Opportunities in Differences...

Have you ever had to work with someone either at your place of employment, church calling, PTA, etc... that just rubbed you the wrong way? I have. I try to always find the positive in a person but occasionally it can be difficult. This quote was a good reminder for me. Plus I am sure you are all sick of seeing the "Healthcare petition" post. :)

"God will help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see and value what another person brings which you lack. More than once the Lord has helped me see His kindness in giving me association with someone whose difference from me was just the help I needed. That has been the Lord’s way of adding something I lacked to serve Him better."


Henry B. Eyring, “Our Hearts Knit as One,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 70–71

Stay tuned...I have many good ideas but have been traveling a lot in July. Most recently for business in California. Don't feel too bad I did have Brad fly out for the weekend so it wasn't all work and no play.

Healthcare Petition

Hi all,

I usually don't get involved in political discussions because I feel everyone has their own views and I am not the controversial type but...I feel this is a really important matter that is vital to our future health benefits. I feel that the health plan that Pres. Obama and "friends" are trying to push through congress is detrimental to our future. After talking to people in Canada and other countries that practice socialized medicine, this is not what we want in our country. I am sure if our politicians would put their heads together they could come up with a better plan that does not lessen the choices or the caliber of treatment that we currently have. They can preserve and even improve upon our current healthcare system without allowing the government to get involved and telling us who we can go to and what we can afford. Citizens from other countries come to the United States to get the health care they need because the wait time for certain treatments are so long that they may not catch the disease or illness soon enough to prevent further problems. This is not the American way... I don't know about you, but I don' t want my next doctor visit to have the efficiency of the Post Office and the bedside manner of the IRS!

Please join me in signing this petition and let our politicians know that we don't agree with this health plan. I have included below a link to the petition from Congressman Bob Bennett's website. (btw: we are not related)

Thank you so much,
Angela

Healthcare Petition

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Here is some info from Bob Bennett's website:

For years now I have worked with my senate colleagues to create the Healthy Americans Act, a healthcare plan that would provide every American with affordable, private health insurance. Unfortunately, the Obama administration is wary of free market solutions and sees government intervention as the only answer.
President Obama is demanding that any efforts put forth by Congress include a so-called "public option" to compete with private insurers. Once the government gets involved, it won't be long before the private insurance industry is out of business, and the public option becomes the only option.
Indeed, the public option is nothing more than a back door to single-payer, socialized care, and it's for that reason that I stand alongside my fellow conservatives in opposition to it. Please help me send a message to the Obama administration on this issue by signing this petition. We have set a goal of collecting 10,000 signatures, so please sign the petition telling the Obama administration that our country does not want or need a single-payer, government-run healthcare system. When you are finished, I hope you will forward this petition to your friends, neighbors and family members asking them to join the fight.

Thank you for joining me,
Bob

Choosing the Right Way...

Happy Pioneer day for those of us in Utah!





And a quote to ponder on a Friday...

"If we choose the right way, we are sustained in our actions by the principles of righteousness, in the which there is power from the heavens. If we choose the wrong way and act on that choice, there is no such heavenly promise or power, and we are alone and are destined to fail."

William R. Bradford, "Righteousness, Ensign," Nov. 1999, 85

7th Anniversary

I can't believe yesterday was our 7th anniversary, time really does fly! As Brad and I were discussing our previous anniversaries, we realized we have forgotten some of the details. That is when I decided we should document them all now in a count down format starting with yesterday. Of course yesterday will be the most detailed. So you can keep reading.. :)

7th Anniversary...

This year I was supposed to attend Youth Conference on our anniversary but since I was released a couple weeks ago I was able to spend the day with my husband instead. Yippee! There have been very few anniversaries we have actually spent together due to Girls' camp or Youth Conference in the past 7 years. I have an extremely supportive husband and he has never once complained and for that I am grateful. I have to admit there was a part of me that missed being with the youth this weekend but I thoroughly enjoyed my day with Brad!

Brad had been great about making sure we did things that I enjoy so this year when he asked what we should do I suggested fishing. I actually enjoy fishing in the summer when it is warm. At first he thought I wasn't serious but after I told him at least 5 times that I thought it would be fun he finally believed me. And it really was fun! We hadn't been to this place for about 4 yrs, it is on the Mirror Lake highway above Kamas, UT by Clear Lake. There is a beautiful waterfall hidden in the trees that Brad found once and it has great fishing...usually. This year the fishing wasn't as good as we remembered but the scenery was beautiful. We really enjoyed being in nature and being together. Here are some pictures from the day.

Luckily a random couple were enjoying nature too and were able to take this picture of us. :)

Beautiful right?

Abby (our dog) loves to wait for Brad to catch a fish then she tries to capture it while he is removing the hook. She is so intense while waiting.

I have a video of Abby jumping up the waterfall but couldn't figure it out. I know I am slow to the game but can someone educate me on uploading a video to my blog?

Zion Ponderosa

We went to Zion Ponderosa this past weekend. If you haven't heard of it or have never been check out the link. It was the perfect getaway for us and we had a great time! We have some friends that go up there every year and they always have glowing reviews. So we decided to check it out.

We stayed in one of the vacation homes there and it was incredible. This is the view from the back porch. Amazing!

As luck would have it our friends were staying there the same weekend and were gracious enough to be our tour guides. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the ATVs, went to the pool (super fun with slides), played games and had incredible food. They also have a recreation barn with pool tables and ping pong tables for the guests to use, horseback riding, hiking, a zip line, rock climbing wall, tennis court, frisbee golf course and of course Zion's National Park is within a 15min drive! We had a great time and loved spending time with friends and family. Tim and Hilary seriously have great kids! My parents joined us Saturday morning but I totally forgot to get a picture of them... sorry mom and dad! We enjoyed spending time with them too!

Here are a few pictures of us on the ATVs...

Back 4wheeler Kelsey, Anna, Dallin, Meg & Noah. Front Kenzie, Keeley, Calli & Marley.

The kids all piled on the morning they left, they all loved riding and would ask every time they saw us if they could go on a ride. Meg kept telling Brad "go faster horsey!"

Tim, Brad, & Calli.

Meg, me, and Anna.

Kenzie and her friend Kelsey

This is the view from a look out spot on one of the ATV trails. Beautiful view!

During the ride we took Saturday, I noticed rain clouds approaching. When I asked Brad if we should head back he said it shouldn't be a heavy rain. So we kept riding and when the rain hit we were SOAKED within 10 min! Very fun ride up to that point and after changing we planned to go back out but the rain started again so we didn't make it.

Brad's pants are normally a lighter color! Luckily we have a couple jackets in the ATV bag.

Random bit of information...this police truck was parked in the SAME spot when we passed in on the way to Zion Ponderosa so we looked harder on the way back and they have a dressed mannequin in the driver's seat to fool people into slowing down. Way to go Kane County!

We had an enjoyable time and will most definitely go back again!

Love this!

I ran across this quote today and had to share it...hope you have a fantastic day!

"Hope . . . is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Infinite Power of Hope, Ensign", Nov. 2008, 22