Happy Independence Day!

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Tag from Carrie

A Attached or Single: married for 7 years
B Best Friend: Brandt
C Cake or Pie: Depends on what kinds I s'pose. Prolly pie :)
D Day of Choice: A day with my family
E Essential Item: pony tail holder
F Flavor of Icecream: Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby or Blue Bunnies Peanut Butter Panic
G Gummy Bears or Worms: no thanks
H Hometown: Bemidji, MN
I Indulgence: Coke
J January or July: July-it's just nicer in MN
K Kids: 2 beautiful children! The envy of many parents ;)
L Last movie I saw at a theater: kung fu panda at the referral of many friends
M Musician: Chopin
N Number of Siblings: 1 older sister, 1 younger brother and 1 younger sister
O Oranges or Apples: oo, depends on the day, they are both yummie
P Phobias or Fears: tornado
Q Quote: Dad! We're not your friends! We're your baby girl and son. But I'm not REALLY a baby, and Benaiah's not a yellow sun! - Tatiana
R Reason to Smile:Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above. I love my gifts, especially my family
S Season: Fall-nothing like the smell of fall! :)
T Tag: You!
U Unknown fact: I was told when I was around 14 that I'd make a great preachers wife. Who'd a thunk then that I would really become one!?! :)
V Vegetarian or oppressor of Animals: I like veggies with my meat :)
W Worst habit: Well, I can't really tell what my worst habit is! I have to many :)
X Xray or Ultrasound: Really, you don't need them too often. I've had more than my share of both. I think I'll be done now.
Y Your favorite food: I really like good ol' cheap beef stroganoff over noodles. Mmm
Z Zodiac sign: Gemini. Aren't you glad there aren't really two of me!

Picture time

Ug! I had to go get my drivers license renewed before Saturday. I'm getting old! When I was issued that drivers license so long ago, I thought wow, that's a really long time from now! I'm afraid to see what my new picture will look like! I kinda liked the old young one ;)

What a beautiful day today! I'm gonna go make shish ka bobs (how ever in the world that is spelled) and grill some corn. I'm also going to plant some blueberry bushes, and some snapdragons, asters, and throw some flower seeds in the back of my flower garden. I should also get some food in my bird feeders. They have gotten so good at emptying that thing, it's gone in a day!

Ah, summer is so nice, I'm glad it finally came for a visit! :)

Friends

Last night we were on our way home from a day out and about, and Tatiana found out that it is Brandt's birthday today. She got SO excited! She wanted to know who all was coming for Daddy's birthday, and what presents he was getting, and what kind of cake he was getting. Brandt said nobody is coming over, he's spending the day with momma, Tatiana and Benaiah.

Tatiana said, "We aren't your friends!"
Daddy said, "Well then who are you?"
Tati said, " Well, Momma's. . . your Momma Momma and you're her Daddy. I'm your babygirl, but I'm not a baby. And Benaiah is your son, but not a yellow sun." :)

I thought that was so cute! :) Hehehe

Happy Birthday Brandt! :)

A new thing. . .

Well, we bought our first set of Thomas stuff. The kids LOVE it! Little People was not the thing for these kiddos. Apparently Thomas is their thing. :) So, officially the request for birthdays and holidays will be Thomas gifts. ;) We highly recommend them!

Do you want free money too!?

This is great! Email me if you have any questions! My site didn't get hacked! I'm really doing this! My sister and my mom did it first, so now by me signing up, they got $10, now I'll get $10 when you sign up! Thanks! Plus, you'll get $25 for signing up! It's not a joke! You transfer the funds to your bank account, and wha-la! You have $25 more then before you started, and more if people sign up! Only until May 15th though. Until I blog again-Have a great day! :)

Quality Time

I have slowed down the blogs to spend time with my family. :) I suppose you could say I've been having an affair with my laptop :o Well, I looked, and it's been over a week since I last blogged, so here's a little something. Doorposts is a great ministry encouraging godly families, and I find a lot of their tools helpful. Here's a little link for ideas for your family. :)
http://www.doorposts.net/free_resources/building_relationships.pdf

Have fun with your families!