Seriously, So Lame

Here's something funny (it's SATIRE).

In other news, I have a super sore throat because I CHOKED on my medicine tonight like some kind of invalid!

No, really, I just chugged my two night pills with a soda that was sitting on the counter as I ran between putting Addie to bed and taking James downstairs. So I picked up James, and when I laid him down (gross alert) I had massive kickback that went up my nose, wherein a pill became lodged at the convergence of my ear-nose-throat in some little fold of tissue. It was horrific!. I gulped and breathed deeply as tears began pouring from my eyes, and I kissed James good night. I bolted to my bathroom and started gargling and sniffing water, but the burning--oh, the burning--continued.

I did everything I could think of (including trying to dislodge the bugger with a Q-Tip, which made me gag and throw up, which then made me realize that it's really not that hard to be bulimic, although I have never been able to make myself throw up before). Finally, I just got some gum (hoping extra saliva would help the cause) and a hug cup of ice water and the horrible bitterness eventually dissolved and went away (coincidentally, right about he time Hilary stopped flappin' her jaw on the DNC coverage I was watching--had to see my homeboy, Brain Schweitzer warm up the crowd--I'm still conservative, but I love that guy [Montana Rox]!). A nice pink grapefruit bubble bath and a new issue of Real Simple calmed my frazzled nerves, and now I am just finishing up some of Addie' back-to-school stuff before bed.

Yes, my darling is heading off for her first day of the first grade tomorrow. She will be in Mrs. Phillips' class, and Mrs. Phillips is Grandma's neighbor. We have heard mixed reviews about her, so we are hoping for the best. Addie's skills have backslid quite a bit this summer, and I take responsibility for that. All those nights I spent with her last school year learning to read kinda went out the window since our summer schedule didn't really give us a quiet half hour each night before bed. I hope she'll catch up quickly and enjoy learning. I am so excited for her to start writing and doing more science. She has such fun ideas and good questions and all of that starts to come out in writing (I won a poetry contest in the first grade, believe it or not; don't ask me how I even KNEW about poetry at that age, but I did!). I keep fantasizing about my girls being adults and being awesome people and two of my best friends...isn't that weird? I think it's because of all the fun I have had with my mom this summer (despite that sucky cancer).

Anyway, I am so excited for Addie, and next week Heidi starts up (preschool, 11-3pm). Her teachers are coming over tomorrow to meet her, and I love that. She will be way more comfortable on the first day after having them in our home. James and I are going to be LOVIN' IT--livin' la vida siesta! Heh, heh!

Well, I better go. I am getting a head/neck ache from all that choking I did earlier, so I better take the Tylenol and hit the hay.

HAPPY BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVE!

On This Date in History...

...my SIL Audrey was born! Audrey is a beautiful woman and a great mom, and we miss her!

Happy Birthday, Audrey! XOXO

Hope Floats

I'm not generally one to join in random activities to support causes, but I couldn't resist joining in the balloon launch in support of the Nielson family today. Of course, I have to work tonight and Richard took the kids to the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone with his parents, so we let our balloons go early (at 2pm instead of 6pm). Inside each balloon is a dedication to the Kinneards, Nielsons even tho' we spelled their name wrong), and Clarks with Job 19:25-26 written beneath, and wishes for "Love, Hope, and Healing." Addie, Me and Heidi with our balloons.

"Ready, Set...
...there they go!"

As we let them go, Addie watched hers for a long time, and then said, "Maybe mine will fly to Nana's house, because we want her to get better, too!" I smiled and my heart swelled up a little thinking about (a) what a sweet and thoughtful girl Addie is, and (b) how every family has a heartache, and NONE of us are exempt from the need for The Comforter and The Great Healer. One wonderful thing I am learning through the blogosphere is how far-reaching, how necessary, how touching, how infinite the atonement of Christ really is. Just think how crushing some of these burdens would be without Him, and then think about that night in Gethsemane...all of the heartache, all of the pain of all the world AT THE SAME TIME.

And then give thanks.

I know He lives and loves us. I know the Nielsons and their loved ones will be "encircled about in the arms of His love" through their trials.

***

Here is a little slideshow about the Nielsons if you're curious. And if you live in Mesa or Provo, you might still have time to join the launches at Kiwanis Park or at the Arizona Temple.

UPDATE: A video of the Provo Launch

Note to Self:

Click here to read up on Courtney's Paris recommendations. Also, dear self, make your pre-trip list because September is practically here...only 26 days 'til take-off. Remember the legal documents, the school notes, the calling cards, the pocket photo album, the loading of the ipod, and the "cleaning-like-you're-never-coming-back-and-people-will-go-through-your-stuff." Call Matt and Amie and see if you can bribe them with Chico Passes and a comfy bed on Sept.18-20. See? There is a lot to do and you need to get crack-a-lackin'.

