What I'm Thankful For. . .

Although I'm a little late in beginning, I am going to start posting what I am thankful for. To start with today, I am thankful for my dad. I am the definition of a daddy's girl and proud of it. My dad has always been there for me no matter what. Ever since I was a little girl, I could always run to my dad when i was having a hard time or needed someone to talk to. He always had some positive words to share which usually included one of his infamous stories about his past.When I was eight and my brother had his accident, my dad was there with a cool head along with his priesthood power to make it better. That is what he has done for most of my life, made things better, or at least made me feel better about them. I am grateful for his example and I am grateful for his faith. This past year and a half has been quite trying on the old man, he is carrying quite a load of stress on his shoulders between the slow housing market and his dying business as well as family strife and accidents. But my dad continues pressing forward trying to be optimistic and strong. I am grateful for my daddy and his example for me. I love him and will never be able to express my gratitude for all he has done for me. I love you dad! (hopefully someone will be able to explain to him how to connect to this blog since the man is computer illiterate)

Just In Case. . .

For any of you that are interested, if you didn't get a chance to come to the Shabby Apple Trunkshow and you still want to order a dress, here is a code for free shipping:

LeBaronNeedsDress

Feel free to pass this on to your friends.

The President

You all new it was coming. . . my thoughts on the outcome of the election. For my own personal thoughts and journal, I found this article in the Wall Street Journal to be very interesting. My candidate for President lost, so it is true I need to put my support behind Obama when he becomes our president(and maybe like he admitted in his acceptance speech, he may not get what he promised accomplished in one term). It is a great day in our nation when an African American can be elected as President. I respect him and hope that he represents our country well. I have to say that the economy is responding to him winning the race for the presidency, yes, that is right, the stock market continues to go down. Maybe because businesses don't like Obama's ideas on taxes? Hmmmm. (like I said, I will stand behind him when he BECOMES our president) I also don't understand why it is important for our country to unite behind him when he is president, but not before hand. Well, here is the article:

"Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.
According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.
This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."
Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties.
The president's original Supreme Court choice of Harriet Miers alarmed Republicans, while his final nomination of Samuel Alito angered Democrats. His solutions to reform the immigration system alienated traditional conservatives, while his refusal to retreat in Iraq has enraged liberals who have unrealistic expectations about the challenges we face there.
It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.
Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.
Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
To be sure, Mr. Bush is not completely alone. His low approval ratings put him in the good company of former Democratic President Harry S. Truman, whose own approval rating sank to 22% shortly before he left office. Despite Mr. Truman's low numbers, a 2005 Wall Street Journal poll found that he was ranked the seventh most popular president in history.
Just as Americans have gained perspective on how challenging Truman's presidency was in the wake of World War II, our country will recognize the hardship President Bush faced these past eight years -- and how extraordinary it was that he accomplished what he did in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.
Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House."

I think that says a lot about our country. President Bush is not solely responsible for much of what has gone on in our country. Think about all the things that have been thrown at him as President.

I think McCain graciously lost (I wonder what would have happened had it been the other way? I can't help but think that we would have all been accused of being racist and riots may have broken out in Chicago? It's funny how so often there is such a double standard isn't there?) As a history nerd I think, just like most presidents, our nation will eventually look on President Bush in a positive light. And that will conclude my political thoughts forever more.

Happy Halloween!

I absolutely love Fall! Maybe because I finally get to wear sweaters, maybe because its my birthday, but definitely now that I am a mom, because I get to dress my little boy in a darling Halloween Costume. How cute is he? I absolutely love his costume but I'm not so sure that he does. Much like his dad, he is a little heater and gets pretty sweaty. Here are a couple of pictures from our many Halloween parties!

So the last one is of our family. Tommy won best costume for that. Yea for Halloween! And I don't know what is wrong with me but am I the only sane person in the United States who doesn't believe Obama and doesn't think his ideas will work? I will spare you the rest of my political rant and just share my ideas with Tom, but let me just say I am against wealth redistribution!!!

Just About There!

He's quite wobbly, but today Porter took his first steps! Five of them with a pause in between to be exact. But if this is anything like crawling, now that he has taken those steps, it will be a while before he actually starts to do it. Although he tends to walk and balance when he isn't thinking about it. And because of that temper (see post below) lots of times when I try to make him, he just arches his back and brings his feet to his chest so he can't stand up. He's quite the independent little boy, and I'm sure this means even more trouble, but I'm proud of my little scrunch. (sorry, I'm slacking with pictures lately, maybe I'll get some video next time)

18 Screws and 2 Plates

Well after 4 days in the hospital and a four hour surgery that put 18 screws and 2 Plates into her foot, my mom is finally home. She has to be completely off of it for 6 weeks and the feeling in her foot may never fully come back. The doctor also instructed her that she should never be alone in case she did fall. So Porter and I have taken it upon ourselves to be her company and help. She came home late Tuesday night. She is pretty much helpless and depressed. I have to help her do everything, even shower! But we will make it. Most importantly, we have to keep her occupied so she doesn't get too depressed. Porter is fascinated with her foot and will not stop touching it.
Speaking of Porter, man is he a naughty boy! A very cute and darling naughty boy. He hates to eat, get his diaper changed, and sleep through the night. He now throws temper tantrums, throwing his head backwards and waving his arms when I take him away from his naughty fascinations such as the bathroom garbage, the toilet, the fireplace, the stairs, and the dog and her food. This is the only time when Porter and the dog actually get along.
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Okay, well also here:


When I change his diaper, I have developed a wrestling position where I pin his arms down with my feet. Well today when I was attempting this feat, he bit my toe! I just started to laugh and he started to cry. Where did he come from? Most people would never believe that he behaves this way. When we are around other people he just flashes that irresistible smile and talks in his sweet soft voice. Don't get me wrong, he is still a sweet little boy who cuddles with his mom and talks and plays with me for hours, but there are just a few things that we definitely clash over. I was talking to my mom about my frustrations today and she informed me that this is exactly how I was at this age. So he is even more like his mom than we thought. Just not in the good way. But I still love my sweet little boy and hopefully we will grow out of this stage soon. But on the cute side again. Not that I am counting these as his first words, but maybe they are. Porter definitely understands Bah-Bah as bottle. He crawls towards me saying Bah-Bah and when I give him that that is what he wants. And when Tommy leaves in the morning for work, he says DADADADADADA for like fifteen minutes after I tell him to say goodbye to DaDa. He also (when he wants to not when I want him to perform) says BABA when people leave. It is so dang cute!

Slip Up

Its amazing to me how a split second can change everything. This past weekend, Tom was helping my mom install an electric dog fence in her backyard. (Keep in mind my mom is a bit accident prone. Anyone remember a couple years ago when she broke her collar bone on a scooter and broke her front tooth, both while on her cruise? Oh, and there is the time she broke her toe, and the one where she broke both her legs at the same time, her nose problems, breaking her tooth again, and falling down the stairs like twenty times!) Well, anyways, somehow she slipped and busted some bones. She started screaming and Tom came running. (my dad was at funeral) She kept yelling at him to do something (poor guy) and so he finally called the paramedics. It was disgusting, we have a picture, but I'll spare you the visuals. Long story short, she will be in the hospital for three days. She just got out of surgery with 18 screws and two plates! She is off of it for six weeks. Looks like I now what I will be doing but at least I don't have to do her hair this time! I feel so bad for her. Keep her in your prayers!