Gratitude

Our family prayers have been a long list of loved ones who need blessings right now. Seriously, like 7 people or families we are praying for twice a day. Trials ranging from deadly brain cancer, to mental illness, to loss of testimony and falling away. My trivial trials seem so insignificant compared to what others are dealing with.

I just have SO much to be grateful for right now, I had to take a minute to record it-- and to remind myself, that no matter what I'm facing, it could be a WHOLE LOT WORSE.

And if you're in the midst of a seriously trial, remember,  the Lord chastens those He loves. Growth comes from trials big or small. I have a testimony of that fact. Growth hurts, but we're better off for it.

Do It Yourself Basement

Well, we started this 'little' project back in... oh... May 2012. I thought FOR SURE, it'd be done by August. We just might be finished with it before this May is over!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! *continue on with Handel's Hallelujah chorus* It's been a veeeery long year people.

You know how they tell you to double the time and money you think it's going to cost? Well, when all is said and done it was at least quadrupled! Sheesh. Last home improvement project we undertake for a LONG time!

I neglected to take any pictures of our unfinished basement, or the work done along the way. Here's where we are today--

We painted last week. Luke wanted an accent wall, and this is the color he picked. I know. It looks like a giant piece of Apricot fruit leather. He LOVES it. It was a pain in the butt to paint. That orange is NOT forgiving like the nude color was. He wants to do a mural of Moab on another wall, and a mural of the star system on the ceiling. He's not going to get it. One wall I may eventually have to repaint is all I can do. I wouldn't even have done that, but Chris said, "It's his room, let him do what he wants."  I said, "It's also the guest room, so let's not get carried away..." It totally does not match his bedding(red and navy blue), but of course he could care less.

We got this tile free. The shower tile from my dad, the floor tiles from Chris' sister, who has a stacks of tile in her yard (Don't ask). We had to do this checkerboard pattern because there was not enough of any one color to do the whole floor. I like it though. We only had to buy the mosaic tile for the shower floor to tie the two together. I think we did ok, considering it was all mostly scrap.

I bought this new sink w/ a cabinet off KSL. I hated not having storage in this main level bathroom. Luke will get the pedestal sink. He has proven, daily, that he is not worthy of a counter top. That boy cannot put his crap away to save his life. Well, he's getting a medicine cabinet behind the mirror, so if he gets something out, he'll have no choice but to put it away, or drop it on the floor. $10 says he drops his stuff on the floor...

We also had to 'Luke proof' our electricity bill. He's my WORST offender with leaving lights on. EVERY SINGLE DAY I have to tell him to turn off his lights. It drives me insane. I can't be running downstairs to check the lights every day, so we had to be splurge a little to save in the end.

1. Motion sensor, timer lights in the bathroom. It will go off 30 seconds after it senses no motion. He may have to wave his arms in the air when he's going poo.

2. The cheapest, loudest fan we could find. That way if he leaves it on, I'll be able to hear it upstairs and send his butt back down to turn it off!

3. LED lights for his bedroom. We can't do a motion sensor in there, or the light will come on every time he rolls over in bed, but these light bulbs will last up to 18 years, and cost only $1.26/yr at 3 hrs a day. They were $10 a piece, but I think we'll find we're still money ahead.

4. Spring loaded hinge on the bedroom door. Why? Because we had to install a wall heater that is hooked up to a thermostat in his room. If he leaves his door open in the winter, that unit will be trying to heat up the whole basement.

*sigh*

The things we do for our 'special' child...

Carpet is coming Saturday and Luke is moving downstairs immediately after it's installed. We found a GREAT deal on a remnant piece of Berber on KSL(I love KSL!). Chris has been busting his gut to get the last bits done. I've been spending a lot of time down there too. It's crunch time. As soon as he's out of his old room, we'll repaint it for Tess and move her over. The girls are too crowded in their room. I can't wait to be able to see the floor in there!

I can see light at the end of this never ending tunnel... oh wait, that's just Luke's orange wall.

Mean Bunnies

I. Do. Not. Like. Pets.

Don't let the cute face fool you,
she's vicious!

Case in point: Tonight, Chris found the rabbits 'fighting'. Coco's ear got bitten pretty good, it's punctured and bleeding, and there's a bunch of fur in the cage. What's up? Snowball has a bloody behind. Do rabbits menstruate? Sheesh. Really? I have to google that?!

The answer (thank you google) is No. They do not. Though their urine can be red. WHAT?! More googling. Could be nothing, could be uterine cancer. Seriously?