Hugs,
Self

On This Date in History...

My darling grandparents were wed in 1950

Papa Bill & Gramma Lyn, 2005

Gram & Gramp share a smooch, June 2008

And my sassy sister-friend, Adriane, was born in 1972

Adriane with her cute mom, Kathy

Happy Anniversary, Grands!

Happy Birthday, Adriane!

Slumber Parties and Other Stuff

Last week I missed a few pictures of all the fun we were having.James, Addie, and Heidi wearing the "Space Chimps" masks I brought them from Vancouver.
Heidi, Sariah, Addie, Liana, and James at the cousin slumber party (8/14)...Addie and Liana did their own makeup and they were so proud.
The girls "camped out" in the basement and watched Looney Tunes on DVD courtesy of Uncle Rich.

***

On Monday, I took the kids to the splash park again with Mom Melin and Elena, while all the Melin Boys had thier own slumber party (well, they call it a campout, but whatever).

Apparently, the adventure began at the Old Saloon in Emigrant, MT (a few miles past the ranch)...

There they are...Mark, Jess, Mike and Rich, tossing back some hard water.
Heading up to Mission Creek

Jess, Mike, and Mark head up the singed trail to Passage Falls, which burned up two years ago.
(if you wanna see where they went, google map "Montanapolis Springs")

Ta-da! They made it!
Rich, Mike, Mark, and Jess at Passage Falls
Flowers on the trail.

The boys ended up camping at the ranch Monday night while I did laundry, watched "The Hills" (so lame), and slept in my bed with my girls.

***

Last night (my only other night off this week), Rich went ot the movies with Jess and Mike in Bozeman. They left right after work and got home at 10:30pm. We had a wicked rain storm and it got really cold (the house was 58 degrees when we woke up cuz I left the windows open as usual in the summer), so it was the perfect night to put the kids down and snuggle up with a pay-per-view movie (after folding two loads of laundry, that is).

So I ordered "P.S. I Love You" which I wasn't all that excited about. But it turned out to be a pretty good movie. I loved the soundtrack! Two of my all-time favorite songs (Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and If I Ever Leave This World Alive by Flogging Molly) played a big role in the movie. I liked that it was made by one sister (Molly Smith, daughter of the FedEx founder) in memory of another sister (Windland Smith) who died at 34 of a heart defect. Apparently Molly read the book right after Windland died and it comforted her a lot. I can see how that could happen--it's such a sweet story. Did anybody else read the book? Does Holly stay in Ireland with Billy? Cuz I would...my lands, that man was lovely. And he sings Pogues songs! Also on my mind were the Clark sisters...cjane's blog post today made me so thankful for sisters!!! Anyway, that was a pleasant surprise, and Rich came home right as the movie was ending.

***

Another thing that has been on my mind: Russia is so incredibly lame. I do wish Georgia would just give the rebel provinces back to Russia instead of trying to force them to want to be in a democracy--it doesn't work that way! Still, I am so mad about the invasion of Georgia, but mostly I am mad at us. I am mad that when a freedom-loving country like Georgia calls for help, our hands are tied because of the muck-up in Iraq. I wish there were an easy way to get out of there and get back on our feet. And have you heard the President of Georgia speak? He is an inspired man and deserves our support.

Yet another thing on my mind: is it just me, or do the two candidates for president seem VASTLY unqualified for what lies ahead of them? Seriously, neither of them seems remotely able to deal with the bag of goodies Bush is handing down. Glenn Beck echoed my sentiments perfectly Wednesday night in his opening bit. Here's what he said:

BECK: Hello, America.

Have you ever had one of those nights where you -- you know, you flip on the TV and two of your favorite shows are on at exactly the same time, and you`re like, "Aw." Or better yet. You know when you`re going to go to the movie and you walk up to the concession stand and you can`t decide between Raisinettes and the Goobers. And then you realize, 'Hey, my wife`s not here. I`m going to buy them both.'

Well, you take that feeling of overwhelming joy. Then you douse it with gasoline, light it on fire, run it through a wood chipper, bury it in your backyard, and then you start to come close to the understanding of how little excitement I feel for either of the two presidential candidates.

Here is "The Point" tonight. I have truly never, ever cared more about our country than I do right now. But I have also never cared less about our choices for who should be running it. And here`s how I got there.

I think most of us would all agree that we`re in a pivotal time in our country`s history. You know, and you see it on television every single night. I think most Americans feel it in their gut. They just know something is fundamentally wrong.

