Just Words Wednesday-Not Politically Savvy

I am definitely not politically savvy. In fact, it is embarrassing how I stumble all over myself everytime I try to have a political conversation. Last week in my Just Words Post I refered to the fifth ammendment as the same thing as the right to freedom of speech. Three days later, while stuck in the car I realized the silly blunder I had made. I told my husband of my mistake and lucky him he earned brownie points for not making me feel stupid. This is not the first time he has earned brownie points by ignoring my political idiocy. Maybe someday we will discuss brownie points on this post. My husband seems to think they have a very short shelf life. I'm here to prove that is not always the case. He still retains brownie points for his response to my blunder before we got married.

I was working on the BYU newspaper when a fellow journalist in training invited me to go with him to a press luncheon with Tipper. (Tom and I were currently separated by a state and had agreed to see other people for a short time.)"Sure." I responded. "Who is Tipper?" Well, Tipper Gore was obviously the United States Vice President's wife at the time as the completely shocked boy told me and then responded, "Never Mind." I said something like. "Well that is why you are working the political beat and I am working the religious beat." Still, I am a journalist and I should have known the name of the V.P's wife and how often does a college student get a chance to ask a question of the V.P's wife. Sweet Tom, responded to this blunder with "Who cares about Tipper Gore anway?" Oh yeah! He is still getting brownie points for that one.

Well, in response to my fifth ammendment blunder I realized how confused a lot of people are about our government. Tell the truth. Who noticed I had actually made this mistake? In response to this I would like to give a little Are you smarter than Rachelle Hughes? quiz. See how many you know without cheating or googling or looking at the bottom of the post for the answers.

1. What is the fifth ammendment?
2. Which ammendment talks about free speech?
3. How many ammendments are in the Bill of Rights?
4. What are the three branches of our government?
5. What do the stars on our flag mean?
6. Bonus question:What is the United States Vice President's wife's name? Wait I have to go google the answer to this one.






Answers:
1. The fifth ammendment is the right to remain silent or to not incriminate yourself.
2. The First Ammendment deals with Freedom of Speech.
3. There are 10 ammendments in the Bill of Rights
4. The three branches of our government are Executive, Judiciary and Legislative.
5. The 50 states
6. Lynne V. Cheney

Talkative Tuesday

I have to say that as much as I love summer, I am so ready for school to begin again. My kids can't go five minutes without a fight, a temper tantrum or a tattle tale. Due to hateful words and hateful actions my children are all grounded from TV and friends today. Their only recourse is to play with each other. I know this sounds like a crazy solution but they are actually playing together and having fun.

I bought a plastic pool yesterday. I have been searching for one everywhere all summer. When Wal-Mart runs out of something for the summer there is a little chance of finding it the rest of the summer. Well, I finally tracked one down, stuffed it into the back of my very versatile new Honda Pilot and brought it home. It is already worth the hours of peace it brings me. All three of my kids are out there playing go fish for the Littlest Pet Shop animals right now.

It is always a miracle when all three kids find something they want to play together. They are such totally different personalities. The only thing that is the same about them is their big age gaps.

Lia is three and probably my most stubborn child. All my children are stubborn, they have a stubborn mother, but she is by far the worst. I have learned that you just have to outstubborn her if you are going to win any battles. My SIL Camille watched all three kids on Friday and Saturday when Tom and I made a trip to Salt Lake. I have to give Kudos to Camille for her ability to not give in to Lia. Lia told Camilled she wanted to wear her yellow dress. I had not packed the yellow dress. There was no yellow dress. But for Lia it was the yellow dress or nothing. Fine with Camille. She told Lia she could wear the clothes available or go naked. Lia decided to go with the naked option. She wanted to wear underwear but Camille said "Nope its get dressed or go all the way naked." Lia ran around buck naked for awhile until she finally realized she was actually not going to get her way. I would not have had the courage to let her run naked due to the fact that she is still not all the way potty trained. Kudos for Camille for following through on this risky venture.

