This looks SO much better! I work SO MUCH better in beautiful surroundings! ;)
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
Baby Ben
The nephew has a name! It's Benjamin Drew Petersen...sweet. My brother, Willy, sent these pictures today. Meanwhile, Rich's sister, Angie, is about to have her baby--it's probably already here. I am excited to find out what GENDER it is! I have had Angie's son Danny all day and he has been so good (my girls--another story). The funny thing about Jill and Angie is they are playing baby tag--Angie had an emergency C-section with Danny on 7/11/02 just as Jill called and said her water broke with Isabelle. But Isabelle must have wanted her own birthday because she didn't come out until about 12:10am on 7/12/02! Back then, Jill was over due, but Angie "took cuts" and had Danny early. This time, the tables are turned and Jill went a week early and "took cuts." Today IS Angie's due date, though, and I think it's cool to have your baby on your due date! I'll post news when I hear it!
Update: Angie had a baby girl named Rosalie Lynn Gray around 7:30pm 11/18. She is little and cute (7-1 and I don't know how long) and everything went well. The following pix are of BEN, though, not Rosalie.
Baby Ben meets Uncle Will
Baby Ben meets Cousin Melanie and Aunt Audrey
Awww, what an angel baby! PS: Happy Anniversary Will & Audrey! 11 splendid years! ;)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Just Call Me Molly
This week I feel like I became a full-fledged MORMON WOMAN (aka Molly Mormon)! Really, it was nothing monumental, but I called Monday afternoon to check on a girl I visit teach (she doesn't come to church, but she is so sweet and always happy to see us), who was supposed to have had a baby over the weekend. Turns out, she was already home so I asked her if I could bring her dinner the next night and maybe babysit her 2-year-old sometime this week. She was thrilled about both prosepcts, so Tuesday I cooked up two special dinners--one for my family and one for hers.
But there are two things I did that I have never done before: (1) I made an enchilada casserole in one of those disposable foil pans (CASSEROLE? DISPOSEABLE?? I know!!!) and (2) for a side dish I totally made a JELLO SALAD! NO JOKE! Of course it wasn't green with shredded carrots (no way, no day)--it was peach with raspberries and whipped cream on top--BUT STILL!! I even had chocolate chip banana bread for dessert. It's really shocking that I can prepare such a meal. I just kept thinking to myself, Man, you are such a grandma.
But that's a good thing because all my grandmas are AWESOME.
Anyway, I just have felt so incredibly grateful this month for the sisterhood of the Relief Society at church. All of the time I spent attending and learning and serving over the past 16 years has come back to me tenfold lately and I feel really blessed. Here is another comment I left On Bright Street:
This past month the Relief Society has realy lived up to its name for me. Our sisterhood literally saved me the past few weeks, especially that fateful Friday when I was home alone and felt so lonely and scared. I've never been good about asking for help and I tend to hide when I can't put on a happy face. But, oh, it felt so good to cry--really cry--on the shoulders of my surrogate moms and sisters who had been in my shoes and knew just what I needed. What would normally have been a very quiet, very painful burden I would carry alone became something a little bit lighter, something that, instead of breaking me to pieces, bonded us all together. I will be eternally grateful for them and for all the small things that really make us a society and bring us such sweet relief.
But there are two things I did that I have never done before: (1) I made an enchilada casserole in one of those disposable foil pans (CASSEROLE? DISPOSEABLE?? I know!!!) and (2) for a side dish I totally made a JELLO SALAD! NO JOKE! Of course it wasn't green with shredded carrots (no way, no day)--it was peach with raspberries and whipped cream on top--BUT STILL!! I even had chocolate chip banana bread for dessert. It's really shocking that I can prepare such a meal. I just kept thinking to myself, Man, you are such a grandma.
But that's a good thing because all my grandmas are AWESOME.
Anyway, I just have felt so incredibly grateful this month for the sisterhood of the Relief Society at church. All of the time I spent attending and learning and serving over the past 16 years has come back to me tenfold lately and I feel really blessed. Here is another comment I left On Bright Street:
This past month the Relief Society has realy lived up to its name for me. Our sisterhood literally saved me the past few weeks, especially that fateful Friday when I was home alone and felt so lonely and scared. I've never been good about asking for help and I tend to hide when I can't put on a happy face. But, oh, it felt so good to cry--really cry--on the shoulders of my surrogate moms and sisters who had been in my shoes and knew just what I needed. What would normally have been a very quiet, very painful burden I would carry alone became something a little bit lighter, something that, instead of breaking me to pieces, bonded us all together. I will be eternally grateful for them and for all the small things that really make us a society and bring us such sweet relief.
Back By Popular Demand...
...It's The Melin Girls!
