My first (and probably only) giveaway!

Do you know what this is? I know you've always wanted one. Do you know how to use it? No, it's not a big whisk for all your holiday cooking.

It's called the TINGLER. It's one of the best head massagers there is! Yours will be brand new!

Here's the next prize. A new pair of slippers. What's so great about that? Well, they are memory foam on the inside (which can be removed to wash), they are good to wear outside, like when your late taking the kids to school or getting the paper in the am.

The only catch is that these are size 5-7. So those of you with small feet, these would be great!

That's it. That's all. These are courtesy of my daddy (who owns a Relax the Back store, from which we get very nice cast offs - like a king tempurpedic bed and a new member of our family - but that's another post!)

Here's how to enter:  tell me which one you'd like, 1 or both - but remember the slipper size (if they were bigger they wouldn't be up for a prize :)

You can tell me how you know me or from whence you came! I'm just looking for a little love out there in the blogging world! Hopefully these will help you relax this Holiday season!

( contest ends November 1 @ 12pm)

100+

So I was counting the posts, knowing I was close to 100. Then I got all caught up in PROP8. I wanted to do a contest, so I will, just a little over 100. 

I'll post 2 things to give away. They will both be things that will help you to relieve stress for this upcoming holiday season, and the rest of your life! 

I don't use sitemeter, cause that would just be another addiction... but I've always wondered who comes to see me and doesn't say anything (I do it to plenty, believe me). I'll post the 2 stress relievers tomorrow....!

Busy Weekend

Friday was the Harvest Festival at school (for which I made cupcakes for the ever lovin cake walk) Good thing we went cause the power went out @ 5, thank goodness for gas stoves :)

Emma enjoying her sugar stick, bad but oh so good

Rebecca won these too cute pilgrim hat cookies @ the cake walk

(fudge stripe cookies, upside down, yellow frosting, peanut butter cup, orange frosting)

I think we'll make some for Thanksgiving!

Saturday was clean up the house day, followed by our combined Trunk or Treat. I think Emma woulda won the costume contest, if there was one (says she!)

Can you guess what she is????

Keep guessing!!!

You guessed it! The sun is out today for sure! 

(I forgot to take a pic of her in curlers. I put them in @ noon and took them out @ 5:30)

My sweet Rebecca, the cowgirl. She is as easy going as they come! Thanks, kiddo, for making things easy on Mom!

Trunk or treat. There were 3 wards doing it together and there were more cars NOT handing out candy than there were that were. I was hoping to replenish my candy but I guess I have to buy more!

The after math of our teenagers hand out candy out of our trunk

(maybe that's why I don't having anymore candy for Halloween!) 

Ok, maybe it wasn't the BUSIEST weekend, but it sure felt like it. Maybe that's cause I didn't get a good nap on sunday! But we did have a kickin dinner! BBQ chicken, homemade mac n cheese, and our favorite rice casserole. All out side, too! Sorry no pics, 

So funny! (prop 8 style)

Ok, I know I might be making you sick with all this Prop 8 stuff, but now is the time. This one will make you laugh! Please watch it! It's hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko2-EQss0V4

Pray, pray hard.

I was checking my facebook this morning and found this on my friends blog. We have to stay strong and bind together more than ever before. I'm pretty sure that Satan is freaking out over this and is using his minions to try to over come the righteous. We MUST know what side of the fence we are on, especially when we have to face these kinds of things. Pray for the people who are filled with rage and hate against us for standing up for what we believe to be true. (Our fast sunday is this sunday, so join with us or next week and fast and pray hard for the Lord's will to be done!)

Dear Friends and Family - 

I had a very disturbing experience yesterday that I would like to share
with those of you that live outside of California (or outside of the San
Francisco Bay Area).

This weekend we have stake conference. Our stake conference always
begins with a stake temple session on Friday or Thursday night. Early
Friday morning I received a call from the second counselor in our bishopric
to let me know there would be numerous protesters outside the temple,
and to remind everyone to stay calm and drive carefully. The beautiful
Oakland Temple is located right across the bay from San Francisco, very
close to the city of Berkeley.

Apparently the opposition to proposition 8, the amendment that seeks to
make marriage in CA between a man and a woman again, has realized the
deep involvement of the church and begun to protest right outside the
temple and harass temple patrons.

