Check out this website that shows what Jon and I support as well.
On Saturdays we go out (with the girls) and pass out information and (#1) encourage people to vote, (#2) explain what Proposition 8 is and (#3) find people who are for Prop. 8 as well and encourage them to help out with talking to others or display yard signs. I love watching the girls run from door to door and then after we've talked to someone ask: "So was that a yes or no, Mom?" Seeing them reminds me after I've heard too many NOs why I'm doing this. I want them to be able to live in a society that honors marriage as something special.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is also working with other churches and organizations in California trying to get the proposition to pass. It's really close right now. I saw a sign on the way home from church today that said "Love Thy Neighbor: Vote No on Prop. 8" and another sign that said "Equality for All: Vote No!". When I see these signs I think of Isaiah 5: 20-"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
And then I think, "Oh right--I live in California now."
Want to learn more? This website has some great information on it and has organized much of the effort here.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Summer Summary
In reviewing our pictures I decided that we had quite the summer!
and hung out at the beach!
We said goodbye to our house in England,
went to brother Nate's wedding (where the girls were happy to be flower girls!),
visited Temple Square in Salt Lake,
where we randomly ran into some friends from England!,
went fishing (and caught 5 fish!),
went hiking with family,
celebrated a big birthday,
watched Emily get baptized,
watched Emily get baptized,
hung out with awesome friends (look, we're all with our 'babies'!)
saw sea lions at Pier 39,
had a great first day at school,
had a great first day at school,
and hung out at the beach!
Monday, August 18, 2008
No More Hacking
We are online! The first thing Jon did when we got back from our trip (post coming soon) was set up the modem. Yeah! I think I've been patient, but wow! I missed having the internet. I traveled back in time to the era when we didn't use the internet to live. I'm so glad the world has progressed--the internet is good!
I did make up quite the list of things to blog about, though, during my Dark Ages days. Here are a few things I've thought about since my last post (a month ago!):
1. Living on a budget: It's been awhile since we were on a budget. I love a good challenge and this is a good challenge for me--moving to a new house and prioritizing my list of wants (I'll share my list later).
2. Life without TV (see #1): So far, I love it! We're so busy with unpacking and enjoying the nice weather that there's no time for TV. We have a decent collection of movies when we're ready for some downtime, but it's been awhile since my last good read--I'm looking forward to cramming in some long nights of reading to catch up once the boxes are gone.
3. Moving around and living in different areas: I won't blog about this one--I have way too many opinions about it. I will say that I am glad to have had the experience of meeting so many different people. For me, it's been a good way to learn about others and open my eyes to different ways of life, opinions, cultures, politics, etc.
4. Looking for a new hobby: I get excited about doing things for other people--anonymity being the goal, but I'll do some posts on my journey to improve my little world. Here's a great article with some good links on ways to help others with little effort.
5. Family: Having just gotten back from a 10-day trip in Utah, this might be a rather lengthy post. I loved being with my family and had a fabulous time being with my mom, sister, sisters-in-law and brothers. I enjoyed seeing my brothers as fathers and husbands and to hear about their goals and how they have set up their lives with their families.
6. Friends: I know I already did a post on friends, but I love my friends!
7. Emily's baptism: Lots of thoughts on this one. It was nice taking a break from our busy summer and focusing on something important and of worth. I was excited for her as I watched her go through a process in preparation for her baptism. I'm surprised that I have already felt a difference in my relationship towards her.
We'll see how many of these actually make it to the blog as a full post, but there's a brief summary of what's on my mind when I'm not thinking about my house full of boxes.
I did make up quite the list of things to blog about, though, during my Dark Ages days. Here are a few things I've thought about since my last post (a month ago!):
1. Living on a budget: It's been awhile since we were on a budget. I love a good challenge and this is a good challenge for me--moving to a new house and prioritizing my list of wants (I'll share my list later).
2. Life without TV (see #1): So far, I love it! We're so busy with unpacking and enjoying the nice weather that there's no time for TV. We have a decent collection of movies when we're ready for some downtime, but it's been awhile since my last good read--I'm looking forward to cramming in some long nights of reading to catch up once the boxes are gone.
3. Moving around and living in different areas: I won't blog about this one--I have way too many opinions about it. I will say that I am glad to have had the experience of meeting so many different people. For me, it's been a good way to learn about others and open my eyes to different ways of life, opinions, cultures, politics, etc.
4. Looking for a new hobby: I get excited about doing things for other people--anonymity being the goal, but I'll do some posts on my journey to improve my little world. Here's a great article with some good links on ways to help others with little effort.
5. Family: Having just gotten back from a 10-day trip in Utah, this might be a rather lengthy post. I loved being with my family and had a fabulous time being with my mom, sister, sisters-in-law and brothers. I enjoyed seeing my brothers as fathers and husbands and to hear about their goals and how they have set up their lives with their families.
6. Friends: I know I already did a post on friends, but I love my friends!
7. Emily's baptism: Lots of thoughts on this one. It was nice taking a break from our busy summer and focusing on something important and of worth. I was excited for her as I watched her go through a process in preparation for her baptism. I'm surprised that I have already felt a difference in my relationship towards her.
