Kashann and Clan

Election is in 3 weeks, and I still don't know who I am voting for.

Brent's made up his mind last week. He is voting for . . . DA, da, da, DA. . . .Chuck Baldwin!

Ever heard of him or his Constitution Party?

I hadn't until my husband started raging against McCain for going along with the bailout. The bail out was the final straw for Brent.

He hasn't liked the republicans for years, but now for the first time he isn't going to vote for them. I used to think he was a crazy Bircher (john birch society member) and wished he wouldn't be so skeptical of Bush. I have really resisted his negativity concerning republican leadership. I grew up listening to el Rushy and it seems like he never wavers in his support and I wasn't going to either. ( I haven't listened to him at all lately so I don't know if that is still the case) But I slowly have had to admit Brent's been right all along. About the Iraq war definitely, but also about how democrats and republicans are pretty much the same nowadays.

Our girls were telling us tonight that they would be voting at school soon in Kid's Vote. Their Dad told them to cast their vote for Baldwin.

"Huh? We can't do that Dad!"

They say there are only 2 choices on their ballots and neither of them is a Baldwin. And why is he voting for him anyway, Savannah wanted to know. Does it have anything to do with the fact that his name is "Baldwin, Dad?"

We have had plenty of political discussions at the dinner table lately and this started another training session.

When I tucked her in tonight I asked Savannah who she's gonna vote for and she said, "Chuck Baldwin." Not too sure how she is going to do it, but it should be interesting.

And as for me, I have always thought it was so important to vote but I am so frustrated this election about my choices. Either way it seems like a wasted vote since neither is representing me at all. So I may as well waste it on Chuck.

But I was so mad at Ross Perot candidates back in '92. I personally blamed them for electing Clinton.

But then we had our 8 republican years and it clearly hasn't been anything like I had hoped for. I am not blaming the economy and the war all on Bush. But I am putting a lot of the blame on him for going along with it all. And All of the spending. That's where they are all the same. Something happens to the guys back in Washington. They get it in their heads that it is their job to take care of everyone. And so they steal all of our money to do it.

And they don't help any of us out at all. They actually do commercials here in NY to promote food stamps! What are all my fellow buffalonians on food stamps, free rent, heat and health care going to do when there is nothing left to help them anymore? We have trained the people to depend on the government like it is always going to be there for them. And someday it just may not.

And our church has repeatedly taught us to be self- sufficient. My Grandma Pieper is in Elder Packer's ward in SLC. I called her last night to check on her and we got talking about the state of affairs today and she whipped out the notes she had scribbled during his testimony two weeks ago.

Basically he warned them that now is the time to start following the prophet. Make sure you are prepared. He talked about living through the great depression and said that it is going to get worse than that. And many of us are so used to having everything we want and it ain't gonna be easy for those folks.

So stock up on that food storage. Even if you are going to be done with dental school in a 1 1/2 years and thought it was time to be using it up. I guess we carry our wheat, and rice around with us from state to state. Better to rent a larger Uhaul then take a chance on starving your kiddos.

And we can all find ways to stock up a little by cutting back on other things. . . Like walking right on by the Target clearance racks for starters. They are EVIL!

And also now is also the time to make sure our families are reading the scriptures and praying together everyday. We once had a family cheer we did after each morning devotional.

We put our hands together like a football team and screamed, "Not gonna miss a day! Yeah!"
It's CHEESY. . . but it was fun and it did help us to keep the habit. We better start it up again and stop missing here and there. Kennon might be past the family cheer stage.

During the latest General Conference session it seems to me that our prophet kept talking about first living and loving life today and secondly having hope and faith in tomorrow. Even in scary times there is always peace to be found in living the gospel.

Ok, so this is turning into a sermon but I really was due for some blogging after a 5 day break.

And Brent is too busy to chat lately due to lots of studying. And I've been staying home giving my bad leg and neck (that is the tight musle lately) a driving break AND I am starting to feel a bit chatty.

Can't wait till tomorrow is over and the big pharmacology test has passed. . . So Brent will stop telling me every 5 minutes that he is going to die on Thursday.

Oh, and also so I can use his computer to post some pics and stop boring all of you to death with pure essays lately.