Prior to Thanksgiving on November 17th LaRue flew to Omaha to spend the holiday with Liz, Gary and Owen. She was there until the 26th. While there they all went to the Mormon Trail Center for a big Gingerbread house display. She took lots of great pictures and I will be posting some here soon along with a better write-up.
I stayed home because I had to work. The Saturday before Thanksgiving Robin, Emily and the kids came to Vernal for the week. They had Thanksgiving with Emily's family, but I got to spend some time with them.
The day after Thanksgiving I drove to Ephraim to spend the weekend with Don, Laura and Nath before picking LaRue up at the airport Monday evening.
On Saturday morning I went with Nath and Laura to the funeral of a family friend that lived next door to them when they were growing up in Ephraim.
Saturday afternoon I got out my chainsaw to do some more wood cutting. But I could not get the saw to start. It was very frustrating. I later had it checked when I got home and learned that the starting instructions were incorrect and would flood the engine if you followed them. But even though we didn't get any wood cut, we managed to gather up a big load of kindling from the wood pile.
Sunday I accompanied Nath to church and then just relaxed the rest of the day. I had brought along an assortment of board games but never even got a chance to get them out.
Monday it was off to Salt Lake to run a couple of errands before going to the airport.
LaRue's flight was right on time and we drove home Tuesday morning.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Letter from Hobby Lobby
I'm taking a little break from the family postings to pass along a letter from the CEO of Hobby Lobby.
------------------------------------------------
A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO
By David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than most people's living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God's word. From there,Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.
We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God's laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week's biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.
But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief.
So, Hobby Lobby and my family are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.
My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American and no American business should have to make.
The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.
Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.
Sincerely,
David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
------------------------------------------------
A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO
By David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than most people's living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God's word. From there,Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.
We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God's laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week's biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.
But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief.
So, Hobby Lobby and my family are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.
My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American and no American business should have to make.
The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.
Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.
Sincerely,
David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Robin & Family Visit
This past weekend we enjoyed a visit from Robin and company.
On Saturday LaRue went with them out to the Dinosaur Quarry to look at the dinosaur bones.
Here's Chris outside the Quarry:
Everyone inside the Quarry:
Brighton cheks out some of the exhibits:
Little Quinley with her new doll:
Joshua:
Chris:
K.D.:
The kids playing on the rocks:
If you look closely you'll see the rock formation they call Broken Heart:
A huge flock of Sandhill Cranes in a corn field:
Later that night Robin and the boys went swimming:
Before they drove home Sunday, Robin got LaRue's "Old Lady" mask:
Right after Robin gave me a big bear hug:
On Saturday LaRue went with them out to the Dinosaur Quarry to look at the dinosaur bones.
Here's Chris outside the Quarry:
Everyone inside the Quarry:
Brighton cheks out some of the exhibits:
Little Quinley with her new doll:
Joshua:
Chris:
K.D.:
The kids playing on the rocks:
If you look closely you'll see the rock formation they call Broken Heart:
A huge flock of Sandhill Cranes in a corn field:
Later that night Robin and the boys went swimming:
Before they drove home Sunday, Robin got LaRue's "Old Lady" mask:
Right after Robin gave me a big bear hug:
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Ear Surgery
Yesterday I went to the dermatologist to have some cancerous skin cut from my ear. The worst part about the whole thing was having to be at the doctor's office at 7:30 AM.
It went really well. He came in, numbed up my ear and cut away the bad area. Then they bandaged me up with this monstrous dressing:
I'm surprised that I have suffered very little pain afterward. And tomorrow the bandage comes off and I can see just what my ear looks like.
It went really well. He came in, numbed up my ear and cut away the bad area. Then they bandaged me up with this monstrous dressing:
I'm surprised that I have suffered very little pain afterward. And tomorrow the bandage comes off and I can see just what my ear looks like.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ephraim Trip
On my days off this last Sunday and Monday LaRue and I drove to Ephraim. We wanted to go down there and cut some wood.
When we arrived Sunday evening we got there just as Don had finished preparing a batch of his famous enchiladas.
Monday we ventured out back to the wood.
I had brought my little Remington 18 inch electric chain saw.
It did okay, but the wood was too big and hard. The motor burned out. So, we ran over to the Sears store and I picked up a new chainsaw. A Craftsman 20 inch heavy duty gas powered model.
What a much better saw. It cut through the wood with ease.
One of the tree limbs we cut.
I got a little bit of saw dust on me.
Don and me taking a little break.
After cutting a substantial amount of wood, Laura hauled 8 wagon loads to the carport and got it stacked.
After the wood project we bought a new tarp and got Godzilla covered for the winter.
LaRue relaxing with one of the cats.
Some of the flowers.
That evening LaRue and I sat down with Don and Laura and taught them to play both Tzuro and Zombie Dice.
Laura won the game of Tsuro when she played a tile that moved her to safety and knocked Don out of the game. LaRue won the game of Zombie Dice. I was actually ahead and then she managed to pull off a rather miraculous dice roll and beat me.
Following the games we all went to the theater and saw Premium Rush.
It's a fun poppcorn movie. At first it's a little confusing, but it all comes together in the end. Probably a better rental than a theater movie. Crazy chase scenes with bicycles.
Some of the fall colors on the drive home Tuesday morning.
We've been driving through this canyon for almost 40 years. It has never had guard rails until now. So we went through a little construction where they are installing the new rails.
When we arrived Sunday evening we got there just as Don had finished preparing a batch of his famous enchiladas.
Monday we ventured out back to the wood.
I had brought my little Remington 18 inch electric chain saw.
It did okay, but the wood was too big and hard. The motor burned out. So, we ran over to the Sears store and I picked up a new chainsaw. A Craftsman 20 inch heavy duty gas powered model.
What a much better saw. It cut through the wood with ease.
One of the tree limbs we cut.
I got a little bit of saw dust on me.
Don and me taking a little break.
After cutting a substantial amount of wood, Laura hauled 8 wagon loads to the carport and got it stacked.
After the wood project we bought a new tarp and got Godzilla covered for the winter.
LaRue relaxing with one of the cats.
Some of the flowers.
That evening LaRue and I sat down with Don and Laura and taught them to play both Tzuro and Zombie Dice.
Laura won the game of Tsuro when she played a tile that moved her to safety and knocked Don out of the game. LaRue won the game of Zombie Dice. I was actually ahead and then she managed to pull off a rather miraculous dice roll and beat me.
Following the games we all went to the theater and saw Premium Rush.
It's a fun poppcorn movie. At first it's a little confusing, but it all comes together in the end. Probably a better rental than a theater movie. Crazy chase scenes with bicycles.
Some of the fall colors on the drive home Tuesday morning.
We've been driving through this canyon for almost 40 years. It has never had guard rails until now. So we went through a little construction where they are installing the new rails.
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