Thursday, July 31, 2008

Picture Tag

I saw this on Tiffany's blog and thought it looked like a lot of fun. It was!

Here's how it works: for every category, you perform a google image search and post your favorite picture. The hitch is you can only choose from the first page of results!



MY FIRST NAME:





THE CITY I WAS BORN IN:



A PAST LOVE:




MY FAVORITE ANIMAL:




MY FAVORITE OBJECT:






MY FAVORITE CITY:




MY FAVORITE FOOD:




MY FAVORITE DESSERT:






MY FAVORITE COLOR:



ONE OF MY BAD HABITS:




MY FIRST JOB:

MY FUTURE JOB(S):





A PLACE I WANT TO VISIT:




MY AGE:


I TAG you all!!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Kudo's to Keira Knightley!!!

Hollywood or Bust! Er....No Enhancement or Bust!


Even though I am the mother of all sons, it still really irks me that the media has such a profound effect on the body image of young girls. Not just young girls, but women of ALL ages. It is so refreshing when someone in the spotlight takes a stand and refuses to allow the media to tell them their body isn't "good enough" just because it isn't perfect and it needs be altered in some way in order to enhance the profit.

Keira Knightley is my hero this week for doing just that! She refused to let the producers of her new movie Duchess digitally enhance the movie posters of her to make her appear more buxom. She has insisted that her figure stay in its natural state. She stated that she is proud of her body and doesn’t want it altered. Hallelujah!

Three cheers for Keira!!!

It's about time that someone with such a high profile start sending this kind of message! I have grown weary of the pressure the media hits us with as women (and our daughters) that we have to have the perfect body in size, shape, and form, in order to even be acceptable. It's a shame we can't love our bodies for the amazing gift that they are instead of focusing what isn't perfect about them.

Yes, Keira has done other things that I don't approve of, and I am not promoting her in any way. I am just grateful that she would step up and make such a bold statement that will hopefully have a powerful impact on today's young girls who have been force fed such unrealistic and impossible stereotypes!

Courtney Martin, author of Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body, stated, "What she is doing--and it's significant--is reminding us to honor what we already know: namely that the images we see every day on television, in magazines, online, are notoriously technologically-altered and unrealistic. It's not willpower that makes these women's bodies perfect--it's money, money, money, and a splash of genetic predisposition." We have become so used to it that many of us just shrug our shoulders and say that is just Hollywood. Martin's book goes into great detail about how these images nevertheless worm their way into the thinking of girls, teens, and young women...and make us dissatisfied about who we are. Every time a well-known celebrity stands up and says, "I'm good enough. Don't you dare change me or judge me," she chips away at impossible media stereotypes and puts another crack in the artificial facade of how women are 'supposed' to look."


YOU GO GIRL!!!!!


Now, lets hope some other celebs will have enough backbone to get on the bandwagon too!!! Then maybe, just maybe, those of us that have the same body type as Keira's will finally feel we don't have to keep declaring we are good enough as we are too!


This is a video clip of the segment on Good Morning America. Be sure to watch this!
You will have to hit the pause button (far left) on my music play list at the bottom of my blog in order to hear it better.


Monday, July 28, 2008

Jodi Needs...

ImageChef.com - Custom comment codes for MySpace, Hi5, Friendster and more


I saw this on another blog and couldn't wait to try it!!! What you do is google your first name with the word needs behind it. So I typed in Jodi needs and this what came up.


Jodi needs shoes, socks, undies, shorts (ya think?)

Jodi needs support
(then I must need a bra too)

Jodi needs a ticket to ride
(Cool! Where am I going?!)

Jodi needs to do some regulatin' viva la Jon & Kate Plus 8 (hmm...I think that would do me in!)

Jodi needs some work
(so I've heard!)

Jodi needs help in developing a healthier plan for weight management
(guess my running and daily intake of chocolate isn't doing the trick)

Jodi needs to excuse herself from the table and leave through the nearest exit
(well, how rude!)

Jodi needs deliverance from lust, unforgiveness, and mental attacks and strongholds of the enemy, she promised she would go to church Sunday
(now how did Google know that?!)

Jodi needs to go home and read her Bible
(maybe that will get me the deliverance I need!)

Jodi needs a fake and bake intervention
(is that what those Easy Bake ovens do?)

Jodi needs a little more work
(MORE already?)

Jodi needs to come out of the closet already
(let me get my work done first!)

Jodi needs to be in more roles on TV
(that wouldn't be a problem after I get that work done.)

Jodi needs a lot of forgiveness for her past
(Sheesh! What exactly did I do? Maybe I better get two Bibles!)