Rebecca's personality can be seen in this latest incident. We were out shoe shopping at one of the two department stores in Cedar. One of the male sales associate had on a very vibrant outfit of tight lavendar pants, a white shirt and a lavendar tie. As he walked past us Rebecca said very loudly and very snidely. "Is he really wearing purple?" I responded with a suppressed giggle, "Did you really have to say that out loud." A few minutes later she asked me this very astute question. "If they call girls who like boy things 'Tomboys' what do they call guys who like girl things?" I could only respond, "Good question."

Rebecca always says whatever she thinks. It doesn't matter how rude or crazy or inappropriate. She is also extremely smart and sees things so clearly for a six-year-old.

Isaac is all silliness. If only he would stop teasing for five seconds the daily dose of girl screams would be cut in half. At the recent 24th of July celebration Isaac kept getting in line again and again for the dunking booth, not the throwing part, the dunking part. After a couple of hours he was close to growing fins.

I do so love my kids and most days, navigating their differences is a humorous and joyful experience but on other days I am grateful that next year our summer break will only be six weeks. I am sooo excited about the year-round school at the charter school my kids will be attending this year.

Inspirational Thought

This Sunday I have so many thoughts jumping around in my mind, begging to receive attention. My husband taught a great lesson on faith this week and a dear friend gave a talk on restoring faith in marriage. Earlier this week I had been thinking of these two subjects. After 13 years of marriage, I realize what an amazing leap of faith I made the day I married Tom. I really had no idea what life had or has in store for us. Now that faith has grown to something beautiful and strong. Tom and I have walked to Hell and back a few times. I think we may have actually walked through Hell at least once. Somehow we managed to hold onto our marriage through difficult times. Our life is far from perfect but I do believe that when we both actively spend time nourishing the faith we have in our marriage we grow together towards a greater goal. We agree better on disciplining children, we communicate better and we laugh more often. We certainly forgive more easily. How awesome it is to say (and mean it) I am grateful I made that leap of faith; to look forward to spending forever with a person. I am grateful for a belief in eternal marriages.

I remember once when a co-worker gave me her version of heaven. There are no families, no husband and wives. We are just friends and strangers living in heaven, she told me. How dismal a heaven this would be for me. How could you not want to be tied to those you loved on earth. How lonely and miserable to not be with family. The LDS belief in eternal families is truly one its greatest and most beautiful truths.

Favorite Finds

I got behind a little on my blog but I wanted to post the link for the Utah Kids registry. http://www.kidsregistry.utah.gov So this is how it works. If you are a Utah resident (sorry non-Utah people) you sign up any of your cell phone or e-mails that you or a minor might have access to at the above link. This is a free Utah government program designed to help protect kids from inappropriate messages. Within 30 days any business that sends out adult-oriented advertising to cell phones or e-mails is required to scrub your contacts from their list. Of course this is not a fail safe plan to keep all those inappropriate junk mails out of your e-mail box. Not every business in the world is law abiding. Still, I signed up because I think every little bit helps. I'm also writing an article on the registry for Wasatch Woman magazine.

My second favorite find this week has to do with the Crocs shoes. Many of you probably already know this little tidbit. You can recycle those Crocs at the store you bought them from. For example if they break, as mine did recently, you just take them back to the store. They send them to the manufacturer who melts them down and remakes the shoes to be sent to people in Africa.

My third favorite find this week happens to be our new Honda Pilot. OK its actually used. I thought the Pilot would be too small for our family but it turns out that it works great. I love my new leather seats (no more melted crayons permanently melded to the seat cushions). I love my sun roof and my seats that fold into the floor. I often need extra room for things like plastic swimming pools and scooters. I love that it has four-wheel drive. I am really tired of getting stuck in the driveway after a snowstorm on school mornings. But I especially love that it is not a Dodge and that Honda's have such a good track record for quality. Our van finally bit the dust a few weeks ago and we were able to arrange a trade-in with the dealer we bought the van from 10 years ago. It was a small trade-in amount. That's what happens when the engine breaks.

Tom's Band

Isn't he great. Many of you know Tom was in bands in high school and college. After 13 years of marriage he and some of his coworkers decided it was time to start another band. If this is a midlife crisis, I'll take it. They really do sound good. This was their debut performance and you can't tell but there were at least 100 people at the Enoch City 24th of July celebration.