... As we approached the off ramp, I realized there would be trouble. 
There was a backup onto the freeway from cars stalled on the off ramp. 
As we moved forward inches at a time, we realized this was due to a large
group of loud protesters who were standing on both sides of the street,
yelling, screaming and waving signs. When we got to the top of the offramp,
ready to make our turn, one protester jumped out right in front of our car. 
It took my husband all his self control to carefully maneuver around him to
the left and proceed to the temple.

I tried not to listen to all they were shouting at us, but I was shaking as I got
to the temple front door. Several of the sisters, especially the ones driving
on their own, were crying (which made me snap out of it and go into Relief
Society President mode to comfort them). Later, as I was sitting in the perfect
quiet of the chapel, I couldn't help but think of Lehi's dream, and the people
who mocked the Saints from the big and spacious building but 'we heeded
them not.' 

It was a truly surreal experience, I'd never thought that I would have to go
through an angry crowd to get to the temple. As we left late at night, the
protesters had dispersed, temple security (who all looked very large and
Tongan) stood by the gates. I never saw a single police man.

Please pray for those of us in California fighting for prop 8--it's getting kind
of scary out here!

Hudda thunk it!

My HUBBY just got gas at Costco......... it was $2.87 a gallon! Who woulda thunk I'd ever be happy about that!!! 

(BTW - I have NEVER had to wait to get gas at our cute little Costco, right off HW 50! I love it!)

Here's What I Did This Weekend!

(I started this on Monday. I'm finally getting around to it. UGH!)

I am blessed to be able to work with my mom, who is an amazing florist. She does several wedding a year. She is so very creative and gifted. She says that I have more talent than she is, she's just had more experience. I am starting to take the positive things people say about me and believe them. (I have a hard time doing that!) I love it when she lets me do the Bridal bouquet. 

ANyway, we had a really large wedding this last weekend. 17 table centerpieces, bridal bqt,bridesmais bqt, many boutineres, coursages, you name it, we had it. The fun & laborious thing we got to work with this time was fall leaves! The bride wanted fall leaves incorporated into the flowers. We had never worked with them before and we weren't sure how they would last. Oh, and we had to CUT every good leaf off of the branches to get what we needed for the aisle.  It was a busy friday and sat (the wedding was in Livermore and we were coming from Folsom!)

Here are some of the pictures I want to share with you!

Right before we're done. Mom gets a little stressed out :) (sorry mom. I had to!)

All packed up and ready for the 2 hr car drive!

The Beautiful bride (I wish I could turn the pic up right, but I can't so just turn your head ;)

The cake table - pre cupcakes!

The cupcakes

The finished product! (made by my favorite cupcake baker)

1 of the 17 centerpieces

the table all set for a wonderful celebration!

the aisle (she wanted fall leaves down the aisle and she got em. we added rose petals, too. it was gorgeous!)

The end (at least for us!)

Here's the plug for the cupcake artist. I had some for my birthday and some of you asked about her. I'm sorry I didn't respond. But, hey, I am now! Her name is SUE FAINA. She bakes out of her home in Clayton CA. Her website is www.suefainacakes.com. Her website doesn't do her justice. She does cakes for all events, too. I wish I coulda had a cupcake. they smelled so good!!!

IMPORTANT! READ NOW!

I just heard about this! I took it from THIS website. Remember to let the schools know WHY you are keeping your kids home, if you so choose to. It's just another way to make our voices heard.  How dare the CTA speak for ALL the teachers in California!

Students!  Teachers!  Parents!

Join the State-Wide School Sick-Out!

Tuesday Oct. 21st

Protest Peacefully!  Show your school how important traditional families are to their survival!

Students, teachers and parents are going to take action regarding Proposition 8 on the same day… Tuesday, October 21st.  This story about the California Teachers Association (”CTA”) donating  $1 Million to preserve same-sex marriage made many people ill.

Therefore…
1.  STUDENTS Many children are coming down with something. Many California public school students are going to be sick and ABSENT FROM SCHOOL on Tuesday, October 21st. This would be a good time for them and their parents to write letters to the editor about how they feel about CTA’s donation. Many are puzzled why the professional group hired to educate them is spending so much money to push their own social agenda.

