Attention my stay at home mommy friends...I need your help!

Okay, I am desperately looking for someone to watch Ryder for me this Wednesday October 29th. Stacy, my friend who watches Ryder for me is out of town that day and I have a big meeting all day in the bay area that I cant miss. It would be from early morning until around 6ish.

If you're lookin to make a little extra money that day and help a sista out in the process please let me know.

Thanks ladies!

I wonder,I love, I hate, I want....

I have... a really amazing family who I don't get to see as much as I'd like.
I fear... heights, mountain lions and strong winds.
I always... try to get a work out in.
I feel... like my life is going in a good direction...and most importantly, I feel like it's actually going somewhere, after feeling like it was going nowhere for so long, it's nice to know it is.
I hear...the purr of my laptop and nothing else.
I smell... like sparkling peaches.
I wish ... I could drop 10 pounds.... NOW!
I hate... celery, fanny packs and not getting to spend every waking second with Ryder.
I wonder... what my life will be like a year from now!?
I regret....not finishing college. But, its not too late!
I love.... God, Ryder, my family, spin class, my car, going tanning, trying new restaurants, my amazing friends, Twilight, my bed, being blond, summertime, wildflowers, the smell after it rains, hot tubbing, sushi, diet root beer, road trips, spooning.....
I am... excited for Thanksgiving and for the future!
I think... life is what you make it.
I know... that there is always a little color on the next page.
I want... to teach Ryder right from wrong, to be patent, to treat woman with respect, to treat himself with respect, to be hard working and to never give up on his dreams.
I always.... laugh at "your-mom" jokes.
I am not .... very brave
I am like... totally awesome. ;) ha
I believe.... !!
I don't always... take my contacts out at night...so bad! I know!
I am happy that... you're actually reading this! Go you!
I win... at Uno, driving more miles per year than anyone I've ever met and having the cutest most polite little boy in the world.
I lose... my keys and everything that I put in a "special" place so I wont lose it...
I never... forget to brush my teeth.
I need... a vacation!!!
I listen... to Glen Beck and my daddy.
I read... way too many e-mails, my scriptures and Twilight.

A little food for thought...

With all the hubba-bub over Prop. 8 (by the way, I will be really happy when election day is over and we can all, hopefully, stop talking about this) I have been doing a lot of thinking about all the ramifications there might be if prop 8 does not pass. You may have read my post a couple days ago stating nine of the consequences if prop 8 fails, but here is a little more food for thought...something to chew on, if you will.

The Gay and Lesbian communities stance on this matter is based on "Equality for All". Correct? Well, if prop 8 fails and our children begin to be taught about the Gay and Lesbian lifestyle and how their marriage is equal to marriage between a man and a woman, I have to wonder,what's next? The Gay community says they should be free to love who they choose and have the same rights as everyone else. Well, what about other people out there who choose to love, say, their cousin, or multiple people? Currently, it is illegal to marry your cousin, it is also illegal to be married to more than one person. Why? If Gay's are claiming "equality for all" doesn't that mean "ALL"? Several months ago this country watched in horror (myself included) as a "sinful" polygamist "compound" was searched, children were stripped from their homes, mothers torn from their children because their lifestyle of being married to more than one person is immoral and illegal. What is the difference? Why are Gay's free to love and marry whom they choose but people who choose to love more than one person are not? Equality for all? Or just for them?

If prop 8 fails how long will it be before people from these other small minority groups come forward and say, hey, if Gays can marry, why cant we? I, in NO WAY, condone plural marriage, or marriage to a cousin or other family member, morally, I believe it's wrong. But if prop. 8 fails I can guaranty it wont be long before these other minorities come forward claiming "Equality for All!".

I don't think many of us have fully grasped the long term effects if prop 8 fails. It means more than two gay people being able to marry. It means more than our children being taught their alternative lifestyle in school. It means more than our Churches being forced to condone same-sex marriage. It will open the door to a plethora of other things I don't think any of us approve of (i.e. plural marriage, incessant marriage, and dare I say bestiality!!) or are ready for.

I want to reiterate what I said in my last pro-prop. 8 post. That I truly do love all of Gods children. I really do not want anyone to feel that they are being discriminated against, because really, they aren't. I want Gays to have the full rights of married couples like they currently have under the Domestic Partnership union (Family Code §297.5.). The reason I support prop 8 is because I want my right preserved to have my child taught marriage is between a man and a woman.

Picture courtesy of Stacy's talented brother via Stacy's blog.

