the ij blog

Marshall's 2nd Birthday in Pictures

2011-07-03T17:42:00.009-06:00

Thanks to the H.B. and Larry Arnett families for helping us celebrate. Why yes, there are a lot of photos of the Blue's Clues cake, yes I did make it myself, and yes I am prodigiously proud.

Sadie's Winter Olympics

2011-05-01T10:18:00.006-06:00

Sadie has been taking Gymnastics classes for almost two years now. Twice a year the gym has a "recital" of sorts which they call the Summer and Winter Olympics. This is the third one they've had since she been enrolled but the first she was able to participate in, since we were out of town during the other two events.

Sadie was very excited to finally be able to participate and we were so proud to watch her strut her stuff. She definitely put her own Sadie personality into the entire event.

Vault

Floor

Bars

Beam

Getting her medal

Team Photo

Good Job Sadie! We love you.

Easter

2011-04-28T15:27:00.007-06:00

For Easter we took a fun-filled whirlwind trip to Utah. It was action packed. Here are the highlights.

Thursday afternoon - We headed down to Utah. The trip was good.

Friday - Sadie went to Kindergarten with her favorite Aunt Joyce and the little boys and I had haircuts by Lexi. We looked amazing. After haircuts Stacey, Marshy, and I took Jax to school and then shopped for hat supplies. Meanwhile Joe and Ryan went out to lunch with his good friend Troy. Finally in the afternoon we were all home to make our hats for the parade. They too looked amazing. That night Ryan, Stacey and I went to La Jolla Groves for dinner. The meal was delicious and our server was awesome.

Saturday - Started with the Annual Arnett Easter Hat Parade Extravaganza. I took no pictures (we didn't even pack our camera) but Mallory took a few and for a more thorough post I refer you to My Auntie Candy's blog. This year we did themes, which was very cute. Our themes were: Big Pimpin' (We told them they were Gangsta bunnies, to avoid the, What is a pimp? question.) for the little boys, Spring Bunny (Sadie), Space Bunnies (Mark and Mallory), Safari Bunny (Grandpa Larry) and Roarin' 20's bunnies (Ryan and Dana). After the hat parade Pop-Pop and Marshall went to pick up Gangy from the Airport, Mark and Mal took the older kids to Jax soccer game, where he scored two goals, and Ryan and I went and saw Atlas Shrugged with some friends.

Sunday -Started with church in all our Easter finery. The Easter bunny came while we were at church. Then we had a wonderful Easter dinner. After that we visited my grandparents and went and saw Danny and Stacey's new house and finally at 6:30 p.m. we started the long drive back.

The sun made it hard to get a great picture of the kids in their outfits.

The Easter Bunny delivered this year and everyone was happy.

We had a really great weekend visiting with family and friends.

Eight is Great

2011-02-14T08:45:00.007-07:00

Joseph turned eight in January and with that birthday came exciting changes and opportunities for him. He joined Cub Scouts, which he loves; took first place at the Pinewood Derby, which Ryan loved; and was baptized, which we all loved. He's a great kid and we're so proud of his choice to be baptized.

His Car

@ the derby

Baptism Day

Joe and Ryan

Grandpa Larry and Joe

Grandpa Larry confirmed Joseph. Grandpa Howard confirmed me when I was baptized and we wanted to carry on that tradition.

Cousins

In their whites

The Family

Joseph and Brynley

Joseph and Brynely are good friends so it was fun that they were able to be baptized on the same day. Her mom and I may have planned their first date while we took this picture.

Cousins

Thanks to all of our friends and family who came and supported Joseph in this very important life step.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T22:48:00.007-07:00

Since we are without any extended family this Christmas, a first for the Brijs clan, and have grandparents, aunts and uncles spread out all over this year, we thought we'd blog to help you all seem a little closer. Plus, Mallory tells me I don't blog about our kids enough.

So I present to you our Christmas Eve Celebration in photos:

First we started with dinner, which looks very neutral in the picture but we did serve green beans and yams for color, I promise.

The kids helped set the table, notice the placement of the spoon. We used the beautiful linens Grandma Bonnie gave us from the Caribbean. They added just the right touch.

Marshall ready to dig in. We all enjoyed dinner but I would say he enjoyed it most.

Sadie doing her famous head tilt. This girl could give posing advice to Paris Hilton

Joseph ready to dig in.

After dinner we told the kids they could open one present each. I don't think the pajamas were a big hit but they were good sports about it.

After they changed into their new jammies we watched elf. Marshall made it half way through the movie and then sadly had to retire to bed. For the rest of us, after elf was over, we watched Joy to the World , set out Santa's cookies and then the kids went to bed.

It was a quieter Christmas Eve than we are used to but still very fun. We miss you all and hope your Christmas Eve was as enjoyable as ours.

Merry Christmas from the Brijs Family

2010-12-23T12:19:00.004-07:00

From our family to yours, have a very merry Christmas and a prosperous and joyous 2011.

I wish I was a tea drinker.

2010-12-21T15:51:00.004-07:00

How awesome is this?!

Check it out here.

Have we lost our marbles?

2010-12-16T10:09:00.003-07:00

First our incandescent light-bulbs and now drop side cribs. Who the hell does the government think they are to dictate what we can and can't buy? Especially when neither one of these products is dangerous. And a better question is, why do we let them? Why do we just sit here passively and take it?

Read this Free Range post on how secretly drop side cribs aren't dangerous; in fact if you look at the statistics with even an ounce of common sense (something the government is incapable of doing) they are pretty dang safe. And then if you are as outraged as I am, do something about it like harassing your senators and congressman about the issue. While you are at it harass them about the light bulbs too, so I can stop hoarding them.

A Poem by Joseph

2010-11-23T20:36:00.006-07:00

Thanksgiving
by Joseph Brijs

Let us be grateful for what we're about to eat.
I bet you guys like the meat!
It doesn't matter what the food,
it matters what the mood.
Let's have hugs,
let's have fun.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!

Melaween

2010-10-31T13:53:00.016-06:00

I know two posts is one day is a record for me. However, Ry's friend and co-worker, Lara, took the best pictures of "Melaween", as she called it, and I wanted to share some of them. Melaleuca really does Halloween right for their employees and their families. Ryan works for a great company.

When Ryan told me last year how awesome trick or treating was going to be at his office I didn't believe him. I thought the kids would go from cubicle to cubicle and office to office and get candy. They'd be excited but no big deal. I was wrong. Every department picks a theme and decorates their office space in that theme and every employee in the department dresses up, again following the theme. Last year the Marketing Department (Ryan's dept) did space as the theme and Ryan and another co-worker were the in-famous Yip-Yips from Sesame Street.

This year Marketing did the Wild West as their theme. Pretty cool if you ask me.

First we hopped the train to Rustic Touch, Idaho

Like any good mining town, in Rustic Touch the saloon is the first place
you'll find on Main Street.

Then of course, the jail for those who were too rowdy in the saloon.

Next is the bank.

What a handsome banker, even if he does look a little smarmy.

After visiting the bank for some gold, you are ready to hit the General Store.

I was right, the banker is smarmy.

The local blacksmith can fix your horse up right.

One last glance down Main Street before we have to make a dangerous choice.

The mine or Indian territory.
We braved them both.

On the way we saw the open range.

The mine

Indian territory

Rustic Touch Cemetery

The residents of Rustic Touch, Idaho

Other themes this year were How to Train your Dragon, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Candy Land, and Toy Story, complete with Andy's Room, Al's Toy Barn, Sunnyside Daycare, and Buzz light year of Star Command. Sadly, I have no pictures of the other themes as I didn't bring my camera with me but, trust me, they were all cool.

October in Pictures

2010-10-30T22:07:00.010-06:00

Sadie's birthday, take one.

Birthday's aren't fun when you have the stomach flu.

The flu also does nothing for your coloring, poor pasty white baby.

So many presents. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa.

Just because he's Marshall.

Later that week, Grandma Bonnie came to visit. Huzzah!

And Ryan and I went to a really fun costume party. We came in 2nd for best costume. Thanks Grandma B, for watching the kids.

Sadie's birthday, take two.

Cake is much better when you aren't sick

Just because he's Marshall.

Halloween

We had a trick or treating at Melaleuca and the ward carnival on Friday. Then trick or treating in the neighborhood last night. The kids scored on candy. Marshall was napping when the kids left to trick or treat. But he was awake when they came home and got to trick or treat on our block.

The Little Mermaid

Iron Man

Cutest! Robot! Ever!

I don't know who he's yelling at in this picture as we were the only ones home, his imaginary robot friend?

Success!

Make your Holiday Fresh or Have A Holly Jolly Joseph

2010-09-28T13:00:00.000-06:00

As many of you know Joseph is competing in Gymnastics and doing very well at it. This year he is participating in a fundraiser to earn money to help pay for fees associated with his competitions and yes I am officially hitting you up.

He is selling fresh wreaths for the holiday season. Posted below are options of the wreaths and various holiday evergreens with their price and item number. These wreaths are guaranteed for quality and freshness and would make a great gift(s) for you or a loved one.

Here is how it works:

Pick your item then write out a check to Dana or I and we will place your order (Paypal is also an option, brijsda at gmail dot com). Orders are due by October 25th! If you live in Idaho or Utah we will deliver your wreath to you personally, right around Thanksgiving. If you live in a different state you can order from the mail order selections and your wreath will be delivered right to your door the first two weeks after Thanksgiving.

Please let us know if you have any questions, and remember when Joe competes in the 2024 Olympics you can say "I helped him get there!".

Thanks!

Ryan

* Click on the photo to enlarge it, price is posted below the photo.

Utah/Idaho - We deliver to you.
$25 (W2)

$36 (W3)

$26 (W4)

$25 (S4)

$10 (C5)

$10 (N7)

$3.50 (B2)

$25 (G3)

Out of State - Delivered UPS to your door.
$50 (W3M)

$40 (W4M)

$40 (S4M)

$37 (C5M)

$34 (N7M)

$60 (G3M)

$85 (EGM)

Finally, an initiative I can support.

2010-09-25T12:33:00.003-06:00

Musical Prodigy?

2010-08-31T14:51:00.002-06:00

Come check out Marshall's mad skills on the harmonica over @ the ij kids.

Breaking News

2010-08-17T14:52:00.005-06:00

Local Gymnast and 2024 Olympic hopeful, Joseph Brijs, broke his radius while attempting a double back handspring in his cousin backyard. He is expected to make a full recovery and plans to be back in the gym in 4-6 weeks.

