There's a first for everything

Well Oliver's first actual accident happened and we (meaning Ryan and I) survived. I swear we have never moved so fast. So since he's walking everywhere now, he thinks he's invincible to the law of gravity. We were saying goodnight to the outside on our back porch and he lunged forward, letting go of my hand and before I realized what had happened, he went face first down the steps. It was so scary, even though there are only 4 steps, I almost died. So we picked him up and his poor little face and nose were so scratched and bleeding. It was so sad, he was not a happy boy. But the next day when we went to work, I could tell he was proud of his battle wounds, now that he's officially a big kid:) Just the start of many more scratches and bruises I am sure.

Have I slackened mine hand?

So this post may not be for everyone cause I will go off on just some personal thoughts that I've had lately on a few things that just seem to keep coming up. My blog is my conscience I suppose. By the way, I'll first start with saying that my trip to California with Ollie was so fun. I have never seen Oliver so pumped to be somewhere, mostly I'm sure because he had CONSTANT attention. He was happy almost the entire time and loves his family. But he did miss his dad back at home, as I did. I have a habit of walking around the rose bowl at home, I just love it. There is a million different type of people there. Everyone is so happy to be outside, taking care of their bodies and minds. There's amazing energy there. And Oliver about died at all the dogs being walked, he is definitely a Kelley in that department. Anyways, towards the end of our walk I noticed a homeless man standing behind a minivan looking at the window. It took me a minute to realize what he was looking at. You know those stickers people put on the back of their cars showing their family, like the dad, mom, 3 kids, and a dog. He was standing looking at this. I was struck with this extremely sad sinking feeling in my heart. I often think about those on the streets, people without homes. Once upon a time they were this tiny new, smiling baby. And whether they came into arms that loved them, they were sent from those arms that dearly loved them more than anyone else could. What went so wrong? Who hurt them in the process? I always asked this to myself working at the jail. My bishop sent an email that really hit home. He basically said anyone can give out a dollar, its so easy. But would you take that person, give them a meal, make sure they have a place to stay, and then above all, check back on them. Then he asked what the most important word in the gospel is, and to me, that is, no doubt, LOVE. Last night I was reading in Jacob 5, about the master and his vineyard. It just hit me so hard that these people in our world who are sad or angry or hurting, or alone, could be like those branches and roots. If we but care for and love and feed and nourish, what an amazing thriving vineyard we could have. I am reading this book, 3 cups of Tea, about this amazing man who stopped just giving a dollar. He was in Afganistan in a remote village with no school for the children there. He made it his job to get a school to those kids. Basically the idea is, if we were to put all that money that we use for a war into education and giving others opportunity, what could the world be like. And don't get me wrong, I am not anti-war but I believe it should be one of the last resorts. Let's say instead of attacking others, we put ourselves in their shoes and think, what have you missed along the path that makes you feel this way. Like in Afganistan, these young kids were put into a war they didn't understand because it was their only choice between poverty and "opportunity". If they were given education and confidence to know their own worth, the possibilities are endless. I relate this to teaching parenting. Sometimes it seems as if some kids were just born "naughty" or "bad". Look at what they're not getting, what they may have come from. Most of the time, we all just want to be loved. In a work meeting about a month ago, my boss told us all how she came about establishing Promise. Promise for those of you who don't know, is an organization formed to love and nurture mother's into breaking out of their unhealthy chemical addictions and start taking responsibility for their lives, and the lives of their children. She was told the story of a woman who all her life had been told she wasn't worth anything, she was ugly, she was stupid. But when she'd go to her grandmother's house, her grandmother would give her a bath, brush her hair, dress her in clean clothes. She said only then did she feel like a woman of promise, because someone believed that she was. So here I am making a goal to myself that crying for someone does not put food in their belly, because I really do this. Now it sounds so shameful. As if welling up with tears as I pass by someone who is homeless really helps their situation. I actually think the best thing I did lately is to tell a homeless man I was talking to to please quit smoking. But you know, it's because I thought his life was worth living, but did he? I truly do love people and I am making that as of now, an action. I'm not a genius, not rich, but you know what, I am good at loving people. I can do that.

Noellies!!!

Sorry Re and Pete, I just stole this picture off your blog, Noelle is just too cute in this picture. Look at her darling little profile. She's looking like such a big girl, I can't believe it. She's so cute, worthy of a post:) Ps, if you want to hear more about Barack Obama's crazy preacher, look at thier blog. There's some pretty great video of his antics, I can't believe this guy. Seriously if you hate America, by all means, you can leave.

