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I got this from my friend Brandee and had to share.

One Matters for Impact!

By: Mitt Romney

I don't remember when it was exactly that I finally went past the sandbar. My family had a summer cottage on the shores of one of the Great Lakes. For the first forty or so feet, the lake is shallow, warm, and protected from big waves by the sandbar. That's where I spent most of the hot summer days as a boy. I liked it there. One day, my brother got me up on water skis. Perhaps fearing that a turn would make me fall, he drove the boat, and me, straight out into thedeep. By the way, this lake is over 100 miles wide. I screamed at him the whole terrifying ride. He took me about a half mile out. But ever after, the deep water was where I wanted to be: surfing in the breakers, water skiing, diving. I got out of the shallow water for good.

Over the years, I have watched a good number of people live out their lives in the shallows. In the shallows, life is all about yourself, your job, your money, your house, your rights, your needs, your opinions, your ideas, and your comfort.

In the deeper waters, life is about others: family, friends, faith, community, country, caring, commitment. In the deeper waters, there are challenging ideas, opposing opinions, and uncomfortable battles.

Almost every dimension of your life can be held to the shallows or taken into the deeper water. Your career, your involvement with others, your spouse and your children, your politics, each can be lived with you comfortably at the center. Or, they can draw you out of yourself, into service and sacrifice, into selflessness.

At some point in your life, a few of you may be presented with the opportunity to step off your career path, to give yourself fully to some kind of service. When I was asked to leave my investment company to run the Olympics in Salt Lake City, I dismissed the idea out of hand. I was making too much money, I didn't know bupkes about running a sports event. The job would pay me nothing. The organization was in the worst condition of any I had ever seen.

And, after the Games were over, the position would lead nowhere. It was a dead end.

I took it. It was the highlight of my professional life. I gave more of myself than I ever had before. I came to know and respect remarkable people. There are currencies more lasting than money. It can be enormously rewarding to take the unobvious course, to jump into the deep water.Bias is shallow thinking and shallow water.

Read widely, particularly from people who disagree with you. Argue to learn rather than to win. If you don't respect, I mean really respect, the views of people who disagree with you, then you don't understand them yet. There are smart people on both sides of almost every important issue. Learn from them all. If you have life all figured out in neat little packages, you're in Neverland, not the real world. And it's boring there.

There's one more thing I've seen in the people who swim in the deep waters of life. They don't fashion their values and principles to suit their self-interest; they live instead by enduring principles that are fundamental to society and to successful, great lives.

I learned important lessons about those principles from some of the Olympians I saw in Salt Lake City, like bobsledder Vonetta Flowers. Vonetta was brakeman on USA sled two. All the attention, however, was on sled one, the sled that had taken the World Cup and was a lock for the Olympic Gold. But just before the Olympics, the pilot of sled one dropped her partner and invited Vonetta Flowers to join her.

Vonetta had a tough decision. On sled one, she'd get a gold medal for sure; the first Olympic gold to be won by an African American in the Olympic Winter Games. Those of us rooting for US medals hoped she would jump to sled one. She didn't. She decided that friendship and loyalty to her longtime teammate on sled two was more important than winning the gold.

Of course, sled one did well. But when sled two beat them all, coming in first, the crowd went nuts. And tears dripped off Vonetta's cheeks. Friendship and loyalty above gold.

You live one time only. Don't spend it in safe, shallow water. Launch out into the deep. Give yourself to your family, to your career, to your community. Open your mind to diverging viewpoints. And live, not by what suits the moment, but by the principles that endure for a lifetime. Jump in, the water's fine!

Great advice from Mitt Romney and food for thought.

Anatomy of a nights sleep

8:00pm SHARP! Kids in bed. Yahoo!

9:00pm Child #4 starts crying in crib - check and retrieve cozy that was thrown out.

10:00pm wake up child #2 and take to the bathroom to avoid extra loads of laundry.

10:30pm go to bed - get in deep conversation with husband until 12:00am

12:15am realize the the tooth fairy almost forgot to visit child #2. Check.

12:15am-2:00am mind races - can't sleep - surf web.

2:00am child #3 awake with wet bed - forgot pull-up?!

2:05am sleep.

3:00am child #1 comes into bed because of nightmare.

