Opened my eyes

Again I am sorry for the redundancy in this post. We spent what seamed like all three hours in church talking about this. Also for not being as funny as some of you think I should be. I wont disappoint next time. My fantastic mother in law sent this to us and and so I thought that it was worth sharing. I have to say before I read this I was sitting on the fence. I know, I know how could I be sitting on the fence. I just keep thinking how long are we going to have to fight this. A few years ago we thought that we were done since the majority had passed it but no, one judge over turned all of the majority vote. How is that fair. Any way back to before I read this I just felt like fine let them get married and be as miserable as all of us married people. Really just get married all ready and shut up. Then I read this and I realized that the school is going to teach my kids these things. I don't think so. Enough of the rant. Read it and from your own opinion.

Six Consequences If Proposition 8 Fails

1. Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage.

The California Education Code already requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage. (§51890)

Therefore, unless Proposition 8 passes, children will be taught that marriage is between any two adults regardless of gender. There will be serious clashes between the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs.

2. Churches may be sued over their tax exempt status if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings open to the public. Ask whether your pastor, priest, minister, bishop, or rabbi is ready to perform such marriages in your chapels and sanctuaries.

3. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government agencies to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston already closed its doors in Massachusetts because courts legalized same-sex marriage there.

4. Religions that sponsor private schools with married student housing may be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if counter to church doctrine, or risk lawsuits over tax exemptions and related benefits.

5. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages may be sued for hate speech and risk government fines. It already happened in Canada, a country that legalized gay marriage. A recent California court held that municipal employees may not say: “traditional marriage,” or “family values” because, after the same-sex marriage case, it is “hate speech.”

6. It will cost you money. This change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits, including some already lost (e.g., photographers cannot now refuse to photograph gay marriages, doctors cannot now refuse to perform artificial insemination of gays even given other willing doctors). Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today’s activist judges), think of the money – your money – that will be spent on such legal battles.

And think of all the unintended consequences that we cannot even foresee at this time. Where will it end?

It’s your children, your grandchildren, your money, and your liberties.

Lets work together to protect them.

Join with us in walking precincts and phoning voters to vote Yes on Prop 8.

THIS IS HOW WE ROLL!

So a few months ago Nicole bought a swing for Jaxton. The Girls bugged me for months to put up this swing. I wanted to build this elaborate swing set. Being a contractor they expect nothing less. Any way it was last winter and I had this great idea to put the swing up in the garage. I felt it was a brilliant idea. They could swing and and Nicole did not have to worry about them because they were locked in the garage. After putting up the one swing I found this other swing at Home Depot and got it so that all the kids could swing. They love having it. It is great when I am outside doing yard work or doing something in the garage they can hang out with me and I am not worried about them running too far from the house, mainly Hayden. Every once in awhile our neighbor from two houses down and across the street will come over with Hayden in hand and say she was ringing there door bell non stop. She is such a peach. Back to the swing in the garage, I think the next addition to the swings will be a couch on the porch, that way Nicole and I will have something to do while the kids swing. A nice cup of lemonade and a sweet couch to sit and relax on. I'm out.

Jaxton is always having a good time.

My favorite part of the picture is the fact that Hayden had just bit the dust while Hallie was pushing here on her bike and has blood all over her lip.

Avery and her famous smile.




And finally here is Nicole and I sitting on our couch together. The good times that we have shared here. Look, little Hayden is in the back ground bringing us our fresh squeezed lemonade.

This is Nick here, I am writing this note to say I am sorry to all of our loyal fans out there that look at this blog day in and day out with nothing to show for it. Nicole has decided that this blog does not matter any more. She just cant find a happy median between her new frugal blog and the family blog. So in conclusion I will try to convince her that it is necessary to update the blog. How else will I know what is happening with my wonderful family. Sorry Nicole for the outing of you. I hope I still have your love and affection.

I've Been Robbed!

Someone stole a couple of my posts from my other blog. They just went to my blog, copied, pasted and published them as their own. On one post this person said thanks to me but gave me no link, but one post is published without any credit given back to me in any form.

I put a lot of time and effort into frugalisfab, with very little financial reward. So to have someone just rip off my work makes me a little hot under the collar.