We'll see how many of these actually make it to the blog as a full post, but there's a brief summary of what's on my mind when I'm not thinking about my house full of boxes.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
We're In!
We are finally in our house. Two of our loads showed up on Thursday--one a surprise. The day was crazy with me directing 5 movers and trying to take care of Lizzie (who had a fever) and keep the others out of the way.
This list of complaints will show you the mood I'm in: (Maybe someday my first response will be one of instant gratitude and happiness, but not today.)
-Broken things (so far--bookcase, entertainment center, clock, baby monitor, credenza and COMPUTER!!!!! You might be wondering: If I don't have a computer, then how am I doing this post? All I can say is thank goodness for work laptops and unsecured internet lines.)
-Trying to figure out how to work things in a new house (I LOVE my house, but everything comes with a thick owner's manual--even the bathrooms!!) And our phones don't work in this house!
-Boxes packed by those not thinking about the person who is unpacking it. Why are my pots and pans in the bathroom box?
-4 children who complain about being ignored and not fed
-Looking for toilet paper at 2 am
This list of complaints will show you the mood I'm in: (Maybe someday my first response will be one of instant gratitude and happiness, but not today.)
-Broken things (so far--bookcase, entertainment center, clock, baby monitor, credenza and COMPUTER!!!!! You might be wondering: If I don't have a computer, then how am I doing this post? All I can say is thank goodness for work laptops and unsecured internet lines.)
-Trying to figure out how to work things in a new house (I LOVE my house, but everything comes with a thick owner's manual--even the bathrooms!!) And our phones don't work in this house!
-Boxes packed by those not thinking about the person who is unpacking it. Why are my pots and pans in the bathroom box?
-4 children who complain about being ignored and not fed
-Looking for toilet paper at 2 am
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Friends
I have good friends--really good friends! I missed them--a lot--after I moved. I was so excited to be back in America because I knew I'd be able to see some friends and talk to others on the phone at normal hours of the day. My first week back was fun and showed me again why they are such good friends. Whether at the park or on the phone or eating yummy food together I have loved being surrounded by them once again. Let me tell you about them. They are great moms! They adore their husbands. They are intelligent. I'm inspired to be a better person and try a little harder after talking to them and being with them. I would love to get them all together (they're spread out everywhere) for a big book club because I like hearing their thoughts. They let me talk and talk when I just need to talk and talk! They like my kids and I like theirs. They have a vision for their future, and even if life goes a different direction, they remain positive. They make me laugh! They are fantastic people!
I like Emily's dilemma--can't we just take all the people we like with us whenever we move? I would live in the best neighborhood (one that's overpriced and with small houses, but who cares if my friends are my neighbors!)
I like Emily's dilemma--can't we just take all the people we like with us whenever we move? I would live in the best neighborhood (one that's overpriced and with small houses, but who cares if my friends are my neighbors!)
Thoughts about Adjusting
It's the little things that are making me realize that I am back in America: driving, the plethora of choices of stores and restaurants, easily pulling into parking spaces and walking around in big stores with anything I could possibly think of right at my fingertips. England is feeling very, very far away right now. It feels like I took a long trip, and I'm wondering-did I really set up life there only to disassemble it so quickly? I read some books about repatriating before we left, so I feel somewhat prepared for this adjustment period. In my book reading I learned that friends/family have about a 20 minute attention span when talking about the overseas experience. (Thankfully, I have friends and family whose attention span lasts longer--must be a sign of higher intelligence.) I'm not a very sentimental person (much too practical for sentiments), so though I am missing some things about England, I'm seeing that I can incorporate "a bit" our British lifestyle here. I am missing my cute reusable bags that are sitting in a box somewhere. I am carrying things I buy instead of bagging them. (Every time Em sees a plastic bag she says, "Did you know that when plastic bags rot there's a chemical that comes out and it can give us cancer?")
I am missing my walking community. Walking around town gave me a purpose or a reward for my walking. I could walk to the grocery store, post office, clothing store, book store, gift shop, Blockbuster, library, bakery, toy store, dry cleaners, model village and be gone for just a short time. I know where the walking communities are in our CA area and I'm excited to explore them. The school is within walking distance and new bikes for the whole family are on the list of things to purchase soon.
We ate healthier and I definitely would like to continue that and here's why:
-food prices are up so why not spend our money on food that gives us the best nutrients?
-I started thinking about where our food comes from and trying to make responsible choices--free range eggs and meat
-I'm excited to find our local CA farmer's markets and support food that's grown closer to home and start a garden of our own
I also have thoughts about gas prices. Some positive things have come because of rising gas prices. So what if the motivating factor is money and not really wanting to save the earth? People are changing habits to use less gas, including me, and that's a good thing.
I have a lot of other thoughts as I begin my settling in process. I'm sure they will continue and most of them will be private, but these are ones that I'm excited about because it makes me feel like our experience isn't over.
