fast

Just a quick update. Our Ward has decided to do a special fast for us on Sunday the 13th. Soanyone who would like to join us, please do so. Love you all. Thanks!

Prayers are appreciated

Well here's the news. We went to get our routine ultrasound on tuesday, and It's a boy. But our sweet little one has a lot of problems, so much so that they don't expect him to live long if at all after his birth. Anyway, we are greatful to still be pregnant. The news of course is very sad for us. Not for our sweet one of course, cause he just gets to come and get a body and go back to Heavenly Father. It's not a tragedy or even terrible, just sad for us. But we're doing good. We still have 5 months left and so far we are ok. But for those of you who would like to your prayers in our behalf are appreciated. Thank you all for your love an support.

News!!! - The Egyptian Flu -- i'm going to be a mummy. he he

Well, I'm hopefull enough to finally post. I'm 15 weeks pregnant. After three miscarriages I've been hesitant to announce. But the heart beat is strong, and I've made it to the second trimester which is good for me. I'm still sick but that's actually good, cause it shows i've got enough of the pregnancy hormones to keep the baby. However, the intensity is lessing in the morning. but by late afternoon I'm sick enough to feel confident that things are still ok. Weird, I know, but then stephie (my sister) always said I was weird. Love ya tons stephie.

Anyway I'm excited, and happy. This little spirit has been hanging around for a while now, and I'm sure is just so anxious to get here.

Just my opinion for what it's worth

Ok, so I'm weighing in on the Obama back to school speech and lesson plan. While I don't have a problem with the topic of his speech, striving for higher education is a worthy goal, I do have a problem with the president providing a lesson plan to schools, and I'll tell you why.

First of all I just read in the newspaper in an opinion column how the columnist thought that everyone who made a big deal out of this whole thing was a fool. It's the president of the USA and we shouldn't have a problem with him speaking to our kids. While he acknowledge that there are people who don't want their kids to hear/learn anything from this president there was nothing controversial about the speech.

Well, I beg to differ. I think that the president's initial question to kids in his lesson plan, "to write what you can do for your president" was not an oops but was a calculated question. He knows that there is a big difference in asking what one can do for their country, and asking what they can do for their president. He wanted to see what the response would be.

Have you ever heard the lesson on how to boil a frog. Well if you put a frog in boiling water it immediately jumps out. But if you put that same frog in cold water and slowly turn up the temperature he will not jump out and will end up boiled. President Obama's question, "what can you do for your president" was designed to test the temperature of the waters. For many of us it was boiling and we are jumping out. But for many it wasn't bad and they are still in the pot.

As I was watching the news one lady said, "it's not patriotic to not watch the president when he speaks." At first I started buying into that. Then as my husband and I talked I realized how sly pres. Obama is, and I tend to agree with the second lady who said, it's not right that he is getting campaign exposure to those kids who will be just able to vote in the next election.

Because, if he sets a precedent of sending lesson plans to school, which is not his job by the way, his job is to be running the government, not teaching our kids. My kids have great teachers. Anyway I digress, if he sets the precedent of sending lesson plans, maybe just the one welcome back to school the first year, or maybe a ending of school plan, and then next year a monthly plan and who knows, how about a weekly plan. He's just turning up the waters temperature. How long before he asks the same question, " what can you do for your president" and no body even bats an eye.

Well I for one say no. Please stick to running the government Mr. President and leave the lesson plans to the teachers and parents. I think that its one thing to be broadcast on every channel in the evening when parents are with their kids and can choose to watch or not watch, or at least filter what their child is seeing and hearing by letting their child know what they do or do not agree with. It's a totally different thing to start broadcasting messages to children in schools away from their parents, where the message can be taught as fact not opinion to eager children willing to soak up everything.

Hitler understood this principle and took over the schools, teaching and brainwashing the children in every aspect of their learning. He even made math story problems where children were calculating how many Jews, or sick people to get rid of. Before parent's knew what was being taught, to their kids it was fact. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying that our president is a Hitler. I'm just saying that he's smart and knows how to campaign and get his propaganda out there.

I'll keep my family, my religion, my health care, and my guns someone else can keep the "change". But that's just my opinion.

Girl's camp -- the reason for my absence

We made it. After months and months of planing and a couple weeks of scrambling we made it and finally were able to take off to the mountains with about 160 girls and 30 some leaders, all together we had about 190 people at camp. We had great food, and lots of fun. Sister Fowers made capri sun bags for everyone to carry their stuff in at camp. We also let them decorate thier own journals to carry every where to all the events and and write their thoughts and collect the spiritual thought glue in at each one. We did some archery and scraped amphitheather benches for service, we tied quilts for humanitarian aid. Tina and I made 7 quilts from fabric left over from material for the trek bonnets and scarfs. They turned out beautiful. I don't have pictures yet. I forgot my camera, but i plan on getting pictures from someone. We all survived the week and had some great spiritual moments and fun times. We also learned a lot so we can make next years camp better. ahhhh, It's good to be done. And now on to the next, project.

EASTER

Madison Jean Stanger in her Easter Dress.
Lily Anne Stanger in her Easter dress. What a pretty poser.

Wesley in his Easter Tie. hmm...what a smile.

All three Stanger kids. Ya gotta love em. Ok I do. :)

And here's the whole Family.

