hobbies!

So I started this post awhile ago and never finished it so I figured I may as well finish it: (I don't have all of the pictures that I wanted but here are some!)

Here are some of the things that we love to do at our house:

Travis's hobbies:

Pottery:

Growing things in his garden and working in dirt

He also loves playing X-box and he recently started going paint balling with some guys at work!

Malana's hobbies:

paints, coloring, and drawing on herself

friends/cousins

Reading

going to the park

Abby's Hobbies:

decorating with nothing but hand-me-downs and trying to make things look good

being creative

making floral arrangements:

READING, READING, and did I mention READING! I also like to watch T.V., probably too much.

Mostly I just like to take random things and make them into something beautiful

2 year check up

Malana had her 2 year check-up today (a month late but hey!)

weight: 25 pounds 11 ounces (37th percentile)

height: 35 inches (70th percentile)

head: 18 1/2 inches (36th percentile)

So we have a tall, little skinny miney~!

Warning this post contains a political opinion!

Since I don't have anywhere else to vent my ideas, you my readers, all two of you, get to hear my rant about politics after last nights debate. I have been thinking alot about the difference between redistribution of wealth/socialism and a zionesque society, which our church believes in, and I would like to explain the difference that I have thought of in an analogy:

Think about an eight year old little boy who really wanted a bag of army men that he saw at the store, so he faithfully did all of his chores every week and saved up his allowance until he could buy it. Lets say two scenarios happen after that,

number one: He gets home and his little brother ( who half-heartedly did some of his chores) starts whining to their mom that he wants some army men and it is not fair that his brother should have the whole bag. So the mom comes to the eight year old and says you HAVE to give half of your army men to your little brother so it is fair.

What would you feel if you were the eight year old? You would be angry, feel resentful towards your mom and brother and feel like you shouldn't work as hard because it doesn't matter whether you do or not.

How would you feel if you were the little brother? you would feel entitled to whatever you want, and justified in not doing your chores the way that you should.

number two: The older brother gets home and the little brother begins to whine, their mom tells him that if he worked harder on his chores then he could save up his money and buy his own army men like his brother. Let say that after awhile the older brother sees that his brother is really hurt so he decides to share his army men with his little brother.

How do you think the older brother felt? He felt justified in working hard and achieving the things he wanted, he felt compassionate and good about sharing with his little brother.

How do you think the little brother felt? He would realize that if he wanted something he had to work for it, but he also felt happy that his brother was willing to share with him and that they could play happily together.

Hence the difference: with socialism/redistribution of wealth the feelings that are felt are resentment, less ambition, anger, entitlement, and justification. the feelings felt with a true zionesque society (in which everyone is in charge of helping others on their own terms), are hard work, happiness, compassion and gratitude.

Do you see the difference? I sure do
P.S. Thanks for letting me rant

Tagged

My niece tagged me in her last post so here it goes! :

1. If your lover betrayed you, what would your reaction be?
I would be really hurt, probably move in with my parents for a while, and try to work things out if he was repentant and let time try and heal the wound.

2. If you have a dream you’d like to come true, what is it?
Live on a farm where we are completely self sufficient, have enough money that Travis could retire now and we could pay everything off (then he could do what he really loves and sell pottery), have lots and lots of kids, and go and do humanitarian aid around the world.

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
Mainstream media

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
See the answer to number 2 and then I would donate a TON of it to the church

5. Will your best friend always be your best friend?
Well Travis is my best friend so I sure as heck hope so!! After all I am going to be spending eternity with him and it would be pretty miserable if we weren't.

6. Have you ever been in love with two people at once?
No

7. How long would you wait for someone you really loved?
Well, I really love Travis and I would wait for him for forever because that is what I have made a covenant to do.

8. If you won the lottery, would you quit your job?
I don't think that it is possible to quit my job since being a wife and mother is my job so no I wouldn't. But I would want Travis to quit his job, because then he could spend tons of time with me and Lana, and he could also do all the pottery that he could possibly stand to do.

9. Who are your favorite celebrities?
Celebrities are not really my thing, I don't really pay attention to them, but I would have to say the one who's movies I like the most is Harrison Ford.

10. What sucks the life out of you?
When I have to participate in an anxiety provoking situation, which for me means calling people on the phone and meeting in a group where I don't know anyone. And negative pregnancy tests.

11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
Hopefully we will have about five or six more kids and just enjoying the life God gave us.

12. What’s your greatest fear/phobia?
Being a failure, and anxiety situations

13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
She is an amazing women who I am proud to call my niece. She is a hard worker, independent, compassionate, and tries to be the best that she can.

14. Would you give all in a relationship?
Duh!?!

15. Is your career vitally important to you?
Yes. Since the happiness of everyone in my house depends on it, I would have to say yes. (And how could you not love being smothered in kisses, and taking care of the people you love every day!)

16. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing someone has done?
I would do my best and let God handle what is left.

17. I tag anyone who wants to do it!!!

Pumpkins, pacifiers, packs, and poop!

Travis decided to grow a giant pumpkin this year. This is the biggest one that he got, it is 100 pounds! He was a little disappointed, our neighbor won second in the fair last year with a 700 pound pumpkin, so Travis was hoping for something a little more like that. (It did make him feel better that our neighbors pumpkin was only 400 pounds this year) He is looking forward to getting a bigger one next year!

We watched Malana's cousin Reagan last night while her parents went to a concert. Malana got a little jealous. She went in her room and found an old pacifier (she hasn't taken a pacifier since she was about one) and came out to the living room, she patiently waited until I took Reagan out of the bouncy chair and then she climbed in and started batting at the toys like a baby.

Malana came out of her room like this, completely undressed (she had her diaper off too but I put it back on for the picture), with this hat on, her monkey pack on, and chocolate all over her face (I still don't know where she got the chocolate, maybe she has a secret stash in her bedroom : ).

We've been doing alot of this at our house lately. She doesn't really go potty on the potty yet, but she is fascinated by it and loves to sit on it, obviously she has been watching us on the potty hence the book. (As I was typing this she came and said "potty" and grabbed herself so I put her on and she pooped!!! Who knew poop could be so exciting!).