Quinn vs Pop Pop

2010-07-09T22:11:00.003-06:00

Staring Contest: Quinn vs Larry
Place: Disneyland
Winner: Yet to Be Determined

Setting the Record Straight (for Cameron)

2010-05-28T22:27:00.000-06:00

I know I may not have a way with words like my brother in-law (see Wendy's comment), oh wait, I mean like Uncle Jeff but I feel I must "set the record straight" as I am more of an authority on the NBA then my fly by night "Suns" fan of a brother in-law. I am one of the guys, lets call them um I don't know, a "real sports fan", that does stuff like go to games, read espn.com all day and have subscriptions to ESPN Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Here is the article I read about Los Suns taking a political stand which is totally lame mind you. And it should be noted that while I currently live in Idaho, I will always be a Utah Jazz fan which means I hate every other team in the Western Conference especially Los Suns oh and go Utes!

Video Podcasts?

2010-05-27T21:52:00.005-06:00

Remember this?

Don't try clicking the play button its just a photo, the real videos are posted here and yes there is a new one. I use to do these video podcasts of me interviewing the kids saying or doing something funny/cute. It was mostly for Dana's parents who were living abroad at the time. It was a lot of fun but it eventually died out. I intend to bring it back now that we are far away from family again. All the videos will be posted on www.theijkids.blogspot.com so bookmark it if you haven't already and check out some of the old ones. Enjoy or don't, either way.

Goodbye Sandy

2010-05-04T10:29:00.004-06:00

It's official, the home I grew up in was purchased by the Russians. My Mom had been considering moving to California for sometime now so she listed her home and within 48 hours she had a serious offer and now it's gone, sold to some Russian family and now Bonnie is unpacking in her new Cali home. It was really surprising how fast it all happened. I believe she owned it for almost 20 years and I am surprisingly having a hard time dealing with the fact that that home is no longer hers. We moved there when I was in 8th grade so I experienced a lot of important events in my life while living under that roof.

Here's a few random ones. I played numerous games of basketball in the driveway. We had the best Christmas Eve parties with my Grandparents there. I painted graffiti in the garage. I let my friend Troy live in the basement for a summer, we bleached our hair white, ate chili cheese nachos and watched Star Wars everyday. I became active in the Church while in that home. I raked a ridiculous amounts of leaves from all our stupid fruit trees. I met some of my best friends while living there. I got hit in the face with brass knuckles in that driveway. We made over $1000 dollars from a garage sale there. I did some other things I am not going to disclose while living in that house. I had numerous parties in that house, the first White Elephant party we held was there. I graduated from HS while living in that home. I left that house to go on a mission. My first kiss with Dana was in that driveway. I brought Sadie home from the hospital to that house. Now it's gone, such great memories, I'll will miss that place.

Cousins

2010-04-19T23:55:00.009-06:00

My newly married Sister in-law sent me the raddest photo of my son and his cousin today. The photo was taken, at her wedding, of the boy's messing around on the Mount Timpanogos Temple grounds. In the photo Jaxson is attempting to shoot Joe as Joe uses the force to block the bullet. My new Brother in-law had this to say about the boy's antics outside of the Temple on the most important day of his life.

"One of my favorite wedding moments was while we were taking pictures outside the Temple, I looked over and saw that Joe had Jaxson in a headlock and Jaxson was punching him, haha." -Mark Wagner

Bullet vs. The Force

An arm wrestle? A finger bite? A staring competition...who knows?

Suit up!

Joseph and Jaxson are exactly two years apart and they are super close, so close that sometimes they want to kill each other, see photo above. The relationship these boys have is great and fun to watch. It's very similar to the relationship my cousin Dan and I had only maybe a little less violent.

Dan and I were only three months apart and were raised together. We went to the same schools from Preschool to 10th grade, we played together every day and were virtually inseparable. We were best friends and had the best time together, sure we had a few fights now and again but my best childhood memories were with my cousin Dan and I am so glad my son gets to have a similar experience.

Here's to cousins!

I know it looks like it but I promise I'm not choking that dog.

New Years Eve party and yes I'm rocking the teal sweats.

Dan and I water skiing, August 2000

Wow!

2010-03-21T21:23:00.003-06:00

They did it and I feel sick to my stomach. Not just because they passed health care "reform" but also because of how they passed it. This legislation is dirty. Wow, this is a game changer, a big game changer!

I always hated those liberals suffering from Bush derangement syndrome who cried and yelled about how they were moving to Canada if Bush was reelected in '04 (of course no one actually left the country) but if I knew where to go, I might actually leave this country. Problem is there is no where left to go. Oh well I guess I'll just prepare myself for the onslaught of taxes that inevitably hit the middle classes and start preparing my children for a standard of living less than they have now when they grow up.

Congress sold our future down the river against the express wishes of the majority of the American people. That is audacious.

Zootown Showdown

2010-02-25T18:18:00.008-07:00

Joseph competed in his third gymnastic competition last weekend and did very well. Of course as a proud dad I put a little video together of his performance. He took 1st place in the All Around for his age group (Level 4, Age 6-7). Enjoy.

A Lazy Mom is Secretly a Good Mom

2010-02-11T22:26:00.003-07:00

I love this woman, she totally vindicates my parenting style. If you have a second and want to feel better about yourself as a parent read her article:

Just Chute Me! (Or: Do We REALLY Have To Play With Our Kids?)

V's

2009-12-20T23:05:00.014-07:00

We had visitors this weekend. Not the scary lizards posing as humans kind, but the family kind, which really is the best kind.

We went all out I.F. style which really just means we ate at the Snake Bite (which apparently doesn't have a website so this picture of the food will have to do.) and walked around downtown. Honestly, though the House Salad at the Snake Bite is worth the trip to Idaho Falls (hint, hint).

All the grand-babies, most of the siblings, only one in-law, and Gangy and Pop-Pop were together. It was like a Christmas dress rehearsal and even though we are going to see them all again in three sleeps we were still sad when they drove away this afternoon.

We tried to take a photo of all the grand-kids in their Christmas finery. We had mixed results but I'm still posting them for your enjoyment!

Christmas Photo Shoot

2009-11-22T14:24:00.008-07:00

It must be something in the air, we also got all dressed up (well the kids anyway) and schleped out in the cold for a Christmas card photo shoot. We had to make do without the lovely and talented Sydney but that was okay because we had the lovely and talented Ryan. When we arrived both Sadie and Joe separately asked me why we were taking our pictures in such a yucky place. We took them outside an abandoned factory.

Anyway, here are some of our favorite shots. Ryan would not be pleased if I didn't mention that none of these have been edited they are straight from the camera. I'm too impatient to wait for Ryan to edit. Enjoy!

Sadie is not the best picture taker, bless her heart (it runs in the family), as you can see in this last photo. 99% of the pictures we took of her yesterday her face looks like this or worse. We would tell her to relax or smile and we'd get all sorts of weird and crazy faces. It's super cute but slightly frustrating when you add in the excitement of working with an infant. It's a true Christmas miracle we got as many cute shots as we did.

An update

2009-11-08T19:05:00.004-07:00

We've been crazy busy traveling these last few weeks. We've were in Utah almost every weekend in October except for the weekend we were in Arizona for Cameron's and Ashley's wedding.

Our ward has been trying to give us a calling for the last month or so but we were never in town. Finally today they caught us at home and we are now team teachers of the CTR 8A class. I love being a primary teacher, it's my favorite calling, and consider it an added bonus that I get be partners with Ryan.

I really don't have much more to write, unless you want me to bore you with my musings on the health care monstrosity the House of Representatives passed yesterday. Nah, I didn't think so, I'll just leave you with some cute pictures of my kiddos (and Jax) on Halloween.

Why we don't need economic illiterates trivializing the dangers of socialized medicine and spouting abject nonsense on YouTube.

2009-08-31T12:03:00.003-06:00

This is a rebuttal to the video Why We Need Government-Run Universal Socialized Health Insurance.

The man who made this video runs How The World Works channel on YouTube. Which is a very appropriate name for what he does!

Enjoy!

Marshall Ryan

2009-07-22T13:10:00.001-06:00

(Marshall, July 1, 2009)

Yes I realize this post is three weeks late but better late than never, right?!

Marshall was born on July 1, 2009 after a mere 27 hours of labor. He was 7lbs 13oz and 18 inches long. Now three weeks later he is 7lbs 11oz (not quite back to birth weight) and 20.5 inches long. He's a very good baby which has been so helpful with all the other stuff we have going on right now. He is a wonderful addition to our family and Joe and Sadie adore him (sometimes too much). We love him and can't remember what life was like without him.

Imagine a current picture of him posted here. I was going to post one but he is sleeping right now and I'm not waking him to take a picture. Maybe I'll post it later.

These two are the best I could get before he had a complete meltdown.

The Obama Stimulus: Predictions vs. Reality

2009-06-13T18:22:00.002-06:00

My favorite political math guru once again delivers!

Social Security Surplus Already Gone

2009-05-23T22:22:00.002-06:00

Well that's just depressing. Read all about it here.

National Debt Road Trip

2009-05-15T15:26:00.002-06:00

I love this guy! Again I beseech you all to watch this video, it's only 2 minutes 46 seconds. Also if you want you can check out his blog here

It's a Bragging Post - Viewer discretion is advised

2009-05-12T09:33:00.018-06:00

The kiddies here in the Brijs household have completed some pretty major milestones. Sadie graduated from Joy School, we are prodigiously proud. Joe finished his first season of soccer and scored 10 goals in the final game, we expect to be hearing from scouts any day now. He is also already showing off his significant art talent by winning his school's art contest. He took Grand Prize in the Kindergarten division, which was a hotly contested division with all three entries. Here are some photos documenting these momentous occasions. Enjoy, and please excuse this bragging mom for boasting about her kidlets.

Sadie and Joe at graduation

Sadie and her BFF Grace in their caps

Sadie listening intently

The graduates march

Sadie receives her diploma

Joe showing off his mad soccer skills

Preparing for the art show

At the art show

Sadie Rose

2009-04-27T13:20:00.001-06:00

Just because she looks so cute!

Obama Budget Cuts Visualization

2009-04-27T10:06:00.004-06:00

This video is one minute and 38 seconds long and helps put this whole thing in perspective. Please, I'm begging you, watch it.

A random, debbie downer post for my favorite Uncle Jeff

2009-04-20T12:22:00.004-06:00

So I'm not sure this is a world I care to live in. Now don't get me wrong I'm not thinking of taking any drastic measures but honestly I don't want the rest of my life to be a constant struggle and the way I see the world going I don't see easy times on the horizon. Frankly, I'm not sure I'm up for it. I'm pretty sure I would have perished somewhere in Iowa or maybe Wyoming if I'd have been a pioneer. I'm weak, good heavens, I'm a gen-xer. I was born into a world that was prospering and I was raised with the expectation that it would continue to do so and frankly I'm having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I and my children may have to work harder to attain the same standard of living most middle class Americans enjoyed during the 80's, 90's and most of the 2000's. It doesn't seem right especially since it doesn't have to be this way. Plus honestly I'm not sure I have the skills to succeed. I don't know how to darn socks, can food, grow a garden, sew clothing or weave fabric. In short, I have no post apocalyptic skills.

