Preserving the Divine institution of Marriage

I am taking a quick break from posting cute pictures of Isaac,

and cooking projects,

to talk about something that has been occupying my thoughts and time over the past couple months. Even though I am pretty sure that the only people who read my blog are family and friends who already know my opinion on Proposition 8,

I feel like I need to point out a few things that I have found out while researching the issue. I thought that I would post a few talking points that I collected from here and here, that we can bring up in our daily conversations. (I highly recommend reading both articles if you are interested in finding out more.)

Hopefully, this will help get the word out about the importance of a yes vote.

- Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage, it is not an attack on the gay lifestyle. We an have tolerance without condoning. (Just like cute little Scotty learned to do when watching Isaac attack his birthday cake.)

We can love someone while still maintaining and advocating our standards and beliefs.

As Elder Dallin H oaks has explained,

"Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another's differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one's standards or one's opinions on political or public policy choices. Tolerance is a way or reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination."

- In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits.

- While it may be true that allowing singe-sex unions may not immediately and directly affect all existing marriage, the real question is how it will affect society as a whole over time, including the rising generation and future generations. Unless Proposition 8 passes, California society will soon undergo a profound change in its basic understanding of marriage and family life. That will affect everyone in numerous ways.

- Legalizing same-sex marriage will affect a wide spectrum of government activities and policies, intended to ensure that there is no discrimination against same-sex couples. Over time, greater acceptance of nontraditional marriage will be demanded of all people. This could impact the ability of any religion to teach and practice its beliefs.

- In fact, some advocates of same-sex marriage are suggesting that tax exemption and benefits be withdrawn from any religious organization that does not embrace same-sex unions.

- Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt children. If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will be required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage. ("They are going to teach me what?")

Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages. Morality is taken completely out of the equation.

- Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt churches. The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about morality, marriage and family. We can express genuine love and friendship for homosexual family members or friends without accepting the practice of homosexuality. However, speaking out against practices with which a church disagrees on moral grounds - including same-sex marriage- will be identified as abuse, "hate speech" and discrimination.

- The prospect of same-sex marriage has already spawned legal collisions with the rights of free speech and of action based on religious beliefs. For example, advocates and government officials in certain states already are challenging the long-held right of religious adoption agencies to follow their religious beliefs and only place children in homes with both a mother and a father. As a result, Catholic Charities in Boston have stopped offering adoption services.

- The people of California voted 61-39 to make traditional marriage the law. Four activist judges overreached their authority and have ignored the will of the people. Judges are appointed to interpret and uphold the law, not to make the law.

Please do your part in defending the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. This is not about equality. It is a moral issue. We can't foresee all of the consequences if Proposition 8 fails, but we know enough to see that it is of profound importance to our religion and the future of our society that it succeeds.

"... the family is ordained of God. Marriage between a man and a woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

Happy Birthday Isaac!

Guess who is one year old!!!

We love you sweet Isaac and are so blessed to have you in our lives! Every age has been my favorite so far. I am excited to see what the next year brings.

(Yes, this is a random slide show, but it is supposed to be Isaac eating cake.)

I spent a long time on creating a birthday cake slide show, on Saturday, but when I went to post it, the code kept giving me this other persons show. Very strange and frustrating. I am working on making another one. But until then, I think that you can view the right show by going to this URL. I love technology.....

http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?source=ppsl&instanceid=124668767

First Pair of Shoes

As the seasons change and it starts to get cooler, the transition from flip flops to "real" shoes takes some getting use to. For Isaac, as the seasons change and his walking skills advance, the transition from bare feet to any shoe at all takes a lot of getting use to .

(Here is Isaac in his new front facing car seat, on the way to the shoe store.)

We went to the Stride Right outlet store and got Isaac sized for new shoes last Saturday afternoon. She originally told us that we should get him a 6 1/2 wide, so that he would have some growing room. We found a pair and put them on his feet, but they were ridiculously big. The poor boy kept stepping on his own toes as he attempted to walk across the floor. I didn't get a video of that first attempt because I was to busy catching him as he fell down, over and over.