2.  TEACHERS With all those students out sick on Tuesday, October 21st, many California public school teachers intend to DEMAND $300 POLITICAL REFUNDS from their union dues using these instructions here:

(http://www.nrtw.org/special-legal-notice-california-teachers-how-get-least-300-refund-cta-nonbargaining-expenses )

The magic number is 3,333. If that many teachers demand political 0D refunds from their union on the same day, CTA will notice because the total amount will equal the million dollars it wasted fighting to neuter marriage. If these 3,030 teachers turn around and donate their $300 refunds to Yes on 8, CTA’s whole cockamamie scheme will have backfired completely.

3.    PARENTS Many parents of public school children are going to try to counter CTA’s meddlesome donation on Tuesday, October 21, 2008, by DONATING $35, $50 OR $100 TO Protect Marriage here: https://www.icontribute.us/protectmarriage/initiative/main .   Make sure to put “CTA” in the referral box!

CTA President David Sanchez donated over 1 million dollars of our teacher’s money to the No on 8 campaign.  These people fought to take away parent’s right to be notified of gay marriage indoctrination in their schools.  Get the facts! Let them know your opposition!  Make a difference with peaceful protest!

David A. Sanchez, President of the CTA

Contact David A. Sanchez

California Teachers Association
P.O. Box 921
1705 Murchison Drive
Burlingame, CA 94011-0921
Phone: (650) 552-5305
E-mail: dsanchez@cta.org

Wow! What fun!!!

I just had my hair cut! She, Emily Blades, just came to my home and gave me, probably the best hair cut I've ever had. She knew how to work with my crazy 1/2 straight, 1/2 curly hair. 

Emily moved here form SLC about 1 yr ago and decided she can't live with out cutting hair. She is SOOO good.  My mom forwarded me an email from a mom in her ward saying that she just had the best experience while her kids were sleeping, she got her hair done! (she even does color at home!) I've been looking for someone to cut my hair since we moved and I've now found her. 

I love my new hair cut. I'll get a better picture of me soon, like when I have make up on!

 (I'll try to find a before, but it might be hard :)

Happy Birthday Wendy!

I have a very beautiful sister in law. (one of 3 :) We used to live close and we became close friends. Then they up and moved to Utah! 

I miss her very much. I admire a lot about her. We haven't kept in touch very well because, well, it was hard for her to be gone and she missed everyone and every thing very much. And we both have 4 kids an that keeps us very busy. She and my brother came into town a couple of months ago, so we got to visit. We had fun @ CPK. So, today is her birthday and I want her to know how much I love her and miss her and hope she feels better. (she doesn't read or blog, but I wish she would) 

We raised our kids together for the most part. I think that is what I miss most. The relationship we had when our kids were little. It could be bumpy at times, but I know she loved (s) my kids so very much. 

I used to feel a bit jealous of what they had and what they offered. I wanted to be the one to take care of others, (financially). But I now know that any help she gave us was pure and righteous. I love you Wendy, thank you for always listening to your heart and mind. I miss you!

Even if you don't live in California....

this will, affect you or someone you love. PLEASE share this or link it with those you know. (my intention is not to offend anyone, this is very important to me and I believe this with all my heart. I WANT T TO BE IN CHARGE OF WHAT MY KNOW AND WHEN, NOT THE SCHOOLS!)

Please vote and pray that the Lord's will will be done. 

I promise not to have this be a political blog, I won't even debate about the Presidential candidates. This is very important to me. Feel free to link this or steal it, the word needs to get out!

Ladies Retreat...

A couple weekends ago my new ward that we moved into had a women's retreat. I guess they do it every year. My sweet husband said go, so I did. It's hard for me to throw myself into a new situation, where I don't know many people, but I did it any way. (I'm growing up, I guess)

On of the girls in our ward, her mom, graciously has it at her home. As you can see, I'm glad I went. She has the most amazing home. She calls it's style "Victorian Country". I loved it! She didn't have to much Halloween stuff up yet, but she said to come back at Christmas and it's even better.

Here's a little tour.....

To drive up the hill and see this home is like driving into a movie. It was amazing!

Fabulous front porch, with wrap around porch. My favorite style ever!

(see, wrap around porch)

View from said front porch

Amazing kitchen

She had the most amazing things tucked into every corner of her home. It was like being a a real doll house or something (but much bigger!)

Witches to be put out later! (not very churchy I guess)

View of back acres! My kids would love those trees!

The 3 girls I got to sleep with :) (they were in the out side studio with me and 2 other girls. We stayed up gabbing until 2:30 in the AM. I was pretty useless for the rest of the day :) 

Thanks for a great time. Can't wait til next year.