Tess said she caught Snowball 'laying on top of Coco'. Hmmm. Now I have to google 'How to sex a rabbit'. Which I did, and then I sexed them both, and they are indeed both female. At least to my amateur eye. So it wasn't a lovers spat.

So what's up? They don't cycle, and yet they are beating up on each other. They are both bleeding and one of them may or may not have cancer.

I really don't need this pet drama in my life right now-- Can you imagine what ads are going to start popping up on my google tomorrow? Talk about a weird profile. I'm feeling slightly dirty...

Snowball is spending the night in a box. They may be up for sale tomorrow morning. Anyone want a rabbit? Cheap?

I never should have broken my NO PETS rule. It's my own fault. Bloody rabbits.

(I love that I can cuss and no one is offended except maybe my Kiwi readers. LOL. I'm trying to clean up my mouth. In person and on the blog. Anyone notice? No? *sigh*)

Num or Yuck?

This is the question Zeke asks me when I give him a new food to try. Is it num or yuck? As in nummy or, well, yucky?

My favorite cute thing he says when I make dinner, "Num Mom! I LOVE this dinner!" Unless he dislikes what I'm making then it's "No No No. I NOT eating that, it's yuck!"

Ella and Benji sittin' in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Ella has an admirer. Ben. He gives her his Doritos EVERY day. She takes them, and eats them. But she scorns his advances.

While rolling her eyes, she told me, "He's so annoying!"

I told her that's the way boys tell you they like you. They bug you. Because they don't know what else to do. They're socially awkward.

She asked, "Is that what Dad did to you?"

Yep. Pretty much. ;)

New Food Group

I took Zeke to my local Walmart yesterday. Of course when we walk in and pass the in-store McDonald's, he immediately wants chicken nuggets. I said No. No McDonald's today. We walked 5 feet and passed the candy isle. He immediately starts whining about chocolate. I said, "You just said you wanted McDonalds! So what do you want McDonald's or chocolate?"

His response? 

McChocolate!!

Now THAT sounds good for your health, doesn't it? 

*He's the fifth child people. I'm done being a 'good mom' who worries about 'nutrition' and 'health'. Especially when he starts screaming in public places. I can't take it. So he eats a lotta processed chicken and candy. Don't judge. I'm old and tired and I just want to get my shopping done without killing him.* 

Lion Hearted

After reviving. 

Luke went to give blood this morning. He and Chris both went to support an Eagle project in our ward. He asked if I wanted to go. I told him No, because it wipes me out for days, and I just can't afford that right now. I believe he mocked me for being weak...

About 20 min. after they left I got a text from Chris:

Luke passed out giving blood. 

NO WAY! I texted back. I totally thought he was pulling my leg.

I got this reply: Yes way. He came to and zonked out again 2 min. later.

I was lol big time, but I'm pretty surprised. This is, after all, the child who shot himself in the leg at 12yo and DIDN'T EVEN CRY. And he can't give blood w/o passing out? TWICE? Unbelievable. He's pretty surprised too. He didn't mind the pain. Or the sight of the blood in the tube. Just started to feel dizzy and then BAM! Out like a light. Apparently Chris used to get dizzy/sick when he got shots. Maybe it's something he inherited?

I don't know, but he only gave a little blood today before they yanked the IV, and then he had to come home and 'rest'.

Karma man. NEVER MOCK YOUR MOTHER!!

And BTW, the tech told Chris he was not allowed to post this picture on any kind of social media.
Whatever dude. This is STILL America, right?

Sundays with Zeke, the little known sequel to Tuesdays with Morrie

Zeke hates church.

I don't know why, but he does. He is a holy terror all during Sacrament meeting, only to start whining "I wanna go home!" as soon as we step foot in the Primary room. And forget about leaving him there. He gets hysterical if I try to sneak out. Literally HYSTERICAL.

If I want him in Primary, I have to stay in Primary, and seriously people, I'm over it. After 11 years w/ barely a break, I'm a little sick of Primary right now (LOL, never heard a Stake Primary President say that have you?) I just want to go to RS when I don't HAVE to be in Primary. But NOOOO. Not with Zeke. My options are: 1- Stay with him. 2- Give in and take him home (or let Chris take him, but those two are about to be labeled 'inactive'). I tried 3- take him to RS, but THAT did not go well.

AARRGGHH!

Today we had a breakthrough-- of sorts.