Jodi needs to learn what the word accessory means
(no, actually I think I have that one figured out!)

Jodi needs a break
(it sure sounds like it doesn't it!)

Jodi needs to go on a dance freeway
(okay, I'll do that!)

Jodi needs a parent to help her with more important things, like what to do about this fuel crisis we are in
(does this mean the dance freeway is out?)

Jodi needs our support right now (after reading these, I sure do!)

Jodi needs to go to bed
(finally one I like!)

Jodi needs a life
(then I better not go to bed yet!)

Jodi needs a home
(no thanks, I already have one)

Jodi needs to choose more popular songs
(and here I thought my songs were great)

Jodi needs to ramp up speeding and cell phone violations instead of seat belts
(I wonder if I can do that on that dance freeway)

Jodi needs a photo to post
(if you've seen my blog, you know that isn't the case!)

Jodi needs to repent now!
(here we go again...guess I better get those Bibles back out)

Jodi needs to keep up to date with the younger kid's popular culture, which means reading Barbie Magazine
(okay, I will subscribe today! My boys will be thrilled...)

Jodi needs a pounds 2500 operation to fix the tissue in the right breast
(Just the right one? What about the left? It doesn't want to be left out...I mean as long as we are fixing things, let's go for it!)

Jodi needs a C-section (can we do that at the same time as the boob job?)

Jodi needs to be a cheerleader at some point (hey, I've been saying that since I didn't make the squad in high school!)


Jodi needs a smackdown (That's kinda harsh after all that surgery don't ya think?)


Jodi needs more mature office decor (I guess the Mickey Mouse clock has to go)


Jodi needs a therapist much more than a couch (that goes without saying...but I would prefer both)


Jodi needs to go away (:o{ waaaa...waaa....waaa...)

Jodi needs a new partner (hmm...after reading all these, more like a new partner in crime!)

Jodi needs us to be strong as she is strong so much for all of us (finally, I am doing something right!)

Jodi needs a huge slap in the face back to reality (okay fine, and just who is gonna give it to me?)

Jodi needs something a bit stronger (make mine with chocolate)

Jodi needs to give one final chance (or more like be given one!)

Jodi needs to think of something new (open for suggestions!)

Jodi needs your prayers
(AMEN!)

Jodi needs to remember to speak with a YAWK accent with ghetto speak (Yo homey...you wan' a say dat to my face? U don know me so dont U jus step off yo cuz I gots the fastest whip on da board so dont be h8n now ~ for more of this fun go
here!)

Jodi needs you, so please don't fall apart on me (this is true...)

Jodi needs help
(any volunteers?)

Jodi needs to go
(truer words have never been spoken! Adios!)





Give it a try! Come on, you know you want to!

Be sure and let me know when you do! I can't wait to read yours!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Youth Conference

This summer has been crazy busy and hasn't left me a lot of time to blog about it all. Soooooooooooooooooooooo...
I am playing catch up for the next few posts and will finally get around to all (some of) those photos that have been begging to be set free into the bloggy world!

This first one is from YOUTH CONFERENCE!

I was able to attend part of the second day and all of the last. But even only that much was worthy of a post.

The first day was a service day. The second day was a trek day. And the third day was a spiritual day. You will have to clicky on them or get a magnifying glass to see most of them. Sorry, but there were so many that I had to collage them.

The first six photos are of the trek. That is my son Bryce in the cowboy hat and red bandanna. Isn't he one hunky cowboy? They had to pull handcarts in extremely hot temps, but then got to have a hoe-down as a reward for not dying on the trail. The seventh through eleventh shots were taken at our tabernacle. We got to tour it...even underneath it! I was a little leary about going down there in the cob-webby, dirt-floory, old-smelling, very small space, but I braved it out! A river used to run through it underneath to power the organ. I was fine until we were leaving and heard that the group right before us saw a rat down there! YES! A RAT! Let me tell you, I exited MUCH quicker than I entered! We posed at the pulpit because every Prophet (with the exception of Joseph Smith) has spoken from it. The bottom shots are us touring a very old building that is used to make headstones. It was real cool to see all the old tools and things. We also toured an old granary where my cute friend Bonnie told us about how the Relief Society stored wheat there.













The top three on this one were taken at a museum. They had a cool little buggy that we sat in and clicked a button to make it move as if horses were pulling it. The two on the top are of me and Stephanie posing as smiling pioneer women (with sunglasses no less!) We stuck our heads through a hole and inside was a wall mirror so you could see what you looked like. The glare is from the camera flash. Not sure I have ever seen a photo of a smiling pioneer woman until now! We toured our train station and had lots of fun games at a park and then an awesome dinner and testimony meeting. I love working with the youth! They have such an amazing spirit about them that just lifts me!























