Turmoil

I admit that I do not know much about politics, economics, business....really any of the current affaris. I enjoy learning all that I can, and I like to have an educated opinion on things. With all that is going on with politics lately and with the stock market, I have been trying to gather information on what exactly is going on, but generally it is hard to find a variety of opinions and information. I know some find it pointless to talk about it all, but i find it interesting. So I thought it might be fun to open this up for discussion.

If anyone has any opinions they would like to share on the current economic state of things http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/market-dispatches-092908.aspx?GT1=33002, why it's happening, and what should be done about it, I would love to hear your opinion. There are people who say that it's just another recession coming on, and they happen every 10 years or so, and things will be fine; and then there are those who are conjuring up images of the great depression, talk of the second coming, and the end of the world. :). I guess it would be a good time to check your food storage? :).

I also think it would be interesting to hear opinions on the presidential race, as to what you think of Obama, Biden, McCain, and Palin.

P.S. I found this article today (tuesday) and I liked it. I've read several articles by this author and find them really informative and easy to understand. (it's on the current economic turmoil) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26948627/

Randomness

Today I am wanting my own home...not that I ever don't want my own home, cause a day doesn't go by that I don't think about it, but today I've been thinking a lot about how nice it would be (I think it is mostly because Ryan's sister Tonya, and her husband Phil came up today and were looking at things to remodel their bathroom- made me want my own bathroom to remodel...:) ). I'm hoping by next spring to early summer we will be able to get into a home. Ryan wants to build one, but I don't know if I'm willing to be homeless for that long (cause frankly who knows how long that could take). Building a home would be nice if you had the money and time to do it. I want to have a fenced in yard for Ethan to play in, and I want a place to plant my flowers- I'm afraid some of them are dying because they don't like living in pots. I also want to be able to paint the walls whatever color I want and decorate however I want. And I miss being able to come home and relax knowing I was in my own home. And I miss my knife set... Ryan and his Dad have almost completed the shed, so most of our stuff is now packed away in their new shed that is the size of a barn almost. :) .Tomorow I am teaching my nine year old class the story of Christ's birth and visit to the America's, and I have this cute activity I did with the children where they made stars out of pipe cleaners and I soaked them in a solution of borax detergent and hot water and they formed crystals- so they get to take home a homemade crystal star ornament to go along with the lesson. They are excited for their ornaments, although doing it as an adult they aren't as cool as I remembered them from when I was a kid- unfortunately as soon as they start to dry they slowly start to turn back to powder and lose their sparkle. I hope the kid's will still like them though. I really like this ward Ryan and I go to (for those reading who are not LDS, our church is divided up into "wards" depending on where you live- that determines when you go to church and to what building). I've begun to make friends finally, and I look forward to going each sunday. Since we no longer live in Twin Ryan wants to go to his parents ward but I've been holding out, and we keep going to the one in Twin, because I like my calling (the children are so fun) and I like having this one thing that is our own- if that makes sense. Ryan wants to switch to his parents, and we probably will in the very near future, but I'm dragging my feet on doing it. We will see how long I can hold out. I like their ward, but I also like where I'm at and the friends I'm making. I've moved enough (6 times in the 3 years we have been married) to know that even with the best intentions it's really hard to keep friends once you move.
Well this is my random post, I hope it wasn't too boring. :)

No motorcycle for you

So today was the last day Ryan worked at Cains. Unfortunately his boss Jeff had gotten in a motorcycle accident last week, and today had to go in for surgery on his crushed foot, so he wasn't available this last week as planned for Ryan to train him in how to do the books/accounting stuff. I'm sure it will all work out though, but poor Ryan is loosing fast on his side of the "lets buy a motorcycle" debate. Tomorrow he starts his new job with Gordon Paving, and I think he's excited to some degree, about starting a new experience.

Learning+ some cute video's of Ethan

Here are some cute video's of Ethan I thought I'd add.

Every friday Lisa, a speech therapist, comes to help Ethan with his communication. I really like her, and Ethan seems to really like her also. This last week Ethan has really had a jump in words he is able to sign and today when Lisa came he was so good, and I was so proud of him. He was even starting to put words together to form sentences! For example, Lisa had this cat toy that she brought for the first time, and she was able to get Ethan to sign "more cat" when he wanted to play with it. He even was willing to share it with her, so she would take it, say cat, and then he would sign "more cat" and we would cheer and hand it back to him. It's really cute when he signs cat, because he puts his hand up to his cheek and gets this really cute smile on his face. These are the words that Ethan can now sign on his own without much help: drink, please, more, dog, cat, up, banana, ball, babies, shoes, movie, book, and quack. It's a very nice feeling to see him communicating, and see that he is learning to differenciate between words. I'm very proud.

Ryan has a new job

Ryan accepted an accounting job with Gordon Paving, a company in Twin Falls, he starts next week. So we will be staying in the Twin Falls area, at least for a while.

