Moments with the Kertson's

Here are just a few moments that we have had over the last few weeks. the first picture is of our cute little house...little is the key word but it certainly is not lacking in charm. Notice the big satellite, Brandon is very excited about this because he gets every Chargers game. The pictures and video of the beach were taken walking distance from our house. The park is where I take Peyton for play group every Thursday morning. The park over looks the Santa Cruz Bay. (Such a hard life we live) Peyton is getting so good at climbing all the play ground equipment and going down the slide by herself. She makes her mom nervous but she is having a great time! notice in the video that Peyton is scared of the waves and yells "Oh No" every time they break. She is so dramatic it is hilarious.

Prop 2: cruelty to Animals act

A recent episode of Oprah brought my attention to Prop 2. ( Yes I watch Oprah...don't judge) Ever since watching the episode I have become very passionate about learning more about this act. Even talking to Brandon at dinner tonight about it I almost started wheling up with tears (yes I am prego so that isn't hard to do). For those of you who are not familiar with the proposition it basically bands the use of animals living in small cages. While this sounds like a great idea, and at first, I myself was all for the act, the more I have thought about the outcome if it were to pass the more I am against it. For one, I feel like the people who are for Propostision 2 have put little to no thought into what this could do for the farmers who run these farms. It will literally put hundreds of them out of business because the costs of having to provide larger cages means either housing less animals or buying more land. Now don't get me wrong I am a true animal lover at heart and totally disagree with torturing animals but I get hung up when we start putting animals rights over humans. I just can't stop thinking of those farmers who have been in the farming business for years that would have to shut down their farms and put their families well being in jeopardy because of some law that was passed to allow a chicken to be able to spread its wings. Is that not crazy to anyone else? I just wish there was some happy medium to it all. I know there are farms who wrongly abuse their animals and probably should be shut down but I know their are also farms that don't and they shouldn't have to loose their livelihood. A law like this just isn't necessary in this day and age when people can make a choice to buy from free range farms or not. I for one buy organic milk because I don't trust the hormones and things in regular milk. I just feel like we have opportunities to make choices, so make those choices but leave peoples jobs out of it!

Punkies!!!

So we took Peyton to a pumpkin patch last week and let her pick out three pumpkins. (they are so cheap here it is ridiculous!) She calls them punkies and talks to them like they are her friends. here are a few pictures from the event.

My top ten Santa Cruz discoveries...

1. Everyone drives with their windows down
2. Produce is better and cheaper!
3. No one uses their air conditioning
4. Everyone owns a bike
5. There is alot of talk about tourist
6. Water conservation is very important
7. There is alot less road rage but people drive slower
8. They don't believe in drive thru's
9. The nearest Wal Mart is 45min away
10. Homeless people like to ask for your restaurant leftovers

We Are Not in Kansas Anymore...

Well I have officially been living in Santa Cruz for over two weeks now and I have to say I have enjoyed myself very much. In my short time here I have experienced some cultural differences from my life as I knew it in LA.
For example... The first time Brandon and I went to the grocery store here we were only going to get a few items so he decided to just go in by himself and leave Peyton and I in the car. Well he left the car running (because it was only going to be a few min...he was just running in...and it was hot and I needed the air on and of course the radio was keeping me entertained...well you get the idea.) Brandon had only been in the store for a few min when this older lady came out of the store and began to put her grocery's away in her van that was parked next to us. I noticed that she was giving me strange looks and putting away her grocery's very slowly but I just kept smiling at her and minding my own business. Well this went on for quit sometime and finally the lady came up to my window with her handkerchief over her mouth and yelling "The fumes...the fumes...your car letting off horrible fumes!!!" Startled and a bit confused I turned off the car and politely said I was sorry. She said thank you and hurried off to the store across the street with her canvas reusable grocery bag in hand. It was at that moment that I realized "I was not in Kansas anymore" or at least not in polluted...hurried...ugly...hot... selfish LA anymore. I took a moment to thank God for where He had brought us. I think I could get into this new way of living. I mean being a new creation in the Lord means taking care of the things He created, right? I have to admit that I am ashamed that this is such a novel idea for me all of the sudden. I guess that is why Jesus often referred to us as sheep. Well this sheep is once again following the norms of her surroundings but this time I believe it is for the better and it is refreshing for once. As of this week I have changed our recycling trash can to the larger one and the normal trash to the little can and I have purchased the canvas reusable grocery bags and intend to use them when at all possible and I have to say that I have not sat in my car with it running since that day. Thank you lady, where ever you are, for opening my eyes to the selfish way I was living! This is a whole new chapter for me and who knows where it will go from here...