JuneInMA's Blog

Ok, so normally, I defend VB.  I happen to like VB and I think he sometimes gets some unfair and ugly remarks thrown his way for no really good reason.  That was until VB crossed the line yesterday on his blog "No Obama/Clinton Ticket?" (see the political blogs).

VB took it upon himself to decree that ALL women were catty and incapable of behaving in a professional manner when it comes to other women around them.  While I won't disagree that there are women out there that may not be fully aware of their self-worth and thus take on this attitude, to declare that ALL women behave in this manner is unfair and gross.  Seriously.  As a tv personality, VB, you have to be aware that people (sometimes impressionable people) are watching and listening and to make such a thoughtless comment only perpetuates the stereotype and degrades women.  If you want to have these childish conversations in the privacy of your home go right ahead, but don't be irresponsible on the air.  I suggest you seriously think about making a general apology for your comment (although I won't hold my breath).  I for one am offended by it and simply don't see you the same way anymore.

Women, please see why it is that we have to fight harder and work harder than men.  It is because of retarded views such as this one. 

Shameful

During my blogging time here on Fox, I've had the pleasure of meeting and talking to some amazing moms.  I don't have to personally meet them to know they must be excellent mothers, raising wonderful kids.

To all you lovely mothers, I wish you the loviest and happiest mother's day!  God bless you wonderful people whom He placed in this world to carry the weight on your shoulders.  The world revolves around you and without you, it just wouldn't work.

God bless!

First off, I've been following the story of this family for a while now and while I would NEVER even think of doing something like this, I am very impressed with the way they function.  It's quite admirable.  Kind of puts that theory from that Harvard professor under the microscope after all, if what he says is true, this two should be living in separate house by now.  Check it out!!!!  :)

The Duggar kids planned a big Mother's Day surprise for their mom this year. But the surprise was on them when Michelle Duggar announced on the TODAY Show that they were soon to welcome an 18th sibling.

“We’re expecting!” the happy mother told TODAY co-host Meredith Vieira and the entire Arkansas clan. “Number 18!

“They didn’t know. My girls watch the calendar like a hawk. We just found out on Monday night.”

“On Monday night she brought one of the [pregnancy] testers in,” Michelle's husband Jim Bob added. “I wanted to bring it with me, but she wouldn’t let me.”

And baby, due around New Year’s Day, would make 20.

Joshua, the Duggars’ eldest son, said the news, two days before Mother's Day was “a shock” — if only to a point.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” the 20-year-old said. “But it’s been nine months [since the birth of the last baby], so yeah.”

Family forest
To date, the Duggars’ 17 natural children range in age from 20 years to 9 months. Included in the mix are 10 boys and seven girls — Joshua, twins Jana and John-David, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah and baby Jennifer, who arrived last Aug. 2.

With two sets of twins, Michelle, 41, has gone through 15 pregnancies that ended in 13 natural deliveries and two Caesarean sections.

Both Michelle and Jim Bob — a former state legislator who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives — are real estate agents. They claim their family is debt-free, with the entire bunch helping to build their 7,000-square-foot home in Tontitown. And they are enriched by a devout faith in their religion.

The Duggars are followers of the evangelical Christian movement called Quiverful, which teaches that children are God’s blessing and that husbands and wives should happily welcome every child they are given. In fact, the Duggars' Web site, duggarfamily.com, quotes “Children are a heritage of the Lord” from verse 3 of the 123rd Psalm.

“We just let the Lord decide,” Jim Bob, 42, told Vieira.

“They are such a gift and we’re enjoying them so much,” Michelle added. “We would love more, and the power of the Lord took our faith to give us another one.”

The Duggars married in 1984, when Michelle was 17 and Jim Bob was 19. They held off on having kids for four years before Michelle ceased taking birth control pills to have their first child. After Joshua was born in 1988, Michelle returned to birth control but wound up getting pregnant anyway. Unfortunately, she suffered a miscarriage, which the couple attributed to use of the pill.

Michelle and Jim Bob decided to pray for as many children as God would give them. Within a year, Michelle was pregnant with the first of their two sets of twins.

Their large number of offspring has meant other large numbers for the Duggars. Michelle has been pregnant for 135 months of her life, with an average of 18 months between births. The family estimates it has used 90,000 diapers and launders 200 loads of clothes each month in a row of industrial-size washers and dryers.