He sat through Sacrament mostly quietly, and did not once run up on the stage or around the chapel. (Yes, he's that kid). I did have to let him play 'Temple Run' on my iPod for a while, which is strictly forbidden on a Sunday, but it KEPT HIM IN HIS SEAT! Don't judge me.

Then in Sharing time, I sat on the back row and made him stay on the front row w/ his class. Granted, I was STILL in Primary, but at least he wasn't crawling all over me and begging to go home. He was kinda cute actually, he kept turning around and giving me his squinty smile with a thumbs up sign. He had a few rough spots-- when I got up to shut the door and he freaked out because he thought I was leaving, and then he migrated to different rows a few times, but I didn't let him sit by me, and eventually he went to his row. His new teacher helped a TON. I love that woman.

I did have to go to class with him, but he was good, and didn't ask to go home at all. And his teacher fed him and let them play games at the end (finally! A Sunbeam teacher who GETS it!)

Baby steps.... maybe next week he'll let me leave???

*sigh* I doubt it.

(Notice my label? That's for Chris.)

Emergency Preparedness

We feel pretty good about our preparedness;
72 hr kits: check
3 month supply: check
Water: check, one year supply: check
Cooking stove: check
Big a** tent to live in: check
Guns and ammo: check
Porta Potty and TP: check

Fuel: not check. We need to stock up on wood, and propane and maybe charcoal briquettes.
medical supplies: eh, depends, how much pain are we gonna be in? If this arthritis in my hips persists, I'm going to need a whole lot more Ibuprofen!



Of course we'll share our stuff with anyone who can get to us, but the question is: Can you get to us?

We've been hearing some weird things lately. If you're not ready--- now's the time people! Don't know what you need? Ask the Lord. He'll tell you. Best crystal ball ever.

Good Luck!

Luke's first 'Prom'

Technically, they don't call it 'Prom' at Paradigm. It's the 'Feast and Ball'. It's held out at Thanksgiving Point, which turns out is a really great venue.

They start with a big buffet dinner.
Then all the kids go 'wander' the acres and acres of gorgeous gardens while the staff clears away the tables.
THEN the strobe lights go up and the music starts pumping. The waltz off was first, and then the gyrating began.

It was SO fun to be there and watch Luke, and all the other kids. Some of the kids had the best get-ups man! Kids are 'normal' high schools do not dress this way.
There was Wyatt, with his date, her dress and his vest made out of winter camo (Wyatt's a redneck).
There was the AcaDec couple, he in top hat, tails, white gloves and cane. She in her elbow length gloves and parasol.
There was the girl with the hoop skirt so big, she had to sit in the middle of the back seat while her date drove her.
There was the girl in the Elizabeth Bennet period dress (hair done to match).
The 2 guys in white tuxes (not together).
Luke in his 'chinese mafia' tux (which he killed in, btw).

Sammy and Luke in the gardens

And my favorite dress of the evening, a blood red beaded skinny fitting gown with a red satin shawl. Gorgeous. 

Luke's date was tripping over her dress all evening, when she wasn't jumping up and down, screaming, and generally acting like a total spaz. Ugh. NOT impressed with that girl.

The gardens are amazing. You can rent a golf cart to drive around. The Dean of Students and 3 of the front office ladies were driving one around, and using a megaphone to blast Star Wars music off their iPod, while periodically yelling at the couples to stop fraternizing. Funny.

Chris and I were strolling around when 2 girls accosted us and said, "We just have to tell you that the combination of your two genes are PERFECT!" I said, "That sounds like a compliment for Luke." To which they giggled and ran off. Silly girls.

Sadly, after walking around for 45 min. and then sitting for another 15, my hips hurt so bad I couldn't stay for much of the dancing. We did get in a slow dance to 'I can't fight this feeling' by REO Speedwagon. LOL. Such a trip. It was like Jr. High stomps all over again. Oh, and then Luke danced half song with me, which I thought was magnanimous of him. The video is pretty dark. Sorry.

It was a fun night. Luke had a blast, in spite of his date. They stayed till the end (can you believe that? The kids actually STAY and DANCE! Unheard of in my time), and then picked up 2 girls who's group left them stranded. Luke's date had to be home for curfew, so she was the first dropped off-- sparing Luke the awkward door scene. The last girl was Carly-- his running mate. He said the whole night was worth it, just to talk with her for that 20 min. ride. He said they were talking about the Spirit. !!!!!!

