Kid Quotes and More!

At school today, Jefferson was asked what he would do if he were President.

I asked him, "What would you do?"

"Give food." was his simple reply.

"Who would you give it to?" I inquired.

"All the people." given matter-of-factly.

Clearly I was distracting him. Cyber Chase was on. .

"Where would you get the food?" I pressed, interested.

"At Macey's." he said without missing a beat.

: )

It makes perfect sense, after all. Where else would you get FOOD, but at a grocery store?

 

The other day, one of our sons, who shall remain nameless, was . . in the bathroom. I wouldn't mention this incident, but it's just too hilarious to pass up.

Anyway, this boy decided to open the window, as people sometimes do, to air things out a bit. . .

Well, as luck would have it, Aleia and Jeffy were in the backyard, simultaneously amusing themselves by throwing snowballs at the house. I don't get it either. You'd think they'd be throwing them at each other. . .

But sadly, and by pure coincidence, one of them lobbed a snowball just a little too accurately, and sailed it clean through the open window, right into aforementioned unfortunate big brother's lap. : ) He let us know.

I ask you, what are the odds?

Could your day get any worse? : ) Pardon me while I stifle a big grin.

 

Recently Tommy was pondering his upcoming birthday. I say upcoming because it takes place sometime in the next 6 months. Kids, you know. . . They like to plan ahead. So responsible! : ) Presents, presents, presents!

Anyway, all Tommy wants are movies. He's made a big, long list of a hundred or so of his favorites. He decided to be diplomatic and let us know in all seriousness, and in advance. . . that

"Do what you can do. . but wide screen is preferred."

: )

That boy is in for a rude awakening come June 5th!

 

Jeffy, a while back, was looking at me threw a glass prism he'd concocted out of thin air. I don't know how he got it. I was sure I'd hidden it away in our closet. . .

He stood on the piano bench and made the astounded observation:

"Wow, I see a ton o' Mamas!"

I laughed and told him it was just me.

"Well. ." he said, undaunted, "You've got like a thousand sisters!"

: ) Ha ha ha. Isn't he cute!

 

Today, at Kindergarten, a couple of kids were quarreling.

When reprimanded, the first responded with the traditional. .

"He started it!"

The other countered, pouting. . .

"And he hit me second!"

Such pure entertainment!

You could hang out at the school all day, and never stop laughing!

Necessary and Proper?

The Necessary and Proper Clause, or Elastic Clause, as stated at the end of Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution, is clearly a concern, in light of recent and ongoing events. Elastic indeed! This clause states that one of the purposes/privileges of Congress is "to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, (which are many and varied) and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." Wow. That kind of leaves it wide open, doesn't it. They can pretty much do whatever they want, as long as they can convince people that whatever it is . . is "necessary and proper".

Personally, I'm not sure that the stimulating bailout plan is/was necessary OR proper in the eyes of the public majority. I am still confused as to how and why this bill came into being so fast, and was shoved through Congress with such incredible speed. Something's not right here, and this problem comes to mind again when I read about the Elastic Clause: "This has historically been a very important phrase in the Constitution, because it has allowed the national government to expand its powers into a variety of areas that were not anticipated by the founders." Again, I'm not sure that this is/was a good thing. The concerns of many people are being laid by the wayside as a thing of naught. I don't mind our Representatives and Senators voting on the stimulus package, if they're doing it in a 'necessary and proper' fashion. But I, and many of those in our circle of influence, do not agree that this has happened. I find these recent events, with regard to our government interfering in the financial sector, disturbing and very much UNnecessary.

http://www.frc.org/washingtonupdate/haste-makes-stimulus-waste

http://www.lonsberry.com/writings.cfm?story=2568&go=4

Another point of interest: Yesterday or today I caught a talk show that I can't seem to place. I wish I had written down the link. In a nutshell, someone was pointing out that not only did Sarah Palin cut spending for Alaska again, but that the state of Alaska, under her leadership, has a significant amount of money in savings. Enough money, evidently, to carry them through at least 2 years of diminished oil profits, due to the reduced gasoline prices. They don't NEED or necessarily want the bailout money. Their state's economy doesn't need to be 'stimulated' because they have taken the old-fashioned, common sense approach and saved for a rainy day. And now the governor, Governor Palin, has wisely cut spending to match the money coming in. I believe it's called 'balancing the budget'. Seems pretty responsible.

