Park Playdate

My ward's weekly park playdates have resumed, and it was so great to get out of the apartment!

Musings on freedom

I've been thinking about freedom a lot lately (wonder why?) and what it truly is and means to me.  I've spoken to many, many people lately who seem to think that "freedom" means "able to do whatever I want without consequences."  It's really frustrating, speaking to these people online, trying to get them to realize that that idea is truly and wholly false.

Freedom isn't free.  And I'm not referencing wars and lives lost in that statement, although I am so grateful to every person past and present who has fought, and in many cases died, to preserve the freedoms of our country and our safety.  What I'm meaning here, is the personal price we pay ourselves.

Freedom is the ability to act in one's own best interest.  The personal price for this ability is responsibility.  Responsibility to accept the consequences our actions produce, responsibility to work for our own needs, responsibility to give up those things we want when it would bring harm to someone else.  The only way we can truly not be inhibited when we chose to live out our lives is to control our lives, to not act on every impulse and/or desire.  To control our reactions (emotional and otherwise) when someone else's agency to act interferes with our plans and/or hurts us.

True freedom is the ability to act and not be acted upon.

So that's what I'm working toward.  I admit I do a fair share of reacting rather than acting. I allow circumstances to dictate in many occasions rather than stepping up and taking control of myself and my life.  But I'm working on it.  I hope that one day, I can truly be free.

the power of Sesame Street

And Patrick has turned into Linus

Erin's fashion sense

Erin recently got a package of accessories from Aunt Adi (thank you they're adorable!)  I got her to pose...sort of.  She's not one to wear things when you ask her to, it has to be on her own timeframe.

She's okay with the hat...though likes putting it on Patrick and laughing her head off better.

She's not a fan of the headband.  I'm surprised she kept it on long enough for me to take the picture.  She told me to wear it today...so I did.

But, she LOVES the flower clippies.  I'm trying to tell her that putting on just one is okay, but nope...has to be all of them (she was tired of taking pictures by now, she wanted to hold the camera herself)

the zoo again

 We went to the zoo on Friday with Danica and her kids.  It's getting to the point where I have to get creative about my picture taking since we've been so many times.  But what can I say? We LOVE the zoo!

Erin and her sunglasses

Patrick's hair after I sunscreened his head

The four looking at the maned wolf.  Patrick's in that difficult age where he WANTS to get out and walk, but doesn't follow anyone or even really walk holding hands.

Erin looking at the Siberian tiger

The kids in the reptile area, looking at snakes and lizards

The capybarra.  This things was HUGE.  It was about the size Princess (our black lab) was.  She was small for a black lab, but this this is HUGE for a rodent!

They're building a new habitat for the asian elephants, and as part of the fundraising they're doing for it they're selling paintings done by the elephants themselves.  If I had several hundred dollars to spare, I would buy one.

In the wagon, right before we left.

Arizona, and trip home

There were lots of pictures from other people in the group on my laptop that I wanted to share, but the laptop wireless is no longer working, so I'll just do ours

Just after arriving at the cabin.  Starting at the top, going clockwise, Audrei, Tyler, me, Telima holding Brooke, Katelyn, and Jared.  Matt took the pictures, and the other kids were around playing somewhere.  Marc and Ingrid hadn't arrived yet.

At the Grand Canyon visitor's center.  Erin and Katy love each other (Katelyn took this pic)

First view of the rim.  It's a really big hole in the ground.

These two girls were from Hamburg.  They were going to the University of Colorado in Boulder.  Small world, huh?  Matt talked to them (in German) for a while.  He's always looking for a chance to use his German.

Family picture to prove we were all here.

We left and on our own went to go visit the ruins nearby.  This is a kiva (ceremonial room)

Pretty cactus flower

Another view of the canyon.  It was SO WINDY

This is the Watchtower, built in the 1930s to provide the widest view of the canyon, but still "blend in" to the surroundings.

Great view from the tower

And one of our stops on the way home

What happens in Vegas...

PICTURES!
It rained 3/4 of the trip down.

Erin using a blanket as a sun shield

splashing in the pool, getting her pants wet

and since her pants were wet, they had to come off

and then Patrick joined her

opening a present..

Shark reef

Running around with Grandpa

Grandparents and Grandkids...and me, since Patrick wouldn't let me let go of him

there are more pictures on the laptop, which I'll have to steal from Erin sometime later.

We're home

And I have a ton of pictures to upload.  But I just don't have the energy right now.  Sorry.

Now it's my turn

Double ear infection + sinus infection starting.  Blah.  I hate antibiotics.  I think my ears felt left out.  I don't think I've had an ear infection since I was 2.

And apparently the right ear, the one that's worse, isn't just the middle ear but the ear canal too.  So bad that she's given me antibiotic ear drops on top of the pills.

Now I feel sick to my stomach and my sinuses HURT.  And I've got so much to do so we can leave for Vegas early Saturday morning...*sigh*

Where Erin's been all day

Poor thing doesn't feel very good still.


On another note, I could use some help on a little project I'm doing for Cora, so if you feel so inclined, could you please take a moment?