Post-Election Reflection

Today I read a quote posted on fb by a friend:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years."

-Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835.

I was reminded of In Defense of Elitism, a book I read in a political science class in college. 

And then I am reminded of the ever-annoying, but ever-quotable movie Idiocracy. 

"Welcome to Costco. I love you."

My take:
I vote for people with the principles and values that I think are correct. Principles and values are the underlying guidelines for making any decision. I want candidates who look at the big picture.

I am continually amazed at how narrowly and selfishly focused many people are when voting for candidates. I am frustrated by the folks who look at how their job will be affected, but ignore the ramifications of what that will mean for our country and its future. 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore.

{pretty, happy, funny, real} 10/4/12

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

This week I'm joining in on {pretty, happy, funny, real} hosted over at Like Mother, Like Daughter.

So here goes!

{pretty}

I moved to a new office a couple weeks ago. I think I've gotten used to being in my new space, but then everyone moved around me and it still shakes things up again. I haven't decorated the new office yet; I have more option on the walls of this office and I haven't decided my theme yet. I'll get there eventually.

I knew that I needed to make at least some pretty area to help me learn to feel at home and at peace in my new digs, so I pulled out my fall decorations and pictures of my boys.

{happy}

There are several things that add to happiness this week!

First, Paul eating bacon. He is just like his brother and father. It's their favorite thing to eat.

\

I had my hair cut yesterday. I had her trim it to keep in in good shape, but she left most of the length. I'm enjoying the up-do's I can wear with my hair this length. Here is a phone pic of my hair today, which was SUPER easy to take and upload thanks to my new iPhone and Dropbox! I'm really loving the phone, and I'd include a picture of it and the new cover if it could take a picture of itself. 

{funny}

Sean has been attending preschool that is conveniently located down the hall and around the corner from my office. He has been having a great time playing and making new friends. We went out side today and enjoyed the beautiful weather at lunch. Here is Sean and his friend Charlie being silly. They were quite the pair to watch as I enjoyed my apple with peanut butter.

{real}

Remember when I said I moved to a new office? Remember how I said I made a pretty place in my office? Well, I made a pretty place cause I still have stuff that needs to find a home. Stashed under my desk are bags of snacks/tea/notes/other-random-stuff-I-didn't-know-what-to-do-with and my jacket (because I need to bring in a hanger so that I can reach the hook behind my door).

That's all, folks! Have a great week!

Silly Long Songs

I've been a fan of Betty Beguiles, a snazzy little style blog, for quite some time. She sweetly offered to host a little link up of love songs. So here are some of my favorite love songs.

Your Song - Moulin Rouge version
Josh and I memorized the words and danced to it at our wedding. It is rather a personal joke between us; I have blue eyes that sometimes look green when I wear green, and I gave Josh all kinds of grief the first year we were dating when he couldn't remember what color my eyes are. 


I first watched Moulin Rouge just before I met Josh and we started dating. That film and the musical score always reminds of Josh. So many of the songs from Moulin Rouge make my favorite love song list.





Danny's Song - Kenny Loggins
My dad was a big Kenny Loggins fan, so I grew up listening to him. This became my theme song when I was pregnant with Sean; Josh was still in school, he worked part-time, and my pregnant self was searching for a job. There was a lot of "we ain't got money, but I'm still in love with you honey" for a while


Your Man - Josh Turner
A favorite as newlyweds


Everything - Michael Buble
I remember listening to this song as we drove to our honeymoon destination.


Bubbly - Colbie Caillat
This song always reminds me of the warm fuzzy feeling of being in love. :)


I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
A recent favorite. I love the message, that we are worth the work it takes to work out the kinks and tough times to make a marriage last.


Check out other favorite love songs at Betty Beguiles.

My Boys and my Birthday

3 years; 6 months

Which

picture

is

your

favorite

of

Sean

and

of

Paul?

Sean - 3 years

Paul - 6 months

Josh - photographer

Me - photoshop editor

Compound Words

Sean often, very often, will call me "Momdee" or "Dadmee." Maybe I'm not spelling it correctly, but do you know what I mean? He combines "Mommy" and "Daddy" by saying about half of each word.

He calls Josh the same concoctions of mommy and daddy. He mushes both words together and makes it a compound word.

Beyond the language hiccup, does it reflect the way he understands his mother and father? Does he think of us as two halves of the same coin, the name of one is also the name of the other? It certainly is not something he has come up with from example; I don't call Josh or myself "Momdee" when talking to Sean. I try to make it a point to model proper words and grammar so that Sean will learn the correct use of language.

If it does reflect his understanding, isn't it a lesson to us? A child's parents are one. It reaffirms what God already tells us; two become one in marriage. The married couple sets the foundation for a family.

Or have I taken this too far? Is it just the imperfect language skills of a two-year-old? Maybe. But even in the little things, I think God reminds us of his plan for us. Reminds us that a husband and wife become one.

Last night Josh had a meeting so I had to get the boys to bed by myself. I am not always so good about getting them in bed on time when Josh isn't around. Sean asked to sleep in my bed, I was tired, so I said yes. So we all laid down in my bed: Sean, Paul and I.

Sean decided to sing to Paul, which he has done before. Sean sang the songs he knows to Paul: ABC's, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, You are My Sunshine, and Wee Willie Winkie, (the version we sing to him where the little boy's name is Sean instead of John).

Sean doesn't get all the words correct, but he gets almost all of them. And it is so sweet to see Sean care about and love on Paul.

As folks have asked me how it is having two boys now, I have realized that I think it is easier having two boys than only one. At least in some ways. Sean is such a help in little ways. Sean can talk to and comfort Paul when I can't be because I'm fixing something hot on the stove or in the bathroom, etc. Sean will often throw away Paul's dirty diaper for me. He will almost always pick up Paul's pacifier, only touching the edges, when it falls out of reach. He will give Paul his pacifier if Paul gets upset. I have even caught Sean talking to Paul, singing to him, giving him a hug and telling Paul they are best friends. That makes a momma's heart melt. I really hope they will be.