4:00am hubby (on call) gets called by hospital...has 10 min conversation while still in bed.

5:20am child #3 wakes up for the day and wants chocolate milk. Oblige.

5:30am try to go back to sleep but decide to run instead.

6:30am get back from run feeling 100% better.

6:30am to 11:00pm dream of the nap you never get.

Good...let me rephrase that...GREAT DEAL!!

Suzy from Jack and Jill Photography is offering FREE digital Christmas cards designs that you can have printed anywhere!!! I know it sounds early to be thinking about it, but hey...it's free!! You can find out the details HERE. There are also some deals for those in Utah on photo sessions. So check it out, and check something off your Holiday list!!

Labor Day Camping Trip

Paul finished off the Summer right with the kids on a camping trip. He and my brother took each of their oldest three kids up to Christopher Creek and had a great time. I wasn't ready to brave the elements with Nora. Yup...I'm a wimp.
Here is their camping spot. It rained a lot, but they were prepared and toughed through it!
Max was in heaven no matter the weather. Ever since the father and sons camp out this past spring, he asks to camp every day. This picture makes me wish I would've gone. It is so beautiful. Next time I'm going.
You can't have a real camping experience without roasting marshmallows.
Here is the gang of kids. From L to R: Max, Ella, Ashley, Lauren, Andrew (doesn't he look thrilled to be with all the girls and little kids?), and then Jack. It may not look like it from the picture, but they had a great time.
Jack didn't get in enough practice with his new pocket knife, so he continued his whittling at home.
Then there is the inevitable post camp out clean up. Paul's really good at stuff like that. What a Dad!!

A Few Ingredients Missing From the Stew

I always do that. No wonder my recipes never quite work out. I couldn't leave two fun things out of the Sunday Stew.

On July 31st Jack lost his first tooth!! After much fear/anxiety/worry/fretting, he was thrilled when the tooth finally came out. Then...
The next day on August 1st. The next tooth came out. Now he talks with a cute little lisp.
This next picture is a total crack-up. I was telling the kids that it was time to do some major cleaning and that we needed to do a super job. So, the boys come in the room telling me that they are the Super Cleaners. It was hilarious and they did a great job helping. I need those superheros again...on a regular basis!

Sunday Summer Stew - chuck full of preservatives!

So, I have A LOT...I mean A LOT of summer blog catching up to do. So, I've decided on the stew again. Like the title says, some of these things are old, so preservatives were necessary. I'll try to get back to my fresh organic ways next time. So here we go...in no particular order!!
The kids enjoyed their goggle clad ride on our friends Ranger. They were in heaven...so easily entertained!
We had a little bit of sickness too. You know it's bad when my "mile a minute" boys crash on the couch.
Ella constantly being an amazing big sister to Nora. They love each other so much and it warms my heart!
Nora continues to forget that we only draw on PAPER!!
Ella and Jack participated in a darling little musical theater camp. The performance was priceless, and if I can figure out how to post video from our new camera I will.
One of my best friends from growing up came to visit with her hubby for a couple of days. Julie is one of my favorite people to talk to. She is one of the few people who gets me and I love her to death. This picture shows what we were doing while this...
was in front of us. We went to a Diamondbacks game and had great seats. That stadium is amazing!
The kids had dentist appointments. They seriously look forward to these things...I'm not joking. I'm sure it helps that none of them have ever had to do anything but cleanings and x-rays. It's a really fun office and they beg me to go back!I love this picture of Max on the table. Notice the shoes. I'll be sad when that stage ends.
Nora now sleeps in the kennel with Maggie. OK, not really, but we often find her in there playing. It's so funny because Maggie doesn't seem to mind.
I put the kids to work.And a lot of the time they actually liked it!
We did a little craft project. My sister in law Sue made some cute mailboxes for her kids and I thought it was a great idea.
The kids had a blast and now I have evidence that I did actually do crafty projects with them.
The sky here in Arizona is amazing. I am always pointing it out to the kids. I don't think I will ever get used to it. We had to catch these shots, but I still don't think they do it justice.
This is another picture of the gorgeous sky, but it also documents Ella's latest swimsuit choice. She prefers to wear her brothers swimsuits and swim shirts. I'm not complaining because it's more coverage from the sun. I think it's hilarious and is SO ELLA!! This girl is much more interested in comfort and fun than in fashion. I love it...most of the time. There are times when I have to nicely ask her to change into something that matches or isn't straight out of the dirty clothes bin.
Here is a picture depicting Nora's fashion sense. (sorry about the picture quality...i took it with my phone) She is VERY picky about what she wears...unlike her sister. It usually has to have pink, sparkles, and an accessory or two. WHERE DID THIS GIRL COME FROM?!! Ella is more like I was as a kid. I'm going to have to get used to this girlie thing. In some ways I LOVE it. In other ways...not so much...and she's only two...oh boy!!
Last but not least are the first day of school pictures. Yup, that's the extent of it. I feel guilty when I see all the cute back to school pictures and activities everyone is doing. I'm just trying to keep my head above water most days. I have my strengths and weaknesses.

