Thanksgiving throughts

-I'm so grateful. For my son, my husband, my family, my life. I'm so blessed.

-This is my 5th year hosting Thanksgiving. Five years ago, my Grandma died in early November. Very shortly after, my Mom had a serious stroke that put her in the ICU. That Thanksgiving was so special to me. I hosted the holiday for the first time and I was able to do so in my Grandma's house. My mom was able to come home for the day from the hospital, thank goodness. Since then, I've hosted it. I love the connection I feel to previous generations when I'm cooking the same foods they did.

-I love the Macey's Day parade. Brayden really got into it, at least until him and Adam left to visit his Dad. When the Buzz balloon came on the screen, he exclaimed "Buzz flying, Mama!" It would be so cool to see the parade in person someday.

-I recently finished Lies My Teacher Told Me. Even with the truth of the "first Thanksgiving" fresh in my mind, I really love this holiday. I love the reminder to be more thankful. I NEED the reminder to be more thankful. I love the food. Oh, how I love the food. My mom will be here shortly to get started on the cooking.

Ten on Tuesday: Pinterest edition

It's official. I am obsessed. I have over 1200 pins. For some Tuesdays, especially during NaBloPoMo, I figure I'll post some of my favorite Pinterest finds- recipes I tried and loved, crafts, quotes, etc. Without further ado...

sweet pork tacos and cilantro ranch dressing

These tacos are so good. I'm not a huge cilantro fan, but this dressing was amazing. Cafe Rio got both Adam and me to love pork in Mexican food, so I knew this would be a hit.

poster found here

This is a free printable that I was able to upload to Costco and then get printed. Brayden loves it. It cost about $5 to print an 11x16.

blog post here

I had an idea that a lot of these phrases are attributed to Shakespeare, but one surprised me:  "Knock, knock. Who's there?" It made me giggle.

link here

I found this blog from Pinterest. She opened my eyes to the wonder of sensory bins.

link here

Don't get me wrong, I love finding deeper meanings in literature. Sometimes, though, just sometimes, I could totally relate to this graphic.

link here

I'm just thrilled with these wacky sacks and all the other pinned projects that ended up in my busy bag exchange. I also love that I've found even more since.

baked southwestern egg rolls

These were so good. In fact, I'm hungry just looking at the picture. I think I'll put these on next week's menu.

link here

This goes along perfectly with my post yesterday. I should have put it there, but I didn't think about it then so I'm posting it now. I just really agree with this quote.

link here

If you have ever co-slept with your child, you'll totally get this. Especially toddlers.

link here

The rest of the poem can be found here. I like the whole poem, but that beginning makes me so happy.


What have you pinned that you loved to eat? That inspired you? That made you a better parent? That made you chuckle?

Abortion, social programs, and the religious right

Disclaimer: This is one of those posts where I am terrified to hit publish, but I just have to get it out there.

Thanks to my friend Miri and a few of her posts (this one on abortion and this one on social programs for the poor and Christ's teachings about the poor, I've had something on my mind.

We all know the majority of LDS people (at least in Utah) vote Republican. I could be wrong, especially since I couldn't find a source, but I think I remember reading it used to be the other way around. It used to be traditional for LDS people to vote Democrat. (If this sounds familiar to you and you can get me a source, I would gladly appreciate it.)

So what happened? When did the tide turn? I'm guessing it had to do with Roe V. Wade and the ERA. I'm actually really hoping it did.

You might ask me why. I'm against making abortion illegal and I'm a feminist that thinks the ERA should have passed. So why do I hope the deciding vote is about abortion? Because the likely alternative makes me sad. I see two of the the main differences between Democrats and Republicans to be their stance on abortion and their stance on social programs.

I sincerely hope that most LDS Republicans would tell me they are Republican because of the Democrat stance on abortion. I wouldn't agree with it, but it would be an easier pill to swallow. If you didn't click on the link about Christ's teachings about the poor earlier, please do now. Miri put together a great list of scriptures about caring for the poor.

