Did you remember to mail in your ballots?! Today's the big day. I don't know about you, but at this point I just want to find out who won and move on. That is sad to say I know, but I can't stand to be bombarded with any more political propaganda and polls. I'm tired of the fist bumps, the lipstick jokes, and the pandering. I can honestly say that I voted for the candidate that I truly felt best represented my values and ideals. Is it also sad to say I don't feel like I can trust the election process 100%?

No matter what happens we must be steadfast and immovable.

New VP running mate announced

This is an update from yesterday in case you had not heard yet:

Here is part of a news article just posted online:

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

DENVER - John McCain tapped little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate on Friday in a startling selection on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Two senior campaign officials disclosed Mccain's decision a few hours before the Republican presidential nominee-to-be and his newly-minted running mate appeared at a rally in swing-state Ohio.

Palin is a self-styled hockey mom and political reformer who has been governor of her state less than two years.

Palin's selection shocked numerous Republican officials.

In making his pick, Mccain passed over several more prominent prospects who had figured in speculation for months — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge among them.

At 44, Palin is a generation younger that Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, who is Barack Obama's running mate on the Democratic ticket.

She is a former mayor of Wasilla who became governor of her state in December, 2006 after ousting a governor of her own party in a primary and then dispatching a former governor in the general election.

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I'm not sure if an official announcement has been made at this point. Thoughts anyone? All I have to say is this is a very interesting selection. I do not know very much about her other than what I saw on an interview a few months ago and she seemed very intelligent and down to earth.

Hype

I usually don't discuss politics on my blog, I'll leave that to this guy, but I've been bothered by a lot of what I've been hearing and reading in the news lately.

There has been a lot of speculation as to if John McCain will decide on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as VP. The announcement should be coming any day now following the Democratic Convention.

With all the media coverage about the Presidential elections and the candidates choices for their Vice Presidential running mates I have to ask you, normal everyday people of America, does the person selected to run as vice president influence your voting decision or are you purely voting for who will make the best president of our country?

And as parents, what issues are most important to you in this election? What would you like to see changed on a country/state/city level?

Political Christmas

I really wanted to post some pictures of our Christmas lights we put up, (to prove that we actually put some up this year) but wouldn't you know that my camera is out of batteries and there are no more to be found in our house. You can tell we are really prepared for any sort of emergency situation. So I thought I'd share this poem with you that someone posted on our family website. It is a parody on "Twas the night before Christmas". If you aren't interested in politics this might not amuse you as much as it did me.

" Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying, nor taking a stand.
How the PC (political correct) police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teacher would say
December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get IT!
CDs from Madonna, an XBox, and I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
INCLUSIVE, SENSITIVE, DI-VER-SI-TY
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And WE spoke not a word, as they took away our faith,
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me,
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say,
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!"

I'm not sure who wrote this, but it certainly hits the nail on the head of how this time of year, the true meaning of why we even celebrate Christmas is lost and forgotten by many. I was saddened to see that my daughters school does not have a Christmas concert. Is this a normal across the town thing, or just at her school? I'm not sure since this is my first child to attend. One thing that I think is really neat is that many local churches band together at Christmas time to do good works and also have that big annual Christmas concert (have any of you gone?). I try and concentrate on the good things that I see people doing this time of year, and teach my daughter the real reason of why this time of year is so special.

I am fortunate that I grew up in a place where our school's held big festive Christmas concerts and activities, our town had an annual tree lighting ceremony in the city park where choirs would sing religious carols, it was a tradition that the seniors had our own private Christmas party and made ornaments and stockings to decorate our SCHOOL tree, that every Christmas Eve our family would gather and we would have the little ones act out the nativity and listen to my grandfather read from the scriptures about our Saviour's birth.

So as for me, I will be shouting greetings of "Merry Christmas" to all.