Caramel Popcorn

3 bags of microwave popcorn popped, all poured into a large bowl. **When opening the bag of popped popcorn, I try to keep the grandma kernels from falling into the bowl.**
1 large jar of peanuts (or almonds or mixed nuts) optional

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, melt & bring to a boil:
1 cup Karo
½ cup butter (has to be butter or REAL margarine, I use butter)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 can sweet and condensed milk

While caramel is melting, stir constantly to prevent burning. Once caramel has reach a rapid boil, continue stirring for 5 minutes more over medium/low heat. Remove from heat. Pour caramel over popcorn. Stir and mix until caramel is evenly distributed. (If you are making popcorn balls, let boil for another 5 minutes (10 minutes total). The longer you let the caramel boil, the harder it will be once cooled-fyi.)

We're Going To Hawaii!!!

Yes, it's true. We are going to Hawaii for two full weeks!!! My sister, Corrine, moved out there earlier this year and so we have been meaning to go for a couple of months now. So now, it is finally a reality. We are packing up the children and going. Since I am not doing much around here, I am heading out a week before Darrin. Can't wait to spend time with my sister and her family, but also to be in paradise. (I have been fortunate to have been 3 other times [vacation twice and then two semesters at BYU-H], but this will be Darrin's first!) I know he will love it there, as much as I do. Can't wait.

Tag...Six Random Facts

Here are the rules:Link to the person who tagged you: http://www.thewilliamsmadhouse.blogspot.com/

Then tag six people: (I am only going to tag 3) Corrine, Mandy, & Kiersten

Here are six random facts about me...
1. I love the ocean. I love it! I love it! I love it! I would give anything to live near it. I love the fresh, sea salt air. I love walking on warfs and starring out into the vast beyond. I love looking at huge ships or small yachts. I love the old run of the mill "fisherman warfs!" I love sinking my feet into the sand. I love low tide and walking on the rocks and reef. I love the ocean.

2. I am a major popcorn (movie theater too) buff. Nothing's better than winding down the day, laying in bed, watching my favorite show (recorded that is), munching on a large bowl of popcorn with a 44oz Diet Pepsi-the life!

3. I hate to clothes shop, though wish I had cute clothes. I wish shopping were easy, like with a baby/child. I am 32 years old, so I wear 32T... I really could do without the horrific nightmare of standing in front of the changing room mirror, shoving my fat arse into a pair of jeans that just don't look cute or give me major plumber crack or squeezing myself into a shirt that makes my boobs look even bigger... NOT FUN!!

4. I like Michael Jackson. I also really like alternative 80s: Pet Shop, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Ho Jo, Thompson Twins, to name a few.

5. I wish I could go back to school and actually get a masters in Dietetics. I regret that I never got my bachelors in it. Biggest Regret.

6. I was never asked to my Senior Prom and so didn't go. My parents moved to Texas the first day of my Senior year in high school. I was the only LDS girl in a graduating class of 465. I didn't make a single friend that year. I am just content to just be at home. However, I grew to love Texas, our neighbors, the weather, the food, our LDS ward, Town Lake/Lake Austin. Great place. (I was even accepted to UT Austin...went to BYU instead...)

The Arches-Moab, Utah

September 11-14, 2008-Moab, Utah "The Arches" National Park

We took a mini break/vacation and headed to Moab, Utah to visit The Arches National Park and The Canyonlands National Park. We went with Darrin's boss and friend(s): The Peterson's (Brennan, Suzanne, Kelsey, and Ashley). I actually agreed to sleep in a tent and on the hard desert floor for 3 nights and 4 full days. We all had a great time camping though. Jack and Megan loved the HUGE sandbox! Everywhere we went, there was sand, and every time we took on clothes, changed a diaper, took off shoes, the sand came too. It's amazing how the stuff seems to multiply as well.

Saturday, we drove to the Canyonlands National Park. It looks a lot like The Grand Canyon (at least what I perceive it to look like). It's breathtaking and a little nerve wrecking with two small, busy, and fast children. Fortunately, we all stayed safe.

We hiked out to the Window Arches Sunday morning. (This is day 4 without a shower!) I was too lazy to change out of my PJs. What the hay, we're headed home and so wanted to be comfy.

Thanks Brennan and Suzanne for such a memorable trip! Next time, Tahoe and in a cabin :):).

The Liberal Media a little Bias...

My brother-Dan-took this picture at his local grocery store. Can you say that the liberal media is a little biased? It really bugs me to no end. Making Obama some redeeming Savior/Hero of somekind and McCain/Palin to be scandulous & deceitful.

