Doesn't Zoe look like Cindy-Lou Who?
She wasn't going for the whole Santa thing though...this is a funny picture how far away she is from him.
Doing the crafts with Uncle Brenan. She thinks she's 12...already!
Too Cute!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Cindy-Lou Who
Doesn't Zoe look like Cindy-Lou Who? She wasn't going for the whole Santa thing though...this is a funny picture how far away she is from him. Doing the crafts with Uncle Brenan. She thinks she's 12...already! Too Cute!
The Grinch Stole Christmas
It was a great evening for our Ward. We had roast beast for dinner, enjoyed "The Grinch Stole Christmas" play, visited, exchanged christmas cards, and felt the Christmas spirit. How do you like the Grinch's cave?
This is Who-ville on the stage and the audience. It was absolutely beautiful. It took an army, but was worth every minute.
The children had a magical night interacting with noise-makers booing the Grinch...so fun! The cast and director went all out and totally engaged the audience with their awesome acting skills.
The food committee did an awesome job along with the decorating committee. This will be a night to remember for years to come...
Who-ville flyer for Ward Christmas Party
We are the Activities Chair for our Ward and planned a Who-bilation for our Christmas Party...When the Grinch discovered there was no way, To Keep Christmas from coming on Christmas day, He devised a new plan... though not quite as mean.
Read along now 4th Who-Ward, and you’ll discover the scheme.
Welcome Christmas bring your cheer,
Dec. 5th – 4:30pm Santa will be here.
Dinner @ 6pm…yes we’ll have a fine feast,
full of yummy potatoes, who-pudding, and roast beast.
Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot,
So Please dress up like a who, even your tiny tot.
It’s time for giving, just a tiny little present,
Bring a book for UCI Child Life this would be most pleasant.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before,
I must RSVP so we can keep score…
Every Who down in 4th Who-Ward from the tall to the small,
Come celebrate Christmas everyone every-all!!!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store." Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" - The Grinch
No SANTA? ---Christmas with Grandma
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her. On the way, my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted .... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it! That ru mor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go." BRR!"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.
"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out , when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker.
He was a kid with messy hair and clothes that never seemed to fit. He sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down." Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.
Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Sant a Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.
Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were ridiculous.
Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95. May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted .... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it! That ru mor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go." BRR!"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.
"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out , when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker.
He was a kid with messy hair and clothes that never seemed to fit. He sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down." Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.
Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Sant a Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.
Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were ridiculous.
Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95. May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
California-Prop 8 What's Next? Treading lightly...
The Protect Marriage coalition is gratified by yesterday's California Supreme Court ruling on the legal challenges to Prop 8, where their three major requests were granted.
First, the California Supreme Court agreed to review legal challenges to Prop 8. Ron Prentice, leader of Protect Marriage, said, We have asked the California Supreme Court to set a hearing to decide on the challenges that have been filed against Prop 8 because we are confident that the Court will do the right thing and uphold our right to enact the measure by initiative. By encouraging the Court to hear and decide these cases now, we are hoping to avoid years of costly litigation over Prop 8 as the cases would normally wind through the court system."
Second, the Supreme Court refused to stay Prop 8, meaning that same-sex marriages will be halted in California pending a ruling from the Court. This was seen as an important victory.
Third, the Court has granted the request of the proponents of the initiative and their campaign committee to intervene in the litigation as Real Parties in Interests. This ruling grants the backers of Prop. 8 full legal standing to submit written arguments and appear in oral argument before the Court.
"Granting the backers of Prop. 8 intervention in these cases means that voters can be certain that there will be a thorough and vigorous defense of Prop. 8, " said Andy Pugno, Protect Marriage General Counse. "Voters will not have to solely depend on Attorney General Jerry Brown to defend the measure. Since the attorney general was an active opponent of Proposition 8, we did not want the fate of the measure to rest in his defense of it."A verdict in this case will probably be given some time in March.
Recall—No Need for Discussion Now
The major efforts of the Protect Marriage Coalition now will be legal. However, Prentice said, b "Because we fully expect to prevail in court, we expect that, at some point, we will need to defeat a ballot proposal by advocates of same-sex marriage. Our opponents have threatened such a proposal as early as 2010. We are already beginning the planning process to lay the groundwork to defeat a future proposed initiative that would legalize gay marriage. What we are not doing is discussing the possibility of recalling justices who oppose us. We are fully confident that the California Supreme Court will uphold Proposition 8, even if some members of the Court disagree with the issue. We encourage all supporters of Proposition 8 to set aside any discussions about the possibility of recalling any justice of the Court. We see no need for such discussion.
Regarding counter protests, Prentice also has advised, "Many of our supporters have asked about holding events to offset the numerous protests that have been held by our opponents...We do not encourage supporters to organize local demonstrations or counter-protests. Doing so will only spawn further protests from our opponents and potentially spark street corner confrontations. Criticism of our opponents' tactics is mounting daily and they would dearly love to provoke our supporters into a confrontation that makes us look like aggressors. Every protest our opponents launch features angry gays screaming at California voters. They call voters bigots and homophobes, and many of them have used racially derogatory terms in referring to African Americans and their strong support for Proposition 8. Their protests are doing great harm to their public position."
