You Are My Sunshine

May I please have a moment to whine about the weather? I mean some more? Okay...

Current Temps according to MSN: Livingston 102F...Tucson 83F....

Doesn't that seem backward? Heidi and I celebrated with a THREE-HOUR siesta (and she's not even up yet).

Rich and Addie are enjoying similar weather in Salt Lake City today. Yay.

Hangin' Out with Heidi

Enjoying the freshly-cleaned floor...
Heidi was being silly while I cooked lunch today...we're having fun together!

Last year when Addie was a Sunbeam, her teacher (Sister Orton) gave her a package of Zinnia seeds. We moved in to late to plant them last year, but we planted them in May this year, and look how great they look now, even in the heat! (There are about three patches of zinnias like this in the front yard).

Livingston Weekly Photo

Freaky Friday

Actually, today is not freaky at all--I just like saying the name of one of my favorite movies (I liked both versions). We are just lounging about, trying to stay cool, keep laundry done and house clean and kids happy. Same ol'...

I have tried several times today to post the half-page photo of our family that appears in this week's Livingston Weekly. It's a cover story about the skyrocketing cost of housing in Livingston and the possible answers to the affordable housing question. So we got to be the shining example for the Rural Development/RC&D self-help program. I'll post it as soon as blogger lets me!

Other than that, it has been a nice week. Last Sunday our RS president announced that I was on moderate bedrest, so lots of people called to take the girls or help around the house this week. I can't handle people cleaning my house (unless I am at death's door), but I can let them play with my kids once in a while, so each day they have had a playdate or someone has come over to entertain them while I rest, which has been a huge help. Even just the offers made me feel better! This is a great church family we have here, not to mention my mom -in -law, who is totally Mary Poppins. We are so fortunate! I am trying to just give into the bedrest, combined with the "Summer Lazies," and the instinct to SIESTA when it's so hot outside, and just let this baby grow and get born safely. Sometimes I wish I could do more and enjoy the summer (like camping in the tent trailer, visiting my sister who just moved here, floating the river, working in the yard, swimming on our little pool, etc...) , but I just keep reminding myself this is the LAST time I ever have to be on maternity bedrest--there will be lots more fun Montana summers! Plus, it's only a few weeks--baby will be here before I know it!

So there you have it. I am using the downtime to make Christmas gifts, since we are having a mostly handmade Christmas this year. Embroidered runners and pillows and ornaments and other fun stuff can be done while "resting," so that has been fun. And then there's the reading, TV, jacuzzi tub, phone calls, and emails to keep me going (hint, hint--drop the ol' invalid a note!), as well as the crazy-cuteness (and busy-ness) of my daughters.

How are the dog days going at YOUR house???

Hotter Than Tucson

Cameron Egan, 13, leaps off the Sacajawea Lagoon bridge with several friends, Sunday, July 16. Livingston Police Officer Dale Johnson gave Egan and others a warning about jumping off the bridge. Johnson said it is illegal to jump off the structure.

It's so hot in Livingston than these poor kids are willing to swim in the slimy lagoon (right next to the sign that says no fishing or jumping from bridge). I heard a rumor that there is some relief in sight...til then, I'll be in the basement!

Quote of the Week

I am so glad I started tivo-ing The Colbert Report because it kills me! Monday night Rich and I laughed out loud, and kept laughing, at this fabulous quote from Stephen Colbert during the "news" part at the beginning of the show:

"Things were looking a little grim last week...but we stayed strong. Sure, we sent over Condi Rice to negotiate, but she's not there for a ceasefire--she's there for a sustainable ceasefire, which, considering the Middle East, is like sending her to bring back Jimmy Hoffa on a unicorn." Oh, soooo funny! I can't stop giggling.

And then there's Colbert's whole "Welcome Jesus" campaign. He's excited that World War III has begun because that means Jesus is coming, so he had some T-shirts made up so you can buy them and be wearing them during the rapture. Seriously, the show is so funny. Last night's banter with the Catholic guy was pretty funny, too.

