Chris Sligh

Do you remember Chris Sligh from American Idol Season 6? He's now a Christian artist and recently came out with an amazing song called "Empty Me." It's about asking the Lord to empty us of all our selfishness and pride so we can be filled with Him. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrvSnQ77Mvc&feature=related

Emma's Pie Party

On Thursday Emma had a Preschool Pumpkin Pie Party. (How's that for alliteration?) She thinks now that she's had that party, Thanksgiving is over, so we should be getting ready for Christmas! Come on mommy, get with it! :) The kids helped make the pie and it was really good.

Brooke and I got to come to their party, too. The girl in the pink is Emma's friend Nina. They apparently play a game called "sparkle sisters" at school. They are the only two girls in the class so they have to stick together!

Christmas Idea for Girls

This is one of the best toys we've ever had for the girls. It's the Fisher Price "Snap n Style." This one is called Nadia but they have tons of others. It's so easy even Brooke can snap the clothes on and she's only 2. This is a great alternative to Polly Pocket, which is cute, but really hard for children to put the clothing on the dolls. The shoes and accessories are also bigger which means harder to choke on and harder to lose. I LOVE this toy! If you need any ideas for what to get a young girl for Christmas, consider this! http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2182&e=product&pid=42919

Brookie Bursting with Personality Lately

Where do kids learn these things anyway?

Grandma and Brooke put on makeup today. Ooo la la!

Grandpa Jeff had to go to the hospital a couple times last week because of an allergic reaction to some of his meds. Brooke always gives him loves to make him feel better.

Daddy and Brookie TV time.

What cute tootsies!

What Seven Year Itch?

November 10th was our 7th wedding anniversary! We went to see High School Musical 3. I know-- we like to live on the edge! What can I say?


Have you ever heard people talk about the "Seven Year Itch" that couples apparently go through? No itching here! I feel like our marriage is just getting better and better all the time!

Mommy and Me

I took Brooke to see "Madagascar 2" on Veteran's Day while Emma went fishing with Grandpa and Tyler. It was a blast. Now she keeps saying, "I like to move it move it!"

Warrior

Dad went to his first doctor appointment since the heart attack on Monday where they told him how limited his diet has to be now. He was a little shocked to hear that he can only have limited dairy products, limited sugar, limited sodium, no red meat, etc. He drew this picture of a heart with wings that says "Warrior" to keep himself motivated, along with a list of the things he can and can't eat and put it on the fridge.

He used to make fun of me for buying so much organic Trader Joe's food, but this is ALL Trader Joe's food my mom bought for him. Hee hee dad! Love you! You're our Warrior!

Prophetic Words

In light of recent politics, I have to share this quotation from Elder Neal A Maxwell. He gave this 30 years ago and he nailed our day.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today" BYU Devotional, October 10, 1978.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters -- in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as un-trendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some Skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself.

Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, summer is nigh. Thus, warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat." (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today" BYU Devotional, October 10, 1978.)

Minnie Mouse and Tinkerbell

These pics are a bit late, but here's our Halloween fun. . .

Alan's family tradition is to make Halloween cookies and decorate them with an assortment of candies.




What a cute dad, eh?


Brooke was terrified by some of the scary costumes. This picture captured it quite well.

What a Relief

Proposition 8 passed in CA!!! So Marriage is now defined as between one man and one woman. Yippeee! 52.5% voted yes and 48.5% voted no. We won by 504,479 votes. It's not a huge win, but it's a win!!!

Many other churches have recognized the huge role that the LDS church has played in this victory and one group, The Ruth Youth, declared today "National Mormon Appreciation Day." What a sweet show of support! It would be great to let them know how much we appreciate it, especially in light of all the harassment we've had from other groups and individuals. Let's all leave comments on their blog here: http://www.ruthinstitute.org/

I am so humbled to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'm sure this fight is not over, but with the Lord's help we and other Faiths have succeeded at standing our ground and I am very grateful. My heart goes out to those who are hurting over this, but we have to stand for truth in hopes that someday they will recognize it.

Here's my Emma helping out last week. (You can see the opposition came and stood right next to us. Fun times!)

Last night I was reading in Alma chapter 26 and had to smile at how much it relates to how I've felt.
". . . could we have supposed that when we started. . . that God would have granted unto us such great blessings? . . . we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work. Behold, thousands of them do rejoice. . . I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold many miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. . . Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state? . . . Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said. . . to preach unto our brethren, and they laughed us to scorn? . . . we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls. Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us and said: Go amongst thy brethren, and bear with patience thine afflictions and I will give unto you success. . . we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world-- not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God. . . we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, smote upon our cheeks. . . and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. . . . Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."