Even though they go through three loaves of bread per day, they claim to feed their family for less than $2,000 a month. Transportation is facilitated by nine vehicles, led by a 21-passenger bus. They estimate that all members of the family have combined to work approximately 39,000 hours on their home.

Each child learns to play both violin and piano. And for what it’s worth, when child No. 18 arrives, they’ll have enough kids to field two baseball teams.

Most importantly, there is a unique dedication to serve the greater good of the home and family. An older child will take on the responsibility of a younger sibling throughout the day. The children help prepare meals and keep to a steady home-schooling schedule. Group studies include materials from Advanced Training Institute International, a Bible-based education program for families.

The Duggars' daily adventures are currently being chronicled in a television series on the Discovery Health channel. They previously participated in another Discovery Health series, “On the Road with 16 Kids."

A happy Mother’s Day
To celebrate the latest addition to the Duggar clan, the TODAY Show planned their own surprise for Michelle by sending her children out to either shop or make new gifts for their busy mother.

The main gifts, picked by all the kids, included a ring Michelle saw and liked in a used jewelry store two weeks ago, as well as a pearl necklace and matching earrings. The older girls, Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger, picked out an outfit for their mom designed for “in-between” stages of pregnancy.

And, for a fitting gift that keeps on giving, all of the kids went in on a coffeemaker. “She always has to make so much, so we got a big one for her,” Jessa said.

The final present was a large, cardboard card with each of the children’s handprints posted in paint, along with a loving message.

“They thought they’d give their a mom surprise,” Jim Bob said. “But she gave them a surprise.”

Hi folks,

Hope you are all doing as well as you can be doing with all that's going on in our world today.  I've been watching the news lately and thinking about the stuff we hear that are utterly unbelievable and that sometimes make me think we have passed the point of no return as far as humanity goes.  We hear stuff like the clip today of the young man in his ROTC uniform that suffers a seizure in the middle of the street only to have some dispecable low-life rob him while he's suffering this.  Or the two elderly folks that were senselessly beating this week in Hyde Park.  I'll never understand folks that would hurt the elderly, the handicap or children.  My great-grandmother was murdered when she was beaten to death during a robbery.  I've never understood why they couldn't just tie her up and take what they wanted.  She was 85 years old, what was she going to do about it??

Then, like a ray of sunshine, you hear the stories that warm your heart so much you just cry from it.  Little 15-month old Edwin who was brought here from Honduras to receive treatment for lymphatic malformations.  His family in Honduras would have never been able to provide this child with this kind of treatment on their own.  But God is great and he made sure that the Collins family from Concord, MA, another donor in Honduras who was not named and Dr. Joe Upton of Shriner's Hospital were there to make a difference.  These people came together to help a baby in need simply because they are GOOD people.  Let me tell you guys something about Shriner's:  There on my list of institutions I would shower with donations if I'm ever in a position to do so.  The year was 1991 and for reason we never found out, my aunt's boyfriend burned my then 2 year old baby cousin from the waist to his ankles with scalding water.  The burns were so bad he had to have skin grafts done and it was all so painful for this tiny baby.  Who was there to help a family with no resources?  Shriner's.  Free of charge.  He spend a month in the hospital and countless months of follow up treatments.  I have never forgotten how amazing they were.  My cousin is now 19 years old and unless someone tells you, you'd never know this happened.  We owe them so much.

The moral of this story is that MAYBE, just MAYBE there is still enough kindness left out there to save ourselves because the way we are going, it's not going to be good.  Let's see what happens.

Folks,

I don't know about you guys, but every now and then the onslaught of bad news were exposed to on a daily basis, coupled with the stresses of life, sometimes get to be too much for me.  There are times when all I want to do is have a good cry because I feel my soul needs cleansing.  I go about feeling sad and depleted and generally not good.  When this happens, I actively seek out things that make me happy (hanging out in my mom's kitchen, hanging out with friends, getting a nice manicure, getting a new haircut) or simply....finding a GOOD story.  Well I needed one and Fox25 provided the story tonight.  Here is the transcript of it I found on the internet.  It just made my heart smile.

70-Year Old First Grader

ST. JOSEPH, MO -- Students in a St. Joseph, Missouri elementary school can't stop talking about their new 70-year-old classmate.

Alfred Williams is drawing national news attention all because of what he does and does not know.

Williams never learned to read, so he is going back to school.

