porches and even apartment complexes were built in this style in San Francisco. Some one and a half story buildings are classified as "Craftsman Bungalows" and usually include rustic naturalistic exterior details like unpeeled redwood or interior ones like boxed beam ceilings, redwood or oak wainscoting and rusticated stone or brick arches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW

(1890-1920)
Bugalow refers to one or one and a half story. These modest size houses have a rustic, wood crafted look, that comes from the natural use of materials. Generally, they have roofs sloping toward the street, with dormer window, exposed beams along the eaves, brown shingled walls and wood, stone or brick pillars along the front porch. Often, the owners themselves where the designers.

Here's another informational site

But I could probably get attached to Prairie Style

PRAIRIE STYLE

(1906-1930)
East Bay houses of the Prairie Style or Prairie School were inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright Designs. They were built with low-angled, flat rooflines with wide extending eaves. Stucco slabs or geometric designed stucco was used in the facade, often along with decorative window lattices and rectangular panels over window panes.

The designation Prairie is due to the dominant horizontality of the majority of Prairie style buildings which echos the wide, flat, tree-less expanses of the mid-Western United States. The most famous proponent of the style, Frank Lloyd Wright, promoted an idea of "organic architecture", the primary tenet of which was that a structure should look as if it naturally grew from the site. Wright also felt that a horizontal orientation was a distinctly American design motif, in that the younger country had much more open, undeveloped land than found in most older, urbanized European nations.

WHAT?!? Used up storage space?!?

2010-12-01T18:27:00.001-07:00

How could I have used up all my space for pictures on Google? I don't have near the amount that other bloggers have.

How do I fix this?!?

Turkey Day=Success!

2010-12-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

I'm two for two

What was your favorite dish? First answer=the ham. One point for me!
Second answer=Korn Kiblets. Two points for me!

It was yummy and crazy.

Maddie couldn't get enough of Rocky

What a hottie!

Rocky's theory was if they can't see me, they can't make me sleep in the garage.

Spence on the pad.

Ned's endless job.

I'm happiest in the kitchen. NOT!

I'm too sexy for the catwalk

Summer created a FANTASTIC table. WOW!

I'll try to post some more later.

Looking Forward

2010-11-22T09:03:00.002-07:00

One of the most exciting things we'll get done in Boise during Thanksgiving day trip

Car wash and vacuum.

Our local one is HORRIBLE!!

The little joys in life.

Finally 100% Conversion

2010-11-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

The whole family is finally converted over to natural Almond Butter.

YIPPEE!

What did you do on Halloween?

2010-11-01T15:32:00.000-06:00

Instead of trick or treating and dressing up and being silly on the Lord's day, we went to church,"treated" a few friends, and spent time together as a family carving pumpkins.

Will is a great poser. Reed is not so interested in that stuff. His pumpkin had lots of help from Dad.

Reed did his almost TOTALLY solo. Dad was frustrated but I kept saying, "who cares?"

Reed and I won in the end.

My fantastically simple pumpkin! Love it!

Ned's perfectly symmetrical pumpkin.

Fruity Ghosts and Parties

2010-10-30T13:54:00.002-06:00

The recipe calls for chocolate covered sunflower seeds but I think the mini chips look just as cute. Plus I added a white chip for a nose. I love things with no mouth. They were a hit!

Reed's Class Party

Will's Class Party

Tons more pictures on our photo album blog.

Fat People

2010-10-29T11:23:00.000-06:00

Look how popular the show RoseAnn was. The story line and dialogue did not center around being fat. There were fat jokes. It was hilarious! As long as the show is interesting to entertaining to watch, the actors weight has little bearing.

What do you think?

NOOOOOOOOOO! NOT YET!

2010-10-23T11:33:00.000-06:00

Weather calls for 2 inches of snow on Sunday and 3 inches of snow on Monday.

AW CRAP!

God Gave Me A Little Taste

2010-10-19T09:11:00.001-06:00

Rebecca's Community

Our pipes broke last night. We had about 500 things that pulled us here and there.

Appointments. People. Things.

So this morning we had no water. I had to sponge bath the boys (who were BOY dirty which is a whole nother realm of dirty) before taking them to school. Couldn't flush the toilet. Couldn't wipe the counters. Couldn't rinse the dishes. Couldn't wash my make up off.

God opened my eyes (just a tiny eensy weensy bit) as to homelessness.

It's not just dirty'ness.

SHOOT, I've been to girls camp for a week, I KNOW what dirty is.

It's not just extra work and a wacked out schedule.

Homelessness, joblessnes, POOR, underprivileged, all those words that have just been "other people"

People in the big city. Or third world countries. Or people without religion. Or angry people. Or crazy people. Or criminals.

I thought to myself "This is hard! My life sucks! I can't make it! I'll just give up. The world is horrible" and I saw over the edge of the slippery slope of despair and desperate.

I saw how people rationalize crime. And hate. And dependance. And laziness. And apathy.

If I wasn't blessed with my testimony of Jesus Christ as my savior. If I didn't push myself to grow and learn. If I had to struggle through life daily with abuse, and bitterness, and distrust, I'm pretty sure I would be a horrible, lawless, offensive person.

It's ALL mental.

It's a state of mind.

It's where you have to go mentally for survival.

Survival.

Enduring to the end.

Attitude.

But if we are not taught what is right and good, mostly what is good, our mind will take us so far down the wrong path, that it's practically impossible to turn around.

This is why there are self help books.

This is why people go to counseling.

This is why there are organizations that give nice clothes to women who want to get a good job.

Because if you can get your mind (and your spirit) in the right place, you can help yourself. And help your family. And help other people.

I honestly didn't see that before. I honestly didn't know how hard it is for people to help themselves.

Pretty humbling.

Thank you God for that taste.

Nichole's Strong Woman YET Woman of Strength Poem

2010-10-15T13:45:00.000-06:00

I tweaked a poem that seemed to downplay the importance of being a strong woman as well as a woman of strength. I can understand the primary author's agenda, but mine is much less "anti strong woman"

Enjoy!

A strong woman works out every day,
Pride in her appearance she portrays.
Also a woman of strenth, she kneels to pray,
Keeping her soul in shape, God leading the way.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything,
Looking forward to challenges each day will bring.
Women of strength show courage in the midst of fear,
Knowing triumph through faith because the Lord is near.

Strong women won't let anyone get the best of them,
So skilled in defense which is sometimes pretend,
It's hard to keep going,
Against Satan she'll fend.
As a woman of strength gives her best to everyone,
Being anointed with divine blood from The Only Begotten Son.

A strong woman relies on the physical attributes making her tough,
In her search for love and money, she works to have enough.
A woman of strength understands that it's not about material stuff,
Knowing that before becoming a diamond first she'll be in the rough.

A strong woman sometimes protects her feelings shadowed by clouds,
When challenged on standards becoming boisterous and loud,
A woman of strength concerns herself not with judgment from others,
And will not let the world interfere with commitments as a wife and a mother.

A strong woman is happily busy, back and forth she will race,
Counting on her work and her planning and depending on faith.
A woman of strength is assured trust in God will always carry her through,
And at the Creator's appointed time, she'll receive all that is justly due.

A strong woman makes mistakes but avoids the same for tomorrow,
Refusing to waste time looking back, but with respect and learning from sorrow.
The woman of strength realized life's mistakes no matter how slim,
While thanking God for the blessings as she capitalizes on them.

