Miscellaneous

Thing One: Last night, we had dinner with the Arakawa family in our ward. The dad, Clay, is from Hawaii and is a chef at the Marlboro Ranch just northeast of town; Megan-the-mom is super-cool, half Navajo, grew up in Provo and met Clay at the Western Culinary Institute. She now works for the PD here and they have two totally cute kids--Breana (Ad's age) and T.J. (Heidi's age). They also have a dog named Heidi, which was funny. Megan is (of course) an awesome cook. She made Kahlua Pork with Cabbage, stir fry veggies, rice, Crab Rangoon for appetizers, and for dessert and chocolate and coconut cream pie. Puh-leez, people--it was like eating at the best Hawaiian place! The food and the company were excellent! We hope to get together lots this summer. PS: Megan (who used to be Megan Mecham) knows the lovely and talented Bush sisters, one of whom is now "My Brilliant Becca" Buchert linked over on the right.

Thing Two: Hey, mom, remember when we went out to the ranch while you were here and we found this weird little corner desk (it was white and gross)? Look what I did with it (well, Rich did the work--I just had the vision). The living room is getting quite cozy these days! Thing Three: The two things I gamble on in March are NCAA basketball (gotta root for my Wildcats & Blue Devils, even when they suck) and American Idol, and both things are kind of freaking me out this year. You probably know that my b-ball teams didn't even make it to the Sweet 16. And now Idol--last year, it seemed like the only really shocking thing was Chris getting voted off (and look who's got the last laugh AND the number one rock album now!). Now every week I am pretty surprised by the results. Who the heck is voting this year? I mean, I love me some Mowgli/Sanjaya as much as the next gal, but he's not that great of a performer. On the other hand, I love Blake and Gina! Totally marketable, and Blake did an awesome version of my favorite 60's song this week (The Time of the Season--such a great song!). I might add that tivo (fast forward) is THE ONLY way to watch Idol.

Thing Four: Happy Spring to one and all! I am so glad the groundhog saw his shadow this year, because I really needed these two weeks of sunshine! I know the snow will probably come back, but this interlude has been a sweet way to usher in the season. I'm just sayin' my tulips better not freeze!

I've got more stuff, but I gotta save it for tomorrow. I'm Tard. It's almost my blog's fourth birthday...how should we celebrate??

If Heidi Lives to See Three...

Dear Heidi,

I wanted to congratulate you on winning The Battle of the Wills, round 2, 338. You have once again shown me who’s boss around here, as far as eating and peeing go. I also wanted to thank you for peeing about a gallon on the floor at the same exact time on both Monday and Tuesday this week (our two fruitless Potty-Immersion days)—now at least I know I can sit you on the potty at 10:20am each day and something might happen. I also wanted to say kudos on being able to withhold ALL of your business ALL day (except for said accidents) until we put the pull-ups on you at bedtime. Now I know that you do indeed have bladder control and you’re just not using it to spite me. I can handle that. But just remember—you have to use the potty if you want to go to Addie’s cool school next year. So don’t’ come cryin’ to me when you get kicked out of preschool for being obstinate about using the toilet.

Love, Mom

PS: I forgot to tell you thanks for freshening up the nursery room carpet with baby powder today while you were supposedly napping. Now everything smells baby-fresh—even the vacuum! And how fun for you, all buck-naked and powder-white, to get to take a bath in the middle of the afternoon! I kept a straight face and made you feel really sorry, but I was DYING inside because you looked so funny and I had to snap this picture for Daddy because I told him over the phone that you looked like E.T. when he was dying. You are the answer to every prayer I ever said for patience, my dear, and I love you even through my gritting teeth!

Deep Thoughts

I've posted some deep thoughts over on Framanisco. Have a gander and leave a comment.

And just so you're not too disappointed, here are a few Jack Handey classics (my MTC teacher used to read us a "Deep Thought" each night after class...it was fun back in 1992):

I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.

If you're robbing a bank and you're pants fall down, I think it's okay to laugh and to let the hostages laugh too, because, come on, life is funny.

Sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. No, wait, not me, you.

When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if they ever press charges.

Too bad you can't buy a voodoo globe so that you could make the earth spin real fast and freak everybody out.

And this last one is dedicated to my pal, Al Gore, in honor of this month's Outside Magazine "Green Edition..."

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.

Announcing...

Addie's New Photo Blog! One of Addie's goals for 2007 was to take more pictures and share them on a blog like mom, so tonight, we started it up! Take a look and leave her a comment. There are TONS more pix to come!

Feliz Cumpleanos, Amiga.

Happy Sabbath to all of you... ...and a very Happy Birthday to my

Crafty Friend, Jennifer!

Have a great day, Jen!

