My Decision 2012

Well, I made a decision about Decision 2012 recently, and it is that I am staying home and not planning on exercising my right to vote and yes, it goes against EVERYTHING I told my daughters about the last time we went to vote........but I cannot honestly go to the polls and vote for ANY of these candidates.

All the ones I have liked have dropped out and the last one left that I even remotely cared for is going to end up dropping out eventually, despite the rumors that he's staying in. I am already sooo sick and tired of the mud slinging! It is so sad that in a country so great as ours, the Republican party cannot come up with ONE MAN OR WOMAN  that is actually truly conservative and intelligent!

Listening to these candidates and watching these debates get me excited for a minute, until I find out that they are lying or mudslinging again! Don't get me wrong I am not in favor of our current occupant, but I have to say that I really do not blame the American people for electing him because he filled them with hope and promised CHANGE.

 He has brought change, that I can agree on, but unfortunately I am not a believer in socialism so I don't like the change he has brought.

I am so ashamed of the Republican candidates because they have lost the vision of what our founding fathers had for our country. They are soo filled with EGO! Ofcourse, being male, I do expect a little ego, (they are born with big egos, they can't help it, that is why God made women to balance them out in a thing called  marriage.) And I know that if someone is going to put themself out there to run they must convince themselves they could actually win and that drive stems from that ego.

But really now, can we really have a candidate that is so out of touch with the standard of living that most Americans are experiencing. I don't think so.Not to mention that his religion does allow him to be married to more than one woman, who knows when he just might start practicing that part of his religion? How in the world can we have two first ladies? That would really mess up American History!

 The other choice that I actually like some of his views.........until he opened his mouth trying to appeal to all of those "space people" who love to throw millions of dollars up into space.......don't get me wrong, I am sad there isn't going to be another shuttle mission, and I will forever be grateful for space exploration since they were able to make one of my favorite products "velcro" after researching up there. Some space exploration is good.

But a colony on the moon when this economy and national debt just keeps getting worse? Who says things like that? Not to mention, I just can't get past his wife. I would have a hard time having her serve as a first lady in my country. I think she would be a horrible example to young women! Go out there girls and get whatever you want! No problem, if what you want is married, just go for it! Fulfill YOUR dreams!

I mean really what are the Republicans thinking.....a former mistress turned first lady? Yes, God forgives, and people make mistakes and I have heard how sorry he is, but have you noticed not a word from her about her past mistakes because quite honestly, I don't think she regrets a thing! She clearly wants her man to be the president so she can be the first lady of my country with my tax dollars? She formed that "vision" long ago when he was a married man. She truly bugs me, not to mention when I was still single, I saw her at a resturant and she couldn't give me the time of day! I guess she is a little paranoid about other women considering how her mind has worked in the past. A first lady needs to be classy, and I do not think a former mistress can have enough class to be the first lady!

Ofcourse, I know in my heart that I will never be able to sit home and not vote because I am a good voter! I even vote in primaries, and on a rare occasion, I haven't researched all the candidates, but hey, I do believe it is important to vote, I just don't have a candidate so.........I have come up with a solution. I will nominate a new candidate!
He is someone with good looks, the charm that every president needs, and a voice that demands attention.
He surrounds himself with close companions who are always willing to provide him with sound and helpful advice! He has good tools and if he doesn't have what he needs then he has his friend bring them in for him. He loves everyone and treats everyone with kindness. He is always in a cheerful mood no matter what difficult circumstance he finds himself in, so I think he has all the qualities we need in a candidate and no, it is not God, but a close second.......

I nominate MICKEY MOUSE! Any seconds?

Statement or question talk!

All week Amelia has been saying, "Can I ask you a question?" Then she says, "A little boy knocked me down."

This is true, it did happen and we have heard about it all week, several times a day, she tells EVERYONE who will listen. ha ha

Today her daddy told her that a question is when you ask something and a statement is when you tell us something. So then she says, "Daddy, can I tell you something?" He said, "Yes!" Amelia said, "A little boy knocked me down." ha ha

I guess she understands the difference between a question and a statement! What a good teacher daddy is, if he could ONLY teach me to be on time!