A stong woman walks head first with no doubt in her mind,
Again, no matter what, she'll not make this mistake a second time.
Because a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls,
So if a situation arises again, she's not afraid to answer the call.

A stong woman wears the look of confidence on her face,
Always doing whatever it takes to finish, seeking first place.
The woman of strength competes with an emotional sense of grace,
Understanding it's just as important to run a Holy Spirit filled race.

A strong woman has faith that for the journey she'll have enough,
No matter how uneven the terrain or roads being rocky and rough.
A woman of strength knows it's in the journey she will become strong,
And the Love of God is forever with her, no matter how difficult or long.

A strong woman when uninformed thinks that she is being mistreated,
In the end her physical attributes may fail, causing doubt to start seeded.
A woman of stength will compromise as a little give and take is neede,
Why? Because a lesson not learned the first time is soon to be repeated.

The journey is not only as a Strong Woman but also as a Woman of Strength

Phillipians 4:6 ...but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, andhis righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you

D&C 78:19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made
glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred
fold, yea, more.

The Cake in the Plastic Bubble

2010-10-03T15:01:00.000-06:00

When you don't have a pan with a lid

And your hubby requests Summer Cake at the neighborhood BBQ

Ya work with what ya got

Because there is no way to keep the cover from ruining the whipped topping top

Some people call it Poke Cake

Or Jello Cake

I got the recipe from Pat Payne while we lived on the Big D in Florida

I'll bet I make this cake at least once a month

Cake, jello, pudding, whipped topping, sugar decorations

YUMMY!

Ah, teenage boys...

2010-10-01T08:33:00.002-06:00

Fashion Sense

My teenager was headed to school one morning when I told him
that the neck tag on his shirt was hanging out.

"I know," he replied. "It's a fad me and some of the guys
started."

Weeks later, as the style persisted, I commented, "I can't
stand it! Every time I see that, I want to fix it for you."
I gently tucked the tag in place and rumpled his hair.

"Yeah," he said smiling slyly. "All the girls do, too"

If you can't say something nice, SHUT UP! hahahaha

2010-09-29T16:36:00.000-06:00

Oh Melissa! THANK YOU. I really needed a serious belly laugh today. THANK YOU!

The Bitter Homeschoolers Wish List

It only gets better with every point.

1. Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2. Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3. Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4. Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5. If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6. Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7. We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8. Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9. Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10. We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11. Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12. If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13. Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14. Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education — and many of us prefer a more organic approach — we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15. Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16. Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17. Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18. If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19. Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20. Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21. Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22. Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23. Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24. Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25. Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, shut up!

My two favorite photos

2010-09-27T10:13:00.000-06:00

Shameless Plug

2010-09-23T16:29:00.001-06:00

I am a recruiter.

I have jobs to offer.

I need clients. If you know people that are job-hunting.

If you like sales. Preference given to medical experience.

If you are a go-getter.

Spokane, Missoula, Yakima, Tri-Cities, Billings

Contact CrossMed Personnel

crossmed@me.com

Hey if you read my blog, you get the pitch once in a while.

Come on, you know SOMEONE that's looking to change careers.

Has it really come to this?

2010-09-22T17:10:00.000-06:00

That people call the police to pick up roadkill?

No joke!

Ned answered a desperate call from a concerned driver that there was roadkill in the road "suffering"

PEOPLE REALLY!

If you are worried about the road kill suffering, back up and run over it again.

You don't call the police.

Will Says

2010-09-18T14:13:00.000-06:00

Will has professed to not wanting to go to college or anything because he wants to be a "fighter fighter" (fire fighter for you who don't speak Willese)

Today he says, "TJ and me are going to be firefighters but if he gets fired, he'll just bake bread"

HAHAHAHAHA!

I don't know if fired means started on fire, or fired from his job in this instance.

Anti Poverty

2010-09-14T14:20:00.000-06:00

"The most important anti-poverty effort is growing the economy and making sure there are enough jobs out there," Obama said Friday at a White House news conference.

But then he says in the address to the school children "staying in school longer makes you more successful"

One of the ways I define success in life is financial prosperity.

No that is not the number one way success is measured, but it's certainly very important.

Why does The President think taxing the very people who create REAL jobs is an anti-poverty effort? Why does The President think that when he takes away the working man's money to create government jobs that he is battling poverty? Tell me why? Because I REALLY do not understand the cockamamie logic there.

Look at the wealthiest people in the world. They didn't waste most of their life sitting in school. They built business. They educated themselves. They helped real people. They invented. They created. They broke out of the mold that 95% of the population is stuck in. They kicked their own rear end out the door every day and took care of their families without receiving handouts from the government.

Sit in school

Get a job.

Pay TONS of taxes.

Live off the government.

And you will be taken care of.

It's all a pack of lies.

You know what really fights poverty? Self reliance and selfless behavior.

9/11 Memory

2010-09-11T16:15:00.000-06:00

I can still feel the loss

I can still feel the anger

I can still feel the disbelief

I remember

The schedule is gelling

2010-09-01T09:42:00.000-06:00

Today is the first normal day of school for the boys. Meet the carpool at the highway. Make sure both boys have snacks. Don't forget Reed's water bottle and lunch money. Remember to meet Will's bus at the end of the road before lunch. When, picking up the carpool kids, don't park in the empty spots at the school parking lot. They are empty because the bus traps you in that spot for 20 minutes while kids load and you have to sit in the car twiddling your thumbs. Don't forget to shower today.

None of the preceding events are being replayed from what happened the first 2 days of school or actual experience. I had a friend tell me that happened to someone she knows. Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Have a great day!

I'm going to send my kid but...

2010-08-15T20:46:00.000-06:00

It's not just about religion. It's about social issues, politics, improper time management skills taught, government involvement, peer pressure, learning envioronment, free time, lack of proper curriculum for what I feel prepares a child for the real world. I could go ON and ON!

People keep saying, "look at me! I turned out alright and I went to public school" I don't want my kids (nor my family nor my friends famlies and on and on) to be just like everybody else. I want them to be leaders. Be successful. And be way above just alright and getting by. 95% of the population in the world just get by. I want my kids to be the 5% who are AMAZING!!!

I'm settling and I feel powerless to change it. By dang I'm going to work my hardest to get him through and out ASAP

Will wins Valley County Rodeo Mutton Bustin 2010

2010-08-08T00:19:00.000-06:00

Valley County Rodeo

2010-08-08T00:15:00.000-06:00

All the mutton busters for Saturday night

Reed got over his pre ride jitters

Will was in the zone from the beginning

Will wanted to win and he did!

Video posted shortly

McCall Youth Triathlon

2010-07-31T00:51:00.000-06:00

I'll post pictures and video when I get some down time.

We love the swim numbers

We also love the muscles!

Do you know any lions?

2010-07-30T09:48:00.000-06:00

King of the Jungle?

A lion woke up one morning feeling really rowdy and mean. He went out and cornered a small monkey and roared, "Who is mightiest of all jungle animals?"

The trembling monkey answered, "You are, mighty lion!

Later, the lion confronted an ox and fiercely bellowed, "Who is the mightiest of all jungle animals?"

The terrified ox stammered, "Oh great lion, you are the mightiest animal in the jungle!"

On a roll now, the lion swaggered up to an elephant and roared, "Who is mightiest of all jungle animals?"

