Pay it Forward

I have decided to pick the winners for the Pay it Forward on Halloween. Don't forget to sign up to win your own bundle of goodies!

Proposition 8

I know I got some heat about the little add I placed a few weeks ago so I thought I would allow Diana Hulme to elaborate for me. She just put it so eloquently on her blog...

"Proposition 8 seeks to make marriage only between a man and a woman in California. A few years ago, 61% of Californians voted to pass Proposition 22, which made marriage legal only between a man & a woman. Then 4 judges overturned the will of the people & made it legal. Totally against the law. So it's up on the ballot again.
. . . . . . . . .
A lot of people have been wondering why it's such a big deal; why it concerns them. If Prop 8 does not pass, here are some of the things that will happen:
1. Public school teachers will have to teach that same-sex marriage is normal & acceptable. Parents will not have the option to opt-out their children from this discussion.
2. Religious adoption agencies who do not allow
same-sex parents to adopt will be closed down.
3. There will be conflict between religion & free speech - churches who do not accept this behavior will be in danger of lawsuits for discrimination. Possibly even being required to allow same-sex marriages & providing same-sex married housing in private universities.
4. Marriage will become completely redefined & acceptance of same-sex marriage will be demanded. Over time, it will affect society as a whole negatively.

. . . . . . . . .
It's obvious that Satan is hard at work to destroy the family & tear apart what is most sacred to us - the divine institution of marriage & all the blessings it brings.
We can still have tolerance & love for others without lowering our standards of what is right & acceptable in the Lord's eyes. This Proposition will not hurt anyone or deny them rights - it simply protects marriage as between a man & a woman. "
. . . . . . . . .Ben especally has been working very hard to do everything we can to help get this passed. I am really excited to accept the call of our prophet and to serve him and the lord. There aren't many times in our life when the church asks us to get up and really do something hard in our lives and I know that without question if this wasn't a big deal the first presidency wouldn't be asking us to do so much. On November 4th I will be voting Yes on Proposition 8 and I encourage you all to as well.

. . . . . . . . .
For more information, please go to:
preservingmarriage.org
protectmarriage.com

. . . . . . . . .

Please vote Yes on November 4 for Proposition 8 to preserve & protect families!"

Pay it Forward

My greatest apologies for not posting in FOREVER. But I promise that this will make up for it.

I received this bundle of joys in the mail today from my friend Lizzy and I was so happy! We are playing "pay it forward" with blogs which I think is so cool. The theme she sent was "Good Stuff", and were all things I hadn't really tried before, the Hot Tamales were surprisingly settling on my still getting over sick stomach (hence no blogging).

It included Good things to eat, Things that feel good, and one thing that was good for the environment

Pistachio Instant Pudding (childhood classic)
Hot Tamales
Goya Maria Cookies (Ben used to eat them on his mission)
A reusable grocery bag
Pretty Cherry stationary
Pomegranate Mud mask (so doing that tomorrow)

Now I get to pay it forward to 3 other people. Sign up for My Pay It Forward, and you get a present from...you got it, ME! So here are the rules:

1. You must have a blog to participate in Pay It Forward.

2. You must pay it forward to 3 other people. It can be something you have made or bought. ( I'm doing "my favorite things" as a theme)

3. Enter by making a comment about yourself. Something interesting. I will pick my 3 favorite people from the ones that sign up. Just kidding, I will pick randomly. Out of a hat perhaps.

4. I don't have a deadline yet. I am going to wait and see how it goes.
(P.S. I totally stole the wording from Annie, who can write much cooler than I)

Jocelyn, Levi and the Pumpkin Patch

Vivian had the rather brilliant idea of dressing the kids up cowboy style (note the boots she found at the swap shop) and going to the pumpkin patch. It was a good time.

Together we took some pretty awesome pictures I think.

Katie's Baby Shower

Katie DeMartini and I threw a very successful baby shower. We had thirty lovely ladies from the Goleta Valley Ward in our backyard enjoying the lights left up from the Pirate Wedding last month.

My colorful take on these bad boys

This is what it looked like before everyone got there. Note the bug spray on the table. A very popular item.
Thank you Ikea and Costco
Yummy Food

I realize that I need to be better about taking pictures with actual people in them. But it was dark, and I am just not pro enough with my camera to make anything look good. Maybe next time.

Thank you to Katie DeMartinini for being amazing and throwing this thing with me, Jocelyn DeMartinini for showing up and saving the day, Ben for coming home just to move the tables and chairs from the community center, Jack for helping him move them back late at night. Everyone who brought food, Jo for directing traffic and making sure all the little old ladies found it and finally Katie Erb for getting Knocked up so that so that we could party in the first place.

Flowers 101 week 3 + Conference weekend

I made this arrangement for the fabulous and very pregnant Katie Erb's baby shower tomorrow while still following the rules of this weeks flower assignment. Single sided arrangement with abstract elements (see crooked willow) I think it kinda looks like an Easter basket but pretty non the less.


This is how we kept Jocelyn entertained and quiet during the first session of conference Sunday morning.She had a good time

I Miss Ben

He isn't out of town, just working like a mad man trying to finish his Job-Market paper in the next 3 weeks. He gets up at 6 am and goes to work until 6pm. Eats dinner watches two episodes of Arrested Development with me on the couch and then goes back to the office until the 12am.

I am so proud of him working so hard. I am so lucky I married him and get to be his wife for time and all eternity. He is a kind a loving husband and father who always puts other people ahead of himself... Plus he is really Hot!

Here are some pictures from our wedding to prove it.

It was a good day

Bug Adventures

Blueberry Bug

Ben really wanted me to call this picture:

Why so serious?

So yesterday I came downstairs from the bathroom to find this

Totally Busted

PS Jocelyn's super cute friend Eliza out for a very stylish bike ride

Prop 8

SupportProp8.com

I totally stole this image from the brilliant Jenn's blog. Just thought you all should see it.