The Evils of Smoking

Joshua entered his school's creative writing contest. He entered in the Persuasive Essay category. We were so excited for him when he won for his class. Tonight he was awarded first place for Persuasive Essays in all of the 4^th Grade.

Way to Go Josh! Congratulations!

The Evils of Smoking

I believe people should not smoke for many different reasons. When I am around people that are smoking, my stomach hurts and my nose itches. I also plug my nose. I really dislike it when people smoke. I am going to list four reasons that smoking is bad.

The first reason smoking is bad for people is that smoking can cause many different types of cancers: kidney cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, nose cancer, larynx cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, and leukemia. Over 400,000 people die in the United States every year because of diseases caused by smoking. If a person thinks about that, over the past ten years about 4 million people have died because of smoking.

Secondly, smoking is also bad for the environment. When people breathe out the smoke, it pollutes the air. Sometimes people are careless and throw cigarettes and cigars out the window of a car into a forest or a road. I once saw a movie called Pippi Longstocking. In the movie, a random guy burned down a children's home because he was careless with a cigarette.

Third, smoking causes health problems for smokers. For one of my sister's birthdays, she went to a body museum and saw a person's lungs that had smoked. They were charcoal black. In my research, I learned that consistent smokers get sick more often and sometimes die ten years earlier than nonsmokers. Smoking can also cause cataracts which make people not be able to see clearly and can even make them go blind. Also, arteries become blocked and can cause gangrene. Smoking can lead to hearing loss too.

The fourth reason smoking is bad is that even second-hand smoke is harmful. Second-hand smoke is toxic and especially dangerous to children. Second-hand smoke is smoke that is inhaled by someone nearby a person who is smoking. This person may be a child. By age five, a child living with a smoker has consumed the equivalent smoke of 102 packs of cigarettes. This can cause many problems for the child including, difficulty breathing, more ear infections, more pneumonia and bronchitis, coughing and asthma and even SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Beware of the evils of smoking. I have listed several evils of smoking that can be harmful to you and to those you love. I hope someday people will realize all of the evils of smoking and stop. Be smart, save yourself, and don't start. For free help on how to stop smoking you can contact www.ashline.org/help.

**Special thanks to Laurie Thomas, Maricopa County Public Health Department, for the information and statistics.**

Never Say Never!

If you want the short story here it is:

Joshua got a dog for his birthday!

If you want the long story, read on!

I have heard this saying a thousand times…but there were a few “nevers” I was absolutely certain were true “nevers!” One of them was getting a DOG….well, I guess I never anticipated what it would be like to love Josh so much that I would cave in!

A few months ago, Joshua began his birthday wish list which of course was lengthy and comprehensive. On the list was a new bike, DS games, Pokemon cards, a dog, games and many many other items. I began my search for his new bike…a perfectly appropriate gift for a young boy turning 9. I took Hal’s bike in for a repair and I took Josh with me. We began nosing around in the new bikes and before long the salesman had a very handsome blue bike down and was showing Josh all the cool new bike advancements since we had last bought a bike. Josh was so excited. I was so excited. It would be the perfect birthday present.

About a week later, Josh found his list and modified to contain only one item . . .a DOG! He began working the parental circuit telling his Dad that he could take everything else off of his list…he only wanted a dog. He didn’t care what kind but without a doubt his birthday present needed to be a dog. It was only fair: Becca has a horse & a turtle, Hannah has a cat and it was only fair that he deserved a dog. For me, his mother, his approach was slightly different. He made a sign that said DOG in big letters and posted on my nightstand. Then every time he talked to me during the day he would say, “Remember Mom I want a dog for my birthday!”
Not wanting to be a Grinch, I began thinking of things that would trump the dog gift…lets go back to the bike shop and look at that cool bike. An emphatic “NO!” followed. “I want a dog!” So I shifted gears…what about your own iPod! “No!” I was told again and again. I taunted him with color choices and all the amazing things one could do…we could download movies etc.
Then, Hal started in on me! “I really think he needs a dog. I just can’t imagine how we can tell him no. I think we have to do it. “

ARGGGGHHH!!

