Started another blog

I started another blog today. Not for me, but for a friend. She's been saying for forever that she wanted to, so I finally got one going for her today. Check it out! tayloranddiane.blogspot.com

I will blame this on Rachel

Dearest wonderfulest greatest Rach,

if I fail my tests on Monday, I find comfort in knowing it really truly is not my fault! It is all yours. Maybe if you had offered a disclaimer like "may cause addiction" to your text message last week, it wouldn't be your fault. But you didn't. So you have no way to get out of this one. Thank you for such a wonderful suggestion on how to pass my already hard to come by time. While I should be studying for my two tests, and researching for my presentation in a couple of weeks, as well as sewing the hem and a zipper into my dress for my brothers wedding in two weeks, I have not done any of this. Instead, I have wasted away the hours thoroughly enjoying myself. Yesterday I had the excuse of "just get through it so you can focus on school". I don't have such a great excuse today. I thank you for this glorious addiction, but must reiterate again how much you are to blame.

Thanks,
Kim


ps. Jane Eyre rules!!! Not only is it an amazing book, but now there is an amazing movie of it too. If you have a day with no other plans, watch this movie. And be sure to get the 2006 version cuz the old A&E version just doesn't quite do it right.

Stepping out of Character for just a little bit.

I am normally not a very political person. I don't talk politics. I don't talk issues. I have my own strong beliefs, values, understandings, and opinions on many issues, but I am not one tell them freely to others. In a political or idealogical conversation, I usually just ask questions about the other person's opinions in order to understand why they believe a certain way. I'm not really one to express my own. I'm someone who hates controversy. It makes me almost sick to think about having to argue with people. I feel I am not articulate enough in order to express myself in just the right way. I am the kind of person who does not enjoy competition. Ask anyone who has ever played board games with me.

With all that in mind, what I am about to do is COMPLETELY out of character for me.

I support Marriage in California. I grew up in California and I remember the big push to pass Prop. 22 in 2000. This proposition did not add or take away any rights. It simply defined marriage as something between a man and a woman. While in most political circumstances the church remains neutral and does not push its agenda, for Prop. 22, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wrote to the members urging them to vote for this proposition. In May of this year, the California supreme courts over ruled this proposition. Voters in California this year are voting on Prop. 8 now, which again redefines marriage as between a man and a woman. Homosexual couples already have every right and ability that married couples have in California. The only difference is the name that is put upon it. But whatever name the relationship contract between homosexual couples might have, carries even great implications with it.

In the scriptures, it says that prophets are to be our watchmen on a tower, warning us of what is ahead. The Prophet Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has warned members of the dangers for the family that will occur if this proposition does not change. On October 8th, the church gave a special broadcast to Californians on Prop 8. Here is a clip from the special October 8th broadcast from the Church to Californians.



Here is another link to a website that list consequences of this proposition.
http://www.preservingmarriage.org/


Here is a video clip from the Vice-Presidential debate.


Here is a video of Elder Bednar from the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints speaking with young adults about this issue.




This is a topic I feel strongly about. This issue is both moral and religious. In this way it is issue about rights that is so much different that those fought for in the recent past for equal and civil rights. No one is denying the rights of homosexual couples. They are denying the change of definition of something they hold sacred. I really wish that I were still registered in California to vote. I urge those who can vote in California to vote yes on Prop. 8.

Just a little breather

I'm just takinga quick breath before I got back down into study mode. I just got out of a test i totally freaked out about. I have two hours now before my next class to detox and then start studying for my test monday. Two tests down, one more to go, i'm starting to feel a little of the pressure leaving. Can't wait for noon monday when this round of midterms are all over! and i can start focusing on everything i've been putting off...

Great news

My older brother is now officially engaged. Tom and Mary are getting married November 1st in the Provo temple. I'm way excited to go to Utah for....2 days maybe. I'm very very very excited to have a new sister in-law on my side of the family. I'll no longer be the only married child!! And thus ends my short stint at pretending to be the "oldest" child. With him married, I'll no longer be a step ahead of him.


