Happy Thanksgivng - Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays

So Thanksgiving is next week! It is also my mother's birthday. So it should be a nice time. It is being held at my home this year. Which I do not mind at all. I LOVE having family around.

Then on to Christmas.....I just have to say - my Christmas shopping is done! There is onlyone present left on the list and it is my HUSBAND'S job to get it. I keep on him - but with his Master's thesis due this week and then more artwork that needs to be finished, I hope that he gets with it and orders it soon so it is here on time.

My list this year included - SIL and family gift, In-laws, parents, sister and husband, sister and son, niece and nephew, 3 sons, 2 daughters, husband, and friends. We had a budget - but decided to go a little over due to 2 of our son's wish list. 6 year old ahs asked for a drum set for the last 3 years. We found some that were not too small or too big that were over 40% off, and way under $100. So we spent a little more than the $50 budget we had set for each kid for him. Youngest was $40, youngest daughter was $45, oldest daughter was $49, and oldest son is the one that has not been bought for yet --- he wants a rc airplane and DAD is suppose to do that one so MOM doesn't screw it up and get the wrong one. ;)

I am not getting anything except a little cash - for spending when I go with my husband to his "graduation" for his Masters back east. He has to present his thesis paper - and I am going to go and be there for him. So my airplane ticket and a little spending money is my Christmas.

The great thing about getting things done before Thanksgiving is that I can relax and enjoy the Season WAY more. I find it enjoyable to go to the different school programs, and concerts, and parties...because I do not have to squeeze shopping into all of that. I really can feel the Spirit of the true meaning of Christmas and not have to focus (as the mom) on the gift part of it during those few weeks. The down side i would have to say is i usually buy a few more books and movies than I would have since I stretch it out - I sometimes forget what I have already bought from SC. SC brings our family books and movies and maybe a stuff animal or coloring book and crayons nothing big. But with 5 kids and different ages - I sometimes spend a little more than I thought I would. But if I am going to spend more - books are the best thing to go overboard on! =)

I just love the feeling of Christmas. You (or at least I) cannot be upset or depressed when I hear Christmas music or watch an old Christmas movie. In fact I collect nativity sets - usually just the Holy Family - and keep them out all year in my living room. I do this to have a little reminder every time I go in there of the feeling I get. I love seeing baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph looking down on him. The thought of how overwhelmed Joseph must have felt with the HUGE responsibility in front of him. Not only does he have Mary to help and take care of - he has to raise the son of God! Talk about first time parent worries. Then Mary knowing how amazing that little baby in her arms is. What a huge thing to live up to - to be his mother and knowing that there is no making mistakes with this one. I just am in awe every time I think of the two of them and am humbled of that thought of what that little baby did when he grew up - what he WILLING did for each of us. Just amazing!

So to each of you - I hope you can let go of the rushing and stress and focus on that feeling of awe and amazement --- and have the Peace enter your heart - that Peace on Earth the Angels declared unto all of the World.

Parental Rights

So as a parent where do our rights end? I have been trying to understand if Prop 8 if over turned would really affect the children/schools in Cali. I have researched some thing in Mass. public schools over the last 4 years since same sex marriage has been legalized there. MANY schools have programs and even Gay Pride Days that the students have no option to opt out of. Starting in Kindergarten. I remember when I was in school that my parents had to sign a paper saying they ok'ed me having any kind of sex ed in health. Why is that happening now? if the school feels the need to teach something on social and sexual issues - why not allow the parents to opt out if they feel the need. I just do not understand why that is no longer and option in some schools?

So I started thinking about all this as a parent. Where do my rights as a parent begin and end? When does the schools, government have a right over my belief system I would like to be able to teach my children. Will they start teaching our children some things to big things like that there is or isn't a Santa Clause, there is no right and wrong it is all about what makes you happy, or that anyone who believes in a God is disillusioned some how? With more and more parental rights slowly being taken away how can we be sure that won't happen? I am not trying to be extreme - just curious of how far it will go.

I wonder if I didn't live in such a conservative community would i have to face the challenge of keeping my kids in public school - affording private school - or feel my only option would be home schooling? I hope that I am lucky enough NOT to have to be faced with that choice anytime soon. It was would be a very hard thing to know what course to take. But the reality is there ARE parents in this country starting to face those choices and questions.

It will be interesting to see where we are in 8 to 10 years with this issue as parents.

Where do we stand?

The whole prop 8 in Cali has been very hard to deal with personally. I think this post is one that makes quite a few things clear and is very emotional for me to read.

http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081110hate.html

So where do you stand? Can you be Christlike in your thoughts and actions - even when people disagree with you? I think this thing in Cali is a great telling sign of what kind of person you are. Hateful when people do not agree with you -- or Love and Pray for those that see things different and even are hateful towards you? It is very human to get upset, defensive, and want to "do" something about it - when you are being attacked - or worse yet something sacred is attacked. But as stated in this article - Christ reacted in different ways in different situations....all with control and not hate.

So the question keeps coming to my mind is - as a parent - what are the things my kids are going to face as they get older.....because I have a feeling that the peace as a Church we have felt for soooooo long is over. That we will have to decided if we truly have a testimony of the Gospel and the Leaders - or we don't. It will be as simple as that....funny thing, I don't think it will be very simple for many. And as a parent we have to teach our kids now more than ever that they have to have their own testimonies to stand on - to face the world they are in - and how to be truly Christlike even when we do not agree or even when we are being attacked.