But as some random Mormon said and then attributed it to the Savior "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it" and although I abhor the quote, because the Savior never did say this, I realize the principle is true. So I plan on enduring maybe even thriving as I learn how to darn a sock and make canned salsa. In fact I'm even crazy enough to bring more children into this mixed up, upside down world because in the end "I believe the children are our future", thank you very much Ms. Houston.

So there you go Uncle Jeff, the ball is in your court now. I anxiously await your next post.

P.S. - Just so you don't think I've lost my political edge, This farce Obama is playing out for the media today of getting all his Cabinet heads together and saying we need to cut $100 million from the budget. Well in real numbers it's like a head of a household who spends $100,000 a year calling the family to a meeting, announcing that there will be a short fall of $34,000 this year and then announce somewhere in the budget they need to cut $3.00 of spending and the rest of the $33,997 shortfall he's just going to finance on the family credit card and worry about paying it off later. Ouch, it's really going to hurt those kids to cut $3.00 from the budget!

I Don't Know Who She Is But I Like What She Has to Say

2009-03-09T20:13:00.006-06:00

All I know about Janet Daley is she writes for the Telegraph over in the U.K. but her article is spot on and I thought I would share.

When Barack Obama and Gordon Brown see 'opportunity', we really do have a crisis

The Left is threatening our freedom by using the downturn to bolster the power of the state, says Janet Daley.

Last Updated: 7:37PM GMT 08 Mar 2009

The story so far: some capitalists behaved very badly. While this was going on, the socialists didn't ask questions because they were too busy spending the receipts that flowed from that behaviour. Now, the socialists – who were happy to look the other way during the good times or even to delude themselves into thinking that they were responsible for them – want to use the ignominy of the capitalists to seize the kind of power they thought they had lost forever.

You may quibble at my use of the word "socialist" to describe people who generally present themselves as friends of the free market, and who have repudiated full-scale nationalisation (even of the banks at a moment when that option might have appeared irresistible). So, as someone who spent her formative years on the Left, let me make clear that I am using the word to designate those who accept the primary tenet of Marxist ideology: that the economy can and should be controlled by the state.

In the hard version of this creed, it is acceptable for government to become totalitarian in order to accomplish such control. The softer version – which prevailed in much of Western Europe and Britain – was committed to achieving this through democratic means. By the end of the 1980s, the hard version had collapsed and the soft version was discredited.

Then, suddenly – a miracle! Free-market economics, which seemed to have won the historical argument hands down, is imploding. Now the very people who had embraced it as, at the very least, a milch cow for public-spending adventurism, can see an "opportunity". Yes, that is the word that both Gordon Brown and Barack Obama have taken to using to describe the current economic apocalypse.

In Gordon Brown's fantasy, this is an "opportunity" to exercise control over the whole world. Not just stricter regulation by national governments of their own economic institutions, but a wondrous new level of international regulation by supranational functionaries – to be appointed by whom? A World Government agency accountable to no electorate and with no democratic mandate from the populations over whom it will wield such power? Trotskyists used to say that Stalinist Russia had failed to achieve Utopia because it had embraced "socialism in one country" rather than going for "world revolution". Now, we are being told that Labour's market-led social justice programme failed because it opted for "regulation in one country" instead of understanding the need for "world regulation".

Maybe being an ex-Marxist is a bit like being a lapsed Catholic: you never quite get rid of the old thought patterns.

In the more overheated renditions of the Brown theme, there is talk of a "global vision for fairness", in which the very poverty that is being visited upon all the developed economies will somehow make it possible to redistribute wealth to the developing world.

Is he quite mad? Does he actually believe that the economic failure of rich countries will do anything but impoverish poor countries even further? Or that the moral righteousness of the intention to cure world poverty will, in itself, constitute some kind of cure for the banking collapse?

Meanwhile, Mr Obama – who gives the impression of being considerably out of his depth in the economic maelstrom – talks of an "opportunity" to "reorganise our priorities". He gave a major speech last week in which he actually seemed to suggest that the present crisis had been caused by America's failure to develop a universal health care system and to attend to the impending environmental disaster of global warming ("we made the wrong choices"), and that by focusing on these matters a way can be found out of the country's economic problems.

Is he quite mad? Does he really believe that the banking crisis and the recession were some kind of divine retribution for the absence of universal health care, and excessive carbon emissions? Or is he suggesting that a practical solution lies in spending money on health care and the development of alternative energy sources?

If it is the latter, then he is making a pitch for old-fashioned Roosevelt-style government-expenditure programmes which take money out of the productive part of the economy and bring state intervention into play in new dimensions of national life. It did not work for Roosevelt and it will not work now.

But maybe sentimental mythology matters more than historical reality: what Obama and Brown are both trying to do is to put themselves on the benevolent, morally attractive side of the argument by saying: we – your government – will act, intervene, take positive steps to help you. We will not stand by and let the hurricane winds of the economy blow you down. (Mr Brown has actually used the word "hurricane" to describe the crisis, as if it were a natural disaster which no one could have prevented.)

What neither the Prime Minister nor the President can admit is what is becoming more obvious every day (and which has been admitted by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key): there is precious little that any politician can do to resolve the present economic problems. The values of assets and property are simply going to have to fall from the grossly inflated points they reached under the debt bubble to what are generally accepted to be realistic levels. Then people will start to do business again – as eventually they must – and confidence will gradually return.

So are these politicians pretending that they have answers out of wilful deceit – out of the need to keep playing the game for partisan advantage? Or are they simply attempting to maintain some degree of public optimism about the future? (After all, an "opportunity" sounds better than a "debacle".)

Well, I grew up with the Left and what this looks like to me is a power grab: a seizing of the moment by the forces which always believed in state domination. The Left sees an opening here, first for telling a critical lie about the historical origins of this crisis, which was propelled as much by the Left-liberal determination to spread prosperity through easy credit to the poor, as by the greed of bankers. And then, out of the wreckage, to restructure the economy along the lines that it always wanted, complete with central controls over the pay levels in private financial institutions.

We are being led to believe that public debate should be all about economic mechanics when it should really be about political principle: just how many freedoms do we want to lose while governments pretend that they are the solution?

It's a Baby...

2009-02-12T08:24:00.009-07:00

Here are the pictures of the baby from our 18 week ultrasound.

And yes he is a boy and if you need an explanation about how you can tell from the picture, I'm sorry, you are on your own.

Lost in Austen

2009-01-09T16:27:00.003-07:00

We are having a lazy day here at the Brijs household. Today Joseph woke up sick to his stomach and all our plans for a productive day flew out the window. I can't say I was sad about it as I had no desire to be productive. So I've taken to catching up on some t.v. watching on the internet.

I started out by watching 30 rock, Monk and some of my other favorites and then I started scrolling through the Project Free TV list of t.v. shows and a title called Lost in Austen caught my eye. As I had never heard of it I immediately looked it up on Wikipedia and the entry made me very excited to begin watching it. I'm only half way through episoide 1 of 4 but I'm enjoying it so far.

My question is did all of my other Austen obsessed relatives already know about this show? And if so why did no one tell me? If not you should make haste and begin watching it forthwith.

We Hate Blogging

2008-12-23T19:14:00.003-07:00

That's right we are in a blogging funk. But my uncle Jeff is really funny and loves it when people comment on his sharp wit and fine eyes. So head on over, laugh at his latest post and don't forget to leave a comment.

It's over

2008-11-04T22:14:00.006-07:00

the fat lady is singing, John McCain has conceded to Barack Obama.

Jim Manzi a pundit over at the NRO Corner pretty much summed up my feelings about tonight. He said, "There are about 1,460 days until the next Presidential election, and I assume that I will spend approximately the next 1,459 of them opposing Barack Obama. But I’m spending today proud about what my country has overcome."

I too disagree with Barack Obama on every political issue out there; but we have just elected our first black President and to me that is no small thing. I respect the office of the President and I want only the best for this country.

Oh yeah and btw I'm pregnant.

Sadie's Princess Party

2008-10-26T23:12:00.010-06:00

Posting pictures of Sadie's Birthday party took a back seat as it happened the same weekend that Grandpa Joe passed away. Anyway it's time I get them posted. I took over 400, it really was a fun day.

Dana and I would like to thank Aunt Candy for making the princess cake, the castle, games and really for always coming through for us. This woman is so talented and is so willing to serve...Thanks Candy you are so wonderful. We would also like to thank Dana's mom Kathleen for allowing us to host Sadie's party at her lovely remodeled home. And last but not least we would like to thank Snow White (played by Mallory Arnett) Cinderella (played by Korrinn McCoy) and Belle (played by Tava Erdmann). These girls looked great and were so willing to do this for us.

Oh and I should also thank Devry for her patience, this post is for you D!

Cake #1

Cake #2

Snow White and a Golden Delicious?

Belle

Cinderella

I think the "adults" had more fun at this party then the kids.

Prince Joseph

Word!

All the princesses. The boys were too busy trying to kill each other with the fake swords.

Some of the adults wanted a photo with the Princesses.

Rebbecca

Aunt Diane

Grandpa Larry

Cousin Lindsay

Grandma Kathy

Grandma Bonnie

Aunt Stacey

Me

Lipstick on a princess.

A princess dress.

Peeps

More peeps.

Sadie was really excited with all her gifts.

All the kids helped open the presents, they tore into them like a pack of wild dogs.

In the end I think everyone had a great time, well done Dana!

I Heart Mark Steyn

2008-10-25T14:01:00.003-06:00

I think Mark Steyn is one of the funniest and most brilliant political pundits out there. I check his website every day and read everything he writes. His book America Alone, is excellent and I highly recommend it.

Today he wrote a very timely piece for the National Review Online. I think it's a must read so I'm posting it on the blog, in hopes that at least seven people who would have not read it otherwise will do so. Enjoy!

Point of No Return
Will we vote for the same soothing siren song as our enervated allies?

By Mark Steyn

Across the electric wires, the hum is ceaseless: Give it up, loser. Don’t go down with the ship when it’s swept away by the Obama tsunami. According to newspaper reports, polls show that most people believe newspaper reports claiming that most people believe polls showing that most people have read newspaper reports agreeing that polls show he’s going to win.

In the words of Publishers’ Clearing House, he may already have won! The battleground states have all turned blue, the reddest of red states are rapidly purpling. Don’t you know, little fool? You never can win. Use your mentality, wake up to reality. Why be the last right-wing pundit to sign up with Small-Government Conservatives For The Liberal Supermajority? We still need pages for the coronation, and there’s a pair of velvet knickerbockers with your name on it.

Yes, technically, this is still a two-party state, but one of the parties is like Elton John’s post-Oscar bash and the other is a church social in Wasilla. As David Sedaris put it in The New Yorker:

“I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. ‘Can I interest you in the chicken?’ she asks. ‘Or would you prefer the platter of s—t with bits of broken glass in it?’

“To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.”

Well, to be honest, I’ve never much cared for chicken.

