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

A Sad Story

Q: Know what these are?

Yesterday when Heidi went down for a nap, I told Addie I had to finish something on the computer before I could play puzzles with her. So she was dinkin' around and a few minutes later, she came in the office holding these two mega blocks, upside down, each half-full of water.

"Mom," she said with a sniffle, "do you know what these are?" [fake SOB]...

"Ummm...mega blocks with water in them...why are you playing in the water?"

"You're WRONG! These are all the tears I cried because you said it's not puzzle time yet."

A: Tear Vessels

Dear Nana...

You asked for an email, but mom needs to blog, too, so here's your letter! It sure was fun to talk to you today and we're so glad that you made it back to Utah safe! Only one more week til you're back in Missouri! It's been nice having you out west, even if we didn't see you all that much. Here's how we're doing today: This morning Daddy took Addie to school and went to work while Mommy took Heidi and James to our co-op pre-school and then a WIC weigh in. Heidi weighs 38 pounds and is 39 inches tall, and James weighs 19-14 and is 27 inches tall--BIG KIDS!

After WIC, we made our two-week menu and grocery list (so we don't have to do it Saturday) and stopped by the office to see if Daddy wanted to come on his lunch hour.

When we got there, he had just received mommy's cool new Canon camera in the mail, so we took this cute picture with it (it does fun movies, too). He came and helped Mommy and James and Heidi do the grocery shopping for the next 2 weeks (most of it, anyway). Then we picked up Addie and went home. Miraculously, for the first time EVER, all three Melin kids took naps from about 2pm-4pm (probably because they were emotionally drained from the fish funeral we had this morning--Dory, our 14-month-old Beta, bit the dust cuz we neglected her while traveling; but shhhh--the kids just think it's cuz she's old)! Mommy got lots done, including some of Cousin Bill's wedding video, Baby Shower invited for a girl she visit teaches, and some Segullah stuff. Later, when everyone woke up, we read stories and started dinner (that's when we talked to you). Here's Addie reading to James (this was taken while you were on the phone).

And here is a picture of Addie and Heidi playing NICELY (!) in their room! Cute sisters!
And here is a picture of James and his bright eyes

(all blurry because mom forgot to change the camera speed!)

And now we have eaten our spaghetti and salad and we are getting ready for bed. The girls are having a "play bath" with lots of bubbles and mommy is getting ready to watch the "American Idol" she tivoed while she was doing Young Women's New Beginnings last night.
Aren't they silly?! Bubble Monsters! Anyway, Nana, we love you and we wish you lived closer. Life is sweet in Montana and it's sweet being a family! Have good dreams and stay healthy! XOXOXOXOX...Love, The Melins

PS: Just to make you Montana-sick...

But I still love you, Reagan...

My Dad Layton sent me this quiz, on which I scored a 29. That places me somewhere on their conservative scale between Jack Kemp and Bush I. I can live with that.

What was YOUR score?

On This Date in History...

...just last year, "Little Sam" Post was born to my brother Matt & his wife, Amie. Happy First Birthday, Sammy!
(that's Sam with his Daddy on leave last month--1/19/07)

The coolest thing about Sam's birthday is that he shares it with his Grandpa...

Papa Post!

(that's Grandpa with Heidi in 2004)

Feliz Cumpleanos, Dad!

Click On Over...

Grandma Muriel and Aunt Maxine in 1940

...to Framanisco to read about the life and times of my darling Grandma Layton.

Belated Valentine

Overheard at my house the day after Rich explained to Addie who Cupid is and why he's on Valentines.

Addie (to Cousin Danny) : That's Cupid.

Danny: Why?

Addie: He shoots people in the heart. Know what? My dad went to a party a long time ago when he was a little boy and he saw my mom there and Cupid shot him and he fell!

Danny: Where did he fall?

Addie: In love with my mom!
***

In honor of Valentines Day, I present to you the best kiss from my favorite, most hilarious and romantic movie EVER (even as I fear that I am casting my pearls before swine, so to speak). I have the soundtrack and when I listen to it on rainy Sundays, I can almost smell Florence ("Inhale! A truly Florentine smell..."). Oh, George...what you did to my teenage heart! And then I happily married your opposite! Happy Valentine's Day from me, my dear husband, Lucy Honeychurch and George Emerson. Enjoy your sweetheart today! (A Room With A View, 1986)