Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday Post, short movie

Here is a short video with some really great thoughts.
Sit still f0r a few minutes and enjoy.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!
JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure – right from Day One! – that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn’t about me.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or fo r us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where’s my gun?
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that ch icken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he’s acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems , which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he’s guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me wh ich wa y that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I’ve not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can’t you people see the plain truth? That’s why they call it the ‘other side.’ Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like ‘the other side.’ That chicken should not be crossing the road. It’s as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra…#@&&^(C%..........reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

Thursday, June 26, 2008

One of my all time favorite quotes

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Willamson, as quoted by Nelson Mandela

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

My recent outings

Being that it is now summer and the kids are out of school I am working diligently to keep them entertained while still meeting our everyday commitments and getting to regularly scheduled appointments.
In addition to having no less than 7 appointments this week, we have so far managed to take the younger boys to the aquarium with friends, take the big boys to a movie, and had a girls night out (for me).
We are hoping to get a beach trip and baybe a rec center trip in before the week is over too.
Here are some pics from the aquarium, and one from my girls night.
CJ and our friend in the aquarium, at the aquarium. Mark in the aquarium. Dolphin riding. After extensive training in Monty Python's "Being Eaten By A Crocodile Event", all the kids, tried out the "Being Eaten by a Shark" exhibit. My Triple Berry Tiramisu at Macaroni Grill at girls night last night. Yum!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Puzzles

Last Thursday, my aunt Martha forgot her driver's license at home.
She was traveling down a one way street in the wrong direction and did not stop at an intersection to let pedestrians go.
A policeman was watching her, but did not give her a ticket.
Why?
.
.
One three-letter word can be placed in front of each of the following words to make four new words.
The same three­l etter word must be used in each case.
_ _ _ BLED
_ _ _ ROW
_ _ _ GIN
_ _ _ TIN

Monday, June 23, 2008

Male or female?

Male or Female?
You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. Here are some examples:
FREEZER BAGS:
They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.
PHOTOCOPIERS:
These are female, because once turned off it takes a while to warm them up again.
They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.
TIRES:
Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated.
HOT AIR BALLOONS:
Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.
SPONGES:
These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.
WEB PAGES:
Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.
TRAINS:
Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.
HOURGLASS EGG TIMERS:
Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.
HAMMERS:
Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.
THE REMOTE CONTROL:
Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.
And the two I had to add to the list:
MOUNDS and ALMOND JOY:
Mounds is female, Almond Joy is male
Can you guess why?
Well, because "Almond Joy has nuts, Mounds don't".

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Sunday Post, God is Like:

A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God.
Here are some of the results:
.
God is like:
BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.
.
God is like:
a FORD
He's got a better idea.
.
God is like:
COKE
He's the real thing.
.
God is like:
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.
.
God is like:
TIDE
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
.
God is like:
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.
.
God is like:
SEARS
He has everything.
.
God is like:
ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you'll like Him
.
God is like:
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
.
God is like:
DELTA
He's ready when you are.
.
God is like:
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.
.
God is like:
VO-5 Hair Spray
He holds through all kinds of weather.
.
God is like:
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
.
God is like:
the U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.
.
God is like:
CHEVROLET
the heart beat of America
.
God is like:
MAXWELL HOUSE
Good to the very last drop
.
God is like:
BOUNTY
He is the quicker picker upper. . can handle the tough jobs. . .and He won't fall apart on you

Thursday, June 19, 2008

"I Hate Sauerkraut", but I LOVE Palindromes

It's the palindrome song, Bob, by Weird Al

Because I need something light

After the last 2 posts I need something simple and funny.

