Visit to Hyde Park text

I had a meeting last week at West Point where I am a member of the Board of advisors for the Geology and Environmental Engineering Progeam, and Mom went with me. We visited Franklin D. Roosevelt's home and libreary and one of the 43 van der Bilt mansions (the smallest one, actually), both located in Hyde Park, NY, about an hour from West Point. We had a great time. Unfortunately, my camera battery was almost dead, and I forgot to bring a charger, so I didn't get many pictures, but the leaf colors were gorgeous! They told us the peak color day occurred the day before we arrived, and the day we were there was cloudy and rainy but they were still pretty. The pictures don't do them justice. See the trees reflecting in the Hudson River, the Roosevelt house, and the Mansion in the pictures (posted before this without text, due to technical difficulties). The mansion reminded us of the opulence of Crazy Ludwig's Linderhoff Castle in Germany. The guide told us the mansion was representative of the Gilded Age in America. There was no real Royalty in the US, but the van der Bilts and others of their ilk felt that they were the substitute for it in the US, and they lived like it. The mansion was amazingly ornate and oozed wealth, being furnished with antiques from all over Europe. The mansion had electricity before the town of Hyde Park, and the townsfolk would come out in droves on Friday evenings and party along the road and fence line at dusk to watch the electric lights come on in the mansion and on the mansion grounds.

Visit to Hyde Park, New York

Family Reunion

I have heard some rumors that there may be some issues with the family reunion this summer.

I just wanted to revisit the topic and see if we are all still able to go. I have been watching ticket prices and while I do not plan on buying them anytime soon, I want to be SURE we are still on.

Anyone have any thoughts, or things to add?

Harbour Pointe Church Building Arson

Do you remember this building? This is the building that Ralph and I got married in and the Richards' family went to church in when they lived in Mukilteo, Washington. Saturday morning an arsonist set a fire to the building and it is a total loss. If you want to read more I have attatched the web site of the local newspaper so you can read it if you would like.

www.heraldnet.com/article/20101016/news01/710169856/1122

If this page does not work, you can go to the Everett Herald, Washington on Google and it should take you there. Or I can try to send you the page in e-mail form.


www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39699708 (this is another web page you can look at.)

Thank you!

My sister Lindsey flew into the States from Germany last night--at midnight. And guess who picked her and her husband and children up? Mom. I called this morning to see if they had gotten in (I thought their plane was coming in at 10:30, which is still late to be driving to Baltimore to pick up strangers) and my sister answered the phone. She said, "You have the best in-laws in the world. Seriously." As if I didn't already know that.


I do have the best in-laws. I hear horror stories from people about their in-laws and I just shake my head. That really happens? People really treat each other that way? Mom's really don't just opens their arms to their sons wives? Daughters don't just try and fit in and adjust to their husband's family?

I am very grateful to be a part of this family and I'm very happy to have the in-laws I have.

When I was talking to my sister I said, "Carol must be a walking zombie today" and Isaac overheard me and started laughing. When I hung up he said, "Grandma's a walking zombie? That's so cool!" And then he and Eli walked around being zombies, "I'm a walking zombie...I'm going to eat you...I want to be a skeleton forever...." So, Grandma, if you are in fact a walking zombie today, I'm sorry because I know that means you had to wake up and go pick my sister up. But, thank you! (and just know that the boys think that's awesome!)

I did it!!!

YES!! I finished passing off my articles of faith to Mom and Dad!! Whoot Whoot!!
Mike Richards also finished his, but did not get on the blog and shout and be excited about it, so I will say "Yeehaw!! Good job Mike!!"
Also, I will encourage the rest of you to call and pass off the articles of faith. Not only do you get to refresh your memory, teach your children and earn money from Grandpa!!! but you also get to phone your fabulous parents each day and bother them until you are done!! You can phone them even when you are done... they like to be bothered, or at least that is what Mom keep telling me when I call her 20 times a day. Right Mom???
Anyway, here is a shout of encouragement for all of you:

YOU CAN DO IT!!

Mikayla is almost there, too!! I will be anyone's cheerleader, but without the skimpy outfit.

I'm sure I will blog again when I decide what to spend MY money on, as it is MY money, it will not go into the budget!!

Good luck to all of you!!

One last thing, it was 80 degree here the other day... in October, in North Dakota!! We are lovin' it!

