Mac 'n Cheese, Sheri Dew, and Pinatas!

I have a confession to make, I haven't wanted to write another blog because I don't want the lily pad baby thing to move from the top of the page. Weird, I know. I also know there must be a way to stick the image in the heading but it seems like it would take too much energy to figure it out. So any way here is a list of what has been going on.

1. Neil's sister Julie had her mission farewell and is headed to the MTC.

2. I attended a women's leadership conference with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Julie. The event was run by Deseret Book. Sheri Dew and Wendy Watson Nelson gave excellent speeches and workshops. The other workshops I attended ranged from OK to poor. This was the first conference of its kind so improvements are inevitable. But, I did have a good time.

3. I joined the Woodlands Symphony Orchestra and Choir. Our first rehearsal is tonight.

4. I read Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse which proved to me once again that just because a book is loved by the masses that does not ensure quality. These books relied too much on adolescent sexual tension. There are too many descriptions of Edward's pale cold hands tracing the line of Bella's jaw and then down her neck. And after using the word electric about 10 times I hope Meyer's made her point that the tension between Bella and Edward is electric.

5. Our ward was split on Sunday and we are now meeting in a new building for Church. Neil was excited because it is the nice clean new building.

6. I'm planning a Halloween Party for my Primary class that I am really excited about! Bring on the hot dogs, root beer, and mac 'n cheese!

7. I'm afraid this blog may seem a little critical but what the heck! Last night I watched The Bachelor and was horrified! Never before had I watched an entire episode, so it was a bit of a shock. I had to hide my head in embarrassment numerous times because of the actions of the female participants. Do these women not realize their scandalous and often stupid behavior and comments are being viewed by all of America? Their parents and grandparents and employers and friends and complete strangers are watching as they behave like unprincipled vicious trollops! I suppose that is what makes "good TV" these days.

8. I started a group with some of the gals from church. We are going to meet once a month and have a lesson on a different culture and then have a cultural activity. I'm in charge in October so I need to start doing some research on Mexico. Get ready for a pinata!

Baby Counter

Little Baby Larson strikes again!

Last Friday I had another doctor's appointment. Everything was going fine until the Doctor was trying to find the baby's heart beat. After about 5 minutes she still hadn't found it. This, of course, was starting to make me nervous. So the doctor gave up on the doppler and grabbed the ultra sound machine. It turns out the baby was just being super active and wouldn't stay in one place long enough for her to catch the heart beat. It was really fun to watch the ultra sound screen because I could see the baby moving all over the place. The baby looked like the ball in a pin ball machine jumping all over my uterus! We got two pictures of the baby which were a little blurry. In one you can see an outstretched arm and in the other the baby just seems to be chilling upside down with his/her legs all curled up. Well, Little Baby Larson finally calmed down and we got the heart beat. I'm so excited though because on October 12th we find out the sex of the baby! I can hardly wait!

Personal Responsibility.. Where are you?

I was reading an article on MSN news about the rising obesity problem. Here is an excerpt explaining why there is no personal responsibility for the problem.

"The average American child sees 10,000 food advertisements a year, and most promote foods with questionable nutrition profiles. Research has shown that for each hour of television watched per day, a low-income preschool child's risk of being overweight increases by 6 percent. Children in the U.S. watch an average of 3 hours of television per day. A study in the medical journal Pediatrics found that, for each hour of television watched by 11-year-old children, fruit and vegetable consumption decreased by 10 percent. The investigators concluded that the relationship "may be the result of the replacement of fruits and vegetables in youths' diets by foods highly advertised on television." "When David Ludwig hears arguments that food choice is an issue of personal responsibility, he shakes his head. "This is a questionable argument at best when it comes to adults, but it breaks down entirely when we're talking about kids. Where is the personal responsibility for the 6-year-old who sees an average of 10,000 food commercials a year, the 10-year-old who is offered soft drinks and fast food at school, the inner-city child who walks home past a dozen fast-food restaurants and can't find a single healthful alternative? Where is the personal responsibility there?" (Fast Road to Fat City)

Why didn't that occur to me? Its not what the kids are putting in their mouths or what their parents are putting in their mouths, or the amount of daily physical activity, its TV! Now according to this line of thinking if a child sees numerous acts of violence on TV they have no choice but to accept that negative behavior as their own. Why aren't all children who are exposed to television dropping anvils like Wylie Coyote or shooting people like in any crime show? Why are criminals on trial not using this television defense? Because we have free will!! Someone doesn't wake up one day suddenly severely obese, it takes a lot of calories and bad habits to get there. And now science is reasoning away people's accountability. I'm not the skinniest thing ever but I don't blame that on television, I blame it on my own personal choices. Now I do have sympathy for children who are without options but they grow up and it is not a secret fast food is bad for you!

Twins!

Over the past year or so Neil and I have really gotten into the TV show House. I'm not sure why... the medical stuff is interesting but Dr. House is atrocious, and now three of the main characters have been fired! It is like morbidly watching a train crash as Dr. House hits rock bottom. However, I recently discovered that the character of House is a rip off! I started reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Complete Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1, and House is Sherlock Holmes. Here are a list of the similarities.

1. They are both substance abusers

2. They are both fascinated and obsessed with following clues and solving mysteries (medical or criminal)

3. The both have an easy going side kick (Wilson or Watson)

4. Hello- the names Wilson and Watson!

5. Another name similarity House and Holmes

6. The inability to have a healthy relationship with the opposite sex

7. Both geniuses

8. They both lack respect for authority figures (Cuttey and Scotland Yard)

I'm sure there are more but that is all I can think of spur of the moment. Anyway, if you like watching House give reading Sherlock Holmes a try.

Party Time!

Now that I am finally over morning sickness I felt it was about time to throw a party. Therefore tomorrow I invited a bunch of church gals over for lunch. I have done this a few times to try to get to know people from our church better. I invited some tried and true friends and then invited a few other chicks I don't know that well. My problem is this, the tried and true all RSVP-ed, however none of the new crowd did. Are they coming? Are they bringing children? Do I need tons of food? I have no idea. I would just call and ask but due to some lengthy conversations with my sister this month I am all out of minutes until tomorrow morning. I guess I will plan for the masses even if it could be just three of us. I wish people would RSVP, especially when it is written out on the invitation. It is the classy thing to do. At my wedding we served dinner, in the invitation there were RSVP cards and addressed and stamped envelopes and some people still didn't RSVP. I understand not RSVP-ing if you're not coming (still rude but there wont be a scene when there is no place card for the people) but there are always a group who just show up anyway. Where is Miss Manners? These people need a smack down.