Parties, Parties and More Parties!!!

I feel like all I've been doing lately is getting ready for the next school party. I guess it just comes with having three kids in school. We go from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas in just a matter of weeks. Once one party is done it's time to prepare for the next! Well I'll spare you the pictures of all of those parties but I can't go without posting about one of the wildest parties of the year. Dave turned the 34 last month! HBD2U Sweetie!

I tried my hand at fondant. Not bad for my first attempt. Quinn gave it his touches there at the bottom of the cake. I enjoyed it enough to try it again for Dailee's birthday but probably not before then. We'll see if there is any improvement.

The Phoenix Temple

As most of you know, yesterday was the City Council meeting for the Phoenix Temple. And as all of you may know it was approved unanimously, yeah!!! But you may not know that the oppositions fight is far from over. As I have attended these meetings, I am pretty bothered at the extent of hatred these people have for this beautiful building, the Lords Temple. The fact is is that the church owns the property and can build a temple on it. The only reason we have been through this process is because the building ordinance only allows a 30' structure and the temple is 40'. So the church is asking the city for approval of only 10 extra feet. That's it, 10 feet, not approval to build. *Major side note: steeples, spires, bell towers etc., are not restricted at all. They can be as high as you want want. So, is the neighborhood in a frenzy over 10 feet???? No, they are in a frenzy over the temple being built at all. They are hoping that if they huff and they puff they will blow this temple away. Here are the huffs and puffs....

1. Traffic - The neighborhood is very concerned that the temple will cause major traffic issues. It's a legit concern I admit. However.....What they don't understand is that traffic into the temple is more of a trickle then a down poor. This isn't a church that has a couple of meeting times a week and needs cops to control the traffic. But more importantly, a traffic study has been done and the traffic engineers have found no concern for the traffic in this area being effected by the temple. Neighbors, do you know what this means???? The City actually has engineers who's job is to study traffic. They are professional traffic studiererers. So if they say traffic won't be an issue then TRAFFIC WON'T BE AN ISSUE!!

2. Lighting - It's true that all temples are lit up at night. And this neighborhood does have a dark sky ordinance. There are no street lights in the neighborhood because the people like to see the stars. So again, this is a legit concern. However....This temple is not going to be lit up like the Mesa, Salt Lake, San Diego, or even Gilbert Temples. The lighting is going to be much less as to comply to the dark sky ordinance. Did you hear that neighbors???? It complies with the dark sky ordinance!!! We did that just for you and we are even going to turn them off an hour early for you. Happy now??? Of course you're not.

Now a new concern about the lighting was brought up last night and this is just way to good not to mention. A new opposer came to speak. She supposedly represents the Friends of Thunderbird Park. Her concern was that the lighting on the temple was going to cause the extinction of at least 4 different species in the park. What??? And it was also going to cause breast cancer in women. Okay, I know I'm no scientist but I'm a little more concerned about the 150 foot power lines that run through the neighborhood causing cancer, not the temple lights. Oh yeah, and did I mention they are in compliance with the dark sky ordinance?

3. Blocked views - This is a beautiful area surrounded by mountains. I too would love to have panoramic views of the mountains. But I don't. My views are blocked by houses, RV garages and the hundreds and hundreds of mature trees in the neighborhood. I dare say only about 25% of the homes in the area will even be able to see the spier of the temple. Only about 5% will be able to see the actual building. And really, how much of a mountain does a spier block? Lean to the left, lean to the right and you'll see the whole mountain, I promise.

4. It just doesn't fit in with the neighborhood - Well of course it doesn't fit in to our neighborhood people. It's the House of the Lord. There is not a neighborhood in America or on this entire planet that a temple "fits" in to. It is a majestic, glorious, beautiful, sacred, serene building. Of none comparison to anything else on this planet. Any neighborhood is extremely lucky (I prefer blessed) to have one.

And so you have it then, the major concerns of the opposition. They are currently working to collect over 9,000 legit signatures in 30 days. If they succeed it will force the rezoning to go to the ballot so the voters can decide. Thus, pushing back the project and hoping the church will give up and go somewhere else. Please keep this temple in your prayers. The fight is not over yet. Pray that hearts may be softened and the Lord's temple can be built.

