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Saturday, November 29, 2008

Just checking in...


We had a nice Thanksgiving. We went to our friends house and had a fun time and great dinner. Friday Greg was home, I had to work but did get out a little early. I got home and we took the kids to dinner then dropped them off to a movie, while Greg and I finished up Christmas shopping. I think we are done..Which is nice. Now I just have to wrap up things, then can relax..(At least as far as shopping goes)

Last night and today we got the Christmas decorations up. It still seems strange to me to see Christmas tree lots with no snow or cold weather. Not complaining though. I love the warmer weather in the winter. I never was a snow person, so this fits me perfectly.

We finally got an updated family photo. We had this taken while we were at the Beer's home for Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful day outside.

Have a good week!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

A Day of Thanksgiving..


Happy Thanksgiving. Last night Greg & Jaycee made pies, Greg is the baker in the family. This morning I got the turkey in the oven, I'm the cook in the family. Jaycee is getting the veggie tray together, she is the baker & cook. Jordan is staying out of the way since she has a habit of breaking things when she is in the kitchen. She is a good taste tester though..(o:

We are going to our friends the Beer's for thanksgiving. It will be fun and nice having more people than just us this year.

I'm thankful for Greg, Jordan & Jaycee. They are amazing! I am very blessed.
Hope you all have a great day.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Saturday

Saturday Jordan, Jaycee & I had planned to go to a movie with the Anderson's, our friends. There was a free movie early that morning at the theater to any movie you would like to see. So we got up early and left the house a little after 8. However, me not thinking that the movie may NOT be in Port Charlotte, didn't even think to confirm with Holly the location of the theater. I just thought it was in Port Charlotte...we got there excited that there weren't many people there at all. Only to be very disappointed when we got inside and saw NO ONE in line at the theater. So we called and found out it was in Venice...uuugh..Oh well. Now I owe Jordan and Jaycee a movie next weekend.

The day wasn't totally lost. I took the girls to breakfast, then we went shopping for shoes and dresses for church. Didn't have a lot of luck for the girls, I found me a pair of shoes, Jordan found some shoes she had been wanting & 1 skirt. Jaycee...nothing. We will keep trying. It is so hard to find skirts for Jaycee's size.

After clothes shopping, we went grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping. It is just not something I like to do. But ya gotta eat. We got home from shopping, then got the house picked up a little, threw some laundry in the wash. Then was asked by the missionaries to take them to Tampa for a baptism. It was for Bro Loney's daughter, and I was very happy to take them. The Loney's Granddaughters are in YW's and Sis Loney recently passed away.

It was such an AWESOME baptism. The spirit was amazing, and I know Sis Loney was there in spirit. It was a nice drive and as always Jordan & Jaycee LOVE being with the sister missionaries.

We got home around 7:30 and pretty much crashed the rest of the night. I love my girls and love the times we spend together.

Greg was doing Scouting duties. They had a 10 mile hike at Myakka State Park. He left around 6:30am and didn't get home until around 3ish. He had some cool pictures from it. I'm glad he is able to do this. I'm sure the boys will learn a lot from him.

It was a good Saturday.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Read 'The Christmas Sweater'



Above is a little video from Glenn Beck on his book 'The Christmas Sweater'. I have listened to the book on CD three times and am now reading the book. It is an amazing, touching & inspiring book. One that will make you think of what is truly important in life. If you get a chance please read it. If you want to borrow my book or CD let me know. You have to read this book.

Glenn is currently going on tour for 'The Christmas Sweater' on stage production. For those of us not close to where he is going, it will be in selected theatres on Dec 17th. For more info you can go to:

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/books/

If you have read it, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought.
Love
Shalee

Monday, November 17, 2008

Finally Updating..


It's been a little while since I actually had a real update. So here it goes. Two weeks ago Greg was called as Scout Master in our Ward. He has had one hike and the scouting for food on Saturday. His next hike is this weekend. The last one wasn't so great, so hopefully this next one will go better for him. He will do a good job, he is good with kids and will be great!

The girls are done with soccer for the season. Their last games were Friday, Jaycee won theirs Jordan's team lost theirs. They have a big party with pizza and games in the fall, so they had fun with that.