Discussion Quote

This brilliant kid in my Political Science class summed it up nicely. I couldn't agree more.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29231797/

"Billionaire Wilbur L. Ross Jr., who has rescued numerous failed companies in the steel and other industries, said Monday that GM can’t be cost competitive with Japanese automakers with such a heavy debt burden."
So, why don't we move the industry towards a new direction? Why don't we stop the bleeding now.. and let the market run its course? I think we'd all be in a much better position. If there's anything that this generation learns from a rough recession, I hope we learn how to set ourselves apart as being more financially responsible than those who went before us. I think what I've learned in this course, is just how political this corporate stimulating handout package has become. We need to study the past, and take the necessary steps in getting us back on the right track. I find it fairly humorous to try to count all the anonymous economic experts that are giving the associated press all this inside information, and we eat every last crumb of it.
I can't help but wonder what Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Mason might've thought about the nation in its current condition. I doubt it would be very fond."

What they must think of us.

Brazilian Grill and Sundance Memories

A couple of weeks ago, Charlie and I got to go out to dinner, courtesy of Coca-Cola! His office crew likes to have a New Year's office get-together, rather than try to squeeze it in during the holidays. And I am totally okay with this. As everyone knows, the holidays are CRAZY. Anyway, this particular time, they'd picked the Rodizio Grill downtown at Trolley Square. Faaaantastic! Wow, wow, wow. We had a lot of fun! I kid you not. Here was my Facebook comment that evening:

"Amy has died and gone to Heaven! Rodizio Grill rocks! Amy would like to LIVE at Rodizio Grill. Torta de Limao!"

Indeed! : ) Key lime, Baby! Yum, yum, yum!

My brother has talked about his visits to Brazil, how they're always cooking up yummy meat kabobs. A favorite meal, evidently. . or rather expected fare in times of celebration. . saaay, when you have guests! : ) He wasn't kidding. (Next time he heads down there, I'm going with!)

And, believe it or not, we ended up sitting next to the U of U football team!

You know, the team that just kicked some serious tush at the Sugar Bowl. . . Yep! There they were, just a table away, having dinner with their families! One of the guys has some cute little twins. Guess we picked a pretty good restaurant! : ) Though I'm not too sure that I'm real fond of the quail's eggs. . .

Amazing though, aint' it! We had dinner with Coca-Cola, good friends, AND the University of Utah football team. : ) It don't get much better than THAT!

A bit later, after walking around a bit at the mall, which BTW, is amazing, (all red brick interior. . . and a pop can sculpture to beat all pop-can sculptures, hanging from the ceiling. . .) we did a rare thing, and decided, spontaneously, to head up to Park City! The last night of the Sundance Film Festival.

I have 2 words for you. SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL! Okay, 3. : )

It was so cool! We walked around for a while, checked out the sights, mostly on historic Main Street. Wowwwww! Incomparable ambiance. Quaint little restaurants, art galleries every 10 feet. . . It's soooo beautiful! And with the snow, quite lit up, even at night. Magical would be a better word. Many of the trees are still intricately decorated with Christmas lights. . . I wouldn't be surprised if they leave them up all season long. Who knows! All I know is, ya sure don't need sleep when you're up there!  : ) Best date we've been on in a while. I think when we retire, someday in the future when we're old and gray, maybe we'll get a little cabin up somewhere close to Deer Valley. . . Sigh.

There are no words. : )

Well, anyway, I'm too tired to think of them.

Wish to heck I'd thought to grab the camera. . .

Valentine's Day, Bay-bay!

Well, it's that time of year! Or was, last week. I always enjoy Valentine's Day. . . with it's sugar cookies, hot pink balloons. . . it's romance. . . : )

This year Charlie and I went out to eat at a fun, quirky restaurant called Buca di Beppo's. Faaaaan-spankin'-tastic stuffed mushroom appetizers! I don't know what they put in them, but sa-weet Mama, they were good! Laena and Diego made it over to the Sweetheart Dance the week before. . . Laena's so cute. She decided to make her own dress! : ) Again, hot pink. Just like last year's Prom.

Such a festive holiday! I always like to make Valentine cookies, and decorate them with all kinds of candy and sprinkles. So much fun! : ) When I was a kid, my Mother would bake these huge, cake pan-sized, personalized sugar cookies on V Day, and then leave them on the front porch, ring the door bell, and run. She liked to say that the Valentine Fairy must have left them there. : ) It's a cute little tradition that we like to perpetuate. Charlie took it to a new level a few years ago, when he decided to leave us all little presents, with our names on 'em, scattered around the living room on V-Day morning. LOVE it! That year he picked up a print of the truest representative of love, The Savior, tenderly instructing a small child. It hangs over our comfiest couch to this day, as the principle decoration in our home, the first thing you see when you walk in the front door. : )

So, anyway, we had a great old time this year. Dances, parties, cookies. . the Valentine Fairy showed up, and today, at the grocery store, I found unbelievable deals on pre-cut, heart-shaped cookies with frosting and sprinkles, which I bought way too many of, brought home and we all decorated! Again, LOVE it! : )

Week In Review

Yesterday Laena did great on her Choir solo, and made it to the regional competition, much to her surprise.

