WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FINALLY!! our poor boys
needed this win so bad!!
they did such a great job
and I am so very proud of them!
GO TIGERS!!! =)

EASTER SUNDAY!!! --HE IS RISEN!! =)

We had a great Easter!!

California friends, we need your help!!!

California friends, we need your help!!!

Families of SMA (FSMA) is working with California Stem Cell, Inc. (CSC) to secure federal funding for a clinical trial aimed at identifying a cure for SMA via cell replacement therapy. They are at a critical juncture in this process and we need your support!

If you live in California please email Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein requesting their support for the project.

It's simple and shouldn't take more than 5 minutes of your time!

Here are the steps:

For Senator Boxer:

1. Please go to her web form at http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/email/policy.cfm
2. Fill out the required contact information
3. Under “Select a Topic”, choose “Health”
4. Under “Message Subject”, type: “Requested Support for Appropriation for SMA Clinical Trial”
5. Under “Message”, copy-and-paste the recommended message text below (you may wish to include a personal anecdote in the highlighted section)
6. Hit “Submit"

For Senator Feinstein:

1. Please go to her web form at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe
2. Fill out the required contact information
3. Under “Issue / Topic”, choose “Health”
4. Under “Please Write Your Message”, copy-and-paste the recommended message text below (you may wish to include a personal anecdote in the highlighted section)
5. Hit “Submit Information”

That’s it! While there are no guarantees of success, this grassroots effort will significantly improve our chances.

====

Recommended Message Text:

I write to you as a constituent and as someone personally affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) to respectfully request your support for an innovative research project for which the support group Families of SMA (FSMA) is seeking federal funding, in partnership with California Stem Cell, Inc. (CSC), through the fiscal year (FY) 2010 Defense Appropriations bill. The formal funding request for this project, entitled The Phase I/IIA Clinical Trial for Stem Cell Replacement Therapy in Infants with Type I Spinal Muscular Atrophy, was submitted to your office in the appropriate manner by FSMA and CSC earlier this year, prior to your project request deadline.

This research project represents a significant opportunity to identify a cure for SMA, a presently-incurable, hereditary, neurodegenerative disorder that affects about 1 in 6,000 live births and is the leading genetic killer of children under the age of two. [Insert a few sentences about how SMA affects you.]

The project for which FSMA and CSC seek federal support will transplant motor neuron progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the spinal cord of infants suffering from Type I SMA, the most common and deadliest form of the disease. These transplanted cells are expected to replace the infants’ atrophied motor neurons and partially restore motor activity.

Preclinical safety and efficacy studies have proven successful and the clinical investigators are preparing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for submittal to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The preclinical components of this research have been privately funded by FSMA and CSC, but a clinical trial is prohibitively expensive; federal support is crucial for moving this project forward.

The project itself has several connections to California . FSMA, the world’s oldest and largest non-profit organization dedicated to curing SMA, has two State Chapters in California, Northern and Southern, with a combined 500 active members. There are approximately 1,500 individuals living with SMA, and nearly 1,000,000 carriers of the SMA gene, currently residing in California.

The clinical trial will be conducted by CSC, a biotechnology company based in Irvine, California. The trials themselves will take place at various CSC-partner academic medical centers throughout Southern California.

Thank you very much for your attention to this critically important matter. I certainly recognize that you receive hundreds of worthy requests for funding through the appropriations process, but I sincerely hope that you will support this project for SMA and help to identify a cure for this deadly disease.

Help cure the #1 genetic killer of children under 2 (you don't have to live in California to sign this one..) =)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ,PLEASE:
click below and sign the petition.. It only takes
a few seconds.... =)
thanks =) and don't forget to pass it on to your friends and family =)

Devyn was excited today after her early game...
she says she's "good at softball and I want to
get REALLY good....." LOL just wanted to share
a pic of the happy little 'softball player'..... =)

Softball/Baseball season is here!!
we are so excited to watch Devyn play
Softball for the first time! =)
and Drake has moved up to the Bronco
division this year so the games will be
a heck of a lot more fun and full of action..
Go Drake and Devyn!!!!! Have a great season!!

We had so much fun at the snow this past weekend =)
The kids thought we were not gonna be able to go during our winter break but daddy surprised them and off we went... =)

My kids had so much fun going to see Santa at the mall and then getting to 'mail' their letters to him at Macy's =) I loved seeing how excited they were! and of course I couldn't wait to scrap the pics!--simple LO, but HEY....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... (at least for Cali it is) ha ha
yep, we can actually see the snow from Simi Valley!! LOL it was a nice crisp 38 degrees this morning when I took the kiddos to school... YAY!! we can finally wear our jackets!!! I am so done witht he 90 degree weather so this change in climate is very nice for us! =)

I just had to share this picture of YUMMY little Everett!!
Isn't he the cutest?!! this is my hubby's cousin's little boy!!
He is SO DANG cute and I cannot wait to meet him and eat
those yummy cheeks!!
---one day soon I hope- since they live pretty far =(

Oh it's that time of year again!! MY FAVORITE!! YAY! we decorated the outside of the house yesterday and put up our tree, but we still have lots of stuff to put out to make our home REALLY christmasy =) just wanted to share these pics I took of the kids yesterday =)
They are growing up so fast! ---I am so blessed to have such AMAZING children! =)

So, here's another 1 hour LO I did for JS! Kinda plain but I was just happy to get to scrap today! I love these pictures of Devyn at age ONE =)

I just had to share this picture!! I LOVE it!! This is my little girl with one of her friends and teammates! Their team had just scored a goal and they were SO happy! =) I just love to see Devyn this way... she just absolutely LOVES life! =) gotta love my happy girl!