Fast as lightning, the elephant snatched up the lion with his trunk and slammed him against a tree half a dozen times, leaving the lion feeling as if it had been run over by a safari wagon. The elephant then stomped on the lion until it looked like a corn tortilla and ambled away.

The lion let out a moan of pain, lifted his head weakly, and hollered after the elephant, "Just because you don't know the answer, you don't have to get so upset about it!"

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

I was meant for greatness. I would need education and knowledge about relationships. I was meant to change the world.

2010-07-27T08:10:00.000-06:00

I will forever be grateful for my grandmother and my grandfather for the example they showed me at the impressionable age of thirteen. They changed my whole mind in about one hour. They showed me I was meant for a grand purpose and that others would come along and try to devalue my call and make it seem insignificant, but that was all the more testimony that it was the calling for me. I knew I was not meant to be ordinary or plain. I was meant for greatness. I would need education and knowledge about relationships. I was meant to change the world.

And so were you!

from Mormon Mommy Blogs

Nicholeen Peck is a popular public speaker around North America who most often addresses the subject of parenting. Her parenting methods clam tantrum toddlers to tough teens while creating a family structure which invites the spirit of love and good communication. She is the Author of Parenting A House United and a BBC television star. For more free parenting advice Nicholeen's blog is http://teachingselfgovernment.com.

Read the entry here.

This is what blogging and Mommy'ing is all about!!!

When Mommy Takes A Day Off

2010-07-24T02:41:00.002-06:00

Cupboards don't even get pushed closed.

The house goes to hell.

I tried the reverse psychology of putting all my junk on the counter first to take up space....
it went unnoticed.

Texas Sheriff Entrance Exam

2010-07-18T21:26:00.000-06:00

A man in Texas looking to join the Frio CountySheriffs Dept. was being interviewed.

The Sergeant doing the interview says, "Your qualifications look good, but there's an attitude suitability test you must pass before you can be accepted."

Then, sliding a Smith and Wesson .45 pistol across the desk, he says to the man, "Take this pistol; go out and shoot six illegal aliens, six meth dealers, six Muslim extremists, six 'Progressive Liberal' democrats, and a rabbit."

"Why the rabbit?" the man asked.

"That's the attitude we're looking for!" said the Sergeant, "When can you start?"

Maxine for President!!!

2010-07-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in this country lately: illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, and alligators attacking people in Florida .

Not me. I concentrate on solutions for the problems. It's a win- win situation.

+ Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border.

+ Send the dirt to New Orleans to raise the level of the levies.

+ Put the Florida alligators in the moat along the Mexican border.

Any other problems you would like for me to solve today? Yes!

Think about these:

1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

C O W S

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N

They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq .... Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

T H E TEN C O M M A N D M E N T S

The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this:
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.

Also, think about this: If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone-- YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

It is Time for America to speak up!

Yep, I passed it on!

Blonde Road Rage

2010-07-14T12:22:00.000-06:00

A blonde had just gotten a new sports car and was out for a drive when she cut off a truck driver. He motioned for her to pull over to the side of the road. When she did, he got out of his truck and pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket. He drew a circle on the road and told the blonde, "Stand in the circle and DON'T MOVE!"

He then went to her car and cut up her leather seats. When he turned around, she had a slight grin on her face, so he said, "Oh, you think that's funny? Watch this." He got a baseball bat out of his truck and broke every window in her car. When he turned and looked at her, she had a smile on her face. So he was really starting to get mad. He went and got his knife back out and sliced up all her tires.

The blonde started laughing and the truck driver was really starting to lose it.

He went back to his truck and got a can of gas, poured it on her car, and set it on fire. He turned around and she was laughing so hard, she was about to fall down.

"What's so funny?" the truck driver asked the blonde.

She replied, "When you weren't looking, I stepped outside the circle four times!"

Keayen's Baptism

2010-07-07T17:35:00.000-06:00

A great family picture but we're missing some key folks. Missed you if you are in this family but not posted. I'm can't remember your names. LOL!

Check out the movie in my picture album.

My favorite part of the I.F. zoo was the kids in a cage

2010-07-07T13:53:00.001-06:00

Sorry

2010-07-07T10:53:00.002-06:00

I had to set up word verification because I was getting spam comments daily.

Another step.

Annoying.

I know.

Did Sarah Palin visit my blog?!?

2010-07-03T11:42:00.000-06:00

I looked at my "visitor map" and somebody from Wasilla Alaska stopped by.

IS THAT HER?!?

Did the next President of the United States really stop by my place?!?

Wouldn't that be so SUH-WEET!

I posted pictures and video from the speech she gave in Boise a couple weeks ago. Maybe she "googled herself" to me.

WOW! I like living in my little fantasy island so don't pop my bubble okay?

The Best Dog On The Planet

2010-06-23T13:51:00.000-06:00

The boys camped outside last night.

This is outside my window this morning.

AWWWWW!

Father's Day

2010-06-20T15:19:00.000-06:00

Ned and boys went over the river and through the woods to visit Grandpa today.

More "girl time" for me (according to Will)

YAY! I have the best hubby ever!

Happy Dad's Day

Good times on a Sunday afternoon.

2010-06-20T09:20:00.007-06:00

Ned's 40th Birthday Cake

2010-06-18T17:08:00.001-06:00

Your eyes do not deceive

Ned is not so hot on cake.

But he loveth his Rice Krispie Treats.

So we covered them in fudge frosting (he's not fond of but the boys liked it)

And lit the pyre.

OK we haven't lit it yet.

After work.

Ned's Birthday Dessert

2010-06-18T08:27:00.000-06:00

The Flan

The Mom is not loving the whole work of the flan
since I didn't partake of the flan.

The flan...

Tons o'time.

But very attractive though don't you think?

Swedish Recipe

2010-06-18T05:57:00.000-06:00

I googled "morel mushrooms"

I learned we had harvested a few pounds of Morel Mushrooms from the field next door.

I got a Swedish recipe.

The meat on the left is pork with a mushroom sauce.

At the back are baby carrots.

The blackish gray stuff is hashbrowns.

I followed the recipe to the tee.

Raw Potatoes.

Shredded.

Do the Swedes eat their potatoes blackish gray?

Very tasty.

Very fattening.

Let's just say bacon, butter, and more butter.

What are we eating?

2010-06-18T02:26:00.000-06:00

Children

2010-06-11T09:07:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the most critical function of traditional marriage is the impact the institution has on the creation and development of children. Simple biology proves that only marriage between a man and woman can result in the creation of a child. It just can’t happen between two men or two women. Further, experts around the globe agree that the ideal family structure for a child is a family headed by two biological parents in a low-conflict marriage.

Like everything else in life, there are exceptions to any projected outcome and, of course, children adopted into traditional families can fare quite well! But social science research indicates that, on balance, children who grow up in a family configuration outside their biological parents are at greater risk for a host of negative challenges, including health problems, early mortality, suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, criminal behavior, and incarceration.

Ron Prentice, Volunteer Chairman

protectmarriage.com

Boys will be....shirtless

2010-06-10T10:55:00.000-06:00

Reed and Will came storming into my room this morning and I didn't have to wait long to realize the answer to my unspoken question of "Why don't you guys have your shirts on?"

They are boys.

And they are wrestling.

Need I say more?

