Thursday, October 30, 2008

For my Cali friends....Prop 8

OK, so I've avoided the political soapbox throughout this campaign season and I'm not going to say anything about the presidential election at the risk of offending my many MANY conservative family and friends {sigh}. Anyway, this post isn't about the presidential election. But it is about a very important issue that I feel very strongly about. I know many of you do not agree with me on this one and that is fine....see, that's one of your basic constitutional rights - to have a different opinion from your friends and neighbors and to be able to freely voice it - freedom of speech I think it's called. We've got lots of cool constitutional rights. In California, there is on the ballot a question about taking away one of those basic constitutional rights. And no, I don't live in California. Many of you don't live in California either. However, I seem to have developed a large blog following (thanks in part to my paper crafting blog) and I do have several friends who are current residents of California. So, if you are able to vote on Proposition 8 in California, please read this now and read it again on the ballot when you cast your vote next week... (this is written by a Californian and will be included with the ballot materials).

Ballot Argument

OUR CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION – the law of our land – SHOULD GUARANTEE THE SAME FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS TO EVERYONENO ONE group SHOULD be singled out to BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY. {jen here inserting commentary...isn't this true of our NATIONAL CONSTITUTION as well???}

In fact, our nation was founded on the principle that all people should be treated equally. EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW IS THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. {jen again...oh wait, there it is}

That’s what this election is about – equality, freedom and fairness, for all.

Marriage is the institution that conveys dignity and respect to the lifetime commitment of any couple. PROPOSITION 8 WOULD DENY LESBIAN AND GAY COUPLES that same DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

That’s why Proposition 8 is wrong for California.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, the freedom to marry is fundamental to our society, just like the freedoms of religion and speech.

PROPOSITION 8 MANDATES ONE SET OF RULES FOR GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES AND ANOTHER SET FOR EVERYONE ELSE. That’s just not fair. OUR LAWS SHOULD TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY.

In fact, the government has no business telling people who can and cannot get married. Just like government has no business telling us what to read, watch on TV or do in our private lives. We don’t need Prop 8; WE DON’T NEED MORE GOVERNMENT IN OUR LIVES.

REGARDLESS OF HOW ANYONE FEELS ABOUT MARRIAGE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE SINGLED OUT FOR UNFAIR TREATMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF OUR STATE. Those committed and loving couples who want to accept the responsibility that comes with marriage should be treated like everyone else.

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS are NOT MARRIAGE.

When you’re married and your spouse is sick or hurt, there is no confusion: you get into the ambulance or hospital room with no questions asked. IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND ESPECIALLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. Only marriage provides the certainty and the security that people know they can count on in their times of greatest need.

EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE. Prop 8 separates one group of Californians from another and excludes them from enjoying the same rights as other loving couples.

Forty-six years ago I married my college sweetheart, Julia. We raised three children – two boys and one girl. The boys are married, with children of their own. Our daughter, Liz, a lesbian, can now also be married – if she so chooses.

All we have ever wanted for our daughter is that she be treated with the same dignity and respect as her brothers – with the same freedoms and responsibilities as every other Californian.

My wife and I never treated our children differently, we never loved them any differently and now the law doesn’t treat them differently, either.

Each of our children now has the same rights as the others, to choose the person to love, commit to and to marry.

Don’t take away the equality, freedom and fairness that everyone in California – straight, gay or lesbian – deserves.

Please join us in voting NO on Prop 8.

{OK, Jen here again....hopping down from my soapbox...thank you for humoring me}.
If you'd like more information, please visit this website.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Tiki Pumpkin

My husband is a huge nerd...he spent like 5 hours tonight carving this pumpkin and made a gigantic mess in our kitchen. But I must admit it did turn out pretty darn cool!!!

Pumpkin carving

The pictures speak for themselves. I have video too, but will upload that tomorrow along with pics of the finished pumpkins!! Dean had a really fun time helping clean the "guts" out of the pumpkins!









Friday, October 24, 2008

told ya!

See!?!?! I told ya!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Patch

My Mom and I drove Upcountry today to Kula Country Farms to take Dean to a Pumpkin Patch. I wish I would have known about it a week ago - BEFORE we spent $20 on a pumpkin at Safeway (that will probably rot in less than 3 days)!!! Of course, I also paid $4.99/lb for lettuce and $9.98 for a gallon of milk, so I can't say I was really surprised. It's gotten pathetic. I do buy organic produce, but still - that's just crazy. In better news, gas on Maui has officially dropped below $4.00/gallon!!!! That was pretty exciting! And I heard that Lanai is now under $5.00/gallon! Lanai, part of Maui County, is the reason that Maui County has had the highest gas prices in the country for over the past year. I heard that just a few months ago they were paying as high as $5.68/gallon!!! (So all you Okies can stop complaining about your "high" gas prices!). Anyway, my point is that it might be worth the exorbitant cost of gas to drive Upcountry to Kula Country Farms again to buy produce on a more regular basis. Their little produce stand was VERY reasonably priced ($1.99 for a head of lettuce, $5.00 for a clamshell of strawberries, $3.00 for raspberries, $0.89/lb for bananas, etc etc etc) and of course I always try to buy locally grown organic produce anyway.