Students in the first-grade class clearly enjoy talking and working with their much older classmate.

One student said, “He is really smart and he really helps me a lot.”

Williams earned a living for his family working in the fields for years so he never got the chance to get and education.

The older than average first grader said he put a promise in his mother's head that he would one day learn to read.

Williams, who lives in a friend's laundry room, has traveled a lot by Greyhound bus and says he never knew why passengers stood in different lines until he could read the names of the destination cities at each line.

The school has set up a fund to help Williams financially.

To help him out, call Edison Elementary School at (816) 671-4110.

Hello fellow bloggers,

Throughout the time I’ve been blogging here, I’ve made no secret of how strongly I feel about animals.  I try to help out EVERY way I can.  The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) are currently applying pressure to the government of Canada so they can ban the hunt of baby Harp seals.  I’ve included a picture of these babies here.  The cruel way in which they are killed for their fur would make anyone break down.  I’m not an extremist by any means, but I don’t condone unnecessary killing of animals.  In today’s age, fur is not a necessity for humans.  HSUS and PETA are gathering signatures on a petition threatening the Canadian government with ceasing to purchase any Canadian made seafood products if they don’t stop this senseless hunt.  Thousands of people have joined this petition worldwide, but of course, there can’t ever be enough supporters.  The more, the merrier.  I’ve included the link to the petition.  It takes 3 seconds (literally) and all they need is your support.  You don’t have to make any monetary contributions of any kind unless you want to.  Please, if you have 3 seconds, join the petition to stop this cruelty.  In an age where we have hundreds of man-made fabrics, including faux fur, it is just plain cruelty to do this.  There is absolutely no excuse.  Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you’ll consider signing.  They are hoping to have this petition completed by 3/24/08. 

Thanks again fellow bloggers!!!

June

Link to join the petition

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/protectseals_nigel
?rk=912Wq8nqoXjaW

Ok fellow bloggers,

June and her Bunny (aka Elijah the Husband) are on the hunt for their first home.....again.  Last year when we tried this, it was a nightmare.  We ended up not getting the house we wanted thanks to Countrywide trying to be slick.  They tried the good 'ol bait and switch.  Well, it didn't work.  They thought I would bite because I was in love with the house already, but little did they know that I don't love anything material that much.  Either way, the experience was so draining on me that we shelved it for a year.  So here we go again.  We submitted our first offer today only to find that there are 4 other offers on the place.  Dear Lord, why can't this be easier for me??!  Wish us luck.  I'll be stopping by to comment on blogs, but for a little while, probably not as often as I used to.  I'll try to keep you guys posted!

P.S - With daylight lasting longer, doesn't it feel like spring is so close you can feel it???!!!  I love it!!!!

Slow down for three minutes to read this.  It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.  A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'   The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'  Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'   Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'   Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'   Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'   Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'   Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'  Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'   Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'   Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'   Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'   Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.  He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'   Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'   Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'   Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'   Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'   Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'   Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)   Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'   Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'   Jessica - age 8

And the final one 

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3246788

Read the latest on the Pats 'investigations'.  First of, this has nothing to do with the Pats cheating.  This man is in bed with Comcast and I can't believe no one is investigating for how much.  The second thing is the reference to 'committee money'.  Someone please read this and let me know what that is.  If it is what I think it is, I am now officially ashamed of this government.

I get lots of emails from friends.  Most of them are funny or cute, but occasionally, I get one of those emails that make you stop breathing.  Here's one:

We all love humor and we all love animal humor.  I got the following pics and captions on an email and I just about died laughing.  Hope it posts right.  Enjoy!

"But you said you loved me!"

"You will pay.  As God is my witness, you will pay"

"Jesus!  You call this warm water?!"

"I don't think I like you anymore"

"You SUCK!"

"E.T phone home......QUICK!"

"No, I'm NOT your Good Little Kitty anymore"

"Traction.....I'm losing traction!"

"I want my Moooommmmmmmyyyyyyyy!!!"

"No, no, no, no.......NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Ok, so ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has already started in on the Sox and pitchers and catchers haven't even reported to spring training yet!  He's already started the discussion on whether or not the Boston Red Sox can be a future dynasty after their 2 World Series wins.  In his article, he's made the case for it and the case against it with his verdict being that the Sox won't do it because the Patriots couldn't.  I'm sorry, I don't understand how apples and oranges have anything in common except for the fact that they are both fruits.  Can we enjoy the success of the Sox for a while without the infamous "sports analyst" whom I refer to as 'sports analyst NOT' (although I prefer Chip's name for them), bringing them down already or setting HUGE expectations that no one is really expecting thus creating the hate that only they know how to generate?  Can they just point their attention somewhere else for a while? 

