EXCITED FOR CALI & RYAN'S NEW BLOG

Well, hello all! I haven’t written in a while so I thought maybe I would begin this post. We have had some pretty sporadic days when it comes to the weather. It will be all nice and sunny…around 75 degrees, and then it will snow and get all nasty and cold. I am ready from spring to come and stay. I think we will have days of spring, interrupted by the winter that doesn’t want to give up, and then a really hot summer. I wish we could just have spring as a season instead of a battle between two other seasons for more time. I must say I have had a few days where opening all the windows is fantastic (until the smokers downstairs open their windows…which all the smoke then comes up to our apartment). Yuck!

I am finally over my cold! Yay! It lasted about 2 nasty weeks. The seemingly unending pressure changes in the weather didn’t help at all with my sinuses.

The business is quite busy, especially in the beginning of the week. We are thankful for this because by the time we are worn out things slow down so that we can enjoy a nice weekend before the rush on Monday. We are bringing on more translators which should help.

We are very excited to move out to California come July/August. I am especially excited about all the farmers markets, Gilroy Garlic Festival and sunny weather with just the right amount of humidity. I hope to make the festival next year. I hear Teryl and Penny like to go so we hope to maybe tag along with them one year. I am super excited about moving to Cali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can’t wait!

We are looking for a house to rent/lease in the Modesto area. We hope to spend on rent between $700-$1000/month (preferably no higher than $800 so utilities won’t kill us). If you come across anything that seems to be in good condition and not dumpy let us know! I would love it if the place had a garden because I just have an itch to do gardening. I want to more and more each passing day. Many places seem to have lawn service included in the rent which would also be nice. There is absolutely nothing online when it comes to houses. Only apartments, and none so far that meet what we want and need.

We really can’t wait to have a kitten and maybe a small puppy as well. Not too long ago we got to watch two orange kittens that were absolutely adorable and soo funny to watch. Some pets would be a nice addition to our home since babies aren’t here yet…L

I finally used the gift card Ryan bought me for Christmas to Banana Republic. I bought 2 nice shirts that are just right for me and look great on. Also, I was able to buy two really nice dresses at another store which made me really happy since I have been needing new dresses. One is a black button up shirt dress with ¾ length sleeves and a full tea length skirt…very elegant/casual and classic all at the same time. The other is a white eyelet dress that has the appearance of being a wrap around dress. It also has a tea length full skirt. I feel very lady like and feminine in them while feeling modern and in style at the same time. I love it!!!

Raquel and Rocio and I went shopping yesterday(Tuesday) which was fun. Raquel looked great in everything but ended up not getting anything (mainly because the one she wanted wasn't in her size) Sad...we would have had the same white eyelet dress! *sniffle sniffle*

We are still diligently going to the gym. We really like the habit and plan on keeping it for as long as we can.

I am looking forward to my parents coming to Utah sometime in July. It will be so very nice to see them seeing as though I haven’t seen them in a year and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is way, way too long to go without seeing your parents. I hope I never have to do it again. Depending on the place we find in California and when we move in…maybe they will be able to come to Modesto instead. We will see. If they do come to Utah I will be happy because my dad is the ultimate packer to have around when moving. Everything is labeled well, packed in the truck according to size, weight, fragileness and shape so that nothing will fall or become broken during transportation…it is all very logically executed. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! I wish my dad could be there every single time I ever move in my entire life. He is amazing!

My sister and Rick finally sold their town home. They will be moving to the Detroit area. Wonderful…because they are closer to the airport….stinky because they won’t be 2 houses down from my parents so it won’t be as easy to get together with everyone or help with the nephews.

Well, that is it for me this post. Here is my wonderful sweet hubby:

I’ve started another blog. Well, I’ve kind of started three. So including my language one (read my latest post about the world's top 20 languages) that makes four that I have where I am the only writer and this one where Becca writes with me. The blog is called Mormon Explanations and it is going to address LDS beliefs and common misconceptions about the LDS Church and its people. I feel that this is a good thing to do since there is so much Anti-Mormon propaganda so readily available on the internet.

Bigotry is often a form of ignorance and the best way to combat ignorance is with knowledge. As I started looking around online I found that, along with a lot of slanderous and nasty Anti-Mormon people, there are a bunch of other Mormons like me who are trying to reach out to the world and allow people to find out about the Mormons from actual Mormons instead of from hateful people who lie and defame us.

For those who don’t know, tens of thousands of Mormons from all over the USA and the whole world congregate twice a year to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City Utah to listen to their leaders speak in a General Conference. At each of these meetings there are hecklers like the men in the video below.

I’ve been to General Conference about half a dozen times and every time I went there were about a dozen hate mongers like theses ones who yelled at all of us while we assembled to praise the Lord Jesus Christ. Salt Lake is around 40% LDS and Utah is about 65% LDS. Can you imagine antagonistic hecklers like these at the Kabba in Mecca, at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem or at the Vatican?

I remember being curious about the Jehovah’s Witnesses so I got my hands on a copy of one of their own pamphlets. I read it pretty thoroughly and even looked up many of their scripture references in a King James translation of the Bible and a Jehovah’s Witness translation of the Bible (at the time my roommate had a copy). I respectfully disagree with some other their interpretations of God’s word but I truly respect the fact that they heavily advocate racial tolerance, meticulous Bible study and active proselyting by their church members. My point is that I went to the source for my information and I wish that more people did that with the Mormons.

I could rant and rave some more about this subject but I think I might calm down a bit first and then go and put it on my new blog. Becca has just made a fabulous dessert and I’m going to go have some. One of the most foolish bits of Anti-Mormon propaganda is that we are not Christians. I will end this post by including a video of current leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who can shed some light on this subject.