But their little fall-ish pumpkin patch was super cute! They had REAL pumpkins & gourds on REAL vines!! You could walk out in the vines and pick out your pumpkins. Of course, once Dean found an ear of decorative corn (or "kohn" as he calls it) he didn't give a crap about the pumpkins. (he did at least figure out pretty quickly that he couldn't eat the corn). He hasn't put down that ear of corn since he found it!! Such a weird kid. He carried it around the house ALL afternoon. He tried feeding it to George (his stuffed giraffe) and Nani (the cat) multiple times. He had to tell Uncle Chewy all about it (our neighbor behind us who Dean has taken quite a liking to, which is funny - Chewy is a big burly Samoan, but very warm and friendly and Dean immediately loved him) - Dean's one-sided conversation with Chewy tonight lasted about 10 minutes and involved a lot of animated pointing, laughing, some jumping, and a TON of indecipherable jibber-jabber with a few recognizable words (goat, corn, pumpkin, cat, house) thrown in. Dean did have fun this afternoon feeding one of the goats part of a pumpkin that the goat had already started digging into, then thought he'd have a taste himself (he wasn't impressed). But most of all it was just nice to pretend like it was fall!! The air was brisk, it was nice and overcast....if it wouldn't have been for the breathtaking bi-coastal ocean view, I could almost pretend it was late October in Oklahoma!

Here are some pics...
Notice the scarecrow is waving a shaka!









When Dean saw the little green & yellow gourd he's holding in this next pic, he said "duck", which I thought was pretty clever - because if you use your imagination, it DOES look kind of like a duck!







Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Waihou Springs Trail

We went hiking last Sunday morning Upcountry. Joel and I were feeling nostalgic for fall and figured some time in the Tree Research area above Olinda Upcountry was just what we needed! It was awesome! It smells SOOOO good up there - just like fall - damp leaves, cedar, and a little eucalyptus! This was Dean's first fully solo hike - meaning we didn't even bother taking the kid backpack carrier thing. He did pretty good, hiking a little over a mile before getting fussy. I think if we had gone about an hour earlier he would have made it even farther (it was getting a little close to naptime). Here are some pics...














Friday, October 10, 2008

Open Letters: Wal-Mart Edition

Dear Uninterested Stock-Girl,

I get it. You're bored. So bored, in fact, that when I ask you where the raisins are you have to suck in your breath, narrow your eyes at me, and say in a tone I can only assume is unequivocal exasperation, "I'm not sure. I guess I can go ask someone for you" at which point you stomp off to ask another clueless employee.

The next time an exhausted mother with a cranky toddler asks you to actually *do your job*, please remember this simple rule: As an employee of the nations largest retail chain, it is your duty to get up off your lazy a$$ and work for the money they pay you. I don't care if you are hungover from a night of youthful indiscretions. For the love of Pete, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE F-ING RAISINS ARE!!!!

Yours,
The Mom With The Screaming Kid Shooting You Dirty Looks

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Check this out...

Only 22 months old....our little genius! (I have no idea where he learned this...we're certainly not TRYING to teach him this). Please ignore my disgusting arm and the poor sound (Joel had his finger over the mic). Remember, if you're reading this in the e-mail update, you have to actually go to the blog to see the video. Go to this link: http://taplerohana.blogspot.com and scroll down to the "Check this Out" post.


Sunday, October 5, 2008

86th Annual Maui County Fair

OK, so there are like 25 pictures here...I just couldn't narrow it down any more than this!!! Sorry!! We actually had a pretty good time. It was crowded and dusty, but we were smart and didn't even try to take the stroller (Dean is still boycotting the stroller these days and insists on walking wherever we go, no matter how tired and cranky he gets).We got to pet some pigs and cows and bunnies (Dean didn't like the pig and wouldn't touch it, but ran right up to the VERY big cow). Joel took Dean on the big Carousel, which Dean was excited about until the horse started moving up and down, then he wanted off.
I can't ride most carnival rides (motion sickness), but I did take Dean down the gigantic slide, which might have been the funniest part of the whole evening!!! The slide was HUGE and as soon as Dean saw it, he started pulling us towards it, saying "slide, slide", so we bought some tickets and climbed up the tall, narrow step, the whole time Dean trying to cut in front of people - he couldn't wait to get to the top of the slide!! he just kept saying "slide" over and over and laughing. Well, when we got to the top and sat down, he decided he didn't want to go after all and started screaming and trying to climb over me to get off. There was no way we could climb back down that narrow staircase with all those people on it, so I told the guy to just pry his hands off the rails and give us a push, we were going. Dean did NOT want to go, but we went! He screamed until we started moving, then I thought he might have liked it until I saw the pictures (HILARIOUS!!!). When we got to the bottom, he couldn't get off my lap fast enough!!!
This is Dean deciding he didn't want to slide after all...I'm cracking up at the little girl next to us looking at him like he's crazy!!

Dean got over his slide trauma pretty quickly though when he saw the firetruck!! And the firemen were nice enough to let him climb up and play with all the dial and levers and guages for a little while. He LOVED it!


Dean and Joel with the 2nd and 3rd place pumpkins - the 3rd place pumpkin weighed 425 lbs!!!
And here's the first place pumpkin...

Dean does love his corn on the cob....


We decided to let Dean have a treat and try some Cotton Candy, but he did NOT want that stuff. I think he was actually kind of afraid of it. He wouldn't even try a little taste. Weird kid.


We WOULD try the grape sipper!!! YUM!