I really like that girl. She has a roaring 20's elegance about her, and she's very smart and driven, and obviously spiritual. I hope he takes her out.

I'm 'swinging' again!

Remember this swing? I LOVED this swing. I think I spent a few hours EVERY DAY in it. And this tree *sigh* may it rest it peace, it was the perfect swing tree. This swing actually belonged to David, our friend who lived in the basement. When he moved, he took it with him, well, and the landlady cut down the tree, so, you know.

I have wanted another swing like that since Cedar City, (that's Ella, at about 9 mo-- she's almost 7 now)  but every time I looked them up online, I couldn't justify the expense. They're not cheap. I could never pull the trigger.

Enter best husband ever. Chris bought me one for Mother's Day. We have a porch, instead of a tree, and after some serious thought into structural integrity of said porch, he hung it up for me today. It also came with this poem:

Mother's Swing 2.0

To swing with your first born

Whose locks will soon be shorn

Summer days become a fest

When you read with Tess

Though her birthday is in winter late

Spring flowers you'll have with Kate

Something something something Nutella

Because nothing rhymes with Ella

A perch you no longer have to seek

To keep an eye on Zeke

Happy Mothers Day!

Awesome right? I foresee many many days and nights in this swing. Talking to neighbors, watching the kids, reading a good book. Ah-- heaven. I'm not so hard to please it turns out.

Thanks babe. You're the best!

Ambition, or lack thereof....

I had a million things on my plate today.

7am Ward youth fund raising yard sale
10 am Stake baptisms, training a new Baptism Coordinator
1pm plant my garden, transplant the seedlings
Clean the house for guests tomorrow
Make Tess' birthday cake
Yard work
5-11pm Paradigm High Feast and Ball (chaperones)

I went to the yard sale, had a donut, organized piles of junk
I went home, showered, ran to the baptism
I came home and Tess and I made the cake
Chris isn't going to be able to get to my gardens (adding compost and peat moss), so that's out. Even though this is the last 'moon favorable' day to plant. *sigh*
I did the dishes.
Took out the frozen roasts.
Looked at my filthy floors and decided I'd rather blog. LOL.
I ran out of steam, and my hip is killing me. I think I'm getting arthritis in it. I KNOW! How old am I???
So here I sit, whiling away the time till it's time to get showered and gussied up for the dance.
I'm looking forward to that at least.
Looking forward to spying on Luke and his date, who's become awkwardly in love with him, while he remains unaffected. LOL. Poor girl. I'm going to post her latest texting awkwardness. It's so funny/sad/crazy. Poor Luke. I told him all women are crazy, you just don't see it at first, so RUN!!!

Ok. Breaks over. I need a shower. And 800 mg of Ibuprofen. Much more of this, and I'll have ulcers too. I love getting old.

Pictures of the handsome Luke and his date to come. Maybe even a sneak video. Bwwaaahahaha.

Terrific Tess the Teenager!

Tess is officially a teenager today! The big 1-3! I think she's pretty pleased about it. We spent the day running errands and getting her well child check up, which turned out to be a sick visit as the doctor discovered she's got strep. Ooops. That 'cold' she had last Saturday was actually strep. Meanwhile she's babysat 5 different families.... with small children....

Anyway, bad parenting aside, it wasn't the perfect birthday, as it ended with a YW/YM's BBQ and yard sale tagging party. But, I think she had an ok day. We went to lunch. She got a new dress, and some cards and cash in the mail. We'll celebrate w/ family on Mother's Day, and then her present is to go see a play in Cedar City as soon as the Shakespearean Festival opens. I'm looking forward to that. 

The doctor asked her if she'd 'painted her room black, hated her parents and family and was moody'. 

Which begs the question, is that normal? Or does this doctor just want to cover all her depression bases? Sheesh. I'm a lucky Mom, I have 2 well adjusted teenagers who still like us and want to hang out with the family. I may be singing a different tune when Ella and Zeke come of age, but for now, I'm grateful for Tess and her easy going, sweet, EASY disposition. 

Tess was such a good baby. Always smiling and happy. Slept through the night at 6 weeks. 

Tess and Auntie Melissa share the same birthday

Her baptism day

The best big sister, Tess gets along with all her siblings. 

Tess always has friends, because she's so easy going and likable. Too bad her friends are spread out all over the place. Kelli lives in AZ.

Hannah and Tess go WAY back to birth and Las Vegas. 

Rachel, her BFF in Cedar City

 Always holding a child, Tess is the best baby sitter around. She's changed a lot of diapers in her 13 years! 