Tyson's Birthday Celebration

We had a great celebration in honor of my son Tyson's (what would be) 20th birthday. For that story go HERE.

Each year we gather and write a message on a card that has his photo and a little bit about him. Everyone puts whatever they want to say to him. Then we attach them to helium balloons and after we sing Happy Birthday we all let them go. It is an incredible sight to see all those balloons sail away to heaven. I have an email address on the card in case anyone finds one. I have received a couple responses over the past two years. It is really fun when that happens.

After that we light fireworks around his grave. Tyson LOVED fireworks and so we really HAVE to do that! They are pretty noisy and I am always afraid a policeman is going to show up and handcuff me on the spot, but so far we have hadn't any problems! Whew! This year we had a pinata for the little ones to break. It was appropriately a Hawaiian hula girl! Then we all enjoy Chocolate Ecstasy which was Tyson's favorite dessert...(next to Rice Krispy Treats!)

It has proven to be a really a nice tradition that brings us together with some of his friends and family. It makes what could be a really sad day into a celebration of his life. At least that is the plan. I think it must be working because this year McKay said to me, "Tyson's birthday is getting happier every year!"









Let's Go Fly a Kite Luncheon

This one is from the great luncheon we had for American Mothers, Inc. (AMI)!

I have posted before how much the organization American Mothers has meant in my life. It continues to do so and I'm sure it always will. We had an awesome event (go here) held at the Maddox Lodge for mother's of all ages. The turnout was incredible with 178 women in attendance! The theme was "Let's Go Fly A Kite" and our cute Lisa Ellis dressed up as Mary Poppins. She really is practically perfect in every way! I was on the planning committee, though I didn't feel like I did much. Diane Weese and Lisa Stevenson deserve all the Kudos! Everything they do is always spectacular! The main speaker was Karen Ashton - co-founder of Thanksgiving Point and wife of Word Perfect founder Alan Ashton. She was fabulous! What an honor it was to meet them both.

*Photo with the Ashtons. *Cecelia Benson talking to us about motherhood. She is one of my favorite people *Shots of the event (middle -middle is Karen Ashton speaking) *Posing with family and friends that attended. *The bottom middle photo is one taken of some of my most cherished friends. These woman are the cream of the crop and I have had the privilege of working with them all for about 17 years in AMI. Women do not get any better than these ones! I think that is the main reason I love AMI...because of the caliber of women that are in it. They are amazing...every single one of them!
Click to enlarge























Karen Ashton's talk was really inspiring. She has such a fun way of relating her life experiences that makes you feel so connected to her. A few of my notes and some of the things she said that stuck with me:

She began by telling us she was going to invent a new appliance and call it the Food Separator. It will automatically separate each and every ingredient in casseroles for those picky eaters who don't want any of their food touching. Wouldn't that be great!

Mothers really control the CLIMATE of the home.

LOVE is the biggest factor in that climate. Our children need to hear someone cheering for them. They NEED to be hugged. Especially teens...the ones that resist it the most!

FOOD is the fastest way we connect with home. The smells that bring us back to a certain time and place. Food is a nurturer in it's own way. Mother's need to get back to cooking and bringing in those smells that permeate the home with goodness.

MEMORIES~ She said she was watching videos of some of their Christmases and noticed how much "stuff" their kids got each year and how almost all of that "stuff" was now in the dump. She decided then and there that they were going to stop giving "stuff" and give memories for Christmas instead. So now instead of a bunch of gifts, they take a trip somewhere fun. Mothers are in charge of the Memories AND the recovery of the Memories. We need to tell stories of the things our children did when they were growing up and keep them alive through the generations. We must keep track of the things they do and say.

HUMOR~ We MUST have humor in the home.

GUILT~ We all think we need to be Superwoman. She doesn't exist. Being a mother is the hardest job in the whole world, but it is the ONLY job worth giving your life for. You may feel you are never enough and never doing enough, but you make a profound difference to each child.

HOME~ The sweetest peace is within the walls of your own home. You carry a piece of home with you wherever you go....like a kite that can fly high because someone anchored you long ago.




To join American Mothers or to find out how to get involved in your state, go here and click on State Associations. For those of you in Utah go here. You will be glad you did!!!

Here is a great story we handed out at the luncheon. Enjoy! I know it's a bit long, but trust me, you won't regret reading it. It's the kind of story that we moms (and maybe even more so dads) need to hear over and over again.


~The Day We Flew the Kites~

String!" shouted Brother, bursting into the kitchen. "We need lots more string."
It was Saturday. As always, it was a busy one, for "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work" was taken seriously then. Outside, Father and Mr. Patrick next door were doing chores.

