Paying for a natural look, silliness really

Here is the new fall do:


I got some highlights and some lowlights put in keeping my shaggy-blonde-brown as the base. You can't really tell can you? I guess that is the point - too look done up but in a natural way. I got it trimmed too. Okay, so maybe this is just an updated picture of me since usually you just see my kiddos.
Today in church, the little old organist had the cutest little perma-grin on her face. Really it was permanently there the whole hour long. I thought, maybe I can practice a lot to have a perma-smile, so my face naturally goes that way. Here's to practicing.

We bought a new rug, and therefore changed the whole apartment.

This wall was a giant blank of wasted space. I couldn't think of any picture that would be appropriate to put above your sink. Luckily I found this fabulous stainless steel system. Viola!! Organization. I can even plant herbs in the little pot and have it hanging there (that is if there were any purpose of putting herbs on a wall that got no light).
See the magnetic knife strip? It is awesome and totally out of the kids' reach. The drying rack folds up when you don't have dishes on it too.
That front patio is our 'yard.' During the summer we had the couch in front of the doors since you didn't want to go outside at any point of the day. Now we leave it open and the kids draw on the cement outside instead of the tile inside (the rug is in the way). Our 'office' in the corner is way more functional now too! You can even see out the window and feel like a real person while working on the computer.
In the corner by the book shelf is the kiddo's 'book nook,' which they love! Now when I can't see them or hear them, they are reading (instead of hiding or running away from me).

Whole Wheat

"Please use your spoon to shove all your squishy soggy soup bread into your mouth."
"Don't chew with your mouth closed, uh, I mean open!"
"You are what you eat, you must be whole wheat!"

Non-Preservationist

We had a short visit to a wildlife conservation center this morning. My visit there was not so pleasant. The whole time I kept thinking, "Why are you preserving these!!!"
Example:

This is the Arizona Bark Scorpion. I found one yesterday in my house on a rag in my cleaning supplies bucket. My first reaction was ANGER. I was mad that this critter, although talked about yet unseen until now, really existed and is dangerous and was dangerously close to my children!! After the first quell of anger, I took it outside, sprayed it with toxic cleaners (to deaden it's senses of course, kinda like mace for bugs), pushed it onto the cement with a cleaning toothbrush and SMASHED ITS IRRIDESCENT GUTS OUT!!!! So the glow in black light. So what?!
Up until now I have been tolerant of the renegade roaches that do not even have the decency to find a descreet final resting place (I find at least 3 on their back every morning on my floor. I still haven't figured out how they flipped over and died, it is just a phenomenom I guess). I have provided hotels for the ants and shooed the little Jimney Crickets outside. But I will NOT tolerate scorpions.
And what were the other wildlife on display in the fine concervation center? Oh, only the other 4 things on my top 5 list of things on this planet I hate: snakes, spiders, wasps and very large flying bugs. This is where I draw the line folks. Arizona, you may as well make a play land out of cactus (which may actually exist, heaven help us) as to say that I need to preserve these critters.

Pornography is EVIL!!!

Josh had a conversation with a friend yesterday that he shared with me. In essence, she had watched General Conference and giggled at our silly attention to labeling pornography as bad. She does not feel there is anything wrong with porn.....?!!!!

I have been trying to settle my mind and my heart for the past 24 hours over such a careless disregard for truth and evil. Oh what a mixed world we live in! It is the time when the prophecy is being fulfilled that man "will call good evil and evil good."

As I lay in bed last night trying to get to sleep I developed a passioned rebuttal to such a disregard of significant evidences from history in which societies were destroyed when their government allowed immoral acts and disregarded the sanctity of marriage, family, and chastity; God's law in which he has NEVER varied from the declaration that adultery in any from is a sin and even Christ himself when walking on this earth rebuked men for lusting in their hearts and minds after things of the flesh; current day horrifying news of abuse, exploitation, child pornography, prostitution, rape, murders and so on.

What it boils down to is this: Pornography is Evil. It is not of God for that which is of God edifies the Spirit of man. Nothing good comes from the selfish indulgence of physical desires. Evil mounts on evil as one desensitizes their spirit by allowing the body to be the ruler. In the Book of Mormon the prophet Jacob mourns that he has to touch about the subject of sexual immorality because of the tender hearts of children and women that have been broken. Elder Richard G. Scott, a modern day apostle called of God had tenderly pleaded at every opportunity that we stay away from the evils of pornography. Men and women alike are victims of this horrible vice. And don't think it is just pictures we talk of - written word, sexual explicit movies or any communication that degrades another person. How can we think of our brothers and sisters, for we are all children of God, as mere objects of pleasure?

I know that God speaks to us through His prophets words of warning. They are speaking to our day now, the evils that infest our world. I am so glad that my husband and I have commited to one another, and daily recommit, that we will never participate in pornography of any sort. Frequently we ask each other in trust whether or not we have been true to this commitment and it helps us to stay on the right path. Oh please to not mix good for evil and evil for good. Pornography is evil.

The price of Saving

I have recently been trying to iron out a 1 year plan for getting a 1 year food supply. In doing so I broke down the Church's basics prices per pound so that I can compare them to what I find in grocery stores and other storage sites. I figure the Church storage is the standard so I would go off that. I do realize you have to take into account the excellent storage packaging that the Church does that you rarely find elsewhere, but I figure I can get at least half the storage in the cheaper format if I am rotating them frequently. So here is the break down, if you are curious.

Red Wheat $.45/lb
Sugar $.62/lb
White Rice $.51/lb
Powdered Milk $1.20/lb
Black Beans $.75/lb
Pinto Beans $.71/lb
Quick Oats $.50/lb
Regular Oats $.50/lb
Spaghetti $.78/lb
Macaroni $.83/lb
White Flour $.52/lb
Pancake mix $.52/lb
Potato Pearls $2.05/lb
Potato Flakes $1.20/lb

The First Presidency recommends that you have the following per 1 adult for one year:
Grains (including wheat, flour, rice, oatmeal, pasta) 400 lbs = aprox $200
Legumes 60 lbs = aprox $43
Powdered Milk 16 lbs = $19
Cooking Oil 10 qts (16 lbs) = $10
Sugar or Honey 60 lbs = $38
Salt 8 lbs =aprox $8
Water (two weeks) 14 gallons = $free (plus cost of container...)

Total for 1 person for a year = $318 divide that by 12 months and you can do it for $27 a month per person! That is manageable. Then do the coupon shopping for the 3 month supply stuff when it is on sale. Viola! All is safely gathered in.

Big Shoes to Fill

I have taken a lot more pictures of Danny lately. He is in my favorite stage - just about 18 months. He is the cutest little toddler! Both he and Faith have become really affectionate with one another lately. While Danny was waking slowly from a nap, Faith was comforting with pets on his golden hair saying "This is my Danny. I love my brother." She bent over slightly (she still is about a heads height above Danny) and kissed him on the cheek.
Later, while watching a movie together. Danny sidled up behind Faith, put his arms around her from behind and then swung his head around one side to give her a sweet kiss on the cheek followed by a gigantic smile. Faith barely recognized his affection, but I definitely caught the tender moment.
I have to suppose that much of this tenderness is a tribute to my husband, who is so tender to me and always being affectionate around the children. I love them and kiss them to boredom, but they certainly turn on the radar when they see Daddy loving Mommy. I am glad that I have such an amazing husband who is teaching my children the really essential skills they will need.