Giveaway Winner and Fantastic Mr. Fox

The winner is Micah Flemming, my wonderful brother-in-law! He's thinking about a music note or a violin design on his shirt. And no, there was no nepotism in the choice, we used random.org to choose the comment number and he was the lucky winner. Thanks for playing, everyone! Ariel

Also, we strongly recommend (along with others and many others) that you drop what you're doing and go see "Fantastic Mr. Fox." There is something so real about this comic adventure, from the fur on Mr. Fox's face to the subtle, clever dialogue. The characters could not be more true to nature while the scenario could not be more far-fetched. I'm not sure I've yet grasped any life-changing lessons from the film, but I know I came out of the theater happy, and that's good enough for me. It's just too much fun. A couple other reasons: it's 100% clean and it's not long. So go, and take your family (we had a great time going with Galli's, Marshall's, and Gedi's (after some intense Battle Ship playing and pizza making, below)). You'll all laugh and love this clever, clean, colorful, comic caper. -Andrew

Thanks Galli's and Marshall's for the great day!

A Christmas Giveaway

I don't have much experience sewing (I guess this isn't really sewing, but I have to start somewhere, right?). I just made this apple tree shirt and matching apple onesie for my friend who just had a baby, and I really enjoyed the easy project. So I wanted to do it again. But for whom? FOR YOU! Merry Christmas! If you would like a shirt and/or a onesie with these designs (or another design, for that matter), just comment. I'll pick someone in a week and make one just for you! Even if I don't know you, feel free to comment and be entered into the drawing. If you have a little boy, I'm sure I could come up with a more boyish design. If you have an idea for a design you'd like to see, include it in your comment. Thanks!

Do We Need Santa?

Watch out, the Marshalls are getting radical again. The latest dilemma: what to do about Santa. In this post I am going to write the reasons Ariel and I have come to for eliminating Santa from our family Christmas experience. We’ve only just started exploring this idea, and we would love to hear about the family traditions you have established with or without Santa (in fact while I’m on that subject, check these posts here and here, both of which discuss excellent Christmas traditions that have nothing to do with Santa--here's another one from the Church's Christmas website). Please keep in mind that I am writing in an extreme, biased way—even beyond that which I feel on the matter. Honestly, I’m struggling with it. I’m writing this for my own therapy and hopefully to foster some good responses.

Testimony Meeting. Last Sunday a good man in our ward talked about his “radical” decision to eliminate Santa from his family. He said they focus their Christmas season on the Savior. Later in the meeting, a woman bore her testimony and in it she mentioned this man’s 5 year-old son. She said that in primary when asked what they were grateful for, this little boy said he was grateful for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. Is there a correlation between the lack of Santa and the testimony of this boy?

Devotional. Then there’s the First Presidency Devotional. I thought during the devotional, “It seems like they really hit on the same message each year: avoid consumerism and materialism during Christmas and focus on serving others and remembering the Savior.” Then it occurred to me that I don’t heed their advice. There is typically some sort of family testimony meeting around Christmas, and we love to read the scriptures and sing the hymns about his birth. But the focus has typically been on Santa, presents, food, etc.

Parental Roles. Finally, Abe has learned who Santa is and LOVES him. He always wants us to draw “ho ho ho,” always wants us to sing “ho ho ho,” loves looking at pictures of him, etc. He used to request songs, stories, and pictures of Jesus but has currently lost interest. That could have made the biggest impact on this consideration. I have a duty to teach my son the Gospel, which centers around the Savior and His Atonement. I will not have Him be replaced by a fat man in a red suit, even if it is only one month of the year.

I recognize that people celebrate Santa with good intent. It's the spirit of the season. It's a long-standing tradition and there is significant cultural pressure to participate. I, for one, loved Santa growing up, and feel none the worse for believing in him until 7th grade (I was a late bloomer). All of that said, here is a bulleted argument against Santa:

• Santa isn’t real
• Kids learn to behave for someone who isn’t real
• Kids still get presents even if they don’t behave
• Parents teach children similar things about Santa and Jesus, except one isn't real
• To quote Bill Watterson’s articulate Calvin, “Deep down, I doubt my greed for presents can overcome my desire to misbehave.” A double-edged sword.
• Protecting Santa’s true identity often involves deceiving your children
• His focus is giving, but kids focus on the getting—promoting this materialism we seek to avoid
• Some children are really heart-broken to find the truth, which not only causes them grief but potentially dismantles the trust between them and their parents (we know of a close friend who is completely honest about Santa with his kids because of this kind of experience as a child)
• Most importantly, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ and everything He stands for (giving, spending time with family, showing gratitude, etc). That’s one area where Santa fails to deliver the goods—in fact he often distracts, competes for attention, and causes contention in those very crucial areas. Anything that does not promote the Gospel, especially during this time of year, distracts from it.

Alternatives. So what can you do? Can you still have fun? Can you still have presents? Can you still enjoy great food and great company? I believe you can. Here are some ideas.