Just Words Wednesday

On Wednesdays I want to open up a discussion. Basically, I want to rant and rave a little on some of our current events or other items where we all have opinions. I want to hear your opinions, open up the floodgates a little and start a converstion.
This week I am caught up in thoughts on free speech. Yesterday, radio personality Mike Savage made some seriously hateful comments about autistic children. Basically he said autism was a racket and autistic children are all fakers and spoiled brats. I'm not sure what he thought he was going to accomplish with such ridiculous comments. Many people think he should have the microphone pulled out from in front of his big mouth. So here is where I think things can get politically dicey.

I totally support free speech. I think the guy is an arrogant moron, but I also believe he has the right to voice his opinion in his personal venue. If his boss wants to take away his job because he doesn't appreciate the backlash of anti-Savage pressure he is receiving, that is his bosses right. I don't think that is going to happen this little incident has generated way too much attention, albeit negative. So should the guy be censured by the world, absolutely. But I still believe he gets his freedom of speech.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have been researching the Utah kids registry, a program that allows parents, teachers, caregivers to block adult-oriented advertising that is sent to their e-mail or cell phones. Utah law (one of only two states to have this statute) requires all businesses that send advertisements on alcohol, tobacco, gambling, drugs or pornography to scrub their lists of email or cell phones contacts that have registered for the kids registry. It's a pretty great tool that gives families a choice about what kind of messages are allowed to enter their homes and lives. Of course so called free-speech orginizations are fighting the law. They believe it is their fifth ammendment right to send advertisements to whomever they wish or phish for.

I could not disagree more. They can write their advertisements but I should be able to choose what types of advertisements come into my home. I should have the right to protect the minors in my sphere of influence. I believe an e-mail address and a cell phone is a private place, not a venue for someone's self-serving free speech.

Well I have said my peace. Where do you stand on free speech? I will post a link and more information on the registry on my Friday Finds post.

Talkative Tuesday

Tuesday is going to be my journaling day. I will attempt to catch everyone up on the busy, often boring, occasionally hilarious doings of this little household of 5.
Sometimes days go by where I feel as if I have accomplished nothing and yet I know I managed to complete some motherly task, learn something new or teach my children something. Most of my days are just ordinary days full of small moments. I imagine most of us live ordinary days with extraordinary moments we hurry past in our rush to accomplish our to do list.

Today was an ordinary day but I did get a load of laundry folded, I really hate folding clothes. I am always amazed that I manage to do this hateful task almost every day.

Tuesday nights are my escape night. I have been taking an oil painting class from a good friend and equally astonishing painter. Every time I sit down to paint I learn something new. Today I learned how to paint water but more importantly I learned, as I watched my painting come together, that I can actually paint. My family is full of artists. I never thought I could fit the description of artist. I have always been dubbed"the writer." My earlier attempts at painting could easily be mistaken for my six-year-old's works of art. Today I learned that I shouldn't limit my talents. I can still learn new things. I am really excited because I love original art. I have warned Tom that I will spend obscene amounts of money on original art when we are rich. My new found passion may have just saved my husband thousands of dollars, which totally justifies the investment I am going to make in expensive brushes and paints.

I also taught my son something today. I decided that Tuesday nights I will teach him some simple recipe he can cook for the family or himself. Tonight, it was a simple task of how to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. But hey, at least he knows how to turn the stove on by himself now. He has mastered the art of microwave cooking but I think we need to up the ante. My brothers are practically gourmet cooks. I want my son to be able to wow the college buddies and the girls someday with his ability to whip up a good meal. OK, I'm also looking forward to a night off from cooking once a week. I do so love watching my kids grow up so I can give them more chores.

We are looking forward to a busy week. Tom's new band (still nameless) is playing at the Enoch City Pioneer Day celebration on Thursday. I will be sure to upload a video of Tom and his band. I think they are pretty decent, but I may be biased. So come check it out and judge for yourself on Thursday night.