Ta-Da! (Oops! Heidi is stuck backstage!:))
Heidi is showing off her new fang...her last eye tooth (her bottom left, your right) finally poked through after teething for a month or more.
Ta-Da! (Oops! Heidi is stuck backstage!:))
Heidi is showing off her new fang...her last eye tooth (her bottom left, your right) finally poked through after teething for a month or more. Sorry it has been so long since I posted kid pix... I have been too busy to download and post pix and the distant family started to miss the little darlings. Although they have their moments, they sure are a lot of fun. Addie is at a really curious and creative stage right now, asking all kinds of questions about so many things (thankfully we have passed the "WHY?" stage--that was not so fun). Heidi is so angelic sometimes, it breaks my heart. Her voice is so sweet, it melts people. So even when she is mischievous, she can totally disarm me with a super-sweet, "Hi, Mommy!" Lately she has been holding up her cute little hand with her fingers perfectly straight and aligned and asking for a "High Five." Especially when I am about to swat her bottom. And if she makes a mess I have to clean up, she starts singing the Barney clean up song for me. Aw, thanks, Heidi. It's so nice to be serenaded while I vacuum up your spilled (more like THROWN) popcorn or pick up tiny pieces of shredded toilet paper. She's a charmer! I think everyone will have fun with her AND Addie on our AZ vacation next month.
Welcome, Baby!
I have a new nephew!
CONGRATULATIONS, PETERSENS!
CONGRATULATIONS, PETERSENS!My sister Jill gave birth a little after 1pm today and it's a boy, her biggest (and probably last) baby, weighing 7-14 and 20.5" long. Pobrecito has no name yet, but I want him to be called Benson. I'll post more info when I get it, but for now...YAY!
Monday, November 14, 2005
Swiper No Swiping
I have been working on the newsletter for church so I am all writed-out (?)...so I swiped something fun from another website, and I will briefly tell you I had a lovely day with my girls, and a nice visit to the doctor wherein my health and fertility were confirmed and I was encouraged to "go ahead and get pregnant when ever [I ] feel ready" (which was about March 2005, but okay).
For Family Night we talked about death and resurrection since Addie has been having questions about that. First we let Heidi pick some songs to sing, then we did the hand-and-glove thing and had Addie teach it back to us, and showed her some paintings of Jesus' burial and resurrection ("Look, mom! Jesus is alive again and he came out of that rock and told his friend Mary not to cry cuz he came back!"--mind of an elephant!). She's really delightful even though she's at a "challenging" age right now...she turns 4 next Monday.
So in honor of my darling 4-year-old, I give you this, from McSweeney's...
A Four-Year Old's Work Day
8:55 a.m. Arrive at office. Hang jacket on sunshine-shaped hook with name on it. Put snack in cubbyhole. Sing "Good Morning" song with co-workers.
9:04 a.m. Forward hilarious e-mail to everyone in address book. Subject line: "Poo-poo."
9:10 a.m. Take spreadsheets out of Star Wars backpack. Stretch out on floor and begin making notations with crayon.
9:15 a.m. Drink juice box.
9:25 a.m. Spend hour lining up office supplies on desk in perfect straight line. Toy with idea of sorting them by color but get distracted by imaginary conversation between stapler and three-hole punch. Complicated scenario ensues involving a lion, a puppy, and the mommy Hi-Liter kissing the daddy Hi-Liter.
10:40 a.m. Randy from accounting drops by and "borrows" pen with the springy pink feather on top. Grab pen back. Scream in each other's faces until Randy takes a swing with copy of Needs-Assessment Analysis. Supervisor intervenes and sends Randy to the smoke room for a time-out.
11:05 a.m. Intend to begin debugging online program for cross-referencing customer demographics. Get caught up in Polly Pocket website instead.
12:00 p.m. Lunch. Trade PB & J for tuna with Jerry from human resources. Friendly banter about who could take who in a fight: the Poky Little Puppy or the Cat in the Hat. Notice Donna is wearing Finding Nemo T-shirt for fourth straight day.
1:00 p.m. Write up statistical profile of user satisfaction based on regional trends. Entitle report "I Like Flowers."
1:30 p.m. Naptime.
2:12 p.m. Staff meeting proves unproductive due to constant requests to go pee.
2:40 p.m. Telephone headquarters to discuss department budget for upcoming fiscal year. While talking, draw picture of house. Feel special pride in the way the smoke spirals out of chimney. Tape picture to wall next to trophy for company T-ball championship.
3:00 p.m. Attend mandatory Employees' Committee workshop entitled "Ear Infections Are EVERYBODY'S Business." Session comes to abrupt halt when VP of finance jams eraser up nose. 3:30 p.m. E-mail from director of marketing: "I'm not accusing anyone but my blanky was in the copy room and now it's not. I hope whoever 'accidentally' took it will please return it, no questions asked. Otherwise I'm telling."