90% of statistics are made up (50% of the time)

I feel a need to reply to John E. Garst who left a comment a mile and a half long after my post yesterday.
Mr. Garst, I am certain, used a copy and paste reply in my comment spot about how safe Aspartame actually is and that all of the studies done on rats to prove that it is unsafe were simply done incorrectly and unrealistically.
He aparently did not read my entire post, or he would have realized that I was not attacking Nutrasweet, I was talking about me, and how Nutrasweet effects me.
So please allow me to clarify the point of my post.
:
I don't know if Aspartame, aka Nutrasweet, is safe or not.
I have heard and read many things that say it is not.
I recognize that these things are often miscommunicated, exagerrated, elaborated, or simply made up.
I decided to do my own trial to see if it was effecting me.
I am not a labratory rat.
I did not measure my doses of aspartame and monitor my health, heart rate, and tumor levels over time.
I simply stopped drinking the stuff to see what happened.
What happened was: I was less hungry and had more energy.
In less than 5 days it was clear to me -again, not a lab rat- that aspartame was doing things to my body that I didn't like.
So please Mr. Garst, (who I am certain is on Aspartame's payroll), understand that I am not a Nutrasweet basher.
I am not making false claims or even accurate reports of how Nutrasweet did in clinical trials.
So don't take it personal and get all crazy like.
Please don't compare me to a lab rat.
I am just a person trying to be healthier, and Nutrasweet has been proven in my own trial, to have adverse effects on my body.
(So what are you going to say now?)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

No More Aspartame

I admit it.
I am a diet soda junkie.
Over the last 5 or 6 years I have consistently drank 1-6 cans of diet soda each day.
I went through phases where I tried to drink water instead, or gave up my caffienated Diet Cherry Pepsi for uncaffienated Fresca for a few months.
But in the end I always came back to my favorite additionally flavored (cherry or vanilla) diet cola.
.
And lots of it.
I have heard many warnings about the dangers of aspartame.
That it is possibly the cause of gulf war syndrome, that diet soda is actually likely to make you gain weight as this study on soda drinkers shows, and that it has been shown to cause metabolic syndrome.
Blah, blah, blah. Yada yada yada.
All in one ear and out the other.
Millions of people drink diet soda right? We're doing okay aren't we?
So I went right on sipping my Diet Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper with pleasure.
And as I have gotten older and had less energy and more sleeping problems, another Vanilla Coke Zero during the day gave me an added caffiene boost. (And then maybe another one later).
.
So a few weeks ago I got yet another e-mail about a mother whose daughter died from illnesses caused by diet soda. Yada, yada.
Please don't think me callous but most of these e-mails are made up or at least embellished anyway right?
But I figured hey, the only way to know something is to find out for myself, right?
So I gave myself a challenge. No diet soda for 2 weeks.
2 weeks. I can do 2 weeks.
Then I realized that my Special K Protein Water and my Propel are all have artificial sweeteners too.
:(
Okay, so cold turkey. I opened a bottle of Dasani and steeled myself for a long haul.
This is about how it went:
Day 1: You know, Dasani is petty good water. And I don't think I have the munchies like I usually do.
Day 2: Still no munchies. Hmm...
Day 3: Hey, I didn't need a nap yesterday. And I'm not tired now.
Day 4: I slept like a baby last night. Got up with energy and had it all day.
Day 5: No munchies. Didn't need a nap again. Had energy.
Who needs this Nutrasweet crap anyway?
Sooo instead of drinking something that makes me tired, and drinking more of it to get a caffeine boost; and instead of drinking a zero calorie soda that makes me hungry I am giving up my diet soda.
I will probably not be gallavanting in to Washington to rally for Congress to ban Aspartame.
I will probably not be spending my weekends passing out "Nutrasweet is Sweet Death" t-shirts in front of Walmart.
But I will not be drinking the crap anymore either.
Decide for yourself. Check out what wikipedia has to say about aspartame. Try a 2 week break yourself, or don't. And keep on lovin' your Diet Mountain Dew.
But as for me and myself, I will drink Dasani.
And I'll do some research to figure out if Sucralose and Splenda are bad too.
And when I do need a caffiene pick me up, I'll turn to my Icebreaker caffeine mints, or a full flavor Cherry Pepsi.
And you thought this was Wordless Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Beach!

We celebrated the end of school on Friday, with a trip to the beach on Saturday.
The day was smoky and hazy because of wild fires in North Carolina, but the winds turned during the day and we had fun at the beach.

J and Chris burying CJ. Chris and CJ burying Mark Mark buried. He was actually vertical and was buried standing up.

J and B playing in the waves.