Also, thanks to Sam for calling us from the FM show last night. Your message was garbled but we could tell what it was! FUN! Instead of Darby O'Gill (which we will watch tonight), after dinner last night, my cute Father-in-law treated us all to Shamrock shakes and we all drove together in the the van down to the ranch and took one to Grandma Vivian. We also got to see the new shower that he and Mike built in her bathroom (she used to have a big tub, which she can't use now; the shower is totally handicap-accessible and beautiful). It was a fun St. Paddy's and a really nice Sabbath day, too. I can't believe how beautiful the weather has been. It's never been this nice and warm and sunny (70 degrees!?!?!) in my 4 previous Montana springs. I'm hoping if I express my gratitude, it will continue (with a little rain, please) but not bring a hundred-degree summer with it. :) How was YOUR weekend?

A St. Paddy's Gift for YOU

Erin Go Bragh

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Melin Kids wish you a fun St. Paddy's

Love From Addie, Heidi, & James

Addie's wearing a Floggin' Molly T-shirt!
Heidi says, "Erin Go Bragh!"
And Bubby's shirt says, "Rub My Belly for Good Luck!"

Have a fun day and get in touch with your Celtic roots. We're celebrating by having a corned beef an cabbage dinner wiht the in-laws and watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People (since Flogging Molly is playing Phoenix this St. Patrick's Day--Sambo & Special K are going and we're GREEN with envy). And now I am off to Super Saturday!

Overkill

Men at Work were really popular when I was in sixth grade. My dance class did a dance to "Land Down Under," and we all loved "Who Can it Be Now." But my favorite Men at Work song was "Overkill." One night, it even made me cry.

That was the year I first noticed that I had a severe anxiety problem. The year I developed an ulcer. The year I started keeping a notebook on the nightstand to try to quiet the thoughts that raced and kept me awake at night (those of you who know me as a "list person" now know where that stems from--making a list is sometimes the only way to quiet my brain and get some sleep). It made for some award-winning poetry, but it also made for a painful adolescence (don't get me wrong--my social life in junior high and high school was almost idyllic, in a John Hughes sort of way--just the right mix of heart and humor and silliness and melodrama--it's just that there was a lot of worry, a bunch of rattly old skeletons in the closet needing attention).

So anyway, when I finally listened closely to the lyrics of "Overkill" one night (undoubtedly on KRQ), I felt what the singer felt and it became somewhat of an anthem for me. And you can imagine the joy (and twinge of pain) I felt when Colin Hay appeared on an episode of Scrubs singing said song. It was an episode about being totally overwhelmed as an intern, and I thought it was perfect. Here, you watch it see if you feel the same way:




So I was just thinking about all this stuff, and I want to articulate it better later, but I was just thinking about how everyone has their own "stuff"--their own anxieties, weaknesses, mental illnesses, addictions--even the people who always seem like they have it together. And how crazy is it that we (whose problems are obvious) always look at them (whose problems are hidden) and think it would be nice to trade loads.

I have noticed a subtle shift in my thinking over the past year (again, something I will elaborate on later), in that I have recognized that (a) everybody's got a row to hoe, so to speak, a load to bear, a trial to endure, whatever; and (b) MY load is tailor made for me. I mean, it's hard sometimes and all that, but I have learned from trying to fulfill my baptismal covenants, by trying to bear one anothers' burdens. I have learned that my load is just right. A seemingly lighter load wouldn't make me "perfect, even as [my] Father in Heaven is perfect," and a heavier one would crush me. So in many ways I have been able to put my blinders on and deal with what's on my plate, and do it a little more graciously. And at the same time, I have been able to reach outside myself a little more because I have finally recognized that all of us, even the ones who seem like they don't, need to share our load once in a while.

I can't get to sleep

I think about the implications

Of diving in too deep

And possibly the complications

Especially at night

I worry over situations

I know I'll be alright

Perhaps it's just imagination

Day after day it reappears

Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear

Ghosts appear and fade away

On Strike

This is my lonely workstation in my home office, where the Livingston Ward Liahona is created and Life in a Northern Town is maintained... This is me telling you:

"I refuse to post anymore until I get some comments."

It's like talking to a wall....and I even took off word verification, folks...come on.

(Okay...I WILL post just one more funny little thing...this photo of my girls on the carousel last Saturday, in which Addie seems to have gone mad and Heidi is saying "Heil Mommy!")

PS: Last night, we happened upon a Documentary Channel presentation of "Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator" which features girls I went to high school with but didn't know, one of whom was killed by Gator Rogowski, the skater probably most famous for his appearance (with his Tucson girlfriend, Brandi) in Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'"video. It was a fun little walk down memory lane (well, not the Gator-becoming-a-murderer part) to hot days on the half pipe and cool nights on the Bank banks on the west side, when Tony Hawk weighed about 101 pounds and starred in a Mountain Dew commercial with Lance Mountain, Itchy Foot Moe's, Willy's Pocatello Mall half ramps and that one poser dude in the hills who had a lighted half pipe in his back yard...what a funny little subculture....

On This Date in History...

1978: My cute sister, Dana Lynn was born (that's her with her daughter, Leanne)

Happy Birthday, Naner...I miss you!

and...

1983: My darling sister-in-law Kristen was born. (Sorry I keep using wedding pix of you, Kristen, but I LOVE this one!)

Happy Birthday, Kristen!

PS: Here is a fun place to meet some Crazy Fun LDS bloggers.