I am missing my walking community. Walking around town gave me a purpose or a reward for my walking. I could walk to the grocery store, post office, clothing store, book store, gift shop, Blockbuster, library, bakery, toy store, dry cleaners, model village and be gone for just a short time. I know where the walking communities are in our CA area and I'm excited to explore them. The school is within walking distance and new bikes for the whole family are on the list of things to purchase soon.
We ate healthier and I definitely would like to continue that and here's why:
-food prices are up so why not spend our money on food that gives us the best nutrients?
-I started thinking about where our food comes from and trying to make responsible choices--free range eggs and meat
-I'm excited to find our local CA farmer's markets and support food that's grown closer to home and start a garden of our own
I also have thoughts about gas prices. Some positive things have come because of rising gas prices. So what if the motivating factor is money and not really wanting to save the earth? People are changing habits to use less gas, including me, and that's a good thing.
I have a lot of other thoughts as I begin my settling in process. I'm sure they will continue and most of them will be private, but these are ones that I'm excited about because it makes me feel like our experience isn't over.
Friday, June 27, 2008
We've Returned!
Just a quick post about our return to America. The girls did well on the plane, though not much sleeping ocurred due to excitement. We received plenty of positive comments from passengers and the flight attendants and the girls were proud (righteously proud, of course) of themselves.
Morning started early today (3 am) and we enjoyed a good American breakfast thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. The girls have had fun going down memory lane--playing with Grandma's toys, watching missed PBS shows and visiting with cousins.
Here's what our list of things to do looked like in England:
-get rid of lots of food (one mover had to rip open one box when he realized he had packed some food items , everything was taken out until he found the culprits--a bottle of corn syrup, a bottle of vanilla and a tiny bottle of almond extract. I thought our whole shipment was done for!
-try to rent vans and end up quoting lines from Seinfeld to help us through the experience (It took two vans to get our family and luggage to the London airport; it took one American-size van to pick everything up from the Chicago airport.)
-sell van (4 day process)
-take loose change in to bank (1 hour before we left for the airport Jon took a big ziploc bag full of our UK coins to the bank, parked illegally and went in to find long queues. A bank manager came over to Jon to speed up the line, saw his big bag of change and said, "What do you want to do with that?" Jon's reply: "I want to deposit this." "You can't do that here! You'll have to seperate each denomination into these little bags." Apparently the automated coin counting machines have not yet made it to the UK. Jon survived the ordeal laughing.)
-try not to get kicked out of hotel (Hannah reached a breaking point very late at night which was loud enough for her to be quickly removed from the hotel by Jon--he took her on a drive. Sadly, the move has been hard for her to understand.)
-Forward our mail to the US (it costs $15 a month versus our free year from the US)
Here's what our list of things to do looks like in Chicago:
-See friends!!!!
-Pack up house
-Enjoy driving our very missed van
-Go to Wildberrys (a great place for breakfast)
-Go to Portillos (a great place for lunch)
-Go to Giordano's (a great place for dinner)
-Go to Target!
-Go outlet shopping
-Go see Wall-e
-And some boring stuff thrown in there about selling a house, closing on a house, coordinating shipping cars, finding out when all of our stuff arrives--but who cares, 'cuz we're home!!!
Morning started early today (3 am) and we enjoyed a good American breakfast thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. The girls have had fun going down memory lane--playing with Grandma's toys, watching missed PBS shows and visiting with cousins.
Here's what our list of things to do looked like in England:
-get rid of lots of food (one mover had to rip open one box when he realized he had packed some food items , everything was taken out until he found the culprits--a bottle of corn syrup, a bottle of vanilla and a tiny bottle of almond extract. I thought our whole shipment was done for!
-try to rent vans and end up quoting lines from Seinfeld to help us through the experience (It took two vans to get our family and luggage to the London airport; it took one American-size van to pick everything up from the Chicago airport.)
-sell van (4 day process)
-take loose change in to bank (1 hour before we left for the airport Jon took a big ziploc bag full of our UK coins to the bank, parked illegally and went in to find long queues. A bank manager came over to Jon to speed up the line, saw his big bag of change and said, "What do you want to do with that?" Jon's reply: "I want to deposit this." "You can't do that here! You'll have to seperate each denomination into these little bags." Apparently the automated coin counting machines have not yet made it to the UK. Jon survived the ordeal laughing.)
-try not to get kicked out of hotel (Hannah reached a breaking point very late at night which was loud enough for her to be quickly removed from the hotel by Jon--he took her on a drive. Sadly, the move has been hard for her to understand.)
-Forward our mail to the US (it costs $15 a month versus our free year from the US)
Here's what our list of things to do looks like in Chicago:
-See friends!!!!
-Pack up house
-Enjoy driving our very missed van
-Go to Wildberrys (a great place for breakfast)
-Go to Portillos (a great place for lunch)
-Go to Giordano's (a great place for dinner)
-Go to Target!
-Go outlet shopping
-Go see Wall-e
-And some boring stuff thrown in there about selling a house, closing on a house, coordinating shipping cars, finding out when all of our stuff arrives--but who cares, 'cuz we're home!!!
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