Shhh.....

2010-06-07T13:13:00.002-06:00

While my son was on the Navy carrier USS George Washington, the air wing was busy with training missions. After talking to a pilot, one air-traffic controller accidentally left his microphone on and remarked to a nearby buddy, "That guy sounded just like Elmer Fudd."

The airwaves got strangely quiet as everyone listened, realizing that the pilot had also heard the comment. After about ten seconds, the pilot broke the silence by

announcing:

"Be vewy, vewy quiet. We aw hunting submawines."

So FUN! We love Chad and Cristy Bloxham!

2010-06-06T01:18:00.001-06:00

Palin in Boise

2010-05-28T10:05:00.000-06:00

Palin in Boise

2010-05-28T09:35:00.002-06:00

One of the "realest" women in politics. Got to see her in Boise last weekend.

WOW! What a weekend

2010-05-26T15:50:00.000-06:00

Jesus vs. Satan

2010-05-23T09:17:00.000-06:00

Pretty cute!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus and Satan were having an argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job."

Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused.

They faxed.

They e-mailed.

They e-mailed with attachments.

They downloaded.

They did spreadsheets.

They wrote reports.

They created labels and cards.

They created charts and graphs.

They did some genealogy reports.

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency, and Satan was very fast.

Then, 10 minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off.

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and they both restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming: "It's gone! It's all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!"

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.

Satan observed this and became irate. "Wait!" he screamed.

"That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?"

God just shrugged and said, "Jesus saves."

From the "Bulletin Board" column in the St Paul (MN) Pioneer Press, 8/3/2009

Received from Jennie Orr Thomas.

WEDDING DAY!!!!

2010-05-22T08:40:00.002-06:00

So excited for David and Marie to get hitched. Pictures soon! PROMISE~~

IPad

2010-05-21T12:16:00.001-06:00

I kid you not. This post came from an iPad in Boise.

I WILL HAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

Crystal Naybor eat your heart out

Who says Mom's on a diet don't cook?

2010-05-20T08:36:00.001-06:00

I made honey butter last night. Did you know there are raw egg yolks in there? 2 1/2 cups honey to 2 cubes butter. 2 raw egg yolks. 1 tsp vanilla.

HEAVEN!

Heck no! The Mom didn't try it, but it was a hit with the Young Women at the Camp activity last night and The Dad thought he's died and gone to heaven.

I also made fresh whole wheat bread that I scored at Paul's for 50 cents per loaf. I will concede that SOMETIMES I shop at Paul's. Even though it reeks of fish. And they have crabby workers. Except Kami. She's awful nice!

McCall Children's Choir Spring Concert

2010-05-15T08:27:00.001-06:00

Will's first choir concert. He did AWESOME! Smiling and singing and choreography. The youngest in the choir. On his fifth birthday one of his first questions was, "Can I be in choir now?"

Hit and Run

2010-05-11T12:01:00.000-06:00

The hit-and-run victim was just getting to his feet when a policeman ran up to help.

"My mother-in-law just tried to run me over!" the shaken man told the cop.

"The car hit you from behind," the officer said. "How could you tell it was your mother-in-law?"

"I recognized the laugh!"

Received from Keith Sullivan.

Moving to Mexico...thanks Mom

2010-05-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

Dear President Obama:
I'm planning to move my family and extended family into Mexico for my health, and I would like to ask you to assist me.

We're planning to simply walk across the border from the U.S. Into Mexico, and we'll need your help to make a few arrangements.

We plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws.

I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here. So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Calderon, that I'm on my way over?

Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

3. Please print all Mexican government forms in English.

4. I want my grandkids to be taught Spanish by English-speaking (bi-lingual) teachers.

5. Tell their schools they need to include classes on American culture and history.

6. I want my grandkids to see the American flag on one of the flag poles at their school.

7. Please plan to feed my grandkids at school for both breakfast and lunch.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.

9. I do plan to get a car and drive in Mexico , but, I don't plan to purchase car insurance, and I probably won't make any special effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from their president to leave me alone, please be sure that every patrol car has at least one English-speaking officer.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. Flag from my house top, put U S. Flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, or have any labor or tax laws enforced on any business I may start.

13. Please have the president tell all the Mexican people to be extremely nice and never say critical things about me or my family, or about the strain we might place on their economy.

14. I want to receive free food stamps.

15. Naturally, I'll expect free rent subsidies.

16. I'll need Income Tax Credits so although I don't pay Mexican Taxes, I'll receive money from the government.

17. Please arrange it so that the Mexican Gov't pays $4,500 to help me buy a new car.

18. Oh yes, I almost forgot, please enroll me free into the Mexican Social Security program so that I'll get a monthly income in retirement.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all his people who walk over to the U.S. From Mexico . I am sure that President Calderon won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

Thank you so much for your kind help. You're the man!!!

I'm a horrible Mom

2010-05-06T14:28:00.025-06:00

I had Will's birthday post all set to go on his birthday. Didn't get it done. Here it is. (I gave Will a dollar and he forgave me)

The day the love started...Five years ago...

Will is a go getter. He was walking at 8 months old.

And he's been an animal lover since he could grab 'em and squeeze 'em and maul 'em

We had the Elders over for dinner. We ate Chicken and Stuffing Casserole. The fantastic drinks are Sugar Free White Cran Peach with dry ice for effect. The Elders were loving the steam as much as the little boys.

Will got his Camo Cake. The dark colors didn't contrast with each other very well but it still got as many ooh's and aah's as the colorful rainbow cake I made for Mallory's birthday.

The next day we had to repeat the bowling party for Will because Reed is his idol and whatever Reed does, Will can do better. Yes he is a Choleric! Since we were going to Boise for Home Dawg Education LLC's next client, Copper the six month old Golden (pictures soon! He's a DOLL! Won't be as big as our Rocky Dog but still adorable and wiggly), we got to go bowling the day AFTER Will's birthday and he was o.k. with that. Sometimes he lets his Phlegmatic shine through.

Will got way too many Legos from his Nana (THANK YOU MOM!!!), plenty of money (thank you Grandma's and Grandpa's), a HUGE box of crayons (he's a coloring fool), tracing paper, and kites.

Every second of every day Will announces "I can do that...I'M FIVE!" I taught him a funny little joke to help people understand him better. He tells everyone and their dog that it was his birthday Monday and now he can hold up all five finger and tell them how old he is. "I'm a handful!" he says.

Happy Birthday to my little devil in the angel suit!!!

Why can't all my days be like today?

2010-05-05T17:25:00.000-06:00

Nothing annoyed me.

Boys were perfect.

Hubby was sweet.

Workout got done.

I think it all started when Ned left me the most thoughtful voicemail EVER. Went like this

"Hi Hon. I forgot to take a pen out of my church shirt. Please check for it before you wash clothes."

SERIOUSLY! He actually thought about what I would be doing today, what might add stress to my life, how could he spare me some work, and WOW!

No temper tantrums.

No fighting.

No uncontrollable food cravings.

Rainbows and ponies and flowers.

AHHHHHH It's heaven on earth!

Seven years of joy

2010-04-30T11:03:00.000-06:00

Our little Reed has been the sweetest link in our eternal family chain for seven years now. Happy Birthday Big Man!!!

