Here are the photos straight from my camera in July. They present our trip in July back from California.
For some dam funny stuff, read more.
I couldn’t get my little whimpy camera to capture this sight. This road climbs elevation and almost looked like it was in route to heaven. And remember, I am an expert on heaven. Just check out my klout, it doesn’t lie.
Oh no an excess of water,
what are they going to do about it?
What was that C3p0?
Build a dam?
Or is that the eye of God talking
that Abigail made in 5th grade?
Is building a dam the best idea?
Dam straight.
And then we can name everything after it.
What a great idea.
I really hated to drive on
when I knew it meant I was going
to have to miss
the dam jam.
I wish I had some money here.
Or in any dam bank account.
Definitely the most touristy trap place ever.
When LG and I stopped to use their restrooms,
we both ran to our gender appropriate lou’s.
And I chuckled as I could hear LG’s peeing through the wall.
That was dam funny.
Watch out for the chocodiles.
I believe they are at least 2 dam years old.
Have a fabulous dam day.
And once again, if you chuckled, even once, feel free to like my blog on facebook on the sidebar, or hit a share link below to help me get some more readers.
Thanks to you so dam much for being a reader. I love you more than any other dam thing.
September 11, 2001 is a date nobody in America forgets. I was up all night with a sick baby. I turned on the T.V. only to find news coverage of a burning building. I quickly turned it off not wanting to focus on anything of importance. I went back to bed. When I woke up a little more rested and with a clear mind it then registered. My world had changed.
However I had not. I got down on my knees and prayed, but the intensity with which I prayed was no different than the day before. The subject matter was just a lot different. I didn’t need a tragedy to remember my God. I remember him every day.
I am grateful every day for all those who sacrifice for my freedom of worship.
Take some time. Tell your Father that you love him. Try to remember his love for you.
I questioned him about Mormons being excluded from his definition of Christian.
I have a deep testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and believe that “He is the only way, the truth, and the life.”
My total trust and dependence on my Savior is what draws me to The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, but this book of scripture (I am always surprised how people will put the book down without ever reading it) and my other belief in a living Prophet as a mouthpiece for God on the earth, are the very things that exclude me.
I am shocked that while I am excluded, Methodists who allow homosexuality, Lutherans with women called to the Priesthood, Baptists who all have different interpretations of the Bible, and even Catholics who believe in a Pope are in.
Why, I asked?
“Because they are willing to come to my congregation and say that I am saved; if you would come to my congregation and say I know I am saved through Jesus Christ, then you would be in too.”
Well, I could do that.
No problem.
“Well, you would also have to denounce The Book of Mormon and your prophet.”
Oh, I see how this goes.
It should be of no surprise to me that mainstream America
would even entertain the idea of electing a Jack Mormon.
I think a lot of religious people have turned Jack, if you will.
They take what works for them and leave everything else behind.
I hate to be the one to break it to you all,
but God doesn’t work that way.
There is a scripture that says
“eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
It’s not a commandment how we should live
but how we shouldn’t.
I am also a little hopeful in Americans
as Romney is way ahead of Huntsman in the polls.
Maybe it is also important to other people that
people have integrity?
The following video jokes about Hunstman and Romney.
Mockeries to my faith happen often. They started with the church’s inception. The founder Joseph Smith was martyred. Hundreds of the earliest Mormons were murdered in cold blood.
Of course I think it is a crying shame. I also think it goes with the territory. If one is to decide where God is solely by the amount of mockery His followers receive, I think you would be right to investigate my faith.
Once in a while though they get it right. Thank you to CNN for reporting with dignity.
Thank you also to Catholics for being nice.
Above Colbert talked about the I’m a Mormon campaign. In case you are interested here is my profile on Mormon.org.
Oh, and if you aren’t going to vote for someone because of their religious beliefs, then don’t vote for Romney because he deserves a non-vote more than Huntsman. Since Huntsman claims 10 religions.
Or vote for Huntsman for being the better man because he jumped in the race as a favor to Romney to allow Romney’s faithful dedication shine.
added a few hours after original post:
My brother Adam just messaged me congratulating me for hitting the maximum amount of sensitive subjects in one post. Why not get them over with all at once?
Sometimes, you can find the perfect reason to smile. Today it was in the form of a culinary delicacy. From California of all places. I love it when all three of my universes collide.
Who knew a girl could love California, Utah, and Tennessee equally? I mean if there are any three places in the United States that are different, it is those three.
I love surnames for boys’ names. I once told my husband, “Awww, wouldn’t Potter be such a cute name for a boy?” “Sure, Alice, if our last name wasn’t Gold.”
