Piece for Peace

 Last Monday I got a random phone call from Mormon Women for Ethical Government, an organization I help lead in Colorado. A reporter from USA Today who lives in the Denver area wanted to do an article regarding a project MWEG is working on- Constitution Quilts.

Basically, women coming together to write quotes defending the constitution on quilt squares that would then be turned into quilts and hand delivered to our elected leaders in Washington DC, specifically Senator Michael Bennett and a representative from Greeley.

I was asked if I could organize and get women to come to an event on Saturday that the reporter could then come and do an article about.

Being me, of course I said yes- not quite knowing what I was organizing and how it would work. Regardless, the library was miraculously available, so I booked it, and then we started sending out emails and posting on Facebook, and we waited to see what would happen.

I couldn't believe it- but we had 15 women come! It was fantastic! We had an awesome time, and the quilt will be amazing. Come Mid-May there should be an article in USA Today about our project. We shall see.

The Hike That Saved Me $3,000

 First world problem, but I need you all to feel sorry for me for just a tiny bit.

I decided to put my hat in the ring for Taylor Swift tickets in Indianapolis for November 2024. Yes, 2024. Miracle of miracles, I got a pre-sale code.

Unfortunately, I had planned a hike with my awesome MWEG Sisters during the time of the ticket sales. It had already been rescheduled once and I didn't want to change it again.

So, I enlisted my awesome sister to try to get our tickets. I gave her all the information, put my credit card in the TicketMaster app, everything was set.

And Stephanie signed in and got #2,315 in line! Woo-hoo! She picked our tickets. Section 300, all was well.

She went to purchase. Pushed "Pay." And then, our downfall. It required a verification code from our CC company- a number that they sent to MY phone, where I had zero cell coverage because I was on a hike.

She called both Ben and me 86-plus times. She sent dozens of texts. She tried everything. She was awesome. But still, nothing.

Tickets lost. No Taylor Swift concert for us.

So close, yet so far away.

Ben says even when Stephanie does everything right, he and I will somehow find a way to sabotage.

Sob.

The Denver Post/Pro-Teacher Rally

My girls are famous! They were super nervous about being interviewed by The Denver Post. I'm proud of them. Knowing they might get interviewed, I prepped them on the way down about things they could say if interviewed. Sure enough, we were there about 30 seconds when the reporter came to talk to them.

We had a great time at the rally to support teachers/kids and save public education yesterday. It was an awesome turn out.

Tonight at the "Special Meeting" the new boards' true agenda will be revealed as they fire a well respected 26 year veteran who everyone loves in order to put in a private school loving puppet.

News flash: It was NEVER about kids (or masks) and ALWAYS about privatizing schools, siphoning tax payer money from neighborhood schools to go toward private schools (schools that discriminate against my kids because they aren't the "right kind" of Christian) via vouchers. Tonight is the first step.

Tonight the dismantling of neighborhood schools begins. Don't say I haven't been sounding the alarm for the past 13 years.

Here I am with Marisa who also joined us. Her sign says, "You can't put kids first if you put teachers last."

There were close to 2,000 people. It was really cool to be surrounded by so many like-minded people.

The Inauguration

 Lots, and lots, and lots of happy tears.

Here is what I wrote on FB about The Inauguration (and then I will go deeper):

I am not naïve enough to believe everything is going to change overnight. And, here's three things I am excited about and look forward to:

1. A president who is kind. Oh, how I have missed having a leader who is kind!

2. My daughters will grow up thinking having a female Vice President is normal. What a blessing for my daughters and our country!

3. This poem by Amanda Gorman is everything. If you couldn't bring yourself to watch the Inauguration, it is worth taking the time to listen to this poem about America and our pursuit to form a more perfect union. Her words are stunning, and written for all of us. With young women like her, our future is in good hands. Link below.

(also, Garth Brooks, Lady Gaga singing the Anthem and proclaiming, "The flag is still there!" - chills! , and the "Celebrating America" Inaugural celebration on TV last night-all wonderful things!)

https://youtu.be/0xvkAQTeSfE

(Joe Biden: If you're working with me and I hear you treating another colleague with disrespect, talking down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot." Presdient Biden while swearing in White House staff)

It is no secret I am not a fan of 45 and am thrilled to see him gone.