Just finished a 1 hour challenge on JS.. This was fun! thanks Cristal! =)Here's my LO -

YAY to getting to scrap some... woo-hoo =)

I FINALLY GOT TO SCRAP! woo-hoo....

I just LOVE using cardboard now... =) thanks to PINKY for introducing me to it.. LOL I think I'm hooked now...

Just reminding y'all to get out there and VOTE!!!! =) God Bless You all!!! =)

GET THE FACTS PEOPLE!! Quit the hatred and educate yourself on this issue....

For all those who are misinformed by lies and cover ups, do the research. YES on prop 8 doesn't discriminate, it redefines.
What's more unconstitutional?
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion" or that PROHIBIT THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION...(Separation of Religion and state)
Therefore how constitutional is it that a state law should be able to overwrite the Amendments of our Constitution and force a religion to go against their beliefs and morals or suffer the consequences of being taxed, sued or shut down?
How constitutional is it to force a school teacher to teach something to a child that is against his/her morals or religion? (it WILL happen.. maybe not directly but it will somehow be indirectly taught---)
How constitutional is it that a child, at such a vulnerable age, be taught something that contradicts their religious beliefs or the way they were brought up? Exposing them to thoughts and feelings that would not have been there if it wasn't taught to them that it's normal. Why don't we teach our kids that it's the norm to drink alcohol and have sex before you're married, so therefore it's ok to do? That kind of thinking is IGNORANCE.

How constitutional is it that as a parent I have no control over what my child is being taught in school?

One can argue all they want that prop 8 takes away the rights and discriminates against the gay community but the facts are right in front of their faces.

California law 297.5 ensures that all same-sex domestic partners currently receive ALL of the same rights as married couples. If proposition 8 passes, nothing will change. If prop 8 doesn't pass . . . we'll suffer the consequences.
We are not fighting against the gay community. We are fighting for religious freedom, free speech and the right to raise our children as we see fit.
Vote "YES" ON PROPOSITION 8!

"I would rather "STAND FOR SOMETHING" than water down my values and beliefs in the face of adversity."--Gordon H.

Hmmmmmmm, why is MY freedom of speech taken away because I am not a liberal?
Why do you take the signs off MY yard because you don't believe what I believe? I don't take your signs or BASH you and your beliefs.... yet............ YOU want to muzzle MY voice?! and YOU say you fight for EQUALITY and freedom of speech!! HUMPH!!
OK, so I AM a little upset...... I am tired of people 'bashing' and mocking others only because 'others' don't agree with what they THINK is RIGHT (their way or the highway)......
it is NOT OK to mock or put down or humiliate others only because you do not agree with their beliefs..... it just is NOT!!!
I am tired of keeping my mouth shut because I may not be POLITICALLY CORRECT and I MAY just offend somebody out there..... these 'ppl' don't seem to care if they offend ME in any way when they BASH my religious beliefs or they mock me because they think I am an idiot for voting republican..............................(umm I do live in California ...totally DEMOCRATIC-LOL)
I pray that whoever wins this election is able to make this place a better place for us... and whether or not MCCAIN wins, I AM going to support the President of this Nation.. I will NOT bash him or mock him OR my democratic friends...I will stand by him and I will pray that God helps guide him for the next four years .... after all, isn't THAT what being an American is all about?! supporting OUR President?!!!
As for Prop 8 and California, I strongly believe that marriage was created by God! It is something SACRED and it has consequences and blessings that we receive even after this life.
Prop 8 is not an equality issue.... this is not a gay/straight issue like the 'no on prop 8' commercials are making it sound.. and don't get me wrong, I am NOT anti-gay! Ihave friends who are gay & are wonderful ppl- and I am all for them having RIGHTS! which BTW, they do.. this will NOT take away the rights they already have!.. this is about TRADITIONAL marriage and changing the definition of that..THIS will affect MY rights as a Christian and parent! this is about being PRO marriage, PRO freedom of speech, PRO parental rights,PRO religious freedom! I wish ppl would EDUCATE themselves on this issue instead of just listening to what the 'no on 8' commercials are saying.. those are LIES! I don't think people are aware of what WILL happen if this does not pass... what about religious institutions that are getting sued for preaching that homosexuality is a sin?! what about the doctor who refused to perform artificial insemination for a lesbian couple due to his religious beliefs (which he is entitled to under the 1ST AMENDMENT) He was sued by the couple and LOST. Even though he referred them to other doctors who were willing to perform the procedure... How about the Catholic adoption charities in Massachusetts who had to leave because they were FORCED by the state to adopt to gay couples which they wouldn't do because of their religious beliefs. The last time I checked everyone has a freedom to religion! Isn't that what this nation is based on? Maybe we should all read the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.... Reference to GOD is made SEVERAL times! How about the public schools teaching our young children about homosexuality? that is MY job and those are MY parental rights that will be taken away ......................................
You cannot give everyone the freedom to do what they want because eventually it will overstep someone else's freedom....
So, for now why not.. Love God, Love your neighbor, Keep the commandments and strive to be Christ-like..... *****steppin' off my soap box now****



God bless!! =)

My son, the little photographer...
So today when the fires came over the ridge here in Simi, my son waited for my hubby to get home so he could help him up on the roof of our house so he could get some photos of the helicopters and planes that were circling up above and dumping water on the ridge... He was SO excited!!!
I just HAD to share his photos! =)
he was SO proud!