I love this place

It is so gorgeous outside right now. We got in yesterday and it was super stormy and I LOVED it, love the dark clouds, the wind, the rain and mostly the contrast of the green against it. It is so green here! I guess I didn't realize how bland Utah is right now until I finally saw lush green grass and hills again. Today the skies are crystal blue and there is just the right amount of wind. The tangerine and lemon trees on my yard are in full force, and it smells so nice outside. I was having a conversation with my good friend Courtney about finally growing up and buying a house, a scary endeavor for us that's still a ways off, thank goodness. Anyways we were talking about California and the ridiculousness of how expensive it is to live here. It really is craziness. On the plane yesterday I was watching Flip that house, love it, and this guy was buying a condo, 1 bed 1 bath in Pasadena (right next door to La Canada) for...wait for it...$275,000. And it was not nice, at all. So I'm thinking to myself, who does this! And then I thought, probably us. I just love this place. Ryan and I are also dreaming big about living in Hawaii, also crazy expensive. You know what, I just need the diversity, personality, color. If I could have it my way, we would move all over the world, a new place every few years. I just don't like the idea of settling...there's so much to see and do. Is anyone else itching to never settle, I'm interested to know?? I'm wondering if it changes once you have more kids, probably.

Our almost birthday celebration

Ollie's birthday is on Monday, yes St. Patty's Day so since we're going out of town all next week without Ryan we had to celebrate last night so he could be part of all the fun! We went to Chuck E Cheese of course and he rode a few rides which most got absolutely no reaction from him. Then there was the trolley ride and for some reason that one was just the best. He was real excited. I'll post a video of that one, it was pretty funny. And then there was a cake eating, classic one year old messy mess. We already celebrated on Thursday at work, with cupcakes for all the kids. And then last night and then we will on Monday again for the realsie! Too bad he'll never remember his 3 in 1 birthday special. I love 1 year olds, it is seriously such a fun age. I wish I could pause time...but I know it just keeps getting better.

Romney for VP- Listen up McCain

Here's an article from the Weekly Standard my fellow political junkie brother in law sent me, hopefully McCain is listening...

The Veepstakes: There's an obvious winner.
by Fred Barnes 03/17/2008, Volume 013, Issue 26

When John McCain begins his search for a vice presidential running mate, he'll quickly come upon a sad fact. He wants a candidate who will be seen as a plausible president. That's criterion number one. He also wants someone who won't subtract from his campaign in any serious way. That's criterion number two. The unfortunate truth is that few Republicans meet these simple criteria. McCain doesn't have much of a pool to choose from.
But his selection matters enormously, all the more because of his age. McCain will turn 72 on the eve of the Republican convention this summer. Choosing a running mate is the first major decision that a presidential nominee makes. And the nominee is judged by the quality of his pick and even by the smoothness of his selection process. So McCain had better choose well.
He has the right idea in mind. McCain thinks three vice presidential picks from the recent past were wise: Republican Dick Cheney in 2000 and Democrats Joe Lieberman in 2000 and Al Gore in 1992. They were nationally known political heavyweights who passed the most important test. They were accepted almost instantly as ready to replace the president if necessary. And they had no significant drawbacks.
The list of plausible presidents is short. Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Tom Ridge, and Joe Lieberman qualify. That's about it. There are a number of popular Republican governors--Charlie Crist of Florida, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Mark Sanford of South Carolina, Haley Barbour of Mississippi--but they fall short of Cheney-Lieberman-Gore stature. It's not their fault, but it's nonetheless true.
So how about Lieberman in 2008? He's a pal of McCain, a brave backer of the war in Iraq, and now the most prominent Democratic supporter of McCain's presidential bid. He would surely enhance McCain's appeal to independents and moderate Democrats. He's a political adult.
But he's no Zell Miller. Lieberman is a liberal on domestic issues, including abortion. McCain already has trouble with conservatives and picking a Democrat would make things worse. Lieberman would probably subtract more votes from the McCain ticket than he'd add.
So would Giuliani and Ridge. True, Giuliani was a hero of 9/11 as mayor of New York, and Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor, was President Bush's first homeland security chief. But both are pro-choice on abortion and would horrify social conservatives, an indispensable part of the Republican coalition. Giuliani or Ridge might prompt a third party pro-life presidential challenger.
Fred Thompson, the ex-senator from Tennessee and now a TV actor, is also a close friend of McCain. If he'd run a more spirited presidential campaign of his own this year, he'd be the obvious pick for running mate. But his campaign was dreary and disappointing. McCain needs someone more vibrant and upbeat.
That leads to Romney. He has run a vigorous national campaign and been vetted by the press and his opponents for the Republican nomination. These are very strong pluses. A pick who produces unhelpful surprises, as Geraldine Ferraro did in 1984 (her husband's business deals) and Dan Quayle did in 1988 (his National Guard duty), is exactly what McCain doesn't need. Romney is a known quantity.
Romney has three other add-ons. He's acceptable to conservatives and especially to social conservatives, who disproportionately volunteer as ground troops in Republican presidential campaigns. He's unflappable in debates. With the downturn worsening, the economy may surpass national security as the top issue of the campaign. And after years of success as a big time player in the global economy, Romney understands how markets work. He could shore up McCain's admitted weakness on economic issues.
Romney has allies in the Bush wing of the Republican party. President Bush favors him as McCain's veep. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, preferred Romney over McCain in the primaries, but never endorsed him publicly. Karl Rove, the president's political strategist, has hinted that he considers Romney to be McCain's best running mate.
Is there a downside to Romney? Possibly. It's not his Mormonism. He lost the nomination to McCain, but religion wasn't the reason. As a corporate turnaround artist, he rescued companies, sometimes by laying off workers. When he ran for the Senate from Massachusetts in 1994, the incumbent, Teddy Kennedy, raised the layoff issue with punishing effect. No doubt Democrats would use it again, and it might have resonance if a recession hits and unemployment is increasing.
Mike Huckabee's name is bound to come up in the veepstakes, since he's now run nationally and been vetted. According to Rove, he would "double" McCain's trouble with conservatives. Both foreign policy and economic conservatives would scream bloody murder if McCain chose the Huckster.
Presidential nominees once tried to balance their ticket with someone who'd helped win a state they might otherwise lose. This hasn't entirely gone out of fashion. Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota is often mentioned in this regard. Former House member John Kasich and ex-trade representative and budget director Rob Portman, both from Ohio, are too.
McCain has also been advised, at least by the media, to pick a much younger person for vice president. Governor Matt Blunt of Missouri, 37, and a handful of others have had their names trotted out. Some of them have impressive credentials. Blunt, for example, is an Annapolis graduate and a Naval Reservist called to active duty after 9/11.
But I don't believe the option of choosing a running mate for purely political reasons is open to McCain--not during wartime, anyway. His strong suit against Barack Obama, his likeliest Democratic opponent, or even against Hillary Clinton, is experience. In fact, Clinton has set up Obama to be attacked by McCain on this front.
Her TV ad raising doubts about Obama's readiness to be president was critical to her victories last week in the Ohio and Texas primaries. She also said in a campaign appearance: "Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign. I will bring a lifetime of experience [to the White House] and Senator Obama will bring a speech he gave in 2002. I think that is a significant difference." In Obama's 2002 speech, he opposed the invasion of Iraq. One can envision her comment in a McCain TV ad zinging Obama.
McCain would throw away the experience issue if he named a much younger running mate or someone without national stature or a background in world affairs. Obama's response could be devastating: "If experience is so important, why did you pick a running mate who has so little, indeed less than I do?"
Romney thus appears to have the best ratio of virtues to drawbacks. But there's just one problem: McCain doesn't like him. Just how important compatibility is--that is something McCain will have to decide.