Coolest Judge Ever

I have a friend whose wife left him for (let's be honest here) someone with more money (who could affford the ridiculously lavish lifestyle she was used to). After she left, his company also went out of business (no fault of his own) and he was pretty much broke. Well, after a few years he remarried and started up a new business with his 2nd wife, and crazy first wife came sniffin' around and decided to file for more child support AND alimony (!?!?--I KNOW--the NERVE!!!).

The judge went over the case and the divorce proceedings and pretty much dismissed the case. He basically said you cannot break up a family, take your child out of state away from her father and then come back and expect to be rewarded for your behavior--YOU chose to divorce, YOU chose to move, and you can suffer the financial consequences. YOU GO, JUDGE!!!

More Heidi-Isms

"Go-Few": Go with you, as in, "Daddy, I gofew in kikicar?"
"Go-Fuss": Go with us, as in, "Addie, you not gofuss!"

How Much God Loves Me

I have noticed an amazing trend in our lives, and I just thought I'd have a little Gratitude Attitude here on the blog for a minute.

A couple of days ago, Rich mentioned that his Aunt & Uncle might be coming to stay the weekend at our house for the spreading of Grandpa Moore's 2-year-old ashes. No problem; the guest room is always ready. But then we thought about how hot it has been and how that room is on the southwest side of the house. We talked about a small window unit air conditioner, but decide with finances the way they are, a fan would have to do. So then today at the office, a customer came in and was chatting with my mother- in -law and somehow mentioned that she was getting rid of an old window unit, so now we have a window unit for $20!

Then there was the time we sold our Outback wagon to mom and dad and traded for the red van, but were sort of looking around for a beater, under $2K, for Rich to drive to work. That same month, an older lady came in to cancel her insurance because she couldn't drive anymore, and asked for help selling her car. Upon further questioning, Rich found out that she had a little Ford Escort with barely-double-digit miles on it and wanted to sell it for MUCH less than $2K. So Merry Christmas to us--nice old lady got rid of her car and our transportation issues were solved in two pleasant transactions.

And just last month we had begun talking about what kind of play area we would like to make for the girls out back. I mentioned that they were still too small for swings and big climbing stuff, but that maybe just a slide and a little pretending place/fort/playhouse might be nice...maybe we could so something with our existing (but useless--built for code) deck. Then a week or so later, while I was in Missouri, a family in our ward dissembled their big playset and called to ask Rich if he could use the slide!! By the time we came home, the girls had their play area (we are still working on the pretending place underneath the deck).

There are several more instances I could probably list, but I like these because it makes our office seem like a storefront for tiny miracles in our lives. God sends people to the Melin Agency to make my life a little bit better. I firmly believe that part of GETTING these kinds of miracles in your life is recognizing them and being grateful for them, so I just wanted to give a little hallelujah here and say thanks. Thanks to God for watching out for us, even in the little details, and to other people for being in the right place at the right time to spread the grace around (that's what it means to be "an instrument in God's hands..."). As Timbuk3 once sang, "Things are goin' great, and they're only gettin' better."

PS: I just thought of a couple more things...
When the Youngs gave us their electric piano
When the Gilmores moved and gave us shelves we use in our shed and a wonderful little freezer for food storage
When I prayed to make new friends with whom I'd have lots in common and then Jen & Melissa moved here and Jen C. passed me a nice note during a meeting!
... I am sure the list will comtinue...

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY...1992

...I got my mission call in the mail! I had gone over to Uncle Matt's house to go swimming, but when I heard Gram & Gramp drive up to the house, I knew the mail had come and they'd brought the letter we had been waiting for! I was called by Ezra Taft Benson to labor in the North Carolina Raleigh Mission, English speaking, and reported to the MTC on October 7, 1992. It was, at the time, the best choice I'd ever made and the best year-and-a-half of my life. I am happy to report things have only improved since then, thanks in part to what I learned and who I became there. WOW! 14 YEARS... A page from my scrapbook...click to enlarge.