THANKSGIVING AT THE CABIN

WOW did we have a fabulous Thanksgiving! Typically I am not a huge fan of the holiday. I enjoy the opportunity of getting together with family, but the idea of cooking for days to create one meal of food that isn't even my favorite just doesn't appeal to me. And don't even get me started on the clean up...(but I won't whine. I went hiking this year instead of doing dishes). Naughty Kim.

 

This year, however, was a real treat! My sister and her husband just bought a cabin in Island Park, Idaho and remodeled it. It is a GORGEOUS cabin in a GORGEOUS setting. It was like a fairy tale holiday! We visited amazing falls, hiked in the forest by the river, played games, visited and just relaxed in this fabulous setting.  (I hope I'm not making you all too jealous- I just can't help it).  We also went in to West Yellowstone- saw the bears and the wolves, shopped a bit and ate pizza. There was just enough snow for the kids to sled and snowboard behind the Rhino and just enough chill in the air to make you want to curl up by the fire when you came in. 

This is what Thanksgiving should be, people!

My kids all say this was their favorite Thanksgiving ever and I have to agree!

Sledding kids!

The Rhino was a big hit!

Thanksgiving dessert was yummy.

My cute family.

Everyone that came.

For some of the scenic photos check out my hiking blog.

THANKSGIVING WORDS OF WISDOM

4TH FOLDER, 4TH PHOTO TAG

I thought I was going to get out of this tag. I have seen it on a bunch of other blogs and it has been fun to look at people's random photos.

 

I ended up with a good one.  It is from a folder of photos I am gathering for a scrapbook for C. I have been scanning his mom's photos and trying to touch them up.  This one is a photo of my in-laws right after they got married. Aren't they so cute and 60's-ish! (Talk about a stereotypical couple).  Anyway, it was a fun photo to be able to post.  I love old photos.... well, I just love photos.

I think a lot of my friends have already done this tag, but I know Amy and Alese haven't, so I tag them.

24 HOURS OF ART

Every other year the Snow College Art Faculty has a show they call "24/7." The rules: create a work of art- including gathering materials, production, framing, etc.- and hang it within 24 hours. I participated two years ago, but only half way. I did a painting at home and it only took about 8 hours- not even close to 24! So this year I gave in to the peer pressure and worked full time at the school. I also thought that I would do something out of my range of experience- an installation (a 3-D work created for a specific location). It is a waterfall made out of the pages of a book. I love books (both reading them and making them) and I am fascinated with water, so it seemed a good combination. I painted, glued, and sewed for about 14 hours. Then I started to hang it and that was the hardest part. It took about 5 hours to hang and finish the bottom. I started around 10 am on Thursday and went home at about 6 am on Friday to get my kids off to school. The show opening was that night at 5 pm.

It was a fun, but tiring experience. Will I do the 24/7 show again? Yes. Will I do another installation? Hmmm... We'll see....

The book hanging at the top is where I cut the printed pages from. It is 14 ft. high.

Here is a detail image so you can see the construction. It was a fun project.

MY DAUGHTER IS A TEACHER

I have an amazing daughter. She just wrote a post on her Young Women site and I wanted to share it. She is more open-minded than I am and it really made me stop and think. I have got to stop whining and be supportive. Crazy what your kids teach you.... Sure love and admire you, Sambo!

Scripture Insight :) on new pres

A lot of kids at my school are commenting about our new president. I will admit he's not my favorite person in the world either, but some are saying very inappropriate and violent things about him. This is something I don't agree with. 

I Corinthians 1:10 reads, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye shall speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement."

Our country is based on the unity of the people. Sure Obama has ideas that I don't agree with at all. But he was elected as president and we owe him that respect. Our country is one of a kind and we are very lucky. All of us are united under God. God has his reasons for this election and we should accept that and abide by the laws of the land."

DISAPPOINTED DOESN'T COVER IT

I am very worried. I suspected that Obama would win, but it just didn't seem real until this morning. After hearing his views on many things I truly believe he is a communist/socialist and it concerns me to no end. I don't believe in his economic policies and I especially cannot get over the fact that he is pro-abortion. 

I truly hope and pray that the people I know who are Obama supporters are correct when they say that he will not act as radical as his speeches lead us to believe, but I have SERIOUS doubts.  Hold on to your hats, we are in for a storm...

THE ELECTION OF THE CENTURY

(Cue National Anthem music)

I have looked at lots of other blogs and no one I know personally has written anything about the election coming up. I hesitate to write something myself and I think there are a couple different reasons for my hesitation. First of all,  I remember being taught as far back as elementary school that our political opinions are our own and we do not need to share them with anyone else, not even with our spouses when we get married. I think this ingrained a secretiveness in me about who I am voting for and how I feel about the issues. Add to that the conflicting emotions with the Church telling us we need to stand up for what we believe in and voice our support for candidates and issues we have studied and prayed about. It creates a confusion in me about how much to say and I never know quite how to deal with it.

A second reason I hesitate to make a political statement in writing is that I do not want to offend any of my friends. I know for a fact that I have differing political opinions than some of my friends and I  don't want to create a breach in the relationship. I just hope that my views don't create those gaps I am dreading, because I find myself not being able to stop from writing about this election. It is very important, so important that it is what I fasted about today. I hope it brings me the peace about my decisions I have prayed for and if you can't write your true feelings on your blog, where can you write them?

I have decided to vote for John McCain. I am not going to give you a big political essay about why I am supporting him, because you can do your own research from someone more qualified. However, I do have to admit that it does have a lot to do with the saying "the lesser of two evils." I am so disappointed in our choices this election and it is depressing that there isn't much I can do about it. 

At least I don't have to live in the turmoil that is California right now. The proposition defining marriage as between a man and a woman is causing quite the ruckus. I truly believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, that it is ordained of God and that families are an essential part of Heavenly Father's Plan (to quote the Family Proclamation). I sent an email to the Apple Corp. this week letting them know how disgusted I was about them giving money to fight this proposition. Why does a computer corporation need to get involved in politics? I was also disappointed to hear about Steve Young and his wife fighting it with signs and donations as well. This proposition could set precedence to take away very important rights in our country to practice religion the way we desire. Think about all the implications it would have on the temple alone...

Well, I guess this is enough political speaking for one day. I just want to encourage everyone to study out the candidates and vote with wisdom and prayer. (Why vote at all if you aren't going to educate yourself). Let's practice the freedoms we have or we might wake up one day and find them gone. (Fade National Anthem music)