I have known about Govenor Palin for a couple of months, but didn’t have a real grasp on who she really was.  There aren’t too many women in politcs that I have any affection for, so my interest was minimal.  As she was thrust into the spotlight, I took a more focused view on the woman that could be the next vice-president of the United States.  After going to my favorite realiable sources of information, I decided to see what the devil’s advocate (literally) had to say about her.  I went to www.moveon.org, a progressive, liberal public policy group.  The main financier of this website, George Soros calls the United States a danger to world peace and blames Israel for anti-Semitism.  If the ACLU was Jane Fonda, Moveon.org would be Michael Moore. 

Here is what Mr. Soros would like you to know about Govenor Palin:

She was elected Alaska’s governor a little over a year and a half ago.  Which means she has more executive experience than the Democrats nomination for PRESIDENT.

Palin is strongly anti-choice.  This is what I would call pro-life.  It is nice to know we have a candidate who values life.  Enough so, that when she was pregnant with her last child, which was found to have Down’s Syndrome, she decided that this was a gift from God, not a punishment. 

Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.  The last time I checked, evolution was still a theory.  If we were really being fair and balanced wouldn’t we present both sides of the story?  What are darwinists afraid of? 

She’s doesn’t think humans are the cause of climate change.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the all the great extinctions that happened before, were not caused by humans inhabiting the earth.  What makes us so ecotistical to think that we are the cause of the next?

She’s solidly in line with John McCain’s energy policy. She’s pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won’t be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species.  She was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.  Sounds to me like she has some common sense.  No matter what the dems say, renewables won’t be ready for 10+ years.  How many of you want to pay these gas prices for the next 10 years?  Gov. Palin also knows a little about history and economics.  First of all, Alaska was granted statehood in 1959 for its beauty natural resources.  If the state were allowed to access those natural resources, it could be one of the wealthiest states of the union.  As far as our polar bear friends are concerned, putting them on the endangered species list was one of the greatest scams on the American people.  For the record, since 1972, the polar bear population has increased from approximately 5,000 to 25,000.  By putting them on the endangered species list, Alaska is now virtually a no drill zone.  Now, why would we want energy independence if that meant hurting some of the polar bears and caribou?

 So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She’s a global warming denier who shares John McCain’s commitment to Big Oil. And she’s dramatically inexperienced.   All the more reason I like her.  I really, really like her.

The last 48 hours have been very unsettling for me.  Here are just a few of the many thoughts that have demanded my mental energy since Thursday night:

Mitt Romney cannot be picked for VP.  I am not ready to fight the religious persecution Obama’s machine and the evangelical world will pump out.

Despite what my gay, liberal friend/hairdresser says, there is a difference between socialism and charity.  One is forced upon you, and the other originates from love and choice. 

When did socialism become a cool thing?

Do people read history?  Apparently not–because it seems our destiny is to repeat it. 

How can 84,000 people cheer for a man who wants to fundamentally change our country?

That’s right!  I want to be on my own!  The life I can create “on my own” is much better that the one the government would force upon me.

Let’s see here,  I think I have voted on this issue before–and I am proud to say I chose the better plan.  The one where we each get agency,  even though we knew there would be joy and misery, laughter and sadness, love and hate.

How does a man rise to such a level, in such a short time.  Could it be the company he keeps?

Wow!  John McCain sure knows how to keep a secret!

Would everyone stop calling me!  I need a few hours to gather my thoughts.

I like her!  I really, really like her.

Sarah Palin is the first real conservative to grace this election.  (and yes, that does include Romney)

This quote is on my son’s classroom wall.  It brought me great comfort this week.

“The works and the designs and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught.”

This is Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind:

This is Not:

Again—-

 This is our Savior:

This is Not:

Have a wonderful 4th of July.  I will be celebrating Life, Liberty and the guarantee Pursuit of Happiness.

Are you prepared?  I am NOT, but am making it a priority to get it together!

