He is Not Ashamed.

I love arguing and debating...but I will never start one about things that are really important to me. I only ever really talked about Proposition 8 two and a half years ago on this blog (sort of) and with those who brought up with me. And I was terrified. I know in my bones that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God," but usually I'm talking to atheists about it. My argument is completely invalid to them and I can't win. 

(photo by Jill Rich Photography)

My brother John is not that way at all, and he is my Hero of the Day because of it. He's outspoken on the topic in the best way possible. He does not go looking to alienate anyone, but he will bring it up when he feels moved to. He is not ashamed. Today I watched him hold his own against two or three of his friends on Facebook. I did jump into the conversation to try and even things out some, and I think we made a good case together.

I was supposed to watch this for my journalism class a while back, but I didn't get to it today. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in religious freedom.

What I've Been Up To.

I finally have a copy.

My family visited.

"High five!"

 "Handshake."

Noelle and I are wordsmiths.

It's almost finals week and I'm trying really hard to be awake during the day.

I miss my brothers.

Un Coup de Soleil, Indeed.

Life's been pretty crazy lately. Living alone can be depressing. And that can make it easy to be stressed about work. And everything else.

Thursday I decided to take a half day off to go to the beach with my family. It was fun! 

There were dolphins playing close to the shore! It was a perfect day! I didn't wear sunscreen--I tan!

There I was wrong. I got a nasty sunburn. On the way home, we stopped for supplies. I got back to Claremont, unloaded some supplies, and started working. Then my sunburn really started to hurt, so I took a break to watch old episodes of Arrested Development. Then I got up to answer a text. I got dizzy and fell while replying. I got up and knew something was wrong. I felt sick. I called my mom and fell again while on the phone. I woke up on the bathroom floor with my head throbbing--I had hit it on the tile. My mom called again and I answered. She had me lie on the bed and talk to her until Dad could get to my house. I felt nauseous, I had chills, and felt like dying. She and WebMD decided that I had sun poisoning, and that's when I realized that my "falls" had been faints. My dad got there and hung out until I felt well enough to get up and go back to my parents'. Friday I was sick again, but I went back to work. Dallin actually did the bulk of it because I felt awful. Thank goodness for him!

I'm feeling better now, but my sunburn still hurts and I'm starting to peel. My friend Sabrina shared some of her Biafine, a wonderful amazing sunburn cream that they sell over-the-counter in France that has helped me heal so much more quickly. (Is that correct grammar?) Dallin and I are going to be able to catch up with work, so it's not the end of the world on that front.


Moral of the story: When at the beach,

• Wear suncreen.
• Eat.
• Don't fall asleep.

HAPPY BIRFDAY, JOHNNY!

Saturday my brother John turned 15.

He has an awesome sense of humor.

He is serious about his hobbies.

 He's grown up a lot in the past few years! (And so has Kevin)

He wears the shirts I buy him.

HAPPY BIRFDAY!

Dallin's Birthday Tribute

He's my best friend. 

He does what he wants.

He's 17.

Huzzah.

Wait a Minute...

You never know what could set you laughing on the inside all day long. Today, it was this shirt.

On this boy.

And he wanted to show me how to drink from a water bottle. And watch cartoons on my iPod. And read Dr. Seuss. And "help" with orders. And everything else the world has to offer a two-year-old.

Or this kid. He asked if we could have a party when he found out that we would be the only ones home tonight. Luckily, his idea of a party is playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the Wii.

I felt like baking today. It's nice to be at home where my mom has a KitchenAid and a convection oven and everything I need for chocolate cupcakes and buttercream frosting. (I always bake from scratch!)

 (Okay, the blue and yellow frosting came from a can. But it was fun to decorate some of them!)

Geez,how did this turn into a Mom Blog? I'm only 18! Just look at this post--it goes from toddler to eight-year-old to baking completely effortlessly. I think this means I need a date. Or at the very least a girls' night out. Or a life in general. Anyone who wants to help in this effort will be compensated in dumb jokes and baked goods!

I am the Queen of Day-After Birthday Tributes.

Yesterday my sister-brother Chris turned 18!

 He's one of the most stylish guys I know.

 He goes to great lengths to maintain his vegetarianism. (It's been two years now, right?)

He's a BiF, a wonderful shopping buddy, and an honest friend.

He's going to be valedictorian at UHS this year. This is his bracket for picking the college he'll go to next year. He applied to many, many other excellent schools and they all wanted him (except Tulane. How backwards is Louisiana?)

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Happy Birthday, Jared!

Yesterday my brother Jared turned 11. You should know that he's got a wicked sense of humor. He says the most hilarious things. You don't remember them later--all you can remember is that you almost died laughing.

He's interested in everything and is really, really smart. As a young child, he wouldn't say "That's mine!" He would say "That belongs to me!" 

He's very fashionable.

See?

He's my golden boy. Love you, Jared!