The aftermath of no internet

Well it feels like it's been forever, wait, it has been forever. I believe we lost internet in October and it is now nearly April and we finally have the internet.

The strangest thing happened this morning. I had planned to make dinner in the morning, so it will be a breeze to cook tonight; do my regular Monday deep cleaning so the rest of the week doesn't need cleaning as much, and my Monday clean, to clean up after the fun weekend where we neglect cleaning and pay attention to having good family fun; I also planned to walk to the grocery store and get our weekly ingredients for this weeks menu; and finally to update Edwin's baby book since he has made some new developments. All of this would get done and is really not too overwhelming; but the reality of today is, that none of it is done and I'm glued to the computer (understandingly so since I haven't had the internet for at least 5 months). To top that all off, I just found Edwin in the vaseline smearing it all over him and the carpet, usually that would never happen because I'm not so distracted as I am today (not saying that incident is necessarily bad, it's more funny, but still it wouldn't of happened).

Well I'm definetly not against internet, it has so many amazing uses! But, it has been refreshing to live without the internet and see the effects that take place without it. It's not only that I'm without internet, I was also without a working TV and no newspaper. Crazy, I know. Although crazy, it was very refreshing to be so old fashioned and out of tune with the outside world and so in tune with my families world. I really feel Edwin benefited from so much attention these last five months of his life. I have been able to focus on lots of outings with Edwin, visiting lots of friends on walks, healthy cooking, organizing a home, establishing food storage (Grant more than me), focus on my sewing, and lots of other things. Of course I could do this all with the internet around, but it felt different, I didn't feel bound or tied to anything, but the desires of Edwin, Grant, and me.

This time around I'm going to try to focus on moderation in all things (except for today that is, I need to update and get my internet feet back on the ground). I'm excited to have the internet to stay in touch with family and friends. So, wahoo to the internet world, and wahoo to my experiences without the internet.

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Now to update: this will be kind of a longer post, sorry.

My personal life:

I'm back in soccer, but this time not as a player, but as a coach. I'm coaching with my friend Amy, she has injured her knee and I've offered to help. This coaching experience has been so much fun. I'm coaching 9 year old girls and they're wonderful. Plus it was when I was nine that I can really remember soccer and playing.

I'm sewing a lot more, I'm getting great fabric from Fabrixandmore the great free fabric; and I have started and have almost completed my first "designed by me" quilt. When it is finished I will post about it. Thanks to Janae Hasler, the one who taught me how to sew, my designing and artistic world has been opened to new possibilities.

I have started a book group and our first book was, The Secret Life of Bees, which I absolutely loved and the book group opened my eyes to several things you can learn from the book. Below are some pictures of the group and the treats. For the group I made beehive sugar cookies, beehive shaped cornbread, and I made my first ever hummus.

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Now for Edwin

He can crawl, but that has been for a couple of months now, he has stood all by himself for 5 seconds, he still only has two teeth, he can crawl up the stairs and kindof down the stairs, and he thinks mom is a mountain to be climbed, he always climbs all over me, he has even used my hair as a rope to get him up (I'm cutting my hair, it needs to be done). Edwin also LOVES music and whenever he has the chance he will go straight to daddy's guitar, ukulele, harmonica, and piano. He also LOVES animals, especially small dogs, the moment he sees a small dog, nothing else is on his mind except for "I need to get to that dog," and also when he sees a small dog he laughs and laughs and laughs. Oh yes, Edwin also LOVES babies, he goes straight to them too, and gets a big smile on his face when he is in the presence of other babies. Just recently we have discovered that Edwin also loves balls, tennis, basketball, soccer, and I guess frisbees too (that's not a ball but it's a circle).

Now to sum it up, Edwin's loves are: mommy and daddy, stairs, music, animals, babies, and balls. He is absolutely amazing Grant and I are still very wrapped around his finger.

Below are pictures and videos of Edwin.

