Monday, November 24, 2008

It's worth a read...at least a thought

I have never done this, but I got this email and I thought it was worth sharing. Something that I think all of us should put into perspective! Supposedly David Letterman wrote this, but it doesn't really matter who wrote it, IT'S THE TRUTH!


No matter what your political convictions are this is an eye opener....

What a thankless people we are!!! David Letterman, on President Bush. (Surprising)David Letterman wrote this; it's the David we don't often see....
As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark. The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, What are we so unhappy about?

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C. Could it be that 95..4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state.

F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here. I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it.......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a general discharge, an other than honorable discharge or, worst case scenario, a dishonorable discharge after a few days in the brig. So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane! Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'
David Letterman

Please keep this in circulation. There are so many people who need to read this and grasp the truth of it all.



Thanks for taking the time to read!

Running Partner

Oh no...not me! I don't run......I'll exercise, but I don't run! Aaron, it seems as though, has found his running partner. He is trying to get back into the habit and decided to start when the temp started going down....bad timing hunny! Anyways...he was getting ready to go out for a run and Mackenzie begged, I mean begged to go with him. He told me to get her bundled up and he would check out the temp and see if it was too cold. When he got back she was ready. I figured she would make it up the street and back...oh no...they went all the way around the block...and it's a big block!!!

She loves to run and she is fast (her adult parents with way longer legs can hardly catch her)! We always are saying that we have a track star on our hands...... did I mention she is FAST! She says she wants to go again and she didn't even seem out of breath

It looks like Aaron has his running partner!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Go Hawks!

This past Saturday was my first ever Iowa Hawkeyes football game...Iowa vs. Purdue! I grew up an Iowa fan and still am, but now that I married a Cyclone fan and live in Ames I have been to more Iowa State games. My parents have season tickets and my brother Brock gets tickets, so finally it is my turn.......and just us adults! My sweet cousin watched the girls at my parents .......thank you so much Marie. It might have been one of the coldest days we have had this year, but we put on layer after layer and actually stayed pretty warm.

As part of Brock's tickets he gets to take 2 others and they eat breakfast with the team, tour the facilities, watch the team warm up....so Andrew (my sister Amy's husband) and Aaron got to go.

Go Hawkeyes!

My sister Amy and I sat with my parents.....as you can tell we are pretty bundled up!

The sisters!
My parents!

Swarming the field after the nail biting win!

They put up and good game and won........so I guess the cold fingers, noes and toes was worth it!

Got to have the family picture.....

The couple picture......

And the sibling picture!

It was so much fun to spend the day with my family and although I love my girls.......it was nice to just be with adults, going out to eat with just adults and riding in the car with just adults.

Thanks Dad and Mom for the great day!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Favorite Things!



Here is yet another new trick of Kate's....if you look closely you will see the bubbles. Some of you may be getting tired of seeing all these silly videos, but the grandma's love them! She does this all the time and has been doing this for a while now.... I finally got a good take. It just amazes me how she realizes that she is doing it, and then keeps on doing it!

Guess what.....she finally learned to crawl yesterday. It didn't take her long.....it is fun to see her figure things out and go from somewhat stationary to mobile....slow, but mobile all the same!



Update for those of you that have been praying....Brock's surgery went well and his recovery is going great. He'll be back to full speed in no time!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Not a big fan.....

of the daylight savings thing....gain an hour, yeh right! Whoever has little kids knows what I am talking about. I always used to love this time change, but not so much these days! Well anyways...we had plenty of time on Sunday morning.....we even got to the early service!

We even had time to curl Mackenzie's hair! I have only done this one other time and that was for my sister's wedding. Her hair does have a little curl naturally, but is losing it as she gets older. We took this pic to show Aunt Amy!



We caught Kate doing another new thing....So Big! And that she is.....getting bigger and more interactive everyday. It is so fun to see her trying to wave, clap her hands and dance..... and she is even starting to crawl backwards! It won't be long and I'll have to get out the gate and really baby proof again. I am actually looking forward to her crawling instead of fussing because she is stuck on her tummy!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Trick or Treat

I know I am a little behind, but here are the halloween pics! Wow, what a long day it was.... it was a lot of fun don't get me wrong...and the weather...who would have thought that it could be so nice(I was so hot I even had to take off my sweater) at the end of October! I remember a couple years ago we were so bundled up and still getting frostbit.

It started with trick or treating downtown with some friends. Kate the bumble bee, Ella the princess and Mackenzie the candy corn!

The oh so appropriate Jack O lantern pizza for Papa Murphy's! I asked the guy how many of those he had made and he made the comment about how many mini vans had been in the parking lot that day.....he said like 400 and it was only early afternoon!

Now for the trick or treating with daddy! Mackenzie almost had more fun handing out candy during our "dinner time" than going out and getting the candy!

My little candy corn! This is what she picked out amongst several costumes at Target.

My sweet little bumble bee!

If we had only known that we had Shrek living only 2 houses away!

Well Mackenzie was ready to come home after and hour, she took off her costume before we even got back home. I think she was looking forward to carving her pumpkin! Normally we do this before Halloween, but it just didn't get done, so what better Halloween activity than carving the pumpkin!She wasn't so sure she wanted to stick her hand in there. I finally got her to do it after I removed every single seed!The finished product! It was supposed to have had teeth, but they broke off.

Here is Kate enjoying her first ever piece of candy. I know I am a horrible parent letting an 8 mo. old have candy! It was just this one time and she loved it. Of course she cried when I took it away, but thought she could steal Mackenzie's!