Potter Gold. Imagine it. If I wasn’t totally cruel, I think my sense of humor would have gone for it. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, everyone knows we only do girls around here. And Mary was never on the Top 10 list.
I know, I know. My husband says I am going Potter crazy. But just because he said that, I thought it would be a great time for one last Potter post. It’s a Potter Gold at the moment.
Thanks to Kate, a dancer, in Washington for this amazing share with this great clip. [Warning: she throws out a f bomb at the bottom of the post]
Even though I shared some other videos from the Tony’s, I somehow missed this one.
I don’t know about you, but watching this made me emotional.
I think I am emotional for two reasons:
One – Harry Potter lives on. He will be alive in all of Danielle Radcliffe’s work. Probably not cool for Daniel, but so cool for those of us that love Harry.
Two – Not to steal Harry’s go to word magic, but there is something that is magical about combining the art forms of singing and dancing. I think that people who don’t like musicals don’t like the emotion on any level. There is nothing like a good musical number to bring out the best and worst inside of me.
Please LG, take me to Broadway before I die.
How is that for emotion?
Oh, and does anyone else think that the lady in red isn’t very good? I am sure that I committing some kind of novice mistake by calling some Broadway great awful? But really I thought she was awful. Surely they can find better singers than this in NYC.
And a joke to make the post somewhat funny.
An older woman was sitting alone at a matinee of A CHORUS LINE, a The man next to her asked, “Is that seat empty” “Oh yes”, she answered, “my husband and I got these tickets months ago and he passed away.” “Oh”, said the man, “Couldn’t you find a friend or relative to come with you?” “Oh no”, said the woman, “they are all at the funeral”.
I am not totally sure my husband is going to be o.k. with this post. Which means, you should definitely keep reading.
As many of you know, LG’s law practice was a huge trial of our faith. LG was able to help a lot of people and do some amazing things, but it never paid out like it needed to. In fact, The State of Tennessee was so bad about paying their court appointments, that many times we waited over 6 months for LG to be paid for his work. That is 6 months, after he submitted his claims. When you do juvenile work, your cases can drag on and on and on. So he would work on a case for years sometimes before he could even submit his claim for payment. And then after he submitted, we would wait and wait and wait. I e-mailed the governor about this travesty twice.
It just seemed wrong that the State never had any trouble paying out their welfare, food-stamps, and Medicaid, but when you were a hard working attorney living with no health insurance or food stamps or welfare, and had four kids to feed, the State would turn their back on you. Must be a bunch of Democrats. Maybe that isn’t fair to say, but I feel like saying it. Government is flawed people. Even if you are a Republican. Government will never run as efficiently as the private sector.
But really, it is just wrong. My husband busted his tail every day, lived with humongous amounts of stress, taking care of hundreds of clients who had more than he did. Because even though they were on drugs, and beating their spouses, and abusing their kids, and didn’t work, they lived off the very same government that refused to pay out the dues that my husband had rightfully earned.
Anyhow, looking back there are a lot of things we would have done differently, but what is the use in looking back? Ultimately, we know we prayed and got revelation in our lives for what we should have done, and we did the best we could. God’s will is important to us. Even if it isn’t important to you.
So, LG was forced to close his practice. We had no income for months. Nothing. Nada. Guess what? Our credit got screwed. Much like a lot of other Americans out there, we are pretty much starting over.
Which is another trial of our faith. On a daily basis. But I am grateful every day that LG’s employer
offered him his current position.
It’s a great job
with a quarter of the stress.
And it comes with
health benefits, a consistent paycheck,
and people who appreciate my husband
on a daily basis.
So life is getting better every day.
But, there is always the flipside to the coin. Yesterday, I heard back about that second interview. You are going to cry for me when you hear what I was told.
I basically had the job, but was denied for one reason, and one reason alone. My credit check.
Doesn’t that seem like a Catch 22? I decide to get a job, to help my hubby dig us out of the hole, and a company that I have already given much reliable service to decides that I am not reliable enough for an entry level position (a lower position than I used to hold) because of my screwed up credit.
The craziest part, is my credit is not screwed up because of anything that I personally did. Unless you want to count the fact that I did my best to support my husband in doing what God told him to do. I’ve been a stay at home mom for heaven sakes. Didn’t you read that on my resume?
For eight years, we scraped by on nothing while raising kids, seeking education, giving church service, and community service, and running a law practice that helped the less fortunate. And it all came crashing down. Right on top of us.
