Well the new "Chief" has taken his place at the head of the young dems. of Utah. Hail to the chief! A nice, but still a bit on the fabricated side, article ran in the Sunday Des. news last week. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/0,5223,695272209,00.html

Our first bike ride of the season and Maggie's first ever was a huge success. 2 hours on the Jordan river park way. and I'm ready for more so we have a tentative schedule to ride every Sunday at 4 PM.

after hours of bickering in our house "the council"* deiced to intervene and try to lay down the law of the official Ellerbeck rules of Jinx. The game of Jinx is a tough one, think about it their are so many variations on the rules. Just look on wikipedia, the combinations are endless. We are unsuccessfully as of today and are looking for input to finally put this matter to rest this is what we have so far....

The rules of Jinx (so far)

1. All jinxs are private. meaning only between the jinxed and jinxer.

or 3 way jinx between the 2 jinxed and the jinxer (when and out side party of the same word spoken couple chooses to jump in and add the jinx thus collecting 2 beverages)

2. the jinxed can not speak until the beverage of choice has been deliver to the jinxer.

Or the jinxed can choose option to not supply the beverage and go 24 hours without speaking to then win the jinx.

Or the Jinxer has released the Jinxed by speaking their name.

3. and we did decided on a 3rd and final rule but can not remember it? But that is what we have so far. we did in fact make great progress on the "rules of the house" **

RULES OF THE HOUSE

1. Dad is NOT Welcome (harsh I know but when am I not harsh)

2. Never open the front door without checking who is out their (avoid Home Invasions 0)

3. TJ can not drive my Subaru (he does not respect the subaru. He has received his first speeding ticket... in yes the subaru)

4. Mica (well everyone) MUST shower at least 4 times a week!

5. Everyone must work or go to school. This means you MICA! going to school every possible day and passing ALL your classes!

6. Official Jinx rules applies to everyone in "the councils" presence

7. everyone must do their choirs every week

8. NO Farting in anyone presents (this is an inside & very funny joke)

9. Respect Mother earth & all its creatures.

10. Looses the studs, Keep the duds. (this is because Mica and his friends ruined all of the furniture in our house and our cars with the Punk studded belts, jackets and most likely underwear) Also we needed something as cute as the stenciling on Nicole's front door
Be a sweetie wipe your feeties!

*"The council" is made up of all of us who have Clark planetarium memberships with the last name Ellerbeck on their card. Connie, Alisha, Justin, TJ, Jessica, Mica, Nicole, Bryon & Shazell.

**"the Rules of the house" based on the Scott Daniels rules of the house. we felt as though we didn't need to have don't vacuum up water on our list. we are defiantly not in danger of ANYONE using the vacuum around here.

A final challenge to YOU Justin what happened to your New Years resolution of the Photo a day? its almost May and we haven't seen you since January...

Food Stamps?

After a few months of worry and wondering how much more we can mooch of my mother (we already live in her basement and eat her food) Relief. Yeah Employment! Justin has a job....After a few days in DC Job hunting and Political training Justin received a few job offers (all of which came from jobs in Utah and there was no need to go to DC... But anyway) He got an offer he just couldn't refuse... A real Job. Can I say it again, Yeah Employment!

Justin is now the "Executive Director of the Young Democrats of Utah" I'm not quite sure what that is exactly, and Justin can't seam to give me a real answer in English. So we will all find out after I figure it out. ( I am not sure either, that is why I can not say - Justin)

