Teach Your Children Well

Some of you may be appaulled at this, but we're a pretty political family. That's just how it is. In case you don't understand what Taylor is saying, it's "No How, No Way, No McCain!" This was a memorable quote from Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention. Grandpa Bob said it a few times and Taylor picked it up.

Taylor knows all about the United States of America. He knows the Pledge of Allegiance. One day he asked me what an Obama was, so we taught him about the elections, our beliefs and presidents We also told him why we want Obama to be our next president so that our family and his family have a chance at a better future.

Taylor also knows about prayer. He knows that people came to America and fought so that we have the opportunity to practice religion freely. He knows that this is because of a plan that our Heavenly Father had for us.

I'm very happy to know that my children can know and learn about government at school and home. I also feel very blessed to be here in a time when we can go to any church and believe anything that we want, that we can learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus at church on Sunday and every day at home. He loves reading scriptures and having family home evening.

He also says some of the most beautiful, heart felt prayers that I have ever heard given by any single soul.

So you can see that church and state can come together, if we are willing to help our children learn how the things that we learn at school can work together. We can also teach them the differences. But it is up to us as parents and family members to teach our children our knowledge, our faith and any other thing that will help them and the rest of the country, and the world progress into the future.

Trunk or Treat 2008

This is actually the end of the night. After collecting their loot, the kids like to sample the goods. We also like to hang out and visit for a few minutes before heading home.

This is one of the very few pictures I caught of Lylee in her little pixie hat.

Taylor really, really wanted to be a ghost. I kept trying to get him to pick something else and even bought another costume, but he still wanted to be a ghost.

Grandma Vicki decided that Taylor should really be a ghost if that's what he really, really wanted. It was kind of like a kid asking Santa for something, then writing Santa letters, telling everyone that he knows and those that he doesn't that he is going to be a ghost for Halloween.

The costume is amazing. I wish that you could see the details up clost. It has two layers, the bottom is out of this sparkly white fabric and then it has an amazing cape that is lined and and made out of this really spooky cheese cloth stuff with a hood. We had white paint for his face, and black for around for around his eyes, but this just was not going to happen last night.

He also wore tennis shoes under his costume in honor my Grandma Jones and the ghost that lived in her attic. The ghost's name was Ching-a-ling and the one time that a few of were blessed enough to actually see Ching-a-ling he or she was wearing my grandma's tennis shoes. (This is a very cherished memory for me as a kid).

These are our nieghbor friends that came with us, Terrell and his sister Jaida. Jaida is one of Taylor's favorite friends in the whole world!

This is Lylee being herself. She looks so very innocent, but do you see that mischievious little glint in her eye?

We had a very fun night with family, ward family and friends. Daddy even got to come, which doesn't happen often.

Unfortunately, Taylor was sneaking as we were Trunk or Treating and became very sick from the corn and the dyes in the candy. (We were planning on letting him trade in his candy for a new game.) We are now detoxing and trying to treat the hives, itches, tantrums and the hyper-activity.

Lesson learned.

Gotta Have Friends

Taylor LOVES his friends! This is one of his friends from across the street. They were even so nice that they let Lylee play Star Wars with them!

Remember this guy?

Remember this guy from oh, about 6 months ago? Well, yesterday Taylor went back for his 6 month checkup. We did lots of mental preparation (he just one of those kids who needs to know what he's getting into).

Taylor was such an awesome patient. He lot them polish his teeth with cookie dough polish. Then, they brushed on the flouride with his new Shrek toothbrush. T layed back like a pro and watched Spongebob while they took xrays. Dr. Jason showed T the pictures of his teeth and then counted his twenty little teeth.

After a clean bill of health, Taylor got to go through the toy box. He really, really wanted a toy, but he also really, really wanted a tiara for Lylee. We ended up with a Yo-yo that I have no clue how to use.

I did forget to mention that Taylor was on my lap the whole time, but it worked and he was very calm did what ever they asked him to do.

His favorite part was having water squirted in his mouth and vaccuumed out.

We got through this so wonderfully, and continued to have a great rest of the day!

I'm so proud of you, Little Man!!!!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

On Wednesday, we got to go on Taylor's school trip to the pumpkin patch. Lylee and Grandma Vicki came too. We had lots of fun feeding the animals, going on a hayride, finding our way through a hay maze, going down big slides, there was even a hay hut! After the haunted house, the kids got to run around and pick their own "sugar pie pumpkin". It was lots of fun to have Grandma with us. Wonder what we'll do for fall next year when Taylor is a big Kindergarten kid?

Enough Already!!!

If you don't get it, don't bother, it's really not worth it...

Buzz...

I got to go on a date with my mom on Saturday morning to see The Secret Life of Bees. I got two treats in one. I got to have some girl time with my mom, and I also got a chance to see a wonderful story unfold on the big screen. Amazingly, the movie did not ruin the book.

If you get a chance take one (or more) of your girl friends, even teenage daughters and see this wonderful experience of a movie.

Digging and Sowing

After our successful Summer mini garden, we decided to go big with our fall/winter garden. We have a large area of dirt just waiting to grow things. Chris and my dad rotatilled their little hearts out until the dirt (soil) was ready.

