Shades Party!

SHADES Party!

Ok, so I am having a Shade Clothing Party! If you aren't familiar with Shade Clothing, they have great modest clothes! You can check them out here: http://www.shadeclothing.com/

So the party is TOMORROW - Wednesday night from 7:30pm to whenever... There will be NO presentation and there is NO sales person there. I just have a large box of clothes for trying on! It will be so fun!

Come whenever you want! AND, if you can't come, no worries! I can still take an order for you AND if you are really nice to me I will arrange a time with you to come check out the latest styles on your own! (I will have the samples for several days..)

Hope to see you soon!

YES on Prop. 8!!

For those of you who don't live in California, one of the big voting topics is Prop. 8. The topic is that of protecting marriage. We want to vote YES on Prop. 8 which would amend the California state constitution to ensure that only a marriage between a man and a woman would be legally recognized and not same-sex marriages. At first I thought this was only relating to the same-sex marriage issue. However, as I learned more about it, I realized that this proposition isn't only about the divine instituion of marriage but other rights as well!

I enjoyed this press release posted on lds.org in regards to the proposition:

"Legalizing same-sex marriage will affect a wide spectrum of government activities and policies. Once a state government declares that same-sex unions are a civil right, those governments almost certainly will enforce a wide variety of other policies intended to ensure that there is no discrimination against same-sex couples. This may well place 'church and state on a collision course.'
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 has stopped offering adoption services.
Other advocates of same-sex marriage are suggesting that tax exemptions and benefits be withdrawn from any religious organization that does not embrace same-sex unions.

Public accommodation laws are already being used as leverage in an attempt to force religious organizations to allow marriage celebrations or receptions in religious facilities that are otherwise open to the public. Accrediting organizations in some instances are asserting pressure on religious schools and universities to provide married housing for same-sex couples. Student religious organizations are being told by some universities that they may lose their campus recognition and benefits if they exclude same-sex couples from club membership."

SO you ask, HOW WOULD SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AFFECT SOCIETY?

Also from the press release:

"Perhaps the most common argument that proponents of same-sex marriage make is that it is essentially harmless and will not affect the institution of traditional heterosexual marriage in any way. “It won’t affect you, so why should you care?’ is the common refrain. While it may be true that allowing single-sex unions will not immediately and directly affect all existing marriages, the real question is how it will affect society as a whole over time, including the rising generation and future generations. The experience of the few European countries that already have legalized same-sex marriage suggests that any dilution of the traditional definition of marriage will further erode the already weakened stability of marriages and family generally. Adopting same-sex marriage compromises the traditional concept of marriage, with harmful consequences for society.

Aside from the very serious consequence of undermining and diluting the sacred nature of marriage between a man and a woman, there are many practical implications in the sphere of public policy that will be of deep concern to parents and society as a whole. These are critical to understanding the seriousness of the overall issue of same-sex marriage.

As just one example of how children will be adversely affected, the establishment of same-sex marriage as a civil right will inevitably require mandatory changes in school curricula. When the state says that same-sex unions are equivalent to heterosexual marriages, the curriculum of public schools will have to support this claim. Beginning with elementary school, children will be taught that marriage can be defined as a relation between any two adults and that consensual sexual relations are morally neutral. Classroom instruction on sex education in secondary schools can be expected to equate homosexual intimacy with heterosexual relations. These developments will create serious clashes between the agenda of the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children traditional standards of morality.

The final line in the Proclamation on the Family is an admonition to the world from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve: “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.” This is the course charted by Church leaders, and it is the only course of safety for the Church and for the nation. "

We have been asked in our ward and stake to do all we can with our means and our time to help support the passing or proposition 8. I have to admit I really didn't understand the implications of the proposition until I looked a little further. Check out this web site http://www.protectmarriage.com/ for more information on how you can help and support Proposition 8!

Here's to protecting Marriage and Family!!

The Results are IN!

Welcome to the Final RESULTS blog!



First we will determine the LIE in the game 2 Truths and 1 Lie!

The correct answer was Number 1 and 3 are TRUTHS. Ryan's schedule did change and he is now in phase 2 of the 6 month training program. There are 6 phases, so one down, 5 more to go! Also, Ryan does get really silly when he is tired. The best was that he didn't remember any of it! SO funny!

The LIE was that Ryan did not get a new calling and we are fine with that. Now, the winner...


Mom - you guessed wrong


Dad - you guessed right but you already knew the answer - DISQUALIFED


Tiff - you guessed right but since dad already knew the right answer and you copied him you are also DISQUALIFIED


Grandma - you guess wrong


Gramdpa - you guessed right but since dad already knew the right answer and you copied him you are also DISQUALIFIED


Stacey - did you make a guess? You guessed they were all true...




