Palin

Well, I've spent the last two weeks thinking about what I might possibly say in a Palin post that you haven't heard before. So I'll give you the Palin top 10 Talking Points, from a former Alaskan turned Utahn. Former liberal turned Centrist conservative. Former Yuppie wannabe turned mom:
1. I'm predisposed to like her-- she's an Alaskan woman with a strong voice. I want to see myself in her.
2. She has good taste in shoes. -- love those red peep-toes
3. Her family is normal-- I heard someone say "most landscapers have nice lawns of their own." referring to Bristol's teen pregnancy. and I replied, yes, but the grass exercises no free will.
4. She has nice hair-- Shallow, I know, but true
5. Her presence on the ticket is persuasive-- I haven't really like John McCain, but I do like her. I might even vote Republican with her on the ticket.

6. I feel bad for her kids-- I know I'm old fashioned, but I think kids need Mom. I don't care how great a dad Mr. Snowmachine racer is. He's not MOM. Do I think she can do the job, yes. Do I think she should? the jury's still out.

7. I love the reformer persona-- if she truly is who she says she is, it could be a very good thing for the Republican party-- and for the country.

8. Her inexperience doesn't bother me-- I feel like experience is missing on the top of the ticket across the aisle, too. But I also feel it's OK for the VP to be the pupil.

9. Troopergate: So what. If somebody was abusing my sister, I'd probably do more than try to get him fired.

10. She's not afraid to get her hands dirty: Besides felling moose and other large game, she's felled entrenched Alaskan politicians. It's about time.

DISCLAIMER: I know the woman isn't perfect. She may not even be the best candidate for the job. But she seems capable, articulate, and intuitive. She's a woman after all. And I'd like to try a woman at the helm. But not Hillary.

2007/2008 Year In Review

Make a Smilebox slideshow

HIGH SCHOOL TAG!!!!!

Your High School's Name-East Anchorage High School-- FYI, I'm EHS class of '89. My mom is EHS class of '63.

High School Colors- Light turquoisy blue and red.

Mascot-- Thunderbirds, a native inspired totemy thunderbird.

Did you date anyone from your school?- A date? What's a date? Oh Yeah!! I asked Paul C. out Senior year once. But I did have lots of fun hanging out with friends on Friday and Saturday.

What kind of car did you drive?- I didn't get my license till I was 18 and had graduated high school because Mom and Dad had angina every time I sat in the driver's seat. A plug for Driver's ed in the High School. Seriously!!

It's Friday night where are you?- Echo Sandals. Church dances or the H's watching movies, or at home reading
Were you considered a flirt?-Uh, No. Probably the farthest thing from it. I did have some drama friends that helped me be a teeny bit less inhibited, but NEVER a flirt.

Were you in band, orchestra, choir, or any other group?- Yearbook for two years. Then SWS Student Council.

Were you in any clubs?- I was in School Within a School. The whole thing was kind of like a club, I guess. I served on lots of committees there. I also did a couple of plays and speech/debate stuff, and I was in the Russian Club. And I served on the yearbook staff for two years. Looking back, I'm realizing I wasn't really "cool" Well, I knew it then, too. I guess the difference is, now, I don't really care. Maybe I did then, just a little, until I became a junior/senior. By then maturity had shown me the benefits of being myself.

Did you ever get suspended or expelled?- No.

Can you still sing the fight song?- Never could, but I know the BYU fight song.

Who were your favorite teachers?- Mrs. Raymond for Science and Math and Mrs. DuBeau for all things historical. These women opened my eyes to the world around me. And they loved me, too. Which I knew. Which made all the difference.

Where did you sit during lunch?- SWS Lounge.

Who did you go to Homecoming with?- Never went. Senior year I might have served refreshments.

Who did you go to Prom with?-Junior year I went with Jared N. We went to McDonalds and I don't remember what else. Senior Year, before I left to go to Russia for a month I asked my friends what they were doing for prom. They ALL said they would be boycotting. I was okay with this idea and left to Russia. I got back the week before prom and they informed me that they had changed their minds, we were all going to go together and I needed to hurry and get a date. Jeff L. heard I didn't have one and being the really nice person that he was called and asked if I wanted to go. Scramble for the dress, etc. but we had fun. I remember being with my friends, not really being with my date.

If you could go back and re-do high school would you?- Probably not. I'd do college again in a heartbeat, though and this time I'd do Study abroad.

What do you remember about Graduation?- I was kind of sad it was over, but really excited about the future.

Do you plan on going to your 10 year reunion, or if you already went what was it like?- I was 7 months pregnant and it was way too far away. My twentieth is coming up. Nope. won't be going.

Hole in the Rock

Robert and I got to go to Lake Powell for the second time. This time is was only adults and the goal was to hike Hole In The Rock. Hole in the Rock is a fissure in the walls surrounding the Colorado River(now Lake Powell) that the Pioneers chose to hurtle down when settling the San Juan Mission. The hill is Steeper than a 45 degree angle and hundreds of feet long (longer before they dammed up the river). The consensus was that it might have been a better idea to go the extra 200 miles out of the way to avoid this so-called "Shortcut" that ended up taking six months to ready for use and fell into disuse within just a few short years. For us, however, It was a beautiful trip. Lots of great hiking and fun. This is the picture at the top of the Hole in the Rock site. We hiked straight up and then straight down.