Out of the mouth of Ryder

Ryder talks alot. His vocabulaty amazes me every day. But sometimes, his prenunciation is not so hot. Here are just a few things Ryder says that I get a good laugh out of...

"Whore" translation "Horse". My friends and family all get a real kick out of this one. A few months ago Ryder and I were in North Carolina with Devon, Danelle and Danelles family when Danelle heard how Ryder said "horse" she quickly asked Ryder to call people horse. For example, "Hey Ryder, go call Jamie a horse!" Ryder to Jamie, "Jamie whore, Jamie whore." We laughed. Jamie didnt.

"Tits June" translation "kids gym". Ryder loves going to the "tits june". I'm really trying to correct this one.

Ry-Ry

Apple Hill Baby

It's October, the weather is cool, the leaves are changing, I have a sudden, uncharacteristic desire to wear orange and brown and I am craving apples like no other. It's time for a trip to Apple Hill!!

Saturday was the big day. We woke up early (okay, it was 9:30, but that felt early after our late night) got ready, loaded my car to the max with people, 3rd row and all. And headed out on our merry way...till we hit dead stop traffic. What should have been a little 15 minute ride up the freeway from Kim's house turned into over an hour agonizing wait in traffic with 3 sleepy/hungry kids. Note to self: Go to Apple Hill on a weekday.

Once we got there we had all sorts of fun despite the million and a half people that were there. We had lunch, ate some amazingly delish Sour Cream Apple Pie, rode the horsey's (Ryder's FAVORITE!!!!) Played in the pumpkin patch and lounged on the grass near the fishing pond.

It was a lot of fun. I would like to go up another day this year, preferably a weekday when there are less people so I can buy some apples and apple cider. I went into the Apple House to buy some and got so frustrated with all the people crowding the place I decided it wasn't worth it. I was, however, able to buy a pie and an Apple Cake at the Pie Shack. I had cash so the line wasn't so bad.

Here's a few pic's from our day. Ryder and I went with our friends Kim, Deke and Mike, Kim's little boy Tyler and Mikes little baby boy Mason.

Nine Consequences If Proposition 8 Fails

For those of you that know me well, you know that politics is something I am passionate about. You would also know that I am a very accepting person. I don't judge others for the choices they make in their life. The gift of free agency is everyones. Yours, mine, everyones. I have many gay and lesbian friends whom I love dearly and have the up most respect for. But I support proposition 8. How could that be, you ask? How could I love my friends who are gay and lesbian, but be for a proposition that will not recognize them as married couples. Just like, I believe they should have the free agency to chose to live the life style they chose, I also believe I should have the free agency to live the life style I chose, for me and my family. Because of my religious beliefs I feel that marriage is between a man and woman. This is what I teach my child. It is my free agency to teach him, this is our life style. Just like it is the free agency of those that chose an alternative life style. If prop 8 passes I will lose my free agency to teach my child the lifestyle we chose. My child will be taught an alternative life style in school. My church will lose their free agency and be forced to preform same sex marriages. Why is it that a group of people feel they can take away MY free agency to teach my child the way I feel is correct. Why is it, I am thought by the world to be a bigot for this? I am not a bigot. I just want the same rights as the gay and lesbian community, the right to believe and voice my opinion.

My position on prop. 8 does not mean that I want the gay and lesbian community to suffer, or to not have the same rights. It does not mean I am anti-gay. That is not what this proposition is about.

Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle.
Proposition 8 doest take away any rights or benefits from gay or lesbian domestic partners. Under California law, "domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits" as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions to this. Proposition 8 will not change this.

Nine Consequences If Proposition 8 Fails

1. Teachers will be required to teach children in public schools that traditional marriage and same-sex marriage are equal. The California Education Code requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage (§51890). If the definition of marriage is changed, children will be taught that marriage is a relation between any two adults. The right of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs will be significantly challenged. Textbooks for the nation as a whole will be changed in significant ways to bring to the forefront the homosexual alternative lifestyle.

2. Religious adoption agencies will be forced by government agencies to give up their right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. They will be forced to either comply or shut their doors. Catholic Charities, an adoption agency in Boston, has already been forced to close its doors because of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.

3. Churches will be sued if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings that are open to the public. This has recently happened in New Jersey.

4. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued and even imprisoned for hate speech. It has already happened in Canada, one of six countries that have legalized gay marriage.