Jaycee is now 12 and in Young Women's. She really enjoys it and has looked forward to going for a long time. Jordan is in Seminary, and although it is VERY early, she enjoys it and has really changed because of it. It has been good.

I now have a new calling at church, I was called to be 2nd couns. in the Stake YW's Presidency. Very humbling...I have some very neat women that I will get to work with and look forward to the things I will learn with this. I am going to miss my YW girls & my wonderful counselors. I finally got them for a little over a month and now they are breaking us up. I've been in YW's for almost three years and it has been great. Here's a picture of all the girls..with the exception of a couple.


Other than that, next week is Thanksgiving. We will be going to some friends for Thanksgiving dinner. This will be fun, especially since we can't seem to get any family to fly out...HINT HINT!!! ha ha.

Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I have SO much I am thankful for, I am so blessed. I love my family, I love life and I love with all my heart the Gospel.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Pull for America...

This past week with a new President elected, there has been so much ugly, bias comments in the press about both the Obama and McCain campaigns. At this point and season we HAVE to pull together as Americans and not as separate parties, regardless of who won the election. This is what our country is all about. Today on Glenn Beck he shared the follow point. Please take time when you can to read it has some very good points in it on Americans pulling together...
Love
Shalee
(Here is the link if you would like to read more)http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/18121/

We live in different times. When I was very, very upset and it was almost three years ago maybe, I was very upset at President Bush. I was upset about the border, I was upset about the way the war was being handled and I was very outspoken about it. And as you know, I was invited to the White House and we had quite a conversation and it was a conversation that I could not tell you. I wasn't allowed to bring a piece of paper or a pen or a recording device or telephone, anything. I could not walk into the Oval Office with anything and I could never repeat any of the words that he said. I could tell you impressions if you remember listening to that show the next day. I said my impression is, the impression that the President gave me was, but I couldn't quote. Well, since it's out now in the open I can tell you that this is just the surface that was shared with me. This secret special forces squads that are going in and looking for Osama, the squads that are going in and looking for Al-Qaeda and killing them, I knew they were happening because he told me. And the numbers are staggering. The numbers of enemies that we have killed are staggering. I mean, sucked the air out of the room. And I remember sitting there and thinking why, why wouldn't we say this? This is exactly what people need to know. They need to know that we're to the fooling around. They need to know that we're doing the things that we have to do. They need to know that we're still going into the caves. They need to know that we're in Pakistan. And for reasons that I still will not share, honorable reasons and international reasons, we're not revealing everything, nor should we, if we believe our government is just, if we believe -- this is why it is so important that we believe in our institutions. Men will fail us, but our institutions were divinely inspired with checks and balances. We must believe in our institutions, not in people per se. People will fail us and they will go away or they will go into prison or they will be voted out, but our institutions are solid if we trust that our institutions and the people that are guiding, people collectively that are guiding, the people who are voting are good, decent, God-fearing people. We will make mistakes but we will correct them.

This was shared to me at the same time George Bush said, doesn't matter who gets in the office to replace me; they will make many of the same decisions, the critical decisions I believe, he said, they will make the same ones because when they get the briefings that I get every day, they will see we have very few options left. This is why I found it interesting the other day when everybody was looking at President George Bush and said, "Oh, look how gracious he was," as he brought in Barack Obama. "Oh, I wonder how tense that was." It wasn't a tense meeting. I wasn't there. It was only the two of them, but I believe it wasn't intense. I believe it might have been intense on Barack Obama's side because he may have went, holy cow, but it wasn't a tense meeting because they are rivals and the rivalry that goes on between the Republicans and the Democrats. It was tense, I'm guessing, because of the download of knowledge, because of the situation.

