MagMadness MONDAY!!!

WASHINGTONIAN:(wosh-en-toh-nee-an) noun 1. A person who suffers from severe sun deprivation and, therefore, must contort their body to fit into any patch of sunlight that may spontaneously appear in any given area.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY KRISTINA!!!

Last Sunday we reached the one year mark of our little Kristina. Time flies when you're having fun!! She started off the day with a cold, so we came home from church early to take a much needed nap...
Then, our good friends, the Tapusoas, who's cutie-patootie boy, Mason, was born on the same day as Kristina, came over for a little gift-exchange and photo op. Mason was the perfect gentleman and let Kristina open her present first. Just like he let her be born first :) A little spark of love in the air.....? We already have them betrothed:)

The twins......
What an adorable couple they make!

We celebrated with all the cousins, aunts and uncles that night. Kristina opened presents from Mom and Dad and Grandma Rolph and Papaw, then we had a surprise call from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Colleen who were just checking in to the MTC en route to Ireland! We sure miss them and pray for them every night!

K- was not so sure of the cake...no smashing into the face from this girly girl!

I love the bucked teeth in this shot-she was so done with the cake.

YEAH!! I finally have my own dolly!

Grandma Rolph gave me a cute bunny that rattles!

This is the best gift EVER!

Seriously.......so cute.

TUNES THAT MAKE US SMILE:)

HAPPY ELECTION DAY....I wanted to add a list of songs that, well, just make me smile, or make the whole family want to dance around the living room. It turned out to be a very eclectic group of tunes that conjure up some fun memories of the past. Hopefully, this will help us all cope with what may lie ahead. That and a good dose of happy pills.

EXTRA! EXTRA! THIS JUST IN!!!

Breaking news:

Very cute children were sighted storming the neighborhoods of Marysville in search of candy. Our latest reports indicate that half the stash was devoured by their parents after they were sent to bed...(oops! did I say that?)

Baby Kristina-Ladybug
Brooke-Island Princess Barbie
Rachel-Black Cat
Mom-Babysitter(note the braces)*
*reference to earlier post which I don't know how to link to

Dad-photographer extraordinaire

Who wouldn't want to love this kitty?
(it's the only cat I will ever snuggle with)

Island Princess is giving us her best curtsy...with the assistance of Cheer Bear.

PLEASE GIVE ME A SUCKER, DADDY, PLEASE!!!!!

AAAAAAHHHHHH.....relief.

One of the rare times Kristina lets go of something and tries to stand...

So cute and ready to get some CANDY!!

A house in our neighborhood is hard-core Halloween. This picture doesn't capture the essence of fright, but you can tell on Rachel's face it's pretty spectacular. Although they enjoy all things "girly", their "Papaw" gene comes out and they are intrigued by the spooky and scary. This was the highlight of the night.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

The "Like" Game (a.k.a. Happy Birthday Grandma Rolph)

So-I will pause from the political rants(I know you're all so disappointed) and take this opportunity to play a Rolph Family favorite...the "Like" game. And since today is a special day for Mommy, we will play on her behalf. The "Like" game was played in our house on everyone's birthday. We would all say one nice thing about each other, and you couldn't use the words "pretty", "nice," or "smart". Mom also made us play when we weren't getting along. But it's a good thing we are, or Ben and Josh might have to pull out the ol' swordfighting bit....remember? Personal family joke. So, Mom, here is why we "like" (LOVE) you:

SHAWN:
I like Jeanette because she really gets into a good game.(i.e. the world series or any other sporting event) Also-we both agree on what's best for Sarah(that was put in by Sarah:)

SARAH:
I like Mom because she is one of the most compassionate and caring women I know. She puts her family first and has her priorities set. Not everyone can say their Mom is one of their best friends-but I can!(I know that was more than one thing...sorry:)

RACHEL:
I like Grandma Rolph because she bring us presents. I also loved our special walks to my new school and I love you!

BROOKE:
I like when Grandma Rolph comes to our house and tells me the "Gingerbread Man" story.

KRISTINA:
"Dat" "Dat" "Bubba" "Aaahh" "Dada"
Translation: I like Grandma Rolph because she gives me kisses and hugs and I love snuggling with her blanket every night:)



We LOVE YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

ELECTION COUNTDOWN....PART 3

WHAT'S WRONG WITH REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH?