J and B out in the water. CJ, Chris and Mark near the shore. CJ and Mark boogie boarding.CJ catching a wave.
As usual I was the one holding the camera, so there are no pictures of me this time.
Maybe next time.
We all got a little sunburned, but it was fun and we'll be going back very soon.
(In case you ever wonder why I don't post more pics of J and B -or put their whole names- it's because I'm not allowed to, not because I don't want to. But they are still part of the family).
CJ has 3 Webkinz. He takes care of them online every day. Actually, the lion is mine, but I gave him online rights to it.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

And My Father Dwelt in a Tent

Many years ago when I was 12 or 13 years old, my sister Lydia was given an assignment by a church leader to find a scripture that aptly described her father.
The other girls in the class came back with verbose and lengthy verses about the strength, integrity, worthy priesthood bearing and other various leadership qualities that defined their Dads.
Lydia came to class with a simple verse from the first book in the Book of Mormon. But we all agreed it would be difficult to find a scripture that more aptly and succinctly described my dad.
The verse was 1Nephi, 2;15:
And my father dwelt in a tent.
You see, if it weren't for my mom and this irrational insistence she has for having a wood and shingles roof, my Dad would be perfectly content to live in his teepee in the back yard.
In fact when he goes snow camping, he doesn't even use a tent. He just burrows a hole down in the snow, covers it with a tarp and cuddles up with a good sleeping bag and a special canteen so he doesn't have to get up during the night to pee.
My point in this post, is to honor my dad on Fathers Day and share some of the things that I admire about him.
For simplicity's sake, here is an abbreviated list:
His love for the out doors that he taught to all of us, (except I don't like snow camping, the canteen doesn't work so well for me).
His love for each of us kids.
His incredible work ethic.
His vast knowledge and ability to do almost anything, from geneology, to plumbing a house, to climbing mountains - literally.
His willingness to do any of those things.
His adoration for my mother.
His desire to serve others.
His absolute love and commitment to the Savior.
My dad has taught me many things in my life. And I am blessed that he is still around to keep teaching me stuff.
He is such a good man. My husband often says that my dad must be one of the 3 Nephites, because it's just not possible to be that good.
Nephite, Superman, or just Scoutmaster Hugo, he is my hero.
Love you Dad.
-Della

My Newest Blog

I have a dilemma.
Sadly, I come across more creative, interesting, humorous, and inspirational pictures though e-mails, or just web wandering than I can realistically add to this blog without making it solely about pictures.
And since this blog is supposed to be about my life and times I have chosen not to do that.
But I have a solution.
I have created a new blog. Yes, another blog based attention seeking method, on which to post all of these pictures.
This new blog, which I have aptly named Della's Pics, will contain all of the blog worthy pics that I find.
It probably won't be added to every day, as I try to post on this one. But it will be added to regularly, so please take time to check it, and enjoy the pictures.
Be forewarned that some times some pics will be double posted, here and there, but enjoy them anyway.
The address is dellaspics.blogspot.com, but there is also a direct link from this blog in my list of blogs that I check regularly.
Thanks for caring.

Friday, June 13, 2008

puzzles

1. Complete the series by adding the next number:
0,0,1,2,2,4,3,6,4,
-
2. Which is more, seconds in 100 hours or inches in 100 yards?
-
3. What word, expression, or name is depicted below?
WEAR
LONG
-
Good luck.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Because Holly Asked

Holly asked about the square watermelons pictured in yesterday's post.
She wanted to know where the heck they come from.
First let me explain that they shape the watermelons by placing them in square boxes while they are still on the vine, so they grow to the shape of the box. (See the third picture from yesterday).
But as far as where they come from...
There really is only one answer that makes sense.
The place in the world that comes up with the craziest game shows, cartoons and awesomest video game systems (Wii to name one), also makes square watermelons.
But alas, my words cannot do justice to the creativity and ingenuity (and perhaps boredom driven entertainment) of these intelligent people.
So I will post these pictures, which will illustrate that far better than my words could.
-
Let me apologize in advance.
-

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

For a good laugh

Here are some actual answers that students gave to test questions. Some of these have to be on purpose. At least I really, really hope.
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Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
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Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
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Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
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Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.
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Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I for get where the sun joins in this fight.
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Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
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Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
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Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
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Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.
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Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen)
A: The body is consisted into three parts -- the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the boraxcontains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels A, E, I, O, and U.
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Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.
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Q: What does 'varicose' mean?
A: Nearby.
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Q: Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarian Section.'
A: The Caesarian Section is a district in Rome.
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Q: What does the word 'benign' mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Motivation!