Best Friend!

Amelia told me the other day, "Mommy you are my best friend!" Then she hugged me! Now she just told me, "Mommy, you are my best friend that I ever had!" Ha ha! She is precious and I love how she is talking so much!

Her new thing is saying, "Mom, (or Dad), can I ask you a question?"
Only she doesn't ask a question she tells you something.

 The other day she said, "Mom, can I ask you a question? You gave Manda her medicine and she spit it out on the floor."  (She only did this one morning but it has made a big impact on Amelia because she tells EVERYBODY about it!

She has become extremely social and loves to talk to EVERYBODY wherever we go. Most people are fine with it and some think it is adorable, but we have run into a few people that have told her to go back to her mommy even though I am three feet away. They don't want to be bothered with a cutie talking to them!

Some people are too busy or grumpy to take a moment to talk to a child. What they do not realize is those few moments really mean a lot more to that child than to them.

Lord, Help me to NEVER be so busy or turn into a grumpy, that I don't have a few moments to talk to one of your precious ones!

Someone lost a tooth!

Amanda has now experienced another first! Her first tooth loss. It has been loose forever and she kept wiggling it because she thought it was fun! (I remember thinking that was fun as a little girl too!) I told her to let me try and I literally touched it to wiggle and it pulled right out. She was sooo excited but since I wasn't sure the tooth fairy could visit that night.......I talked her into writing a note to her/him the next night.

 I found this cute little tooth fairy pillow and some note cards so she could write a note. She wrote to please leave the tooth because she wanted to keep it! So the tooth fairy left a charm that says, "first tooth lost" on it for her charm bracelet and some dice you roll and then create a story based on what picture shows up on the dice. Very much right up her alley!

What a smart, generous, tooth fairy she had! She has another tooth that is loose soooo that tooth fairy better start stocking up! I told Amanda after the first couple of teeth I have heard the tooth fairy just leaves a $1. She told me hoped he/she brought her a gift card for TOYS R US. I told her that would be too much for the tooth fairy since she has too many teeth! She was soo excited to get the charm and game that I think she wiggling her other tooth a lot more so it will come out real soon!

Amelia keeps saying, "I have a loose tooth!"

Wet and fun trip!

Now that we have a kindergartner we have to plan vacations around school. Since Amanda had a full two week break over Christmas, we decided to sneak a get away to one of our favorite places.........Great Wolf Lodge! Amanda was soooo excited! Amelia loves hotels but didn't remember her last trip to GWL but since she was staying in a hotel, she was thrilled!

We never did a get picture of both girls looking and smiling.....there is always next time!

We had never been there over Christmas before and the decorations were beautiful! They really go all out!

 We were thrilled to have a few surprises this trip! First, they have added a robot ice cream making machine.

 It was fun watching everyone get some but pricey. $8 bucks for a cup.

 

We watched everyone for a while and then one night let the girls get some. They had fun picking the ice cream flavors they wanted along with the candy toppings. Unfortunately, since the kids choose and their eyes can take in a lot more sugar than their tummies can handle......the ice cream didn't get finished!

I am hoping the inventor has a patent or is in the process.......it is a neat idea and the guy was there and I wanted to give him a few ideas to make the machine better......but he didn't look like the type to take advice....Oh well! Live and learn buddy!

They also added a new bowling alley. We had soooo much fun playing as a family. Both girls enjoyed playing except the last day when we were playing Amelia lost interest......We played daily while we were there!

I learned that my hubby is a fantastic bowler!!!!! I never knew since we have never gone bowling together! When we have time alone together, a night out bowling is just not our thing.......but now that I know he is good I might have to start going so I can compete with him! I see a bowling league in his future "senior citizen" years! I really can picture that!