The Young Democrats issues a press release about Justin's new position and their up coming focus but unfortunately most of the information about Justin is untrue. We wish it was true but it not. ( I did not tell them any of things they either have me mixed up with someone else or they exaggerate a lot - Justin) I sure hope they didn't give the wrong person the Job????
"UTAH TO TURN BLUE WITH YOUNG DEMOCRATSOF UTAH (YDU) YOUTH VOTE CAMPAIGNFirst Full-time Executive Director to Manage CampaignWill Target 30-40,000 Voters Aged 18-35 and target 6-8 key legislative districtsSalt Lake City, UT – The Young Democrats of Utah (YDU) today unveiled a state-wide Youth Vote Campaign to target 30,000 – 40,000 young voters aged 18-35. With a budget of $25,000, YDU will campaign for 4-6 democratic candidates in key legislative districts this upcoming summer. The campaign will be run by YDU's first ever full-time Executive Director, Justin Daniels."This project has been in the works for over two years," stated Matt Lyon, President of YDU. "What makes it really exciting is that it has been drafted, designed, and planned exclusively by young people. We raised all of the money for this campaign ourselves. I know this energy and commitment will carry into the 2008 election cycle and impact the future of Utah politics." YDU is one of eight states to receive funding from Young Democrats of America to pay half the salary for its Executive Director. "Hiring an Executive Director is a great opportunity to further the Young Democrats," states YDU National Committeewoman Breanne Miller, "We are excited to bring in a full time staff member to commit to increasing the youth vote and spreading the democratic message to young people across Utah." YDU's new Executive Director Justin Daniels is a Utah native, born and raised in Salt Lake City. As a Political Science graduate from the University of Utah, Justin has strong roots in the Utah Democratic Party. He has managed all levels of campaigns, from local school board to city council races. Most recently, Justin worked as a key Iowa field organizer for the Chris Dodd for President campaign. Justin also worked as the State Field Director for the Pete Ashdown for US Senate campaign.YDU has received the remaining half of the Executive Director's salary as well as funding for the Youth Vote Campaign from the Utah State Democratic Party, Ralph Becker (Salt Lake City Mayor), Jackie Biskupski (State Representative), Peter Corroon (Salt Lake County Mayor), Annette Cumming, Randy Horiuchi (Salt Lake County Council), Jane and Tami Marquardt, Scott McCoy (State Senator), Ross Romero (State Senator), Deb Sawyer, Barbara Tanner, Jenny Wilson (Salt Lake County Council), and Pete Ashdown (Xmission).Utah's Youth Vote campaign feeds the national 'Young Voter Revolution' that is sweeping the country this primary season. 80% off all young voters in Iowa caucused for a Democratic candidate. This high margin is echoed in other early voting states: 61% of young voters in New Hampshire voted for a Democrat, 62% voted for a Democrat in South Carolina, and in Nevada, young voters supported Democrats by a 3:1 margin. According to YDU vice-president Cutis Haring: "In 2006, four Utah State Legislative districts were won and lost by 100 votes or less, including the current Speaker of the Utah State House of Representatives, Republican Greg Curtis, who won his election by just 20 votes." As a result, YDU has designed this innovative youth voter initiative to be implemented in key legislative districts in Utah and administered by its Executive Director. "We hope to raise young voter turnout by 5 - 8% in these key Leg Districts," says Lyon, "In a state where young people make up as much as 40% of a voting district and are voting at 50% the rate of other voters, a 5% increase will make a significant difference in who is elected."The YDU's Youth Vote campaign will increase voter turnout, expand its membership base, and get Democrats elected to local offices by targeting young voters in six to eight swing legislative districts in 2008. Through phone and precinct canvassing, the Youth Vote campaign will contact over 60,000 voters. The YDU Executive Director will act as the Chief Administrative Officer for the young voter program. The Executive Director will work with the YDU board on message development, literature design, and volunteer recruitment. According to Bianca Shreeve, YDU Treasurer, "Our youth focused campaign will make huge strides towards more Democratic representation on Utah's Capitol Hill and will also reinstate the importance of young people and their influence over the political process in Utah."The Young Democrats of Utah (YDU) is an official youth arm of the Utah State Democratic Party. Through social events, volunteer activities, and political activism, YDU organizes High Schools, Colleges, and Young Professionals - under the age of 36 - to participate in Democratic politics. The organization has roughly 250 active members on a membership list of over 2,000 young people, state wide. The Young Democrats of America (YDA) is the nation's largest youth-led, partisan political organization. As the official youth arm of the Democratic Party since 1932, YDA now operates as an independent 527 organizations. Our membership includes middle school, high school and college students as well as young workers, young professionals and young families, with over 1,500 local chapters in all 50 states. YDA's national and state staff work with national, state, and local leaders across the country on peer-to-peer young voter mobilization campaigns, issue advocacy, leadership and skills trainings, and other activities to grow sustainable chapters and build the national infrastructure of YDA."

I know I Know

I know its been like a billion seconds ago that this blog was updated. But really not much is happing with Justin & Alisha.

Justin is still living the life a leisure (jealous) and Alisha is working at the Monument Shop with her family (crazy). Maggie on the other hand has been sooooo busy these days. With all her social activities, its just so hard for her to up date the blog with out thumbs.

First there is all the time she spends dressing up, doing tricks, taking long walks on the beach, drinking Pina Colada and getting stuck in the rain.

Maggie in the great thing to come out of Iowa ROLL OVER!

Mica's 16th Birthday... boy o' boy luckily he is too lazy to get his drivers licence so we are all safe for now!

Mica and a can (I thought it was a pretty good picture)

Nicole and Mica what a cute and loving couple they are

Oh and Prom. Maggie was so busy this day with all the arrangements and helping the boys with their tuxes, I think she thought they would never got out of the house to the dance

Jaiya, Kim, Mica, Nicole, TJ & Jessica

Well even with the top hat you are short TJ

Easter at Beck's house always fun and crazy

The boys got new head phones from the Beckester. I'm not sure Keaton and Jackson know how to use them

Always willing to give Uncle Justin a hard time and a good work out Keaton & Jackson lock on for dear life with the "brotherly weights"

Walker was a victim of the brotherly weights too but he lost his pants as self defence (that will stop em')

Cute Couples of the spring

Justin & Alisha

Mica & Nicole

TJ & Jessica

TJ's 19th Birthday. My how time flies. It seams like just yesterday I was dressing TJ up in my doll clothes and teaching him how to sing love songs. But still to this day he can not carry a tune.

TJ's Birthday Cake... well Cheese Cake or as he calles it Cheese Pie

TJ gets a Mega Phone for his Birthday? Man alive I think that may turn out to be a bad idea.

And that brings us pretty current. Justin is off to DC next week so maybe something exciting will happen and we can blog about it.