TAKING A BREAK!!!!!

So Brooke and Tyler and I sent spur of the moment to Jacksonville, where my parents are. It is no small trip - a good almost 4 hours south - but it was SO liberating to go and just relax. I don't know why I don't do it more often. Brian was working and then had meetings all day Sunday...so even though he missed us - it was all good.

I was lucky enough to solicit the help of my mom and my sister - we are cutting out various pics in magazines to make picture books for Humanitarian Aid. It is the activity for the Primary Quarterly Activities that I am in charge of. And I have to say, it was SO nice to get that off of my plate. Between the three of us - we put in about 12 man power hours - from right after church until midnight! And THANK YOU NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC for having so many pictures to choose from!

I played my dad in ping pong for 1 hour the last night we were there- and we kept evening up games until it was 3 to 3 - and he broke the tie...and then I did....YEAH, it was fun.

And so on Tuesday, Brian and I got our GUITAR HERO in the mail from ebay. And yeah - we have both been perfecting our play station II guitar playing skills. I am NOT a video game person, but I have to say - its a pretty darn fun game!!! My favorite song to play is "Killer Queen."

MY TAKE ON AMERICAN IDOL:

So last night was the first time I really ENJOYED Melinda. I think she is good, but it does not usually connect with me. I really thought her sound on "As long as he needs me" was MUCH better than I expected, because of the song it was. And her voice TO ME sounded better on that, than with a lot of runs, and the R and B sound.
On Haley, I REALLY think the judges are too harsh on her - in general. Simon has NEVER liked the more 'Broadway" ish sound produced not only by Haley, but also Katherine McPhee and Clay Aiken.
To me, it sounds in many ways, more pleasing, and more melodic, and in many cases, more controlled, accomplished and polished. I think Haley is trying to figure out what the judges want from her because they do not give her consistent remarks, and are undully harsh with her. I think she is GREAT. I like her look and her sound. I just think Simon does not want to PRODUCE what she is. Which is fine - let her go on to do Hairspray or Pirate Queen or something on Broadway - I will be all for that!
So I thought Phil was GREAT last night. He was MUCH MUCH better than he was given credit for. Again (the same thing I thought last season with Katherine McPhee)- am I hearing the same thing the judges are hearing? SERIOUSLY???!?!?! I thought his song was SO fun and I was REALLY into it. And of course, all Randy can ever say is, "It was pitchy" or "Yo, Dog." And Paula might as well just say "ditto" after Randy talks 98% of the time. Anyway - I had LOTS of fun listening to him.

The Last - Chris. I just LOVE him. I don't know exactly WHAT it is - I know he rushed a touch - but other than that - his performance was lots of fun. He has great tone and great controlled vibrato and that "never know what to expect next" personality. Go Chris!

So, Brooke started attending preschool a few weeks ago. She loves it - and its a little sad to think she has entered the school fase, of course. But I have to say, its nice also to give Tyler a little one on one - something he VERY RARELY gets.

This morning was SO nice -its supposed to be a record setting 74 degrees today. So Tyler and I took a nice long walk after I dropped Brooke off. In Chicago I have noticed that its so gross for so long in the winter, that when it was Sunny and 55 degrees here, which it has been the past couple of days - people came out in droves...as if coming out of hibernation. Every child, parents, the elderly - I saw so many frisbees, balls, raquets, bikes - and it was only 55!!! Just think when its 74 today!!! But I tell you what - after the February we had - MAN we deserve all the nice whether we can get! No one deserves to live where the high of the day is -5. And to think, Brian and I wanted to live in Alaska for awhile (a BRIEF faze we went through).
So I have the garden bug - I started all my seeds yesterday. The crazyiest thing I am planting this year: Its called Romanesco. Look it up on www.parkseed.com. Its the craziest looking thing ever - but I LOVE stuff like that. If you are wondering WHAT THE HECK it is -its a relative of cauliflower.The yummiest thing I am planting - Chocolate Mint (herb) - I put it in everything - mousse, shakes, icecream, pudding...YUM!

And one great thing about being a mom - I AM LOVED!!

Ok, so I HAVE to do a little blurb about Mitt Romney. I think he is SO fascinating! I always read the latest about what is going on with him and his presidential campaign. I have so much to say…where to start?