I watched the Megyn Kelly interview with US Weekly on Fox News during the RNC and when they published this magazine. The week before, US Weekly's cover was Obama and Michelle stating “Life with Michelle and my girls” something to that effect (during the DNC). So they posted the following cover story during the RNC. Obviously a very biased and very liberal magazine. Don't plan on ever getting a subscription. Thanks US for saving me money, since if Obama becomes elected, I will need to!

Here’s the interview:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,416785,00.html

Very Conservative

For my friends out there that might have not figured it out, but I am very conservative in a lot of my views. So you might and probably will come across numerous articles that align with my thoughts. I am an avid Fox News watcher: Jane Skinner, Bill Hemmer, Megyn Kelly, and of course, Sean Hannity! My dad sent me the following article by Karl Rove-whom I have also come to like. Enjoy!

Obama Can't Win Against Palin

By KARL ROVESeptember 11, 2008; Page A13

Of all the advantages Gov. Sarah Palin has brought to the GOP ticket, the most important may be that she has gotten into Barack Obama's head. How else to explain Sen. Obama's decision to go one-on-one against "Sarah Barracuda," captain of the Wasilla High state basketball champs?
It's a matchup he'll lose. If Mr. Obama wants to win, he needs to remember he's running against John McCain for president, not Mrs. Palin for vice president.

Michael Dukakis spent the last months of the 1988 campaign calling his opponent's running mate, Dan Quayle, a risky choice and even ran a TV ad blasting Mr. Quayle. The Bush/Quayle ticket carried 40 states.

Adlai Stevenson spent the fall of 1952 bashing Dwight Eisenhower's running mate, Richard Nixon, calling him "the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, and then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation." The Republican ticket carried 39 of 48 states.

If Mr. Obama keeps attacking Mrs. Palin, he could suffer the fate of his Democratic predecessors. These assaults highlight his own tissue-thin résumé, waste precious time better spent reassuring voters he is up for the job, and diminish him -- not her.

Consider Mr. Obama's response to CNN's Anderson Cooper, who asked him about Republican claims that Mrs. Palin beats him on executive experience. Mr. Obama responded by comparing Wasilla's 50 city workers with his campaign's 2,500 employees and dismissed its budget of about $12 million a year by saying "we have a budget of about three times that just for the month." He claimed his campaign "made clear" his "ability to manage large systems and to execute."

Of course, this ignores the fact that Mrs. Palin is now governor. She manages an $11 billion operating budget, a $1.7 billion capital expenditure budget, and nearly 29,000 full- and part-time state employees. In two years as governor, she's vetoed over $499 million from Alaska's capital budget -- more money than Mr. Obama is likely to spend on his entire campaign.

And Mr. Obama is not running his campaign's day-to-day operation. His manager, David Plouffe, assisted by others, makes the decisions about the $335 million the campaign has spent. Even if Mr. Obama is his own campaign manager, does that qualify him for president?

A debate between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Palin over executive experience also isn't smart politics for Democrats. As Mr. Obama talks down Mrs. Palin's record, voters may start comparing backgrounds. He won't come off well.

Then there was Mr. Obama's blast Saturday about Mrs. Palin's record on earmarks. He went at her personally, saying, "you been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you are the champion anti-earmark person."

It's true. Mrs. Palin did seek earmarks as Wasilla's mayor. But as governor, she ratcheted down the state's requests for federal dollars, telling the legislature last year Alaska "cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks." Her budget chief directed state agencies to reduce earmark requests to only "the most compelling needs" with "a strong national purpose," explaining to reporters "we really want to skinny it down."

Mr. Obama has again started a debate he can't win. As senator, he has requested nearly $936 million in earmarks, ratcheting up his requests each year he's been in the Senate. If voters dislike earmarks -- and they do -- they may conclude Mrs. Palin cut them, while Mr. Obama grabs for more each year.

Mr. Obama may also pay a price for his "lipstick on a pig" comment. The last time the word "lipstick" showed up in this campaign was during Mrs. Palin's memorable ad-lib in her acceptance speech. Mr. Obama says he didn't mean to aim the comment at Mrs. Palin, but he deserves all the negative flashback he gets from the snarky aside.

Sen. Joe Biden has now joined the attack on Mrs. Palin, saying this week that her views on issues show she's "obviously a backwards step for women." This is a mistake. Mr. Obama is already finding it difficult to win over independent women and Hillary Clinton voters. If it looks like he's going out of his way to attack Mrs. Palin, these voters may conclude it's because he has a problem with strong women.

In Denver two weeks ago, Mr. Obama said, "If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from." That's what he's trying to do, only the object of his painting is Sarah Palin, not John McCain.