This person does not have an email address to contact them and so I am left here in a quandary wondering what to do. I am sure (by this I mean I hope) that this person doesn't know that what they are doing is wrong and so I don't just want to blast them with a nasty comment on their blog. But on the other hand, I really don't want someone taking my work and publishing it as their own.

Anyone have any helpful advice?

Flashback Friday Back to School Edition

In honor of Hallie and Avery starting school this week I thought that we would do a little flashback of Nick and I at their age. First here are some pictures from the first day of school:

Avery kept turning around to see if we were still there. She was a little unsure to say the least.



Here are Nick and my Kindergarten pictures. Which one of us do you think Avery looks the most like?

If you answered either one of us, sorry this was actually a trick question, because the answer is none of the above. I think Avery looks the most like my mom. I have to get my mom to get a picture of herself scanned, because really that is who she resembles the most.



Here are Nick and I in our 2nd grade pictures. Who do you think Hallie looks the most like?

No question here. Hallie is definitely all her dad. Those two are like two peas in a pod. It is unreal how much they are alike.

The Second Funniest Family Home Evening

If you didn't already know this, I think Hallie is the funniest most creative girl. She never ceases to amaze me with her productions and ideas. She especially amazes me because I have no creative gene. She doesn't have any great example to follow here, she just comes up with this stuff on her own.

She was in charge of FHE tonight, and she choreographed a reenactment of Jesus' birth. There was a set, costumes, and she narrated everything while directing and staring in the show.

Avery was playing Mary and Hallie was playing Joseph. I told Hallie to smile for the picture and she looked at me like "you just do not get it mom," and she said "Um, I'm Joseph." I guess she figures Joseph didn't do much smiling. You can really see her creativity here. She took the tricycle and attached my exercise bands for the donkey. She is using the hooded towels for costumes, notice that Avery's is pink and hers is blue. She thought of EVERYTHING. The pillows in the background represent the sheep. There is one purple sheep because Hayden FLIPPED out when they tried to take her pillowcase off.

Hallie had to play multiple parts, here she is holding the star. I don't know how she even remembered that we own a yardstick, but she dug it out so that the star could be shining in the sky.


Jaxton really was not happy with Hallie holding the star, he thought it looked like the best, most exciting toy he had ever seen, and was obsessed with it for the rest of the night.




Here they are playing multiple parts again. In this picture they are the shepherds. Hayden is the angel. (Thank you McDonald family for the costume, who knew that a fairy costume would be perfect for a Nativity reenactment!)


Hallie kept trying to give Hayden directions. She would say, "okay angel, now you go over here and say . . ." Hayden would just scream back "CALL ME ANDI." I have no idea why. But, throughout the entire production she insisted on being called Andi.


The joyous occasion. Jaxton's toy basket made a perfect manger, (she even set it on top of a bar stool, so it did kind of look like a manger), and one of Nick's work towels worked out nicely for the swaddling clothes.

In case you missed it, this was the funniest FHE.

My Baby Boy Is One

As much as I protested and as much as Jaxton seems willing to comply, it seems like my baby boy is growing up! I can't believe how fast this year has gone, how much our lives have been blessed by his presence in our home and how much I love the little guy. Here are a million pictures of his first year.

No, We Didn't Fall Off The Face Of the Earth

Sorry I have been a crummy blogger lately. I haven't posted in quite a long time and the last few posts have been about coupons and creepy magazine ads. BORING. So here is a general update.

My new hobby, frugalisfab.blogspot.com is consuming my life, so that is great. Actually I think it will be a little less maintenance now that I am all set up. It is doing pretty well and I am really excited about it.

I am at my parents house and their computer moves at a snails pace. So, there will be no pictures on this post, I will save them all for when we get home. This is what we have been doing so far: my mom and I have been bargain shopping for hours on end, lots of swimming, because it was 111 degrees here yesterday (the pool felt like bath water it was so hot), and Hayden and I are sharing a bed and she threw up all over me and was up half of the night last night. So all in all a very good time so far.

Jaxton's birthday is on Saturday and I have not planned any birthday celebration yet. I think I am in denial. Do you think that if I just don't throw him a birthday party he can stay little forever?

So, look forward to a new post when I get home. It will include Jaxton's birthday celebrations, whatever they may be, and getting to see my grandpa and meet my new grandma (he is recently remarried). So, should be really exciting!