Karl Marx said: "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

Sounds okay, right? But not when Karl Marx or any other head of government is in charge. When we are allowed to redistribute of our own free will, whether it be to our church, charity or the local grocery store, we redistribute OUR wealth, OUR income, OUR money. When the government says they will "redistribute", it simply means "confiscate".
Just look at out current education system. Why is our public school system, which is dependent upon the "redistribution" of our money through taxes, so unbalanced and corrupt? Because we are not dealing with a benevolent government personally handing the money to the children. We deal with bureaucrats who determine where the money should go, whether it be to the schools, or in their own pockets. I saw this first-hand when I taught in inner city Philadelphia, one of the highest funded school districts in the state, yet the children were crammed into a class room of 30 or more, with limited textbooks and teaching supplies, crappy pay and run down facilities. This is a broad example of what can happen when the government gets too involved with our money. I'm not saying government should not be involved. There are certainly areas that government should oversee. But the more they oversee, the wider the door is left open for dishonesty and corruption.
So-beware of the one who wants to redistribute wealth for the "common good." The only one qualified to stand at the head of a benevolent society is Jesus Christ, and he would not confiscate our earnings or force anyone to give. We will do it of our own free will and obligation to serve our brothers and sisters, not because anyone is forcing us. That was Satan's plan.

I came across this passage today that seems to apply to the current situation. I believe even more that the Book of Mormon was inspired for our day and times:

"He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts, for behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
"Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish."

2 NEPHI 26:29-30

ELECTION COUNTDOWN.....PART 2

Here's some food for thought, courtesy of Dr. Rolph:).....

Definitions of a Communist, A Socialist, and A Capitalist: The 'Two Cow' Version:

A Communist farmer owns two cows. The government takes one cow and distributes some of the milk to the people.
A Socialist farmer owns two cows. The government takes one cow and gives it to someone who doesn't have a cow.
A Capitalist farmer owns two cows. The government leaves him alone. The farmer sells one of the cows and buys a bull.

I would like to be free to give to whom I please and how much. That is true charity...when it comes out of free will and not by force or coercion.

Choose which one you want and vote accordingly on November 4th....

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

ELECTION COUNTDOWN....

I have refrained up until now from posting anything political. I'm sure you all know where we here at the Mag house stand. But seeing as how the election is 8 days away and there is a lot of interesting info coming out of the wood works concerning certain candidates, I can stay silent no longer. This urgency has been brewing for some time, and finally reached its tipping point when I woke up this morning to the voice of Mr. Obama, verbally tearing the framework of our country and its constitution apart. My first thought was "He must not understand the Constitution very well to be saying these things." Then, it hit me that he does understand it VERY well, he just DOESN'T LIKE IT. He DOESN'T LIKE that every man has the God-given right to life.(just look it his radical views on abortion.) He DOESN'T LIKE that every man has the right to liberty(he doesn't trust the notion that every man is given a freedom of choice by God). He DOESN'T LIKE that we can all pursue our own happiness.(He would like to the government to determine when you've had enough happiness and redistribute it to someone else.) You can label him a socialist, Marxist, facist, whatever you will, but the truth stands as this: Barack Obama disagrees with the fundamental principles that this country was founded upon and will stop at nothing to influence those around him, until there is nothing left of this country that we recognize to be from God. This is not a "he said, she said" issue anymore. This is as blatant as the sun shines, and the Pide Piper has begun to play a sweet tune that will lead the citizens of this country down a slippery slope if we let him.
SO-with this in mind, I encourage all to find out for yourself(that means don't watch NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.) where each candidate stands and choose wisely by doing the following:

1. Read the Constitution.
2. Read the Constitution AGAIN.
3. Deside which candidate will uphold its principles more fully.
4. Deside which candidate will elect Supreme Court justices that will uphold its principles more fully.
5. Deside which candidate will uphold your God-given rights to life,(look at abortion views) liberty,(the right to free speech and to defend yourself) and the right to pursue your own happiness(i.e. your freedom to determine your own prosperity)

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this is a serious decision. Let's make it a GOOD ONE!

ALL FOR FALL

Fall is the best season of the year, really. We've been having some great sunny weather, but not too hot-love it! Today we went to the Pumpkin patch with Brooke's preschool class. I took a few shots of the girls in the pumpkins. Happy Fall!!

Political Pumpkin Heads

I thought you might enjoy a little project I took upon myself. Don't forget to vote!

Granny's undying wisdom....

I was telling my grandparents about Shawn, back in the early days of our relationship, filling them in on all of the perfect and irresistible qualities he possessed. Granny responded by asking one simple question: "Honey, does he come from good people?"
Down in the "holler" of Kentucky, it didn't matter what kind of house you lived in, or the job you had to make ends meet, or the clothes you wore, when compared to the kind of people you came from. Your "people" said a lot about you, and in the holler, where everyone knew everyone else's people, it mattered.
I responded to Granny's question(and still do) with a resounding "YES!" So this is a shout out to all the peeps of the Magelsen clan. Them's GOOD PEOPLE!!