Amelia was a riot to watch bowl! Sometimes the ball would go soooo slow and she would stand there and watch it.......too cute!

We visited the kids "Cub Club" which is a room to make crafts etc....the girls both made t-shirts and they turned out very well!

Amanda loves all things art so she took her time.....

Amelia's attention span for coloring and art projects is definitely expanding.

I told her to show me her work and she held it up for me to take a picture!

Beautiful!

She was sooo proud! She really thinks she is as big as Amanda!

She even showed the worker in the room and just smiled and smiled when she told her about her shirt.

She pointed out all of the colors she used.....

Amanda is such a wonderful example and teacher to Amelia! You go girl!

It truly seems like yesterday that Amanda was this age sitting in these chairs coloring with us! Time flies, and again I was reminded this week of truly treasuring EACH DAY and EVERY MOMENT with my girls. I think God knows I need these important reminders so he keeps putting them along my path filled with laundry, dirty dishes, and lot of messes to clean up!

Amanda's master piece was beautiful. It is sooo neat to look back at her little scribbles and see what she makes today. So much fun to watch this area of development blossom!

Amelia shared my ice cream that Amelia took from me since she didn't like the "expensive 8 dollar cup made by the robot" I think it was too much sugar for the girls.

We went on a Trolley ride to see Christmas lights and stopped to vote on the tree we liked the best. The staff compete by decorating trees. (We didn't vote for the house keeping tree!)

The girls enjoyed seeing the largest Gingerbread house they had ever seen. I can't remember how many egg whites they used to make it but it was real and really big!

The cub club was even decorated!

The Giant Gingerbread house

The inside of the house, you could pay 20 bucks to eat dinner in there but you had to order the buffet and then walk through the lobby to get to the house. Not the dining experience we cared for so we chose not to spend the extra 20 dollars, but nice if you like buffets. I think that besides the lack of timely house keeping services, the food is the down side of staying here. Unless, you love Pizza Hut and buffets. We are not buffet people, especially with kids! I think they need to open a sub shop there.........hint, hint, Uncle RRRRRR.

We all enjoyed the arcade! We even  had Amelia excited to win tickets! I am not sure why we love playing all those games but.....we do. I remain the SKEE BALL CHAMPION!

Not sure why my pics refuse to flip around but it is annoying so just tilt that head!

This was also new.......

Violet was either new  or someone we have missed in the past.

We bowled at least six games and loved it. You could wear your own shoes which is the main reason I hate to go to bowling alleys. I don't like putting on shoes others have worn over and over again! Yuck! IF I could bring my can of Lysol I would be OK, but I don't think my family or anyone else would enter a bowling alley with me if I did that!

This coloring station was also new in the lobby. Amanda and Amelia both enjoyed it and could rip off the sheet to take home if they wanted to.

Amelia was REALLY good at knocking the ducks out! I guess we won't have to worry about her when she starts dating!

We went across the street to a fun restaurant we enjoy going too. We finsihed our trip with a visit to Pierce's Barbecue where we think we have found the best barbecue ever! (We love barbecue though!)

The girls had a blast! Amanda and I must have gone up and down all of those stairs to the big slide a million times! We loved it and I really enjoyed spending some one on one time with her doing something fun! Amelia enjoyed going down the big green slide as a family and insisted on going on it again with just me! She loved that big slide in the dark tunnel. I was surprised considering there was a five year standing near us that was debating whether or not to go down it. The girl has no fear and loves water slides just like us! She is definately a member of our family and there wasn't a mix up at the hospital!

The lobby was beautifully decorated and we enjoyed the Clock tower show and some Christmas Caroling in the lobby.

What a fun trip, with the exception of house keeping not doing their job! It was frustrating to hunt them down for towels and toliet paper! But we didn't allow it to stop us from having some well deserved family time together doing what we do best......WATERSLIDES and we got back just in the nick of time to throw our annual fondue together to welcome in a NEW YEAR! We look forward to all the fun family time in 2012!