Fred Barnes is executive editor of THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
© Copyright 2008, News Corporation, Weekly Standard, All Rights Reserved.

Just food for thought...Did you know that shopping carts have more germs and bacteria on them than even public toilet seats, public toilet seats. There was more fecal matter on the shopping carts than the toilet seat. If this doesn't make you throw up a little in your mouth, I don't know what will. As I was at the store tonight I saw just how many people passed up the disinfecting wipes given to wipe their shopping cart. They just ate poop.

Eating is so funny

For some reason Oliver gets the most slap happy when it's time to eat. We play this game where I mock eat his food by sliding it behind my mouth so it looks like it's gone. He loves it. Maybe he thinks it's funny cause I would seriously never eat pured green beans with rice. Oh the blessing of virgin taste buds, he'll eat basically anything.

There's nothing in the world like baby laughter:)

Because the first time wasn't enough

Well the fireplace was attacked again. And Oliver is usually very pleased with his work, as he should be. He looks like a little beggar baby from Annie or something. I'd pick him up off the street, who could resist. So a little bathtime and as good as new:)

HAPPY BOY

Ahhh the calm after the storm, or at least that's what it's felt like. We are happy to report that Ollie is back to his normal self again. It was so funny cause after feeling badly for so long, the first day he was feeling better, he was just laughing and giggling to himself all day and smiling at everything. It's nice to have him back. For a while there, I forgot what a happy baby he could be:) Anyways, he basically had a really bad viral infection in his throat, the ear infection, and the diarrhea. So the poops are pretty much dunzo, except that his antibiotics for the ears do give him the runs, but he's not uncomfortable anymore which is the best part. And we know it's nothing that a lot of time wouldn't cure. He had some amazing pain killers for his throat which let me tell you, saved Ryan and I. So he started walking up steps, which I don't know why I'm in love with this, I just am. There's a vid of him talking a stroll outside and getting real excited about it, even though it was freezing. And I wish we could get a good one of him waving but it just won't happen. He waves to everyone, it kills me. So if you pay attention at the beginning of the strolling video, he's waving. So there you go. And I apologize for the hideous picture of me, but I realized I never post me, so I thought I should.