March Forth

When I was in high school, I remember looking at the date "3/4" and thinking, "If you took the U out, it could sound like a command." That was the same year we studied Doctrine & Covenants (so it must have been March 1986) and I thought that this would be a scripture to read on March 4th:

"Brethren [and sisters, too!], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward; Courage brethren[and sisters]; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing; Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel..." (D&C 128:22).

Imagine my surprise when my dear friend and surrogate big sister, Georgia, told me about her own March Forth celebration (I always say great minds think alike). For the past, I dunno, 12 or 15 years, we have exchanged March Forth greetings and cheers on this special homemade holiday.
(Happy March Forth, GeorgiaBee!)

As the years have passed, it seems increasingly appropriate to celebrate March Forth as a little end-of Winter jump start--to renew my resolutions for the year, to spring clean my house and my mind and my heart, and be ready to celebrate the joys of spring and Easter. I almost bore my testimony of March Forth today, but I was otherwise occupied with Rich out of town. So I bore it to myself and felt grateful that, although this "fresh-start" holiday comes round once a year, I can start fresh and rally the troops, so to speak, each week thanks to the Sacrament and all that goes in to it.

Another fun March Forth surprise THIS year was that it's not our own holiday afterall...look at THIS! From Family Fun magazine, which I love and use often (click to enlarge)...

What the heck!?! Well, now the cat's out of the bag and the whole world will be girding up their loins and taking fresh courage on the fourth day of March. So hup, two, three, four, people... spring's a-comin'!

PS: I've been home alone with my kids (hence, away from the computer) since Thursday, but Rich arrived home safe and sound from Utah tonight. He went there for a wedding--congratulations and good luck to Shaun Spalding & his new bride!

Jamie Layton Jamie Post Jamie Melin

I hated that my blog didn't come up when I googled myself, so I made a post with my name(s) in it so googlers end up where they should be!

Also, Congrats to my cuz,

SCOTT LIGHTNIN' MAYBERRY...

Check him out HERE.

Behold The Cuteness: Half Birthday Extravaganza!

Our Roly Poly Ole Boy will be six months old tomorrow! He weighs 20 pounds and he's 27 inches tall and he's the sweetest boy ever! We took lats of pictures of him with our new camera last week... Here he is crying, "Put that camera down and pick me up!"
He's laughing at me in a big puddle of drool
James laughing at Addie
James doing the tongue thing he's been doing since he's been teething
Awww...Sweet Baby James
Ole Boy shows off his cleavage
Curious James...we also call him "Wee Bub" My Squishy talking to angels

Doesn't it look like he's been caught off guard in the tub?Interested in the camera
Bubby laughing at his sisters

...Happy Half Birthday, James!
We sure love you!
Love, Daddy, Mami, Addie & HeidiLynners

Family Fun

Here we are on Wednesday in our new Spacesaver Rocker Recliner--the first (and hopefully last) piece of furniture we bought from a furniture store. It's comfy and fun!

And here is Heidi in her short bangs being darling on 3/1:
Good times at Casa Melin!

Best Wishes

This is my Cousin Bill circa 1988.

Isn't he soooo cute?!

This is Cousin Bill last year with

the love of his life, Cortney.
Today they are getting married and

I wish I was there.

Congratulations, Bill & Cort!

Happily Ever After...

Three is a Magic Number

A Very Happy Birthday to my Handsome Nephews... Jacob on March 1st
and Spencer on March 2nd...

A Birthday Song for YOU:

Oh, the Ingratitude

As Heidi pushed her breakfast away and yelled, "I don't WANT this, MOM!" (we are all a little cranky today due to her NEVER sleeping last night and waking all of us up several times), I thought about how rude my kids can be sometimes. And I remembered how my little brother Sam would say, "Hey, let's save this for later," when he didn't want to eat something or got full. It was so cute and sweet.

What would that be like? My brothers Sam & Willy and my stepdad Guido, circa 1996