McCain vs Obama is not the choice many of us would have liked in an ideal world. But then it’s not an “ideal world”, and the belief that it can be made so is one of the things that separates those who think Obama will “heal the planet” and those of us who support McCain faute de mieux. I agree with Thomas Sowell that an Obama-Pelosi supermajority will mark what he calls “a point of no return”. It would not be, as some naysayers scoff, “Jimmy Carter’s second term”, but something far more transformative. The new president would front the fourth great wave of liberal annexation — the first being FDR’s New Deal, the second LBJ’s Great Society, and the third the incremental but remorseless cultural advance when Reagan conservatives began winning victories at the ballot box and liberals turned their attention to the other levers of the society, from grade school up. The terrorist educator William Ayers, Obama’s patron in Chicago, is an exemplar of the last model: forty years ago, he was in favor of blowing up public buildings; then he figured out it was easier to get inside and undermine them from within.

All three liberal waves have transformed American expectations of the state. The spirit of the age is: Ask not what your country can do for you, demand it. Why can’t the government sort out my health care? Why can’t they pick up my mortgage?

In his first inaugural address, Calvin Coolidge said: “I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people.” That’s true in a more profound sense than he could have foreseen. In Europe, lavish social-democratic government has transformed citizens into eternal wards of the nanny state: the bureaucracy’s assumption of every adult responsibility has severed Continentals from the most basic survival impulse, to the point where unaffordable entitlements on shriveled birth rates have put a question mark over some of the oldest nation states on earth. A vote for an Obama-Pelosi-Barney Frank-ACORN supermajority is a vote for a Europeanized domestic policy that is, as the eco-types like to say, “unsustainable”.

More to the point, the only reason why Belgium has gotten away with being Belgium and Sweden Sweden and Germany Germany this long is because America’s America. The soft comfortable cocoon in which western Europe has dozed this last half-century is girded by cold hard American power. What happens when the last serious western nation votes for the same soothing beguiling siren song as its enervated allies?

“People of the world,” declared Senator Obama sonorously at his self-worship service in Germany, “look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.”

No, sorry. History proved no such thing. In the Cold War, the world did not stand as one. One half of Europe was a prison, and in the other half far too many people — the Barack Obamas of the day — were happy to go along with that division in perpetuity. And the wall came down not because “the world stood as one” but because a few courageous people stood against the conventional wisdom of the day. Had Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan been like Helmut Schmidt and Francois Mitterand and Pierre Trudeau and Jimmy Carter, the Soviet empire (notwithstanding its own incompetence) would have survived and the wall would still be standing. Senator Obama’s feeble passivity will get you a big round of applause precisely because it’s the easy option: Do nothing but hold hands and sing the easy listening anthems of one-worldism, and the planet will heal.

To govern is to choose. And sometimes the choices are tough ones. When has Barack Obama chosen to take a stand? When he got along to get along with the Chicago machine? When he sat for 20 years in the pews of an ugly neo-segregationist race-baiting grievance-monger? When he voted to deny the surviving “fetuses” of botched abortions medical treatment? When in his short time in national politics he racked up the most liberal – ie, the most doctrinaire, the most orthodox, the most reflex — voting record in the Senate? Or when, on those many occasions the questions got complex and required a choice, he dodged it and voted merely “present”?

The world rarely stands as one. You can, as Reagan and Thatcher did, stand up. Or, like Obama voting “present”, you can stand down.

Nobody denies that, in promoting himself from “community organizer” to the world’s President-designate in nothing flat, he has shown an amazing and impressively ruthless single-mindedness. But the path of personal glory has been, in terms of policy and philosophy, the path of least resistance.

Peggy Noonan thinks a President Obama will be like the dog who chases the car and finally catches it: Now what? I think Obama will be content to be King Barack the Benign, Spreader of Wealth and Healer of Planets. His rise is, in many ways, testament to the persistence of the monarchical urge even in a two-century old republic. So the “Now what?” questions will be answered by others, beginning with the liberal supermajority in Congress. And as he has done all his life he will take the path of least resistance. An Obama Administration will pitch America toward EU domestic policy and UN foreign policy. Thomas Sowell is right: It would be a “point of no return”, the most explicit repudiation of the animating principles of America. For a vigilant republic of limited government and self-reliant citizens, it would be a Declaration of Dependence.

If a majority of Americans want that, we holdouts must respect their choice. But, if you don’t want it, vote accordingly.

© Mark Steyn 2008

In memory of Grandpa Joe

2008-10-18T20:17:00.013-06:00

My Grandpa, Joseph Bateman, passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday the 18th of October. Grandpa Joe was a very special man to me and I would like to write a little about him, mostly for me I think. I just need to sort out some feelings and would like to pay tribute to the greatest man I have ever known. I have mixed emotions this day, Grandpa's health has been failing for years in fact I was concerned he might not be around when I returned from my mission. Thankfully he was around for nearly 10 more years. So on one hand I am grateful he has been relieved from his health problems but on the other hand I am deeply saddened that he is gone. I don't think anyone is truly prepared for the loss of a loved one, I thought that I would be but I was wrong.

Grandpa Joe had the amazing ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He would greet his family with a huge smile, warm hugs and a handshake. He was so kind and could befriend anyone, I saw this first hand at my Mom's trade show. He worked as an usher and had some how managed to become a friend to everyone. People at the show asked about Grandpa years after he stopped working it.

Grandpa was always there to help me fix a toy or assemble a new one. He was there when I had a question about Church doctrine. He filled the void a missing father left a small boy. Grandpa was my hero, he ordained me to every office of the Priesthood except the office of a High Priest as he was too ill to do so. He set the example on how to treat a lady, he was so kind to his wife. He ALWAYS got her door, helped her up and held her hand, this behavior continued as long as he was physically able to do so. I respected and loved him so much I named my son after him. I use the scriptures that he used during his second mission, inside them I keep a photo of him from his first mission seen below. I love using his scripture because he left so many notes in them, often times it is like he is teaching me each time I read them. He was an amazing man, I am grateful he is my grandpa.

Below are some of my favorite photos of Grandpa. (Family, email me if you would like any of these photos emailed to you.)

Gramps on his mission, notice the photo of grandma on his dresser.

This is the photo I keep in my scriptures. The photo of the pretty girl in his hand is his then girl friend and future wife Dorothy.

Grandpa on his mission.
The type on the truck reads "Read America's Strangest Book, The Book of Mormon".
They called him the "Bushy Haired Preacher".

This is one of my favorites, Dot & Joe.

Grandpa Joe and Uncle Brent.

Me, Grandpa Joe and Jabba the Hutt.

This was my last visit with Grandpa, we took the kids and they really seemed to enjoy it.

•••Update •••

Grandpa Obituary

My cousin McCall's tribute to Grandpa Joe.

John McCain writes back

2008-10-10T23:39:00.005-06:00

Below is what Ol' Johnny's flunky wrote to me in response to the e-mail I sent him and others on 9/24.

October 9, 2008

Dear Mrs. Brijs:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the state of our nation's economy and the dire situation facing some of our largest financial institutions. I appreciate knowing your views.

This unprecedented financial crisis requires strong leadership, prompt response and sensible action in order to restore a sound foundation to financial markets, get our economy on its feet, and eliminate this burden on hardworking middle-class Americans. That is why I commend lawmakers for coming together and passing the economic rescue bill. I'm glad I was able to help bring my colleagues in the House of Representatives to the table.

This package provides for oversight and transparency to ensure that we are good stewards of the taxpayer's money and I believe that the taxpayer protections that were added have improved the bill. It will generate real relief to tight conditions in credit markets and includes measures that provide accountability on the part of those assisted in exchange for government financial assistance.

This rescue plan is not perfect, and it is an outrage that it's even necessary. But we must stop the damage to our economy done by corrupt and incompetent practices on Wall Street and in Washington. The action Congress recently took is a tourniquet, not a permanent solution. Our economy is still hurting and further action is needed, and it should not take a crisis to get this Congress to act.

Clearly, we have much work ahead of us and the American public is counting on us to fulfill the jobs that they sent us here to do. We need to work together to institute sound policies that will stimulate and strengthen our economy and promote our nation's long-term economic growth.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this very important matter. Please feel free to contact me on this or any other issue of concern.

Sincerely,

John McCain
United States Senator

JM/dkr

This letter basically summarizes one of the big reasons why John McCain is most likely going to lose this election. He does not either realize or he just doesn't care that the average American voter is pissed off about this bailout for a multitude of reasons.

Reason #1 - 95% of us didn't take on risky mortgages (Only 5 or 6% of all mortgages are subprime) that we now can't afford. It insults us and all we thought this great nation stood for when you talk about saving these people from losing their homes. Good hell, this is America the land of personal responsibility. If you make a mistake you fix it. If you knew enough to falsify information to get your mortgage than you knew you shouldn't be getting that loan; and for the love of all that is holy my hard earned dollars that I pay in taxes that should be for things like roads, city/state/federal services, schools (although don't even get me started on how messed up that system is) should not be used to keep Mr. and Mrs. irresponsibility or Mr. and Mrs. one of the 5 million illegals who own a home in this country from losing a home they can't afford.

Reason #2 - We don't like socialism. And this nasty atrocity of a bill your hands are all over wreaks of socialism. The government should stay as far out of the economy and the financial sector as possible. Capitalism isn't perfect but its the best system we have so far, especially for preserving indvidual rights and freedoms. The market, if not tampered with,corrects itself eventually. It will even rid itself of companies that are irresponsible with other people's money.

Reason # 3 - We don't trust any of you in Washington. R or D it really doesn't matter, if you voted for this bill we know that you sold John Q Public down the river. We know that you squandered the opportunity to make it a clean bill and put in your pork. Wooden Arrows, really?

Reason # 4 - You can call yourself a Maverick all you want but this bill was pure inside Washington politics and buddy, actions speak louder than words.

Reason # 5 - Most Americans wanted to take our medicine and get it over with. Now we've just made ourselves more sick and may have a very long drawn out hospital stay.

It's a shame really, I honestly believe this great nation can't afford four years of Mr. Obama, especially with no checks from the legslative branch. If these elections play out as pundits are predicting the Democratic controlled Congress will have their magic 60% which means the Republicians won't be able to stop the pendulum swinging hard and fast to the left, courtesy of Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Obama. The problem is Mr. McCain didn't realize we didn't want him to go in there and play politics as usual. We wanted change. Real change, not gaseous platitiudes that don't mean anything.

The Bill to end all Bills

2008-09-28T17:16:00.004-06:00

This is a link to download a draft of the bill. I'm pretty sure they will call for a vote on it tomorrow. It's only 110 pages, so let's all read it real quick and then discuss.

Kentucky Rocks!