A Quote from today’s article from CBN news:

Romney says, "I think it proves that the media has determined who the conservative candidate is, because they're going after me with hammer and tongs. And that's the way you would expect them to go after the conservative candidate. And I'm proud of the fact that the mainstream media isn't wild about my candidacy, and that's why I'm going to win."

So – when you bear that in mind and still realize that Romney just won the CPAC straw poll (one of the BIG ones) and bearing in mind he beat out McCain AND Guiliiani – you can be prepared for the liberal media to become extremely mobile with apprehension!

THEN THERE IS, what else?, how inciteful and creative for the media to bring up the Polygamy issue:

From same article: “Recently, the Associated Press researched Romney's family tree and found his great-grandfather had five wives and his great-great grandfather had 12.

"I'm first to admit that among my ancestors were people who had multiple wives," Romney said. "But I sure don't, and I've been married to my high school sweetheart all my life -- and so has my dad, and before him, his dad. But the mainstream media is going to look as far and wide as they can to go after the candidate who they think is conservative."

My response, “OH BROTHER!” That is such a TIRED old adage to be bringing up what your great and great-great grandfathers did. Maybe they will find that Obama’s Great and great great grandfathers beheaded people during tribal chants in Nigeria! I mean SHEESH – they are trying so hard to pull up dirt they had to look 3 and 4 generations back!

My favorite rebuttal? "Mitt Romney is the only presidential candidate that HASN’T had multiple wives." OUCH!!!!

My last point is the whole “OH MY GOSH – he changed he mind on abortion!” OH NO!- he MUST be a panderer on issues!!” Well, if we think of Kerry who REALLY had a pandering issue, we remember he changed his mind on the Iraq war THREE TIMES in 1 week! My personal feeling was that he adapted to go into Massachusests – one of the bluest states in the nation. He says on that that he had a change of mind when he realized the repercussions of things (i.e. viewing embr yos creating for stem cell research, then destroyed)– AND if you look at his record as Governor you will see the pro-life trend throughout. (I won't even mention that many conservatives -including Bush - have changed their mind on whether they are pro-life or pro-choice.)

Enough said – I could go on awhile. I think he is a very Eloquent Articulate Sound Candidate – he is heavily promoting keeping the family intact, citing stats that when babies are born out of wedlock, 51% -most now single mothers - are likely be below poverty level. He cites that when you add the father in the mix (along the lines of being married first) the number plunges to 7%! Many people after hearing him speak change their mind for the better on him – realizing how compelling and sincere he is. GO MITT!!!

So, the difference between having a REGULAR Aquarium pass and an “ALL-ACCESS” (ooo and ahhhh sound effects) pass to the aquarium is the difference between stale bread and gourmet cake. OH MY GOODNESS! We have this friend in our ward who works there and will leave passes at the door if you give her enough notice.

SO we got to go see the DOLPHINS, WHALES, SEA LIONS and PENGUINS (only for all-access people if you can believe it), WILD REEF – where the gigantic tank with sharks live.

We saw the AQUARIUM 4-D movie (VERY COOL – you wear the lovely glasses and your seats move like crazy, and since it takes place in the “ocean” – you gets squirted with water hear and there, and when you see mice moving at you – you feel crazy puffs of air on your feet. I that it was GREAT!... Since we brought Brooke and it was for her birthday that we went to that 20 min. movie... I felt bad because she was covering her ears the whole time, facing the opposite direction than the screen and kept trying to take her glasses off (they were VERY big for her face). Then near the end she said pleadingly, “Mommy, I want to go home now.”

I guess that’s whey they encourage kids just 5 and up…..

And darn if Brooke is just NOT heavy enough to make the balloon pop – but Mommy was – I had to demo in front of everyone – and it popped JUST FINE for me :)

Brooke LOVED this birthday. She was SO excited. She informed me she wanted “Chocolate Brownies” for her birthday because “they’re her favorite.” Hey – that’s easy for me – I did two recipes and put cookies and cream in the middle – and GIANT ice cream sandwich!

Oh yeah - and we went to Texas Roadhouse where Brian works once a week and Brooke got on the famous Saddle while everyone yelled a "HEE-HAW" for her. She LOVES it there!


AND TYLER? He just loves BUTTER!!!