Happy Halloween!

My little stinker

A Whale of a Tale

According to this article, PETA is now suing Sea World on the grounds that they are violating Amendment 13 rights by "enslaving" their killer whales and forcing them to perform for Sea World's profit. Just a few questions regarding applying human rights to animals came to mind after reading the article:

1. Do animals deserve human rights if they have no accountability?
2. Could the same argument be made toward any pet owner? (No doubt PETA members have pets...)
3. Does this mean we can prosecute animals that kill people (or other animals)?

I was remembering a time a few years ago, when I was leaving a zoo and protesters were handing out literature on the evils of zoos. I thought about their argument, and I decided that these people might be a little short sighted in their argument. I can't think of a better way to produce affection or love of animals, than to make them accessible to the general public... and especially children.
After my son saw a Sea World show, his love for orca whales blew through the roof. Obviously, I believe that animals should be cared for appropriately, but these Sea World shows just might be the best PR the orcas could ever hope for.

2 More Days...

... until I can rid myself of the bulk bag of candy I bought for our church party, and I will finally have some peace and quiet from it calling my name in the pantry!!

Ponderings During the World Series

It took me about 23 years of life on this earth to buy a pair of white pants. Until then- while I was often tempted to buy them- I could hear them taunting me from their clothing racks, "Buy me, I dare you. I can't wait for you to stain me within the first 10 minutes of wearing me! What will it be first? Spaghetti sauce? Ink? Dirt? Bwahahaha!"
Contrast that with...
Major League baseball teams, who have chosen white as their pant color of choice for playing a game that involves diving around in grass and clay.

Obviously, they don't clean their own uniforms.

Design Friday: Then & Now

I saw this commercial while watching the World Series the other day (Go Cards!). I thought it was such a creative idea. In my research on the commercial, I also became aware of this website - dearphotograph.com. So cool. It is amazing to ponder on the passing of time, how  things change (or don't), and the memories we are walking in everyday.

Life Sculpture

Chisel in hand stood a sculptor boy

With his marble block before him,
And his eyes lit up with a smile of joy,
As an angel-dream passed o'er him.

He carved the dream on that shapeless stone,
With many a sharp incision;
With heaven's own light the sculpture shone,-
He'd caught that angel-vision.

Children of life are we, as we stand

With our lives uncarved before us,
Waiting the hour when, at God's command,
Our life-dream shall pass o'er us.

If we carve it then on the yielding stone,
With many a sharp incision,
Its heavenly beauty shall be our own,-
Our lives, that angel-vision.

-George Washington Doane

How To Be a Good Mom

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

-M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God"

The Power of Music

A little boy named Diego was introduced into my son's class at school a few weeks after the first day of school. Diego speaks little English, and causes frequent disturbances in class. While he never personally bothered my son, my son still found Diego's outbursts unnerving. I tried to help him understand how Diego might be feeling, but Diego remained a frequent complaint in our home.
While driving in our car, I had some children's music playing in the CD player. A song came on whose lyrics included the line, "If you don't talk as most people do, some people talk and laugh at you, but I won't! I won't! I'll walk with you. I'll talk with you. That's how I'll show my love for you." After the song was over, the following conversation took place:

My Son: "That song gave me an idea."
Me: "What?"
My Son: "I'm thinking that I could be a better friend to Diego."
Us: "Why?"
My Son: "Because he doesn't talk like me."

He then went on to ask my husband to teach him a few Spanish phrases that might help him talk to Diego. Since that night, my son has become somewhat of a defender for Diego. In the length of this short song, my son had gained a new compassion for Diego that I, alone, had not been able to help him realize.
My son has always been very tuned into conversations and lyrics- even when you think he isn't. This sweet conversation again reminded me of how important it is to be careful of what messages are being sent to our children through the music we play. Music really can shape children's thoughts and attitudes. What are we teaching our children, when we aren't teaching them?

The Joke's on Me

At meals, my baby girl does not tolerate her sippy cup to rest anywhere on her tray. When she is done drinking, she tosses it on the floor. Every time. Her accompanying "Uh-oh" is starting to seem a little bit insincere.

Then, the other night this conversation took place....

My Son: "Why is mom such a good cook?"
My Husband: "Because she always makes good food?"
My Son: "No, like it's a joke. Why is mom such a good cook?"

My Favorite Things

Last night, at the end of a looooong weekend of my husband being on night call, I was actually singing this parody of "My Favorite Things" by Hilary Weeks:

When I don't constantly nag at my children-
They just do their chores, like sweeping the kitchen.
When they put toilet paper back on the roll,
It feels like I've witnessed a small miracle.

Bedtime and naptime and bedtime and naptime
Bedtime and naptime and bedtime and naptime
Did I mention it's nice when the kids go to sleep?
These are a few of my favorite things.

A Calling Without a Handbook

"I recently saw a woman respond when it was said of another, 'Since she had the new baby, she isn't doing anything in the Church.' You could almost see a baby in her arms as she protested with emotion: 'She is doing something in the Church. She gave that baby life. She nurtures and teaches it. She is doing the most important thing that she can do in the Church.'"
"... Would our perspective be more clear if we could, for a moment, look upon parenthood as a calling in the Church? Actually, it is so much more that that; but if we could look at that way for a moment, we could reach a better balance in the way we schedule families."
-Boyd K. Packer

Darling, I Don't Know Why I Go to Extremes

Sleeps too much ... Won't sleep enough
Only wants to be held ... Won't cuddle like she used to
Messy diaper every 4 days ... Every diaper is messy
Can't wait for naptime ... Can't wait for her to wake up
It'd be nice to sleep in ... It'd be nice to be back on schedule
Looking forward to the next milestone ... She's growing way too fast!

Caring for my baby makes me realize... I'm never happy!

Happy Anniversary, Constitution

In honor of the signing of the constitution in 1787 (tomorrow), here are some really neat quotes from the talk, "The Constitution- A Glorious Standard", by President Benson (I have tinkered with the formatting). Also, here is a link to the National Archives and some neat Q&A's about the constitution.

"To understand the significance of the Constitution, we must first understand some basic, eternal principles. These principles have their beginning in the premortal councils of heaven."

1. Agency
• "The war that began in heaven over this issue is not yet over. The conflict continues on the battlefield of mortality. And one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments."
2. The function and proper role of government
• (Quotes D&C 134:1-2,5) "In other words, the most important single function of government is to secure the rights and freedoms of individual citizens."
3. The source of basic human rights
• ‍"Rights are either God-given as part of the divine plan, or they are granted by government as part of the political plan. If we accept the premise that human rights are granted by government, then we must be willing to accept the corollary that they can be denied by government."
4. People are superior to the governments they form
• "‍Since God created people with certain inalienable rights, and they, in turn, created government to help secure and safeguard those rights, it follows that the people are superior to the creature they created."
5. Governments should have only limited powers
• "By deriving its just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude. It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will. Government is created by the people. The creature cannot exceed the creator."