So I looked down in my tiny little heart and tried to plant the dog seed hoping that like the Grinch that my heart would grow big enough to include enough love for a dog. I decided that wouldn’t work but I could possibly find enough love for Josh to start to consider this possibility.

ARGGHHH!!

Was this really happening to me the most anti-dog person on the planet? A girl willing to forsake friendships if said friends acquired dogs? What was happening?

I started on Craig’s list and found very little of interest, except for a few. I sent a couple of emails and then began researching what kind of dog could possibly live in a back yard in Arizona. I began making my lists of things I was willing to tolerate and not. Definitely no licking, no jumping on people, no barking and no puppies! On the positive side we wanted a dog that was loving and would be good friends with Joshua. I talked to some rescues, which seemed to be the best situation for our family because we did not want a puppy. I was a lot overwhelmed by the rules and regulations of rescue organizations when I met with the Golden Rescue organization and after about a week decided that a rescue organization probably would not work for us.
In the meantime, I began corresponding via email with one of the dog owners I found on Craig’s list. I began describing this Brittany Spaniel to Hal. He immediately vetoed the idea as the dog was female, crate trained (read: in the house at night), and her name was Margo. Hal could not imagine a world where Josh would want a female dog, especially not one named Margo and he could not imagine a world where I would let a dog sleep in a crate in the house.

Our next move was a visit to the pound. This was a fateful day as this did little to bolster my heart towards dogs. That place is stinky and any dog that barked at us was immediately disqualified…which was most of them. We took one dog out and he jumped on me and that was the end. I came home and told Hal “I can’t do it! I have tried to find a place for this in my world and I can’t!” Hal was heartbroken and he was forlorn about what to tell Josh.

After a couple of days, I decided to email the owners of Margo one more time and see if they had sold her as others were looking at her also. I told Hal that I had strong feelings about this one dog and that I would like to try and go meet her to see if I could manage it. So last Sunday we ventured over to meet Margo! She was exactly how her owners described her….loving, kind, playful, great with kids, obedient, and loved to be outside! The owners did not have a big enough back yard for her: just a pool and about 10 square feet of grass plus two other dogs. We (yes, even me) really liked her and we called Aunt Brooke to bring Joshua over to meet her. He had no idea why we were there or why he needed to be there. Finally, I told him that this cute dog that he was playing with was for sale. He was so excited. Then the couple “interviewed” him about all the things necessary to take care of a dog and if he would be willing to do all the work involved with her care. Then they told Josh they would talk about it and get back to us if they thought we would be good owners. Of course, it was already agreed that we would purchase her and they would bring her over on the Saturday before his birthday. All week Josh asked every day, several times a day, if I had heard from them. He was head-over-heels in love with a dog named Margo. He worried about failing his interview with them. He worried they liked her too much to let her be sold. He prayed that they would decide he would be a good owner. He prayed that they wouldn’t be too sad to sell her. He prayed they would decide before his birthday. He talked of little else.

Now the girls were in on it and they loved secretly helping get ready for the dog but were anxious to meet the dog…at least Becca was. Hannah was not so sure.

Saturday morning, the girls watched from the front yard for the arrival. As I had Joshua open the front door to Margo, the girls moved Margo’s new crate into the house as part of the surprise. Josh was so excited and so were the girls. Margo was nervous until we opened the back door and then she just ran circles around the back yard. It took her forever to settle down and pay attention to Josh and the girls. The highlight was that she pooped in the backyard before the old owners left and Joshua was so excited to clean it up that it was completely cracking them up. I must admit that I have spent a great deal of time talking to Joshua about his responsibilities if he were to get a dog and he said he would “love” to clean up poop if it meant he could have a dog. It has been two days and he has held true to his word. He loves it and is even keeping a tally of how many times he has cleaned the poop up!

It has been a crazy and exciting weekend and no one is more surprised than me that my heart seems to have grown to not only include Josh but also a dog named Margo. I must say to Margo, “Thanks for not licking me, barking or jumping on me!”