We are in our last week of school here at the Beach.
Yes, I know most of the country is already out. All you lucky mothers will have your kids back in school weeks before I do.
It is law here in VA that the school year can't begin until after Labor Day.
I am trying to find activities for my younguns to keep us all sane this summer.
There is the rec center, the library reading program, possibly Busch Gardens, the aquarium, and a few others. But my favorite, I think will be the Beach. Yay, Beach!
Anyway, the point I am getting to is that posting may be irradic for the next few months while my schedule is awry.
Perhaps we will have a lot of great activity pics for you all to be jealous of.
But here are a few motivational pics to enjoy.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Sunday Post

Sorry I've been so slow posting this weekend.
I was enjoying not having a crazy weekend like last weekend.
*Late Edit*
I have come back to change this post because I had it wrong.
Thanks to my ever helpful commenters and Snopes, I have found that the Paul Allen who wrote this editorial was not in fact the same Paul Allen who partners with Bill Gates and own 2 pro sports teams.
But even though this was not written by a well known billionaire, the words are still meaningful.
Please enjoy anyway.
*End of edit*
Paul Allen is not a Mormon, and he had some compelling words about those of the LDS faith.
This is an editorial he wrote that was in the Santa Clarita, California newspaper:
I have heard and seen enough!
I have lived in the West all my life.
I have worked around them. They have worked for me and I for them.
When I was young, I dated their daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Now that I have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated my daughters. I would be privileged if one of them were to be my son-in-law.
I'm talking about the Mormons. They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have ever known.
They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called religious people I have encountered.
They study the Bible and teach from it as much as any Christian church ever has.
They serve their religion without pay in every conceivable capacity. Not one of their leaders, teachers, counselors, Bishops or music directors receive one dime for the hours of labor they put in.
The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not generallyknown.
I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how evil and non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven.
I decided recently to attend one of their services near my home to seefor myself.
What a surprise! What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the religious ministers of the day were telling me.
I found a very simple servicewith no fanfare.
I found a people with a great sense of humor and a well-balanced spiritual side.
There was no loud music. Just a simple service, with the members themselves giving several short sermons.
They urge their youth to be morally clean and live a good life.
They teach the gospel of Christ, as they understand it. The name of their church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.
Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you?
I asked them many questions about what they teach and why.
I got answers that in most cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrines did not seem too far fetched for my understanding.
When I read their "Book of Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the opposite from what I had been told I would find.
Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of the same questions about doctrine.
To my surprise, when he found out that I was in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. He referred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded to me like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly that they were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christian mold.
He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. He gave me a pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that the Mormons were not telling me the truth about what they stand for. He didn't want to hear anything good about them.
At first I was surprised and then again, I wasn't. I began to wonder.
I have never known of a cult that supports the Boy Scouts of America. According to the Boy Scouts, over a third of all the Boy Scout troops in the United States are Mormon.
What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second to none in this country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches to help take care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and in need of a little help.
The Mormon Church has donated millions to welfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They have donated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burned a few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies to countries ravaged by earthquakes.
You never see them on TV begging for money.
What cult do you know that instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes, serve in the military if asked and be a good Christians by living high moral standards?
Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Mormon youth get up before high school starts in the morning to attend a religious training class?
They have basketball and softball leagues and supervised youth dances every month.
They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and every police department in the country, because they are Trustworthy.
They are taught not to drink nor take drugs.
They are in the Secret Service -those who protect the President.
They serve in high leadership positions from both parties in Congress and in the US Senate, and have been governors of several states other than Utah. They serve with> distinction and honor.
If you have Mormons living near, you will probably find them to be your best friends and neighbors. They are Christians who try to live what they preach. They are not perfect and they are the first to admit this. I have known some of them who could not live their religion, just like many of us.
The rhetoric which is spread around against them is nothing more than evil propaganda founded in untruths. (Others) had successfully demonized them to the point that the general public has no idea what they actually believe and teach.
If you really want to know the truth, go see for yourself. You also will be surprised.
When I first moved here some 25 years ago there were five Mormon wards in Santa Clarita, Calif. Now there are 15.
They must be doing something right.
-Paul Allen

Thursday, June 5, 2008

I Lost! I Won! I rock!

