Passing on the Politics

This has been a totally busy week and, therefore, I have been ignoring my blog and yours!! Sometimes I really struggle with finding the balance in my life (I am sure none of you ever feel that way *wink*wink*) and blogging just isn't always going to be high on my priority list. But there have been a few things that have been high on my priority list this week and so I hope you don't mind if I use my blog to pass on a little information regarding things that I get very passionate about. This is a post that is the first of it's kind for me (not that I have oodles and oodles of posts yet), but I am sure it won't be the last of this kind either.

First, there is a Public Information Meeting regarding the intersection at 1000 and 2700 on Tuesday at 7:30 down at the City Building.

Second, I have a petition that I am hoping some of you might be interested in signing. It is petitioning for a light and a crossing guard at the corner of 3200 and W Hill Field. I will probably be asking you to sign it...so start running from me if you don't want too and I promise I will take the hint :D

Third, the process has begun for the boundaries of the new junior high. I went to a meeting last week and I can tell you what I know if you are interested. The meeting was the first of several to come and I have the names of some people you can contact to express your opinions if you would like!

Fourth, because they are expecting a HUGE turn out for the presidential election in November they are having more polling locations then in the past and are still in need of more poll workers. I have the name and number of the person to contact if you are interested in helping out with that!! FYI many polling location have changed for this election, if you live near me I can tell you where we will be voting!

I will title all my posts regarding information like this "Passing on the Politics" so if you are not interested you don't have to read any of those posts AND it so will not hurt my feelings :D

The Highlight Of My Year

Okay, so if you know me very well at all then you know that the highlight of every year for me is our annual trip to Bear Lake with our closest and dearest friends! We always say that we solve the worlds problems while we are there... (too bad no one listens to us). Regardless, we always come home refreshed and ready to be better parents and to tackle another year!!

Here are a few pictures from our good times this weekend...

Having lunch at Mandarin Gardens
(we were a little bummed, we didn't get our "usual" table)


The Logan Temple
Thanks Matt & Corrine for letting us help with your family sealings


The boys having their fun...eating and watching football!


The girls having our fun...
swapping recipes and good parenting tips!


Fun playing games -
this year we broke 2 chairs having sooooooo much fun!!


The traditional group picture taken before going to church -
sorry Dan it is tradition even if we don't change much each year!!

The Best Trip Ever!

I thought before it gets too late...
I should really post a few pictures from our wonderful trip to Nauvoo!

It was a great opportunity to take our family there for the first time in August.
Although, Landon & I had been there before, this was our first time since the Temple has been built. And can I just say how absolutely lovely it is!! Landon and I were able to take in a session, leaving Sis in charge of the boys back at the hotel...what a blessing that was! Thanks Sis!!

I won't lie...it was an incredibly LONG drive, but oh SOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it! I know for our entire family it was a very faith promoting and testimony building experience.
How much more appreciative we are of our pioneer heritage!!

I am grateful we were actually able to take this trip.
(We had been worried about the price of gas and the flooding from earlier in the summer.)


Pushing the hand cart in Winter Quarters.


Outside the Kearns Tabernacle where the Brigham Young was
sustained the 2nd Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.


Walking down the "Trail Of Hope" leading to the Mississippi River
where the Saints caught the ferry to leave Nauvoo.


Posing with the oxen before we took a wagon ride in Nauvoo.


The Beautiful Nauvoo Temple.


Swimming Fun every night at each hotel!


Our family outside of Carthidge Jail where Joseph Smith Jr. was shot and killed.


Our family at Liberty Jail.


On the way home we stopped in Hannibal, Missouri
for a ride down the Mississippi River on a Steamboat!


Our last stop was in Colorado Springs, Colorado where we visited the Air Force Academy and saw the coolest Indian Cave Dwellings!

Keebler's Dentist Day!