The Cake Before

2010-04-25T21:51:00.000-06:00

Multi Colored Cake or Rainbow Cake

2010-04-25T21:39:00.001-06:00

Will loved making and eating this cake so much that he wants one exactly the same for his birthday. "Same colors" he said. I suggested a more manly CAMO colored cake and he got even MORE excited. So we'll have a camoflauge birthday for my soldier boy this year. He turns into a handful this year. Big ol 5! Reed turns 7 this year. He ain't no baby anymore.

Flat Daddy:God Bless Our Troops Families

2010-04-23T09:35:00.000-06:00

Getting our hopes up.

2010-04-17T23:45:00.002-06:00

I hate to get my hopes up.

I LOVE having my hopes raised.

I LOVE the excitement of maybe it will happen THIS time!

We're looking at houses again.

We found a house....AGAIN.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE it...again.

Will it work?

Palin/Romney 2012

2010-04-13T09:56:00.000-06:00

Since leaving office at the end of July 2009, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has brought in at least 100 times her old salary – a haul now estimated at more than $12 million -- through television and book deals and a heavy schedule of speaking appearances worth five and six figures.

I'm loving the notes on her hand! Keeping it real Govenor

Reed's First Recital

2010-04-11T20:51:00.002-06:00

Reed plays the violin. His teacher Janette Kurz comes up from Boise each week to give lessons.

He performed Saturday at the Esther Simplot Performing Art Center in Boise.

He played the French Folk Song "Au clair de la lune"

Check out the video.

Politicians and Money

2010-04-07T22:43:00.001-06:00

Politician: “Step right up here voter. Let me tell you what I’m going to do for you. First you need to lend me a hundred dollars.”

Voter: “But will I get my money back?"

Politician: “Sure! Lend me a hundred bucks, but only give me fifty now. That way, you’ll owe me fifty bucks, I’ll owe you fifty bucks, and we’ll call it even.”

Current...for a least 9 months anyway

2010-04-04T13:58:00.000-06:00

I hate it and I love it that family pictures are RARELY current.

Drives my OCD side crazy, why can't it EVER be right?

My eternal perspective side says how wonderful and exciting that our family keeps growing and changing!

Children's Views on Love

2010-04-02T09:18:00.000-06:00

HOW DO PEOPLE IN LOVE TYPICALLY BEHAVE?

"When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall down and they don't get up for at least an hour." (Wendy, age 8)

CONCERNING WHY LOVE HAPPENS BETWEEN TWO PARTICULAR PEOPLE

"One of the people has freckles and so he finds somebody else who has freckles too." (Andrew, age 6)

"No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant are so popular." (Mae, age 7)

"I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn't supposed to be so painful." (Manuel, age 8)

ON WHAT FALLING IN LOVE IS LIKE

"Like an avalanche where you have to run for your life."

(John, age 9)

"If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don't want to do it. It takes too long." (Glenn, age 7)

ON THE ROLE OF BEAUTY AND HANDSOMENESS IN LOVE

"If you want to be loved by somebody who isn't already in your family, it doesn't hurt to be beautiful." (Anita C., age 8)

"It isn't always just how you look. Look at me. I'm handsome like anything and I haven't got anybody to marry me yet."

(Brian, age 7)

"Beauty is skin deep. But how rich you are can last a long time." (Christine, age 9)

REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF LOVE

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." (Greg, age 8)

HOW DO PEOPLE IN LOVE TYPICALLY BEHAVE?

"Mooshy ... like puppy dogs ... except puppy dogs don't wag their tails nearly as much." (Arnold, age 10)

"All of a sudden, the people get movies fever so they can sit together in the dark." (Sherm, age 8)

CONCERNING WHY LOVERS OFTEN HOLD HANDS

"They want to make sure their rings don't fall off because they paid good money for them." (Gavin, age 8)

"They are just practicing for when they might have to walk down the aisle someday and do the holy matchimony thing."

(John, age 9)

CONFIDENTIAL OPINIONS ABOUT LOVE

"I'm in favor of love as long as it doesn't happen when 'Dinosaurs' is on television." (Jill, age 6)

"Love is foolish ... but I still might try it sometime."

(Floyd, age 9)

"Yesterday I kissed a girl in a private place ... We were behind a tree." (Carey, age 7)

"Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it.

I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me." (Dave, age 8)

"I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough." (Regina, age 10)

PERSONAL QUALITIES YOU NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD LOVER

"Sensitivity don't hurt." (Robbie, age 8)

"One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills." (Ava, age 8)

SOME SUREFIRE WAYS TO MAKE A PERSON FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU

"Tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores."

(Del, age 6)

"Shake your hips and hope for the best." (Camille, age 9)

"Yell out that you love them at the top of your lungs ...

and don't worry if their parents are right there." (Manuel, age 8)

"Don't do things like have smelly, green sneakers. You might get attention, but attention ain't the same thing as love."

(Alonzo, age 9)

"One way is to take the girl out to eat. Make sure it's something she likes to eat. French fries usually works for me." (Bart, age 9)

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF TWO ADULTS AT A RESTAURANT ARE IN LOVE?

"Just see if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love." (Bobby, age 9)

"Lovers will just be staring at each other and their food will get cold. Other people care more about the food."

(Bart, age 9)

"Romantic adults usually are all dressed up, so if they are just wearing jeans it might mean they used to go out or they just broke up." (Sarah)

"See if the man has lipstick on his face." (Sandra, age 7)

"It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on fire. They like to order those because it's just like how their hearts are --- on fire." (Christine, age 9)

WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE THINKING WHEN THEY SAY "I LOVE YOU"

"The person is thinking: Yeah, I really do love him. But I hope he showers at least once a day." (Michelle, age 9)

"Some lovers might be real nervous, so they are glad that they finally got it out and said it and now they can go eat." (Dick, age 7)

HOW WAS KISSING INVENTED?

"I know one reason that kissing was created. It makes you feel warm all over, and they didn't always have electric heat or fireplaces or even stoves in their houses." (Gina, age 8)

HOW A PERSON LEARNS TO KISS

"You can have a big rehearsal with your Barbie and Ken dolls." (Julia, age 7)

"You learn it right on the spot when the gooshy feelings get the best of you." (Brian, age 7)

"It might help to watch soap operas all day." (Carin, age 9)

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

"When they're rich." (Pam, age 7)

"It's never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over you ... That's why I stopped doing it." (Tammy, age 7)

"If it's your mother, you can kiss her anytime. But if it's a new person, you have to ask permission." (Roger, age 6)

"I look at kissing like this: Kissing is fine if you like it, but it's a free country and nobody should be forced to do it." (Dave, age 8)

HOW TO MAKE LOVE ENDURE

"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work."

(Dick, age 7)

"Don't forget your wife's name ... That will mess up the love."

Received from Robert W.E. Jentzsch. from GCFL

Great Grandma Lucille Passed Away

2010-03-26T14:44:00.000-06:00

I find it sad, but I guess necessary, that sad days bring a family together.

The whole clan at Clifford and Gwen's this weekend.

RIP Grandma

More facts about Ireland

2010-03-17T03:21:00.000-06:00

Patty's Day

St. Patrick's Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed he died on March 17, 461 AD. St. Patrick's Day is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. It is a national holiday in Ireland, and a provincial holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Who was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick was born in 385 AD somewhere along the west coast of Britain, possibly in the Welsh town of Banwen. At 16, he was captured and sold into slavery to a sheep farmer. He escaped when he was 22 and spent the next 12 years in a monastery. When he was in his 30s, he returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He died at Saul in 461 AD and is buried at Downpatrick.

