tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50497722024-03-13T05:17:31.851-07:00Countin' it all joyLookin' on the bright side of the half full glass of lemonadeMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-46626600942166335542010-12-23T23:15:00.000-08:002010-12-23T23:19:54.400-08:00The True Spirit of ChristmasBright beautiful lights, piles of gifts under the tree, cookies, parties, shopping… these are the things that have defined all my past Christmases. Don’t get me wrong.. I never forgot the true reason for the season. Everything I did, I did in celebration of the Savior’s birth. It is traditionally a busy, hectic, and happy time of year.This year is different. Economics and lack of employment Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-8687402264521642052010-07-25T23:37:00.001-07:002010-07-25T23:50:34.919-07:00Roller CoastersI used to like roller coasters. Really. But lately if feels like I've been on one far too long and I'm ready to get off.I don't mind the highs and lows of life. Just like the grandmother on Parenthood (the movie version) said. It's what makes life interesting and exciting, unlike the merry-go-round which just goes round and round. (And it is interesting to note that the merry-go-round will make Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-80820643694294047202010-07-12T20:11:00.000-07:002010-07-12T20:43:55.960-07:00TransitionsGod is certainly doing something in my family that doesn't feel comfortable at all. We are dealing with health concerns as well as major financial concerns. My husband is making a career change which appears to be going about as well as Abram's big move in Genesis 12:1. God told Abraham to leave his home, leave his family and go the place "that I will show you". Abram left his old home without Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-67749332773667624672010-07-07T21:16:00.000-07:002010-07-07T21:47:41.276-07:00Better Late than Never...Bird (the nickname given to my youngest by his daddy) suffers from migraines that have sent us to the ER twice in the past year. There is not a more helpless feeling than seeing your child in excruciating pain and knowing there is nothing you can do to fix it.The first migraine that sent us to the ER started with alarming symptoms. His hands and feet went numb and then the pain started. The Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-43807664500832533472010-07-06T21:47:00.000-07:002010-07-06T21:56:32.982-07:00Speaking of Independence....I heard it all the time…“You are still nursing? You better stop, he’s going to be too dependent.”"He sleeps in your bed? That will make him too dependent.”“You plan to homeschool? How will he learn any independence?”It seemed to me that if I had listened to all these well meaning advice givers, as soon as the child had developed enough neck muscles to hold his head up, I was to kick him out and Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-49488109862666777522010-07-05T14:22:00.001-07:002010-07-05T15:17:39.611-07:00Independence DayThe 4th of July has always ranked right up there as one of my fave holidays. Nothing beats a good fireworks show!For years our family tradition was to go to the fairgrounds, spread a blanket under the Driller and bask in the glow that was the Bell's Amusement Park Independence Day Celebration. That was until the powers that be decided the Bell's was no longer needed or wanted as a Tulsa Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-12420191751928335702010-07-01T21:55:00.000-07:002010-07-01T22:12:37.533-07:00Our Daily BreadLast night there was a knock at the door. Lately, it seems when we have unexpected visitors, it doesn't turn out to be good news, so we all held our breathe as Jim went to the door."Hey buddy!" he exclaimed and we all let out a collective sigh of relief.It was Gary and he was bearing gifts but pretty much anytime Denise or Gary show up unexpectedly they are bearing gifts. They are cool like Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-42554071804171964932010-06-30T22:08:00.000-07:002010-06-30T22:18:49.617-07:00For far too long, my husband and I have been caught up in the busyness of life and it appears we have abandoned are artistic pursuits. For me, it was writing. As you can see, I'm three days and three blog posts running so I am taking steps. For my husband, it was picking up his guitar again. Just to give him an extra push, I submitted his music to CDbaby, who then distributed it to several Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-28283233331310568302010-06-29T18:54:00.000-07:002010-06-29T19:36:29.066-07:00The Joy of CookingLet me be clear. I usually find no joy in cooking. In fact, I pretty much have a general distaste for all things kitchen related... ummm, except for eating! But that's another blog post.The Bible speaks of Mary and Martha. Martha was the happy homemaker, while Mary didn't want to miss any of the fellowship. I am without a doubt Mary!I simply can't stand being stuck in the kitchen while fun Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-86478993893381676462010-06-28T23:47:00.000-07:002010-06-28T23:53:48.236-07:00Pardon My Dust!Wow, it's been a while since I've been here... and these internets certainly do stir up some dust!I should apologize for not writing more often, but then you've heard that song before, huh?It's not that I have had a shortage of writing material. In fact, several posts zoom through my brain daily. Unfortunately, never when I am at the computer... or a notepad... or even a tube of lipstick. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-80770945534031759432010-03-14T23:05:00.000-07:002010-03-14T23:14:57.740-07:00Little Miss Muffet with a twistLittle Miss Muffet (that would be me for the purposes of this post)Sat on a tuffet (Ok, not sure what a tuffet is, but I was sitting in my car)Eating her curds and whey (ummm, yuck.. I wasn't eating any curds.. I was just driving)When along came a spider (a really big one!)And sat down beside her (actually, he fell on me as I adjusted my visor)And frightened Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-53544888412119449772010-03-13T22:45:00.000-08:002010-03-13T23:11:38.654-08:00An offer you can't refuse....My boys... they are best friends, yet polar opposites. They are yin and yang. chaos and order. easy going and high strung. They are brothers and will fight to the death, yet give their lives for each other. But there is one trait that Cody posesses that makes his brother crazy. And truth be told, it annoys me a bit too. The kid can get a candy bar at the grocery store and then, horror of Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-76835727017009149552010-03-06T17:03:00.001-08:002010-03-06T17:06:06.365-08:00ObservationsIs it just me, or is Johnny Depp playing Elijah Wood playing the Mad Hatter? Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-48488387494409211792009-09-23T19:09:00.000-07:002009-09-23T19:13:46.298-07:00If you can imagine it, there is probably somebody to buy it!This is capitalism at it's best! Kitty Wigs! What is the weirdest retail product you've seen?Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-90819765066885382302009-09-22T22:31:00.000-07:002009-09-22T23:06:14.853-07:00The Trouble with JessieAbout 10 years ago a friend of ours invited us out to his place to check out some cute little black lab puppies. We loaded up the boys and drove out there, determined not to fall in love.. we would just look. We didn't need a puppy. As soon as we got out of the car, we saw the squirming black mass that was about 7 puppies playing with and tripping all over each other. I picked them up one by Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-19595872968005993102009-09-22T00:01:00.000-07:002009-09-22T00:18:43.564-07:00It's a new year....Well, it's a new year to me. Today was my birthday, and although I have reached the age where one shouldn't still love their birthdays, I do. I love my birthday, I love New Year's, I love Mondays. I love new and fresh starts. I get a do over from last year. The diet that didn't work, the goals that got lost under piles of urgent clutter, the dreams that didn't turn into reality YET; these Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-30198578256816395592009-03-09T09:22:00.000-07:002009-03-09T09:49:44.663-07:00'Member Me?Forgive me, reader for I have been absent. It has been 5 months since my last post. So much has happened since then there is no possible way to catch you all up... but I'll try.Here now is short summary of life since the last post sung to the tune of 12 days of ChristmasSince the last post on this blogthis has happened to me12 diets started11 diets ended10 friends found on facebook9 thousand Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-85668245276542245662008-10-12T20:44:00.000-07:002008-10-12T20:48:01.399-07:00Pink Ribbons as BlindersSo, we are driving down the street and we see a sign outside a doctor's office...."Breast Cancer Awareness Month"The problem is, I'm driving about 40 mph and my 12 year old only reads at about 20 mph...This is what he got out of the sign..."Breast Awareness Month" You can only imagine the hilarity that ensued.Thank you... but I'd rather he not be that aware at 12 years of age.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-16174477691072268582008-09-09T10:32:00.000-07:002008-09-09T10:39:52.514-07:00Kitchen CautionLook, it's not like I'm a great chef anyway. My 12 year old knows his way around a kitchen better than I do. It's not that I'm not a good cook... Ok, it's not ONLY that I'm not a good cook.. It's also that I'm busy, busy, busy! I'm constantly multitasking and thinking about a great many things other than cooking. However, when one is not completely focused on the task at hand bad things can Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-69975031596524060462008-08-21T11:40:00.000-07:002008-08-21T11:54:57.553-07:00the birthday boy embraces his inner nerd...I might well be a bad, absent at times blogger, but I am an even worse blogger mother! My oldest turned 15 and didn't even get a mention... I am here to correct that now!Happy Birthday Cody!This is an excerpt from our homeschool yearbook I made for this past school year. This was the culmination of Cody's coop study of Ancient Greece. Cody made his costume out of a red sheet I wasn't aware I Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-51147932478171627372008-07-20T23:10:00.001-07:002008-12-10T23:32:34.165-08:00Happy Birthday DillonYou're getting SO BIG! Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-45500071816556179222008-07-18T18:01:00.001-07:002008-12-10T23:32:35.909-08:00More Vacation Fun Ok, here's the thing, a picture may be worth a thousand words, but it still doesn't quite do justice to how truly lovely Turner Falls is.. umm.. err... are? Are they plural Falls, or is it a singular park? Oh, who cares.. It was vacation.Turner Falls started out well enough. We drove in , parked the car after exploring for a bit. If you must know, Cody had started the miserable teenage bit Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-1721111212088800442008-07-09T12:01:00.000-07:002008-12-10T23:32:37.962-08:00It's a Family VacationThe fearless family sets out on their first ever, every one included, family vacation. Notice how excited the boy and the mom look. The teenager looks like a teenager, complete with ear phones.. and the dad already looks tired. He really needed this vacation.First Activity: Fishing These fishermen may not have caught any fish.. but the certainly had fun, while I worried about someone getting Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-83763911694286904422008-06-15T20:17:00.000-07:002008-06-15T22:50:24.036-07:00Happy Father's Day to the one who is NOT tone deafIn honor of Father's Day I wanted to show off what an awesome, amazing, unbelievable dad my kids have. Here is song he wrote for them and about them several years ago. I also made the video quite a few years ago too, which is why my boys still look like babies, and not the big hairy things they've since turned into! Enjoy!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5049772.post-73579837133435970302008-06-12T14:44:00.000-07:002008-06-12T14:58:13.832-07:00Make a Joyful Noise...so a long time ago when Dillon was 2 or 3 we were driving in the car and a favorite song came on the radio. Seeing as how I was in the car with naught but my toddler I began to sing along loudly, as I sometimes do. I should take a moment to mention that I cannot sing. Not a note. Not even accidentally landing on pitch. And usually when I sing in the car, no one complains... because Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640410434269492015noreply@blogger.com0