When I sat in that room with him, I realized the burden anyone -- and this why I said when it comes to Barack Obama, I will not sell out my values. I didn't sell out my values with George W. Bush. When I thought he was wrong, I said he was wrong. When I thought he was wrong and he was pushing in one direction, I was pulling in the other. I'm not a Republican. I'm an American and so are you. And so is he. And so is Barack Obama. And we should expect the push and pull. It's what makes us better, E Pluribus Unum, from many one, from many different opinions, but one. And there's one President and he's passing the torch to the other. And I can't imagine sitting in that room seeing George W. Bush say to me and saying it with conviction and saying it with full knowledge that he will be. He said, "I'm prepared to be the most hated President for the next 50 years but I truly believe that after 50 years people will see what I did was push the course because we were on the verge of annihilation. We had to change course." And he said, "Others will come to understand that." I wonder if that's true, and we'll watch Barack Obama now on what he does. When he gets the briefings every day that the President gets, will he believe in them. Does he believe in our troops. Will he have the honor that President Bush has had with our troops? I don't mean that as a slam. I just think there are different kinds of people. I think there are a lot of people that support our troops but they don't see them necessarily in the same way. They see them as a necessary but not all that favorable kind of thing. I see them as amazing people that give me hope. I see them as amazing leaders. I see them as people that understand the Constitution, understand what's going on, may not agree with the President all the time but have honor and will follow the orders, not orders that break the Constitution but will follow the orders because they have honor. Amazing people, and I hope he views them the same way and I hope he protects them in the same way. One of the reasons why you haven't known about this is for their protection because there are unscrupulous people in our own country that will do and say whatever they want, do and say whatever they have to, to be able to destroy others so they can grab power.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Keeping Faith In America


I've really stayed clear of putting anything real political on here, for one; not too happy with the last two candidates that were left to vote for. Both have their bad points and reasons I didn't want to give them my vote. But we are blessed to have this right so I voted for the less of two evils.

The election is now over and the country prepares to move on to an new administration, I have two thoughts and then a wonderfully worded email from my cousin & friend Jack Alexander.

First thought; We need to stand up as American's and fight continually for the freedoms & rights we have be given. Get involved, write to your Senators & Reps. It is the only way your voice can be heard. Support our President regardless of party. Pray for him and our leaders to do the right thing for our country.

Second; Remember that with whatever happens in the years to come, we need to be prepared. Prepared temporally & spiritually. 'If we are prepared, we need not fear'.

Now for Jack's note: (Thanks Jack!!)
Dear Family and Friends,

To no ones surprise, I am quick to admit to being a staunch Conservative from before my first opportunity to vote. I follow the basic Conservative line of thinking on most matters. If I alter my thinking, then I lean toward being an Independent but never a Liberal or Socialist.

Having served two years active duty overseas in the US Army, I am all for the Constitution and I seek and support an honest and fair government. But I am mature enough to realize that things are not always as I see them, and things will not always be resolved to my satisfaction. But just as I remain loyal to my country, I will always respect and sustain the office of the President. I feel our primary obligation is respect that office and understand that the man or woman holding that office, like us, is not without human flaws of judgment or deed.

Though disappointed that John McCain lost yesterday, I do feel somewhat righteous in that from the beginning I never thought him to be the correct choice for the Republican party. Especially when younger, and I feel, more qualified leaders were available such as Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee. I do feel the primary reason McCain lost is that our party simply chose a fine man, but at this time, the wrong guy.

But no matter who they voted for, I do respect the will of all my fellow citizens and their right to vote as they did. I continue to feel it a blessing to be able to live in this land, at this time, under our inspired Constitution which allows us to exercise our religious freedom. Therefore I will pray daily not only for our country and the office of President, but also for whoever holds that office. I will do the same for those whomever the President selects to provide appropriate advice and counsel.

Yes, I will sustain President Elect Obama as my President and I will pray for him daily, as I have for Presidents before him. I pray to God Almighty that President Obama will make decisions that are best for the country, our security, our economy, better world relations and our children as well as our futures.

As we know from our own history, our nation can pull itself together to overcome any problem. When our land is truly united in purpose, no enemy, tragedy or social situation can destroy us.

At this time, may we put aside our many differences and become a land of unity. May we share the love of country more than self, and may we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

May God bless President Bush and President Elect Obama. Just as God blesses all who come seeking His blessings, inspiration and guidance, may we as individuals also seek to have charity for all our sisters and brothers.

Sincerely,
Jack Alexander

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Glenn Beck with Sen. Hatch: 'Constitution is hanging by a thread'*

Read the transcript from Glenn Beck's radio show today. He spoke with Senator Orrin Hatch from UT. Very critical point we are in our country. Things have changed so quickly the past one to two years...We need to be prepared..Please read link below.

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/196/17711/?ck=1