Then, on Saturday we took a family field trip to Green Acres, our favorite nursery. We got a mix of seeds and plants. Then we all got into the act and planted our new family garden. We're all so excited to see how it turns out!

The kids always love to get out back and play!

Yep, that's Lylee with just one shoe. She loves taking them off and on all day long. Beware if you come to our house, she might even steal your shoes!

What Else Can You Do?

The kids both needed a bath, so we threw them both in the tub. Taylor likes to stay in a little longer, so I got Lylee out and got her all ready for bed... then she decided to to get back in. She was so proud of herself that we couldn't help but laugh!

Circle of Hope

I have often wondered and also asked if there was a significance to this logo. I decided to find out for myself. I really like the answer that I found.

Artist's Comments
"I'm feeling pretty hopeful, how about you? This is Barack Obama's campaign logo, the hope circle, the rising sun, the patriotic moon, the circle of life, the circle of change. Call it what you will - this is hope."

First of all, I want to say that this is my opinion and I am simply stating what I believe what is right for me and my family. I know and understand that many believe and will choose differently for them and their family. I respect these people and their right to vote differently.

Honestly, I just hope and pray that people get out and vote on November 4!

I grew up knowing that the gift of having the right to vote is essential, and also a responsibility of every eligible citizen of the United Stated (my son would remind me to add of America). I registered as soon as I was eligible at the age of 18, in 1992.

Taylor, at 4 years of age has been asking questions about the lawn signs popping up and "What's an Obama?" It has been an incredible chance to teach my 4 year old about democracy, fighting for our fundamental rights and beliefs as citizens of this amazing United States of America.

We have also been teaching our children about this great country that our Heavenly Father promised, in which we have the right and ability to have religious freedom. This freedom provided the means for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be built up for a new generation so that the gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored. This alone is reason to get out and vote.

We are blessed to be able to vote our hearts and conscious. This year the issues affecting our home and family are 1) getting Barack Obama into the Oval Office so that he and Joe Biden will fight for our family and our children's futures. 2) We will also be voting YES on proposition 8. This simply states that marriage is defined by a union between a man and a woman. I don't want my children to be taught about children with two mommies or two daddies at school. I also want to have the ability to have a say in what my children are taught about the issue of gay rights and even what that means. I don't want my children to have to mark Party A or Party B on their marriage licensed. I want them to have the right to mark Bride or Groom when it is their time to check that box.

A Lesson in Good Parenting

This is my commitment for the week. Patience, with everyone, especially my family!

Baby Bumps

No, no one is pregnant. Yesterday Taylor and Lylee were fighting over a yellow marker. Finally, Taylor pushed her off of her chair and she hit her mouth on the table. Instant screaming from both children sent me running into the room. Lylee was covered in blood (You may remember something very similar happening to Taylor this summer). Lylee was crying because of the fear, blood and pain. Taylor was crying because he hurt his little sister and the big bloody mess showed him just how much he actually hurt her.

Anyway, Lylee split her top lip, and also had a small gash inside her upper gum. Everyone went into overdrive, making sure no teeth were broken or missing and trying to get the bleeding stopped. Grandma and Grandpa came over just in case we decided to go to the ER. We decided this wasn't necessary, based mostly on our earlier experience with Taylor.

Yesterday evening, we were at Grandma's and tired little Lylee fell down the short flight of tile stairs and split open the inside of her bottom lip!

Yikes!!! Was I ready for the day to be over!!! Both kids were exhausted last night and went right to sleep.

The pictures are of Lylee this morning. She's fine as long as she doesn't play with her fingers in her mouth, then she starts bleeding again. She's happy though. How are kids so stinkin' tough?

Bronco Kids 2008

Taylor's first Bronco pic fall 2005

Where is 2006?
I honestly have no clue if we even took one that year.

Lylee & Taylor fall 2007

So, this is the third annual (sort of, I guess since I must have missed 2006)Anderson kids Bronco photo. The first was just Taylor, obviously. I can't believe how they've grown!

Apple Hill 2008

We made our first trip of the year to Apple Hill yesterday. We got to have lots of yummy treats, and even bring a few home. Taylor had a blast looking at all of the various apples. He absolutely LOVES apples. Both he and Lylee will eat an apple any way that they can get it, whole, sliced, peeled or not. I got a box of peaches!

The kids also loved all of the many, many pumpkins!

Thank Heaven for Friends

I have had a lot of ups and downs over the last while and at times have felt very lost and alone in my struggles. Last week, I asked Chris and my dad to give me a blessing. I received a beautiful blessing and I felt much better after. I thought I was very smart and that I would immediately see results from inside myself.

Boy, was I off base. In the last several days I have had poured blessings from outside of my little circle at home. I have been blessed with impromptu visits and phone calls, I have been blessed with delicious cookies on a night that I really needed a pick me up. I've run into friends that I haven't seen in a while and had the chance to reconnect with them. My extended family has been very aware and helpful with me and my children. I have my own little army to take care of and protect me and my family.

I believe that the, or one of the main blessings that have been poured out on me was that my Heavenly Father reminded me that I am a part of something larger than myself. I am a child of God. I am a daughter and granddaughter. I am a wife. I am a mother of two of God's beautiful children. I am a neighbor. I am a friend. I am proud of each of these elements that are alive inside me.