Human Nature

I've decided to change redirect the nature of this blog.  I am still going to pursue feminists issue avidly, but I also find that I'd like to express opinions about Attachment Parenting more often, healthy life styles, and other topics that are pertinent to my life.

I think I have already been straying in that direction anyway.  Another change is in comments.  I will now be moderating comments since some heated exchanges.  Differing opinions are totally welcome, but keep it civil.  "Anonymous" comments will be under extra scrutiny.  I want everyone to feel comfortable posting.  

This blog has almost made $20 from people clicking on ads (THANK YOU!!!!)  Any money made on this blog goes to reading to fuel this blog : )  So, Ad clicking readers, YOU ROCK!

Get excited.  This feels like a new roll out.

Quote of the day (Not inspiring)

"They're both equal.  Neither one of them's the wife."  ~Modern Family debating who's the woman in Cam and Mitch's relationship.  

**Face palm**  Ugh.  

The McCuistions are coming! (The McCuistions came)

 With the McCuistion side of the family coming to visit for a few days, we started cleaning up a bit.  Ezra "helped" by taking clothes out of the basket.

 Here he is helping Jason fold socks- for certain definitions of folding.

 This is a random cute picture that could not go un-posted.

Ezra likes play dates.   Here, he and Livy are playing kitchen.

 He got tired pretty quickly, so Livy continued playing and he took a snooze.

 When the McCuistions got into town, we did all sorts of cool things.  We went to Cypress Gardens, which turned out to be much cooler than we had anticipated.  We packed a picnic lunch and ate in the covered area.

Next, we went to the butterfly sanctuary.  That was really fun because we were able to see lots and lots of butterflies close up.  There was a volunteer who really knew his stuff that told us all about the different types of butterflies and also showed us a couple that were laying eggs!  Later, he gave us a lesson about honey bees.  Cypress Gardens has an awesome glassed in hive that we watched for quite a while. 

 After that, Ezra got to meet "Cypress" the duck.  He and Jason sat and talked with him for quite a while.  Ezra really wanted to touch "Cypress," so Jason helped him to just look rather than love on the duck like he so often loves on Marla and Nixon.

 We were surprised and excited to find out that Cypress Gardens has little people life jackets.  Ezra put his on like a champ, and got to go in boat around the swamp.

 Jason was a champ steering the boat.

 We saw alligators and turtles on our ride

 Aren't McCuistions silly?

 Grandpa snuggle

 Possibly my favorite picture of the week

 We went to the beach to look for shells, but it was really chilly.  We bundled up as best we could.

 Ezra is super cute cocoon-ed in.

 It kills me to think my Little Man is almost 10 months  old.  I really couldn't ask for a better little guy in my life.  I am truly grateful everyday for my family and my life.

Rebuttal to Rebecca Walker's Anti-Feminism

Rebecca Walker

A couple weeks ago, a friend sent me an article called How My Mother's Fanatical Views Tore Us Apart written by Alice Walker's (AW) daughter, Rebecca Walker (RW).  Within the first couple Lines, RW declares that she almost missed out on motherhood due to her mother, AW, being a "rabid feminist."  She states that "feminism has much to answer for denigrating and encouraging women to seek independence whatever the cost to their families."  She describes her mothers idiosyncratic rules about with what toys she was allowed to play and in what games she was allowed to partake.  She details the moments of her life when her mother left her to go around the world, including arranging birth control and her abortion.  She talks about how she "yearned for a traditional mother."  This is just my summary- I definitely encourage you to read it for yourself.

I am messy and a feminist, but it is not feminism which caused my mess.

Whoa.  RW seems to be extremely confused about the difference between being a feminist and being a derelict mother.  After reading this article three different times and in three different attitudes, I simply cannot connect the two from this article.  Feminism does not reject motherhood.  Some brands might now revere the stay-at-home-mom types, but most of the feminists I with which I come in contact think the role of Mom is an exceptional one.  The only restraint feminism puts on children is that one should have them on one's own time- not as dictated by a patriarchal government.  A blessing and an honor-  just maybe not in the bake cookies, sew clothing, change diapers all day route.  They believe in equal parenting.  After reading about RW's trials as a young woman, I think most will agree that her mother was not the ideal, but that is not a symptom of her feminism.

My feminism does not take
away from my love of being
a mom.  

I can speak on my personal journey with feminism, which, in my opinion, has led me to be a much better mom.  My feminism has taught me that Hubby and I can be equal in parenting-  my feminism has led me to Attachment Parenting, which is incredibly hands on.
As far as feminism encouraging women to gain independence regardless of the cost, I refer to a post I wrote a while back Dear Alice Paul, in which I describe the limits of not my feminism but my activism.  Each stage of life offers different measures.
Many anti-feminists wage war against the cause with accusations as such.  It doesn't make sense.  Feminism is not a person.  It is not a thing.  Feminism is not a bad or neglectful mother.   It is a movement, political and social in nature.  It takes shape by the many people who join in.

Quote of the Day

"There is no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy."

I found this quote in an old journal of mine.  I don't know where I got it from, but I still love it.  I promise I will get back to writing my own posts of substance in a while, but for now, real life takes precedent.  Thanks for understanding. Love always.  

Homosexuality at BYU (It Gets Better)

Thoughts?