4:05 p.m. Ask Marco in adjoining cubicle to stop making "vroom-vroom" noises when he moves the mouse.
4:45 p.m. Try to duck out early, thus avoiding mandatory singing of "Cleanup" song with co-workers. Busted by supervisor, who announces that no one is leaving until everyone is sitting quietly.
4:55 p.m. Retrieve jacket from hook. Supervisor helps with zipper. Wave bye-bye to Cheryl at the front desk. Step into elevator. Press all the buttons.
...Say, that reminds me! Last time we were at the Library, the girls wanted to ride the world's tiniest elevator (in the world's tiniest library which has 2 floors). So we got in and I closed the door and Heidi proceeded to slap all of the buttons, including the red one with a phone on it which immediately connected us to Park County 911. I was terribly embarrased and told the operator I was sorry, my baby pressed all the buttons in the elvator and there was no emergency. She repeated, "Are you certain there is no emergency?" and I said yes, and she sort of giggled and told us to have a nice day. Crazy.
For Family Night we talked about death and resurrection since Addie has been having questions about that. First we let Heidi pick some songs to sing, then we did the hand-and-glove thing and had Addie teach it back to us, and showed her some paintings of Jesus' burial and resurrection ("Look, mom! Jesus is alive again and he came out of that rock and told his friend Mary not to cry cuz he came back!"--mind of an elephant!). She's really delightful even though she's at a "challenging" age right now...she turns 4 next Monday.
So in honor of my darling 4-year-old, I give you this, from McSweeney's...
A Four-Year Old's Work Day
8:55 a.m. Arrive at office. Hang jacket on sunshine-shaped hook with name on it. Put snack in cubbyhole. Sing "Good Morning" song with co-workers.
9:04 a.m. Forward hilarious e-mail to everyone in address book. Subject line: "Poo-poo."
9:10 a.m. Take spreadsheets out of Star Wars backpack. Stretch out on floor and begin making notations with crayon.
9:15 a.m. Drink juice box.
9:25 a.m. Spend hour lining up office supplies on desk in perfect straight line. Toy with idea of sorting them by color but get distracted by imaginary conversation between stapler and three-hole punch. Complicated scenario ensues involving a lion, a puppy, and the mommy Hi-Liter kissing the daddy Hi-Liter.
10:40 a.m. Randy from accounting drops by and "borrows" pen with the springy pink feather on top. Grab pen back. Scream in each other's faces until Randy takes a swing with copy of Needs-Assessment Analysis. Supervisor intervenes and sends Randy to the smoke room for a time-out.
11:05 a.m. Intend to begin debugging online program for cross-referencing customer demographics. Get caught up in Polly Pocket website instead.
12:00 p.m. Lunch. Trade PB & J for tuna with Jerry from human resources. Friendly banter about who could take who in a fight: the Poky Little Puppy or the Cat in the Hat. Notice Donna is wearing Finding Nemo T-shirt for fourth straight day.
1:00 p.m. Write up statistical profile of user satisfaction based on regional trends. Entitle report "I Like Flowers."
1:30 p.m. Naptime.
2:12 p.m. Staff meeting proves unproductive due to constant requests to go pee.
2:40 p.m. Telephone headquarters to discuss department budget for upcoming fiscal year. While talking, draw picture of house. Feel special pride in the way the smoke spirals out of chimney. Tape picture to wall next to trophy for company T-ball championship.
3:00 p.m. Attend mandatory Employees' Committee workshop entitled "Ear Infections Are EVERYBODY'S Business." Session comes to abrupt halt when VP of finance jams eraser up nose. 3:30 p.m. E-mail from director of marketing: "I'm not accusing anyone but my blanky was in the copy room and now it's not. I hope whoever 'accidentally' took it will please return it, no questions asked. Otherwise I'm telling."
4:05 p.m. Ask Marco in adjoining cubicle to stop making "vroom-vroom" noises when he moves the mouse.
4:45 p.m. Try to duck out early, thus avoiding mandatory singing of "Cleanup" song with co-workers. Busted by supervisor, who announces that no one is leaving until everyone is sitting quietly.
4:55 p.m. Retrieve jacket from hook. Supervisor helps with zipper. Wave bye-bye to Cheryl at the front desk. Step into elevator. Press all the buttons.
