An Anatomically Correct Christmas

Christmas with the Whalen's is always interesting, this year was no exception.

We invited our new neighbor Fran to our Christmas eve dinner. She is an 80 something widow without children. She was cute; We were overwhelming.

After dinner, we watched The Nativity Story. Earlier in the week I had told my mom about "The Nativity Story" and how well done and accurate I thought it was. So, She bought it. It shows everything, including the birthing scenes of both Elizabeth and Mary. My six and seven year old sisters are very aware of the female anatomy. This prompted multiple questions during these scenes, culminating in the very loud and emphatic "HOW CAN THE BABY COME OUT OF THE V#$%#@, IT'S TOO BIG!!!"

As if this wasn't bad enough, my 21 year old sister chimed in: "It's like your head coming out of dad's shoe, come over here and we can reenact it."

Poor Fran...

Oh the Ignorance

My professor has been a public relations practitioner for decades, and a mother at the same time. To show us how it is possible to do both, she brought her daughters into class to answer our questions.

These women are both educated and motivated like their mother. One is an ER doctor, the other is in the process of getting her master's.

A student in the class was concerned about his wife's desire to be a working mother and posed a very offensive question. He said that he knew statistically children who are raised without a stay-at-home mom are less intelligent, less motivated, less loved, and are physically, psychologically, and emotional worse-off because of their mother's decision.

Maybe I was annoyed because I was raised by two working parents. But maybe, I was annoyed by the level of ignorance demonstrated.

Does he know he just told these women that not only are they psychologically and emotionally stunted, but they are doing the same to their children.

In the words of Stephanie from full house: HOW RUDE!!

Seeing Red

I heard a very alarming statistic today. It stated that within 20 years there will be no more natural born redheads. Apparently redheads aren't attracted to each other, and therefore do not produce more redheads.

This is a travesty for only one reason. If there are no natural born redheads, then people will know that I am faking it. DON'T OUT ME!!!

So here is my call to action for redheads around the world:

Meet, Date, Procreate!

Dress Code

Because I am an Advertising major, I live in the Brimhall. Honestly, this is no exaggeration. I spend more waking time there than anywhere else. I spend so much time there I have begun to notice something. Our dress code.

I believe that every building on BYU campus has it's own dress code (except the Wilk, It's a hodgepodge). Tanner: dockers, blue button downs, ties. Clyde: pocket protector and glasses. McKay; Cardigans and nylons. Brimhall: You name it, We've got it.

There is a very strict honor code at BYU that everyone must sign...except the Comms kids. We have our own rules. Let's be honest, we dress like the real world. I'm not saying this is good or bad...It just is. Kids in the Brimhall have shaggy hair, a three-day shadow and skirts that are just a little/or a lot too short.

Only one person cares. I'm not naming names, but he/she watched videos from around the building to pick out students who don't follow it. He/she then asked teachers to reprimand them for lack of honor code compliance. Ridiculous?

Mommy Killed the Cat

This Sunday my sister was taking me to meet my ride back to Provo. As we walked out the door, half the house followed us out. Paul went to get the mail, Jill (their other house guest) went to get something from the car, and my nieces stood at the door waving ferociously. With everyone watching, we reversed out of the driveway, and apparently over a cat.

Jill's gasp alluded Missy and myself to the flattened cat. As all the adults stood looking and pointing, we noticed that the kids were watching. They tried to push them back in the house without arousing suspicion.

We were going to be late to meet my ride, so we drove away. I admit that I make really bad jokes at really inappropriate times. If I am slightly uncomfortable, or don't know what to say, it gets worse. Of course in this situation I didn't know what to say, so in all my brilliance I asked "Did you see it twitching?"

We spent the rest of the car ride joking about the dead cat until my sister stated bluntly "My eye is twitching like the dead cat!"

My nieces didn't mention the fact that they knew the cat was dead until dinner, when their parents were talking about the woman outside looking for something. That is when Paityn stated in reference what happened to the cat "Mommy did it." Telyse rebutted "No it was alive, I saw it's tail moving".

Here's the icing on this triple layered cake:
Missy and Paul fought over who should go talk to the woman outside looking. Missy lost. Paul suggested she take my pitiful looking nephew (he is 1 and has a feeding tube that is taped to his face and goes up his nose, Don't worry he is perfectly fine) in hopes that the cat owner wouldn't yell at a woman with a "sick baby".

The woman was looking for something else, but the attempts of my sister and brother-in-law are priceless!