She nailed it!

Way to sang it, girlie! Yay, Laenabug! I'm so proud of my baby girl! :)

Guess we'd better run through the ranks. . .

Clinton recently started taking drum lessons from Laena's friend, Trevor. She kind of set the whole thing up. Chuckle. She probably just wanted an excuse to hang out at his house. . . Ha ha! Just kidding. ; ) So today, it's Lea's guitar lessons, tomorrow - drums, and Friday, piano for Tommy and Aleia. . . Guitar, drums, piano lessons. . . For Mama, it's a virtual whirlwind, of school/house/kids/man/church. . . every week! And round and round we go. : )

Monday, Charlie got his eyes fixed. He went ahead and went through with it, had 'em LASIKed! Or rather, PRKed. . . which is a sight more painful, no pun intended. He's supposed to experience some discomfort for about 3 days, and then the epithelial layer of the cornea, which they remove during surgery, is supposed to completely heal in 4 to 5 days. Problem is, it's still day number 3, and he's having kind of a hard time. They said that one in five people have a hard time recovering, and I'm wondering if he's the 'one'. Sigh. Our neighbors, Paul and Wendy Lloyd, were kind enough to watch the Bink for us during the procedure. Paul and Dave Richards came over and gave Charlie a blessing the day before. I think he'll be fine, come Friday, but right now he's feelin' it, poor guy. : (

Monday afternoon, after we'd come home, Clint took off with Marcus and Adam. Just took off, out of the clear blue sky, without saying a word. . They evidently went over to Westland Elementary to see if Clint could get a part time job after school doing janitorial work. He'd briefly worked at Majestic Elementary doing the same thing a little over a year ago. . . I was blown away by this turn of events, since Clinton's been resisting the whole 'job' thing these past couple of months, pointing out to us that he really doesn't have to work while he's still in high school. . . Oh brother. He'll think 'have to' when summer rolls around, and he wants to do all sorts of fun things with his friends, and can't afford it! Well, anyway, it's a start. : ) I'm excited! First the drums, and now this! A week or so ago, after Laena and her friend Summer had dragged Clint over to Trevor's, he decided to pick up his drum set from Mathew Richards, who'd borrowed it a while back, and now he's actually practicing now and again. Without being asked! Wow. . . .

Eric is slated to start Track here in a few weeks. The 'winter workout' crew is already out there torturing themselves. Such amazing discipline I never had. . .

Tommy and I went over to the middle school yesterday to sign him up for ninth grade. I can't believe he's so big! Mmmm. . .

Lea joined up with Lisa Bullard's little Theater class last night, also at the middle school. I may put her in Ballet as well. These community programs are so reasonably priced! It's fantastic! : ) And it's so cute to watch them grow and develop!

Jeffy has wanted to do his homework the past couple of days, thinking that maybe he could win a bike at the end of the school year. I guess the kids who finish their homework are entered into a drawing of some sort.

Seriously?

The boy is in Kindergarten. I pointed out to him that he already has a bike, and that Kindergartners really shouldn't have homework, but he didn't seem to buy it. Ha ha. I guess it's good that he wants to be responsible. Why not? : )

To continue, yesterday, our old friend, Narhea, now Thornock, came by just as the kids were getting out of school. We were surprised and happy to see her. : ) Long time family friend, close to Laena's same age, she was married last October, and has settled down in Spanish Fork close to her parents. Apparently she's applying for a job through West Jordan City, whose offices are just a couple of blocks to the south of us. Narhea and I picked Laena up from school in her tank of a car, and then we all drove home and hung out for a while. It was nice to see her again. It's still hard for me to believe that Laena has friends that are married! It's just nuts!

Last night the boys all had Scouts. Needless to say, Charlie stayed home. Hopefully he'll feel better tomorrow. . .

I'm back in school, as mentioned previously, if that's even possible in the realm of rational thinking. . . I've had a couple of quizzes the last couple of days, and have done reasonably well, I guess you could say. . . We'll see how it goes. . . Anyway, for NOW, due to lack of sleep, and more than the usual amount of stress. . . I would have to concede that. . .

Mama needs a nap. : ) Yeah, right.

(stretch, yawn)

So I'm signing off for now, peeps! But it's cool. . . Cool beans!

More later, hasta la pasta, and all that! I hope next week is less crazy. . .

Ba-bye!

Good Job, Political Derby!

