English and 5thGrade.

Far too many to list, but I love the old Classics above all else. Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, even Tolkien and CS Lewis.

Chick Flicks. 'Nough said.

- Reading books to my kids.

- Going on dates with my best friend.

- Taking the family camping and spending days at the beach.

- Movie Night's with The Girls (Thanks, Hubby, for being supportive).

- Bargin Shopping (Long Live Second Hand Thrift Stores!)

- Married Time (Yup. I said it. Keeps getting better with age!)

I was married in the Manti Temple in 1994 to the man who was then and is now my very best friend. We have three children all under the age of 12. My hubby and I both teach grade school, which makes for a fantastic life together. We are home when the kids are, we both have summers off, and we both love our jobs. We are not rich and we never will be, but by living within our means we have never lacked for anything, and our kids have a happy, full and abundant life.

Being a staunch Republican in California who also works in education makes me a bit of an outcast at work. And being a tradition-bucker at Church makes me a bit of an outcast in the ward! I do now (and plan to always) hold a current Temple Recommend, but that does not mean I have to swallow everything that is spoon fed to me on Sundays.

I tend to question just about everything... and while that makes a lot of people really uncomfortable, it also (at least I think) makes me a better educated, more informed person who's testimony is grounded in scripture study, personal prayer, and personal revelation. I believe what I believe because I have questioned, poked, prodded, asked, dug, and eventually came up with MY conclusions... rather then simply taking what is fed to me at face value.

So far, my conclusions have never prevented me from renewing my recommend, but they have caused some people to raise their eyebrows at me! Their problem, not mine. All of my conclusions have been fact-checked against Scripture, and revelation-checked against the Lord.

In doing so, I have found that too much of what Mormons believe to be hard-n-fast Gospel is actually "the philosophies of men, mingled with scripture." Or in other words, a dose of truth sprinkled with tradition, which results in a hybrid half-truth that might work well for the person who created it, but should NOT be used as a ruler against which to measure the actions of all church members.

Sadly, I see others and myself being judged against these kinds of home-made rulers far too often, and, being the prideful person I am, I simply can't stay quiet when I see it happening. :-)

Ok, so yikes! You are still reading. Don't you have something better to do!