Sorry!

Evidently my blog decided to change some settings on itself. Maybe it was trying some personal improvements it learned from other blogs, maybe it felt neglected I haven't been blogging too much lately and wanted to teach me a lesson. I'm not sure, but anyway if you have tried to leave a comment and it would not let you please try again. My blog apologizes for its' behavior and wants you to keep reading!

Good Housekeeping? Really I don't think so...

I have a free subscription to Good Housekeeping. I like to read the product reviews, recipes, and they have a good motivational columnist. Today I am happy I didn't pay for it. This month's main article is "The 125 Most Women Who Changed Our World". This list is who is supposed to be who has your "admiration and inspiration". What women would you expect to see there? I was disappointed in what I saw.
Here's the top 10: Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Obama, Amelia Earhart, Princess Diana, Marie Curie and Margaret Thatcher. A few are good, they did change the world. Mother Teresa was an example of Christ-like love charity to those in need, Rosa Parks helped the civil rights movement, Amelia Earhart proved women can fly as well as men. Marie Curie helped to discover 2 elements and radiation treatment for cancer. Princess Diana worked with charities to help eliminate land mines. All great things, they did change the world for better. Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Obama are women who I question are changing the world for better. It is clear to me the way Good Housekeeping is leaning in this article when Hillary Clinton "polarizes-but this deft stateswoman also mesmerizes and energizes" but Margaret Thatcher "inspired us to stay strong whether we agreed with her or not". I don't feel mesmerized by Hillary Clinton. I don't feel inspired by her, frankly I don't think she actually is helping to better my country, life, or the future for my children. I think she is someone who loves power, money and changes her opinions according to who is listening at the time. Michelle Obama is praised in the article for her biceps, like that is making a difference!
Seriously, we need to stop feeling like men and women are completely equal. We are not. We never will be. I am thankful for the difference. First men and women are physically different, it doesn't matter how you try to change it females will always bear the children. Women should not feel like we need to do everything a man does, nor should we want a man to do everything we do. I am thankful for those women who worked to change the laws so I can vote, and helped to give me and my daughters the choices we enjoy today. I don't think it is fair for a woman to be paid less for the same job as a man or to be discriminated on the basis of sex, but I also don't think women need to try and do it all. I know women are God's supreme creation, and we are created exactly the way He would have us be. The most important work I will ever do while I am alive on the earth is the work I do within the walls of my own home. The teaching I do as I magnify my calling as a wife and mother is a job I won't get a second chance at, and the one that matters most. My job is to nurture my family and help make our home a happy one. We need to stop celebrating those who work against the traditional family unit as something that is old and outdated. The family is ordained of God, and is the building block of civilization. We should not forget that from the beginning it was a man and a woman raising a family.
I don't think this article would have bothered me as much if 1 of the 125 women listed would have be one who celebrated womanhood and motherhood. I am starting my own personal top 10 list and I'll share it when I'm finished. I would love to hear yours. My last thought on this subject is I find it so ironic this article was in a magazine called Good Housekeeping?

I am raising a rebel!

My son, Ben, is quite the character. He loves music and musical instruments. Listening to music and dancing are some of his favorite things to do. Always has been since he was a baby. Last night while I was tucking him in bed, he told me a story about what happened in his music class. Evidently all year long, every music class Ben admires this huge xylophone in the room. Yesterday the pressure was too much and he caved. He went over and played it. This prompted a reprimand from the teacher. The pure joy Ben must have felt from finally hearing what this instrument sounded like kept him smiling throughout the teacher's reprimand, to which the teacher then told him "You better wipe that smile off your face". Ben said he told the teacher "I can't stop smiling, it's my favorite thing to do"! I do teach my children to be respectful of their teachers and others, but I seriously could not control my laughter at this response. Ben is not one to be a rule breaker, he is a pretty good boy most of the time. His response to the music teacher was not of disrespect, but of pure honesty. Maybe I shouldn't feel this way, but this is still making me smile!

I'm a bookworm!

I love to read, I love to read lots of different kinds of books, and I read super fast. My favorite time to read is while I am cooking dinner or other things I can do with my mind elsewhere.
I have read some really good books lately and so I am going to make some recommendations and hopefully you will give me some feedback on good books you have read.
I just finished reading Book 5 of the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. It was such a fantastic series, each book was better and better! Fablehaven would be a great family read for kids 9 and up. I also love the Catching Fire series by Suzanne Collins, it's incredibly exciting! My favorite book of all time is Enchantment by Orson Scott Card, I love the way he writes and I am a nerd who loves science fiction. I also read The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour. I honestly never thought I would like a western, but it was a really good book. I loved the Work and the Glory series and Undaunted by Gerald Lund. I read them last year while we studied Doctrine & Covenants in sunday school and it really helped the scriptures come to life for me. My last favorite series of books is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. That series is what made me realize how much I actually love to read again. I stopped reading for pleasure in high school, and have missed so many good reads! So, please let me know you favorites-I want to read them!

Seriously? Aren't we all adults?

Is there no respect anymore? Is it really necessary to insult others to make yourself feel better? This post is going to more of a rant and I am not going to name names, but some people are really getting on my nerves. I am sick of being insulted for what I believe, as I don't push my opinions on others. If you ask me I'm going to tell you what I think though. I don't want to hear how much better you are than me because of where you live, what you drive, who you know. We all came here from the same place, we all are loved by our Heavenly Father. The atonement was a free gift given by everyone's Savior, Jesus Christ. Oh, and the phone works both ways, if you want to be called maybe you should pick up the phone sometime.
Whew, I am starting to feel better!

Forever and ever, amen...

Ken and I had a date night at the Temple tonight. We really wanted to make sure we had a chance to go before General Conference, and tonight was the last chance. Whenever we go on Friday nights we do sealings because you don't have to get there at a certain time to catch the session.
Tonight we took my grandparents' names and had the honor to be sealed together for them. This was super special to me, because I was very close to my grandparents. As the sealing was taking place I was overwhelmed by emotion. I honestly felt like I could feel the joy they were feeling about this, and I could almost feel their love for me again. The sealer even remarked what a special spirit was in the room during the ordinance. Special opportunities like these remind me how much each one of us is loved by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We are truly blessed.

Letter from the editor...

I'm so glad that you are reading my blog! It really does make me happy. I just want to say I do not try to offend with anything I put here, but this is where I put my rambling thoughts and adventures I am having while raising my family.
So if I make you mad when you read what I wrote I'm sorry, it's just my opinion and my outlook on life. (Hopefully) Happy continued reading!