The Wisconsin Dells

A couple of weeks ago we went to The Dells with our friends the Tysons. We stayed in a fun condo, and the kids had a blast with all the water. I am not too big a fan of the water during the cold months, even when it is all inside, but I still had fun going on water slides with Wally. I think Will is more like me because he was wrapped in a towel on a chair half the time. We always have fun with the Tysons, and Leslie is a trooper going to a swim resort while prego! Thanks for joining us Tysons!!

Little Ella and Leslie.


The best picture I could get of Wally before my camara died.


Our silly Will.


Georgia the water baby.


Excited anyone?

145th Anniversary of The Gettysburg Address

Today marks the 145th anniversary of the delivery of one of the most famous speeches ever written. Written on the back of an envelope no less. If only President Lincoln knew when he says that the words from that day would not be remembered, the far reaching influence they would have. I have included the Gettyburg Address in a slide show with Johnny Cash reading the speech.

The Adventures of Will

We have been having quite a few funny incidents lately, thanks to three year old Will. He is keeping us on our toes these days with his funny little personality. He doesn't mean to be funny, he is just naturally a little quirky. He keeps me and Del up laughing at night as we re-hash all his greatest hits.

One of these happened a couple of weeks ago during Sacrament meeting at church. Will was whining about something or other, so Del picked him up to carry him out. As he made his way down the isle, Will yelled out, "NO! Mommy save me!" Well, as you can imagine this caused more than a few titters, and had people turning around to look at me laughing. It even prompted one man in our ward to get up and bear his testimony, because as he told all of us, Will yelling out about being saved, reminded him of how much he has a testimony in his Savior, Jesus Christ. Out of the mouths of babes, right?

The fun continued when Georgia and I were playing in Will's room the other day. Will came into the room and shut the door behind him, locking all of us in the room, with no one else home to save us. I told Will that now we were all stuck in his bedroom. He told me to use the key hidden on top of the molding around the door. Great idea! Except the key was on the outside of the door!

At first I eyed the door, to determine weather I could break it down, but quickly decided we would only end up locked in a room, me with a broken shoulder. So, I opened the window to judge the strength of the rain gutters if I climbed down. Again, deciding this would end with a broken bone. None of my neighbors were around, so I had to summon my inner MacGyver. I found a piece of toy train track and dug a nail that was holding a curtain rod up, out of the wall. After pressing it through the key hole, and we were free! All of this by the way, did trigger a little panic in me, but left Will and Georgia completely unfazed.

A Worthy Watch

I just wanted to throw out a recommendation for this seven part mini series, John Adams. This is a really great movie! Del and I watched it over a couple of weeks after our kids went to bed, and we both highly recommend it to everyone. I LOVE history, and it is fun to watch it come to life. I found myself looking up all kinds of people and events after watching each segment, just to learn more, and get a different point of view. It is well worth the time it takes to get through it. It gave me an even greater appreciation of the amazing country that we are privileged to live in, and those involved in it's organization. God Bless America!

In Defense Of The Mini Van Mom

I just read a post on a stranger's blog that in a nut shell, ripped apart, and reduced moms that drive mini vans to second class citizens.

I will not lie; it hurt my feelings! Why? Because I drive a mini van!

I could get all my righteous indignation up, and go on to write a laundry list of reasons why the minivan is just as great, if not better than what the "Cool Moms" drive. But instead I'll just say that it works for my lifestyle. I don't think about it much, I just know that I can wake up in the morning, hop in my mini van, which fits the fruits of my labors to muliply and replenish the earth: plus some, and drive away.

Oh, that and it is payed off.

I am not even promising that I will always drive a mini van. But I will always pray that the value I place on myself and others, is not dependent on the fact that the wheels beneath me are attached to the latest, sleekest model to come out of Fantasticland. (insert country of preference here.)

You can criticize mini vans all you want. Just be careful that the criticism does not extend to the person sitting behind the wheel. I don't want to be known as the defender of the Mini Van. Just the defender of the mom inside, who more than likely is someone, doing something wonderful in this world. Some of the most positively influential women in my life have driven me somewhere, at some point in their mini van!


Now, I have heard all the jokes about the mini van mom. Especially where I come from. They seem to be more prevalent among that demographic. I have realized this since living away. But never have I heard someone outright say that they are embarrassed to even be forced to sit inside of a mini van, even with someone they love. It got me thinking. That must mean that some people look at me when I pull up in my van, and can't see beyond that. How sad that makes me. I have been written off because of what sits in my garage! I am not up to snuff. Mini van moms need not apply.

I will always have room for more friends. (In my life, not just in the mini van I drive.) It is hard to find ladies with the same values and perspective. So please I beg of you, give me a chance!

I know that I am beyond the hip days.

I figured that anyone watching me walk into a room with a gigantic diaper bag over one shoulder, two kids clinging to my legs, a baby seat, and maybe even a pregnant belly, with my kids lunch smeared across it, is not going to label me a trend setter. So I thought why not drive a mini van on top of it?

But I also ask that if you are in the same situation I am, with the one difference, being the car we climb into in the parking lot, look a little harder. You may find something you can value in that Mini Van Mom. Maybe even something priceless.

Get on the Boat and Vote!

Tomorrow we can all come down from the high of media coverage bombardment from the election. But today is the day to vote! How exciting!

At least it must have seemed that it would be for Will, when I told him we were going to swing by the polling place and find out if the line was shorter than an hour to vote. Well it was, so through the procedure we went. Down the line of telling them my name and showing I.D.

When we came to the spot to get the actual ballot, Will looked around and said, "Where is the boat? I want a ride on the boat!"

Oops, I guess we had a spot of miscommunication, and the poor little guy was thinking this was really going to be an adventure! A boat ride! Not just a boring room full of old people! He kept saying, "Is the boat going to be a pirate ship?" The poor workers looked like they were at a loss, with the lack of enthusiasm this little boy was obviously pointing out.

So, we only ended up having a ride on the high seas of political propaganda this year, but here in Chicago, where the politics do get pretty windy, it has been quit the campaign. I guess we will all just have to hope we don't come away from the 2008 election with as much disappointment in the outcome as Will did!




THE END

SILLY BOY!

Halloween!

I was pretty lazy about my kids costumes this year. Both of their schools only have a "Fall Party," not a Halloween party. Our ward cancelled the trunk or treat and we didn't have anywhere else to wear them except trick or treating. So I considered myself pretty lucky when I dug through the costume box Halloween morning and came up with two decent pirate outfits, and found a too-too and crown in Georgia's room. We had amazing weather, and lots of fun out in the neighborhood this year. It was a great Halloween!

Wally being a pirate. He kept saying, "ARRR Matey!!!" He loved the hook.


Will could barely walk concentrating so hard on keeping his hat on, his bag in hand, and a sucker in his mouth while trick or treating. He was trailing us most of the time.



Do you like the dirty shirt with front pockets Georgia is wearing? I know it is not very fitting with the outfit. I was just glad she left the costume on. She was not very happy about it at first. She loved running freely around the neighborhood with her pumpkin bucket. She would tell people thank you after they gave her candy, so she was a big hit.



I'm a mean old witch with a hat! I was supposed to look like I was cackling.


Trick or Treat, smell my feet!