Are We Divided or United...

Polarization…“The process by which the public opinion divides and goes to the extremes” (Wikipedia). This is a huge problem in American Society. If you don’t believe that it is, think of how many times in the past few years that different states have been classified and either red or blue. This portrayal of ideals from the media and government that you are either “with us or against us” gives the perception that there is only extreme ways to think. I was watching the “Today Show” this morning and they had a person on promoting a book and the purpose of this book was to promote one way of thinking, while condemning the opposing view. Not trying to promote a line of thinking on its merits solely, but at the expense of the other. How does that help to bring a solution to any situation?

What happened to compromise? What happened to looking at the information and then together finding the appropriate solution, not attacking the other person until somebody gives in? That would be an awful way to have a marriage or any relationship; they would be over before they grew to anything worth value. Seeing in black and white values would make life very difficult. You could never accept less than perfect. Imagine if the father of the prodigal son was that way, the son could have never returned. I am sure glad that things are not really that way. People actually have the opportunity to change and make their lives better.

The person on the “Today Show” was promoting a book, so they were there for one reason; money. There are people that make their living polarizing people. There are people who get elected using fear to polarize people. This is both on the liberal and conservative and in-between sides. I don’t believe that people are only red OR blue; I think there are quite a few shades of purple out there.

This image is from the 2012 Presidential Election

Map Source- http://gizmodo.com/5960290/this-is-the-real-political-map-of-america-hint-we-are-not-that-divided

Miss you Brady...

9/11. There is not much more to say than that. I wanted to share a memory that I have from 9/11/2001, not what I was doing, but about someone I knew.
When I returned to Rexburg, ID and Ricks College in 1995 I began working at a gas station/ video store "Horkley's". When I started I was the only person that was not a local. It was a fun place to work. Many of my coworkers mentioned to me another person that had worked there before he went on a mission and that he would be returning in the spring of 1996. That is when I met Brady Howell. He and had fun when we worked together, we would swap mission stories and give the less active members that worked with us a little nudge (like slamming the cooler door when they would come into work in the morning with a hangover). He and I didn't work together a lot as we were both over 19 and could sell alcohol. But when we did it was fun. We shared some good times that summer.
When I graduated in August of 1996, I left Rexburg and moved back to Nampa, ID. I didn't really think much about Brady except when thinking about working at Horkley's as a whole. Then 9/11 happened. After the attacks the names of the people killed were released and I heard the name of Brady Howell. When this occurred it was years since we shared the cash register in Rexburg. By now he had married and was working in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon. When I heard his name I remembered him and realized that 9/11 touched everyone.
Every year on the anniversary of 9/11 I think about Brady's widow and what her life has been like since the loss of her husband and how every year there are many reminders of her great loss. 

Family Reunions... Plural!

The summer of 2012 had attending two different family reunions. At the end of June we attended the Peterson Family Reunion at Anderson Camp in Twin Falls, ID. It was fun we tented it. The kids had a great time swimming and swimming. Gabe, Selah, and Reece also played miniature golf with Uncle Clark. We went to lunch one day at Idaho Pizza Company. Everyone had a good time trying the different pizza types on their buffet. Ali and Reece liked posing by the carved bear that they had in the dining room.

The second week of August we attended the annual Marshall Family Reunion in Pocatello, ID. It was fun. Instead of staying with Uncle Bob we stayed in a hotel with a pool. Yep, the kids got to swim again! They had a great time. Not sure that Grandpa Marshall had as much fun as they did, but it was good. The kids loved the "free" breakfast in the morning where they could make their own waffles and try lots of stuff. Too bad they didn't finish what they tried.

While in Pocatello we went to the Idaho Museum of Natural History  the kids liked seeing the exhibits and the hands-on activities. It was also nice that on a Friday we had the place to ourselves!

Reece had some fun when we went bowling with the Marshalls on Friday night. He spent his $1 in the "Claw" game where you try to grab a toy. We counseled him against it, but he insisted. He won! How can we teach him that it is a rip-off when he wins. Reece got himself a nice "Fruit Ninja" Watermelon.

On the drive home Saturday night Ali hurt her toe coming out of the store with Selah. Here is Ali talking to Grandpa Marshall about her hurt toe.

Fun Family Vacation

Spring Break 2012... McCall ID

Spring Break was a lot of fun. We took the kids to McCall and spent a few days in a condo with Grandma and Grandpa Marshall. It was great. A nice break from the hustle and bustle. There was quite a bit of snow. We did some sledding. Reece learned how to catch some air on his tube! We ran into some friends that we hadn't seen in a while. We were in the same apartment complex when Gabe was born. We have 4 kids now, they have 5 w/ one on the way. Also, we ran into some other friends on the sledding hill. They helped Reece reach his full potential on the jump! (Thank Lynn & Family). Reece loved the attention.

There was also some rain that made things a little more wet than we liked. The kids spent some time at the condo pool & gym area. By some time, I mean multiple times during the day they wanted to hit the pool and hot tub! (Who's kids are these?)

It was a lot of fun. Here are the kids in front of the lake. Yep, the lake was still frozen over.