2008-09-26T22:55:00.005-06:00

Ryan says I should just bite the bullet and start a political blog but I'm not. I don't want the pressure of feeling like I need to post something. I like the arrangement I have now. Ryan does most of the work and I chime in occasionally. It's how I roll. So to those of you who come to the blog for cute pictures of our children and updates on our lives, I apologize. Ryan will be posting soon, I'm sure.

What I really wanted to say was...Wow I wish this man was my Senator. The speech he read on the Senate floor today was excellent. I'm posting the speech in its entirety because I think it's that good. I'll bold the paragraphs that make me especially giddy.

"Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to speak about the current economic situation and the bailout bill that will soon be coming to the Senate floor.

Let me start by saying that I am just as concerned about what is going on in the financial markets and the economy as everyone else. I know there are extreme tensions in the credit markets and those problems could soon have an impact on businesses and individuals who had nothing to do with the mortgage mess. However, I do not agree that the bill coming to the Senate will fix those problems.

I also strongly disagree with the Senators who have come to the floor and declared that this crisis is a failure of the free markets. No, the root of this crisis is a failure of government. It comes from a failure of regulation and, most importantly, monetary policy. In the long term we certainly need to update our financial regulation to reflect the realities of our modern economy, but it is just plain wrong to blame failures of our regulations and regulators on the markets.

A little history is in order here. Our financial regulations are based on structures put in place during the Great Depression. Our laws simply do not reflect the current landscape of the financial markets. Once upon a time, banks may have been the only institutions that were a danger to the entire financial system, but it is clear that other institutions are now so big and connected that we can not ignore them in the future. Also, many of today’s common financial instruments did not exist twenty years ago, much less when our laws were written.

But our regulatory structure is not the only problem. The real fuel for the fire of this crisis has been the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve. I have been a vocal critic of the Fed for many years, and have been warning that their policies would hurt Americans in the short and long term. For most of those years I did not have much company, but I am glad that many economists and commentators have recently joined me in criticizing the Fed.

During the second half of his time at the Fed, former Chairman Alan Greenspan tried to micro-manage the economy with monetary policy. Any economy is going to have its ups and downs, and it was foolish to try to stop that. But Chairman Greenspan did it anyway. By trying to smooth out those bumps, he over-shot to the high and low side, creating bubbles and then recessions.

I have spoken many times on the floor about the Fed’s policies that led to the housing bubble, but a few parts are worth repeating. Everyone remembers the dot-com bubble, which was itself partly a result of easy money pumped into the system by the Fed in the late 1990’s. Well, Chairman Greenspan set out to pop that bubble and kept raising interest rates in the face of a slowdown, driving the economy into recession.

In order to undo the problems created by his tight money, he then overshot, taking rates to as low as one percent for a year, and below two percent for nearly three years. In turn, that easy money ignited the housing market by bringing mortgage interest rates to all time lows. Low-cost borrowing encouraged excessive risk-taking in the financial markets, and led investors to pump borrowed funds into all kinds of investments, including the various mortgage lending vehicles.

In 2004, he encouraged borrowers to get adjustable rate mortgages because of all the money they would save. Four months later, he started a series of 17 interest rate increases that helped make those mortgages unaffordable for the hundreds of thousands of borrowers who listened to his advice. I warned him about this advice the day following his speech, but that warning fell on deaf ears.

Then in 2005, rising interest rates and house price appreciation overcame the ability of borrowers to afford the house they wanted. To keep the party going, borrowers, lenders, investors, rating agencies, and everyone else involved lowered their standards, and kept mortgages flowing to less creditworthy borrowers, who were buying ever more expensive houses.

Chairman Greenspan also let investors and homeowners down by failing to police the banks and other lenders as they wrote ever more risky loans. Regulated banks were allowed to keep their most risky assets off the balance sheet. Even worse, he refused to use the powers Congress gave the Fed in the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act in 1994 to oversee all lenders, even those not affiliated with banks. His refusal to reign in the worst lending practices allowed banks and others, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to write the loans that are now at the center of the mortgage crisis. Chairman Ben Bernanke finally issued rules under that law in July, but that was far too late to solve the problems.

Before turning to the coming legislation, I want to mention a few more failures of government that directly contributed to this mess. Federal regulations require the use of ratings from rating agencies that have proven to be wrong on the biggest financial failures of the last decade. The Community Reinvestment Act forces banks to make loans they would not otherwise make based on the credit history of the borrower. The Securities and Exchange Commission under former Chairman Donaldson failed to establish meaningful oversight and leverage restrictions for investment banks.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used the implied backing of the government to grow so large that their takeover by the government effectively doubled the national debt. And they were pushed by their executives and the Clinton Administration to loosen their lending standards and write the loans that drove the companies to the point of being bailed out by the taxpayers.

Finally, the same individuals who have come to this building to ask for the latest bailout set the stage for the very panic they are using to justify the bailout. The Secretary of the Treasury and the Fed Chairman set expectations for government intervention when they bailed out Bear Stearns in March. The markets operated all summer with the belief that the government would step in and rescue failing firms. Then they let Lehman Brothers fail, and the markets had to adjust to the idea that Wall Street would have to take the losses for Wall Street’s bad decisions, not the taxpayers. That new uncertainty could be the most significant contributing factor to why the markets panicked last week. What is more, the panic today is a result of the high expectations set last week when the Secretary and Chairman announced their plan. When resistance in Congress and the public outrage over the plan became clear, the markets walked back to the edge of panic.

Now I want to talk about the bailout bill that we expect to have on the Senate floor soon. The Paulson proposal is an attempt to do what we so often do in Washington – throw money at a problem. We cannot make bad mortgages go away. We cannot make the losses that our financial institutions are facing go away. Someone must take those losses. We can either let the people who made bad decisions bear the consequences of their actions, or we can spread that pain to others. And that is exactly what Secretary Paulson proposes to do – take Wall Street’s pain and spread it to the taxpayers.

We all know it is not fair to ask the taxpayers to pick up Wall Street’s tab. But what we do not know is if this plan can even work. All we have is the word of the Treasury Secretary and the Fed Chairman. But they have been wrong throughout this whole housing mess. They have previously told us that the subprime problems would not spread and that the economy was strong. Now they say we are on the edge of a severe recession if we do not pass this bill.

Well, I am not buying it, and neither are many of the nation’s leading economists. If some sort of government intervention is needed to fix the mess created by the government failures I talked about earlier, we need to get it right. Congress owes it to the American people to slow down and think this through. We need to know that whatever we do is going to fix the problem, protect the taxpayers, not reward those who made bad decisions, and make sure this does not happen again. But we can not do that in one week as we are all trying to rush home. Congress needs to take this seriously and stay here until we find the right solution, not just throw 700 billion dollars at Wall Street as we walk out the door.

Now, Mr. President, before I yield the floor, I ask unanimous consent that the two letters I mentioned from economists opposing the bill, along with an article from the New York Times from 1999 about the Clinton Administration pushing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into risky loans, be printed in the record following my remarks.

I yield the floor."

From everything I've read and watched about these bailout negotiations, I understood that only the House Republicans were putting up a fight and that the Senate Republicans were just a bunch of pansies happy to sell the American taxpayer down the river. Well at least Jim Bunning, the U.S. Senator from Kentucky, isn't willing to pass this monstrosity with out asking a few pertinent questions. For that I salute him.

Take your Bailout and...Shove it!

2008-09-24T14:11:00.004-06:00

So after reading so much about this bailout and feeling helpless to stop what I feel is the equivalent to watching a trillion dollars of my and your money just go down the drain, I decided I needed to tell these idiots in Washington that I for one have had enough or their "solutions" which only cause more problems. So below is the letter I e-mailed to the entire Utah delegation as well as to Senators McCain and Obama.

Dear Senator Hatch:

I'm writing you to express my concern about Secretary Paulson's "bail-out" proposal. I strongly object to his proposal for several reasons, two of which I will mention. First, I don't believe that government "meddling" helps our economy. The market is too big and too complicated for anyone entity to presume to know exactly what is needed to fix any crises and secondly I believe it its our government that created this "crisis" in the first place.

The government-backed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created to interfere with the housing and mortgage markets. In effect, Freddie and Fannie diverted money to people who wouldn't have qualified for mortgages in a real private market. The fact is that politicians from both parties have been encouraging market recklessness with their policies that are nothing less than government social engineering of the housing market.

To quote Dr. Thomas Sowell from a recent column, "we don't look to arsonists to put out fires that they've created; neither should we look to Congress to solve the problems they've created. " This is why I am urging you and the others from the Utah Delegation to vote against Secretary Paulson's plan and to please stay out of our markets. You, the government, have done enough damage!

Sincerely,

Dana Brijs

I don't know if it will do any good but it made me feel better! If you too are feeling helpless I encourage you to write or call your representatives, it feels good.

Ninja and Preschool

2008-09-21T23:50:00.006-06:00

I asked Joseph a few months back what he wants to be when he grows up, I hoped he would say a Doctor or something respectable but instead he said he wants to be a Ninja. I was like are you serious? And he said yes. I told him that being a Ninja isn't really a profession and besides Ninjas were mean and kill people like assassins...he took this news terribly, in fact he cried. Anyway somebody told him that there are good Ninjas out there and that seemed to lift his spirits. Halloween is coming up, any guesses on what he wants to be?...Yep a Ninja.

In other news, Sadie started her first week of preschool with a few kids from the neighborhood. It's only two days a week which really bums her out because she absolutely loves it and wants to go everyday. She's growing up so fast!

Weekend Update

2008-09-14T22:56:00.009-06:00

Our Ward held a no rules Pinewood Derby on Friday night and of course I wanted to participate. I originally planned to ask my Dad to help me just like the old days but in typical Brijs fashion I waited 'til the last minute and we didn't hook up so I just made my own car(s). I have fond memories of the pinewood derby, mainly of my Dad making the car for me while I waited around for the exciting part like painting the car and the actual race, which we won 2 years in a row. My Dad was amazingly skillful in the construction of these cars and naturally I wanted him to repeat that for me again. Anyway since I procrastinated I ended up making the cars myself, one for me and one for Joseph. Since time was limited I bought a pre-cut car kit and then went nuts on a mod podge idea I had. See below. Anyway the night was fun although it was a little hectic for my taste. The red car was the second fastest losing only to a car that had 3 large batteries glued to it. The mod podge car was of average speed.

Saturday was another one of Joe's soccer games this time he actually scored a goal I was ever so proud! I took him to buy a treat after the game in celebration and he picked out this gummie candy of little hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and soda. They looked disgusting but I let him get them anyway. Grandpa Larry and Grandma Kathy took us all out for breakfast also in celebration.

Final Larry update

2008-09-07T22:05:00.003-06:00

Ok here is the final Larry eyelid surgery update, I think we all can agree that it was a success. On a side note Larry happens to be wearing the same shirt in all the photos but one...note to his daughters, new shirts for Christmas eh?!