We decided that we should try the 6W and found that there was still plenty of growing room, but not as much "tripping surface". They were a little brown boot, with a fairly stiff sole. Here he is trying to walk in them. They are a little better...but he does keep tripping over himself.

Even though we knew he would get use to walking in them eventually, be decided to look for something that was a little more flexible. We found a cute little pair of flexible tennis shoes for him. Here is his maiden voyage. He still needs to get use to them, but he did much better this time. (He did have a little extra motivation, there were some little girls in one of the isles around the corner that he really wanted to find.)

I can't believe how big he is getting. (Thanks Nana for the early Birthbay gift!)

P.S. I took all of the video and pictures with my cell phone, since I left the real cameras at home. Hey, bad quality is better than nothing.

New Couch

Yes, we did get a new couch. And, at my mom's request, here are some pictures of it for your viewing pleasure.

When we got married and were looking for free or inexpensive furniture, some friends in our ward gave use thier couches. They were hand-me-downs they had gotten from her sister when they had gotten married. They were actually in great shape for being hand-me-down, hand-me-downs. They served us well for the last three years, but for the last year, since we moved into our house, I have been looking for and longing for something fresh and better suited for our new space. (P.S. I know the picture on the wall is too high, but it is just hanging on a existing nail. I haven't wanted to hang pictures, or buy a rug, etc. until I have the couches to match them to. Thank you to Richare and Myrna for the loaner rug in the mean time.)

I found a sectional at Becks Furniture at least 9 months months ago that was the size and shape that I wanted for the room. It was reasonably price but still more than I could justify spending when we had just added a mortgage and baby to our expenses. So I waited patiently and kept my eye on the sales.

Well last week two things happened. First, we got our "economic stimulus" check. Second, the exact couch that I have wanted went on sale at a local store called "Stupid Prices". It was a good three hundred dollars less than even Becks best sale price (and was still brand new in the factory shipping wrap, not an old floor model now for sale). We debated a bit and then jumped at our chance. We wanted to do our part at "stimulating the economy", right?

Plus, I can finally start decorating my living room. (Flint made a deal with me before we made the big purchase, that we could get them if I agreed to hang pictures on the wall during the next two weeks.)

Anyway, Flint and I love it, and Isaac thinks that it is pretty fun too!

Now for those pictures on the wall...Any suggestions?

Walking

We got a DXG568 video camera this week, since the cell phone video just wasn't good enough. Maybe some day we'll fork out the money for a "real" video camera, but for now this is much better than anything we had. Plus, I can slip this one into my purse and have it whenever I need it. I played around with it on Saturday morning and got some clips of Isaac walking around the front room.



For the Grandmas who still want to see more, here is another clip. Maybe soccer is in his future?

Walkers

After Isaac had been cruising around the furniture for a while I thught about getting him one of those baby walker toys that he could push around the house. He beat me to it when he discovered the rolly chair in the office. This video clip is from when he was just starting to use it.



Now he can do his own steering, and can even reverse. The chair starts out in the office, but lately he uses it to make his way around the house. (He is doing some walking without it, but he feels a lot more in control with his walker.)

He is pretty inventive. On Sunday I let him play in one of the low cupboards while I cooked. He found the rice cooker, pulled it out of the cupbord and started pushing it around the room like a walker too. It was so funny, I stopped to catch it on viedo.



(Stay tuned for unassisted walking video.)

Tagged - Who are You?

