27 Days Until Daddy

Another great day for Abby and Mommy! Abby and I enjoy doing what we call "school time" each morning where we learn shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and sing primary songs (we ALWAYS have to sing the "Grandpa" song--it is her very favorite). Today we worked on shapes, a few colors, sang and did a Mickey puzzle--she gets better at it every time.
After learning time we went to a potluck luncheon at the Church and had good food and fun. I was able to practice with my good friend Carly since we are doing an oboe/piano duet on Sunday. I absolutely love to play with Carly. Abby ran and ran with her friends. This evening we enjoyed time with our good friends Carric and Jenny. They invited us over for dinner and we had so much fun. Here is Abby with Carric and Jenny.

Abby loves to wash dishes and so she washed their dishes
before we even had dinner!

This shows Abby eating dinner which was very yummy.

Abby helped wash dishes after dinner and ended up convincing Carric to wash her hair in the sink. What a funny girl!
Then Carric braided her hair!
We really appreciate our friends and how much they love Abby. Thanks Carric and Jenny for a wonderful evening!
We hope you had a great day Daddy!

Fox News Captivity

So for the next couple days I am staying with my parents, who have graciously opened their home to me. I appreciate it. However, there is one thing about staying back home with the parents that is difficult for me. Every day the television is set to Fox News for hours and hours. It is difficult to listen to any single network for hours on end, day after day, but the fact that it is a network that so utterly misrepresents facts to push an ideological slant on to everything they broadcast makes it even more troubling. It pains me to listen to the falsification of facts for the purposes of pushing an agenda. It breaks my heart to think that thousands of Americans think they are getting accurate information there.

Today I listened to fifteen minutes of a discussion that offers a great example. I think one voice was Glenn Beck, but I was not watching so I don’t know for sure. Each of the “news” pundits explained that less government creates a better America and used several examples, but primarily the 1920s, to prove their argument. They stated that Presidents Harding and Coolidge oversaw a prosperous and quite era by limiting the federal government; conversely, eras dominated by liberal presidents like FDR, LBJ and Obama are characterized by economic instability, social disorder (riots, strikes, terrorism, etc.), and war. They asked, “how can Americans not see this obvious trend?”

Well, Fox “news” pundits, let me answer the question. That pattern exists only in your erroneous revisionist history. Let me explain.

The peace and prosperity brought about in eras of conservative presidents generally led to economic crisis and social upheaval, at which point Americans elected a liberal president to fix it. It is not fair to charge FDR, LBJ, and Obama with the economic crisis or social tensions created under the previous presidents. The hands-off government approach is what led to the Great Depression (remember it began under Republican Pres. Hoover), created strikes, and caused Americans to elect FDR. You cannot blame him for the crisis created by the preceding Republican rule. As per war, well, it is not FDR’s fault that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Likewise, you cannot accuse Obama of creating an economic mess that predates his presidency. Likewise, you cannot blame Obama for starting the war when in fact it was the preceding Republican president (Bush) who sent the troops into Iraq and Afghanistan. As per the LBJ example, well, economics were pretty good before he was elected and the nation at peace. Still, it was the Cold War, caused by both liberal and conservative predecessors, that created points of conflict, one leading to the Vietnam War. And the Vietnam War is really what broke the bank and caused economic problems. In my opinion, his programs and federal regulation would have been affordable if we were not caught in war at the same time.

So, in the example of the three periods the “news” pundits selected, two of the three trouble-making liberal presidents (FDR & Obama) were elected to solve the problems actually created under the presidency of the preceding Republican president. If there is a pattern to be seen, it is that Republican presidents create under-managed economic growth that generally ends in terrible economic crisis (a natural consequence of deregulating and minimizing government). In response, Americans swing the other way to elect a liberal pro-government president to fix the problems created (or perceived to be created) by the conservative anti-government president.

The load of lies perpetuated by Fox News is not even revisionist history--it is outright deception. These Fox News shows completely fabricate the past to fit their political ideology. Please, don’t get your history lessons from Fox News.

28 Days Until Daddy

Wow I am tired! Natalie and I just finished the finale of "So You Think You Can Dance" and it's late. Both of my favorites were the top 2, so I did not care who won! But I said I'd post everyday while Matt was gone, so here we go!

Abby and I had a great day. We had playgroup at the Tempe Splash Park and she had more fun than ever before! Abby met a boy named Aiden and they had so much fun throwing a ball and following each other around.

She also played ring around the rosies with Alice and Lucy.
There was a big green fire hydrant looking thing and I caught her trying to drink out of it! She also enjoyed letting the water fall down her back!
Abby and I also went to rehearsal of the choir I directed for the last two years, the Arizona Deseret Choir. I wanted to explain to them about Matt's new job in Bakersfield and make sure they knew just how much I loved them and wish that I could stay and conduct them.
This is a picture of where we rehearsed--a dome ceiling--not your typical LDS building!
My good friend and fellow musician, Carric is taking over the group and so I know they will be wonderful. Below Carric was entertaining Abby before rehearsal.
After I said a few words to the group when rehearsal began, Carric had the choir sing a hymn to me, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." I was doing fine until then and then it hit me that I would not see some of these amazing people again.
Fortunately Abby made me laugh when she walked over to a music stand, picked up a hymn book, opened it, put it on the stand, and began to conduct. That's my girl!
I will really miss this choir. They have been a major support to me and we've made unforgettable music. Tonight made me even more sure I want to start my own choir in Bakersfield. Anyone interested? Before we left rehearsal Abby gave me a big hug and we took a picture.
Your girls love you Daddy!