Soccer Game

2008-09-06T22:57:00.007-06:00

Joseph is playing soccer this year, he went to camp this summer and now the season is in full swing. Today was his second game that started at the ridiculous hour of 8 a.m. We had to get up a 7 to get him breakfast, dressed and packed for the game. I was in charge of the half time snack and treats after the game...more on that later. So I got Joe up this morning and he was in tears remember because it was so ridiculously early and we were up a little too late last night. Once he got over that he ate and we were out the door...in my volvo station wagon...pass the sun chips cracker!

Anyway Joe is pretty good at soccer, he really seems to enjoy it, he even has a buddie from church on the team. At half time the team gets a snack, all the parents take turns bringing them and the coach recommended fruit. So Dana packed us some grapes in 14 little baggies and when half time came around I busted out the grapes and the kids gave me this look like "Grapes? Are you kidding me?" "This ain't no snack dude!" I was like relax you are getting Rice Krispie treats after the game now eat your healthy snack fools. Here are some photos.

A little pre-game pose.

Cute little monkey man

This is how 5 year olds play soccer, there are no goalies, no one plays a position they just all run in a group like a "flock of ants" Joe is in the center.

The kid next to Joe scored this goal, Joe was right in there though.

Running after the ball, by the way he has Puma soccer cleats, so rad that they come in little monkey man sizes.

An inbounds kick, Joe is the one in the middle, not paying attention with his hands in the air. Click to enlarge.

This is a photo of Joe almost scoring his first goal, he drove all the way up to the goal only to kick it left of the pole just missing the open net.

So close dude!

Joseph and Josh enjoying the after game snacks.

Here are some photos from practice a few weeks ago.

Sadie is Joseph's biggest fan, she was devistated when she learned that she missed his game this morning.

Weekend Fun

2008-09-01T20:28:00.006-06:00

We went to Bridal Veil Falls last Friday, one last hurrah or "hazah" before the cold front moved in. We had a little picnic at the park and then walked the trail to the falls. Once again I took way too many photos.

Larry's Surgery

2008-08-26T09:19:00.004-06:00

So my Father in-law, or as we like to call him "Pop-Pop", had eyelid surgery last week and we have been charting his recovery. Here is the progress courtesy of my iPhone camera.

More Dance

2008-08-22T16:22:00.005-06:00

Here are some more photos from Sadie's dance class, mainly for Aunt Devry.

First Day of School!

2008-08-21T22:17:00.004-06:00

We sent our little monkey man off to school today, it was his first day of kindergarten and of course we were more freaked out about the whole thing than Joe. Dana sat him down and had a talk with him about what he could expect and also how to behave. Then Dana said that her father use to give her and all her siblings a father's blessing at the start of each school year and proposed that I do the same with our kids. I thought it was a great idea and gave him a blessing, it was a neat experience. Then we drove him to school, it is sort a strange experience sending your kid to school. He has grown so fast and is ready for this stage of life however, we his parents are not quite ready. The day went well for him, he really seemed to enjoy it, which was a great relief for us. Anyway here are some photos.

Happy Anniversary

2008-08-18T13:13:00.004-06:00

Today marks our 8th wedding anniversary and we are celebrating in style!
How, you ask? By test driving used mini-vans. May the magic never die!

Sadie's Dance Class

2008-07-03T12:02:00.003-06:00

Dana signed Sadie up for a dance class a few weeks ago called fairy tale ballet. They tell the girls a story and then they dress the part and dance. The last few weeks they have been doing stories/dances from Peter Pan. Last week it was Tiger Lily and this week it was Tinker Bell. Anyway she really loves going to dance and her friend Gracie is in the class too so they have so much fun. Here are a few photos.

Lost a tooth

2008-06-25T11:01:00.003-06:00

Joseph is growing up and I am not sure how I feel about it. He had been telling me for weeks that he had a loose tooth and last weekend it was actually very noticeable. He was playing with it all day on Saturday even during his tee ball game. Dana was willing to pull it out for him which he later let her do, thankfully I wasn't around for that as I have some strange phobia/nightmare about my teeth falling out all at the same time. Anyway he was way excited to show both his Grandmas and he was excited to take a step closer to being a big kid. Grandpa Larry upon hearing the news immediately handed Joseph a dollar bill and the tooth fairy came that night and left him a dollar too, not to bad.

Orem Summerfest '08

2008-06-15T16:09:00.014-06:00

Orem Summerfest is an annual carnival held every summer, we decided to check it out, here are the photos.

Dana had this crazy idea we should walk to the carnival. My sandals gave me blisters.

Joe and Jax waiting in line for the Indiana Jones ride.

Carney worker manning the Indian Jones ride. Too much sun and not enough alcohol, eh partner?

Raiders ride, the boys loved it.

Going down the slide.

Sadie on the bike ride all by herself.

Eating a snow cone after her exhausting bike ride.

Stacey and the boys.

This Carney was moving his head like he was listening to music but there was none.

On the ferriswheel.

Opening the cotton candy.

Eating the cotton candy.

More ferriswheel

Jaxson didn't wait for the rest of the group.

Devry taking our kids down the slide.

Father & Sons

2008-06-09T14:34:00.006-06:00

This past weekend I took Joseph on the ward's annual Father and Sons camp out. We went to Squaw Peak in Provo Canyon which was nice because it was so close however, the person that picked the site didn't account for people like myself who would be driving in cars. It was a bit rough getting my grandpa car to the spot.

Anyway Joseph was way excited to go on his first camp out, lots of his little buddies from Church were going, he was also excited for the campfire and treats. I also brought two other boys (brothers) from our ward, their Dad couldn't make it. Anyway I didn't have a tent so I borrowed one for the boys and went out and bought one that sleeps nine for Joe and I. Dana calls it our post apocalyptic residence. Anyway we had a lot of fun for the most part. Dana made us delicious tinfoil dinners, we played football, roasted marshmallows and chilled around the fire. Shortly after dinner Joseph informed me that he needed to go poo-poo so I got some advice from one of the other fathers on the proper technique for helping a little guy take a dump in the woods. He said make sure he squats enough so it doesn't land in his pants and make sure its buried. So we found a spot and he got busy, I was proud and disgusted at the same time. He kept saying "I wish I could do this at home and then come back". Thank goodness Dana packed us some wet wipes.

Around 11 Joe passed out in my lap while we sat around the fire so we went to bed and that's when the fun ended. I forgot the air mattress and our pillows. Thankfully our sleeping bags had little inflatable pillows which were good enough for Joe, not so much for me. So he passed out and I didn't sleep a wink. Then around 4 in the morning it rained. By 5:45 I was up and started to roll up my sleeping bag and noticed the tent was leaking a little bit on the bottom of our sleeping bags. I stepped out of the tent and began to gather my chairs and cooler when it then started to snow. I woke up the boys and got the tents down. The Bishopric was supposed to make breakfast that morning, the Bishop and 1st counselor said "What do you think Ryan, should we make breakfast?" I was like "Are you kidding me? It's snowing, it's 25 degrees, everything is soaked, there is nowhere to sit and we have a bunch of little kids up here!" I think they agreed with me so I finished packing and got out of there. I dropped off Joseph and put him back in bed and took the boys to Denny's for breakfast then took them home. I went home exhausted and ended up taking two naps that day to recover.

I got Blogs

2008-05-23T11:39:00.002-06:00

So I have four blogs now, yeah I know why have four when I can't even keep one updated. My intentions are good but I'll apologize now for any lag time on the updating. I plan to keep the family blog and the design blog updated more often than the other two. Anyway check them out if you havent already.

The ij Blog (Our family blog)
The ij Kids (The podcast I have done with the kids) Season 2 coming soon.
Agent Oranje (My photo blog)
The ij 2 electric boogaloo (My design blog...NEW)

Ogden Marathon

2008-05-18T19:12:00.010-06:00

Dana, Lacy and Brent ran the Ogden Marathon on Saturday. For Dana and Lacy it was their very first Marathon ever. They trained hard for months and they finished the marathon in under 6 hours. I for one am a proud husband which is evident by the amount of photos I took.

Anyway this was a HUGE achievement for these girls and the entire family is so proud. 13 family members showed up in support and a good time was had by all. I'll let Dana and Lacy post the details. Here are the photos!

Mallory, Lexie and Devry braving the cold canyon breeze.

Dave conveniently pulled his hammy before the race...coincidence, I think not!

Huntsville was beautiful.

Here they are at the 18 mile marker.

Notice Lindsay in the background with an orange emergency blanket.

Reminds me of Rocky.

Passing the 18 mile mark.

Pal-Pal and Kathy.

O-Town

Crossing the finishing line.

Getting medals for finishing the race.

The victory strut.

Look at the proud smiles on the Pop Pops.

After the race they enjoyed some orange creamies.

Also peep these blogs for more details:
Lacy
Brent
Really Running a Marathon
Devry
Lindsay

It's not a tumor

2008-05-13T15:10:00.004-06:00

So I went to the Doctor today expecting to find out that I had a brain tumor and only had weeks to live but to my relief I was told that have a swollen lymph node behind my ear. I have had this little bump on my head behind my ear for a month or two and it was starting to hurt. The pain was very minor but like most men I was troubled by even the slightest little spasm of pain and complained often.

There is a fear deep inside me every time I have a headache that it is really a brain tumor. My Oma (That's Dutch for Grandma) died when I was 10 or so from a brain tumor and ever since then I have been paranoid that it was genetic or that I might one day be stricken with it. Anyway I was given some antibiotics and have to follow up with the Doc when they are done if its still bothering me. He did say something about Bells Palsy and to watch for that because it can start like this or something. Remember Dave! Anyway I am not out of the woods yet, it could be Leukemia, Tuberculosis, Anthrax, Secondary Syphilis or my favorite Cat scratch fever. The lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system that is part of the immune system. Lymph nodes often swell in response to infection or disease. Apparently every condition from stress to the common cold or even AIDS can cause swollen lymph nodes. Rest assured my chances of survival are high. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and prayers.

Preschool Program

2008-05-12T09:29:00.007-06:00

Joseph's Preschool program was this past friday and as usual the family turned out in big numbers to support him. He attends school at Miss Jill's house which is up the road from Grandma Kathy's house. There are only two kids in the class this year which I am sure has its pros and cons. Anyway I "worked from home" that day so I could attend. So Larry, Kathy, Stacey, Jaxson, Devry, Quinn and of course Sadie, Dana and I all came to see the production. We had a picnic indoors then Joseph showed us around a bit. His teacher said she encourages a non-violent preschool environment since she is a non-violent person however, that never stops Joseph from bringing toy weapons for show-and-tell. On that day he brought nunchucks and brass nuckles with spikes. Anyway after lunch they sang a song to us and the crowd participated then they did a reenactment of Cat in the Hat. We then went outside to play. Here are some photos.

Sadie invited herself to the stage.