Meme Thing

I've had this Meme Thing on my blog for several months...tonight I decided to fill it out and post it...
THE FIVES
What I was doing 10 yrs ago:
I was living in Tucson, working at the AlphaGraphics corporate store while attending the U of A and nursing a heart broken by a cartoon-drawing lacrosse player.
5 yrs ago:
I had just moved into our tiny little Provo house next door to Rob & Georgia, watched the Olympics in Salt Lake City, celebrated our first anniversary and Addie’s three-month birthday.
1 yr ago:
I was just getting over pneumonia and starting morning sickness, as I was about 13 weeks pregnant with James…we had just gone to Helena Handbasket to meet Baby Sam Post and I posted THIS
Yesterday:
I was sleeping at this time yesterday, but I had been working on the dang Liahona newsletter and Cousin Bill’s wedding video, much to the chagrin of my family.
5 snacks I enjoy:
1. White chocolate raspberry Yoplait yogurt
2. Beef or Turkey Jerky
3. Nachos
4. Very Crisp (never mealy) Apples
5. Costco’s Rice Cracker mix with those yummy wasabi balls
5 songs I know all the words to:
Puh-leez, y’all—I can remember just about anything if it’s put to music whether I want to or not. For instance: The Preamble of the Consititution and The Warrior by Patti Smythe.
5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Give $100K to each of our siblings on both sides and our parents and grandparents
sell this house and buy a slightly bigger one
Buy Rich a Cooper mini and an FJ Cruiser
Send myself to fat camp and fly nana out to stay with my kids
Establish a scholarship through the perpetual education fund, send people on missions, and build a charter school here in Livingston
Become a SNOWBIRD!!
5 locations I would like to run away to:
Tucson
Hawaii
Mexico
Florence (Italy, not AZ)
Washington DC
5 bad habits I have:
drinking soda
biting fingers
scratching itches & scabs
yelling at my kids
thinking about too many things at once
5 things I like doing:
Taking baths
Reading
Writing
Getting Mail
Taking naps in the sunshine, especially through the windows in winter. I am a siesta girl!
5 things I would never wear:
Super low-rise pants
Synthetic socks
gold teeth or a grill
a tube top
anything immodest or sheer
5 TV shows I like:
Scrubs
The Office
The Daily Show
My Name Is Earl
What Not to Wear
(and almost any news/investigative/biographical special)
5 Biggest Joys of the Moment:
My Immediate Family
My newfound sense of faith that allows me to freak out much less than I used to
Spring is coming, the sun is up longer
Getting Mail
Going on Dates with Rich
5 Favorite Toys:
This computer
Jetted Tub
DVR/ TIVO
Mini-Van w/ DVD player
New Camera (Canon Powershot A710 IS)
5 next victims:
Do five people even read this blog? If YOU read it, I’m tagging you; leave a comment when you’ve responded!

Addiesms

"I'm gonna tell Bubby a secret. It's the secretiest secret ever."

"Be careful on this ice, Heidi. It's the slickiest ice of the winter."

Consistent favorites:
"You're ruining my life"
"When I grow up, I'm putting YOU in time out" (yeah you are--it's called "assisted living," honey, and I say BRING IT ON!)...

There are more...I'll add them when I have time to think...by the way, her arm is healing great and she doesn't have to wear the sling anymore; She just can't wrestle or play on the monkey bars for another month. Her X-Ray showed this cool band of bone (the doctor called it a "Bone band aid, like a scab") around the fracture. Our bodies are so cool.

Are You KIDDING Me?

Abbreviated (due to my lack of time) Oscar Thoughts:

-Helen Mirren looked stunning...LOVED the dress, and she NAILED Queen Elizabeth



-Here's an inconvenient truth: Al Gore shouldn't host or present ANYTHING, ever again! I watched "An Inconvenient Truth," because I like to hear all sides of an argument, even those I don't a gree with. And I certainly appreciate an argument that is well-supported with charismatic and passionate delivery, even when I don't agree (por ejemplo, my addiction to "All Things Considered" and "The Daily Show"). So my hatred for "An Inconvenient Truth" stems not from my conservativism and love of big business, but from Al Gore's stunning BORINGNESS!!!! I have seen the same data on a Discovery Channel show, delivered with much less bias and political posturing, and much more personality (and that was from a SCIENTIST on the DISCOVERY CHANNEL, y'all--how Gore made it in politics with the personality of a soggy sponge, I surely will never know). But good for him for finding something (besides donuts) he's passionate about and for doing us all a favor and NOT running for President in 2008. I just don't think this was the best documentary of 2006--not by a LONG shot (I was thinking maybe "Iraq in Fragments," though I have yet to see it).



-How sweet was Ennio Morricone? I felt so happy for him and his darling Maria. The soundtracks to "The Mission" and "Cinema Paradiso" contain some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard...he deserves lots of kudos for his beautiful composing.



Also, this weekend we FINALLY bought a small rocker recliner from LA-Z-BOY (so we can be lazy boys)...


...and I realized that I am too old for deep fried foods when I ate a Monte Cristo sandwich. Shucks. I'll be back soon with new pix from my cool new camera (and I will try to figure out how to post wee movies, too), AFTER I am finished creating The Liahona and a wedding video for Cousin Bill.

One Last Belated Valentine

This one is for Sam."You said that it would,

Now everything should

be all right."

Love, Maj