How is the holiday celebrated?

* In Ireland, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps on St. Patrick's Day. Children wear orange, white and green badges, and women and girls wear green ribbons in their hair.

* The St. Patrick's Day custom came to North America in 1737.

* Dublin has a parade that attracts hundreds of thousands of people, while in Chicago the Chicago River is dyed green for a few hours. The biggest parade is normally held in New York City, while the largest celebration in the southern hemisphere is in Sydney, Australia.

* Everyone will be wearing green on St. Patrick's Day this year, including some iconic buildings -- the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House, the London Eye and the CN Tower will be bathed in green floodlights.* Ireland is the third largest island in Europe and the 26th largest island in the world.

* Ireland has an area of 70,273 square kilometres.

* The longest river in Ireland, the Shannon, is also the longest river in the British Isles.

* Ireland is a country of many rivers and lakes. Lakes are referred to as loughs (pronounced "locks"), such as Lough Swilly.

* Ireland has no snakes.

* Shannon became the world's first duty-free airport in 1947.

* There is no death penalty in Ireland.

* Ireland is a neutral state and is not a member of NATO.

* The doomed Titanic ship was built in Belfast.

* Henry Ford of the Ford Motor Company was the son of an Irish emigrant.

* The Irish Police force, called the Gardai, are unarmed; however, detectives do carry firearms.

* There are more mobile phones in Ireland than there are people.

* A recent study shows there are now more Polish speakers in Ireland than native Irish speakers. More than 5 per cent of the population of Ireland is Polish.

Compiled by The Hamilton Spectator

Traditional Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes

* 1 to 4 lb (450 to 1400 g) corned beef brisket

* 4 allspice berries

* 2 bay leaves

* 1 tsp (5 mL) mustard seeds

* 1 onion, quartered

* 1 bulb garlic, cut crosswise so each clove is cut in half

* 1 tsp (5 mL) black peppercorns

* 1 whole clove, optional

* 1 medium head cabbage, cut into eighths

* 1 lb (450 g) small (about 1-inch (3 cm) in diameter) red potatoes

Cooking instructions

1. Rinse corned beef under running water. Place in large pot. Add allspice, bay leaves, mustard seeds, onion, garlic, peppercorns and clove. Add enough water to cover.

2. Bring to a boil. Skim any scum, if needed. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook about 4 hours or until fork-tender. Remove and keep warm.

3. Strain out spices and vegetables from cooking water. Add cabbage and potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook 30 minutes until tender.

WATCH OUT!!!! Amish Computer Virus

2010-03-12T15:10:00.003-07:00

My heart sank as I read the spam that began, "By opening this e-mail, you have activated the Amish computer virus."

Then I realized that not only was my computer in jeopardy, so was my reputation as it continued, "Since the Amish don't have computers, this works on the honor system. Please delete all your files. Thank you."

Submitted to Reader's Digest by Tracie Walker.

The slow march into Hell

2010-03-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

The South Dakota Family Policy Council sponsored a speech tonight at First Assembly of God in Rapid City by Kitty Werthmann of Eagle Forum in South Dakota.

The presentation was entitled “Socialism vs Freedom” and was a part of the SDFPC “Heritage Under Attack” series.

Werthmann is the head of the South Dakota chapter of Eagle Forum, and was born in Austria. Werthmann lived for seven years under the Nazi rule of Austria, eventually coming to the United States in 1950 to become a naturalized citizen in 1962.

Werthmann said that when the people fear the government, that’s tyranny, but when the government fears the people, that’s liberty.

Read more here

When I'm An Old Lady

2010-03-04T08:51:00.002-07:00

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with my son, and make his life happy and filled with such fun, I want to pay back all the joy he's provided, returning each deed. Oh, he'll be so excited . . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

I'll write on the wall with red, white, and blue; and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, will he shout!
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

When he's on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, he'll snap his fingers and then shake his head, and when he is done I'll hide under the bed.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

When my son's wife cooks dinner and calls me to meals, I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, and when she gets angry, run fast as I'm able.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

I'll sit close to the TV, thru the channels I'll click, I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick, I'll take off my socks and throw one away, and play in the mud until the end of the day.
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

And later, in bed, I'll lie back and sigh, and thank God in prayer and then close my eyes; and my son will look down with a smile slowly creeping, and say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping,"
. . . when I'm an old lady and live with my son.

Snowmobile Ride

2010-03-02T23:51:00.001-07:00

Two

2010-03-01T13:43:00.003-07:00

"There are only two tragedies in life: One is not getting what you want, and the other is getting it."--Oscar Wilde

Funniest Store Sign EVER

2010-02-25T10:07:00.003-07:00

Store on Curtis Road in Boise, Idaho

Wonderful Church Bulletins thanks ELAINE!

2010-02-25T08:47:00.002-07:00

They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

--------------------------
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
----------------------------
The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
----------- ---------------
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
--------------------------
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
--------------------------
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
--------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
--------------------------
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
--------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
--------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
--------------------------
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
--------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
--------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
--------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
--------------------------
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
--------------------------
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'

Photography

2010-02-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Check out my sweet cousins photography business.

SHE IS GOOD!

Drop my name so she knows who sent the business her way. Nichole in case you forgot!

Enter for the free photo session while you're there

http://www.suzetteandersonphotography.com/

Public Schools = One Big Jobs Program

2010-02-18T16:04:00.001-07:00

Public Schools = One Big Jobs ProgramPosted by Neal McCluskey

Who said public schooling is all about the adults in the system and not the kids? Everyone knows it’s even more basic than that: Public schooling is a jobs program, pure and simple. At least, that’s what one can’t help but conclude as our little “stimulus” turns one-year old today.

“State fiscal relief really has kept hundreds of thousands of teachers and firefighters and first responders on the job,” declared White House Council of Economic Advisers head Christina Romer today.

Throwing almost $100 billion at education sure as heck ought to have kept teachers in their jobs, and the unemployment numbers suggest teachers have had a pretty good deal relative to the folks paying their salaries. While unemployment in “educational services” – which consists predominantly of teachers, but also includes other education-related occupations – hasn’t returned to its recent, April 2008 low of 2.2 percent, in January 2010 it was well below the national 9.7 percent rate, sitting at 5.9 percent.

Of course, retaining all of these teachers might be of value to taxpayers if having so many of them had a positive impact on educational outcomes. But looking at decades of achievement data one can’t help but conclude that keeping teacher jobs at all costs truly isn’t about the kids, but the adults either employed in education, or trying to get the votes of those employed in education. As the following chart makes clear, we have added teachers in droves for decades without improving ultimate achievement at all:

(Sources: Digest of Education Statistics, Table 64, and National Assessment of Educational Progress, Long-Term Trend results)

Since the early 1970s, achievement scores for 17-year-olds — our schools’ “final products” — haven’t improved one bit, while the number of teachers per 100 students is almost 50 percent greater. If anything, then, we have far too many teachers, and would do taxpayers, and the economy, a great service by letting some of them go. Citizens could then keep more of their money and invest in private, truly economy-growing ventures. But no, we’re supposed to celebrate the endless continuation of debilitating economic – and educational — waste.