DON'T DO ME ANY FAVORS GERALDINE!!!

OK, this is not My Sarah Palin Post. I assure you one is coming. Instead this is an INFURIATING comment from the former VP Candidate about talented contributing members of Society.

In the words of Maria Shriver:

Just a mother? We do the most important work on the planet. We are by and large the primary caretakers of our most valuable resource. We are the guarantors of our future, the creators of the next generation, warriors for our children, the main transmitters of love and language and nurturance and values . . .

we exercise enormous power to shape other human beings’ lives -- the toughest public service job there is. . .

Appreciate your own hard work as a counselor, teacher, doctor, mediator, cheerleader, disciplinarian, ethicist, beauty consultant, cook, chauffeur, confidante -- and, yes, scapegoat, monster, and demanding pain-in-the-you-know-what. All in a day’s work. Mother’s work.

20 QUESTIONS!!!

1. How many miles did I run today? 20

2. How early did I have to wake up? 4:40

3. How many runners did the exact same thing today on the exact same course? At least 50

4. How many of them passed me? How many didn't.

5. Who cares how many of them passed me? Not me.

6. How long did it take me? Pretty long time.

7. How fast were our miles? about 12 min/mil.

8. Where did we run? Veyo to Worthen Park

9. Who did I run with? Amy B. and Kristie B. OF COURSE

10. Who rescued me at mile 16 with extra Vaseline? Robert, Matt, Katie and Nate

OK, now for the GOOD QUESTIONS!!!!!!

11. What do I listen to as I pound mile after mile after mile? Eye of the Tiger, Just Can't get enough, I've got the Power, Anything with a decent beat.

12. What does my mom think of my Running? I quote, "Now that you've done 20, you can quit this madness, right?"
13. What does Robert think of it? I quote, "I think you're so cool. I've never even thought of running that far."

14. How is my body holding up? Let's see, can't walk, stomach ache, Inflamed toe joints, slight ankle baubles, and a killer IT band issue when I bank left on a downhill.

15. How is my mind/soul holding up? I think I am so cool. I've never even thought of running that far.

16. What are my goals? Finish and have a great time doing it.

17. Am I nervous? TOTALLY

18. Am I excited? Not today. Ask me next week.

19. What do I do when my trip meter measures 19.1 miles and I want to write a 20 questions blog? I go home and run ONE EXTRA MILE on my treadmill so I can be legit.

20. What possesses me? This one has 20 answers of its own, but I guess the most important is that I've always been the kid picked last for anything on the playground, I've always had a little trouble breathing when exercising. I've never been an athlete. And I've never really cared. But I've started caring, lately, probably because being a stay at home mom is a lot of mindless, numbing, same ol same ol and running a marathon is, in my mind, kind of like law school-- a huge, unattainable goal in a challenging area-- a break in the monotony.

Additionally, Ever since my dad died I've thought about how important it is to make HUGE goals so I don't come to the end of my life and wish I had done more things or different things. I have friends who want to shave seconds off their time. For me, FINISHING a marathon is up there on the Top Ten List of the most difficult things ever. Totally outside the realm of possibility. Until now. And that feels pretty darn good.

Teaching Children Responsibility/Accountability

Sis. A. in our ward asked me to take a few minutes in her R.S. lesson to talk about responsibility in children. I told her that I didn't think I was the best person to speak on this topic. Then she said, "I know, that's why I'm asking you." You have to know her. I know she only meant thoughtful things by that statement, so I wasn't offended. But I was thoughtful. My kids do not have a sense in intrinsic responsibility. They work, but they're not Stewards. I'd love for anybody who reads this to give me their ideas on how to get their kids motivated to be responsible. PLEASE HELP!!!!!

PRESCHOOL 101

Okay, so rule #1 in preschool is "child must be able to care for himself in the bathroom"

Despite NUMEROUS half-hearted attempts to Potty train Nathan, I have not accomplished this rather lofty but OH SO DESIRABLE goal. Instead, he goes when he's told but cannot, for the life of him, realize when he's about to have a BM (I hate that term, we just say "poop"). So I take him to the first day of preschool, I explain that we are in the midst of Potty training. Teacher says, That's OK, we'll just call you. We sat on teacher's teeny potty right before class and said a little prayer that He wouldn't go at school. Wrong Prayer. I decided not to go to the gym, just in case. So, not 45 minutes later I get a call that she thinks Nate Stinks. AAARGHH!!!!!

I head over there with a pull-up and wipes, but it was messier than that so we head home (luckily only across the street and two doors down) to change him. He finished the rest of the day with nary an incident. Why can't he be regular at 6 p.m.? Anyway, $100 bucks for ANYONE who can potty train my kid.