She is so damn cute

See

Joseph had a good time

Quinn willingly participated in the song

Cat in the Hat Program

Thing 1 & Thing 2

Sadie playing with the big parachute

Quinn coundn't keep his hands off of Devry

Stacey pretending to be bored

100+

2008-05-08T23:14:00.004-06:00

Most of you know my wife is training for a marathon. The Ogden Marathon to be exact, May 17th and while I am really proud of what she has accomplished I must admit I am anxiously awaiting it to be over. Her runs are getting longer, which mean she is gone for longer periods of time. I get a little worried about her safety even though she runs with a mini can of pepper spray. Thankfully she has a new running partner at the moment so I don't worry as much. She comes home tired, bruised and blistered and very sweaty but she is determined to run the race. Anyway awhile back I bought her an iPod Nano with Nike+, a neat little program that charts her runs. Anyway the other day she hit 100 miles and was given this little certificate below. I was the proud husband and printed the certificate and hung it on the fridge. She is now up to 171 miles since she started using this little device. As much as I think she's a little crazy for doing this I totally admire her, it's something I don't think I could do. I am so impressed with what she has done thus far and can't wait to see her cross the finish line, and yes I will get some great photos.

Jaxson's Buzz Cut

2008-03-31T16:41:00.004-06:00

Danny and Jaxson were at our house the other night and we had mentioned to Danny the funny comments that were made about Jaxson's hair on facebook etc. As you can see from the Easter photos Jaxson looked a little over due on a hair cut.

Here are the comments:

"Jackson looks like a Soap Opera Star. You should call him Beau".
Troy

"Whats with jax's 70's hair do?"
Cameron

"Wow, it looks like Jax is wearing a hairpiece."
Steph

"He's doing it Trump style.... is that what he's going for?"
Rebecca

Danny's reaction went as follows:

Danny: "They said that? We should give Jaxson a buzz."

Ryan "I have clippers, we could do it right now."

Kathy: "Noooo!"

Dana: "You better talk to Stacy."

Danny: "She'll let me do it."

Ryan, Dana & Kathy: (rolled their eyes)

Danny disappears downstairs and I hear him begging Stacy on the phone. He returns and says " she said ok, let's go."

Jaxson was a good sport at first but when Danny went in for a closer cut Jax he freaked. Sadie watched in horror pleading with her Mom not to let her be next to get a buzz. "Don't cut my hair Mommy," in a half crying voice.

I called Stacy the next day and she said she cried when she saw her little boy with a shaved head.

I thought he looked pretty good myself.

After the first line down his head.

Still doing fine.

Here is the freak out.

Easter '08

2008-03-29T12:58:00.008-06:00

Here is the Easter update, a week late. We went over to Aunt Penee's for a morning of fun, we went on an egg hunt, played some games and had wheelbarrow races. I some how ended up with a 154 photos, anyway here are a few of my favorites.

Sadie not so happy.

Dana & Mallory

awkward pose 1

awkward pose 2

Joe and Peeps

Cousins

Cousins

Dana & Sadie

I tried to tell him that it wasn't pink, its magenta and magenta is cool.

Jaxson needs a hair cut

wheelbarrow races

What?

More races

mommy-daughter

My little Rosie

2008-03-08T10:21:00.006-07:00

Ok I am a huge blog slacker I know. Funny thing is I am developing two more new blogs that I can also slack in updating as well. Anyway the other night Sadie disappeared for a minute and by the time we realized that things were too quite and that she was gone it was too late. We discovered her in the bathroom with Dana's makeup emptied on the counter. She is really into having makeup put on her lately so apparently she decided to get into it her self and put some on. I almost got upset at her but she looked so cute and happy and since I was the one who discovered her and since I am a huge sucker for my little girl I let her slide on this one. Dana however, was not amused.

Google maps is the best. True that. (Double true!)

2008-02-21T11:46:00.003-07:00

The other day Google announced the addition of “Street View” to the Salt Lake City area of Google Maps. What does that mean? You can now virtually visit any street across the entire Wasatch Front, from Pleasant View to Santaquin. You can drag the panoramic photos around with your mouse and look in 360 degrees, click the arrows on the street to move up and down the street and walk around the block, and click the zoom buttons to zoom in and out. You can even use the arrow keys on your keyboard to virtually drive down the streets. It’s freaking nuts.

So check it out, find your house maybe look up a landmark or a temple etc and then watch this video.

Street Football

2008-02-06T09:08:00.001-07:00

This is rad!

Gordon B.

2008-01-31T14:38:00.000-07:00

There have been many wonderful tributes to President Hinckley, I particularly like this one from Glen Beck.

President Hinckley was my generations Prophet. I was too young to remember President Kimball, my memory of President Benson was just that he was sick all the time and his counselors filled in for him at General Conference and of course President Hunter who only severed for 9 months.

I loved President Hinckley and will miss him dearly. I smile at the reunion that must have taken place with his wife who passed before him, I am thankful for his counsel, his love and leadership. He was an amazing man who did so much good in the world and also for the perception of the Church. I am grateful that he was my Prophet.

Dr. Paul is Looking Better by the Minute

2008-01-30T13:01:00.001-07:00

If John McAmnesty, I seriously trampled on the first amendment with my ridiculous McCain- Feingold Campaign Reform Act, gets the Republican nomination, I'll be seriously shopping around for a third party candidate. I was considering voting for the Democrat nominee in November if McCain is the Republican nominee because nobody running will be a conservative and frankly since I think they will all do their gosh darn best to take the country down to hell in a hand basket a.s.a.p. I'd rather have it blamed on a Democrat so when/if the country wakes up we'd hopefully elect an actual conservative. But then I thought better of that as well. Why you ask? Well, because I can't in good conscience vote for a man or woman who I believe will take our country in the wrong direction.

My biggest concerns about McCain, Clinton or Obama being the next president are as follows:

We will pull out of Iraq signaling to the Islamic terrorist that we indeed are a defeatist bunch of ninny's and will pretty much open ourselves up to something much worse than 9/11. To be fair, I'm not as worried about our national defense with McCain as president as the other two, however the man does have a record of making deals with the ~~devil~~ democrats (McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy), so who knows what he'd really do. Plus they don't call him a "Maverick" in the press because of his steadiness.

We will be taxed up the wazoo and then we really will begin to have an economic recession. On taxes, I'm pro tax cuts. Tax cuts for the middle class, tax cuts for businesses and even, no no, especially for the wealthy. Not because I'm wealthy but for practical and moral reasons. Morally I think it's repugnant that the top 25% of tax payers pay 84% of the taxes and practically it's usually the wealthy who are business owners and create jobs. Jobs stimulate our economy and a good economy helps the government bring in more tax revenue. It's win-win really. I think both Hillary and Barack would start defining "wealthy Americans" as those making $80,000+ a year, even though for their socialized medicine programs those same people would be classified as the "working poor", instead of what $80,000+ year crowd really are which is middle class. I can't really pin down McCain's views on this one. He was one of two Republicans who voted against the Bush tax cuts. Now he says that was only because there were no provisions to curb spending. I can't find anything that actually backs up his statement that he voted against them because of the spending at the time. I suspect, as do most political pundits, that he's saying that now so he gets out of looking like he is anti-tax cut. Bottom line, he scares me as much a the Dems on this one.

We will pass a bill granting amnesty for illegal immigrants, hurting our sovereignty, decreasing our safety from terrorist attacks, signaling a free for all for all would be law breakers hence increasing crime, and further straining our already overburdened social services (i.e., Medicaid, Public education, Welfare, etc...). On immigration I just want it stated for the record I'm not against immigration. I'm against illegal immigration. I think that we need to enforce the immigration laws we have and fix legal immigration. I'm all for immigration, if it's legal. But those who chose to knowingly break the law and enter our country illegally do not deserve an easy pathway to citizenship (amnesty). Not only does amnesty demean citizenship it encourages others to break the law as they see there are no consequences for doing so. McCain himself embraced the term (amnesty) during a news conference a few years ago in his office in Tucson, Ariz. 'McCain Pushes Amnesty, Guest-Worker Program,' reported the Tucson Citizen of May 29, 2003. The senator is quoted as saying: 'Amnesty has to be an important part because there are people who have lived in this country for 20, 30 or 40 years, who have raised children here and pay taxes here and are not citizens. That has to be a component of it.' The newspaper also quoted McCain as saying: 'I think we can set up a program where amnesty is extended to a certain number of people who are eligible and at the same time make sure that we have some control over people who come in and out of this country...' McCain is now backing away from the word Amnesty but only because the American people rejected this concept big time in August. As for Hillary and Barack they don't even try and pretend they wouldn't try and grant Amnesty if the next time we'll let them.

We will hurt our economy even further by imposing crippling environmental regulations. As for Global warming I'm not even sure it's happening, and if it really is I'm pretty sure man's contribution compared to natural phenomenon (A.K.A. God and his natural laws) is quite small and not worth crippling our economy and giving up our way of life to make little to no difference. I'm not even going to imagine what Hillary or Barack would do with this issue. I fear Kyoto would be revisited and signed. But based on John's own words he just might do something equally as damaging to our nation. "I believe climate change is real, I think its devastating, I think we have to act, and I agree with most experts that we may at some point reach a tipping point where we cannot save our climate...The overwhelming evidence says that greenhouse gases are contributing to warming of our earth and we have an obligation to take action to fix it..."

So I guess what I'm saying is if it really is McCain 2008 I'm joining the revolution!

Joseph's TMNT Party

2008-01-18T13:04:00.001-07:00

Joseph had a birthday party with his friends last Saturday, the theme was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Joseph invited kids from his Sunday school class, a kid from Grandma Kath's neighborhood, who he has been friends with for a while now, and of course his cousin Jaxson and sister Sadie Rose where there too. Dana's Aunt Candy had thrown a TMNT party for her son when he was little and thankfully she had all the stuff left.

A word about Aunt Candy for a minute. This wonderful woman always comes through in a pinch. She has made wedding cakes, birthday cakes, Christmas nativity stuff, fun games, party props and backdrops and she even made Santa appear. As you can imagine she is a popular person in the family.

So Aunt Candy gave us some games to use and the kids went nuts over them. We played pin the nose on Master Splinter, A pizza toss into a giant turtles mouth. And a game called Don't eat Pete. Not to be confused with Donate Pete. Dana told me about Don't eat Pete but I heard the words donate Pete. She then explained the rules and was like what the crap is this, why is it called donate Pete, I don't get this. Anyway she explained and was amused, I embarrassed.

Here are the photos.

We started with the game Don't eat Pete.

Jaxson and Devry. Her attendance was most welcomed and appreciated.

Garret thought he brought the best present until...

Joseph opened up Jaxon's present (from Grandma and Grandpa too). It was a portable DVD player! Um, you over did it a bit Grandpa, but thanks.

Time for Ninja training camp, everyone get on your masks.

It was important that the ninjas be equipped with ninja weapons which we seem to be in no short supply.

We sat down and I told them the story of the TMNT.