Of interest to all...

Just a few fun things to share with all.

*Mom and Dad have decided that they will pay for all the lodging for the family reunion!!! Thanks Mom and Dad. We love you!!

*Some of us are getting close to finishing off our Articles of Faith and getting money from Mom and Dad. Some were trying to secretly be the first ones done and then others found out and they are ahead trying to be the first ones done. How rude!! Anyway, in our household we have plans for our earnings. Some of us want new boots, others webkins, others have no plans but just want the money. What will you do with yours. Oh, and it's a good thing for us to have the articles of faith memorized, even if we aren't getting paid for it.

*And on a final note of interest, Jacob informed me that when he grows bigger his butt will be bigger. He is very interested in saying the word butt lately. As in he told me the other day that he wanted to kick my butt, and then proceeded to try and kick his little foot as high as my... you know. Then he said he wanted to look at the booties! He meant Mikayla's boots, he loves girls clothing.

Oh, I forgot another thing. Recently, I ran the two boys across the street to school, as they were late and I had to sign them in, or so I thought. I told Jacob to wait in the house for me, as he was NAKED. So, we ran to school, and then I ran back outside and there was my little man(Jake) in the playground. He was no longer naked, but had a shirt on... and that was all. He was carrying a pair of pants and a sweatshirt. This may make you laugh or may make you call protective services. Hopefully it will just make you laugh and hopefully I will stop leaving my 2 year old, 3 in two days, alone while I run across the street.

Taco Chicken salad

I had this yummy lunch at a Relief Society lunch yesterday. I don't have the official recipe so I thought I could post it here and you can try it if you want. It was so good!

-cubed chicken (not alot, although I suppose that was to stretch it for our large group)
-lettuce-I'm thinking it was just iceberg, maybe even just a prepackaged cut lettuce, with the cabbage and carrots
-tortilla chips
-avocado, chunked in large pieces
-black beans
-cherry tomatoes
-dressing- a mixture of ranch and bbq sauce. I think equal parts... or to taste. This will always be a bit different depending on your brand and flavor.

It was all just tossed together and served in a pile on the plate. It didn't look to good, but tasted so yummy. Oh, and I'd say heavy on the sauce.
They served it with rolls and cinnamon butter. Also yummy.
I might add black olives if I ever make it.

For dessert we had Klondike bars. They served them on a plate of strawberry sauce, covered with whipped cream and sliced strawberries, very elegant.

Just wanted to share with my family whom I know also love to try good foods. Let us know if you try it and what you think or what you changed.

We also got a small treasure box full of chocolates and a ring pop. I would recommend that as well... you know, chocolate!!!

Water Shoes

The other day, I called every family to ask them about their childrens shoe sizes. By way of report, I'm posting that I was able to buy none. After calling everyone, I called the store that had the shoes on sale for $2 a pair. They had already run out. When I called another of the same chain, they told me that they'd sent all their stock to the store that had sold out.
So, we'll all just have to keep a look out untill next summer. Good luck.

Family Home Evening

Do any of you remember that I did not love to attend FHE? I am not sure when it started or why. I remember liking it in Denver when I was about 9 or 10, but that is because I remember winning prizes for something...
Anyway, I still don't really like it (the arguing, the running around during singing time, the non participation, the noise level, the complaining because "I don't like to be the lesson or the scripture, I only like to be the treat!! I never get to be the treat!", no one answering the questions because no one listened to your story in the first place...). That is a problem because I am the mom and the one who should be setting an example. But I really... I still don't love it. I do it because the prophet said we should and promised that if we do our families will be better because of it. Kind of like family scripture time. Can you imagine what my family would be like if we DIDN'T follow those to commandments???

Christmas Idea

Hey all~

I don't want to sound miserly, but how does this sound to everyone: would anyone be interested in skipping our family gift exchange this Christmas? This would allow each of us to put that money towards the reunion, or just not spend it now. We could then just move this rotation to next year. We can do this if everyone agrees, if you don't want to do this, that is fine, too, just a suggestion.
Obviously, I agree...
What do you think?

