September 11th, Ten Years Later

I was still in bed when my good friend called on the phone, telling me planes had hit the World Trade Center. It was about time to get up anyway, so I hurried downstairs to watch the TV in shock while I got the kids ready for school. For a while I wondered if I should take them, but decided it was best. Before I left I remember looking at the tv and telling Jon "that building is going to fall, it looks like it's twisting." I never see that image anymore. They mostly show fast little clips.

While we were driving to middle school the first tower fell. I rushed home. I saw the second tower fall on tv and it was horrifying.

After an hour or two a neighbor called my house. The husband had been in the air at the time of the attacks and now had been diverted to Canada. He sounded very upset and had been trying to get a hold of his wife. I told him I'd have her call, slipped on some shoes and ran down to her house. The house was calm and children were playing happily. She answered the door and I told her she should call her husband and she seemed confused. She didn't have television on, and her phone was off the hook. She had no idea what had happened.

I was also in charge of a church dinner for the ladies that night and had been stressed out about it for a few days. I called the woman over me and asked if we could just cancel it, and she said she 'didn't see why.' So I went to Costco and tried to get done the things I needed to do, feeling scared and in shock. It was a sombre dinner. Maybe it was OK to have it, but I was mad at the time. We ate and sang hymns before returning to our families.

The next day, and for several days, I watched Fox news almost nonstop. I did try and turn it off whenever my four year old Jordan came in to the room, but I also remember trying to get her occupied in the playroom so I could go back and watch things unfold. I watched every news conference, and on the National Day of Prayer I prayed a lot and watched all the services. That day I felt very peaceful, and I felt like a spirit of calm and unity was over our country. It was a powerful feeling that I will never forget.

Please read this tribute I wrote two years ago.

I will forever honor the heroes of that day. The first responders, and since then, our military, who sacrifice so we can be free. Thank You!

-Lynnae

Government Overspending

I love this quote from Dave Ramsey that’s been floating around today.

"If the US Government was a family, they would be making $58,000 a year, they spend $75,000 a year, & are $327,000 in credit card debt. They are currently proposing BIG spending cuts to reduce their spending to $72,000 a year. These are the actual proportions of the federal budget & debt, reduced to a level that we can understand." - Dave Ramsey

I an not an economist by any means, but this obviously wouldn’t work out.

Where would I start if I had a magic government-changing wand?

Well, You know how government bills for funds always have a ‘projected increase’ every year? Then they make a measly ‘cut in spending’ that is really just a cut in the increase they would have otherwise had? That’s what I’d put an end to.  No spending could have an increase year after year built into it, except maybe limited to inflation.

To go back to the household analogy, what if each year I said I was going to spend 5% more on my car payment than the year before, and my phone bill, and my satellite TV. And utilities, etc. It’s easy to see that in not very many years I would not have enough money.

So according to our government, the thing to then do is decrease the increase spending on one of those things to 4% or even 3%, and take out a loan for the rest.

 

Thanks for reading,

-Lynnae

Sparklers!

I’ve been so busy with my daughter’s wedding that I haven’t been posting consistently, but I did want to show you these cool photos we took on Independence Day.

We used sparklers and a digital camera on a long exposure setting. I wrote my name……

Other people did too, but they had to flip the picture. I’m the only one who can write in cursive backwards ‘cause I’m cool like that.

Then we did some cool couples photos……

Here I am with my sweetie. We had one person take the picture and two people run around us with sparklers. One person couldn’t go fast enough for the camera so we had one start at the bottom and one halfway up. The ‘runners’ don’t show up because they were moving and we were holding still.

  This picture always reminds me of that ‘Bibbity Bobbity Boo’ moment when Cinderella’s fairy godmother gives her the beautiful gown.

Ok, I know there’s a lot going on in the world that’s worth a comment. I obviously can’t replace the pundit’s out there and you all know where to find them. But I love that you are willing to stop by and hear my two cents worth or just smile at the observations and lifestyle of the average conservative woman.

Captain America

Check out these cool Captain America ‘propaganda’ style posters on WIRED.

This one is by Eric Tan

I can’t wait for the show. But these are so fun. Remember when you were a kid and you used to see ‘Go USA’ type stuff all the time? It’s sad that it’s such a rarity now.

-Lynnae

Little Conservatives

This is me on my 9th Birthday. The bicentennial was a big year for us patriots! Grandma made my birthday cake, and this dress was my first sewing project with my mom teaching me to sew. I got to choose the fabric myself!

I guess going to Independence day celebrations did make me into a little conservative! ----Or could it be that I was raised by those who appreciate our country and the sacrifices made for it? People who believe it is special, and are trying to keep it that way?

Look at this awesome poster Hobby Lobby posted on Facebook:

I thought it was fabulous and left a comment to say so, and you would not believe the whiners and complainers that are criticizing that post! You know what? If you don’t like it and say you won’t give Hobby Lobby your business then I’m sure they will do just fine without you. They know who their base of customers are. (Could be why we don’t have a store in western Washington yet…) People love that store and a lot of crafters are patriotic people. I read a lot of craft and decorating blogs and around this time you really see people’s patriotism shine. Why should we have to hide that?

Let me go down through my blog roll and see a sprinkling of what’s being posted by people who love America:

Besottment Paper Relics

Where Women Create

Brunch at Saks

Creative Itch

 

As for me, the rain has stopped and I’m going to decorate my porch for our big party.

Happy Independence Day everyone!

-Lynnae

Summer Travel, Conservative Reading

My husband was gone for another month recently for more army training. They spent some days in the field where he got to put his new uniforms to the test, not with life or death supplies like our soldiers overseas, but things important to him nonetheless. Because I have a public blog I don’t like to broadcast the fact that he’s gone, when he’s gone, but I sure am glad when he’s home again.

Things have been pretty busy around here preparing for my daughter’s wedding. One thing we did was go down to New Orleans to meet my future Son-in-law’s family. It went well. I got along great with his mom, it felt to me like we were old friends. And to my surprise and satisfaction, his dad is another one of us crazy conservative types like me. Our conversation went from the presidency to voting, to scripture to great books we’ve read. Once you’ve realized that you have many of the same favorite books, then you really know a lot about someone (i.e. they are as awesome as you are, haha). So that went well.

Speaking of favorite books, the long out of print “An Enemy Hath Done This” by Ezra Taft Benson is back in print by a company named Freedom-Books. As a former Secretary of Agriculture under Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ezra Taft Benson fought against farm subsidies from the government in order to preserve a free market farming system back in the 50’s. He later became the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ezra Taft Benson warned against forces in society that were seeking to overthrow the freedom of this country. This book contains many speeches to the Boy Scouts Of America and other organizations, on constitutional topics and is very relevant today, though the facts and figures have changed dramatically over the years. (I think most of the speeches were given in the ‘60’s). I ordered a new copy recently because I had given mine away. I need a few more! So if you haven’t heard of it or read this book, check it out. It is one of my ‘MUST READ’s’.

-Lynnae

My Husband Said…..

…..that today President Obama laid a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier for Memorial Day, before going golfing.

I said “I hope he left the cemetery first”.

Photo: CBS

-Lynnae