Super Talented

And has freakishly large feet. Oh, and she's a daddy's girl. 

Tess is even keeled and never a drama queen. She makes friends easily and knows how to be a good friend. She is responsible and helpful. She is so smart, as I learned one day when she was 4, and was quoting 5 min. monologues verbatim from movies she'd seen. 

She is a joy in our life, and has always been a ray of sunshine in our house. 

Happy Birthday Tess! We love you!

Talks

Tess and Luke have been assigned to speak in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. I for one, am just happy it's them, and not me. Speaking on Mother's day is about the worst thing you could do to a Mother. Am I right ladies? It is probably the day most of us feel intense guilt for not being the perfect Mom. Maybe that's just me though.

I told them not to talk about me, but all Mother's in general. I'm sure they'll do great. Even though neither of them have written their talks yet.... AND, this is Luke's 3rd talk in a year. He's getting a bit tired of speaking... 

Men don't do guilt

Chris is going to blow this up and hang it on his office wall...

If only we women could take a break from guilt.

Chemicals on the Backside

Scowl from the time out chair. Or the place where Zeke lives these days. 

We put fertilizer/weed killer on the lawn yesterday. Kids and pets are supposed to stay off for at least 2 days.

Tess looked out the front window today and said, "Zeke is peeing on the lawn." 

He pulled his pants down, SAT on the lawn in the FRONT yard and peed. 

As soon as he stood up I was on him like stink on poo. Time out. 

Guess if your son is going to pee outside, you should really teach him to pee like a man. 

I hope his butt doesn't get some kinda chemical burn. 

Sheesh. It never ends. 

Women's conference, Weiners, and Water

I had a good time at Women's conference. Went by myself the first day which was a drag, and the classes I picked were just sort of 'eh'. But oh well. The second day I went with a girl friend and it made all the difference. We powered through ALL FIVE classes, and I wasn't even too tired. Probably because Julie exudes so much energy, you can't help but soak up a little in her presence. Thanks Julie!

Kate found her water weeny(medical tubing attached to a disassembled pen, filled with water) at the bottom of some pile of crap somewhere in this house today. She wanted to fill it up. I think there was a leak. She was looking for tape. I was absorbed in something when Zeke comes tearing down the stairs yelling, "We're gonna put tape on Kate's wiener!" 


He's still reeking havoc around here. Yesterday, while I thought he was innocently playing legos with 2 friends, he was actually flooding Tess' bed. First, he piled up all the bedding, pillows, blankets, throws, from his, Kate and Ella's bed onto Tess' bed. THEN, he carried cup after cup of hot water from the bathroom and dumped it on said pile. By the time I got wise to him, the mattress was SAGGING it was so full of water. The hot pink throw from Kate's bed had BLED all over Tess' WHITE bedding, and EVERYTHING was completely soaked and stained bright pink.

I asked his sweet little lego playing friends if they knew he was doing this (to impress them, I've decided. He gets into WAY more trouble when he has an audience) to which Spencer responded, "We told him to stop, but he wouldn't."
How many cups of water did he dump on the bed? I asked.
"Oh, about 50."
More like 150. There must have been 5 gallons of water soaked into that mattress and every pillow and blanket in the house.

AAAAHHHHH!

He was just lucky there were witnesses in the house because I would HAVE KILLED HIM if I could have gotten away with it. As it was, I locked him in my room and calmly(still had witnesses) started to clean up the disaster. I had to do 5 loads of wash, and drag a 200# soaked mattress down my stairs and out to the front porch, leaving soaked carpeting all the way down the hall, stairs and entry way. It took 3 huge beach towels to soak up all the water on the carpet after I flipped the mattress off the bed. Oh, and he poured a cup full of water into a full bag of dried mango's. Just for the heck of it. No problem. $12 bucks down the drain. I kept finding soggy mango pieces in all the bedding.

I'm telling you, this kid is KILLING ME.

I have to watch him EVERY SECOND and I DON'T WANT TO!

He spent 5 hours locked in his room, until I had everything cleaned up/washed/dried as best I could. I figured, if it was going to take me that long to undo his mess, he sure as @#$? wasn't going to make any more messes in the meantime. The mattress spent the night out on the porch draining. It's still not dry.

He got out in time for dinner. After he ate, he punched Ella in the stomach so hard she was hysterical.

He went directly to bed at that point.

Anyone want a 3 yo? My neighbors tell me he's adorable. Maybe he just can't behave himself in this house...