He Spoke!!!!

The other night when I was reading Ethans book with him, I was teaching him signs for the different things in the book. I was working on cat with him, which he seemed to like when I helped him sign it. I pointed to the picture and said "say cat", wanting him to sign it. he fidgeted and then signed cup, and please, and then all of a sudden said "Dat". I was ecstatic, but not really sure that he had really meant cat. I took him upstairs to try to get him to do it again for Grandpa, and he did, and Grandma and Ryan both agreed that they heard it to. He hasn't said it again since then but I was still excited. Today when he was done with his lunch he came and got me because he wanted something more to eat. I asked him if he wanted a banana, and he signed banana for the first time on his own, and then when I put him in his seat and asked him again if he wanted a banana he said "na-nanna". I jumped up and down and was really excited. Now, several months ago he did learn to say Daddy, but then he stopped saying it in reference to Ryan, and now he never says it at all. I'm hoping that with more prodding and work he will retain these words.

Working Hard

A month ago I went into the doctor for a check up, and discovered something frustrating- I'd gained 11 lbs. I have low self confidence as it is, so gaining weight doesn't help. I decided that I needed to really work out, but what clinched it for me was when I went to buy a pair of jeans, and I was several jean sizes over what I wanted to be. I couldn't make myself buy the jeans that fit, and went instead with a size smaller that was very tight in the waist and determined to work out until I could fit into them. Ryan's sister Tonya is into health and exercise, and so I got some good ideas from her on the best way to work out and get in shape. so for the last three weeks I've been really good at working out each day- I do cardio for an hour, then resistence exercises (weights, etc.) for 10-15 min and then stretch. It's very hard to do it each day, and I'm thoroughly exhausted afterwords. I also cut out soda (I sneak a drink of Ryans every once in a while) and tried to resist ice cream. I also tried to make my portions at dinner smaller. After 3 weeks of doing this routine (I skipped the weekends on exercising because I was really tired) I weighed myself and was happy and surprised to find that I'd lost 9lbs. So, I lost most of the weight that I wanted to, but my waist still looks like play dough. I know it takes time to get in shape, I seriously didn't expect it to happen over night, but I still worry that the stomach is there to stay, courtesy of having a baby. I could post a picture of my squishy stomach, but I'll spare all of you. Working out has helped a lot with giving me something constructive to do with my time, and helping me feel better in general. I want to add that I know there are people bigger than me, and I know that i'm not obese or anything. I just want to be able to feel good when I look in the mirror. I don't need killer abs, or to be a size 0 (I also want to add that I was never a size 0, and I'm glad-well I might have been in 9th grade but I don't know, I was pretty scrawny), I just want to fit into most of my clothes again (i've given up on some of them). I am happy though, cause my pants do fit a little better (I think they strectched, they are stretchy material).

Three posts today, starting with my new easle

Ryan found a really nice easle at Cains, the furniture store that he works at. It's odd that they had an easle for sale, since generally you wouldn't expect them to have art furniture. Since Cains is having their going out of business sale, Ryan was able to get it for a pretty good price, and I'm VERY proud of it. So, it's my very early christmas present. Ryan tried to say that I couldn't have it until Christmas, but there was no way I was going to go along with that. It is the perfect size and the part that your rest the painting/drawing on can be adjusted. I haven't started painting/drawing on it yet, but I'm anxious to. I haven't had a moment to start, being busy with ethan and household stuff, and I don't really want to make a mess in my room with painting/drawing suplies, but I am anxious to use it, so one of these days i'm going to break everything out and make a mess. The picture I took of the easle definately doesn't do it justice. It even has some designs carved into it. I love it.

Camping trip to Swan Valley

Here's some pictures from the Anderson family camping trip we had a while ago up in the swan valley area. It was a really fun trip, and the waterfall was beautiful. I'd been up to that area several years ago, in college, and I'd forgoten how pretty the falls and valley were. Some time i'd like to be able to go back and spend time painting. We were rained on, but luckily we had a tarp to keep dry under. Ryan's brother Shawn ended up out in the rain, though, holding a tarp up over the dutch oven so we would be able to eat. We were all very appreciative of his sacrifice! :)

Chewing nails and slouching

Yesterday when I was playing with Ethan I noticed something new. I was chewing on my nails, a bad habit I've always had, and I looked over at Ethan and he was copying me. He had this funny look on his face, and he was watching me very intently as he put his little finger nail up to his teeth and started to try and chew on it like mommy. I was like...dang it! So now I've realized he's really started to notice the things i'm doing, so i'll have to be more careful. Today I was sitting on the couch watching a show, and he came over and climbed up beside me, and seriously, he slouched down in the couch just the way I was sitting. They grow up too quickly. Now I'm going to have to try to be more aware of everything that i'm doing.