I am in semi-shock that I was able to convince Ella to wear a skirt the first day of 3rd grade. I'm sure it was because it had shorts underneath. She hasn't worn them again since!Here is handsome Jack all ready for 1st grade and all day school. He is doing AWESOME. Max with his killer smile all ready for his first day at Pre-K. I will have to post about his amazing class/teacher along with his social antics. This kid's got spunk!

Mix that all together and you get one steaming pot of a great summer, great kids, and happy Mom!!

Utah July 2008 Part 4 - Boating on Utah Lake

We were lucky enough to get to go boating with my sister Heather, her husband Bruce, and their three cute kids while we were in Utah. We headed to Utah lake and we had a great time. The water is far from beautiful, but the kids didn't seem to mind much.
Nora was excited and ready to go. She loved being on the boat...especially the snacks.
Max liked helping uncle Bruce drive. He's lookin' pretty serious about it here!
Jack was just happy...as usual. This kid is always such a pleasure to be around.
And here's my sunshine girl Ella. Having fun as usual. This girl just loves to have fun. That smile can light up your day!
Daddy (Paul) tried his hand at wake surfing. He did really well. Sorry I don't have a good picture of him once he let the rope go. It is so cool how close to the boat they are. I may have to try that someday!!
Ella, Jake, and Sarah on the tube. That's my kind of tube riding. I grew up with what we called "The Death Tube." It's so fun to watch the kids faces on this thing.
Jack, Max, and Sam had a great time too...can you tell?!

Nora didn't want to miss out on the fun, so I got out there with her. We were gentle...don't worry! It was fun though and she didn't want it to stop!Here is Max...summing up the whole day perfectly!

Utah July 2008 Part 3 - Thanksgiving Point

I'm still trying to document all of our trip to Utah this summer. This post is about a great morning we had a Thanksgiving Point. It was SO GORGEOUS!! I thoroughly enjoyed walking around the gardens with my kids, Grandma Mary, and cousins Andrew and Finn. Here are the highlights.
I couldn't get over how beautiful these lily pads were. They just covered the water so gracefully.
There were hundreds of these vivid orange, yellow, and white fish. The kids were enamored and I loved seeing them swarm to get the pieces of fish food we threw in.
Here are the boys on the bridge. L to R: Finn, Andrew, Jack and Max.
The gardens there are really expansive and have several different points of interest throughout. My favorite might be the Secret Garden. I LOVE the book, and they recreated it perfectly. I loved watching my kids walk through the beauty.

This is one of my favorite memories of the day. We were walking on the path and suddenly Grandma Mary challenges the kids to a race up the stairs to Vista Point. It was so fun seeing them take off and Grandma right there in the mix. She is so good to encourage the kids to be active.
Here is a fun shot of them on the way down the stairs.

This little valley with the gorgeous waterfall is breathtaking. I loved standing back and just watching the kids run free. It's times like this that I wish I lived on a farm or ranch. It is so good to just let the kids go and explore!I loved this picture of Ella and her Grandma. They are blessings in my life.This was a fun cave that the kids were exploring. I love this picture because it shows how cute Andrew was with Nora. He was such a trooper hanging out with all the little kids. He really is a great kid.
Last but not least is a not-so-good picture of Ella and Nora trying to catch butterflies. You can't really see them because they are white.

It was a great day and made me wish we had something like this here in the Desert. I will definitely be making this an annual event on my summer treks to Utah.