Waking up this morning was such a relief! No more incompetence, no more hate filled rants, no more attacks on legitimate news sources just because you don't like what they say, no more separating families at the border, no more lies, lies, and more lies- everyday, lies. No more!

Hearing President Biden speak! Oh, to listen to complete sentences with correct grammar- as if that wasn't enough- to listen to him speak of love and kindness, of working to help EVERY American, not just the ones who voted for him, of acknowledging the 400,000 people who died from Covid. It has been 308 days of the pandemic, and not until today did The President of the United States acknowledge and honor the victims.

I cried a lot while watching The Inauguration.

Never again will our country not have had a female Vice President. Hearing Kamala Harris sworn in was incredible. To go from a president who brags about grabbing women by the pu$$y, to having a woman as VP is just wonderful! Every American should rejoice in that.

Women have been overlooked and undervalued and disrespected and belittled and told they weren't good enough and underpaid for far too long. It was emotional seeing her get sworn in. We are still not equal, but we are getting there. I have so much respect for Madame Vice President and what she has done and accomplished- despite all the hate and vitriol she receives. There is a lot of disgusting things being said about her because of her gender and because of her race. But, she is leading the way and moving forward in grace and dignity. My daughters can look up to her and know that anything is possible. I didn't have that growing up. I grew up thinking a woman's value was only in the home. While, obviously, I am a stay at home mom and I am grateful every single day for that, that was my choice. Not every woman should be forced to make the same choice I did. We desperately need the female perspective at all levels- from the home to The White House.

Seeing Kamala Harris get sworn in is a feeling I don't ever want to forget. One of hope, gratitude, elation, and pure joy. This is a tremendous day for women everywhere! I am so proud to be a woman and to be raising strong daughters- daughters who I know have the power and capacity to change the world and do and be whatever they want to do and be because of women like Kamala Harris and all who went before to make this day possible.

Everything about The Inauguration was simply wonderful. I love the pomp and circumstance. It was very different- definitely the smallest crowd size of any Inauguration, no argument there, but one that showed a respect and love for ALL Americans- not just the ones who look like the president. It was one of unity, kindness, and JOY.

So much joy and relief today! Four years of terror are over. I feel like I can breathe again after 4 years!

It's a new day, a new dawn, a new life- and I'm feeling GOOD.

Inaugural Foods

 The girls, unfortunately, had Cloverleaf so couldn't watch The Inauguration Live with me, so I mostly sat and the couch crying off and on by myself, but- we did still celebrate, and we are going to watch the recording of it together.

With the help of Pantsuit Politics, I put together a menu for the day:

-"Raisin' The Minimum Wage" French Toast with Affordable Care-amel Sauce

-Indian Tiki Masala to celebrate Vice President Harris' Indian heritage (Audra and Claire made the yummy flat bread)

-Joe-nuts for dessert

Also, just for fun, my girlfriend's Birthday was today so I put together this meme. For the past several days, I have had this song in my head. It IS a new day, a new dawn, a new life- and I AM feeling good!

The Traitors Stormed The Capitol

Today started out normal. Great, actually. The girls were finally able to go back to Cloverleaf! YAY!!! I had the whole day to myself. Which was good, because I had a lot of business type phone calls to make.

Then I read a book and took a little nap. Everything was perfect.

I woke up an hour later and had 84 text messages. Ummm.....what?!?!? Who died?

Oh, it was worse.

Traitors stormed and overtook the US Capitol, under our pathetic narcissistic toddler president.

Shots were fired. Congress was evacuated. 

Why? Because they were fueled by lies and conspiracy theories that the election was fraudulent and Biden lost the election- with ZERO evidence and ZERO facts supporting the lies. But, because 45 supporters have all ability to think, they decided the disinformation they were hearing was true and decided to use violence to enforce their nonsense.

This is where we are at as a country- conspiracy theories and lies leading people to sedition and committing acts of war at the very symbol of our democracy- the US Capitol.

There truly are no words. This is a day that will go down in infamy as one of the most disgraceful days in our storied history.

Memes are really the only way I can express my thoughts on this...

Thankfully, the coup failed. Hopefully the 25th Amendment will be invoked and this traitor/monster will be gone forever.

This is my Congressman, Jason Crow, in the middle- comforting the woman on the floor. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I bet he never thought he would face a war zone in Congress. But in Trump's America, we bring the was to the homefront.

I hope these traitors are arrested and charged with treason.