Thursday, August 21, 2008

In Vegas?



Vegas has everything. We're famous for castles, volcanoes, Eiffel Tower, and all the downtown glitz (and sleaze). But there is so much more here that supports a culture for families.

On Tuesday we picked our own produce in the morning and then headed to the mountains for a picnic lunch. We were back home by late afternoon for naps. My parents live in the northwest part of Vegas and they have so many interesting things out there. We have done the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, Floyd Lamb State Park (pony rides, peacocks, and a pond), and of course Mt. Charleston. This orchard we visited was in the northwest as well. I recommend all of them!



Where are you zucchini?




I'll be making lots of zucchini bread with that green machine. For some reason it cracks me up to see Violet down there in the dirt. She's still so little.


They have a variety of apples.


Mt. Charleston was an escape from the heat and city. We did some great exploring and "hiking."

Thanks mom for helping with this fun day. We didn't go ANYWHERE this summer so this was the kid's summer trip. In August, my mom finished teaching her last year of 1st grade. Yea!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Welcome

Welcome Friends and Family! You made it to the other side.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Showcase Landcare

Kyle recently ordered a decal for his truck. This company is Kyle's baby. He tells me that he loves how all his hard work and how any good idea he has, goes straight towards his own little baby. For better or for worse! I, of course, think he is amazing. I see all the programs he has on the computer and how he runs things. He is unbelievably organized. I am proud of him for working so hard and making this happen. He loves it!

I enjoy answering the phone for the company. Kyle added a 2nd line to the house for Showcase calls. I get to be his little secretary and screen calls for him. I also love his killer tan and monster muscles. I get the white collar/blue collar man all in one package. Irresistible!

P.S. Don't you love how Kyle is wearing that red Showcase shirt in EVERY post? I guess the boys aren't much better. At least the two of them swap shirts for variety.

Seth's Birthday

Seth turned 6 years old.

Thank you for the birthday presents.

Seth, his cousins, and a few friends went to Pump It Up.

Chase climbed up this wall over and over. It doesn't seem like a 2 year old should be able to do that!

What a fun day!

Joy is adorable in this picture. She looks so good with all the red.

Summer Sweetness

This shows a classic Violet shy pose. She always puts one finger in her mouth and looks down.


Violet tackled this peach.



I love all 30 toes!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Mormon Matters

So, I still haven't gotten around to making my blog private. But who says I can't post in the meantime?

I read the July Ensign with the cover story of sharing the gospel using the internet. I have noticed that many fellow bloggers have come to the challenge and added links with sites for our church. They have also shared testimony in other ways. I have really enjoyed reading people's blogs, even strangers and seeing these elements.

When Mitt Romney was campaigning, I realized how many negative things on the internet there are concerning mormons. Who knows? Maybe this force of mormon blogging moms can make a difference. I know not everyone views mormons as "crazy." I found this article recently and it made me feel very proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

Paul Allen is the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, the ones who played the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Super Bowl a few years ago. He is also the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA basketball team and is co-partner with Bill Gates in Microsoft.He wrote this editorial in the Santa Clarita, California newspaper:

I have heard and seen enough! I have lived in the West all my life. I have worked around them. They have worked for me and I for them. When I was young, I dated their daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Now that I have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated my daughters. I would be privileged if one of them were to be my son-in-law.I'm talking about the Mormons.

They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have ever known. They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called religious people I have encountered. They study the Bible and teach from it as much as any Christian church ever has. They serve their religion without pay in every conceivable capacity.Not one of their leaders, teachers, counselors, Bishops or music directors receive one dime for the hours of labor they put in. The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not generally known.

I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how evil and non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven. I decided recently to attend one of their services near my home to see for myself.What a surprise!What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the religious ministers of the day were telling me. I found a very simple service with no fanfare. I found a people with a great sense of humor and a well-balanced spiritual side. There was no loud music.Just a simple service, with the members themselves giving the several short sermons.

They urge their youth to be morally clean and live a good life. They teach the gospel of Christ, as they understand it. The name of their church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints."Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you? I asked them many questions about what they teach and why.I got answers that in most cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrines did not seem too far fetched for my understanding.

When I read their "Book of Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the opposite from what I had been told I would find.Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of the same questions about doctrine. To my surprise, when he found out that I was in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. He referred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded to me like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly that they were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christian mold. He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. He gave me a pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that the Mormons were not telling me the truth about what they stand for. He didn't want to hear anything good about them.At first I was surprised and then again, I wasn't.

I began to wonder. I have never known of a cult that supports the Boy Scouts of America. According to the Boy Scouts, over a third of all the Boy Scout troops in the United States are Mormon.What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second to none in this country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches to help take care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and in need of a little help.The Mormon Church has donated millions to welfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They have donated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burned a few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies to countries ravaged by earthquakes. You never see them on TV begging for money.What cult do you know that instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes, serve in the military if asked and be a good Christian by living high moral standards? Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Mormon youth get up before high school starts in the morning to attend a religious training class? They have basketball and softball leagues and supervised youth dances every month.They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and every police department in the country, because they are Trustworthy.They are taught not to drink nor take drugs. They are in the Secret Service - those who protect the President. They serve in high leadership positions from both parties in Congress and in the US Senate, and have been governors of several states other than Utah. They serve with distinction and honor.

If you have Mormons living near, you will probably find them to be your best friends and neighbors. They are Christians who try to live what they preach. They are not perfect and they are the first to admit this. I have known some of them who could not live their religion, just like many of us. The rhetoric which is spread around against them is nothing more than evil propaganda founded in untruths.(Others) had successfully demonized them to the point that the general public has no idea what they actually believe and teach. If you really want to know the truth, go see for yourself.You also will be surprised.