Christmas Pictures

So, maybe you can tell by the picture on the right that we had our pictures made earlier this month for Christmas cards. Well, the intention is to put them on Christmas Cards, but since I've never successfully sent out Christmas cards in the seven years that I have been married, I am not holding my breath.

Anyways, as you can guess, the girls were in poor form that morning. I tried to do everything to ensure a good family portrait. I had the shoot in the morning. I gave them jelly beans for posing. But soon they got sick of jelly beans and didn't want to smile or laugh at my sister-in-laws songs.

Once again I have vowed never to have family portraits done until the girls are graduated from high school. It's just too darn stressful. Of course, we then had a whole family portrait made over Thanksgiving. Man alive, it was horrible. I'm telling you, if you don't have kids, think over the idea of pictures before having them. Just be ready to not get the shot you want. Or to compromise (Well, at least Reagan is looking at the camera, even if she won't remover her fingers from her mouth...)

My sister-in-law is an angel. She takes great pictures and tries to make it fun for everyone. But I still get stressed and angry. (Something about not meeting expectations, gets my blood boiling...)

And the girls are growing so quickly. So, for that reason alone I will keep having pictures made. And someday, when they have kids of their own and lament to me about a poor shoot, I will just smile and nod.

Reading List & What's So Great about Christianity

Below is my current reading list. Right now I am reading What's So Great about Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza. This is a must-read in my opinion for all Christians and also for people who wonder what the Humanist/Atheist argument against God is.

Personally, I have struggled with the idea of how to defend my faith in God to people who do not accept the authority of the Bible. This book, thus far (and I'm in the third chapter) has given me background on the American and British Atheist movement and how they are seeking to eradicate God entirely from the public sphere, mainly through the use of "Scientific" discovery.

I like this book because Mr. D'Souza's view is that of a skeptic as he honestly evaluates the position of Atheism and its fallacies. I am excited for some good discussion about this book. (Chandra, you've got to read it!)

Well, anyways, here's my book list. I will be adding to it since I am a life-long reader. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I welcome them!


What’s So Great about Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza
My Grandfather’s Son by Clarence Thomas
Until Proven Innocent by Stuart Taylor
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Munrow
Believing God by Beth Moore
Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes
Daniel Deronda by George Elliot
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Treasure Island by Robert Loius Stevenson
Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Tess of the D’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Sophie’s Choice by William Styron
The Collected Works of C.S. Lewis
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
The Iranian Time Bomb by Michael Ledeen
Girls Gone Mild by Wendy Shalit
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

History in the Making

Sometimes when I am listening to Rush Limbaugh, I get the feeling that I am listening to history being made. A letter was auctioned off in support of the Marine Corp Law Enforcement Foundation. This letter was signed by 40 Democrats of the Senate asking Clear Channel to force Rush to apologize for remarks made about a phony-soldier. (The remarks themselves were not offensive and therefore did not need an apology.) In any case, in an ebay auction, this letter went for $2,100,100.00! Furthermore, Rush is going to match the donation! If you would like to read the letter or more on this, here is a link.

I love this country! Where else in the world would a letter from a bunch of Senators raise that much money for a charity? I don't think it would happen anywhere but here in America. Obviously, the Dems in the Senate who signed that letter didn't imagine this would be the outcome. But, I guess the unexpected is what makes history.

By the way, Rush challenged the 40 Senators to match the winning bid. Do you think any of them will?

Hmmmm, almost two months now

Yes, I'm a slacker. I could say that I've been busy, but that wouldn't be absolutely true. I've just been lazy. Good thing I'm my own boss with this here blog!

Well, the last two months have been enjoyable. I took the girls to their pediatrician appointments and discovered that Matilyn and Reagan weigh the same amount. No kidding!

Also, I found out that I probably need to start getting Reagan to stop sucking her two fingers. Well, I don't know if I'm going to rush that... I'm scared, okay? I'll just admit it...

Matilyn was suspended, again, from the gym for biting. (Oh what fun...) Therefore, we are staying home from the gym while she outgrows this phase. I have only taken her once since the last suspension, and she did alright. But, I'm not going to push it. I have figured out that she will bite when she is tired. So, at least I have figured something out. As to 'curing' the biting, no such luck. (And I've tried almost everything...soap in the mouth is next...)

We took the girls apple picking up north of Wickenburg last month. It was a lot of fun and we brought home a lot of apples. Between all the apple desserts I made and the lack of exercise, I am lucky that I still fit into my pants! :) Here's a picture of my with Reagan and my friend's son, Ryan. We went to the orchard with my fabulous mom's club, 2 Hour Time Out. It was a very fun outing.

Erik is busy, though. His work is going well and he's doing a great job with implementing Asterisk at CCV. I am excited to see where he will grow next.

Right now he's in Vegas for a (much-needed?) man-cation. Thankfully, he paid the bills before he left! HA! (Just kidding, he's very responsible.)

Reagan is 3!

Reagan Kee turned 3 years old last week! She is such a big girl now! I am amazed by what she is learning, how well she speaks, and her sweetness!

We celebrated her birthday by taking her to get her ears pierced. She was excited to be able to wear earings, but she didn't really know that it was going to hurt. I did my best to explain that there was a little pinch associated with getting pierced. However, I'm pretty sure she didn't understand.

We went to the jewelry store, and she picked out some pretty pink flowers for her starter set. Since there was only one worker there, she had to pierce one ear at a time. Unfortunately, I was hoping to have them both pierced at the same time. You know, make it easier on me. I mean her...

So, the manager pierces the first ear. It surprised Reagan at first, and then she was crying. She wasn't crying real hard, but it did kind of hurt. Then it was time for the second ear. Oh boy, Reagan was not going to have that! I told her that I would buy her an ice cream if she got this one done, she said okay, and then started crying once the manager came towards her with the piercing gun. So, I held her, tried to comfort her and find a way to encourage her.

And then the most wonderful thing happened. Reagan turned around and said, "Alright." It is an understatement to say that I have never been more proud of her. You see, she knew it was going to hurt, and she still chose to do it anyway. WOW! Can you believe that she, at 3, exhibited courage? I didn't know that would be the best part of her birthday. What an unexpected gift that was. As soon as the piercing was over I said, "Good job, Reagan. That was very brave of you. You knew it was going to hurt, and you still went for it. That was called courage. Good job!"

I am amazed by how she has grown in 3 years. And the bonus was the lesson on courage.

I pray that she will always have the courage to do what's right.

HamNation: Better Living Through Bathroom Etiquette

You have to watch this video! Mary Katherine Ham's videos are HILARIOUS! Here it is: Better Living Through Bathroom Etiquette.