Following Christ

I paused my reading of The Infinite Atonement to read this second book by Stephen E. Robinson, Following Christ. I enjoyed this book as well, though there wasn't anything that I was uncertain of like with his first book. I think he's done a good job of discussing our obligations as members of the covenant people. He discusses the nature of the covenant and then points out that he doesn't need to provide a list of rules we must follow to remain in the covenant, but instead reiterates that all that we must do is contained in the concept of love. As we truly learn to love God and other people, we will keep all the commandments/rules. It was a good book.

Telescope

I've been thinking a lot about getting Will a telescope. I've got some books, done some online research, and feel like I know what I want to get him...if I decide to do it. Tonight it occurred to me that I haven't even gone outside to look at the sky in all this time I've been considering getting a telescope. So, I went outside. The night sky is very cool to me. Here are some (not very good) pictures I took. You can see there's a lot of "light pollution" in my backyard. I think the telescope I want to get (for Will...) will let me hook my camera up to it. Won't that be cool?

Here's one of the moon, too.

Four Years Ago Today,

around 3AM, Lauras water broke.

For his birthday, Nick will be having a birthday party, for which Laura is currently slaving away. Starting celebrations a day early, Andy took Nick and Abuela to Wild Waves, a nearby water park. While there, all three had a wonderfull time.

Unfortunatly, we had a camera battery charge malfunction and where unable to take any pictures.

Fortunatly, we've corrected the charging process, and we should have plenty of pictures of the party and cake.

In any case:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK!

Stephen E. Robinson's Believing Christ

I imagine most of you have read some if not all of Robinson's book. I just finished it and while I was unsure of it for most of the time I was reading it, I think I now agree with him. The book is short and would be a quick read if you have a couple of uninterrupted hours--and if you do, lucky you. I read most if while brushing my teeth and in 5-10 minute spurts as they became available. I do a lot of my reading that way, in fact.

So, why was I unsure about the book. Let me quote a portion that felt incorrect to me at first. "Taken together, Christ and I make up a new creature. The old creature, the imperfect me, ceases to exist, and a glorious new creature, a perfect partnership, takes its place. Taken together as a single entity, the two of us, Christ and I, are perfect. I do not mean (this is absolutely crucial!) that we can become perfect later on. I mean that from the moment the partnership is formed in good faith, from the moment we have sincere faith in Christ, sincerely repent of our sins, and receive baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost--from this moment the partnership is celestial. The merits of the Senior Partner make it so. True, this is not individual perfection, which will indeed come later (much later), rather it is perfection-in-Christ (see Moro. 10-32-33), through which we receive the benefits of our partner's merits. Nevertheless, from this moment the kingdom is ours, provided that we maintain the partnership by abiding in the gospel covenant. (See 3 N. 27:16, 19-21) [Emphasis in the original]

Does that seem odd to anyone else? He continues to make this point, that once we've entered the covenant, we no longer need to strive for perfection--at least as far as our worthiness in God's eyes. We can't perfect ourselves and we don't need to. We are already perfect in Christ. Having said this, however, he goes on to point out that to remain in the covenant--to avoid falling from grace--we need to give our best effort.

I'd be interested in hearing what everyone else thinks of the topic--and, if you've read the book, what you think of it in general. If you own it and haven't read it in a while, I'd appreciate if you'd re-read it and share your thoughts about it with on. (It's only 125 small pages)

A couple things that this book helped me recognize. 1. Christ, because of his immortal Father had control over when he died. I knew this. I always understood it to be taught in reference to the fact that he gave up his life--no one took it from him. However, it also means that he was able to choose not to die while suffering the atonement--something that would have killed any other person. Because of this power, he was able to live through infinite suffering. 2. In the sacrament prayers, as we renew our baptismal covenants, we promise to take upon us the name of Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments--or, at least, that's what I always thought we were covenanting. With this understanding, I renew my covenant, I am forgiven of my sins. I'm am brought back to the state of purity (free from the stains of sin) that I was in when I was baptized. I stay that way until I sin again (which sometimes is a matter of only seconds), and then I am impure. However, I firmly believe that if I die during the week, the sins that I committed since the last time took the sacrament won't be held against me any more than those that I committed before then. But, how can that be? I haven't been forgiven of those sins until I take the sacrament, right? What makes more sense is that I still have been forgiven. I have been forgiven of all my sins as long as I remain in the covenant that I have made. And what was that covenant? "That they are willing to take upon them..." I'm willing, but sometimes I weak. I want to keep the commandments, all the time, but sometimes I don't. As long as I "endure to the end" with the right attitude--a broken heart and contrite spirit--I am still in the covenant even though I make mistakes.