Inside the two houses, Mother and Mrs. Patrick were engaged in spring cleaning. Such a windy March day was ideal for "turning out" clothes closets. Already woolens flapped on backyard clotheslines.

Somehow the boys had slipped away to the back lot with their kites. Now, even at the risk of having Brother impounded to beat carpets, they had sent him for more string. Apparently there was no limit to the heights to which kites would soar today.


My mother looked out the window. They sky was piercingly blue: the breeze fresh and exciting. Up in all that blueness sailed puffy billows of clouds. It had been a long, hard winter, but today was Spring.

Mother looked at the sitting room, its furniture disordered for a Spartan sweeping. Again her eyes wavered toward the window. "Come on, girls! Let's take string to the boys and watch them fly the kites a minute." On the way we met Mrs. Patrick, laughing guiltily, escorted by her girls.

There never was such a day for flying kites! God doesn't make two such days in a century. We played all our fresh twine into the boys' kites and still they soared. We could hardly distinguish the tiny, orange-colored specks. Now and then we slowly reeled it on in, finally bringing it dipping and tugging to earth, for the sheer joy of sending it up again. What a thrill to run with them, to the right, to the left, and see our poor, earth-bound movements reflected minutes later in the majestic sky-dance of the kites! We wrote wishes on slips of paper and slipped them over the string. Slowly, irresistibly, they climbed up until they reached the kites. Surely all such wishes would be granted!

Even our fathers dropped hoe and hammer and joined us. Our mothers took their turn, laughing like school girls. Their hair blew out of their pompadours and curled loose about their cheeks; their gingham aprons whipped about their legs. Mingled with our fun was something akin to awe. The grown-ups were really playing with us! Once I looked at Mother and thought she looked actually pretty. And her over forty!

We never knew where the hours went on that hilltop day. There were no hours, just a golden breezy Now. I think we were all a little beyond ourselves. Parents forgot their duty and their dignity; children forgot their combativeness and small spites. "Perhaps it's like this in the Kingdom of Heaven," I thought confusedly.

It was growing dark before, drunk with sun and air, we all stumbled sleepily back to the houses. I suppose we had some sort of supper. I suppose there must have been a surface tidying-up, for the house on Sunday looked decorous enough.


The strange thing was, we didn't mention that day afterward. I felt a little embarrassed, Surely none of the others had thrilled to it as deeply as I. I locked the memory up in that deepest part of me where we keep "the things that cannot be and yet are."

The years went on, then one day I was scurrying about my own kitchen in a city apartment, trying to get some work out of the way while my three-year-old insistently cried her desire to "go park and see ducks."

"I can't go!," I said. I have this and this to do and when I'm through I'll be too tired to walk that far."

My mother, who was visiting us, looked up from the peas she was shelling.
"It's a wonderful day," she offered; "really warm, yet there's a fine, fresh breeze. It reminds me of that day we flew the kites."

I stopped in my dash between stove and sink. The locked door flew open, and with it a gush of memories. I pulled off my apron. "Come on," I told my little girl. "You're right, it's too good a day to miss."

Another decade passed. We were in the aftermath of a great war. All evening we had been asking our returned soldier, the youngest Patrick boy, about his experiences as a prisoner of war. He had talked freely, but now for a long time he had been silent. What was he thinking of--what dark and dreadful things?

"Say!" A smile twitched his lips. "Do you remember... no, of course you wouldn't. It probably didn't make the impression on you it did on me."

I hardly dared speak. "Remember what?"

"I used to think of that day a lot in PW camp, when things weren't too good. Do you remember the day we flew the kites?"

Winter came, and the sad duty of a call of condolence on Mrs. Patrick, recently widowed. I dreaded the call. I couldn't imagine how Mrs. Patrick would face life alone.

We talked a little of my family and her grandchildren and the changes in the town. Then she was silent, looking down at her lap. I cleared my throat. Now I must say something about her loss, and she would begin to cry.

When she looked up, Mrs. Patrick was smiling. "I was just sitting here thinking," she said. "Henry had such fun that day. Frances, do you remember the day we flew the kites?"
-By Frances Fowler

Surf''s Up!

My sister-in-law Karen and I, took our boys to the Salomon Center to the Flowrider. Flowrider is a mock surfing place that you pay for by the hour. It is really fun, though rather expensive for my liking. It cost $20 an hour. $30 an hour if it is your first time. McKay, Taylor, and my nephew Weston had been once before last summer, but not Bryce. Sooooooo $90 later...they had made some long lasting memories. At least let's hope they will last long for that price! It was a blast and they really started to get the hang of it by the end. It is MUCH harder than it looks....or so I hear. After, we went next door to Costa Vida to eat while we watched the next session of surfers. There are windows that connect the two places together. Lots of fun! Hang loose baby!