My family had a weight loss contest. I won it!
There was a time about 2 years ago when I stepped on the scale and realized I was only a bag of flamin' hot cheetos away from tipping over 200 pounds. I was actually about 197 pounds.
I peaked at 185 with both of my pregnancies, so the idea of weighing in at a deuce -unpregnant- terrified me.
I made a few changes, mostly including walking more, and managed to lose about a pound a month over the next year. So when we moved to Virginia Beach last August I was back down to my full term pregnancy weight of 185.
Something about moving here changed things for me. Overall it was a whole lifestyle change:
New house, new city, new job, new schedule, and so on. Changing all of these things made it easy to make some of the changes in my eating habits.
Fewer snacks. Healthier snacks. No more fast food. Healthy cereal every morning. Walking more.
And guess what? These changes changed me!
I never bothered to take "before" pictures, but I happened to be in places recently where I had my picture taken a year or 2 ago. So I took some "after" pictures that go along with the old ones.
I was surprised at the difference.

Me at the DC Temple, Fall '06

Me at the DC Temple May '08

Me at the beach August '07 Me at the beach June '08

Ok, sorry for the flashy bikini pics, but I am SOO proud of myself.

And seeing the difference in the pictures really showed me how far I've come.

How far exactly?

My family only started this contest in January. I was 172 then so I have lost 17 pounds since the beginning of our contest.

I weighed 185 when we moved here, so I have lost 30 pounds since August.

I was 197 a year before that, so I have lost 42 pounds in 2 years!

If you can do math, you have figured that I now weigh 155 pounds! Which for being as tall as I am is a very healthy weight. (WiiFit even says so).

If I lost another 10 pounds I would be at my wedding and original pre-pregnancy weight. But if I don't lose any more I will be thrilled with what I have accomplished and be proud to wear a swimsuit at the beach this summer.

Hooray Me!!!

Puzzle

I haven't done many puzzles lately, so here is a fairly easy one.
And Pike, this is exactly the name and wording in the puzzle as I got it. I didn't change it, but it works out well anyway.
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Allie takes fruit, cake, and cookies for her picnic.
She has three boxes for them. One is labeled FRUIT. One is labeled COOKIES. One is labeled CAKE.
But she knows her Mom likes to fool her and has put every single thing in the wrong box.
The only other thing she knows for sure is that the fruit is not in the CAKE box. Where is the cake?

Our missionaries

We recently sent one of our sister missionaries home and another one to Richmond.
I have been late in posting the pictures, so I will post them now.
Since sending those sisters on, we have been blessed with 2 more. So here are pictures of them as well.
Me and Sister Haws who went home to Provo, Utah. Sister Bangerter, who has been in Virginia Beach as long as we have, finally got moved to near Richmond. Sister Bangerter makes scripture covers out of duct tape. This set is covered with camoflage duct tape. Good luck finding it when it's lost!

Sisters Hopoate and Abbott are our new sisters.

I have already been able to hang out with them as well as have them over for dinner.

We will definitely miss Sister Bangerter and Sister Haws. I really got to love them.

But I am glad now for the chance to know sister Hopoate and Sister Abbott.

All of these sisters carry the spirit with them and have such a great love for the people they teach.

I am so grateful I get to know them.

-Della

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Pics from the DC Temple

I found the missing camera.
I was afraid that I had left it at the Stake Center by the temple where we ate our lunch.
But I found it in the shoe box I had my car snacks in. Hooray.
So now you get to see the beautiful pictures of the temple.
CJ and Mark taken from the front of the Visitors Center.
Me in front, storm clouds behind. Me closer up.
Looking straight up at the Angel Moroni. For random visitors to my blog who may be unaware, these are pictures of the Washington DC Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Click >>>>HERE<<<< for more information.