Happy Birthday Mom

My sis-in-laws always pay homage to family on their b-days. I'm stealing this idea because I think it is a great idea. My Mom's b-day was a few days ago so this is a belated b-day blog. Since, I want Mondays to be my "Write A Little:" day, I'm going to put some excerpts of things I have written about my Mom over the years. But first, I'm going to share a little blast from the past. This is probably my all time favorite picture of my Mom. She is just absolutely beautiful here, 70's jumpsuit and feathered hairstyle aside. I love that I am clinging onto her for dear life too. Sorry its a blurry photo. Its a scan of a copy of a copy.

-- When we are toddlers we want to be just like our mothers. When we are in college we don't want to be anything like her. When we are mothers we find ourselves vascillating between wanting to be like more like her and trying to not be like her. Eventually we find we are very much like her.--

-- excerpts from poem "The Cradle of Your Arms" written just before I left for college.

I suppose you were proud then when you first held me in the loving cradle of your arms. And when I smiled, from reflexes the doctors say, You knew I was remembering that we had made a promise eons ago to reunite as friends. . . .

Now eighteen years of laughter and tears have added up and all the reprimands and moments sprung from misunderstanding, the victories and joys tell me to reach out once again for the cradle of your arms and smile in sweet remembrance and gratitude.

-- Excerpt from "Katarina's Water Pitcher" -- My mother’s giggle, her sacrifices, her strength, dress my mother in beauty every day, even as the years begin to take away her youth. I can never forget her daily ministrations.

I know I have written more things about my mother, I just can't find them. I do love her and think she is just adorable. I am proud to be one of my Mom's "people" as she calls her children. I anxiously await hearing her delighted giggle everytime she sees me after a long absence. My Mom is a shining example of femininity. She made me realize that being a woman is a beautiful blessed experience. I also love passing some of her little traditions on to my children. For years I sang Isaac the same lullaby my Mom sang me. It was a sad day when my son told me he was too old for a nightly song. I often catch my children off guard by saying "Guess What?" as if I have the greatest surprise of their life. "What?" they respond as I once did and still do. "I love you." I reply just like my mother does.

Thanks for everything Mom. Love ya tons.

Inspirational Thought

Before I began this blog I promised myself I would share my thoughts on some of my beliefs. So every Sunday I will write about the thoughts of my heart, my religion, my testimony.

This Sunday I was asked to teach the 11-year-old girls. I happen to love this age, so I gladly said yes. The lesson was the story of Moroni from the Book of Mormon (http://lds.org). Moroni was a man of action. As I reread the story in Alma 46-49 I realized how devoted he was to his country, his liberty and his God. In the story he raises a pledge of freedom to rally his people to his side as they face the threat of a man who wishes to enslave them. But Moroni doesn't just put his flag out in front of his house and call it a day, he proceeds to arm himself for war, pray to his God and travel throughout his land proclaiming his and his people's freedom. His courage raises an army ready to defend their liberty and their families. He continues to lead his people by preparing and rebuilding the city. He continues to pray to God and when the armies of a usurping King come to the gates of his city, Moroni and his people are prepared both physically and spiritually for the onslaught. They win an unbelievable victory. They do not lose a single life while the enemy loses 1,000 lives. In their victory, they praise their God in thanksgiving.

I love this story. I wonder how I too can be a person of action. Too often I am just a person of words. I am often afraid to voice my opinions against things that oppose my beliefs because I do not want to offend someone. I too want to be like Moroni and his people devoted to the cause of preserving my spiritual and physical liberty. I, like Moroni, am blessed to live in a land of liberty, a liberty I believe is protected by God. As the election approaches I hope I can understand the decisions that face our country and choose clearly. I hope I can be unafraid to proclaim beliefs that will continue to protect, families and freedom.

I believe the story of Moroni holds a lesson for everyone whether they are members of the LDS church or not. We are a blessed people in America, we should rally around our own flag and we should be a people of action, ready to stand up for our beliefs.