So, what do I have to say? Your loss NuSkin. I still love you, but I think you are very narrow minded.
And last night I cried a little bit while telling friends that I just have to continue to put my trust in God. Because I know He will consecrate all my heartaches for my good, if I let Him. And He will sanctify me in my trials. And He has to have something better out there.
Even if it was just that I could cry with friends, buy and eat a $4 piece of chocolate cheescake without an ounce of guilt, and watch Glee re-runs all night.
It was amazing. I gave myself permission to be bummed for just one day. And I woke up this morning feeling totally cool with it.
I don’t know why I am willing to air my dirty laundry like this out there for the whole world to see, but I think it’s because posts like these are usually the ones that resonate with my readers the most.
And if every company out there won’t hire me because our credit got screwed during months of unemployment, I might as well be as honest as I can on my blog because it may be my only chance at making a little money.
And if I tell you that I have hope because of Jesus Christ, it may give someone else out there struggling a little hope too.
Screw you Corporate America. Screw you Government America. Watch me make money with Google AdSense. It’s the wave of the future.
I am not going to tell you to click on an ad because I signed a contract that I wouldn’t and after this post it would just be pathetic.
I am going to apply for a job with every single one of NuSkin’s competitors. And I am even thinking about sending this link along to the founder Blake Roney.
Just because I am a fighter.
How the heck do you think I am still surviving?
Now – the soundtrack plays in your mind – It’s a hard enough life for us. It’s a hard enough life for us. No one cares for you a smidge, when you’re in an _____________.
So, on Saturday night at 10 pm, LG and I were walking out of the temple. Yes, this temple. How amazing is that?
From our view up on the hill, there were fireworks going off all over the valley. It was absolutely breathtaking.
LG informed me that The Stadium of Fire would be happening any moment. For some reason, in my mind, I thought that it was going to happen on the actual 4th.
I decided we should hurry home and find a spot to watch the fireworks.
To my dismay, when we got home, the kids had no interest whatsoever in breaking away from the TV.
I pried their bodies and eyes from the tube, and made them pile in the car. I was not about to miss the fireworks, especially after this post.
As we drove down State street (Utah Valley’s version of Knoxville’s Kingston Pike) I was overwhelmed by so many US flags lit up along the road. The patriotism of Utahns is not only efficacious but admirable. People either love America here or they display their stars and stripes to compete with all the other businesses. And by all, I mean ALL. Everyone has a flag. Everyone.
The kids were grumbling during the whole drive. Why do we have to do this? We don’t want to watch the fireworks. Let’s just go back home. wah wah wah.
I told them to keep their eyes on the flags and to sing along. I started loud and strong:
This land is your land, this land is my land….nothing but my voice. Oh beautiful, for spacious skies….again, nothing from the back seats. She’s a grand old flag, she’s a high flying flag….”Shut up, mom.” God bless America….”Really, Alice, do you have to sing so loud?” said quietly by LG so the kids wouldn’t hear; I’m assuming he didn’t want to totally stomp on my love for country. I’m proud to be an American….(even louder than before)
By this time the kids were all horrified and hating their mother and her motherland.
And guess what? By the time we got to Provo’s end of State from our northern end of Orem’s State, all we could see was traffic. The traffic was heading towards us, not with us.
Yes, I hate to tell you, Murphy’s Law is still in full effect, and has no respect for a nation’s holiday celebrated two days early or a very loud and song singing patriotic mother. We had missed the fireworks.
More grumbling, complaining, and whining ensued.
LG and I were not about to miss a good opportunity for teaching our kids.
Me: “Knock it off you guys, at least we still live in a country that has firework celebrations.” LG: “There are a lot of kids in this world that would die to be in this car right now.” Me: “Or to even have a car.” LG: “Or to have a mother.” Abigail: “Not if their mom sang like that.” Me: “Especially if their mom sang like that.” LG: “Yeah, think of all the kids out there that don’t live a country where they have mothers.” (O.k. I just made that up.) I think he really said, “You should be grateful for a mother who can sing, and cook, and do laundry.”
Abigail: “At least parents in other countries would be smart enough NOT to drive their family into the middle of the traffic jam, especially when their family missed the show.” Me: “Well, at least there are other Americans with cars.” LG: “And at least your mom can see in the dark and drive.” Bella: “Mom, STOP!” (I admit it I barely missed that car in front of me.)
Anyhow, the conversation went on for a bit. And there was no chance of it stopping. [In fact, it can still be happening if you want to comment what your best line would have been to the kids.]
