confession

I guess I've just gotta bite the bullet on this one. It's driving me crazy, but I'M NOT A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER!!! No matter what I do, I can't take a good picture. I thought that if we got a better camera then things would be different. Nope. Why is it that if I look through the viewfinder, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, my pictures turn out yucky? It doesn't matter how much I read in the manual and try to do everything it says, I can't get a good picture. I'm not saying I'm this fabulous person, but usually if I try something I can do it. AND I CAN'T DO THIS! This is going to bother me for a while.

we're here...

all of us are accounted for:
1 husband back in school after a nice little trip to cali-although the girls were a little crazy being cooped up in the car for hours on end, at least he wasn't dealing with angry patients and COLD weather! :)
1 crazy wife trying to finish Halloween costumes and family picture outfits and wondering why she feels the need to MAKE everything...CURSE THE SEWING ABILITY...whatever happened to a good old PURCHASED costume??????
1 DANG CUTE Strawberry Shortcake daughter1 psycho daughter waking up every night at 9pm to talk for a couple hours (or scream, but usually talking-she's getting pretty chatty) before calming down, then not waking up until 10am the next morning, therefore continuing the cycle...and not cooperating with the CUTE CUTE Blueberry Muffin costume mommy spent hours slaving over...WHY WON'T THIS ONE BEND TO MY WILL???? just kidding :) I'm really trying to work on "embracing" her defiance b/c I know it'll be a blessing down the road when people are trying to pressure her into doing things she shouldn't be :)



STAY BACK CRAZY LADY! She actually looks AFRAID of me!
Trying the little piggy-tailed blue wig. Nope...not working either!

Why is it so hard to adjust back to life when you go from west to east? Is it because you lose 3 hours? All I know is that I rely on my girls for my 7:30am alarm clock, and if they aren't awake, I'm not either! And that doesn't bode well for trying to get to a 9am gym class! Seriously, I'm all for sleeping in, usually, but I need to get back into some habits and these girls just aren't getting back into the groove! What works for everyone else?

But, we did have a successful trip to California. Of course, we'll still pray about everything to figure out where we need to be. There is one thing I think we had forgotten-the West is one big DESERT. We're so used to everything being so green and lush out here that we assumed that it would be like that out there. We KNOW it's a desert. I don't know why we expected anything different. It's reassuring to know that it's a little brown (okay, a LOT brown) out there b/c the hot summer just ended and come spring it'll be beautiful and green again. But we have this "dream" in our minds of what we want our ideal home to be and we were having a hard time finding it in California. Then as we were driving around today I was looking at all the houses and told Dave that I think our dream home exists in Ohio. Shucks...it's just too far away from family. Guess we'll have to re-think our dream home. We did find some things pretty close, though, so I'm sure we'll be all right :) Dream home is pretty far off anyway. But it's always good to dream, right?

This afternoon was the Leadership meetings for our Stake Conference. The Stake Primary President was speaking to us and began her talk telling us that while she was preparing, she received inspiration about what she should speak about. She said she was a little confused b/c the inspiration had nothing to do with Primary, but decided to follow through anyway. Then she proceeded to talk to us about the need for US to have family scripture study. I KNOW I'm not the only one to ever experience the feeling that someone is speaking directly to you! She told us some personal experiences and read us some quotes from President Benson's talk about the different blessings scripture study will bring to our lives. So I'll be honest and admit that family scripture study isn't quite working at the Latham household. I've given up trying to read books to Bree b/c she either gets mad and throws them at me or takes them away and won't let me look at it so I can read it to her. And then half the time we ARE all together is spent trying to get Bree fed and into bed b/c she has had it for the day. I REALLY want to make this work! I really felt motivated and inspired by the message today.

So here's my request for help--How does your family work in family scripture time? How much time do you spend on it (especially with younger kids)? Have you noticed systems that work? Any thoughts or advice are welcome!

