haters? really?

Yahoo is my home page, since I use yahoo email.  Occasionally one of the main headlines catches my attention.  This one did.  It's an article about how my church is changing its add campaign.  I've seen the "old" ones where they say something like "Family. Isn't it about time?" or something.  A little cheezy, but there's a phone # where viewers can get a free Bible or Book of Mormon or can find out more for themselves.  (You really can get a free one or both by the way.) 

So the new adds are being run in select cities, and online, of course, saying that we're regular people, not gay haters or polygamists.  Here's the example used in the article:

The point of me bringing it up is to say how crazy most of the comments are under the article!  Wow.  I knew we were a "peculiar" or "misunderstood" religion, but I had no idea that SO many people have such bad stories or opinions.  How sad.  Maybe there really is a reason for the "we're regular people" adds.

The whole point is that you should ask us.  I love that our religion promotes finding out for ourselves.  The church is putting so much online now that people can do their own research if they want to before talking to the honest young missionaries.  I honestly don't take full advantage of all my church has to offer.  I went visiting teaching with my grandma last night and as I flipped through this month's Ensign magazine, I wanted to read most of the articles!  One article had a picture of a guy running, which appealed to me since I'm training for the marathon. It was on finding ballance, which I always struggle with (it's almost 2am and I'm side tracked while uploading photos as an example).  It's called "All Things in Wisdom and Order."  I like the wise counsel from King Benjamin.  You should read the article to get the whole idea, but here's the scripture:

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27).

Elder John C. Taggart, the article's author, broke down the scripture into duty, persistence, capacity, balance, and priority or seasonality.  I've been listening to self help books on my long runs (b/c they are SUCH a waste of time for a multi-tasker like myself), but I should get the conference talks' and Ensign Article MP3s too.  There is seriously good wisdom in them.  (Duh I know, but it relates to self help books and it all goes together for me.)

So the point of my ramblings this time, is that I just don't see how people can be so quick to judge or say crazy things like that!  There are 2,258 comments so far and I am not one of them.  I'm all for voicing your opinion, but I just didn't know there was this much negativity.  It also made me realize that I should be careful with my own comments in case they could be taken the wrong way.  I am guilty too. OK, back to editing baby Shaylyn's 9 month portraits:)

Wordless Wednesday

"Ooga Booga" . . . . . "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

My little baby boy went from crawling,

to dancnig around with glee because A says aaaaaaaaah, and he made a match!

My friend Danielle told me about the Leap Frog fridge letters, which didn't make that good of an impression at my house, but now, after Marcie told me about the Leap Frog movie that goes with it, and the flash cards, we have a break dance through! 

Isaac loves making matches, like his super heros to the super heros in his books, so now he recognizes letters, and matches their magnet with their flash card, with their sound, with the dollar store wall-alphabet thingy. 

then he's over it before I can video it, and goes to play on the couch. 

Dylan seems to think that he already knows them, and it's not as exciting for him.  He doesn't know them all, and he's a little frustrated I think.  I do try to have patience with him, but sometimes I can tell that he's not consentrating and is distracted or is looking at photos instead of at the letters I'm pointing to.  It's a fun time for us, lots of potential for learning! 

But why are there so many dificult things to reading, I mean capitols, lower cases, different fonts with wierd looking "a"s and "g"s, and all of the letter sounds (not just one per letter.)  Dylan gets irritated that the colors on the flash cards do not match the letters on the movie.  He likes everything to be in order. 

Field Trip Friday #1 - Dinosaur World

8/6/2010

Last summer, we went on a lot of Field Trip Fridays.  Today, Steven took the day off after his morning court.  He called us and told us to make sandwiches, get dressed, get waters, and put shoes on b/c we're going to DINOSAUR WORLD!  Dylan still remembers when he went about a year and a half ago with Steven and Isaac.  I just checked that post, and Dylan wore the orange dino shirt that Isaac is wearing.   This was my first time. 

Dylan said "A dinosaur foot Mom, take a picture!"  Maybe he wants to be a little model when he grows up.  I should start a portfolio for him.  Maybe not with this photo, but it's funny b/c he knows how to keep me happy:)

We ate lots of graham crackers and water.  We got there at lunch time. 