1. Any nickname? Alli, Uncle Tom called me Sunny
2. Mother's name? Rhonda (Help me Rhonda...)
3. Favorite drink? Water (or Jamba Juice)
4. Tattoo? N0!!!
5. Body Piercings? One in each ear, but I rarely wear ear rings anymore.
6. How much do you love your job? Best job I've ever had. :)
7. Favorite vacation? Summers at Grandma's Cabin, or Hawaii
8. Favorite TV Program? Amazing Race (a new season starts Sept. 28th!!!)
9. Ever been to Africa ? Yes, Egypt (we hiked Mt. Sinai)
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Yes. I wish I could say it had only been once.
11. Ever been on TV? I was in a children's choir that sang in a Made-for-TV Movie
12 . Ever steal any traffic sign? No. But we had a lost hubcap wall in one of our college apartments.
13. Ever been in a car accident? Only a fender bender in the seminary parking lot when I was 16. Thanks mom for cleaning that one up for me.
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Flint drives my 2-door so that I can put the car seat in to the more convenient 4-door.
15. Favorite salad dressing? Orange or citrus Vinaigrette (or a homemade ranch)
16. Favorite pie? Boysenberry but last fall I discovered Apple/berry/sour cream pie with a crumb crust...yum!
17. Favorite number? 25 (I wish that I could have stayed 25 forever.)
18. All Time Favorite Movie? I can't choose. I really like the period movies like Pride and Prejudice and Wives and Daughters.
19. Favorite holiday? Christmas (probably one of those seasons where I would eat cookies for dinner. :)
20.Favorite dessert? hot, HOMEMADE cookies and milk
21. Favorite food? Fresh Mex
22. Favorite day of the week? Friday,Flint takes the night off and we get to go out.
23. Favorite Brand of Body Wash? no favorite
24. Favorite brand of toothpaste? Colgate Total
25. Favorite smell? Baking Bread (or any baked good for that matter...cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, pies....)
26. What do you do to relax? read (books, or blogs)
27. Favorite Sport? any sport where someone I know is playing. I love watching water polo.
28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? old
29. Furthest Place you will send this message?

This is another tag. I am just supposed to put an X after all of the things that I have done.

-Gone on a blind date: X (Way too many.)
-Skipped school: I don't think that I ever did unless my parents pulled me out for a vacation or Disneyland or something. Sad, I know.
-Watched someone die: no
-Been to Canada: X (Toronto and Niagara Falls)
-Been to Mexico: X (TJ and Puerto Vallarta)
-Been to Florida: X (Disney World)
-Been to the Caribbean: no, (but I've been to the Mediterranean)
-Been overseas: X (Study Abroad in Israel)
-Been on a plane: X
-Jumped out of a plane: no
-Been on a helicopter: no
-Been on a train: X
-Been lost: X (If anyone says that they have never been lost, they're lying.)
-Gone to Washington, D.C.: X -- 3 times
-Swam in the ocean - played in the ocean: X -- I love the ocean! I love to body surf and boggie board with all of the guys while the moms and other girls read on the beach
-Cried yourself to sleep: X (too many times)
-Played cops and robbers: X (I'm sure I did, but Star Wars was our game of choice growing up.)
-Recently colored with crayons: X (I was an elementary school teacher. I love crayons.)
-Sang Karaoke: X (Love it!)
-Paid for a meal with coins only: X
-Done something you told yourself you wouldn't: X (Especially when it comes to eating and sleeping in.) (refer to #10 above)
-Made prank phone calls: X (Ah, college days! (the boys dorm prank calls would crack us up)!
-Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose: X (Especially when I hung out with Heidi and Mikey, that Mikey is a crack-up)
-Caught a snowflake on your tongue: X -- Ah, college days!
-Danced in the rain: X -- Ah, college days!
-Written a letter to Santa Claus: Not that I can remember.
-Been kissed under the mistletoe: X
-Watched the sunrise with someone you care about or love: No, Flint wanted to propose to me while watching a sunrise. Instead he showed up at my house and made me breakfast in bed. (You have to get up early to watch the sunrise.)
-Blown bubbles: X (Who hasn't blown bubbles?)
-Gone ice-skating: X
-Gone snow or water Skiing: X (both, neither very successfully)
-Gone to the movies: X (but not for a long time. I average twice a year.)

There you go... If you are still reading, you know about 50 things that you never needed to know about me.