Health Update

To be discussed in four weeks: Yes I have a particular health issue for those that have asked where I have been in the past few weeks. But I am waiting four weeks to make an announcement. (Hint.... hint). In terms of other hints, early July should be particularly BIG (hint) for the Morgan family. But luckily, only half as big as I was worried about until I had some key evidence. First one that guesses gets a prize! Turn in next week for a slightly bigger (1/40) hint.

Funny Simpsons Episode: Equalia

I just saw a really funny episode of the Simpsons in which Lisa wrote about her ideal world. It was called "Equalia: Where everyone is equal but we're in charge." I thought that was a hillarious parody of liberalism. There is a really offensive (in my opinion) presumption on the left that one's values should be imposed on other people as if there are some people that know better and others don't.

I have values too, but I believe in converting by the book and not by the sword, which whether by Stalin's army or Nader's government regulation, is the method of one person telling another how to live like there are some with the right to do that and others that can't. If I can't convince someone of my belifs, I am done. Not interested in forcing them.

REALLY SORRY

For no posts lately. I have been on Helium, where I have just tied for first place in a contest on the American Revolution. So they gave us both the first place prize, plus the up front money was over 80 dollars, and then whatever I make on these which includes #1 articles that are usually calculated to do well. I just passed the 1500 mark on what I have made.

http://corp.helium.com/marketingcontest/leaderboard/884?cms=title-madness

Slade made curtains for our front room. They are BEAUTIFUL. We have been doing some big time decorating and I will have to post pics. I have curtains and new bedding in my bedroom, with nightstands. I feel like a grownup. But we are switching to king. So changes again soon. There is a K bed at Ikea for 150 that is amazig plus the mattress and topper we are getting used for 100. New K set for 250. Pretty good.
Next is an addition which we will have done, a swimspa that is about to be delivered (a jacuzzi that has a current you can swim against) and the attic rennovation which will create a media room and maybe future beroom for growing teens.

And I have been spending a lot of time on facebook,which is addicting. Those of you that don't do it should try or at least sign up and friend the main people you talk with on it.

Stephanie's pics

If I were you I would plan to start thinking of somethingn nice for Steph so she will do yours too!

Tourneys, Drake

The boys are now heavily into chess season. Sadie plays in occasional tournaments, and was proud of herself that she won two out of five games in her last one. She said "this kid was running around the board taking all my pieces and I saw a way to checkmate him so I did." Pretty cute that she is proud of small successes next to the boys that are always coming home with GIANT trophys, we are going to need an extra room.

Well, I blew it by telling you all about Drake and Helium, because he was mortified and swore he would never do it again. I didn't know that G Hicks would talk to him the next day before I got a chance to say how mad he was that I put it on the blog and to not say anything. But he came around. In fact, here's a link to a contest he placed in. AGAINST ADULTS! Well, sports fans mind you, but still.

http://corp.helium.com/marketingcontest/leaderboard/649?cms=wide-world-of-sports

And 40 bucks is a lot for a 13-yr-old dashing of some mediocre articles in one weekend. But in a few weeks after you all see this I will take it down and NO ONE I REPEAT NO ONE mention it to him for any reason, even the best of them like congratulating him or anything. He will threaten to quit again, even though he doesn't usually. It's too good of money.

Sorry abt shutdown

Hi,

Sorry I had to shut down, Helium put me on the homepage. If she checked it the day I mailed her she would have seen what I mean, and I don't want strange people browsing around the family blog.

So my present thing isn't picking up any steam. It is REALLY hard to get to the post office with packages without a car. And I think after I sent something to the wrong person I just kind of gave up for a while.

Luckily, it won't be anything any of you will miss. Except now I guess I could add Easter candy. Why not?

Valentine's family

I wanted to do a lot of the traditional things that I always want to do like bake Christmas cookies, go caroling, and send gifts.

I got fairly far into the process considering how I was feeling, and the fact that the kids were all SO BUSY with their various performances. But no party or caroling or the worst thing, I bought gifts even though I haven't sent them yet.

So I have decided that our family will be a Valentine's day family. I will send out the things I bought for Christmas for Valentine's Day, hopefully early, so that people can use some of the decorations I use to decorate their packages to make the to be festive and reusable for other people's V-Day decoration of their houses.

One of the things we are going to be sending are the fantastic family portraits that Stephanie Morgan took of our family recently. They are as good or better than anything professional we have had done. (Not that we have had a lot of family pics taken, we are such slackers). That is partially because she has all the equipment and I am sure mainly because of talent. She takes great pics.

I will be posting some on my blog if I can get her to scan some in (or maybe if she already has them digitally), but for many of the family I will be sending hard copies.

I am actually also planning a Valentine's day couple's party. Well it is actually AFTER V-day (I can't even be on time for my late holiday party, but it will feature fun couple's games like the newlywed game where couples guess the answers that their spouse gave to various questions and the winner is the one with the most correct answers, showing the greatest "compatibility."

I hope it is as fun as it was when I played it when we first moved into the ward and we played it at a New Year's Party. We actually won this hands down. That is because Slade's answers are so recognizable. For the answer to "What is your favorite date activity," among the other choices was "gazing into each other's eyes." Who else would say something like that? I had a major advantage. And it was actually about 12 years ago so we were one of the youngest couples there.

So if you haven't heard from us all for Christmas yet it isn't contempt, just procrastination multiplied by inability to drive factored in by generally feeling like crap as usual.

And one of the benefits of sending things late will be to thank people for the awesome and generous things people sent us for Christmas. It was a great hall, thanks everyone.