In Mrs. Palin, Mr. Obama faces a political phenomenon who has altered the election's dynamics. Americans have rarely seen someone who immediately connects with large numbers of voters at such a visceral level. Mrs. Palin may be the first vice presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson to change an election's outcome. If Mr. Obama keeps attacking her, the odds of Gov. Palin becoming Vice President Palin increase significantly.

Mr. Rove is a former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush. Karl Rove served as Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush from 2000–2007 and Deputy Chief of Staff from 2004–2007. At the White House he oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs and was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, coordinating the White House policy making process.Before Karl became known as "The Architect" of President Bush's 2000 and 2004 campaigns, he was president of Karl Rove + Company, an Austin-based public affairs firm that worked for Republican candidates, nonpartisan causes, and nonprofit groups. His clients included over 75 Republican U.S. Senate, Congressional and gubernatorial candidates in 24 states, as well as the Moderate Party of Sweden.Karl writes a weekly op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, is a Newsweek columnist and is now writing a book to be published by Simon & Schuster. Email the author at mailto:%20Karl@Rove.com or visit him on the web at Rove.com.

Autumn Chowder

This is for you, Jana! Enjoy.

Saute in a large, heavy sauce pan:
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped

Once the bacon is crisp add:
2 1/2 cups diced potatoes 2 cups chopped carrots
2T beef bullion
1/2 cup water

Cover and simmer about 30 minutes (*you want to make sure potatoes and carrots get soft*), then add:
2 cups milk
1 -16oz cans cream corn
3 cups grated chedder chease (I do Colby Jack, but whatever you prefer)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Stir constantly on med-low heat until cheese is melted and soup is hot-be careful not to scorch the soup!

Officially Microsoft Children

August 2008

With the purchase of Fast to Microsoft, Darrin has been traveling to Seattle regularly. On one of his trips, he stopped by the Microsoft store and bought these shirts for Jack and Megan. You couldn't have seen two very disappointed children when seeing their "gifts" from Daddy. Fortunately, he saved his arse with two stuffed "Microsoft" animals-phew-for Jack and Megan.

Oktoberfest Utah

I love this time of year. I particularly love the changing of seasons, especially from the scorching hot summer days to cool breezes of the nearing Autumn nights. I look forward to September, as I know I will once again be able to put on a pair of jeans, bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and smell the tomatoes and onions from my Crockpot spaghetti sauce that has been cooking all day. I love that I can finally turn off the A/C and ceiling fans and just let the fresh cool breeze fill the room or listen to the sound of the rain drops as they hit the ground. I really love watching the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow-the true sign that Autumn has arrived. Now, I can't wait to put pumpkins on my front porch!

So to savor these moments, after church on Sunday, I suggested that we take a drive. Don't care where, just drive somewhere! So Darrin suggested that we drive up little Cottonwood Canyon. We packed the children in the car with plenty to drink and munch as we drove and drove and drove until we hit Snowbird (ok wasn't really that far, 45 minutes maybe). We decided to pull over and just walk around. Little did we know that it's Oktoberfest. I'm in heaven. Did I mention that I love Oktoberfest (we enjoyed a couple in England, minus the alcohol [Darrin was able to go to a real one in Germany too-lucky duck!])? We walked around, took the children on the ski chair lifts, rode the Alpine slides a few times, what a blast. The food there looked incredible: sausage and sauerkraut, strudels, ice cream, aaahhh, I was in heaven. We already had dinner cooking at home, so we had to pass, though it was quite tempting.

Since we are going to Moab this week and weekend, we are planning to take the drive up the Canyon again to bite into one of those sausages and strudels, really savor Oktoberfest! Can't wait...

http://www.snowbird.com/events/concertsnfestivals/oktoberfest.html

The Chair Lift

The Alpine Slide

Dear Mr. Obama,

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago. Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms. (Alice Paul) When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because-why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too.

When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'HBO released the movie on video and DVD. I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order. It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.' Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party -remember to vote.

http://boards.cbs.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=3&nav=display&webtag=cbsbigbromb&tid=17527

***My dad sent this to me from an e-mail, so it's not my personal experience, but I am sure that we can all relate. I thought I would pass it along***

Labor Day weekend

Friday, August 29, 2008- Onion Days-- Payson, Utah

After work on Friday, we drove to Payson (where Alyson's sister and family lives) to celebrate Onion Days. We enjoyed a cool evening eating plenty of BBQ and then headed over to the Carnival, surrounded by dozens of carnies and regular families. Need I say more? The most important thing though was Jack and Megan had a fun filled evening spending time with their cousins and giggling on several rides, while us parents waved as they passed us by.