I really like what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said at BYU in 2007: "My faith and political beliefs are deeply intertwined. I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it." Utah state senator Ben McAdams also said something to that effect in September. He's part of a new LDS Democrat caucus, the existence of which makes me happy. What they say makes sense to me. And to expand it, I would love to hear other Christian Democrats say "I am Democrat because I am a Christian."

What I wish everyone would read

Image found here

I had this great idea for a post- the 10 books I think everyone should read. Doesn't that sound like a fun list to make? Except when it came down to it, I couldn't do it.

I couldn't narrow it down. "Fine, I'll do a fiction list and a non-fiction list," I thought to myself. Cut then within non-fiction, there were more than five. Way more than five.

And then I thought about all the books I'm sure are worthy of being on such a list, but I just haven't gotten around to them yet. At this point, I get a little depressed. There are so many books I want to read. This is where I wish the picture above were true!

What would be on your list? Let me know, and it will probably end up on my to-read list.

Anyway, here are just a few books that would be on my list.

Fiction

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

1984 by George Orwell

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Non-fiction

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

When Everything Changed by Gail Collins

Maus by Art Spiegelman

White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise

Parenting

Nurtureshock by Po Bronson

Adventures in Gentle Discipline by Hilary Flower

Books that would likely be on the list if I could get around to reading them

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen

Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves by Naomi Aldort

Class Matters by Bill Keller

Extended rear-facing

Parenting is hard. There are so many choices to make, and I'm often left wondering if I made the wrong choice. Take car seats, for example. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said for awhile now to keep your child rear-facing until the age of 2 or until they reach the height/weight guidelines for their car seat. This isn't law, just recommendations. Recommendations that I believe in because I have read some of the research myself (there are a few AAP guidelines that I haven't followed).

Brayden turned 2 in July, and we kept him rear-facing. Adam switched him a month ago, even though he's still five pounds away from the weight limit. It didn't feel right to me, but I let him stay forward-facing. Until yesterday, that is. I was driving by myself with Brayden and it hit me. Something was happening that was making it unsafe for him to stay forward-facing, at least for right now.

He's in the typical two year old "the world is all about me" phase. One aspect of that plays out with him saying "Look at me, mama" or playing peek-a-boo by covering his face and saying "Where's Brayden?" He's doing it in the car now, and even if I say "Mommy's driving," he continues demanding my attention. I decided to switch him back and see if that would get him to stop. It did.

I'll fully admit that part of it was my fault. In attempting to make myself okay with it, I tried to make it fun for me. I'd push that little thing on the windshield to make it so I could see him and he could see me. Obviously that has led to him thinking that it's okay for me to pay a lot of attention to him while I am driving.

So, he's back to rear-facing. And I don't think this will be a decision I second-guess.

Things I've heard a lot lately

"Brayden be Woody Halloween. Jack be Buzz Halloween. Sophie be butterfly Halloween."

"Play me, mom."

"Brayden want ______, mom."

"Wait Brayden, mom."

"Not yet, mom."

"Don't touch that, mom."

"Look at me, Mama."

"Where's Brayden at? Right here!" (2 year old version of peek-a-boo)

"No, Brayden do it!"

"Help me, mom." or "Brayden want help, mom."

"Don't do that, mom."

"Tickle back, please."

"Momma lap."

"No, mom."

"Hold hand, mom."

Changing your name

Good Things Utah just asked "Should a woman take her husband's name when she marries?"  There were actually a lot of good answers like...

Only if they want to.

I think either way works. It's all in what the couple is comfortable with.

Being Utah, though, you know there's gonna be some crazy answers thrown in there...

Yes, it shows TOTAL commitment ..

Oh, I didn't know it was that something that isn't even in the traditional marriage ceremony is THE thing that shows total commitment above everything else.

If a woman doesn't take her husbands name it sounds like she isn't sure the marriage will last.