Quietly, ever so quietly and with her Gold sense of perfect timing, Sophia chimes in. She must have looked up from reading Harry Potter for long enough to gather her sisters’ desperation for winning at the “Be glad you are American” game.
What does she say? Brace yourself.
“Man, I wished I lived in Canada.”
Seven words. That’s all it takes to make a total complete disaster of an evening all worth it. Good one Phia. Good one. Average Americans should really consider more than 2.5 kids; they make everything more fun.
I told the kids that if they would sing their favorite patriotic song at the top of their lungs, then I would indeed STOP.
Abigail was loud and proud. I wonder where she gets that from? “I’m a yankee doodle dandy. A yankee doodle, do or die.”
I am sure that all that traffic surrounding us was so grateful that they didn’t miss the real entertainment of the evening as I rolled all windows down.
And If I do say so myself those frostys from Wendy’s were the perfect consolation prize for everyone involved. Nothing like good old American food.
And when the song Firework came on the radio. I promise you, not just momma was singing. Even dad got in on the falsetto. Perfection, pure perfection.
We didn’t miss a thing. The fireworks had been going off in our car all night long.
And guess what? Utah loosened their firework laws this year. We can now shoot off 150 foot rockets from our very own neighborhoods. And on the real 4th of July, the sky was lit up in every direction we could turn. Our culdesac of fire was a billion times better than their Stadium of Fire. Fireworks in the sky on all four sides, coming from everywhere.
In the past year, as I’ve delved into the facebook world, I have been amazed at the achievements of my high school classmates. (BTW – if you haven’t liked me on facebook yet, you can do it here, or on the sidebar.)
Jeff Keirns is a producer in the world of Reality TV.
Ty Gurney runs a successful surf school in Hawaii.
But some of the achievements that I have been the most impressed with are the ones I won’t reveal. They are the few classmates who have confided in me about their sobriety. I am so proud of them for realizing that they had a problem, and doing something about it. I am so grateful for Alcoholics Anonymous that helps so many people realize their dreams. I am such a huge believer in the 12 steps and have found great happiness in my life by following its principles with my codependency. Sometimes just living a normal healthy life is the best accomplishment of all. And really, we all have addictions to overcome. It takes a lot of courage to admit that.
My high school is a party school. Party party party all the time.
It’s no wonder to me that as young as high school, many of my classmates were forming an addiction to alcohol and marijuana. Their influences were everywhere. Many parents encouraged the partying. They were the cool ones back in the day. Maybe they still are.
I am anxious to go back to my high school reunion as the party scene is something I haven’t done in a very long time. Being around people who are drunk or high was something my husband never experienced in his life, until he became a juvenile attorney and a lot of his clients were addicts. He never knew what they are going to say or do. Here is a hilarious news story that all nursing mothers should read and laugh. They will then instantly lay off the booze. Unless they want to risk using breast-milk as a their weapon of choice against the law enforcement.
At my reunion there will be party before the parties. Parties after the parties. And parties the next day. Did I tell you that I attended a party school? Well, apparently the parties are still in full force.I hope my partying classmates will be respectful of the non-par-tiers. I hope they will realize that even if alcohol isn’t a problem in their life, that it has indeed stolen years from some of our classmates. I hope that they will applaud those who aren’t drinking, instead of naively pressuring them to party on dude. Surely, we are all old enough now to acknowledge the ill effects of drinking, especially for addicts. For those of my classmates that are sober (or Mormon), I just read today about a specialty drink called The Utah Sunset you can order.
It is such a different world being a Mormon. We went to my sister in law Jill’s birthday party last night. In attendance were a bunch of 20 somethings. There was no alcohol, but much laughter. They played ninja and whole body twister. And they laughed all night long. I believe they all went home with no regrets.
Now onto me.
All you loyal readers know how hard I’ve been working at sprucing up the blog so that I could monetize.
I am proud to announce today that I have a new lucky number.
I guess it’s now seven.
Today marks the day that I’ve had
1007 posts
5370 comments.
This month I’ve had 6,701 hits.
And the best of all:
I have earned my first 2.74 cents.
My old lucky number was 11.
It is now retired.
I have 211 spam comments in my spam box.
For some reason most of those tried to post naked pictures on Donna’s Birthing Story. Go figure. Trust me when I tell you that you should be very happy that blogger has advanced enough to know how to block the spam from publishing.
So,
I’m partying today.
Like it’s 1997.
The year I got married.
Not like, 1991, the year I graduated high school.
I don’t need alcohol for my happiness.
In fact, I believe my happiness is better when it can be achieved without alcohol.
alice w. gold 