I first met Mary last thanksgiving. My whole family flew in to San Antonio, and Tom brought Mary. She was so much fun to hang out with. We froze together watching the guys play football Thanksgiving morning. She fit right in. She was here for her birthday, so we bought her one of those big balloon towers at HEB. It was interesting getting that home in a truck full of people. It only fit with the window open. She also flew out to Washington with the rest of us for new years. She's been tons of fun to hang out with and get to know. I'm excited for the years ahead of family get togethers to get to know her even more.

A break from the Texas pride in a place that truely is better!

The title is purely for the purpose of rubbing Texas proud people the wrong way... like my husband.

But really, what could be better than a vacation away from the Texas heat and humidity? A vacation that takes you to California and home to visit parents, family, and friends of course! And thats just what I got. The break was much needed and much too short.

I flew in on August 18th, my mom's birthday. My parents and my brother and sister, Tom and Anna, picked me up from the San Fransisco airport around 4:30ish. We picked up Highway 1, the pacific coast highway, and drove down to Half Moon Bay. My mom is a marine biologist. She did a lot of snorkeling and tide pool research while in school at BYU Hawaii. Half Moon Bay has some great tide pools, and our timing was perfect with the low tide. It was so much fun exploring the pools, checking out hermit crabs, star fish, crabs, California muscles (not to be confused with dudes on the beach), rocks, snails, poking at sea anemones, and watching the see lions out of the furthest rocks. I really love the ocean. There are so many different, interesting, and beautiful things in it.


















































































































































These were my favorite hermit crab shells there. They were vibrantly orange in and out of the water.















My sister spotted this cool purple crab crawling around. It looked pink in the water. But once you pulled it out, it was purple. Pretty nifty. We kept telling Tom that it as long as he grabbed it from behind, it couldn't pinch his fingers off. He was very brave. Once we pulled it out of the water though, we found that someone or something had already pulled the crabs pinchers off, so Tom really had nothing to be brave about!




























After leaving the tide pools, we continued on highway one, just enjoying the view of the drive, and looking for a place for dinner. We ended up at a restaurant right on the cliff. We ate outside looking out over a beautiful ocean view. The food was great, lots of fish, seafood, and chowder of course. It was fun to just sit and talk to my family. We're really silly when we're together, laughing over old things we used to do and teasing each other. We talked over ways to convince Russell to move out there after medical school.
For my mom's birthday, my older brother, Tom, compiled pictures of our family and created a slide show. My brother's goal for this slide show was to "make mom cry". He did an amazing job and was able to accomplish the mom crying goal. It was the perfect mix of humor and serious. It was fun to watch the pictures of us kids growing up together, as well as pictures from old family vacations. The night was nearly perfect. The only thing that could have made it better was if my younger brother, Scott, was there. But thats ok, he's on his mission like he should be.



Two more things I will really miss about home: eating perfectly ripe peaches (my favorite fruit) right off the tree and cool crisp-air nights wrapped tightly in blankets.

A Favorite Dessert

Thai Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango.


Oh it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Since I'm currently in the processes of making some, I thought I'd share the deliciousness. I feel like I grew up on this stuff. My mom served her mission for our church in Thailand. Growing up we didn't eat out much, pretty much never, but when and if we did we always ALWAYS went to Thai food. It's just that good! And after eating such good food, you can't pass up such a great finish! I really don't like mango, but I love it on sticky rice.

Sticky rice, also called glutinous rice, is a special rice from Thailand. Grocery stores rarely ever carry it, so I have to go to the Asian market to find it. When it's all cooked, it is, true to its name, very sticky. Here is a link to what Wikipedia has to say about it.

I've been trying out various recipes but I couldn't find one that quite tasted as rich. My mom recently found this one, and it's really quite good. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Fruit/MangoStickyRice.htm

If you plan to make it, you need to plan ahead since the rice is best when soaked over night. The recipe lists mint leaves and sesame seeds as a garnish. It's plenty good without them. I don't think i've ever really had it served to me with mint leaved before.