You’ll have to pardon me for not considering this an accomplishment I should cheer about.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T15:31:00.004-07:00

We've been baking cookies since Friday. Today the boys got to make cookies for themselves. We have delivered to our friends and our visiting teaching and home teaching families. The primary teachers got some as well as the neighbors.

Starting TODAY Nichole will stop eating candy or cookies even though this is what graces my countertops. Focus on the Health Nut bread instead.

We figured out our favorite sugar cookie recipes.

Nichole's Favorite from The Joy Of Cooking
3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
20 Tb unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 Tb milk
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon zest
Chill. Cook at 375.

Ned's favorite from A Century of Mormon Cookery
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 lb butter (2 cubes)
1 tsp almond extract (we didn't have any so I upped the vanilla and added 1/8 tsp peppermint extract YUMMY!)
Chill. Cook at 350

Finally painted cookies.

Mix together egg whites or egg yolks and water or google "paint cookies" to find lots of recipes. We prefer to cook the cookies then paint them.

I spent a little extra time on these beauties.

I quite enjoy the red vampire eyes on the smiley face I made for Ned.

Demonstrating the intolerance of ‘the tolerant’ and the power of ‘the powerless'

2010-02-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

I agree and disagree but mostly agree. You too can be informed of what is going on around you by subscribing to the protectmarriage.com newsletter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In public, the leaders of the same-sex marriage movement portray themselves as tolerant and loving, seeking only to access marriage as a way of validating their “loving and committed relationships.” In court, they claim to be politically powerless, requiring judicial intervention to overturn our state constitutional provision defining marriage as between one man and one woman, thus forcing homosexual marriages onto society. However, outside of court they are anything but powerless or tolerant. Two recent examples illustrate this.
In Oakland, Mayor Ron Dellums re-nominated Lorenzo Hoopes to continue to serve on the board of directors of the nonprofit Paramount Theatre of the Arts, where Hoopes serves as president. At 96 years of age, Hoopes is a revered figure in the Oakland community and has been credited with helping save the Paramount from bankruptcy and the wrecking ball. He was a top executive with Safeway, served on the local school board and also was a local leader of the LDS church, where he helped lead numerous charitable and community improvement projects. None of this matters, however, to those who oppose Proposition 8, because Hoopes donated funds to support its passage. As far as they are concerned, his perspective on marriage and support of Prop 8 makes him ineligible for community service and should subject him to protest and public ridicule. “It’s so insulting,” one homosexual rights leader told the Oakland Tribune about the re-nomination of Hoopes. “Outrageous,” said another. Homosexual activists immediately began to organize, including forming a Facebook group to coordinate their efforts to derail the continued service of this venerable community volunteer. And they succeeded when Mayor Dellums withdrew the nomination before it came to a vote.
Aggressive protests like the one aimed at a 96-year-old community volunteer are, unfortunately, all too representative of the type of intimidation and harassment that has consistently been demonstrated by the homosexual marriage movement during and since the Proposition 8 campaign. In fact, the examples of harassment are so extensive and have become so well documented (they were chronicled in this report by The Heritage Foundation) that they have begun to be mentioned by various commentators, experts and courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
When the backers of Washington state’s Referendum 71 turned in their petition signatures last year, they sought protection in federal court from having to reveal the identity of those who had signed the petitions, fearing that they would be subjected to harassment by pro-homosexual activists. They cited the extensive harassment of supporters of Prop 8, in addition to documented harassment of Referendum 71 backers, and in an 8-1 ruling secured an order from the United States Supreme Court protecting the privacy of the petition signers until the court hears the matter. In our own Perry v Schwarzenegger case, the US Supreme Court’s ruling preventing the broadcast of the trial was based, in part, on the extensive record of harassment of Prop 8 supporters. Of course, the issue of harassment toward those who participate in the political process is not limited to same-sex marriage cases. In their recently decided case Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, the court said that forcing the disclosure of the names of campaign contributors, "would be unconstitutional as applied to an organization if there were a reasonable probability that the group's members would face threats, harassment, or reprisals if their names were disclosed."
ProtectMarriage.com is also involved in a lawsuit concerning disclosure of initiative backers, ProtectMarriage.com v Bowen. This case, brought following the passage of Proposition 8, seeks to protect the identity of initiative contributors and is currently pending in the federal courts. When an initial request for a preliminary injunction was denied, ProtectMarriage.com fully disclosed all information as required by law. However, the case remains pending and is being undertaken by the able legal representation of the Alliance Defense Fund.
The issue of public disclosure was the subject of a February 6th opinion column in the Sacramento Bee, authored by California Fair Political Practices Commissioner Ronald Rotunda. Mr. Rotunda noted the inherent tension between disclosure laws and privacy rights and, speaking purely from a personal point of view and not in his capacity as a Commissioner, opined that the First Amendment may trump disclosure laws in an initiative campaign. He said the First Amendment, “prevents the government from aiding those who disagree in a most disagreeable way.”
The response from homosexual marriage radicals like Equality California was swift and, well, radical. Like those who demand the scalp of a 96-year-old community volunteer in Oakland, Equality California has demanded that Rotunda be removed from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). On February 11th they demanded that California’s governor and legislature immediately begin impeachment proceedings against the commissioner. Equality California also falsely claimed that the FPPC will be asked to decide if Protectmarriage.com has failed to disclose its contributors, which we have already done.
Perhaps Equality California hasn’t gotten the memo from the plaintiff attorneys in the Perry case, that homosexuals are politically powerless. The impeachment threat against Commissioner Rotunda is no idle one. It is an exercise in raw political power by one of the most powerful special interest groups in the entire state. They know that they have the political strength and reliable legislative allies to make this a very viable threat against a dedicated public servant.
This is what we are fighting, and why we continue our multi-pronged effort to preserve marriage in California. Not only have we had to wage epic initiative and court battles, we must also battle our radical opponents in the legislature and court of public opinion, where with a straight face and a sympathetic media, the intolerant demand tolerance, and the powerful feign powerlessness.
Please help us continue our fight. We need your prayers, activism and continued financial support.
Sincerely,
Ron Prentice, Executive Director

Gun Control thanks Nana

2010-02-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama at a recent rural elementary school assembly in East Texas,

asked the audience for total quiet. Then, in the silence,

he started to slowly clap his hands once every few seconds,

holding the audience in total silence.

Then he said into the microphone, "Children, every time I clap my hands together,

a child in America dies from gun violence."

Then, little Richard Earl, with a proud East Texas drawl, pierced the quiet and said:

''Well, dumbass, stop clapping!"

Sweetheart Ball, Weiser Idaho, Feb 12, 2010

2010-02-13T02:56:00.001-07:00

Our SHAMWOW triple date with KC and Crystal, Howard and Kristina

Pizza and dancing and pictures and leopard skin dresses.

This is one argument for why I am against "Same Sex Marriage"

2010-02-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

How homosexual “marriage” is intended to change traditional marriage

We heard consistently from our opponents during the Prop 8 campaign that “love is love” and that legalizing same-sex marriage would have no impact on traditional marriage. However, recent research reveals that most homosexual relationships do not share one of the most fundamental elements of marriage – a commitment to fidelity and monogamy. Paradoxically, according to a recent article in the New York Times, some “experts” are now advocating that traditional marriage must evolve to incorporate the values of homosexual marriage, “for the very survival of the institution.”