But what we can`t seem to agree on is which way to pivot. I mean, we`ve got some great choices, don`t we? One candidate is especially a socialist while the other one I would call a conservative socialist. He`s pro-life, but pro-global warming. He wants to keep the troops in Iraq but also keep our borders open. He wants to drill offshore, but not in Alaska. What the -- what? That leaves me not only without any candidate, but also without any excitement whatsoever. It`s kind of like being back at the concession stand and they`re out of the Raisinettes and the Goobers, and your wife is with you, and all they`ve got there in the counter is raw eggplant and tofu.

So America, here is what you need to know tonight. If you feel like I do about this election, we are not alone. A new Zogby poll asked people to rank their excitement about our choices on a scale of one to five with one being not at all excited and five being -- the average answer, a very ambivalent three, which not coincidentally, is slightly less than the number of spokes on these pitchforks that I keep here in my studio. (He goes on to chat with Penn Jillette, who's a wild libertarian).

Heaven help us.

And have a great weekend!

Sunday Night Family Fun

On Sunday evening after naps, we all met up at Jackson Creek for family dinner.Uncle Davy had his ATV and took the kids for rides
Daddy and James enjoyed the outdoors
James got his own ride with Uncle Davy
Heidi brought a bag full of ponies, which the girls all enjoyed

Danny & Addie
Grandma made foil dinners--they made delicious taco salad
After dinner, it was time for s'mores

(Heidi, Liana, Addie and Sariah roast their marshmallows with Uncle Mike in thebackground)

James and his marshmallow

Grandpa & Grandma Melin with their grandkids (minus TJay, Summer, and Matthew):

Holding Jared, Hannah, Rosalie & James;

Liana, Danny, Heidi, Sariah & Addie

The whole FamDamily

Us
Mark & Elena's Family
Angie & Davy's family
The Original Melins, laughing at...

...all the silly grandkids trying to get them to smile.

Good Times!

Ally Tagged Me...

ONE WORD ANSWERS...
1. Where is your cell phone? bag
2. Your significant other? awesome
3. Your hair? straw
4. Your mother? bald
5. Your father? funny
6. Your favorite thing? tub
7. Your dream last night? fat
8 Your favorite drink? Water
9. Your dream/goal? celestial
10. The room you’re in? office
11. Your hobby? papercrafting
12. Your fear? invalid
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home alone
14. What you’re not? tough
15. Muffins? no
16. One of your wish list items? time
17. Where you grew up? Arizona
18. Last thing you did? breathe
19. What your wearing? clothes
20. Favorite Gadget? Computer
21. Your pets? NONE!
22. Your computer? HPPavillion
23. Your mood? optimistic
24. Missing someone? Mama
25. Your car? minivan
26. Something you’re not wearing? pants
27. Favorite store? Target
28. Like someone? Richard
29. Favorite color? Depends…
30. When was the last time you laughed? morning
31. When was the last time you cried? Friday

Knee Deep

We are deep into cousin fun, with only one more day until the Texas Melins fly home. We are really going to miss them, but we will get to see them in Arizona at Christmas time (Montana Boys+ Arizona Girls= Awesomeness).

My heart is a little achy from reading about two of my greatest fears coming true for some sweet mamas in the blog world. Late Friday I clicked over to THIS blog from Adriane's and was stunned by the tragedy, the faith, and the eloquence therein. Then today I was catching up with my regular e-friends and learned that Nie Nie was in a plane crash with her husband on Saturday night. I can't stop thinking of their four beautiful babies at home...UGH! Needless to say prayers are with the Nielsens, Clarks, and all others affected by this. WOW (this is why traveling to Europe without the children makes me anxious). Keep up with the story via cjane (nie's big sis). News Article Here.

I gotta go tuck in some beebs of my own--Daddy's camping out with his brothers tonight. :) Have a great week!

We Love You, Nana!

So Glad You Were Born!

Happy Birthday, Nana from MelinFamily on Vimeo.

Spring Creek Barbecue

Tonight we went to the reception Barbecue for Jamie Anderson's wedding to the lovely Amory (the wedding takes place tomorrow at Spring Creek). The cousins all had naps and commenced their craziness together again tonight. It was great fun for them to be together...My girls INSISTED on dressing up in white (of all colors) dresses tonight instead of the jeans and cute cowgirl shirts I had picked out (call me crazy, but "BBQ" and "Ranch" and "white dresses" just don't sound good to me!). Luckily we made it home with no major stains. Here are the kids looking at the river--Danny, Liana, Heidi, James, Sariah, and Addie.
Here's the same photo, portrait style.
...and again from the front. I love this one because the kids are laughing so hard.
Addie hugging Cousin Hannah (9 months old)
Sariah holding my hand and being cute
Silly Liana with Heidi (the coke sneaker), James, Sariah, and Addie
Isn't Sariah so sweet in this photo?
Grandma & Grandpa Melin, you've got some beautiful grandkids!
Thanks for the awesome genes!
***
Thanks also to Jamie and Amory for such a nice party...
Best Wishes to you!