HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Sand Dunes with my beautiful Mum

Little D and Daddy

Elizabeth Warren

Here is one of her awesome quotes:

"There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own — nobody."

“You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police-forces and fire-forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory — and hire someone to protect against this — because of the work the rest of us did.

“Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless — keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is, you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.”

A good one. . .

Mom: S do you want to finish these pancakes?

S: Yes, with haste!!

Someone got his ears lowered. . .

It's been so hot and little S was ready for a change. Good bye beautiful hair. Isn't he adorable!


Little D is getting so big. I think she is 2 going on 6 and keeps right up with her brother.









She looks so much like her Grandma DD. Below is a shot of D with her pal O at the park.

Enjoy

The Maryhill Integration Network, the organization that I use to work for, was just featured in a documentary on the BBC. Unfortunately, I can't view it in US right now. . .but I did come across this short clip of some of their work on you tube. I can't wait to go back to Glasgow.

I just needed to post this again. . .

"THIS IS WHAT YOU SHALL DO: LOVE THE EARTH AND SUN AND ANIMALS, DESPISE RICHES, GIVE ALMS TO EVERYONE THAT ASKS, STAND UP FOR THE STUPID AND CRAZY, DEVOTE YOUR INCOME AND LABOR TO OTHERS, HATE TYRANTS, ARGUE NOT CONCERNING GOD, HAVE PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE TOWARD THE PEOPLE, TAKE OFF YOUR HAT TO NOTHING KNOWN OR UNKNOWN OR TO ANY MAN OR NUMBER OF MEN, GO FREELY WITH POWERFUL UNEDUCATED PERSONS AND WITH THE YOUNG AND WITH THE MOTHERS OF FAMILIES. READ THESE LEAVES IN THE OPEN AIR EVERY SEASON OF EVERY YEAR OF YOUR LIFE, RE-EXAMINE ALL YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD AT SCHOOL OR CHURCH OR IN ANY BOOK, DISMISS WHATEVER INSULTS YOUR OWN SOUL, AND YOUR VERY FLESH SHALL BE A GREAT POEM.” WALT WHITMAN

Joanna Brooks on Mormon Identity in the 21st Century

On June 11, 2011, members of the Mormon Stories community held their 2nd regional conference in Salt Lake City. In this keynote address entitled "Mormon Identity in the 21st Century: Claiming and Belonging", professor and author Joanna Brooks explores a more expansive vision for Mormon identity. Joanna's vision is an inspiring one that will hopefully catch on:

“If you identify as a Mormon, I hear you. I recognize you. I claim you. I claim you gay or straight, liberal or conservative; white, black, brown. Perfect, imperfect, active, less-active, post-, present, literal, non-literal, agnostic, atheistic; your story matters. You belong. We are Mormons. We may be uncorrelated, but we are still Mormons. We are open. We are open to each other; we are open to difference. We are open to the beautiful and the difficult facts of our Mormon history, and we are open to the potential of Mormonism in the 21st century. Let’s see what beauty we can make of our Mormon identity together.”

Jason posted his comments and video link on his FB page and I think it is worth posting here too. It's very difficult for me to understand why the GOP is so ready to quote her "philosophies" and give such high esteem to her lack of humanity. Isn't the GOP the party with "morals"?. . .Interesting:



It is hard to imagine a more socially and morally destructive way of thinking than that altruism is evil; that the poor, disabled and weak are not worthy of love and should be left to die to make society stronger; and, that there is no higher virtue than selfishness.

Quotes by S

Scene: S and D playing with play dough before church. Soren made a pig and yelled, "Get your pig! Your baby beef pig!"

Scene: A loud Sunday afternoon, the kids are playing and D poured water on the carpet. S comes in and says, "D literally dumped it on the floor." (keep in mind he has just finish kindergarten).

Scene: We are in the car on our way to a barbeque in Alpine. The mountains are so close and lovely and S says, "next year for my Birthday when I'm sixty six I want to have my Birthday in the mountains".

Scene: S and his dad were on a walk and S began to whistle. Then he said, "look! I'm communicating with the birds!"

Scene: S and I have a little chat. I ask "when you're all grown up if have little boy of your own what do you think you'll name him?" Soren reply's "Thunder". What do you think you'll name a little girl?" I ask. He quickly said "Rose".


...He's awesome.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to Cammie and to all mothers around the world.



Love,

Soren, Dahlia, and Jason

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Love,

Dahlia

Petals for Baby Petal

The blossoms outside our window

Spring has arrived (though Winter still lingers and has been covering our blossoms and cars with snow!!!). I think I need to watch Rite of Spring by Vaslav Nijinsky and coax the Spring gods and pixies into full force. I love it when the petals cover the ground like a warm snow and I love my niece and her name. These petals are for her.

Easter in Park City

We spent Easter in Park City with Grandma Pat and Grandpa Jim and it was so lovely. The weather was still cold which made the jacuzzi's all the more enjoyable. The kids had an indoor hunt inside our rooms and received extra large baskets from the Easter Bunny.

They sure are lucky to have such giving and festive grandparents.

Pina

I am so very excited about this film. This is why I dance.

S tied his own shoes today!!!!!!

the festival of colors

Is a huge event now (to say the least). Eight years ago we took Emilia and Leif and had a lovely time despite Emilia getting colors in her eyes. I think there were a couple hundred other guest who also came to celebrate the coming of Spring near a bonfire and a man singing and chanting as we all threw colors at each other. On Saturday there must have been thousands who came to the Holi Festival and I think a better name for it might be Holi Palooza or Holi Woodstock (slightly different feel this time). My photos don't really give an idea as to how crazy it was with so many people but that's because we tried to stay away from the masses and have our own little haven for the kids.

We met up with Michelle and Ryan and their beautiful children and that was definitely what made it most enjoyable for us. Llamas and peacocks and little Ocean having so much fun going up to random people and throwing colors at them were the highlights and I can't leave out little Scarlette with a tiny bit of pink dye in her ear. She was mostly protected by her daddy and her babybjorn and she was such a trooper. Dahlia wasn't so enthusiastic about the event but soon warmed up and Soren was loving his little battles with Ocean.