Josh is totally smitten! I am so happy for him. Just wish that cat would start to like Margo too!

She only gives kisses if you ask for them...thankfully!

You Let Me!

Joshua has been home for the past two days with strep throat. Thankfully, he is well and at school today! Unthankfully, I have it.

On Monday, while he was home and I was busy sorting laundry, he apparently broke into the Halloween candy. I came into the family room to find him lying across the couch moaning. He said, “I don’t feel very good. My stomach hurts.” I head over to give him a big hug and notice a plethora of Starburst wrappers strewn around him.

I said, “I think I know why your stomach doesn’t feel good…you ate an entire package of Starburst.”

To which he replied, “You let me!”

“You mean I didn’t catch you!”

Wish I had taken a picture of the poor kid suffering from strep throat and a post-Halloween stomach ache.

Trick or Treating and then some!

Becca went to her first junior high party/dance with her friends. It was sponsored by her school and was on Friday early evening. Becca said that the only time a boy asked her to dance was during the "snowball" and she only danced with him for 6 seconds. I was surprised to learn that there were any boys there. When I dropped them off there was a steady stream of GIRLS!

Apparently, Becca also won some kind of dance contest. We only know this because she has the prize. She will not show us any of her award-winning moves! Maybe it was the hippie costume!

All of her cute friends came to our house for dinner, getting ready and heading out to the dance. We had bone bread sticks with blood dipping sauce, pizza, and bloody guts (fruit salsa) with cinnamon pita chips.

Halloween morning Hannah made green and purple "spider pancakes" for breakfast. She really loves to cook and is always lending a hand and learning new things about cooking. She LOVES to make pancakes!

Cleopatra Hannah

Just before trick or treating.....for the last time!

Next year she will be too old!

Joshua the Vampire!

Hannah and Becca dressed up for the Ward Fall Festival.

Musical Theatre Workshop

Under the Sea. Joshua is the octopus in the center.

Please forgive me as I try to play catch up with our blog from this summer. In early June, Hannah and Joshua participated in the Summer Musical Theatre Workshop. This group meets every day for two weeks to learn an entire musical production. Then there is a performance at the end of the two weeks. It is great fun for all the kids as they each have to audition for certain speaking parts. The directors of the program put together a story line that weaves through several Broadway musical numbers. Each year the story and songs are different. The kids have participated once before and they had a blast. It is even fun for me except for the mad dash midway through, when I have to locate costumes for them according to the parts they get. It always involves a trip to either Goodwill or DI.

Some of the songs this summer were from Hair, Suessical, Godspell, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella to name a few. Each child is required to audition and everyone receives parts in more than one song and at least one speaking part. Josh auditioned to be the Cat in the Hat and was really disappointed that he didn’t make it and then he was furious when he found out that they cast a GIRL in the role! You should have heard the rantings and ravings: “Don’t they know the Cat in the Hat is a boy!” He worked very hard on his lines and really put his heart and soul into it so I was sad for him. He did get a different speaking part and had a lot of fun so the furor dissipated.

This video is from the song "Hair". All the videos are fairly short.

"Hair" video again!

Hair video - another short one.

"We Beseech Thee" video

Bobcat

Joshua had his first official pack meeting (meaning in a church, not at someone’s pool…which is the only way to survive here in the summer). He got several awards but is most proud of the fact that he got his Bobcat and now is on the trail to becoming a Wolf. Having never been to a pack meeting before, he was enamored! He was very taken with the ceremony of putting a boy that is advancing behind a screen, and then blowing smoke all over the church, and then having him emerge as a different animal (i.e. Bobcat to Wolf, Wolf to Bear). I am so glad that someone invented cub scouts. What a great program for these boys. He also got to participate in the flag ceremony, which thrilled him. He had quite a grip on that flag and took his responsibilities very seriously!