HaPpY EaStEr!!!

We had a great Dalton easter reunion. It was so fun to see everyone from mom's family again. We got to hear a story about our great-great granpa. His name was John Peter Erickson. When he was nine years old he lived with his family in Sweden, when a Missionary came to their home from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His family were not members of the church, but The missionary was running for his life. Mobsters were after him and trying to kill him. John's family hide the missionary in their barn, under the turnip greens. John's mom, Emma Christina Norberg Erickson would hide some food for the missionary in the bottom of the grain bucket as she went out to milk the cow. After a while the mobsters quit coming around to look for him and the missionary decided to move on to the next town, but he did not know how to get there. So the Family sent John Peter, 9 years old, with the missionary to the next town, because that was the safest time of day for the missionary to be out. John led him to the next town and came back by himself. It was later in his life, after his father had passed away that John Peter Erickson brought his mother to the United States to be with the saints.

Cool story eh? Anyway, then we heard the stories that Mom and her brothers and sisters remembered about Grandma, their mother. That was cool too.

And now for the door prize. I'm guessing it was about 8 years ago, because it was before I was married we signed our names at the reunion to squares of levi with a permanent black marker. Someone helped grandma make these squares into a quilt. Grandma gave this quilt as a door prize. And we got it. I was so excited, I love it. They actually drew Lily's name, but at 4 she's not quite old enough to truley appreciate what we have here. Someday she will. hmm... maybe when i'm gone. he he he.

Just Kidding - false alarm

ok, so next time I'll just wait a little while longer before rushing out to tell everyone that I'm prego. Surprise- I'm not any more. Yes, I misscarried. But please don't feel sorry for me. I'm really doing well. I'm had soooo many friends offering to help me and take care of me and my family. All I can do is say Thank you to you all. I love and appreciate you all and feel so blessed to have so many dear friends. I've had meals brought in, sweet sisters that came and got my kids, and even sisters to come and make me laugh. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of everyone's generosity, but just almost. :) I'm truley just greatful. I love you all. Thanks more than words can say.

NEWS!!!!

So Life has been crazy lately. Here's just a few of our latest moments. While coming home last wednesday the transmission started going out on our car. Luckily we had used our tax return to get a truck, which we used to tow our car into the shop. The next day the shop called, they were trying to back it in to the shop (it would only go in reverse) when the engine ceased. So now they are fixing the engine and the transmission, which normally would add up to $$$$$$$. However there is a silver lining in the deal. When we bought the car we purchased an extended warrantee, which by the way expires,......... the end of this month! So we figure we must be doing something right. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the blessings. My mom said, "You must be paying your tithing. Yeahhhhh Thank goodness for tithing. Anyway it gets better. Out water heater started going out. But, my inlaws had an extra. So we are now in good shape. And Last but certainly not least.......................................I'm expecting. YEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Life is good, and definately an adventure.

Just for you!

This will be fun. thanks Melanie.Okay so the first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me to you.my choice.made especially for you.of course there are some restrictions and limitations:
1 i make no guarantees that you will like what i make!2 what i create will be just for you.
3 it will be done sometime this year.4 you have no clue what it will be... it may be a story. it may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. i may draw or paint something. i may bake something and mail it to you. who knows? not you, thats for sure.
5 i reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? oh the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!oh and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!!

Stepping out of my comfort zone

Who knew what an adrenaline rush it could be to follow the scriptures council to increase our talents. I've been trying this year to accept more opportunities that stretch me. For example I accepted an opportunity to sing a solo in our wards Christmas program. I sang O Holy Night. It was fun preparing with my friend who played the piano, but the day of the program we went to practice at the church, I almost totally froze just singing for a couple people and the kid vacuuming the floors in the chapel. I was so nervous. As we practiced and got some advice it got better. But when it got time to go I was so scared I almost started crying even before we left to go to the church. I had to have my husband give me blessing and then all went well. It was a great high afterwards, I felt like I was walking on clouds. YEAH...

But it doesn't stop there. A couple weeks ago I said yes to the lady who asked me to choreograph a dance for a highschool/ community pagent. It's entertainment between numbers a swing dance number, right up my alley, except I've never choreographed a whole number by me self for such a large event, needless to say i'm a bit nervous, our first practice is this thursday. YIKES. Wish me luck.

And last but not least friday our sunday school pres. called and asked if I'd teach Gospel Doctrine on Sunday, because he just found out he couldn't be there. I took a deep breath and remembered my resolve to stretch myself and said yes, and spent 3-4 hours sat. night preparing. So I taught my first ever gospel Doctrine class on sunday. It turned out ok. And was so fun. Once again I'm on cloud nine.

It's been very scary, nerve racking, and fun. I'm learning a lot. I'm not perfect at all those new things but at least I'm trying them. It truly is a rush, I highly recommend it, try something new today. :)

Happy Birthday Lily

We now have a beautiful four year old Lily. She had a fun birthday and was soooooo excited. It helped me remember the feeling as a kid of being so excited that this was MY special day. Everything that day was for me. And my sweet Lily is just the same. I couldn't help but be so proud of my Wesley as well. He was almost just as excited, running into her room to wake her up and tell her it was her birthday. He wanted to make sure that he got to hand her some of her presents to open. I love my kids. I'd put up the picture but my computer is being cranky.