Election Eve...

I'm back.  It's not like I really went anywhere - other than to "obsession land".  That's what's happened lately with me and this election.  It's become so engrossing that I wasn't able to continue writing about it (if that even makes sense).

On this night before the actual day that I've been waiting for for about the past two years, I give you a mantra.  Not one written by me - but one that sums up why I still believe Barack Obama should be re-elected.

But before I ask you to read it, I have a little story from the lips of my son about why he would vote for Obama.  It happened during a ride to school last week as we were carpooling with two neighborhood kids who happen to be in 2nd and 4th grade.  I asked all of them in the car, "what is more important - Election Day or Halloween?"  Thank goodness that two of them in the car said "election day".  I'll not name the one passenger who briefly thought Halloween was more important.  Anyway...the two older kids said they would like to vote for Obama and then stated that a couple of their friends said they would vote for Romney.  I asked if their friends gave them reasons why they would vote for Romney.  Their answer, "No".  The younger passenger in the car immediately piped up with, "I have a reason to vote for Obama - he thinks my Daddy and Papa should be able to get married!"

Yes - I was proud!

and on that note...please take the time to read this (or at least hit the high points).  It's written so much better than I could have ever done it.

http://www.tilsonfunds.com/VotingObamaAgain.pdf

End of Summer...

Summer in Portland means we turned on our air conditioner for one day.  Yes - you read that correctly. One day.  I'm sure we would have turned it on more had we been in town for those three days when it was actually hot...but maybe not.

It was the summer of national park adventures to the East of us.  We hit three of them this summer.  We were still out "west" - but just not west of Portland.  From a week in Colorado to two weeks in Jackson Hole with a little bit of the Sawtooth Mountains and Yellowstone National Park thrown in for good measure, we had our share of western adventures.

Speaking of Yellowstone National Park...you aren't a good parent until you take your kids there.  Seriously, it's worth it.  Also hit Rocky Mountain National Park and of course Grand Teton NP.  The Sawtooth mountains should have there own national park.

All in all it was a great August and now we've got a 1st grader in our house.

Wish him (and us) luck.

The Butler Did It

I'm back and have so much to comment on that I don't even know where to begin.  How about I just throw out one thing tonight and save the Romney/Ryan campaign for another day?

A headline caught my eye this past week.  It was something about the Pope's "butler" being indicted for  releasing Vatican "secrets" to an author of a scandalous book about the inner workings of the Vatican.  (or something like that).  O.K. - I'm sure you see where this is headed.  A "butler"?  Seriously?  The Pope has a "butler"?  Don't misunderstand me...I'm quite aware that the Pope is head of a multi-bazillion dollar corporation that makes widgets (or fairy tales) or whatever...and he could probably use some help with typing and filing and all of the other standard corporate head honcho duties...but a "BUTLER"?  Does he bring a gin and tonic to him every evening at 5:45 and lie out his evening wear??  This Pope guy has quite the life...and it's all a tax write-off!

Don't even get me started on what the "secrets" might involve.  Seriously?  (I like to use the word Seriously with a question mark after it,)  Vatican secrets?  As in it's all really a fairy tale and we can't let anyone find out?

This one was just too good to let slip by.

Happy Birthday!

to you know who

Love ya!

Randomness

I've been meaning to blog on the John Edwards trial.  You probably aren't aware - but I was obsessed with it.  I got into it so deep that I actually found transcripts of voice mails that he left for that other creepy character in the drama, Andrew Young.  

I know.  It's pathetic.  Not just the salaciousness of the trial - but the fact that I followed it so closely.  I'm not even sure why I'm mentioning it now.  I sometimes just have to get things off my chest - and you never know when I'll blurt them out.  I told Kevin a couple of weeks ago and he just stared at me.  That's it - just a stare.  No comment from him.  (I'm hoping he just didn't hear me and felt no reason to ask me what I said.)

The whole group of players are a bunch of odd balls - and I'm obviously including John Edwards.  I'm also including the daughter that showed up every day with him for the trial.  Really Kate?  

I know that we all make mistakes and lord knows I've made some - but I would never expect family or friends to have to show public support in the way that she did.  You can still love your Dad, Kate...but please...show some integrity for your mom - or is there any left in that family.

I'm sure you also expected a much longer post on Obama's statement about his support for same-sex marriage.  I actually thought his words said it all.  It's nice to know that the person sitting in the oval office - thinks my relationship should be equal legally to his.  I could have written for days about the ridiculousness of the reaction from the typical "anti" folks - but they didn't say anything new - so why even bother!

We're off to Bend this weekend.  Thanks to friends/neighbors who are giving us the key to their house.  I promise we won't break anything - or at least that we will replace whatever we do break.

Nine more days of school for Kindergarten year.  That's nine more days of making Caden's lunch - until we start all over again in September.

 

  

President Obama

Thank You!

We hardly Newt ya...

I had practically forgotten that he was still in the race for the Republican nomination, but Newt Gingrich finally called it quits today.  The blowhard of all blowhards ran out of cash (or at least other people's cash) .  I imagine that Calista made it clear that she didn't want them to keep dipping into their personal funds to pursue something they both knew just wasn't going to happen.

Remember those days of watching a stage full of loons provide us with hours of entertainment during their debates?  It seems like a lifetime ago.  I know at one point I was adamant about the fact that Rick Perry would become the nominee.  I even think I came around at one point and had to admit to the inevitability of Newt carrying the banner this Fall.  (Oh how I hoped that would have been the case - just for the turmoil it would have created within the Republican party alone.)

But it just won't happen now.  The numbers pretty much point to Mitt carrying the banner now.  Did you notice Newt's "support" for Mitt?  It was basically, "vote for Mitt because he's not Barack".  It doesn't exactly get you on your feet applauding.

and on another note...We have First Grade orientation tomorrow night.  It's for the parents to meet the First Grade teachers.  How did I get to the point in my life where I'm going to a First Grade orientation for a child of mine.

Maybe it's just luck.  I'll gladly take it!