Happy Halloween!

Anyone still there?

Well, the events of the past two months haven't left much time for blogging. I feel like we are about 80% settled. Of course, we have been 80% settled for about five weeks now and I'm not sure when we'll get to the other 20%. But some fun stuff has happened in the lives we have tried to live while transitioning, that I just don't want to miss the chance to blog.

There is no one Ella loves more then her Dad (aka, total daddy's girl). But in her uncontrollable excitement of seeing him one evening her fingernail on her rapidly moving arm scratched his eye. I've never had a scratched cornea but apparently it is very, very painful. Poor Dad was completely incapacitated for about 24 hours. Luckily it heals pretty fast.

We signed Quinn up for soccer at an indoor facility near our home. I thought little girls dancing was the cutest thing I have ever seen, but watching Quinn run his little heart out at his first soccer game definitely tops the list.

U2 Baby!!!

Dave and I share many passions in life, one of which is U2. U2 tickets are the most sought off ticket in the Jackson household (next to conference of course). For months Dave and I have been looking forward to the concert. Our tickets were on the floor in the inner circle. Now, as great as that was to be that close to Bono, It was not great to be that close to 200+ complete strangers. I value my personal space way too much. Dave says he will always get floor tickets. As for myself, I think I can rock it just as good from my own seat that I don't have to share with anyone. Can you spot Dave in the last picture?

Someday...

Someday I will have every box in my house unpacked.

Someday I will have all the paper piling up on my kitchen counter organized and put away.

Someday I will be caught up on my laundry after not having a washer and dryer for two weeks.

Someday I will be able to park my car in the garage. (This will happen before anything else thanks to my amazing hubby).

Someday everything in my closet will have its place.

Someday I will get a minute or 120 and clean my floors.

Someday I'll be able to instantly find all of the important papers that come home from my kid's school.

Someday I will blog before and after remodel pictures of the house.

Someday I'll get Ella's one year old picture taken. After all, she's one for a whole year, right?

Someday I'll feel in order with this house and I will start to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. Or, I'll just enjoy it now.

Someday I'll get over this swine of a flu so I can work on all this stuff and kiss the people I love.

But today I will just sit quietly and thank my Heavenly Father for my beautiful family and this beautiful home and the many countless blessings he has given me.

Happy Birthday Budro!

My little boy is now 4 years old. And how we love having him as part of our family. Despite being surrounded by girls most of the time Quinn never lets us forget that he is all boy. He loves baseball, Transformers, Spiderman, riding his bike and swimming. He has no problem keeping up with his two older sisters and is so tender and sweet to his baby sister. For a little boy of four he has a lot to deal with concerning his food allergies and asthma but they don't slow him down one bit. He can be sweet and lovable, rough and tough, and way too demanding for his own good. We love you Quinn! Happy Birthday Budro!

I wish I could take credit for this cake. My talented friend Katie made it for him. She did an amazing job and Quinn LOVED it!

It's official...we're moving!

One Saturday night in mid June

My hubby and I cozy in our room.

On the Web we searched for a house to buy

Seven months of looking, it's true, no lie.

A new listing we were excited to come across

Call the realtor now, we can't bare another loss.

A bank-owned home that was priced to sell

And everything about it looked really swell.

This house we saw, this house we loved

The bidding war is on and push came to shove.

We lost the bid to someone with cash

Our dreams were gone, they were gone with a flash.

But then we heard there really wasn't any doe

Our bid is back in and here we go!

Our offer was the highest, yes it's true,

The joy in our hearts, it grew and grew.

Praying and hoping everything would work out,

With it in the bank's hands we had some doubt.

We waited for months or maybe just weeks

Our friends prob'ly thought we were really big freaks.

And finally last Thursday on August thirteenth,

WE CLOSED, HORRAY! Before the fourteenth.

And now some remodeling to the house we will do,

A makeover of such, so it looks brand new!

The packing I started and hope to have done

By the time we move, this part's not so fun.

By Labor Day we hope to be in our new home

Hello Glendale, ready or not, and here we come!