So, according to Granny's philosophy, if Shawn had been a complete loser but he came from good people, does that legitimize an eternal marriage? Mmmm.....I wonder. Good thing he wasn't. Which leads me to another thought..... does a person's NAME give any indication as to the kind of person they are? We've all been in situations where we suggest a baby name to our pregnant friend/relative, only to be met with a sneer and a comment like: "I knew a ____ once and he/she was a big time ______.'' All of the Shawns I've ever known were trouble makers. But MY Shawn isn't a--oh, wait. Well-anyway, I'm really diving into my inner self here, so I'll stop and say, I'm from good people and I married into good people, and I hope I raise my girls to appreciate that they're from good people too. Now I will conclude with a poem I wrote with a friend during eight grade geometry class:

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Just because her name is Bertha
Doesn't mean she's big.
Just because his name is Erwin
Doesn't mean he's a nerd.
What's in a name?
Not much-
Just some letters.

How can I remember that after all these years? It's a gift, people. And how did I fare in geometry? The fact that I was writing random poetry says it all. I'm not a math person. And obviously not a poet, either. Any thoughts on the name game?

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

Just as I suspected....

After gushing about the sweetness and adorableness, which are my children, last week, I was fully prepared for Murphy's Law to take effect and, let me tell you, it has come with a vengeance. I don't know if it's possible for four year olds to suffer from PMS. But every sign is there-minus the cramps and bloating. I'm not ready for this, people, and I have three girls. Oy vay! A typical morning has gone like this:

BROOKE: Mom, I'm hunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy!

MOM: OK, what would you like for breakfast?

BROOKE: I just can't decide.

MOM: How about cereal?

BROOKE: I don't WANT cereal.

MOM: OK, how about a waffle?

BROOKE: I don't LIKE waffles.

MOM: But you had a waffle yesterday, and you seemed to like it just fine.

BROOKE: But I just don't like them.

MOM: Well, then, it looks like cereal is your only option. You can have Kix or Cheerios.

BROOKE: But I just don't know what to have.

MOM: How about Kix?

BROOKE: No I don't WANT Kix.

MOM: How about Cheerios?

BROOKE: No, I don't WANT Cheerios.

MOM: Well, you must not be that hungry, then, so come back when you're ready to eat.

BROOKE: But I AM hungry!

MOM: You have 1 minute to decide, then breakfast is over.

BROOKE: But I just don't know what to have!

MOM(to herself) For the love, child, get a grip on yourself and pick a cereal!!! Hey Rachel-can I fix you a waffle for breakfast?

RACHEL: Sure Mom!

BROOKE: Mom, I think I want a waffle, too.

I give up. It's a good thing they're cute.

THE MANY FACES OF BROOKE............

*******************************

This weekend we took the kids on a hike to Boulder Creek, a relatively easy trail that runs along a river with lots of pretty waterfalls. We had lots of fun, and, of course, Rachel turns off her hearing when we tell her to NOT get in the water. She went in waist deep, and we still had 2 miles to walk back. That girl..........

Rachel has been begging us for weeks to go to Denny's for breakfast. Why? Who knows....
So we indulged her before the hike, and she was in heaven! Before she got her food, she was coloring the kid menu picture and said, "This is the best day EVER!" Oh, so easy to please! After her delicious breakfast of waffles with whipped cream and bacon on the side, she asked, "So who's idea was this, anyway?" I said, "It was Dad's." She looked up at him and said, "Dad, you have a really good brain for thinking of this plan!" Way to go, Dad's brain!

Smiley sisters before the hike.....not so smiley after:)

I love these people.

We found a "secret" tunnel under a tree. Rachel wasn't sure about it at first. Brooke had to lead the way.

Not the best picture, but we all need a few of those, right? She's gonna hate me later.

Everyone did great, despite the long trek!


The scenery was beautiful-except for that big stick in the way.

Dad and girls at work constructing a dam. This is a favorite activity whenever we're exploring by a creek.

The girls posing on top of their completed bridge/dam thingy. They were so proud.

One of the pretty waterfalls we passed. It reminded us of those we saw in Hawaii. Just goes to show you don't have to pay big bucks to see beautiful things? When it's not raining, it's very enjoyable here.

So tired from a long day....but a fun one!