...Say, that reminds me! Last time we were at the Library, the girls wanted to ride the world's tiniest elevator (in the world's tiniest library which has 2 floors). So we got in and I closed the door and Heidi proceeded to slap all of the buttons, including the red one with a phone on it which immediately connected us to Park County 911. I was terribly embarrased and told the operator I was sorry, my baby pressed all the buttons in the elvator and there was no emergency. She repeated, "Are you certain there is no emergency?" and I said yes, and she sort of giggled and told us to have a nice day. Crazy.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Saturday Night Fever
As I type, my "especially difficult children" are fighting with their daddy about getting out of the tub and into their beds (for the love of all that's holy already--it's amost 8 o'clock and they are MAD with tiredness!). I just thought this "engrish" picture was hilarious.I did all my house work and Sabbath preparation yesterday because I was planning on going to Helena to visit my cutie pie sister-in-law, but the roads were icy and sleety when I got up today, so I went to the gym and came home and just worked on scrapbooks and Christmas stuff all day while Rich worked on log beds. Rich took Addie on a date to see Chicken Little while Heidi napped and we just finished a yummy late dinner. This has been the kind of Saturday we used to dream about when we were building the house. Ahhhh! Let's hope Sunday is just as good.
PS: And let's hope I can stay awake and watch SNL because my former boyfriend, Jason Lee, is hosting.
PPS: Tomorrow is my Dad Layton's 61st birthday...HAVE A HAPPY ONE, DAD! We will celebrate with you next week on Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Better Late Than Never...
Thank You
I have planned since yesterday to post some photos of our family members, past and present, who have served our country in the Armed Forces to honor them for Veteran's Day today. Obviously the day has gotten away from me, but I still want to say thank you to everyone who has put their life and/or lifestyle on the line to protect and our country. Thank you for defending the land and the life I love; for making it possible for me to say and do and even blog what I think without retribution; for making my kids safe and free to worship and be educated and enjoy thier lives. We recognize and appreciate your sacrifices great and small.
Here's a list of our military family members (please correct me in the comment section if I get info wrong or if I have forgotten someone ):
Matthew Post (my brother) - Army Reserves
Tom Melin (my father-in-law)- Army, Vietnam
Jess Melin (my bro-in-law) - Air Force Pilot
Mark Melin (" ") - Air Force Pilot
Michael Melin (" ")- Army
Brent Mayberry (my cousin) - Army National Guard
Kevin Mayberry (my cousin) - Arizona National Guard Medic
David Mayberry (" ") - Army Reserves, Afghanistan 2004-5
Larkin Elrey (" ") - Army Reserves
I have planned since yesterday to post some photos of our family members, past and present, who have served our country in the Armed Forces to honor them for Veteran's Day today. Obviously the day has gotten away from me, but I still want to say thank you to everyone who has put their life and/or lifestyle on the line to protect and our country. Thank you for defending the land and the life I love; for making it possible for me to say and do and even blog what I think without retribution; for making my kids safe and free to worship and be educated and enjoy thier lives. We recognize and appreciate your sacrifices great and small.Here's a list of our military family members (please correct me in the comment section if I get info wrong or if I have forgotten someone ):
Matthew Post (my brother) - Army Reserves
Tom Melin (my father-in-law)- Army, Vietnam
Jess Melin (my bro-in-law) - Air Force Pilot
Mark Melin (" ") - Air Force Pilot
Michael Melin (" ")- Army
Brent Mayberry (my cousin) - Army National Guard
Kevin Mayberry (my cousin) - Arizona National Guard Medic
David Mayberry (" ") - Army Reserves, Afghanistan 2004-5
Larkin Elrey (" ") - Army Reserves
Thursday, November 10, 2005
These Dreams
I posted this on a friend's dream website:
(Heidi & Addie Christmas 2004)
(Heidi & Addie Christmas 2004) Every night since I miscarried I have dreamt about losing the girls. The first night, Rich dreamed that, too. Every night it's a different scenario, but every night it's the same horrifying plot--we have lost one of the girls or one is stolen, left behind, or dying. Usually there is a happy ending (we are all reunited safe and unharmed), or else I wake up before the resolution because I am so stressed out by the dream. In the daytime I feel perfectly fine, but somewhere my mind must be working things out. Thoughts?
Last night I dreamt that we were at the airport and Rich and I had to take Addie to the car at the curb for some reason, and we left Heidi inside. I was going to stay with Addie in the car while Rich waited inside with Heidi. In the short seconds we were both outside, several busloads full of terrorists (they were WASPY Americans, by the way, with a political beef) took everyone outside the airport hostage. We were lying on the ground with guns to our heads while Heidi was alone inside and we could no longer see her through the window. The plot went on and on and we got out alive, but the most horrible moment was when Heidi came wandering out the automatic doors into the hostage situation. Luckily they let me get up and grab her, but it was straight up terrifying. In the daytime my thoughts are totally normal, but I must have issues in my subconscience.
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