Please watch!!!!

Take a look at this 6 min. video. A Massachusetts family's experience shows us all what is at stake in the issue of same-sex marriage. My husband and I are preparing to give "the talk" to my 8 yr old. Why on earth would a five year old need to be introduced to these lifestyles in kindergarden???? I am amazed and maybe that isn't the correct word for it, at what is taking place in this country. What I see for the future is my rights as an individual to freedom of speech and freedom of religion being taking away. Many of the reasons my ancestors fled other countries to come here.
My MIL sent this quote to me and I thought it was interesting.

"Although I am a political liberal, I believe that conservatives have a better understanding of moral development. My research confirms the common perception that liberals are experts in thinking about issues of victimization, equality, autonomy, and the rights of individuals, particularly those of minorities and nonconformists. Conservatives, on the other hand, are experts in thinking about loyalty to the group, respect for authority and tradition, and sacredness. When one side overwhelms the other, the results are likely to be ugly. A society without liberals would be harsh and oppressive to many individuals. A society without conservatives would lose many of the social structures and constraints that ... are so valuable. ( Happiness Hypothesis , pp. 178, 242)"

--Jonathan Haidt

TrunkRTreat

Well I finally pulled off the entire family in a theme. I have tried every year and inevitably someone's costume doesn't get done. I spent the last few days sewing like a mad women to get M's and Justin's costume done. Phew.... Feeling seriously proud of myself.

















We also had our best friend from Med school in town for the day. She took her oral boards today and then we got to spend the evening with her. We LOVE you Ang! It was fun to hear what everone is up to. Those were the good ole days.


























We had so much fun. The kids didn't even eat the soups they went straight for the donuts, cupcakes and candy. In fact, Justin just went up to tell them again to GO TO BED!!! Nothing like a sugar high mid-week. Here is little Yoda thinking that donuts hanging in the sky is seriously awesome.

busy week/weekend

Well many things happened this past week. The cement on the side of the driveway was finally poured.






So the last flower bed could be finally done. Friday I took a trip to the nursery and bought TREES!! I picked up an Emperor Japanese Maple for the new flower bed and two peach trees for the backyard. I planted over a hundred bulbs, we will see what pops up in the Spring. Then we went to Justin's office and painted one of the patient rooms. Saturday morning I got up early and headed out for a couple of errands (last minute JoAnn's run to get stuff for M's costume and stuff for her friend's birthday) When I got back everyone else was awake, Justin mowed the lawn for the first time since we had the sod installed and they got busy digging holes for trees.













M had a birthday party so I was sewing an apron for her friend and had to finish that before noon. Took M to her princess party...sorry no pic..bummer. She was all dressed up in her Sleeping Beauty costume that I still haven't completely finished. After I dropped her off, quickly changed clothes and headed outside to paint our newly installed mandoor to the garage. Now instead of gleaming white it matches our dark brown gutters and garage doors. ahhhhh



















Then where to put the 2 peach trees that I bought? I knew where I wanted them in the back corner flower bed. Well the landscaper put the boulders where I told him I wanted the trees....so we planted one instead.












Then the kids got their costumes on and Dad dressed up as Shaggy. They headed off to the neighborhood Halloween party. I went back to the nursery to exchange the other peach tree and came home with this...


a weeping cherry tree. I can't wait until the spring when it blossoms.













It felt great to get all the done. Sunday we had family over for a yummy Autumny dinner. Butternut and Acorn squash soup and Cider glazed pork tenderloin....it was divine. The kids decorated spooky halloween cupcakes...









You know it was so relaxing....busy but no one was freaking out and we just had a great time as a family this weekend. It is amazing what productivity does for harmony in the home.

consider yourself BOOed!

Okay this is a fun tradition and I never even thought of how it could spread on the blog. I love to be BOOed especially with yummy treats. My kids get a kick out of door bell ditching too. Julia Sandvoss who is the head of our design team just did a fun post on the Bo Bunny blog. Go check it out Here is a little excerpt from the post with instructions.