When he became a Bobcat they gave me a Bobcat pin (in this case they probably should have given it to his Dad…but I am not complaining). Joshua had to pin it on me. We took one step away from the podium and he wanted it back. “That is mine! Give it Back!” I told him that it was for the Mom. He was not amused. After the pack meeting convened he kept working on me to give it back to him. He really couldn’t understand why I would get something when he was advanced to Bobcat! He is so cute.

Also, on another funny note, they had uniform inspection. He passed with flying colors, except for one thing: his neckerchief slide was on upside down. As they were pointing this out to him at inspection he piped right up and explained that his Dad put it on him. Everyone chuckled. He was given the BIG candy bar for being in code 100 percent!

This video is of Joshua participating in the flag ceremony.

"Eight is GREAT": Joshua's Baptism and the Best Mother's Day Gift EVER!

Joshua’s baptism was a wonderful experience and one that I will never forget and I hope he will never forget it either.

We were lucky enough to have some family members attend. Grandma Walker was in town, Grandma and Grandpa Williams came for the weekend and Uncle Jeremy and Aunt AJ and their family, including Mason (and really he is the only one that matters to Josh) were all here to share in this great day with Josh! Also in attendance were some extended family members including my cousin Tonya and her family and some wonderful friends that seem as much like family as anyone could! We also were greatly supported by our ward.

Joshua, Hal and Grandma Walker!

As a surprise to me, and the best Mother’s Day present I have ever received, Hal asked my Dad to confirm Joshua a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was one of the most touching a spiritual moments of my life. I know that this was a wonderful gift from Hal to me and my Dad. It can’t have been easy to let your father-in-law confirm your only son. But, I am extremely grateful that he did. This was the last priesthood ordinance that my Dad performed before he passed away on July 3, 2009. It has an honor to be present during that confirmation and it was an honor that my father was able to travel the distance and have the energy and ability to perform this ordinance. I hope Joshua will cherish that moment forever.

Cub Scouts

Forgive me as a journey back into spring of this year. I never got a chance to post information about Joshua’s Baptism or his first day at Cub Scouts. I will post the Baptism information in my next post.

This is a picture of Joshua on his first day of Cub Scouts.

Of course when your kids turn eight suddenly other people don’t mind being with your kids quite so much and so they begin having activities in their lives that take them away from you for short periods of time. For young boys that are members of the church this begins with Cub Scouts. He was very fortunate to enter Cubs about ten days before the much-anticipated Cub Scout Day Camp. Joshua thought that every weekend was going to be AWESOME after spending Thursday, Friday and Saturday hiking, riding bikes, shooting paint ball guns and swimming…a lot. Also, he managed pass off a bunch of Cub Scout requirements. It was such a let down to him when we told him that Cub Scout Day Camp is only once a year! He had a great time.

Another funny story that has happened since then is that his Cub Scout Troop was invited a few weeks ago to help pack boxes of food for a local food bank very early on a Saturday morning. He had a great time. The next Sunday the Bishop announced over the pulpit that the Cub’s had done such a great job at this activity that St. Anne’s Food Bank wanted to invite them back every Saturday. Early the next Saturday morning in came Joshua, ready for another day at the food bank. It was tough to convince him that the Bishop was just making a point about how good the boys had been and that the Cubs weren’t going to literally going to spend every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. at St. Anne’s. He was really disappointed.

Luke's Wedding

Luke and Alyssa.

Alyssa and her Dad walking down the aisle.

Hannah caught the boquet.

Matt and Grandma cutting up the dance floor.

Alyssa and Little Ty

Becca and Uncle Evan dancing

Jake and the kids watching the dancing.

Aunt Allie

Grandma Holly and Grandpa Mike

Pat, Hal, Jeanne and Holly

Jeanne and Evan

The three girl cousins

Grandma Jeanne and Jordan

Cassie, Matt, Craig, Shawn, Holly and Mike

Groom and his brothers looking very handsome!

Lunch before the wedding.

The Bridegroom at lunch before the wedding.

Cousins Tyler and Joshua - The oldest and the youngest!

We had a great time in Colorado celebrating the marriage of Luke and Alyssa. It was a wonderful weekend jam-packed with activities. I will post more pictures later from the rest of the weekend.