While at our girls get together one thing that we talked in depth about was being prepared.  I knew that the first thing I was going to do when I got home was pull out my 72 hour kits and revamp them.  All I have is food, and it needs to be rotated and I need to add all the rest of the stuff to complete my kits. 

Starting this process is overwhelming  to say the least.  I am going to do it in “baby” steps, and I thought by posting my steps it may help some of you to get going so your not left out in the cold.  I have done some research on the net and have found some great info.  But like I said trying to round everything up at once is too overwhelming.  So…….I am going to start with the clothing and bedding category.

Here is what I am putting in this category.

• Short sleeved shirt
• Long sleeved shirt
• Pants
• Jacket
• 2 x socks
• 2 x undies
• Rain coat/poncho
• Emergency Solar Blanket

I am going to rummage through the play clothes, and what I don’t have I will be making a trip to the D.I.  I will collect everything in a box until I get to the next phase of packing the kits.  If there is something I need to buy that won’t be at the D.I. like the solar blanket, I will put it on my “To Buy” list as I know there will be other things that will be added to list as I get to other categories.  I am thinking about going through our blankets.  I know we have some really thin fleece ones that would be light and pack easily as an addition to this category.

If anyone has anything to add to clothing and bedding category, or if you have any tips for this category I’d love to hear them.

It came to my town today! It makes me downright sick. What has our society come to that we can’t even go to town without seeing it posted everywhere. I have very little tolerance for the scheming behind it. I know that there is a solution but due to the pockets it’s filling there will be nothing done. Poke me and I will go on all day but for now- the oil business, and the oil owners are eating Fillet Mignon, and I will be eating Mac and Cheese.

 Today it is “Four” Dollars a gallon, tomorrow ?

So Father’s day is approaching, and I have been receiving some not so subtle hints. . . am I the only one who needs things spelled out for me?  I have to admit I am not a great party planner, I have grand visions which usually get procrastinated until it is no longer possible to pull it off.  I always get more from the hubby on holidays than he gets from me. . . hmmm.   

So I pull up to the computer the other day and its opened to the page of a certain item my husband has mentioned before that he wants.  Intentional?  Maybe. 

We were walking through a sportsman store Saturday, and he makes a point to go look at the watches and points to one, and says “If you were ever going to buy me a watch, that is the one I want.”

So I take mental note, thinking to myself, great I could get it for Christmas. . . until a few days later I realize that fathers day is coming and that was an obvious hint. 

Am I really that clueless? Yes

So maybe the hints have to be obvious. 

This is my cue to go and make a purchase and plan something nice.  Wish me Luck!!

When I was younger, I was oblivious to the reality of how challenging life truly can be; however, over the past several years, and this past year in particular, I have become increasingly aware of this reality. It is so difficult to watch loved ones in the midst of their personal Gethsemane’s. From friends suffering from painful, life-threatening illness; to the death of a spouse; or the loss of a precious little one, my heart hurts for them. Why do such good people have to suffer so much? There are plenty of bad people in the world who deserve to suffer, but why is it that the good and faithful suffer so? While these thoughts have left me feeling down and discouraged, I found a few passages that brought some comfort and greater understanding as to the necessity of trials in our life.

• Sometimes in the midst of trials we cry out, “What have I done wrong to deserve this?” Often, tribulation comes into our lives not because we are doing something wrong but because of what we are doing right. We are striving for the purification and sanctification that will lead us to exaltation. We all must pass through a certain amount of fire so that our spirits will be changeable in the hands of the Lord.

• President Spencer W. Kimball once said ” “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.”

• “Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.” D&C 58

• “To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow” (“Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17).

What a blessing to know that we will not be given any trial which we cannot bear. However, in life, there will be trials too difficult to bear on our own. We CANNOT bear them without the help of the Savior. I love the saying “you never STAND taller than when you KNEEL”. The Savior can lift us up in the midst of great adversity and affliction if we turn to Him and have Faith in His wisdom and plan for us, however limited our understanding may be.