Baseball season hasn't even started yet and they are already gearing up to tear them down.  Unbelievable!

Ok, I've had about all I can take of this.  There's only so much crap that should be allowed to be aired.  Fox, this is not about you guys, this is 'other' media outlets.

As a true fan, I take my teams (the Sox, the Pats, the Celts) the way spouses take vows:  For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad.  This is what a BOSTON fan does.  We stick it out, no matter what.  This brings me to my list of gripes (the short version).

1.  Bill Belichik does NOT owe us any explanations for why he is the way he is.  Deal with that.  We can't sing his praises one minute, and condemn him the next.  This is who he is!  He has never pretended to be Mr. Rogers, yet people keep expecting this to magically appear for some reason.  "Oh Bill is so rude, he has no sportsmanship, blah, blah, blah".  Bill has NEVER been any other way, don't you think it's time people accept that?  He doesn't like to speak to the media unless he's forced to (lots of people feel this way), he doesn't speak about his personal life or feelings and he does NOT have to justify wearing his ugly gray sweatshirt.  These are his choices and he's entitled.  In return, he shows up every year and delivers a team that is a force EVERY year.  This year, they almost made history!  This is the ONLY requirement we should have of him.  Other than that........

2.  Certain media people should be lined up and shot.  I can name at least 3 "sports analyst" that I've seen today (mind you, I can't watch tv at work so I'm sure I missed a few more) that did everything but bust out the knee pads last week while gushing over the Pats and today called them every name in the book along with their fans.  Look, it's fine to have a stance but you pick pick that stance, you support it and you stick by it.  You want to love the Pats (or whatever other team), fine.  You want to hate them, that's fine too.  But don't love them one week and then do a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde because you know what that makes you?  A HYPOCRITE!  Fans in Boston may be all you want them to be if that's your opion: loud, over-confident, arrogant, obnoxious (I heard all these today), but you know what we are not?  HYPOCRITES.  We say what we mean and you get what you see.  We don't pretend to love our team when they are winning and then throw them under the bus when they are not (sound familiar NY? I'm sure Eli is happy he showed some of you hypocrites that he can do it after all you said about him earlier this season).  We don't know how to do that.  For 86 years Fenway Park was filled even when they hadn't won a damn thing.

3.  Lastly, a play that I am sick and tired of hearing over and over and over again.  The now infamous 4 & 13 in the Superbowl.  Look, who does everyone think they are fooling?  Belichik took a chance and it failed.  Had he brought in Gostkowski for a 49 yd field goal and Gostkowski had missed, everyone would have dragged Belichik and Gostkowski through the mud anyway.  "Why would Bill put Gostkowski in?  After all, he only had one long field goal this season.  Why didn't he stay with Brady who was a better shot?".  Don't act, you KNOW that would have been the response.  In this case, Bill was damned if he did it, damned if he didn't.  He doesn't get to win that either.  Jeeeeeezzzzz

One more thing:  Don't blame Belichik for pushing the cameras away tonight.  He wanted a moment with the fans without cameras being shoved in his face.  Hasn't this man had enough?  It's time to give him and the team a break.  They just suffered a devastating loss, they deserve a little alone time.  I know the press was not trying to be malicious, but put yourselves in their shoes.  Be understanding.  I wouldn't want to see any of you either, and it would be nothing personal.  I've always thought it was cruel that a losing team on any game had to give a post game press conference.  That's just mean.

Ok, I feel better!  :)  That's all I have for now.  I know I'm going to 'get it' but frankly, in the words of Bill:  I DON'T CARE.

For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, til death parts us.  That is my vow to my Boston teams!!

Peace!!!!

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0201/nfl_spect
orltr.pdf

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0201/nfl_goode
llltr.pdf

Here are the letters folks.  The first link is the 2 letters sent by Specter.  The second link is the response by Goodell.  I love it how Specter only deemed this an issue when the Pats were about to play the Eagles.  Can he be more pathetic??

I received an email at work.  At the bottom, below the sender's signature, address and phone number, was the following.  I thought it was wonderful and very true.  God bless our pets!!