Obama Signals Things to Come President-elect Obama has made his frightening intentions for family values crystal clear with his appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D) as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human services. As Majority Leader, Daschle was an avid opponent of every pro-life measure-voting for tax-payer-funded military abortions, supporting a measure that would have forced Americans to pay for the distribution of the morning-after pill to young school girls and blocking the partial-birth abortion ban.
Look out, we are sailing into rough weather.
This is a direct contrast to the work that has been accomplished by Michael Leavitt, current Secretary at HHS. The department is just finishing up a rule that would protect health care providers who object to providing abortions or other procedures on moral grounds. The new regulations would bar anyone who receives federal funds from discriminating against pro-life doctors or other medical personnel because of their beliefs. Pharmacists, who make that decision, would also be exempt from dispensing drugs that could end a life. These important conscience provisions have taken months of work, and we hope will be a lasting legacy for Secretary Leavitt and President Bush.
First, the California Supreme Court agreed to review legal challenges to Prop 8. Ron Prentice, leader of Protect Marriage, said, We have asked the California Supreme Court to set a hearing to decide on the challenges that have been filed against Prop 8 because we are confident that the Court will do the right thing and uphold our right to enact the measure by initiative. By encouraging the Court to hear and decide these cases now, we are hoping to avoid years of costly litigation over Prop 8 as the cases would normally wind through the court system."
Second, the Supreme Court refused to stay Prop 8, meaning that same-sex marriages will be halted in California pending a ruling from the Court. This was seen as an important victory.
Third, the Court has granted the request of the proponents of the initiative and their campaign committee to intervene in the litigation as Real Parties in Interests. This ruling grants the backers of Prop. 8 full legal standing to submit written arguments and appear in oral argument before the Court.
"Granting the backers of Prop. 8 intervention in these cases means that voters can be certain that there will be a thorough and vigorous defense of Prop. 8, " said Andy Pugno, Protect Marriage General Counse. "Voters will not have to solely depend on Attorney General Jerry Brown to defend the measure. Since the attorney general was an active opponent of Proposition 8, we did not want the fate of the measure to rest in his defense of it."A verdict in this case will probably be given some time in March.
Recall—No Need for Discussion Now
The major efforts of the Protect Marriage Coalition now will be legal. However, Prentice said, b "Because we fully expect to prevail in court, we expect that, at some point, we will need to defeat a ballot proposal by advocates of same-sex marriage. Our opponents have threatened such a proposal as early as 2010. We are already beginning the planning process to lay the groundwork to defeat a future proposed initiative that would legalize gay marriage. What we are not doing is discussing the possibility of recalling justices who oppose us. We are fully confident that the California Supreme Court will uphold Proposition 8, even if some members of the Court disagree with the issue. We encourage all supporters of Proposition 8 to set aside any discussions about the possibility of recalling any justice of the Court. We see no need for such discussion.
Regarding counter protests, Prentice also has advised, "Many of our supporters have asked about holding events to offset the numerous protests that have been held by our opponents...We do not encourage supporters to organize local demonstrations or counter-protests. Doing so will only spawn further protests from our opponents and potentially spark street corner confrontations. Criticism of our opponents' tactics is mounting daily and they would dearly love to provoke our supporters into a confrontation that makes us look like aggressors. Every protest our opponents launch features angry gays screaming at California voters. They call voters bigots and homophobes, and many of them have used racially derogatory terms in referring to African Americans and their strong support for Proposition 8. Their protests are doing great harm to their public position."
Obama Signals Things to Come President-elect Obama has made his frightening intentions for family values crystal clear with his appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D) as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human services. As Majority Leader, Daschle was an avid opponent of every pro-life measure-voting for tax-payer-funded military abortions, supporting a measure that would have forced Americans to pay for the distribution of the morning-after pill to young school girls and blocking the partial-birth abortion ban.
Look out, we are sailing into rough weather.
This is a direct contrast to the work that has been accomplished by Michael Leavitt, current Secretary at HHS. The department is just finishing up a rule that would protect health care providers who object to providing abortions or other procedures on moral grounds. The new regulations would bar anyone who receives federal funds from discriminating against pro-life doctors or other medical personnel because of their beliefs. Pharmacists, who make that decision, would also be exempt from dispensing drugs that could end a life. These important conscience provisions have taken months of work, and we hope will be a lasting legacy for Secretary Leavitt and President Bush.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
When you thought I wasn't looking...
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to,
and I learned to trust in Him.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick,
and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it,
and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw how you handled your responsibilities,
even when you didn' t feel good,
and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking
I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good
and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked at you and wanted to say,
'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'
Sunday, November 16, 2008
29 years and counting...
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