This is an excerpt written by a friend of mine. I just have to plug Politcal Derby one time. It is a fun website. : )

"We interrupt this blog for a political post 

Friday, January 16, 2009 1:56 PM

I don't often (ever) cross post to my political work, but I thought this post might be amusing to some of you.

From PoliticalDerby.com:

    Bush Haters, W’s farewell address, and a prediction
    Posted on January 16th, 2009 at 3:04 pm by Jason Wright, Editor

    I’m curious to know how many watched last night’s farewell address by President Bush. Certainly W can be called many things: Stubborn, dangerously loyal, the Word-Mangler-in-Chief. But he cannot be called phony. He is as authentic a president as we’ve had since Reagan, and you can argue he was even less polished and layered than the Gipper.

    It’s indisputable that we live in an unprecedented era of manufactured politics. Both parties are guilty of packaging and messaging their themes to the point that they resemble fast food. Nice commercials, free toys, most of their ideas look good on the menu, but they all give you terrible gas.

    And their leaders? They’re as authentic and honest as Barney Frank at a strip club. Bill Clinton? Phony. Mitt Romney? Too much glitz. Hillary Clinton? Poll-driven and spineless.

    And what about the likes of Trent Lott, Ted Stevens, John McCain? The right arm promises one thing, but the left is picking his nose and your pocket. Sure, these intellectual midgets would like you to think they’re the real deal, agents of the people, standing at times for the best interests of their constituents. Right. And Nancy Pelosi is religiously opposed to face lifts."

Right on!

Though I normally view references to 'gas' with terrible disdain, I'll let it slide just this once. : )

Check it out! I especially enjoyed the 'Photo of the Day' idea.

Politicalderby.com

Izzy

One of Laena's cool Choir friends singin' up a storm. : ) Yeah, Izzy!

Whenever I See A Sunflower

Goodbye America. Mi hermana, mi amor. Te amare' siempe. I will love you always.

We first met Glenn and America LaPointe probably 10 years ago, maybe more, when Charlie was driving truck for Coca-Cola. Glenn still is. He and Charlie immediately hit it off, and we decided to go out for Mexican. Over the years, we've spent a fair amount of time together, barbecues at their place, enchiladas at ours. . . D & D club get-togethers for the super-nerds. Star Wars marathons planned. . . Every year we'd see them at Lagoon on Coke lagoon Day, and we'd hook up and hang out. It was so funny to see America roll her eyes and talk about these annoying Mexicans who won't learn the language. She's about as ethnic as they come. : ) What a sweetheart! Always talking about 'my husband', and calling him 'My Love'. Her whole house was decorated with babies and sunflowers. Anne Geddes, and little antique tricycles made out of/fashioned from old rusted metal. . . America was a breath of fresh air.

America was a crack up. She made people laugh. Like the time she asked the Relief Society president if she could bring wine to the activity they'd invited her to. : ) I will always treasure the memory of Adrienne's baptism, and other special times. So many memories. We have some cute pictures of Tommy playing with your dog, Rocket. America was a good friend.

She joked that people expected her sisters to be named Liberty and Europa, or something like that. In reality, it's Patty, and the older one. . . I can't remember her name. But I will always remember America. So full of love. Such a good Mama. She loved her girls, and she loved her husband, Glenn. I'm so happy that we got to be there when they went through the temple in 2005. It's such a comfort to know that her dream was realized that day, the dream of uniting her family for eternity.

Where ever I end up, I hope it's where you are, mi hermana. 

America.

The Draper Temple

The LDS Church has recently finished the Draper Temple, which sits up on the south east bench, just across the valley.

It's absolutely beautiful, inside and out. We were privileged to be able to walk through, during the open house, a couple of weeks ago. Tours are available to anyone who's interested, for a month or so, from what I understand. . .

This was a special experience that I hope our children will remember for the rest of their lives. : ) I feel so blessed to be living here in Salt Lake City, where the Light of the World shines for all to see!

St. John 8: 12, (9: 5)

Isaiah 2: 2

Yearbook Ad

Had to fill out the yearbook ad papers today for Laena's graduation edition. . . Tomorrow I'm sending it off.

Wow, 2009! I just can't believe that the years have flown by like they have. . . .

And there she is, our Laenabug!

All grown up.

Here's the ad, as it will appear in her yearbook this spring:

"Laena Cheyenne Mason

We love ya, Boogsie!

Way to go! The years have gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday you were a bouncy little golden-haired baby girl! Now you are a bright, capable young woman with your whole life ahead of you! So many possibilities. Always believe in your dreams!

Happy Graduation! : )

Love always,

Your Family"

And there it is. One childhood in reflection. A crossroads approaches. At times like this, Mama Love takes over, and words are insufficient. She warms my heart.

My baby girl. : )