• Give gifts among family members. They are expressions of your love. Nothing needs to be from Santa. To keep the focus off of getting as many presents as possible, you could:
• Give four presents: something you want, something you need, something to eat, and something to read (that’s what we’re doing this year)
• Give three presents to each family member, representing and in memory of the three gifts given to the Savior at His birth (this idea came from Dr. Eva Witesman, one of my brilliant MPA professors)
• Focusing on the gospel is exciting! What could be more exciting than considering the day the most important, perfect person in the history of mankind was born! What is more fun than talking about how through Him we can live as families forever! If we can’t find excitement, enjoyment, and even fun in the Gospel, then we’re in for a long eternity.

So what do I say? Break out the holly berries, the ivy, the mistletoe, the tree, the lights, the egg nog (none for me, thanks), the food, the family, the fun, the presents, the whole Christmas experience. But above all, focus on the One who makes all of that and everything else possible.

The BYU Police Beat

For anyone who has not come to appreciate the Daily Universe's BYU Police Beat, here's your chance.

March 26, 2008: The mother of a BYU student called police when she suspected that her daughter’s roommate stole her butter knife. The mother later called to drop the charges.

Oct. 23, 2006: An assault was reported in R Hall of Deseret Towers. One male student threw a bug on another male student, who retaliated by spraying shaving cream on the male who threw the bug. Shaving cream got in the eyes of the first student and the argument quickly escalated and became a physical confrontation.

Jan. 22, 2002: A man was reported leaving the bookstore carrying a gun. When the officer located the male they found he was carrying a chrome toy pistol. When the officer asked the 22-year-old male student why he was carrying the gun, he said his roommate told him it would get chicks. The officers cautioned the male on carrying or simulating a weapon before he was released.

Feb. 2, 2007: A student reported a suspicious individual with long gray hair and a beard inside a restricted lab in the Clyde building. Upon arrival, the officer found a mannequin in the reported location.

March 21, 2008: BYU police received a call reporting a male dressed in a bright yellow suit looking for duck eggs near the duck pond. When police arrived at the scene the man was nowhere to be found.

Oct. 2001: A female BYU student living in Deseret Towers received a suspicious looking brown paper package in the mail. The student did not recognize the return address and called the police. After investigating, police concluded that a friend had purchased a Beanie Baby on E-Bay and the Beanie Baby has been sent directly to the BYU student.

March 5, 2002: A strange letter was received by KBYU. The letter had a lump in it, so the recipient put the letter in the microwave hoping to neutralize the substance if it was anthrax. The letter started on fire and by the time the recipient could put out the flames, the only readable part of the letter was the return address which read, “Shadows of things to come.” Police are unsure about the substance contained in the letter.

Sept. 6, 2000: A BYU employee was walking near the Harris Fine Arts Center when she heard the cries of a kitten. As she picked up the small kitten, the animal attacked, scratching and biting her. When the police arrived they were unable to locate the offending feline.

See "Food, Inc."

We watched Food Inc last night. This activist documentary takes you from slaughterhouse to supermarket on a trip that will certainly change the way you think about the food you casually take off of the shelf, and hopefully change your choices as a consumer. We as consumers have been manipulated by major food corporations, having little idea what goes on behind the scenes to everything from produce to meat. It's amazing to think how distanced we are from what we depend on and consume multiple times each day. Until I saw this eye-opening documentary, I didn't know where my food came from--and honestly, part of me still wishes I didn't. But, as we know, further light and knowledge demands action and commitment. I am quickly gaining momentum for major shifts in eating and buying habits. Theses corporations treat the farmers, workers, animals, and you and me in inhumane ways.

Do see it. And if you don't, we recommend heeding some of these bits of advice the film offers:

• You can vote to change the system three times a day
• Buy from companies that treat workers, animals, and the environment with respect
• When you go to the supermarket choose foods that are in season, buy foods that are organic, know what's in your food, read labels
• Buy foods that are grown locally
• Shop at farmers' markets
• Plant a garden (even a small one)
• Cook a meal with your family and eat together
• Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches
• If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us, and the planet healthy
• You can change the world with every bite

One disclaimer we might add, that the film doe

s address but not fully, is that this change in eating habits has its monetary cost. However, the cost on our health, the environment, the animals, and the industry workers far outweigh the cost in our budget. We do our best, and look forward to a time when we have an income and space for a garden.

Gobbly-gobbly and Mustache Monday

So we had a pretty wicked sweet Thanksgiving break. Thanks to the Galli's, the Evans's, the Marshall's, and the Sorensen's for their constant hospitality, generosity, and love. We're major fans of all of you.

Below is a highlight reel of the week's adventures. Keep your eyes open for Abe's "gobbly-gobbly," his lightsaber sound effect, a stint at my old tumbling acts with Kristo, Abe's first encounter with Señor Claus, Ariel's mind-blowing bubbling skills, and Abe's new march. Remember, every trick dog needs a good trainer, and Abe's is Ariel. I can only take credit for the lightsaber. All of the words, animal sounds, signs, and Spanish phrases that Abe knows can be fully attributed to Ariel. Not to mention the fact that she has taught him to love songs about Jesus and how to pray. Her parenting really has surpassed my every high expectation. I love her.

If the tumbling act wasn't enough to assure you of my idiocy, feel free to watch me soaking up the goodness of the 2nd Annual Mustache Monday. The Blaze of Glory (or "Sunset" for short) never looked better. It was a great time celebrating with my fellow MPAers this morning. They're some of my best friends in the world.