It will be interesting to see where we are as a society in 20 years......looking back 50 years - it is amazing how much has changed in our society. So much has changed each 20 years from that time forward - and seems to be changing at a faster rate now than it did back then.

Now is the time to get down on our knees - not a time to raise our voices in anger.

Election is over...now what.

We have a new President. I thought both Barrack Obama and John McCain gave beautiful speeches last night. I was very upset and disappointed in the crowd at McCain's speech. Very low and not classy at all. But John was a true American. I hope all those that supported him will do as he asked - and support the new president in building up this country and bringing it back to the glory and and beauty it deserves to be. We have absolutely nothing to complain about over the next 4 years if we refuse to do our part in making things better.

I hope and pray that President-Elect Obama will keep his promises and truly make this the UNITED States of America and not have division in the Government. Now that the Democrats have control of the House and Senate and now the White House --- they have NO ONE to blame if things do not get done. I better see progress over the next 4 years.

I am not one of those people that called Obama evil. Or thought our country was doomed with him being President. But I still stand on the thought that he was one of the most liberal Senators as far as voting. And I wanted change in Washington. Let's hope that he will truly be bi-partisan - unlike Bush who said he would be, and then was anything but. Don't get me wrong - I think Bush did try hard to do what he felt was right - but he made mistakes and never admitted to them and that always bothered me.

Calif. Prop. 8 looks like it will pass - close still - so we will have to wait and see. Arizona and Florida passed marriage between a man and women only. It is great to see that --- and hopefully people understand that these measures do not take away the rights of anyone. We can and should never discriminate against anyone. But marriage is and should always be defined as a man and woman - it is the way God intended.

I have always wondered how people can argue against that. God did not make ADAM and ADAM or EVE and EVE in the Garden - nor did he write a man should leave his mother and father and cleave until another man. I will not and cannot argue or explain why people feel that attraction - and I do not deny that they do. But people want to have sex before they are married - they have that urge and desire - but that does not make it right in the eyes of the Lord. And those that are gay are not horrible people or evil or less than. I have great respect for those that feel that way that I know. It is not about them personally. But I have to answer to my Lord - and He will ask if I stood up for His teachings. Did I stay true to what I believed? And at the same time - was I Christlike in my interaction with ALL that I come in contact with?

You can disagree and still not be a bigot or hateful. You can stand up for your views without putting down another's. You can believe in the Bible and what the Lord says - and not be a right-wing hater. I just wish those that do not agree with me could see that.

Yes, it will be very interesting to see where this country is headed. Where the economy, and if our safety in this country changes. I guess we have been told many times that those that are prepared need not fear. So we get prepared for anything and see how things go.

I feel so blessed to live in this country that allows us the freedom to vote and have our voices heard. May God Bless this Country and each of us as we face these challenges that are ahead of us.

Future of our World/ An Individual Part

So I have been studying a lot about socialism - since Obama has made statements about spreading the wealth. This is not a good thing. It is way too long to list everything I have read about it - but socialism is one way of our individual freedoms being taken away. Now do not get me wrong - I am totally for helping those less fortunate - but I think that should come from individuals or Charities - not Government...and we should not be FORCED by government to do this.

It seems the more our cultural seems to be "enlightened" and "open" to everyone's situation and views...is exactly when they close off their minds and acceptance of traditional religion and God. There is no longer right and wrong - you are only judgemental if you go against the politically hot button of the time. So what do you do?

Time after time we have been warned that when this country turns it back on God - God will leave this country. He cannot bless us if we do not do our part and open our hearts to Him. So instead of fearing of where our society is headed - we need to be more concerned at where WE are headed as an individual. Then we can effect those around us in a positive way. We have to live up to our fullest potential and then we can have our hearts opened to how we can be a positive influence to those in our lives.

Just something I have had on my mind lately.

Fall is Here

Well, Halloween is over - and the warm weather here has finally started cool and get rainy. LOVE IT! It is about time for true FALL weather to show up. This high 60's is crazy for this time of year.

Halloween is very nice to have warm weather though. No coats OVER the costumes this year --- very nice. My kids were Belle from Beauty and the Beast (14 yr old), Indian Jones (11 yr old), Butterfly (8 yr old), Ninja (6 yr old) and a mini Indiana Jones (22 month old). It was a very fun night.

Now on to Thanksgiving! My mother's birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year. My parents are coming to my house for Thanksgiving - and my sister that is in Utah and my sister just 15 minutes away with all her married children. So we will have a full house. My mom has thrown my Dad 2 surprise birthday parties - my dad has not even thrown my Mom one since she turned 40. So my sister that live nearby and myself are going to decorate my house like Madri-Gras(sp?). Since my mom's favorite colors are purple and green - we figure it would work. So this year's meal will have some of the traditional items and we will throw in some Cajun/New Orleans style dishes too. It is going to be A LOT of planning and work - but worth it.

I cannot believe it is November already. This year has FLOWN by. Before I know it I will be clean up the mess from Christmas - ho ho ho.