Below are some shots of the boys and their cousin Weston (with the short dark hair) who stayed with us from Arizona for a few weeks. They love spending time together when he is here. The rest of his family stays at Dave's parents, but Weston is like one of our boys and so he stays with us. They all get along so well. It's really sad to see them go home each year. I have so much fun with his little sisters Aubrey and McKenzie too. And his mom (Karen ~ Dave's sister) is like a sister to me. We have lots of fun together... sometimes too much! No wait, that isn't possible to have too much fun is it?

Clk to enlar














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Here' s a couple of videos of what it's like. Unfortunately my memory card was full just when they were getting real good! Oh well....next time!




Tyson's birthday collage

Friday, July 25, 2008

Know and Tell Friday

This is my first time to play this. It was fun!!! If you wanna play go HERE.



1. What is your favorite mode of transportation (flying, train, car, boat, etc.)? Why?
I actually love them all, but I think flying is the most convenient and easiest on the body. I have never been on a long cruise and so I am not sure how well I would like that, though I do love riding in boats!

2. If you could fly like Superman, jump and swing like Spiderman, swing on vines like Tarzan or fly on an umbrella like Mary Poppins, which would you choose?

I have always thought that being able to fly would be so awesome! It would be such a free-ing feeling without the fear of doing something like parachuting. The swinging on vines would be a blast though too.
3. You're driving down the road and you see a small cluster of people, all with their thumbs out hoping to hitch a ride with you. As you near the group you realize that the people standing there are Queen Elizabeth, Johnny Depp, Barrack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and John Grisham. You only have room for one person. Who would you pick up?
That is a hard one. I would want to meet them all. So I think I would start with Queen Elizabeth because I would want to ask her the real scoop on Princess Diana and ask her how she could have treated her so poorly. I would drive her around for a bit and then drop her back off and pick up Barrack Obama and try and explain to him what in my opinion this country needs (which I won't go into now) and then I would drop him off and pick up Oprah. I would love to chat with her about my feelings of how she has sunk lately on the quality of her programs and tell her she needs to focus more on things that will actually help people instead of just entertain them like she used to be so good at. Then I would drop her off, even though she would probably refuse to get out, but I would tell her if she got out then she could spend more time telling Barrack what he needs to do to get elected... (which I pray does NOT happen!) like appearing on her show again, etc. I would invite John Grisham inside and pick his brain on his writing success and ask for an autographed copy of his latest book for Dave who is a huge fan . Last but NOT least...(I saved the best for last!), I would give Johnny Depp a ride. I would take him to wherever he wanted to go and for as long as he wanted. I would love to get to know what he is really like and if he is as strange as so many claim. I personally think he is probably a very nice guy. He is definitely easy on the eyes! I would have to get his autograph for my youngest son who is a huge pirate fan.

4. What was the most memorable trip you've ever taken?
That would have to be when I traveled to Europe with a college group. We went to London, Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam. In Amsterdam a small group of us wanted to see the Red Light District and so one of the guys from another college group offered to show us where it was. It was about a mile from our hotel and so we walked through all kinds of alleys to get there. It was NOT a safe walk for a bunch of mostly young innocent girls and only one guy! I just remember thinking, "If I survive this it won't matter because if my Dad ever finds out he will KILL me." We made it to Red Light District. That is a story in itself. I tried to take some photos and a guy approached me just glaring at me. Someone else immediately came up to me and said that I better put my camera away or it will get tossed in the canal and maybe me with it! I guess those doing business there want to remain anonymous, especially from a bunch of gawking American tourists! As we were leaving we walked by a business that offered us a live 'show' (use your imagination here) for only 25 cents because we were Americans. Quite the eye opener! In Paris my friend and I got lost. We didn't know what to do until we heard some people speaking English in a pub and so went in and asked for help, but they told us they didn't speak any English! I could go on and on with the stories of that trip...


5. If you were planning a road trip with your best friend, where would you start, what would you stop to see and where would you end?
I would love to travel to New York City. I have been there before and it is a fun place to visit. Either that or the Oregon Coast. That is so beautiful there!

6. You are able to transport yourself back to any time. What would it be and why?
I would want to go back to the time that Christ lived. I would love to be in His presence and just watch and learn from Him. I think that would be amazing!
7. Would you have flown with the Wright Brothers when they first discovered air travel?
No way, no how!!!



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