I love my goofy-at-times husband. 

We went to the play ground for a while to get good and sweaty and dirty. 

We ate our PB&Js and almost drank the rest of our water. 

Poor Dylan was almost in tears begging to go "cool off" in this mister, but mainly wanted to go to the bathroom to wash his hands.  Isaac stayed in the mist enough to get pretty soaked. 

Oh no, Daddy is in the dino's mouth! 

Everybody wanted a chance to get eaten.  Dylan bonked his head here, after he bonked his shin on the play ground, and before Isaac tripped and bonked his head on the cement.  Good thing they're tough:)

2Dylan joined us!  We went to the beach with him on Wednesday, then he went to Busch Gardens yesterday, and to Dinosaur World today.  How fun!!

It's difficult to watch all 6 kids at once.  Noah didn't read the memo about staying on this side of the ropes. 

The boys ran ahead and the 4 of us girls stayed back with baby Shaylyn. 

I tried feeding Noah to the T-Rex. 

And everybody else wanted to touch it as well, a couple of times.  (As if I wasn't hot enough already.)  

Group shot, minus Steven our hero of the day. 

They were serious about excavating. 

I'm hoping the kids don't have night mares about this boardwalk section. 

I'll distract you too with photos of these best friends. 

I'm picturing using these photos for when they both get their Eagle Scout awards in 12 or so years.

Won't that be so cute!  They're growing up together, the two Dylans. 

Noah and Isaac will have their own slide shows, for their high school graduation slide show. 

The end. 
(I'm so happy to have this blogged today, the day we went!  Fast computers rock.)

Lido Beach

8/4/10

My new photoshop is almost here.  Until then, I decided to stop getting so far behind with blogging, so here you go, all SOOC even though these could at least use some good cropping. 

Jolyn invited me to the beach on Wednesday because she schudeled a Relief Society (church women's organization) outing.  Even though it's over an hour away and I live like 15 min from the beach, I couldn't think of a good reason not to go.  Unless I decided to count cleaning up the grilled chicken pieces that Isaac left on his plate at his little table last night.  That can wait.  We have a bug guy.

So we put in the Letter Factory (thanks for the tip, Marcie) and sang "A says a, B says b . . . " all the way down. 

Dylan's nose has a cut from an accidental toy throwing episode yesterday.  He doesn't blame Malia, but he wanted a band-aid with "that white stuff that makes it all better that you put on the band-aid pleeeeeeeeease." I took this picture, then left my camera in the car.  The locked and ear-shot alarmed car.  I am still worried about sand, so I don't take it out unless I can asure its safety.  Which I did, after Jolyn got there. 

The kids play so well together now. 

Smile:)

We like ths family:)

Shaylyn ate her share of sand. And loved it:)

That's why she had to go sit in the water with her matching skinny mommy.

I can't get enough of her.

I gave her mom this scrabble tile necklace from her 6 month photoshoot. 

Her dad requested that I single out her blue eyes like this. 

I'm now offering these to my clients for only $15!  That's such a good deal. 

My friend makes them with my images that you choose from our session. 

White kid can JUMP!

Isaac was really playing with 2Dylan's boogie board.  Of course there were no waves, but he kicked with it, and even got a little bit of a rash on his chest.  I'll pack a rash guard for him next time. 

This is Malia.  She found these little conch shells, and was gathering crowds.  She showed strangers out in the water, and her friends on land. 

I love how the kids are old enough to work and play together.

Hi babies!

 (YOU try to get them to all look up into the cloudy bright sky at once.)

See Malia's conch cridder collection?  There were live animals in there.

I could have stayed all day, but we had naps to take, swimming lessons to teach, and Young Womanhood Recognition Ceramonies over which to preside.  So, afer rinsing all of the toys, and saying our good byes, we filed to the showers, the little kids got nude (Isaac was not in that order, and Jolyn texted me that a kid told his mom that he had just seen a naked kid - MY naked kid).  Anyway, I put their clothes in little piles and had them each go get dressed.  It's so nice that Dylan and Malia don't need me, and Isaac and Noah try. 

  It still takes a while leaving the beach, but it's so worth it:)  We love Florida!