Scary Stories

While America Aged: How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego, and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis by Roger Lowenstein

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I started to read this book because of its dive into GM having recently left Michigan and all the turmoil going on there. I am amazed at how every facet of public life: companies, cities, counties, and countries so quickly and easliy sell our children's futures by getting into bed with unions and their greediness. I wish everyone could live by the standard that you should earn your keep and be worth what you earn. Seems like so many people want to get paid more and do less. It doesn't matter if that pay comes in the form of a check or in the form of benefits; it is still money out of the coffer. The social security system is headed for the same future, so we should all be ready with our own personal plans for retirement. We cannot rely on government or companies to provide for us in the future. There won't be anything left.


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Out of the mouths of babes:

Maddie's recent quotes:

"FAN-TAS-TIC!" - on the 330 test drive

"Daddy, I think we are the two strongest people in the family." - after she helped put some 'big' toys away

"It happens."(said with a shrug of the shoulders) - Her reply when I asked if the kitty was wet because she put it in the bath with her. I couldn't be angry because it was too darn cute.

I am sure there are more of these that I cant' think of right now. It is so fun to watch her personality grow and see her sense of humor more often. I love hearing her stories and her experiences. She has so much to share!

Our 12 days of Christmas

12 "socks in a box" donated to local hospitals



11 days of school break


10 carols sung - We went to a nursing home to sing and play Christmas carols on Christmas Eve. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon before Christmas Day!



9 packages received - thanks to Mom and Dad Beech for secretly sending Kevin's old RISK game for a surprise gift!


8 Christmas parties attended: 3 school, audrey to a friend's, 1 at our house, 2 for church, and a piano performance at Dillard's


7 days spent with family: the girls spent a few days at Kevin's cousin's home, dinner out with jenn's sister, and 3 days with grandma and grandpa moorman for christmas. sorry, looks like we didn't get pics of these, so in honor of jenn's family name the photo below was taken at six flags during the break.


6 games playd: mario kart, cooking mama, settlers, seafarers, disney princesses for the wii, and apples to apples


5 staycation activities: science museum, six flags, day at the movies, scout campout, house hunting


4 new wheels: kevin reluctantly sold his srt-4 and excitedly bought a bmw 330i
hopefully, we'll get it today, so no pics yet!


3 letters to santa - whitney opted out this year (they grow up too fast, don't they)


2 science fair projects almost completed: one about soil pollution and the other about popcorn!


1 perfect christmas day

Stampin' Out Ignorance

I just have to start by saying, "You have to be kidding me!" There is just no way I heard this...

I was at Wal-mart and needed to buy more of the Christmas stamps to send out a few more Christmas letters. When the employee said that they didn't have any, but that they had Kwanza and Hannukah stamps; I was a bit upset. Irrationally, I was thinking that they just didn't carry them. Then one of the other employees, in an attempt to right the situation, told me that Kwanza and Hannukah are the same as Christmas, so it shouldn't matter that they didn't have any Christmas stamps . I looked at her (a bit baffled) and said, "you're kidding, right?" Hannukah is a Jewish holiday and they don't believe in Jesus Christ, and Christmas is the Christian holiday celebrating his miraculous birth. The poor employee looked so confused. I said also that Easter is not the same as Passover. I wanted to finish stampin' out her ignorance by saying that the 4th of July is not the same as Mexican Independence Day. However, I stopped with Easter simply because I thought she might actually say "duh." And if she didn't, I may have either gone into a tizzy over the fallen state of our culture, or just climbed over the counter and taken away her badge explaining that she needed to go back to grade school before she should work with the public.

It turned out that they do carry Christmas stamps, but had just sold out. Thank goodness that was the reason, or I may have gone into another rampage!

HEAVEN HELP US ALL! Please tell me that my friends know that Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanza are all different.

That little white stuff

Our cousins Linda and Matt visited from Colorado recently. In their generous ways they extended the normal invitation to visit them in Colorado sometime. Maddie was excited at the thought of going to Natalie's house! We also explained to her the greatness of Colorado snow. A few days later, Maddie asked when the snow would come to Texas. I responded that snow doesn't come here very often. She started to cry and declared that we must go to Colorado to visit the snow. It took me a minute to realize why she decided Colorado had her snow. (I didn't instantly remember the snow discussion with Linda and Matt.) I had to add this discussion in honor of Maddie and her childlike joys and hopes. She was so excited when she woke up this morning to a dusting of the white stuff right here in Texas. When I say dusting, it was barely even that. You could see whiteness in the crevices of the rooflines. Well, that was enough to feed her need. Her wish for snow came true, at least true enough for a five year old. May all of our simple wishes come true this season. And may we, like a little child, find our needs met even in the simplest ways. I hope that when I ask for something grand, I can see that a "dusting" is enough. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

History Fair

Brandon participated in the History Fair this year. His project was on Lieutenant James H. Doolittle. He is one of Brandon's favorite WWII heroes. We all learned a little bit more about him, and our appreciation for all war heroes grew while doing this project. Just thought it fitting to add this experience this week in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.

Fall Happenings

We have had an eventful month. Whitney turned 12! She was so excited to start going to Young Women's at Church. She had a fun birthday party with several friends. Audrey also had a birthday. She is 8 now. She had a wonderful baptism day. Grandma Beech flew out from Arizona to be here on her special day. We had several family members and friends attend her baptism. Then, of course, there was Halloween. We enjoyed beautiful weather at halloween parties and trick-or-treating. What a great month! Now we head into Thanksgiving, and we have so much to be thankful for. Especially our friends and family that influence our lives for good each day. I hope you enjoy the pictures below highlighting the best parts of our autumn!