FRIDAY FREEDOM: Rescuing Liberty

"The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power." ~Daniel Webster

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - Do I look like I want to live in the 60s again?!

I waited until this evening to post today for Thursday Thoughts, mostly because I didn't have alot of thoughts this morning. But, since I've spent the day today shopping, I now have LOTS of thoughts - mostly bad!

Can I just say how much I HATE the clothes they have in stores right now?! Seriously, this is my second day of trying to find a skirt and shirts to wear to church, and I can't find one thing I like. I feel like I'm in some kind of time warp that just dumped me back into the sixties! YUCK! And what's with all the sleeveless shirts? Geez! I'm kind of in between regular sizes and women's sizes right now, and so finding something that fits is impossible. The women's sizes all drown me (I swear, they must think that the bigger someone's butt is, the bigger their boobs are! That is NOT the case, believe me.) Anything I try on looks like I'm a little girl trying on my mom's clothes. It's ridiculous. But, I'm not yet able to get into the biggest of the normal sizes. So, I'm pretty much out of luck.

All I want is a simple skirt - one that comes down to about mid-calf. But, right now, nothing goes below the knee. If I had nice looking knees and calves, that wouldn't be a problem. But, right now, the last thing I want to do is show off my knees and calves. Another problem I have is that the buyers for the stupid stores must think that if you have to wear women's sizes, you are not that into fashion. You must WANT to look like your grandmother! Right?! WRONG! Why, oh why, can't they make those cute dresses in women's sizes too? Huh?

I was so depressed after my shopping trip today, that I ended up at the fabric store, buying this really beautiful, silky material for a skirt. I. DON'T. SEW. Slight problem, there. The last time I tried to just get a bunch of material, hem it, and put an elastic through the waist, I ended up with something that looked like a parachute (complete with wind) around my waist. I looked like I weighed 800 lbs. I know there are patterns, and sewing machines, and WAYS to do this kind of thing, but I don't have a clue. *sigh*

So, now, I'm resorting to trying to order a skirt from the internet. I have a feeling this is not going to go well. If I was a perfect size 8 or whatever, I would probably always order things online, but, well... I'm not.

The good news of the day... I did find 4 new shirts. I have nothing to wear them with, but I feel like I made a little progress today. I'm not even going to tell you what that cost me. Two of them are made from this shimmery, pretty material. Yes, I said TWO. Yes, I did buy the exact same shirt in two different colors, because I just loved it so much.

And, you know, that Dillards store is EXPENSIVE! I'm never going there again. At least not until I'm a gazillionaire.

-Kara

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - 24th of July Pioneer Parage Memories

Just found these cute pictures of my kids with the Spear kids at the 24th of July parade in Salt Lake City many years ago. As far as I can tell, it's probably about 14 years ago!

TUESDAY TALES & MEMORIES - Dinosaurs!!

"Dinosaurs may be extinct from the face of the planet, but they are alive and well in our imaginations." -Steve Miller, Freaks!

Dinosaurs are a big attraction to little boys, and I've got four of them (boys, not dinosaurs). I've been looking through some pictures because I remembered a hilarious one that involves the boys and dinosaurs. This picture shows Alex sitting on his dad's shoulders, screaming at the top of his lungs, while behind him looms a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex. Also in the picture, of course, is Rick - the guy who is suppose to save little Alex from the big, bad dinosaur, but instead of running away, Rick is standing there, laughing! Unfortunately I can't find that exact picture (doesn't it just drive you crazy when that happens?!) But, here is another dinosaur with Alex crying in front... (and Rick laughing, of course)



Let's clear a few things up: First, said dinosaur was indeed huge, but was NOT real (are you surprised by this?). It was, however, making a very real sounding dino growl. In fact, if you closed your eyes, and listened, it did sound like the dinosaur was very close, and was going to be enjoying a meal consisting of Alex at any moment. Second, Alex was probably 2. He had no idea the dino wasn't real. Third, Alex's hero was his dad, so when Rick chose to laugh instead of run, he moved down the ladder a couple of rungs in Alex's eyes.

I have to admit, though, it was HILARIOUS! Just look at Alex's face! (He was actually trying to crawl over top of Rick's head to get away from the dinosaur in the picture that I couldn't find.) *snicker* And this amused his brothers to no end.

As I thought about dinosaurs, I realized that we've been lots of places to "see the dinosaurs". We are just miles from the world's largest dinosaur museum - Thanksgiving Point - and have visited a couple of times. We've been to St. George to see the Dinosaur Discovery Site at the Johnson Farm. We've taken the kids to Dinosaur National Monument - near Vernal, UT. The Dinosaur park we visited (where the dino almost ate Alex) is up near the Ogden area of Utah. And I hear that Hogle Zoo, in Salt Lake City, now has a dinosaur exhibit. I guess we'd better load the (not so little) boys up, and visit Hogle Zoo soon. If I remember right, we also had a dinosaur room for Grant and Michael in Pennsylvania. Oh, and I can't forget the dinosaur underwear that all of the kids wore.

Here's some more fun dino pictures I found...

This is in Park City - their balloon festival in 1989, or something like that...


This is my friend LoriAnne with my boys, walking past that huge T-Rex...

This is a dino birthday party we had - wish we could see it better...

This is a picture of my kids (top row) and my nephews (Kris's kids)... and a disembodied dino head - no wonder they don't look worried...

Here are the boys with a giant Triceratops...
If you click on this picture, it will be enlarged, and you can see little Matthew in front of that same big T-Rex, and he looks pretty worried...

Here, Grant and Michael dig for dinosaur bones with their friends, Jeff and Riley...

And here is another cousin picture in front of an other Triceratops...


I read this quote that I think explains the fascination my kids had/have with dinosaurs:

"It's very simple why kids are crazy about dinosaurs -- dinosaurs are nature's Special Effects. They are the only real dragons. Kids love dragons. It's not just being weirdly shaped and being able to eat Buicks. It's that they are real." -ROBERT T. BAKKER, Honolulu Advertiser

I've even saved a bunch of the boys' dinosaurs for my grand-kiddoes. I can't wait to show them the joys of dinosaurs. ("They" don't actually exist yet.)

Monday Motivation - Thanks Be To God

I've been blog-surfing today, and found a wonderful quote that THIS BLOGGER used to paint on rocks. I really love this quote. I've been trying to figure out lately how to get myself to pray more often. This just might do the trick...

"WHAT IF YOU WOKE UP TODAY WITH ONLY THE THINGS YOU THANKED GOD FOR YESTERDAY?"

Sweet Land of Liberty

Today is the 4th of July, and I sit here watching the mini-series John Adams, based on the book by David McCoullough. I am just amazed at the wonderful men and women who founded this free country.

I love with all my heart the country I am privileged to live in. I am more grateful than I can say, for those brave men and women whose sacrifices allow us to remain free.

Even though our country's problems are great, and I disagree with the leaders at this time, I know that we will be ok. God's mercy and love shines on this country, and always will, as long as we remember God in our lives.

I am often inspired when I read words that have been written about this country. So, I thought I'd share some here...

"If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace." -Hamilton Fish

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." -Benjamin Franklin

"It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism." ~J. Horace McFarland

"My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!" -Thomas Jefferson

"I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in providence, for the illumination of the ignorant and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth." -John Adams

"The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased." - Alexander Hamilton

"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." -George Washington

Two years ago, I wrote a similar post that included many great quotes about our country. If you'd like to read those quotes, click HERE.

Have a wonderful 4th of July.