What do you all think?

The Miracle of Forgiveness

I decided that my next few books would be more doctrinal and less historical. I recently finished "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by Spencer W. Kimball. I really enjoyed it. While I was working with Aaron Bishop at his printing shop, we listened to this one on tape a few times (along with some stuff by Truman Madsen and Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage). As I was reading through it, however, I didn't recognize much. It seemed mostly new to me. I did remembered the story about him "cussing the cattle" and how he was sure no one could hear him. He told how he was surprised to find that we will have to give an accounting of every idle word--his response was why would I have to do that when no one else was around? Reading the book did make me wonder about the things that I do that I shouldn't that I don't know yet that I shouldn't. There are still plenty of things that I do when I know I shouldn't and even more that I should and yet I still don't--so maybe I'll hold off on finding out about the other things.

Have any of you read it before? What did you think? Anyone reading anything interesting now? I just started Stephen E. Robinsons, "Believing Christ." It's interesting and I'll post and share some stuff from it when I'm done.

FAMILY REUNION UPDATE!!

HEY HEY HEY!!
After reading Andy's post, and the comments there, Mom and I discussed finding out more details. We found that the reservations for next summer opened last Sunday and there are only 5 spots left for next summer.

The available dates are
June 4-17
July 11-12
Aug. 10-12
Aug 29-1
Aug 20-24

We made tentative reservations for Saturday Aug 20- Wed Aug 24. This can be canceled, but we are not likely to get a spot otherwise. We are not obligated to keep this reservation.
Prices, as Andy mentioned, are $10 per night per person. Children 3 and under are free. That leaves us with 24 people. We can fit as many people into the lodge as we want. There are 26 beds. You can go look at the link on the previous post and see what you think. You will see that these are just bunk beds and nothing fancy.
We would have loads of activities, a full kitchen and adequate restroom facilities.
Does this sound good to everyone? If you want to try another time, we need to do so immediately. If this does not sound good to you at all, let us know that, too.

A New Family Reunion Planning Post

I found out just a couple of weeks ago that The Church has recreation properties with lodges and such. See my blog for my personal experiences. Here's a link to the church website about the specific one I visited. You should click on the links to the left of the screen to see the activities and pictures.

http://bigo.byu.edu:8085/MRP-NANW/Camps.jsp?menuSelect=about&campSelect=4

Prices are $10 per person per night to stay in the lodge, or $10 per vihicle per night to camp out. I think we should have adults stay in the lodge, and send all the kids to camp out :)

I looked at all the other properties, and the one I went to seems to have the most/coolest activities listed. I'm excited to see what you all think about this.

UPDATE
I just read about the lodge accomodations. It has 5 four people rooms, and 1 two people room, which is just one person short than our 27(unless someone else joins the family before than). I don't think that should be a big deal. If we can't convince them to let us squeez in, we could send a few people to sleep in a cabin. Or I might just decide that I'd rather save $30 a night and camp out, then come and shower in YOUR lodge :). It also has a "commercial" kitchen with a "collosal" mixer.

The Pitcher Family

Just waned to share this lovely picture of the Pitcher Family. If you look hard enough, you will notice that Braden is missing. The entire family was ready for the picture and he took off and hid. We looked for him for a little while and then gave up and took it without him. Little bugger!

Volume 4 down, 2 left

I finished volume 4 of a Comprehensive History of the Church. Mom had mentioned interest in the books. You can see from this link that it's pretty cheap to get the set.

This book mostly covered the period of time from 1851-1857, though it covered a few things later than this, as well. A large portion was devoted to the Utah War, which I knew almost nothing about. It turns out that false reports from bad federal officials built up public resentment against the church to the point where the president, Buchanan, felt that it was politically smart to send an army to Utah without telling anyone in Utah or many of the people in the army the purpose of the army going to Utah. It turned out to be a really bad idea. The church felt that it was largely an army sent to destroy their religion and opposed it as such. While there were no casualties from fighting between the two forces, a number of deaths were attributed to the situation created by the "war". This was also the time period during which the Mountain Meadows Massacre took place. It was all pretty interesting and I'm excited to continue with volume 5 and then 6.