SO, I don't think we have a winner... However, we can go to Pink Berry together whenever you want! We'd love to have you! (We have a pink berry right by our house!)



RESULTS #2


Now, the wound story. Here were some of the best guesses:


1. Got bit by a shark


2. Sat on a curling iron


3. Sliced himself with a knife



The truth is you have now all seen an extremely close photo of Ryan's butt! He was surfing and had a hard crash. Surf board fins can be quite sharp... So, now all we have to heal is Ryan's butt wound and he'll be back in the ocean surfing with the sharks! The 2nd visit to the doc and she said it was healing fine. The skin that they would have used to close it up is gone so that is why they just left it open like that... Fun times...

It actually looks MUCH better now. It has been one week since the injury and I am surprised how much it has healed!

Thanks for playing our games!

Ouchy...

Want to play another game? Guess the body part/area... Here's the conversation we had:

Alison: Hi Ry! What are you doing?
Ryan: Uh... I'm in the bathroom...
Alison: You are just hanging out in the bathroom?
Ryan: Yeah, I guess you could say that.
Alison: What are you doing in the bathroom?
Ryan: Well, I hurt myself. I don't think it is too bad, but you might want to come home.
Alison: WHAT DID YOU DO?
Ryan: I think you better just come home

So, home I went and as soon as I saw the injury I said, yep, you need stitches! (Just as a reference point, the wound is about the length of my palm - about 3 inches long). So, off we went to the local prompt care facility. I think we would have waited longer except that our homemade band aid was totally saturated with blood.

So, the doc. said that the wound was bad but she didn't think she could do stitches because of the way it was cut. Ryan basically took a chunk out and there wasn't anything to close up. So, she said we just have to keep it clean and keep a good dressing on it. She wants to see him again on Monday to make sure it is healing right and doesn't get infected... Oh what fun.

So, they put this huge bandage on it but by the time we got home it had already bled through... So, we went over to CVS and loaded up on all sorts of gauze pads and tape and wraps and stuff. We only replaced the bandage 3 times yesterday between 4pm - 9pm... The one we did last night stayed on pretty good through the night so maybe today will be better.

So, want to play another game? Guess what area of the body Ryan's new wound is on. Have fun!

2 Truths and a Lie

Want to play my game? I have 3 things to tell about Ryan and YOU pick the lie. The winner gets the satisfaction of knowing that they won AND a free ice cream cone when you come to visit us! ;)

1. Ryan has moved out of phase 1 and into phase 2 of his FTO (Field Training Officer) program! He is really excited! In the 6 month training program, after the 6 month academy, there are 6 phases. Each phase can last from 4-6 weeks. Generally they say plan on 6 weeks. When you are ready you get to move on to the next phase. When all the phases are complete you get to go out on your own and have your own patrol car. Plus you are officially DONE with all the training! SO, of the 3 recruits that were hired with Ryan he is the first to complete phase 1 and move into phase 2. He is really excited and happy about that! PLUS, his schedule has now changed as well. T/W/Th and every other Monday from 3pm to 3am. I am more excited about that schedule than he is I think. I like having the weekends together - although I do work a lot of weekends...

2. Ryan got a new calling! He hasn't been sustained yet and he hasn't chosen his counselors yet, but he was called to be the Elders Quarm President! We were both surprised, especially because of Ryan's crazy schedule. However, now that his schedule has changed he won't have to work on Sundays so that will work out well! I think this will be good for Ryan. He won't admit it but he really likes to be in charge and get things done! Since we have been in this ward he has wished things were run differently in the EQ. I guess now is his chance to make his mark.

3. Ryan sometimes gets confused when he is really tired. Normally, when the alarm goes off Ryan rolls over and hits snooze or if he is lucky he turns it off. He worked last night and went to bed around 4:30am so I know he was tired. This morning when the alarm went off I nudged Ryan to turn off the alarm. He promptly rolled over and turned the lamp on and off. I was a little confused why he would do that and told him to just turn it off. He began pounding his hands on the bed and looking for something. When I asked him what he was looking for he said, "The TV remote, so I can turn it off!" I started to laugh and he quickly realized he was doing the wrong thing. He rolled over and turned the lamp on and then off again thinking he had solved the problem. I couldn't control the laughter now as Ryan began pounding on the bed again searching for the TV remote. At this point I was laughing so hard Ryan just gave up. He pulled the pillow over his head and was asleep before I could get the alarm off. I even rolled over Ryan to get to the alarm to turn it off and he was still asleep. I had to leave the room I was laughing so hard. I didn't want to wake him up again. Needless to say I woke up on a good note today! I wish you all could have witnessed it. It seriously was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

OK, NOW you have all the facts. Please choose carefully! 2 Truths and 1 Lie.