Now for Grant

He is harder to update for. Grant has really gotten our family involved in food storage and we're making a large dent in the progress. Grant bought a bike for an absolutely great price, and now bikes to and from work. He's still working and there's not much to report there. He loves Edwin and plays music for Edwin all the time, he also likes to throw Edwin in the air (which Edwin absolutely loves), and Grant has a face that he makes, where everytime he makes the face Edwin laughs.

It's February

Well I still do not have full access to the internet but today i do have access so I'm going to try to do some updating. Yeah!

Grant and I went to Washington for the holidays and it was absolutely awesome. Edwin was blessed, he had his first Christmas and his first snow.

I have been called to be the first counselor in the primary and that has been really fun so far; although it has only been a week so far, but I have a good feeling about it.

Edwin can crawl now, it's not exactly a full on the knees crawl; it usually is an army crawl or a get on the hands and knees and spring forward crawl. He is slowly but surely crawling the regular way.

Edwin now has two teeth, they are his bottom front teeth.

Well, to be honest it's hard to update when there's been sooo much but there has also been a lot of nothing that equals something when you go through it week by week; but since I'm looking back on months of stuff it's really hard to capture it. I hope that mumble jumbled sentence made since. I've concluded I just need internet to keep this blog updated a little better. Goal, get internet.

Internet Problems

We've been without the internet for a while, that is why there are no blogs of recent. Over the Christmas break, in Washington, I will do a full scale update. Sorry for the problem.

We Support Prop 8

I feel it's important to say that I support prop 8.

For the past two months I've been going door to door to discuss this proposition; this has made me reflect on my own reasons of why I feel marriage should stay between a man and a woman.

All of these points are what I personally believe. It is not my wish or intention to hurt others feelings or beliefs. I'm grateful we live in a country where we can hold beliefs and values, and that they have a say.
Upon the many reasons of why I feel it's important to keep marriage between a man and a woman, I will pick a few to discuss.

1) Marriage is not a concept that has been made by man; it's not a right that is ours to manipulate or to give to any one; marriage has been given to us by God for man and woman.

2) I feel maybe it would be best to create something for homosexual couples, instead of marriage, that can symbolize the commitment they are yearning for. I feel that part of the issue is that homosexual partners are looking at marriage and saying, "I want to make that commitment (marriage)." It's not marriage that they're seeking; it's the commitment that marriage holds. I don't feel the word "marriage," needs to be tied to the commitment they desire. The commitment they desire can be as strong as marriage in this world, but it needs to have a different name. Marriage is between a man and woman; _________ (fill in the blank) is between, man and man, and, woman and woman. I understand this concept is easier to say than to achieve; but, I don't feel redefining marriage is what we're looking for.

3) California is already a state that recognizes homosexuals and gives them the same benefits that come from marriage, with few exceptions. If necessary, let's address those exceptions, not redefine marriage.

4) If this proposition fails it will have negative influences on religion and the beliefs of others. Although it doesn't directly say in the proposition that these negative effects will happen, it's inevitable that they will. My beliefs that marriage is between a man and woman will be viewed as an intolerant hate opinion, and not an opinion that comes from my root/heart/religion.

It is said that those who vote yes on prop. 8 are intolerant and judgmental; I feel that if this proposition fails I will be judged and people will be intolerant of my beliefs. I also feel that if prop. 8 succeeds I still, will not judge or be intolerant to homosexual people.

5) This is a personal matter, I have extended family that are homosexual and I love them very much. I don't judge them or love them less because they are homosexual; I embrace them and love to hear about their lives.

Marriage is sacred to me because it has been ordained of God for man and woman. Marriage was given to us to unify and become one with our husband or wife, and to bring a family here to earth. This world would never survive with only women or only men. Marriage started at the beginning with Adam and Eve, and was given by God for them and all men and women.

I can imagine it's hard to live a life that can't obtain marriage and it must be painful, but it isn't marriage we need to redefine.

I have many more feelings and thoughts on this topic, but I felt I should keep it brief (or as brief as I could keep it).