Okay so I am looking for some fun inexpensive ideas for our main dish at our church Enrichment Night.  Every summer we do an outdoor BBQ/picnic type thing, and last year they did kabobs.  I don’t love the idea of hamburgers or hot-dogs.  It would be nice to have something a little more classy, but not a killer for the budget. 

It is a Garden themed evening with gardening classes.  If anyone was impressed by something they have had at a similar setting I would love to hear your suggestions.  Share, oh Share! 

I love my gym.  It is big and beautiful.  It has a full service spa, a yummy cafe, and doesn’t stink.  It also has an amazing child care center with a mini basketball court, computer room, and the friendliest staff I have ever seen in an overcrowded Utah care facility.  The other day, I added another item to my list:

Eye Candy:

Flashback to the year 2002, Winter Olympic Games. 

I have never really been into the winter Olympics except for maybe the figure skating.  That winter we were living in Texas and I was suddenly home sick for Utah.  The first week of the games, I came down with a nasty flu that sent me to bed for about eight days.  I started watching coverage of the games, trying to spot any familar sights in the background.  After a few hours I actually got interested in the competitions.  I got on the internet and read up on all the favorites.  The Dallas Morning News published a special Olympics section the described in detail all the happenings for that day.  Every morning I had a list of athletes I was going to cheer on.  It didn’t take long for me to focus in on one particular competitor.  

You see, I kind of have this thing for Japanese men.  Apollo Ohno was young, hip and definitly hot.  He was America’s hope for gold in the speed skating competitions.  He ended up winning gold in the 1500m and a silver in 1000m races. 

Back to 2008: 

So there I was, refilling my water bottle after a grueling workout.  I was a sweaty, fuzzy-haired, no make-up mess.  I looked up and noticed a short, well built Asian man with a beanie on his head.  He looked at me (ahh!!), I looked at him, and for a split second I thought I recognized him.  After he ran past me, I found an employee to validate what I thought I just saw.  “Is that short guy with the beanie Apollo Ohno?”, I asked.  “Yea”, he replied.  “You didn’t know that he trains here?”  Uhhhhh no! 

So an ordinary Wednesday at the gym turned out to be worth it after all. 

If any of you single girls out there want to get a look at Apollo with your own eyes, I know the time and the place. 

It’s no secret I’m a sugar girl. My friend & I used to take a half gallon of ice cream to the park with a knife and two spoons.  We’d cut it in half, and finish it off the whole thing.  Of course that was in the days of faster metabolisms. 

Cookies have always been a weakness for me.  Here was my usual routine:

• Make cookie dough.  Eat too much.  Make myself sick
• Bake cookies & eat just one.  Maybe two. Can’t handle more because I ate too much dough & want to chuck.
• Dread having to bake the cookies by the time I put the second pan in the oven.  Get careless and start burning some.  End up throwing a couple pans away.
• Groan at the huge mess in my kitchen.
• Curse myself for the stupid idea of making cookies.  It was so not worth it.  Leave the mess to clean up tomorrow. 

I did that for years.  A couple decades even.  But last year I wised up & started a new routine.

I came across a great recipe for freezer cookies.  Now I make a big batch, bake 1-2 trays, and separate and freeze the rest.  I still have a mess to clean when I make the dough.  But then I have 4-5 more nights when I can throw cookies in with only one tray to clean.  It is also nice to have a quick treat to whip up when you have company.  Or something to give a neighbor or friend in need of some cheering.   

Here is the recipe I use:

Ann’s Freezer Cookies

• 2 c. brown sugar
• 2 c. white sugar
• 2 c. (4 cubes) butter or margarine
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanila
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 c. flour
• 5 c. oats
• 1 bag of chocolate chips (I also throw in peanut butter chips, M&M’s, nuts, or whatever I have around)

Directions: Mix brown and white sugar and butter.  Add eggs and vanilla, and mix.  Then add all dry ingredients and mix again.  Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.  (My oven bakes hot, so I do 365.) 

*Wrap remaining dough in wax paper and aluminum foil, and freeze.