5. Religions that sponsor private schools which provide housing for married students will be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if it runs counter to church doctrine, or lose tax exemptions and benefits.

6. A change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits. A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent by churches on legal fees as they attempt to defend their stance.

7. The legal precedent will be set for all other forms of non-traditional marriage. Examples: polygamy, group marriage, marriage of a parent to an adult child, and so on.

8. Banning of the Bible. A law has recently passed in Colorado that bans the distribution of any written material that discriminates based on sexual orientation. The law includes “any communication, paper, poster, folder, manuscript, book, pamphlet, writing, print, letter, notice or advertisement of any kind, nature or description which is intended or calculated to discriminate or actually discriminates.” Legal foundations say that this law would allow a judge to ban the distribution of the Bible.

9. Businesses will be forced to provide their services to things that they are morally opposed to. A wedding photographer in New Mexico and a fertility doctor in CA have both lost recent law suits. Even though these were unnecessary services and could have been provided by others the courts have ruled that if a business provides a service it must provide that service to everyone, regardless of beliefs.

And there are surely unintended consequences that we cannot foresee at this time. This is not simply an issue about allowing people to live their lives the way they want to. This is an issue of people changing the legal definition of marriage in a way that will force us to accept and embrace the lifestyle that they choose and to teach our children that it is acceptable.

For more information please see:

http://www.protectmarriage.com/

What's your first reaction?

This is called “FIRST REACTIONS QUIZ”. You have to type the 1ST thing that comes to mind whenever you hear these 31 things. You can’t think and go back and change your answers. TIP: erase all of the other persons answers first.. that way u can think in blank


Beer: ewww

McDonald's: no longer on the "gay" bandwagon!

Relationships: frustrating and complicated

Purple: People Eaters

Power Rangers: lame

Steroids: Baseball

Cartoons: Cars

Florida: My beautiful sister Heather and family

Santa Claus: Santa baby, I wanna yacht and really that's not a lot been an angel all year Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Halloween: My hot flapper costume!!

Alice: in wonderland

Myspace: I need some space

Clowns: my friends

Marriage: YES ON PROP 8

Paris: Shopping

Blondes: have more fun

Pixie: Tinkerbell

Vanilla ice cream: with strawberries please

Hooters: my t-shirt

High school: Casa Roble Rams!

Woody: the wood pecker

Wet Socks: what? Eww!

Text messages: way too much

Country music: LOVE IT

Your parents: fantastic

Your Ex: book smart, life stupid!!!

An INCREDIBLE date night

I am loving how extra fun Ryder is becoming! He has always been fun, but lately, he has become such a crazy ball of energy. He's like a REAL kid, not a baby. He is a ridiculous amount of fun. He has a little sense of humor. He thinks it's hilarious to make funny faces and give me raspberries. He runs pretty much anywhere he goes. I LOVE IT!!

***

Last weekend Kim and I took our main squeezes out for a fun date night. Because of the rain we had a hard time deciding what to do. Then a friend clued me in on this place in Roseville that is like "Chucky Cheese on crack" (his words). Chucky Cheese on crack? Sounds good to me!! So it was, we headed out for John's Incredible Pizza.

***

Folks, let me tell you a little something about John's Incredible Pizza. It's freakin' INCREDIBLE! We had so much fun! It's all you can eat pizza, pasta, salad, and of course dessert. And, the food isn't like nasty, crusty, been sittin' out all day food. It was actually good food! And the dessert. Oh, the dessert. They have these little fresh donut things that are unbelievable! I could'a eaten like five hundred. But don't worry, I only had like, ehem, ten.

***

Once you get your plate all loaded up with fatty goodness you have your choice of dinning motifs. Given the maturity level of our dates we decided on the Cartoon room. It is full of all things cartoon. Ryders favorite part was Sponge Bob, or "bob" as Ryder says (apparently they are on a first name basis) playing on big screen.

***

After dinner the craziness began. We walked back to the game room. Ryder FREAKED OUT!! He was in heaven. He took off running, I had to chase him down. (Don't worry, I only lost him like twice through out the night.) He just could not contain himself. They have roller coasters, a kiddie drop-zone type ride, a spinney ride (technical term), bowling alleys, kid play equipment, and like a million games of every imaginable variety. Ryder and Tyler ran to each ride/game/fantasticalness, pressing every button on every game on the way.