LES MIS at LAST

I have been waiting to see the musical Les Miserables forever. Last night I finally got to see it. It wasn't on Broadway but it was still a moving performance. I love, love the Les Mis story and music. I love all the story lines and the theme of how love can change a person. Tuacahn theatre in St. George got permission to perform it this year and I told Tom I wanted to see it last February. Last night we went with a bunch of friends and Bruce and Linda. I was worried the outdoor ampitheatre of Tuacahn would detract from the play but it was pretty awesome. When Eponine sang her songs about rain there were actual lightning flashing above the cliffs of Tuacahn. They were able to set off fireworks during the battle scenes. There were even bats flying in the background once it got dark. I don't think bats have anything to do with Les Mis but it was still cool.

I was really worried the performance would be a little amatuerish (it did have a few of these moments) but it was actually welll-performed. I loved the guy that played Javert and there were some amazing voices. At least now I can check this off my "to do" list.

I'm going to post a few pics of my kids so everyone can catch up on their growth spurts.

I have also been thinking about how to use this post. My sister used to do this cool thing where each day of the week had a theme. I think I'm going to do my own version of day themes starting next week.

Mismatched shoes and Giggles

What's Up?
I really want my children to be independant, capable human beings. I try not to be one of those helicopter Moms. I said try. Today I realized that sometimes this "go figure it out yourself" attitude has its drawbacks. Today my little Lia was told to get her shoes on quickly. I pointed at her shoes and left her alone to finish getting ready. We are in the car and on our way to hours worth of errands (just barely on schedule) when I hear B- start laughing. "L- has two different shoes on." Seriously the girl had on a hot pink flip flop and and a turquoise Skecher. I was a little mortified that I would have to take her grocery shopping like this. What kind of crazy wierd Mom puts two different shoes on her three-year-old. Guess what? It didn't matter. We made it through three hours of errands. Truthfully, I was just grateful she had them on the right feet. Now if I could just get B- to learn how to tie her own shoes. I think almost-1st graders should be able to accomplish this task on their own.

Write a Little: Giggle
In my writing prompt I asked what makes you giggle. I figured I better
respond to my own prompt.

1.My daughter has the best giggle. Unfortunately, her sense of humor is a little off color for a six-year-old girl. Bathroom humor seems to be her trigger point. Still, her giggle can set me off into a tirade of insensible giggles myself. Half the time I don't even know why I am laughing. Little girl giggles are so infectious.

2. I have to admit her odd sense of humor may be DNA driven. What really makes me giggle is when someone gets hurt in a ridiculous manner. My first reaction is to spasm out in laughter as I hurry to check if they are seriously injured. Not the best Mom reaction, or wife reaction, or friend reaction. My 10-year-old still has issues with some of my so called heartless reactions. "Why do you have a photo of me stuck underneath the dining room chair with no where to go but the wall? Why would you take time to go get a camera instead of rescuing me? I'm crying!" This lack of maternal pity disturbs him still.
So, let me just say that if I ever laugh at your misfortune please forgive me. Some people's gut reaction is "ouch." I laugh. I promise if there is blood I will not think it is funny. But slapstick falls, and clutsy manouevres just get the giggles flowing. I know it is because I was a real clutz in my awkward growing up days. I learned to laugh at myself. OK, so I am still a little clutzy.
3. Some people cry when their child is born. I giggled ripples of joy when my oldest was born. He still manages to make me laugh every day, whether it is some cheesy/sarcastic remark that reminds me of my husband's cheesy/sarcastic remarks or some off the wall goofy behavior.

Hypocritical Blogger

Every bone in my body is screaming "Hypocrite!" I have to admit I have been at times leery, skeptical and even totally anti-blog. So here I am launching my own blog. Any of you who have heard my diatribes on blogs is welcome to give me a piece of your mind (lovingly). Lately, I have found myself intrigued, excited and grateful for the whole blog community. I love reading about my distant family and friends. My occasional bouts of homesickness find solace in their blogs. I crave the conversations at sites like segullah.org. And so it is with egg on my face I jump gleefully onto the blog bandwagon.

Here, you will get to explore a little journal of the lives of my family of five. I may dream and indulge myself with little snippets of writing and I hope I can share some of my favorite discoveries with you. In my other lives I have often been in sales and I just can't resist sharing a good find.