Just shoot me.

Tasmanian Devil

Zeke has been OUT OF CONTROL today! I tell you, I am amazed I haven't lost it with him. My weekly temple trips must be paying off. 

Exhibit A: 

However, I'm still SO upset about my beautiful plant. I love my plants. This is a tragedy. This poor plant deserved better than death by sword hacking. And then he blamed his friend Zephyr, as he hid behind the couch. 

Exhibit B: 

Can't find my 'runnin' shoes MOM! 

So of course he dumped out the ENTIRE basket of 40 pairs of shoes. 

Exhibit C:

Did you clean up your room? Yes Mom! 

Yes, he swore up and down it was clean. I hate legos. 

He gets no candy/sugar for a week. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe it's just his nature to seek and destroy. Whatever it is, I am tired just LOOKING at these messes. Which is why I am blogging them instead of forcing him to clean them up. That will be even harder than just doing it myself. My parenting skills have met their match. Zeke is the one that will bring me to my knees. 

*sigh*

I'm so happy I get to be at Women's Conference for the next 2 days. Zeke can terrorize the rest of the family while I fill my 'patience' cup at BYU. 

Good luck Tess. You're going to need it. Don't let him burn the house down! 

Feast and Ball

Paradigm High School presents...
Feast and Ball
"The Best Is Yet To Come"
Saturday May 11, 2013
Thanksgiving Point & Gardens
 
Tickets go on sale Monday April 29th - Friday May 3rd during lunch
Tickets: $55 per student
(Student Gallery participants receive $10 off their ticket)
Includes a buffet dinner, entrance to the formal gardens, the dance, and a picture package
Dinner - 6:15-7:30pm
Gardens - 7:00-9:00pm
Dance - 8:00-11:00pm
Formal, modest attire required
Ladies - dresses must go to the floor and must not be revealing in any way
Gentlemen - tie and jacket required (tuxedoes encouraged) and appropriate footwear
 
Students who wish to bring a student outside of Paradigm must complete an Activity Guest Form prior to purchasing
their tickets. This form is required to purchase a ticket for an outside guest.

I just wanted to put this up, because I wish all high schools would enforce a dress code at their formals. Some of the dresses I see these little girls in these days--- wow. I'd hate to have to be the 'mean mom' who won't let her daughter go with her boobs hanging out. 

But I'm still upset about the price. 

Campaign 2013

So I video'd Luke's speech, and got it on to my computer, but neither blogger nor YouTube can upload it. So you'll have to take my word for it-- it was a great speech. Well thought out, written and delivered. He did it all himself. The other speeches were.... interesting.

One girl, sounded and acted EXACTLY like Summer Wheatley on Napolean Dynamite. Seriously. I wanted to shout out "Vote for Summer!" Wait, maybe I did.

The girl who wears an Elfin cloak every day to school actually gave the best speech. It was very similar to Luke's in content and idea. She was the only one who answered the questions put to her with any intelligence. I would have voted for her. And Luke. Of course.

It was pretty painful to watch to tell you the truth. There was the painfully shy Elfin girl, the Autistic kid, the fat kid, the fist pumping kid, the 'cute' girl (AKA Summer), a few nerds and Luke. His platform of student servant leadership was very insightful. The other 9 candidates were just plain awful. Half of them ran on the "more/better/funner dances" platform. About 3 ran on serious platforms like Luke, and then there was the Dictator kid.

He was the only thing that made the assembly bearable (seriously awkward kids man) He was running as a joke. He and his running mate hammed it up with statements like, "I will take away your freedoms and force you to be my slaves."
"I will change my title to Supreme Chancellor Dictator"
"And remember! A vote for us, is a vote wasted!"
But the best was when the moderators asked all the candidates why THEY wanted to run, what they would get out of it. He answered: "Power, money, women!" Hysterical.

Luke answered, "for the leadership experience". Everyone else basically just restated their campaign slogans or said something like 'I just want to give back'. Um.... didn't answer the question.

Well, sadly for Luke, he was third, and only the top 2 go on. The Dictator kid came in 4th.  Summer Wheatley advanced along with the big kid.

Luke was pretty shocked. I don't think he even allowed for the possibility that he might lose. LOL. He's absolutely disgusted that Summer beat him. He says all the guys voted for her in hopes she'll date them. Good thing his confidence knows no bounds. He'll be fine.

You win some, you lose some. The point to to enter the game. Life goes on.

Good job Luke.