***

After the boys completely wore us out and Ryder began to wet-noodle, we decided we were done. We took all of our prized tickets that we won through out the night and cashed them in. We had the option to go get some lame-o prize (we didn't have that many tickets-we were playing with a two and five year old after all) or add them to our little credit card type thingy to ride rides and play games next time. Kim and I decided we needed to come back again minus our dates to play all the games, so we decided to keep the credit for next time!

***

I have a couple pictures. But I warn you, these are some pathetic pictures. As you all know, my camera died, and Kim forgot hers, so I went and got one of those archaic disposable cameras. The picture quality is horrible and of the 24 exposers only like 5 or 6 were even bright enough to print. But here they are...better then nothin'....

***

Parents, do your kids a favor, take'em to Johns Incredible Pizza!! You'll earn super-cool-parent points! Promise.

The Wedge, Charlize Theron and skanky girls

Last week sucked.

Lucky for me, I have some awesome friends who know how to take my mind off of the Oh-So-Crappy things I have going on from time to time. I was Ryder-less last weekend (boo!) so my Kimmi told me to fret-not, she would see to it that my weekend was filled with light hearted awesomeness! And that it was!

Friday night I had dinner with Kim, Heather and the soon to be engaged Brian at Bistro 33. Never been there? Go! It's delish! I had the wedge salad. It was fantastic! After dinner we followed to single-Mormon-conformity and went to the dance. The dance was fun, aside from some guys (who thought they were so funny) "stealing" my car, hiding it, then gloating as they watched me search for it all night...okay, maybe that was fun too.

A few pictures from our night...

Heather, Kim, yours truly and Brian
After dinner we had some time to kill before the dance started so we went a little crazy with the camera at Target.
The Jonas Brothers have ridiculous hair.

Then came Saturday. I woke up much too early after a very late night and headed down to Stockton for more wakeboarding fun with Matt and Melissa. It was nice having just the three of us because I got lots of time out in the water. I must say, I'm getting pretty good. Sorry, no pictures, I still dont have a camera.

That evening Kim, Deke and I went over to the El Dorado Hills theater for a movie premier in which Charlize Theron would be walking the red carpet. It was pretty cool. I was literally 2 or 3 feet away from her. She is every bit as stunning in person as she is on the big screen. Though, I expected her to be much taller. I had 5 inch heels on and she and I were about the same height. I was surprised by her petite-ness. I said out loud, but to nobody in particular, "She's not that tall.". The little old lady (okay she wasn't that old, maybe 65) next to me said, "yes, but she is incredibly beautiful." I agreed, then the woman looked at me and said, "You're every bit as beautiful." I thanked the woman for her unbelievably undeserved compliment as I wondered if she was blind, or senile.....or both. Never the less, I took the complement and went with it. It's not everyday someone tells you your as gorgeous as Charlize Theron! It kinda made my night.

My friend Deke took these pictures of my new BFF Charlize...

I don't know who this guy is... something Holly... apparently he's famous. I was told he was in the movie 21.

We were starving after the "star-studded-red-carpet-event" so we walked over to this really great Thai restaurant in El Dorado Hills that I love. We had some Pad Thai, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Duck Curry. Aside from having to peel the skin off the duck, it was all good!

Kim, Deke and I at dinner.

After dinner I met up with Heather, Ryan Anderson and Adam to go see my friend TJ's band play at Harlows downtown. My friend TJ's band, Shadow Box Theory, is awesome. And for those of you who have never been to Harlows, it is a pretty happinin club! Sure, there are a whole lotta skanky, half dressed, totally drunk girls there but I still had a great time. I was wearing (as seen in the pictures from dinner above) a sweater and jeans, not in any way skanky, but I was still getting many "looks" from guys and one guy, who didnt seem to be too drunk, even told me "Now, you are beautiful!" as I walked past. I must have been having a good hair day or something, these kinds of complements dont ever come so freely from strangers, my dad, sure, but strangers, never. But, it got me thinking, of all the skanky half dressed but beautiful girls there at the club, what would even make a guy look or talk to a, in comparison, prudish looking girl like me? I think that modesty has become really over looked by the female gender. I think sometimes a guy might just like it when a girl isn't baring all and leaving nothing to the imagination. You think?

Then Sunday, I love Sunday, except that it means the next day is Monday. Oh how I loath Monday. But I didnt let that ruin my Sabbath. I went to River City Ward and Lake Natoma Ward before break the fast and the fireside. It was a good day.

But, I must say, as fun as my weekend was, the highlight of it all was Sunday night when I had my sweet little Ry-man back in my arms. I missed him dearly! He really is the joy of my life!