Back in the Saddle

We're back! Actually, we've been back for quite a while; I just haven't gotten around to blogging until now. What do you think of the new layout? Logsn helped me customize things a little bit so the blog would look the way I wanted it to. Thanks, honey! You're the best!

So our trip was great! It was really fun to get to spend some time together, eat really good food, relax...but by the time we were due to return, we were definitely missing the kids and ready to be home again. It does make me think that it would be great to be able to go to a different city each year with just the two of us -- just for the food, if for nothing else! I'm a little bit of a food snob, and whenever I know we're going to be eating out (which doesn't happen a lot unless we're traveling), I do major research into restaurants, reviews, menus, prices, etc. It always pays off -- we had some really great food in New Orleans! Makes me want to try some of the great food in New York, Boston, Seattle... : )

We've been participating in various Easter festivities lately. We had an egg hunt at Logan's parents' house, then hunting for baskets at our house yesterday, then dinner and an egg hunt with my family today...which brings me to one of my soapbox issues. Does everybody have soapbox issues, or is it just me? Anyway, I sort of have a thing about holidays and the made up characters associated with them. I don't know if this stems from my general dislike of characters (I don't buy Disney princess stuff, Dora stuff, etc.) or vice versa. Anyway, it basically boils down to the fact that I wish I could completely cut Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny out of my children's awareness. Oh, and the Tooth Fairy. It irritates me to no end that I feel I don't really have a choice in this matter because I don't want to be the "spoiler" parent who has the "spoiler" kid -- the kid who tells all the other kids that there is no Santa Claus. BUT THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUS! Isn't that the truth? Geez! It is particularly irksome to me that these imaginary characters are associated with what are supposed to be religious holidays. Christmas is to commemorate the birth of the Savior; Easter is to commemorate His resurrection and atonement. In all honestly, I really feel that it's totally inappropriate and disrespectful to trivialize these events -- some of the most important events that have ever taken place -- by associating them with such utterly ridiculous figures. I'm not kidding when I say I think it's a mockery and it offends me. It only distracts people -- starting from the time that they're young children -- from what is supposed to be worship. I understand that this is not a popular thing to say, and there are probably plenty of people reading this who are thinking, "Whoa, this lady needs to calm down. We're talking about a stocking and a plastic egg here; it's not that big of a deal. Just let the kids have their fun, for crying out loud!" I'm not against kids having fun. I have no problem with kids having an egg hunt when spring rolls around. They love it, and it's a great thing to do with friends and family. But don't try to give me some convoluted explanation about how racing around the yard trying to get more candy-filled neon eggs than all the other kids really does help everyone remember Jesus. I don't care how you try to spin it; it's just not true! Have an egg hunt, but don't call it an Easter egg hunt; it doesn't have anything to do with Easter. Give gifts to your kids at Christmas, but instead of telling them that a man they've never met has been watching them and is going to reward their good behavior with presents, just tell them that you love them and that you wanted to get a present for them because you thought it might make them happy. Is that so bad? Then all the time, energy and money that you would have spent trying to perpetuate these falsehoods could be spent reinforcing the belief in the man these holidays supposedly celebrate.

Whew! Sorry to go all crazy on everyone, but what's a blog for if not to vent every now and again? Okay, now it's really late. I'm going to have to post my photos tomorrow!