Girls Night--Still 29 Days Until Daddy

So tonight since Matt left we had a girls night. It gave me something to look forward too. Natalie and Ella came over and brought the best food from Costa Vida. It was "heavenly!" So we ate too much, gave Abby a quick bath and watched "So You Think You Can Dance." It was the finale and we saw some incredible dancing. I love dancing! Tomorrow we find out who wins! Girls nights are so fun and it was Abby's first one! Who better to spend it with?

We need to do this again!

See you soon Daddy--29 Days

Today we had to say good-bye to Daddy (Matt) for a couple weeks. I will explain. . . . Matt is going to Bakersfield to get started with meetings and classes and close on our new home. Right now there is not a home for us to go to! I also have a few things to wrap up in Tempe before I can leave. So Matt will return on September 9th and we will load the truck on the 10th--we will need help by the way! Then we drive to Bakersfield on the 11th. Since Matt will miss us terribly we are going to do a "Countdown to Daddy" where I post something each day so that Matt can see us! We will begin the countdown at 29 days and watch it go steadily down!

Before we get to today's pictures here are 2 from last night. Grandma and Grandpa took us out to eat at Wally's, one of their favorite places in Arizona. Abby had a great time with her macaroni and cheese. I think she might have eaten one tater tot!

The rest of the pictures were taken right before Matt left. Fortunately Abby does not understand because she absolutely adores her Daddy and would be sad. But Abby and I are going to have grand adventures. Our list of fun things to do is so long I don't think we can get to them in 29 days!

Natalie says good-bye to Matt. Natalie gave Matt the coolest going away pack complete with a poem and food to eat!
Abby says good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa (the red cheek is a spider bite--I want to hurt the spider that bit my cute little Abby).
Abby says good-bye to Daddy with one last good tickle!
Abby and Mommy say "See you soon Daddy."
Hang on tight--Abby is driving everyone to California!
We love you Mattie/Daddy and we can't wait until you return to us!

First time at the movies

Matt's parents are visiting us for a few days and then Matt will leave with them on Wednesday--wow, that is tomorrow. I can't believe he leaves tomorrow. We decided that it would be fun to take Abby to her first ever movie theater. She watched both "Toy Story" movies while we packed up a few weeks ago and now frequently says, "Toys, watch Toys." So we took her to "Toy Story 3." She did very well in the theater and really enjoyed the movie. Matt said when she came into the theater she gasped, pointed to the large screen and excitedly said, "movie." She sat on Grandpa's lap for a good share of the movie, then she paced a bit!

After the movie Grandpa treated us all to Golden Corral and Abby's favorite part was the self serve ice cream which she got to eat after eating a good portion of her dinner!

This morning Abby went swimming with Grandma and Grandpa. This was taken as they were leaving to go and swim.
On Sunday I curled Abby's hair before I left to direct the Ward Choir and took a few pictures. Too bad her hair did not really look like this by the time she made it to Church. Oh well!
After Church we also took a few pictures with our good friend Natalie since it was Matt's last Sunday in Tempe.

Fun in the sun!

It's hard to believe we are already into August of 2010. Time seems to pass by so quickly and we are trying to make the most of every moment. Since Matt leaves Tempe on Wednesday, August 11th, we have been packing up our house, signing closing papers on our current house and trying to take advantage of the time we have left in Tempe! Here are some pictures to show our latest adventures.

First, turning the old grand piano on its side (don't worry--they are safely stored and transported on the side) so that we have room for boxes and bins.

Next are pictures of our house boxed up for the most part. We left as much room as we could for Abby to still run and play! Abby and I will remain here until the new house closes and we take care of a few things. We are scheduled to move on September 11th. We will be very sad to see Daddy go, but we know the time will go quickly.

I know I've included a few dance pictures already, but I wanted to include a few of her last day at dance class. She was able to take the class with a couple good friends and they enjoyed each other very much! The picture shows Savannah, Lucy, Abby and Alice.

I do have fun when Abby and I have matching outfits. I don't do it everyday or anything, but it's fun sometimes! We found matching Tinkerbell shirts at the Disney store for $2 each! I fortunately fit into a kids size, so we could have the exact same shirt. All day she kept pointing to both of our shirts and saying, "Princess."
One of Matt's professors has graciously given us some cute clothing for Abby and she finally fit into one of the dresses. She looked so cute. Thanks Dr. O'Donnell!
Anyone who knows our Abby knows that she is not the easiest person to feed. She would much rather play than eat and likes different things at different times. Lately she has quite a fetish with noodles, especially the Cup of Noodles kind! How strange. She will pick up a big handful with her fork (or her hand sometimes) and put them in her mouth. It is very funny to witness.

Since it is pretty hot in Tempe we often find ourselves at the pool. This past Wednesday we were invited by our friends the Buchanan's to go to a pool on the Pima Indian Reservation. It was free! The kiddie pool was closed for some chemical reasons, so we spent our time in the big pool. Abby especially enjoyed the ramp that led to the deeper water. She ran up and down it many times! We also met our friends Sara and Joseph Stapley that moved out of our ward a little while ago. We love them and really enjoyed seeing them!
Abby's playgroup went to the Scottsdale Railroad Park this past Thursday and Abby was so excited to ride on the train. It is one of her favorite things to do. We played on the toys, rode the train and the carousel--what fun!