So...how can you get BOOed? Well as much as I'd like to leave candy and treats at your door many of us are far apart, (we have readers from South Africa and Norway and China )...the
BOO will work through the Blog network.

Here's how to join us:

We'd like to ask for those that have a blog, that you add the Bo Bunny Blog to your Favorite Links. If you've already done this..that's fine too. I've been visiting your blogs and would like to see you sharing and spreading the word about our Blog.

Simply add our link to your blog links. Then pop back here and post a comment leaving a link to your blog. You have until next Thursday, October 30th at Midnight PST.

Then come Halloween, I'll visit those links to your blog...and some lucky people will receive a BOO from me! If you do...you'll receive some oh so fun Bo Bunny goodies to enjoy for a yummy way to celebrate Halloween. And maybe a bit heathier than all those Twix and Kit Kats!!LOL

full throttle

Okay the Halloween bug has finally hit me. It took some time and I wondered if it would ever come. So my sewing machine has been going long hours as I madly try to finish M's and Justin's costume (No worries, I bought the other 3). Mine was a huge disappointment, no matter how desperate I am remind me never to buy a costume for me ever....I will hate it no matter what. I really am going to look into renting. I want my costume to rock and not look like a pathetic and cheap try.
This layout I did for Bo Bunny for the Halloween layouts on the blog, was what started the excitement.



My sister had these awesome Nightmare Before Christmas(what I called them anyway), candlesticks. I commented on them when I saw them months ago. She said to me later if you want to use them go ahead I don't need them right now. I jumped on it. I told her she may never get them back though. I need a couple easles for photographying my layout. I had the candlestick on my table and thought ahh that will work. Then it was downhill from there. I got all the decorations out and went to town. I also made this little cutie too(here is the picture from the pattern I used, too lazy to grab the camera)!


I swore I would never make dolls after the hours it took me and Jemima to finish our adorable elf. I will have to post a pic of him when the Christmas decoration come out. He is soo cute but he was a bugger to put together. But this Mummy guy was so much easier and I had all the supplies pretty much on hand, (old cotton pillowcase, buttons, stuffing.) I had to buy the tea to dye it so I spent $1.50 on that. It was so much fun. I want to make a bigger version but that will have to wait.

love this book

Okay we just read (sang) this before putting the kids to bed...Take me out of the bathtub and other silly dilly songs by Alan Katz and David Catrow. Oh my goodness what a riot. New lyrics put to old songs. We had to figure out the tune using the orginal lyrics and then we would sing the new ones. So much fun! I bought it on a whim in the scholastic book club stuff and so glad I did. This is a new family fave!

Winter is in the air

brrr I can feel the canyon breeze and it is telling me winter is around the corner. I did this layout for the Bo Bunny blog Button Challenge.

Breast Cancer Awareness

A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.
- Kahlil Gibran


Go check out the other cards at Bo Bunny. After you have checked that out and hopefully accepted the challenge to send a card to someone you know or find someone who is fighting or has overcome breast cancer, then all you need to do is click to go to the Breast Cancer Site to help give a free mammogram a day to someone who can't afford one.

okay back to work

Well Justin revived the computer with a new mother board (I was hopeful it would be a new one but not yet). We have celebrated a 2 year old's birthday at our house. He is a pro at blowing out the candle and will sing Happy Birthday to himself (as well as many HSM songs thanks to big sis).

Here is a track suit Aunt Natty gave to him. (Sorry Gnat he was dodging the camera so this will have to do.)This is in our backyard doesn't the grass look awesome! It snowed several inches Saturday night and it is freezing, they have melted away now. I wasn't ready for this. I am sitting in my warm down coat in my house with heat on. I know it is psychological but I can't seem to get warm. It has been warm soups to eat at my house. I need to go buy a bigger crock pot. Ours only makes enough for one meal. I need leftovers.

cause to mourn

On October 3, 2008 our beloved computer that has provided so much to us over the past 5+ years died. No matter how much we coaxed it or resuscitate it, it gave up the ghost. My computer has died. Hopefully I will be back up and running soon. I hate how much my life/work revolves around a functioning computer, Photoshop and internet.