Thanksgiving in Logan

Ah Thanksgiving... aka a day of gluttony. And that is what it was for me - a day of gluttony. I didn't go for a walk or a bike ride, like I did last year. I just worked on family history stuff, ate some food, helped clean up, ate some more food, watched a couple movies, ate some more food, watched another movie, at THE Thanksgiving dinner, helped clean up, ate some pumpkin pie, watched another movie. Whoa. Yup. That was it. But it sure was heavenly.

Friday my mom and I participated in Black Friday shopping and then yesterday we did a little more shopping and visited my mom's Aunt Evelyn. I bought a digital voice recorder so I could record the visit with Aunt Evelyn. We went hoping to see if she knew any stories about my Grandpa Brooks that my mom didn't know. Unfortunately, she didn't know much but she knew a little, and then she says she has some pictures she'll share with me! I shared the pictures that I had with her. And so, after the holidays, hopefully I'll be able to visit her again and scan some photos!! :) It was successful. :)

My Dad's Wedding

I went to Boise this weekend to attend my dad's wedding. I hadn't met his wife until his wedding day, but she seems VERY nice and they seem to be very happy. I am super excited for him. The wildest part of him getting married is that he will be moving to Blackfoot, Idaho in the spring! Isn't that crazy? For as long as I have been alive, plus years before that, my parents have lived in or around Boise, give or take an hour. It will be wild. :)

We also celebrated my nephew, Chandler's, 9th birthday. One would have thought we had an early Thanksgiving since we ate so much food that day... between dad's wedding and Chandler's pizza and cake and ice cream party. Good grief! :)

I also won a wicked game of darts. Yes!

Wordless Wednesday - First Snowfall of the Season!

Mundane Monday - Politics & News of Today

Considering that Election Day is tomorrow and what all is at stake I feel inclined to write a little bit about my views. I'll mention it now: I am not well versed in things political. Honestly, I haven't taken much interest in it - that is until I need to take a stand in order to maintain my religious freedom, my morals/values and beliefs, my freedom of speech and all else that I hold dear. And I'll be short in my writing.

1. The Presidential Election of 2008 - John McCain vs. Barack Obama
First, I have a couple of guiding principles when I vote on a presidential candidate... (a lot of those happen to mirror what my friend, Jesse, put on her blog)

• "Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord. Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law - to do your business by the voice of the people." (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 29:25-26)
• "A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have." ~Thomas Jefferson
• "We, the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution." ~Abraham Lincoln
• Will this candidate uphold the laws of God? His eternal truths? Those values I believe in? And will he uphold the Constitution of the United States of America? And the other correct laws that have been set forth previously?

The most divisive issue that falls within my above-mentioned principles, in the past, tended to be abortion (at least in my opinion), but this year marriage between one man and one woman happens to be on the ballot in California. I believe in traditional marriage between one man and one woman. Since my beliefs on these moral issues generally dictate who I vote for, that makes my decision pretty cut and dry - if ever there is a time where the presidential candidates agree on those moral, ethical, and eternal truth issues, then I will have a much harder time choosing and I will have to do a lot more homework.

2. Proposition 8 in California - Amending the California Constitution to Define Marriage Between One Man and One Woman
If I were a resident of California I would vote yes to support this proposition - in support of keeping marriage between one man and one woman. I'm not a resident and I will not be voting on it, but I have friends in California. Those friends have been bringing the campaign here to Utah in order to solicit help with campaigning. At first, I didn't fully understand why I needed to be involved since I am not a California resident, but what happens in California tends to trickle to the rest of the nation in years to come.

This issue seems to be the hot issue of this election year. Even my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has come out and made statements in support of Proposition 8 - which the church never takes a stand on political issues. This is huge. So huge that the opposition has resorted to violence and labeling - even to the point of calling supporters bigots and intolerant. Let's have a quick diversion to the dictionary:

Bigotry:
1. stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.
Tolerance:
1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own, freedom from bigotry.
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3. interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.

It appears as though the opposition is demanding uniformity, not tolerance.



I believe 100% that individuals with same-gender-attraction should have all the same civil rights and opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as the next citizen on the street. Because Proposition 8 is a moral issue and an issue to protect my right to religious freedom, freedom of speech and most tangibly, my right as a future parent to teach tolerance, respect and love for all people from all walks of life in the manner I deem most appropriately - I have to take a stand. Legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts has proven that all of those rights are taken away from those with my beliefs.

Links to check out:
Yes on 8's main website
Article by Orson Scott Card about bigotry and tolerance among other things
BYU Devotional given by Robert George of Princeton University about abortion, traditional marriage, the law and the government - his arguments are undeniable.

Last Ride of the Season

It probably will be the last ride of my bike's first season, but it WAS BEAUTIFUL!! So beautiful, I had to stop and take a picture of it. I went up the Provo River Trail. The trees down in the lower portion of the trail still had a lot of their leaves on, but they had also dropped a lot of leaves.... all over the trail. It was amazing. Best ride yet. And such nice weather! Who would ever thought I could ride on November 1? In short-sleeves? We usually have our first snowfall by now... well technically I guess we had that a couple weeks ago, but I don't count it because I was out of town (#1) and it didn't stick (#2). But no worries. I will document the first snowfall and put it on my blog... like I always do. :)