A study due out this month from San Francisco State University is, according to the Times article, set to reveal that monogamy is simply not a central feature of homosexual relationships. The study reportedly finds that most gays engage in an “open” relationship where sex outside the relationship is accepted as the norm. To illustrate the point the Times interviews two couples: one married lesbian couple spoke of how they have redefined their marriage to include “play” with other women, and a married male couple spoke of “transparency” rules they follow as part of having sex with other men.

According to the Times article, “none of this is new to the gay community, but few will speak publicly about it…They also worried that discussing the subject could undermine the legal fight for same-sex marriage.” The Times acknowledged that opponents of same-sex marriage have argued that legalizing same-sex “marriage” is an effort to rewrite societal norms. And in a rare example of journalistic honesty, the paper went on to say, “Quietly, outside of the news media and courtroom spotlight, many gay couples are doing just that, according to groundbreaking new research.”

One so-called expert who believes that sex outside marriage makes relationships stronger told the Times that homosexual couples bring a “fresh perspective” to matrimony. The Times noted that these relationships “defy the traditional definition of marriage” yet presented the view of “experts” who say “boundary changing gay relationships represent an evolution in marriage – one that might point the way for the survival of the institution.” Indeed, Joe Quirk, author of the best-selling book “It’s Not You, It’s Biology,” said, “If innovation is going to occur, it will be spearheaded by homosexual marriages.”

Not once during the many testimonies by plaintiffs’ “experts” in the Perry v Schwarzenegger case did a single person proactively make the case that marriage should be redefined to eliminate sexual exclusiveness and fidelity in order to accommodate homosexual promiscuity. Instead, they argued that same-sex marriage would have no impact on society’s definition of marriage.

But this New York Times article, and the coming study, make it crystal clear that changing society’s understanding of marriage to downplay (if not eliminate) the notion of fidelity as a central element is exactly what many gay leaders have in mind.

from Ron Prentice, Executive Director of ProtectMarriage.com

Winter Carnival Collage

2010-02-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

Oh how we love McCall!

For all my girlfriends A Letter to home:

2010-02-09T21:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and
Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old
man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before
all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed
till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep
late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast
is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No
hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to
split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm
water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like
fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of
weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant,
pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer
you can always sit by the two city boys that live on
coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you
until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder
these city boys can't walk much..

We go on 'route marches,' which the platoon sergeant says
are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so,
it's not my place to tell him different. A
'route march' is about as far as to our mailbox at
home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride
back in trucks.

The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a
lot. The Captain is like the school board.
Majors and colonels just ride around and frown.
They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I
keep getting medals for shooting. I don't
know why.. The bulls-eye is near as big as a
chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at
you like the Higgett boys at home.. All you got
to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it.
You don't even load your own cartridges They come in
boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat
training. You get to wrestle with them city
boys. I have to be real careful though, they
break real easy. It ain't like fighting with
that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they
got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in
Silver Lake ... I only beat him once.. He
joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6' and
130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds
dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before
other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding
in.

Your loving daughter,
Alice

Since the invention of the "Babysitter Box"

2010-02-08T18:03:00.002-07:00

Being a Mom is SO easy

aka the DVD player

HA HA HA HA HA

Just Being

2010-02-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

together is fun enough...for now

My Backseat

2010-01-28T11:38:00.002-07:00

How did I get such blessings? WOW Feeling the love today

Friday Funnies...Aunt Karen

2010-01-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

The teacher gave her fifth-grade class an assignment: get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end of it.

The next day the kids came back and one by one began to tell their stories.

Ashley said, "My father's a farmer, and we have a lot of egg-laying hens. One time we were taking our eggs to market in a basket on the front seat of the car when we hit a big bump in the road and all the eggs went flying and broke and made a mess."

"What's the moral of the story?" asked the teacher.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket!"

"Very good," said the teacher.

Next little Sarah raised her hand and said, "Our family are farmers too. But we raise chickens for the meat market. We had a dozen eggs one time, but when they hatched we only got ten live chicks, and the moral to this story is, 'Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.'"

"That was a fine story, Sarah. Michael, do you have a story to share?"

"Yes, my daddy told me this story about my Aunt Karen. Aunt Karen was a flight engineer in the Gulf War and her plane was hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory, and all she had was a bottle of whiskey, a machine gun, and a machete. She drank the whiskey on the way down so it wouldn't break and then she landed right in the middle of a hundred enemy troops. She killed seventy of them with the machine gun until she ran out of bullets. Then she killed twenty more with the machete until the blade broke. Then she killed the last ten with her bare hands."

"Good heavens," said the horrified teacher, "what kind of moral did your daddy tell you from that horrible story?"

"Stay away from Aunt Karen when she's been drinking!"

Received from Scott Brooksby, Las Vegas, NV off Good Clean Funnies List

Sex offenders...Another reason to homeschool

2010-01-21T14:43:00.001-07:00

from KPVI

A parent or legal guardian who is registered sex offender and has a child in an Idaho school is legally aloud on school property without notifying school officials. Idaho Code 18-8329 allows sex offenders who are parental guardians to participate in extracurricular activities during or after school hours.

but...

But this system does not work 100% of the time. If a parent does not live with the child or does not update their address with the school, their profile will not appear. And Bonneville Joint School District is pushing for change.

Theses are the cuts that make sense

2010-01-12T09:59:00.002-07:00

No one is entitled to free television. It is not the government's job to pay $1.7 million dollars per year to fund a television station.

Great start Govenor!!!! Keep it UP!!!

Monday Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter recommended that state funding be entirely cut from Idaho Public Television's budget. If Otter's announcement is approved, many rural residents of Idaho could lose the network's signal completely.

Currently, the State of Idaho funds about 25% of the public television's budget. The remaining 75% comes from viewer contributions, corporate sponsors, and grants. Annually the TV network receives about $1.7 million from the state, and under Governor Otter's plan that funding would be eliminated over the next four years. Idaho Public Television would then be responsible to find alternative funding sources to continue operating and make up the difference.

The general manager says it would be very difficult to continue operating the dozens of translators that Idaho Public Television has around the state. A cut in state funding would reduce the scope of their signal and rural areas would be primarily affected.

Peter Morrill, General Manager IPTV: "If this is enacted, then literally within the first year or so you will see a withdrawal and consolidation back from our rural areas to services that are more sustainable in the populated areas. "

According to Morrill, some of those rural areas affected in our region would include: Challis, Salmon, Preston, and Soda Springs among others.

Morrill has an upcoming meeting with the state finance committee where he will answer questions about Idaho Public Television's budget. He expects a decision will be made in the next couple of months about future state funding for the network.

taken from KPVI Channel 6 site

Too boring

2010-01-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

The new look is TOO boring. I need to jazz it up eh? Suggestions???

And the list continues

2010-01-09T09:32:00.001-07:00

6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-- G. Gordon Liddy

7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries, to rich people in poor countries.
-- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown Universi ty

9.. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
-- Frederic Bastiat, French20Economist (1801-1850)

I think I posted the first part of the list. I'll search my blog for it. #6 is my favorite

I'm in L.O.V.E.

2010-01-08T15:13:00.004-07:00

with these blog layouts! Check her out!!!

Allie Brown's Layouts