Yesterday we had a little trauma at our house. Keebler Kohn (that is my third child's nickname at home, so that is what I will be referring to him as on my blog) got 2 teeth pulled out at the dentist! Keebler has been having some crowding issues that our orthodontist has been watching now for about a year and a half. Wednesday Keebler had a 6 month check up at the ortho and he decided that it was time to take matters into our own hands because the teeth were just not going to be doing what they should be doing on there own. They made him an appointment for the next day at our dentist and Keebler Kohn was just about the bravest little 7 year old I know. I wasn't even sure what to expect as nothing like this has happened in our family. I was very impressed by how easily the teeth were removed...I totally thought to myself, "no wonder it's a common thing to have a tooth get knocked out". A couple of big toughs with a pair of pliers from the dentist and pop they are out!! Of course, with some serious numbness beforehand! (Which was by far the worst part for Keebler...I hate those shots too!!) And just in case you are wondering, it is really inexpensive to get a tooth pulled out by the dentist...my philosophy from here on out will be to just yank out those baby teeth because it is cheaper than filling the cavity! So when you see my children all toothless know they must not be brushing their teeth good enough!!

Keebler absolutely scared out of his mind...
I thought laughing gas was suppose to make you happy?!?!?!

Keebs proud moment once he realized it really didn't hurt!
And wow did he have a show and tell for class today!

Big gapping holes and crowded bottom teeth...next step back to the ortho Monday to have an appliance made that will keep the space there while the permanent teeth come in.

Midnight Sun Cabosh!

As most of you know I was a little obsessed (okay that might even be understating it just a tad) with the Twilight Series. I would just like to update you in that I am doing fine now that the fourth book (Breaking Dawn) is out...I feel like I can go on with my life now. But of course, I was looking forward to Midnight Sun (Edward's version of Twilight) and the promise from Stephanie Meyer that this was the next project she was working on!! Then yesterday morning I was walking on my treadmill and watching the morning news when LOW and BEHOLD they give the breaking news that Stephanie has put a hold on Midnight Sun indefinitely!!!!! I guess she handed out some manuscripts to trusted friends and some how one of them ended up on the Internet! This, of course, has made Stephanie feel very betrayed and violated (as it rightly should!!). So she just doesn't feel like she can continue writing it with the sour taste in her mouth!! I want to know who the culprit is and if Stephanie doesn't press charges, I would like to. Isn't this after all what all our mothers taught us when we were children..."your actions always have consequences that don't just effect you!" Hello, this is like Humanity 101!! I was incredibly sad to hear this story and thought I would share it with all of you, in case you had not heard!! So you can go to Stephanie's website and read the 264 pages of the unfinished draft. I looked at it, but haven't read one word yet. Still deliberating if I will...not sure if its the right thing to do...feels a little wrong.

On a lighter note....In case you didn't know...Twilight the movie's release date has been moved up to November 21 (3 weeks earlier than originally set). I guess Harry Potter has been moved to Summer '09 so this allowed Twilight to move up. I know this is "old" news, but give me a break...I haven't had a blog for that long!

Big Mistake!

Okay, so in one week I am trying to can peaches, learn how to blog, and I opened up a facebook account! Am I out of my mind??? My 15 year old daughter, whom I will refer to as "Sis" on my blog wants a facebook account. So I tell her..."I will open one first, see how it goes, and then decide if you can have one." Pretty good parenting logic, don't you agree! Just didn't know how little time I would have on my hands!! FYI...Facebook is pretty fun and I think I am going to give her the approval. If anyone has heard of horror stories they would like to share, please feel free to...I probably won't tell her for a few more days.

I'm A Little Scared

Okay, I have just entered into the world of blogging! I have all these friends with blogs and spend all this time looking at your blogs....that I just thought why not just bite the bullet and get a blog myself. I am totally blog clueless, so bare with me while I experiment and figure out how to make my blog as cool as all of yours!! Any tips will certainly be appreciated!! TTFN
Melinda