And then tonight was Tia's annual Halloween party. We forgot our camera-like we do every year. The only reason I can think of is I'm usually getting back from our leadership meetings (it's always the same weekend as Stake Conference) just in time to throw on a costume, get the girls in bed, then get out the door. So hopefully the others will be so kind as to share pictures. Dave and I FINALLY won an award this year-Most Original. I was a Whoopee cushion and he was...a bum. He just wore scrubs and a long sleeve shirt, then some shorts that had a fake bum showing out of it. We're usually not very creative, so I was quite impressed that we came up with that. We were also thinking of a fireman and damsel in distress (burn marks on some jammies, soot on the face, etc), but I just don't know if I could have handled how hot Dave might have looked in a fireman costume :) It was a lot of fun. We tried a new game this year. Everyone drew a number then put it back in the bag. Then Brian drew out 2 numbers and those people had to go sit next to each other and come up with pick-up lines for the other while staying in character. Let me tell you, that was HILARIOUS! The best was when the 2 numbers drawn were 2 guys. And man, was it weird to notice how easily pick-up lines come to a guy, but not to the girls. We were STRUGGLING. But those guys kept coming up with things that had us rolling. Good times all around-I'm sad this is the last year for that party!

Project/Craft Night Ladies...

For the next TWO Monday nights (October 20th and 27th), Project Night will be at Bridi's house. See you there!

some pictures

I LOVE this one! Lauren gave me a CD of the ones that she made brighter and more vibrant or turned black and white. They're huge files, though, so downloading them will take a while. I'll have to put more up later. But they turned out AWESOME!

yippee yippee yippee

My friend Lauren took pictures of the girls yesterday. Emma, as always, was the cooperative one and Lauren has TONS of pictures of her. Bree, on the other hand,...do I even need to comment on that??? Every time she looked up and saw the camera she immediately turned around. I'll bet Lauren has more of her backside than her front side! But, MAN, I loved these outfits! Once again, I copied from somewhere else, but who cares??!! THEY LOOKED ADORABLE!

So you have to go over to Lauren's blog to see my sneak peek. Those pictures over there have to be enough to pacify me for now, but I can't wait to see the rest!!!

Yes on Prop 8!

Lately our church leaders have emphasized the importance of using "personal media" to share the gospel or, in a broader sense, be an example of Christ. I don't know that I've done a very good job of that, so I've made a new commitment to use this blog as a force for good, of sorts. It'll still be our family blog, but I hope I can make this a place where people can come to also be uplifted :)

So, first order of business. I've forwarded on a couple of emails recently regarding Prop 8 that I felt were important and prompted me to action. But just in case I didn't get them forwarded on to YOU, here they are. I hope you'll take the few extra minutes needed to take some action as well.


EMAIL #1:

Hello All.
Sorry for the forward, as a rule I NEVER forward. But this one is worth it. This email was sent to me, Alison. Tracy Picketts is a friend from a previous ward and she currently is a member of the Heritage Oaks ward. Please take the time to help out some one who put it all on the line. If you have not yet seen the Yes on Prop 8 Ad, here is the link.
Please help.

Thanks.
Alison Dunn

If you have watched the TV in the last two days, you may have seen the new Yes on Prop 8 commercial. (the one with Gavin Newsom). The professor from Pepperdine University who speaks on behalf of all of us in the commercial is man very close family friend...so close that I refer to him as 'Uncle Richard'. He does a fabulous job stating some key consequences of NOT passing prop 8.
Since the commercial has aired Richard has been receiving literally hundreds of emails, some violent and very threatening from various gay groups and also some even from the faculty. His wife Patti said that another well respected and prominent professor was supposed to do the commercial but was called away to Washington D.C. and unable to do it so they asked Richard if he would consider doing it. He said that he would but he had to clear it with 'the powers that be' at Pepperdine first. He submitted the script to them and they said that they had no issues with it. Now with the backlash, as so often happens, they are not being very supportive. Richard thought that if there were some positive emails amid all the negative it would help.

To help support this cause and those who speak out publicly as our voice for our stance... would you please email the head of the law department at Pepperdine, Ken Starr, and let him know how appreciative you are for their support in allowing Professor Richard Peterson to speak for all Prop 8 supporters? If you could please also contact your friends and other supporters and ask for their help in sending an email as well.