Then we practice some ninja moves, first the punch.

Then the kick.

They took their new found ninja skills and ran an obstacle course.

Then they tossed little pizza's into Raphael's mouth. It's harder than it looks.

Joseph got a few to go in.

A Leonardo cake courtesy of Aunt Candy.

Joseph loved it. Everyone wanted to eat his mask.

Blowing out the cake.

Cake, ice cream and TMNT gatorade.

After the kids left Joseph opened the last of his presents from us, he got all the Turtles and a few other TMNT characters. He had a good time and we were exhausted. Special thanks to Candy!

Skittles touch

2008-01-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Skittles offers a Midas touch and rides the rainbow to Creativity Online's Most Viewed spot of '07.
Skittles has a hand full of great ads that can be found on youtube, the one above is my favorite. The agency responsable is TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York.

TBWA Worldwide is an advertising agency headquartered in New York City but operating globally with 258 offices in 75 countries and over 9,700 employees. The Agency is a unit of Omnicom Group, the world's largest advertising agency holding company.

Creatively speaking, the agency has become one of the most renowned agencies in the world, winning copious quantities of awards and becoming one of the most sought-after destinations for copywriters and art directors. In 2005 it was named by The Gunn Report as the most awarded agency network in the world. Then in 2006, ADWEEK named TBWA to be Global Agency Network of the Year.

For a higher quality version, click here.

Let this be a warning!

2008-01-16T16:24:00.001-07:00

Cloverfield

2008-01-11T11:11:00.001-07:00

I'm going, who's coming

Happy Birthday Joesph

2008-01-07T22:54:00.001-07:00

Five years ago today our favorite little monkey man was born. He was four weeks early and came by way of emergency c-section. He had wrapped himself up so tight in his cord that his heart rate began to drop, the doctor acted fast and removed him quickly and revived him as he was nearly dead. He was on oxygen for three months after his birth but was not affected by any of this and has grown to be such a great kid. Below is a photo of him maybe less than a month old...hair by Devry.

Below are photos from a little party we had at our house on Jan 7th.

Everyone (Sadie and Jaxson) helped Joseph open the gifts.

Star Wars guys are always a big hit. Even Jaxson was psyched out of his mind.

Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Larry. Lucky Charms, Moon Sand and some sweet clothes were given.

Joseph got a 5'er from Grandma Bonnie, among other gifts.

Randoms who crashed the party.

Happy Birthday, we love you!

December 23-January 2

2008-01-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

It is time for an update. The holidays were very busy and I got behind so here is my attempt to catch up.

December 23rd: Taught Gospel Doctrine, made up a lesson about Christmas and the Savior, the spirit was strong, people cried, it went well.

Christmas Eve: Went to HB's house for food, the nativity and a little testimony meeting, it was nice. Lacy stole the show with her talk show skit, see HB's blog for more.

Ryan: Aren't our kids a little too young to do a nativity?
Dana: (annoyed) Christmas is about making kids dress up and do the nativity.

Joseph: (ticked) There are no pigs in the nativity!
Ryan: (surprised) You are right but let's pretend.

Joseph played by Joseph, Mary played by Sadie.

Little Jaxson didn't want to play the wise man, maybe next year.

Jaxson looking at baby Jesus in the manger with the pig (Canyon).

Christmas:
We had my Mom over and we opened presents and ate breakfast, then went over to Dana's parent, opened more presents and then went over to Dana's uncles house for the big family dinner.

Joseph got mad toys, figures, cars, a bike and more. Sadie got mad Disney Princesses, a doll house, a bike and more.

December 26th: Had to go back to work, bummed and extremely tired.

December 27th: Cousin Meghan's wedding. It was a cold yet happy day.

D&Q

Larry had ear muffs...lucky.

Temple peeps.

Lexi!

Quinn ...Meghan and Kody.

cousins/sisters

A cool light blur.

December 30th: I taught the combined YM/YW, I bombed, it was discouraging.

December 31st: The kids spent the night at Grandma Bonnie's. We Partied with D&Q although we didn't make any of their photos. Played games most of the night, made fun of Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark.

January 1st: Chilled, for the most part.

January 2nd: Jaxson's birthday.

Everyone helped Jax open his presents.

Sadie liked the cake!

Leave us alone, we're watching TMNT!

The end.

Santa Claus, I KNOW HIM!

2007-12-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

Since my previous post was on Santa I thought I would relive a classic moment. Back in December of 2004 the one and only Santa Claus made a house call to visit a little boy named Joesph. He brought bells, candy, a present and belly, that shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. How fun it was to see my little boy so excited. His favorite movie at the time was Elf, he even learned the words to "Santa Claus is coming to town", he was truly caught up in the magic of Christmas. As you can see in the video most of the family on both sides were excited to see his reaction to Santa's special visit. To Mr. and Mrs. Claus, THANK YOU for making 2004 and 2005 so much fun. I still see Santa from time to time, he seems to be doing well. Sometimes he'll show up when we're watching a football game or at our family functions, he even has a blog. I hear he'll be a Grandpa Santa soon and his other daughter is getting married right after the Christmas rush. Anyway I am glad I know Santa.

Santa

2007-12-12T09:04:00.001-07:00

Our Ward held a breakfast with Santa for all the kids this past Saturday, it was nice, there was eggs, little muffins, fruit and caprisun? Anyway most of the primary was there, Brother Davis was taking the photos and Santa was fashionably late. This was the same Saturday we had that big snow storm and also the same day Dana, Devry and Lindsay went training for their marathon. So I was in charge of getting the kids ready and taking them to this activity solo. Before Santa arrived I was having a nice chat with one of the mothers about how she thought her little boy would scream and cry when it was his turn, I just laughed. Didn't think about my little Rosie crying, which of course she did. Santa arrived and and Joe quickly got in line so I joined him with Sadie. When the time came Sadie started to cry and Joseph tried to calm her down, the photographer was willing to be patient and try to cheer her up but I thought it was hilarious and like giving an order to a sniper I told him to take the shot.

I found a site devoted to photos of kids scared of Santa, its worth looking at. Here is a sample.

Good News Lacy

2007-12-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Mayberry's were in town at the end of October and we got together for a little photo shoot at the gardens behind the Tahitian Noni cooperate headquarters. Here are a few of the photos. Watch your mail box Lacy, the disc is on its way.

Photoblog preview

2007-11-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

My photoblog agentoranje.com was previewed on Fotofourm. I am am pretty excited about it, I subscribed to their RSS feed and I was surprise yesterday to see my name in the newest entry title. Check it out and leave a comment if you like.

Beardcap anyone?

2007-11-27T13:21:00.001-07:00

Who wants a beardcap for Christmas?

The Utes and the Cougs

2007-11-26T11:25:00.001-07:00

The big Utah-BYU (notice how I put Utah first) rivalry was this past weekend and being a Mormon Utes fan is hard, so hard when you live in Orem, are married to a BYU family and everyone you know knows you like the Utes. Being a Mormon Ute must be a little like being a Mormon Democrat, all the Mormons around you think you are evil, foolish or crazy. People, wether family, friends or people at church seem to want me to explain why I cheer for Utah, like I had better have some good excuse. I would ask my Sister in-law Devry, would you cheer for U Penn if they played against BYU? She would most likely say "Go Penn". Same question to Lacy, Arizona or BYU? Naturally I think that cheering for your alma-mater is the way to go.

I'll admit I love the Utes, I grew up with my cousins who loved the Utes. We would go to Utah Basketball games, we would wear red Utah sweaters and whistle the fight song. My Parents both went to The U of U, Pops graduated, my Aunt and Uncle went there, pretty much all the members of my family who went to college went to the University of Utah. I am also a Utah graduate. I have a Utah sicker on my car which drives around Orem-Provo proudly, I wear my Utah shorts to play church ball, I wear my Utah hat almost everywhere I go, I just bought a U of U jacket at savers in Orem this weekend which I will also wear with pride and my little girl was a Utah cheerleader for Halloween.

To me the rivalry is fun, I like BYU, I sometimes go to BYU games and I want them to do well however but I want the Utes to destroy BYU in every game and at every sport. The rivalry doesn't get ugly for me, some minor trash talk, a few silly bets and usually a good football game to look forward to. I watched the game this year at my Father in-laws with HB and Lance, it was fun for the most part but I hate seeing the Utes loose to the Cougars in the company of Cougar fans. They were respectful and didn't rub it in much. After the game I got a call from Dana's cousins to taunt me and Church the next day was rough. I got a lot of " how did you like that game Brother Brijs" I was like shut up...you fetchers.

I found the following article on the Tribune, courtesy of sports writer Gordon Monson. Most fans fit into one of the following categories: which category do you fit into?

1. Non-Mormon Utes who loathe BYU as a backlash to the cultural and governmental dominance of the LDS religion in Utah. They hate Cougar football because it represents that general dominance in the specifics of helmets and pads. It gives a handy venue for rancor, and to have the score settled in numbers up on the board. Hating for football's sake is better form than hating on account of religion.

2. Mormon Utes who can't stand BYU because of its "Super Mormon" persona, the whole we-do-and-live-it-better-than-you deal. A quiet survey was taken a few years ago among some LDS faithful and it revealed ill will toward BYU because there are many whose tithing dollars help fund the school, but whose children can't get into the university because of its high academic standards. That ticks them off. Football is a means of showing those Cougars that God doesn't love them more than he loves the supposedly more righteously pedestrian Utes.

3. Mormon Utes who view themselves, and their attachment to Utah, as more sophisticated than the lemmings in Provo who support the Cougars because they suspicion they should, who brown-bag popcorn to the games and who have relief-society decorations, such as giant plastic grapes on the vine, on the coffee tables in their living rooms.

4.Mormon and non-Mormon Utes who are alums, or who just happen to like Utah, the state school, better than BYU, a private school to which they feel no connection.

5. Non-Mormon Cougars who adore BYU just . . . because. There must be at least two of them.

6. Mormon Cougars who think, or, at least hope, that their school really is sanctioned from on high in all matters. They look at Utes as either unfortunate souls who couldn't get accepted at BYU or drunken fornicators who should, at best, lose every game or, at worst, burn in hell.

7. Mormon Cougars who don't like the Utes because some of them chant, "F you, BYU!" at games, but who otherwise find some level of virtue at a university that educated most of the LDS prophets over the years.

8. Mormon and non-Mormon Cougars who are alums, or who have a genuine affinity for the good BYU does, what it represents, and the way LaVell Edwards' teams kicked the hash out of opposing teams for three decades.

Ninja Parade

2007-11-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

I love Ninja's!

Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again

Dumbledore

2007-11-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

So I know we’ve all managed to recover from J.K.’s “revelation” that Dumbledore is gay. But I ran across a post today that summed up everything I thought and felt as to why she couldn’t just announce his sexuality after the fact. So when you have some free time give it a read. John Mark Reynolds explains it much more eloquently than I.