Really? The only reason for a woman to keep her name is because she thinks the marriage won't last? Maye, just maybe, she's lazy (some women admitted they hadn't because of that). It's a lot of work to change your name. Some women feel it's feminist principle, so they don't. Nothing is wrong with that.

If he asks you to marry him and devote spending the rest of his life with you, then the least you could do is have the same last name as your husband!! Duh! :)

So, in this scenario, the woman is so lucky that a man has deigned to spend the rest of his life with her. She's apparently not making that same choice and giving him that same gift. No, the gift she is giving her husband is taking his name. Okay then.

This was my favorite answer: Haven't we evolved past this? There is no should or should not, only what the involved persons choose for themselves and their relationship.

Full disclosure: I took Adam's last name when we got married. I also dropped my middle name and made my maiden name my middle name. It was my choice.

How about you?

Redlines

It took eight months, but I have finally written an article that needed no editing. No red lines all over the page! Plus, my editor paid me a huge compliment and said I'm one of her best writers. (I'm currently blushing and think I shouldn't brag, but this is a journal of sorts so it stays).

I'm really proud of the ways this job has helped me get out of my comfort zone. I have to call complete strangers for quotes. I have to call people who I see at meetings repeatedly until they finally return my call. I got a quote from someone in trouble with the law who said "no comment" to the bigger daily newspaper.

This job has been really good for me. Hard, but good. I love that I'm getting writing experience. It gives me hope that I will tackle my book idea eventually. I am thankful I have the government beat because, as you all know, I am fascinated with politics.

I haven't linked to any of my articles before, but here's a link one of the articles I'm most proud of- Mapping out Midvale's representation. The redistricting process was something I learned a lot about and I felt strongly about it. However, I was able to put my personal feelings aside while writing and focus solely on how redistricing affects Midvale.

Ten on Tuesday

1- November is known as NaNoWrMo, or National Novel Writing Month. Someone somewhere along the line crafted a spin-off called NaBloPoMo. or National Blog Posting Month. I'm going to try to do it- one post a day, even if it's just a picture or quote some days

2- We went up to Park City a few weeks ago. It was such a nice Saturday. We ate breakfast at Ruth's Diner and drove up Emigration Canyon to I-80. We walked up and down Main Street, saw a Banksy, stopped in at two bookstores (my favorite kind of stores), and took the free trolley. Brayden LOVED that trolley. We took Guardsman pass and Big Cottonwood Canyon the way back.

3- I just finished rereading The New York Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker. I really enjoy this book. I think she's a good writer and I find it refreshing when people are honest about the religious struggles they have. After checking it out of the library to read twice in two years, I think it's one I want to own.

4- I am really enjoying the books my book club has chosen. We take turns choosing and end up with a really good variety. Many times, it's a book I wouldn't have gotten to otherwise like The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt or As Nature Made Him by John Colapinto. This month, we are reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

5- I made Brayden a Halloween sensory bin. He has really spent a lot of time playing with it. I got the idea from various bloggers and Pinterest. I can't wait to make a Thanksgiving one.

 

6- I don't need another news show to watch, but I watched last night's Rock Center with Brian Williams during Brayden's nap. I really like Brian Williams. I'll probably try to catch it when I'm home. His first guest was Jon Stewart, and you all know how much I love him.

7- I've been watching Parenthood on Netflix instant streaming. Good show.

8- We had our nephew Jack sleep over on Friday night. I'm just going to say it- Jack and Brayden stayed up really, really late (3:00 am late). And made a huge mess. They had a blast though, and both of them helped Adam clean the next morning.

9- There's a city council race in Midvale making news. I haven't written on it, but it's made both big newspapers and Fox 13, at least. It's weird to not be able to write about it. I'm really interested in the outcome though. One more week.

10- My family had a Halloween party on Sunday night. We've got the Black Spiderman (does he have a name other than that?), Luigi, a butterfly, Woody, and Buzz.