May 6th is right around the corner...

As some of you may know, I'm pretty passionate about politics...especially this year. WOW! So fun! I love this exciting time we're in, with everything still being so close. It's pretty exciting that our state can actually be an important part of the process this year!

Without divulging too much, I'd like to stress the importance of voting. While I have been very involved with volunteering for my candidate of choice this year and have discussed this in-depth with my family, I haven't really shared my passion about my candidate with many others....especially at church. Although my moral and religious beliefs make up a large part of who I am, my political beliefs tend to differ from a lot of my peers at church. So when someone from church asked me the other day about why I supported my candidate, I was a bit surprised. I figured Josh must have discussed my involvement with the campaign and volunteering. He hadn't.

So I'm brought to my thought for the day. While it's important to vote, it's more important to make an informed decision. When I was asked about my candidate, I felt so grateful that I had been able to research the beliefs, the plans, and the background of that person...and volunteer to spread the word about that person. While, sure, there are plenty of people I would have rather selected for president, of the choices we have been given, I'm glad I have been able to do my research and pick who I like.

I work with a lady who has picked a different candidate, and from the conversations I have overheard (I haven't participated in discussing this at work either), she's chosen this person because of commercials and because her friends chose this person. (insert cyber eye roll here)

So for today, let's make informed decisions. I don't care who you vote for, but please, be informed. For all you Hoosiers, May 6th is the day. And if you need any help with researching any of the candidates, I can send you some links of websites for any of them...because I care about politics, but I care about my friends more. :)

Blog about whatever you want week

I've decided that I'm going to start a mini-blog-revolution over here in our little piece of blogland. A friend recently put into words something I've been feeling for quite a while. The bottom line of her comments was that Blogland really isn't real. It's really just what we choose to share with others, and generally it's only the positive, happy, good things of our lives that we choose to share......leading us to her point that it's not really real. Our lives are filled with ups and downs. The great moments when our kids sing songs and pick flowers, and the terrible times when we're sick with sick kids and husbands are going through finals and the roof is leaking and writers' strike has kept your favorite shows from appear for Months!

So, in honor of my friend, who shall remain nameless--unless she decides to out herself in the comments section--I'm starting a 'blog about whatever you want week'. It's a moment to share what's on your mind...from stinky diapers to potty training woes. From leaky rooves to dirty laundry; from broken dishwashers to distructive pets. I want to hear it all this week. Because, let's face it, in the spirit of 'keepin it real', a month is just pretty unrealistic!

Feel free to post about it on your blogs, or just share something in the comments. I want to hear what your thoughts are.

Making a comeback

Sorry for those who check frequently, or checked frequently; I have been down for a while. But I talked to a good friend today who suggested I make a comeback. I've been thinking about it, but honestly, I'm at the point where I'm just trying to get up the courage to tackle the last Two.Whole.Months of no blogging. Where in the world has the time gone? And where in the world to I start? Do I actually try to cover everything that took place like I normally try to do and just keeping shoving and shoving and shoving it all into a neverending post that no one with a life will ever finish in one sitting? Or, do I just pick up where I left off and just cover the basics? Or do I just not cover anything and start now? Decisions, decisions. So while I'm still deciding, enjoy a picture or two of the lovely girl who actually just fell asleep on her own. Maybe I should just make this a 'blog every day for a month' month.

She loved her new swimming suit and rain boots and rain coat (on the floor) from her Abuelita. She danced around all night in these when they came in the mail just for her.

This big girl went down the hill all by herself. Daddy was at the bottom to catch her. She LOVES sledding and asked me the other day if Daddy would pull her on her sled behind his bike. But she loves her bike trailer too...and it's safer, which is a good thing.

She call this her "favorite Book of War-men". I think it's so cute! You can tell her excitement.

And finally...Josh took this picture, and I didn't really want to take one at the time because I was doing dishes....but I chopped my hair. 10 Inches for Locks of Love.

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A new favorite

So let me officially introduce you to "the works" product line:

My new personal favorite? "Limeosol"!!!!!! Wow, oh Wow!!! It made my shower seem like a whole new room in the house. This puppy has received it's own permanent spot in our cleaning cabinet.

Do any of you have any favorites you can't live without?

Recent Events

Sunday night, we were all recuperating from being sick (or in my case, a migraine) and getting ready for the week, when we found out that the President of our church had passed away. Gordon B. Hinckley was the prophet for the church when I was baptized, at 18. So he's been the only prophet I've ever known in my life. My testimony of the gospel was really able to grow, in part, because of the wonderful example he set for us all. I remember once, when I was going to school in Utah, I went to a conference with Amanda, and when he came into the Conference Center (which seats tens of thousands), it went completely silent. Everyone had so much reverence. We all knew what an amazing example he was to all of us. He was the mouthpiece of the Lord on the Earth.


Just as prophets of old, he was a prophet, seer, and revelator. He gave us direction from our Father in Heaven, and he always encouraged us to be a little better...to be the best "us" we could be. As my testimony of the church grew, my testimony that he was a true prophet of God continued to swell. I know that we will continue on, and the next president of the church will continue giving us guidance and direction.

Today, a coworker came up to me to tell me she was sorry to have heard about our church leader who had passed away. How nice that those around me can know that side of me also, and what a sweet thing for her to do!

Catching up

I'm back blogger world! Sorry for my absence. I have been so busy lately. Christmas was a blur. We travelled so much. We had 6 Christmas celebrations, which is always stressful...fun, but stressful. We went to Aunt Sussy's a few days before. We had Wayne and my mom over to our house for our traditional clam chowder Christmas....Home made...YUMMY! We spent Christmas Eve dinner with Josh's mom's family. Then Christmas day, we had our own morning celebration and also sang Happy Birthday to Mara. We then drove to Bloomington for Christmas at my mom's parents' house. In the afternoon, we headed back to Indy for dinner at Josh's dad's parents' house. Did you catch all that? A few days later, we headed to Northern Illinois for my grandma's burial. Did I mention we were busy?

Lately I have been so busy at work, too. We had customers in all week long, so I spent a lot of time preparing for them and trying to catch up on urgent email when I wasn't doing something with them. I'm so glad it's the weekend!


Anyway, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures since we finally got a new camera!!!

The day of my grandma's funeral (right before), I got to go with our friends Amanda (my best friend from high school) and Jamison to their ultrasound. They're having a girl!!!! It was such a great thing for me to witness. It was a beautiful thing for me to see that little life on the screen!

Mara loves a good piggy back ride. This was Christmas Day. It's ridiculous to see the disaster that was my house!

Mara enjoying Daddy's back!

Christmas was a good time to get together with family. This is Mara with Josh's brother, Danny, and sister, Rachel.

This was Mara's birthday cake that we had at our friends' house on New Years Eve. She was excited to see more Dora, as she had received a Dora kitchen set for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa Brunk.

This was the whole layout. Each setting had its own maracas, too. Too cute!

She especially loved singing Happy Birthday to herself. In fact, on Christmas night, she fell asleep in my arms singing, "Happy Birthday dear Mara."

Amanda and Jamison have a little Beagle named Porthos. For Mara's birthday, they gave her a stuffed beagle-like puppy. When she opened it, she yelled, "Porthos!" and put him on the ground, pushed his behind and said, "Run! Run!" It was cute that she thought he was real! Here is Mara with both fake and real Porthos.

The Kuroiwas either right before or right after midnight. Happy New Year!

This is Mara the other day. She was so tired, she fell asleep standing up against the ottoman.

My sweet little girl.

One last one of Mara snuggling her Porthos.