Ken Starr's email is: Ken.Starr@pepperdine.edu

After receiving this email about the backlash of his participation in this commercial, it confirmed to me again why we CAN NOT be complacent as defenders of the Proclamation on the Family. It also gave me more insight as to the church's unprecedented and vigorous support of this issue. As we can see, many groups against prop 8 are VERY vocal and VERY pushy with their views and beliefs. Many of them are all for freedoms of speech, except when it contradicts their beliefs. I personally have seen many No on Prop 8 commercials and haven't thought once, 'I am going to email those people and tell them I disagree with them through hateful speech and threats.' We can not allow our opponents on this issue bully us into submission and silence our own personal views for fear that we will receive similar backlash as Richard. We can not allow a loud minority to shape an institution that means so much to the very core of our beliefs. We need to stand up and be counted. I give a lot of credit to Professor Richard Peterson and others who (at some cost) have chosen to stand up and be counted.

Thanks,
Tracy Pickett

EMAIL #2:

We need to all vote Yes on prop 8 in Nov. I don't look at it as a matter of marriage between two people but as a confusing message it is sure to send to our little ones. Please, no matter what your beliefs, think first of your posterity and the negative effect it will have on them. Check out the link below.
Deborah

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1815825713

She Speaks!!!...in Spanish

We finally got rid of the bottle and now we're working on the binky-Bree only gets it while she's sleeping. So now that she doesn't have her plug she's been a lot more chatty. Of course, most of it is jabber, but there's a lot she CAN say. So I spend a lot of my day saying, "Bree say ____ " and then she'll give me her version of whatever word or phrase it is. Needless to say, it doesn't always sound like what I've asked her to say. So Emma lets me know that she said it in Spanish.
And Emma likes to make up words and ask me to spell them. When I tell her it's not a word, she informs me that those words, also, are in Spanish. Does she watch a little too much Dora???

And here's a sneak peek at what we'll be doing with the girls in the next couple weeks...pray for good weather. Just think rocker girls and black converse hi-tops :)

TAG-JuJu's Paul Mitchell Contest

My sister Julianne attends Paul Mitchell Hair Academy in Rexburg and she's entering a contest. I want to say just a few words about her. She is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet in your life. She has had to overcome some SERIOUS obstacles throughout her life. When I think about the things that she has encountered, I am amazed at her ability to get through them. No doubt she is one of Heavenly Father's strongest and most faithful daughters. She is a loyal friend and tries so hard to bring happiness into the lives of those around her. Hair school means so much to her because it's a place where she can go and feel safe, feel confident in her abilities, and feel like she has a support system all around her. Here's what she wrote:

Paul Mitchell is having a you tube contest that all Future Professionals in all of the schools nationwide are invited to participate in. And I really really really want to win!!! The grand prize is an all expense paid airfare, hotel, and dinner with John Paul Dejoria and Winn Claybaugh. So here is the deal. The winners are picked by the HIGHEST NUMBER OF VIEWS and HIGHEST RANKING. So here is where all of you come into play and your friends and family and their friends and family! You will all need to view JUST my video (don't view the other videos b/c then they get a vote as well) as often as possible and then rank it high!!! In order to rank it, you need to be a You Tube member-it takes just a couple minutes to create an account and other than the confirmation email, you don't get any other emails from them. You can view it as much as you want (please view it a lot) and then I would love you to tag everyone on your blog list with it. Voting goes from the time my video is uploaded until October 18. This is so important to me. Love you all!!!!!!! So keep your eyes open for the link!

which is right here (and to make sure you have the right one, her username is julijam421):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEEFibmvwdY

TAG ALL OF YOU WHO READ THIS!! Just copy and paste this post and put it on your blog, then create a You Tube account and view, view, view!!! Julianne would flip out if she won this contest.

THANKS!

***Voting starts at midnight tonight-Thursday***

Tessa Lynn

SHE'S SO SO SO SO CUTE!!! Pictures don't do her justice. She hated the lights, so anytime a flash went off she got mad :) I had a hard time choosing which of the million pictures I took to post, so here's photomania:


She opened her eyes but hated the flash so she would close them before we could get a picture. So I turned off the flash-the pic ended up pretty dark so I photoshopped it so it was lighter-still not the greatest quality, but it works! She has such dark eyes, and she was following us around!






She was able to do "the lip" SO WELL...Von and Lindsey are in for it!!

ATTN: Girls Night ladies...

Lindsey had her baby! I'm heading to the hospital, so don't show up until 8:30! See you later!