...I see from my monthly Ikea e-newsletter that that Ikea-Draper is opening May 23rd and you can start lining up on May 21st and campout in line like a hobo. Awesome! Tell me, Utah amigas, are you or anyone you know going to be camping out? Are you at least having an Ikea party over Memorial Day weekend (to celebrate the fact that in about 4 months, the crowds might die down enough for you to have a pleasant shopping experience)? Share.
Also, I would like to include some stories in our next ward newsletter in answer to this question: What is the most meaningful act of kindness/charity you have ever experienced? You can tell about when you were the giver OR the receiver and I will make the responses anonymous in the newsletter. We just wanted to get some unique service ideas floating around and drive home the point that sometimes the smallest simplest things mean the most. So please, do tell ! (leave a comment or send me an email at jamiemelin at msn dot com).
Happy Friday/ Conference Eve, y'all! Break out the french toast and breakfast casserole, the General Authority Bingo games, and your best comfy conference-watching clothes. May we all be edified and rejoice together!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Love Your Mother
With Earth Day approaching next month, I thought I’d put in my two cents in response to my friend Tom’s post about the environment.
If you read this blog, you know that I am no fan of Albert Gore, Jr. for a lot of reasons—mostly because he is annoying and pompous. And I stated before that I didn’t think his movie deserved an Oscar because it was hella boring. But Tom’s post made me want to take a kinder, gentler approach, lest I seem like an earth-hater.
When I was at BYU about 15 years ago, I frequently read and contributed to the Student Review, and I remember one particular issue about environmentalism based mostly upon the Discourses of Brigham Young and, if I am not mistaken, some insights from Brother Hugh Nibley, who was very much alive and kicking at the time. In a nutshell, I was moved to honor the earth as my father’s creation regardless of political or economic issues.
I have been known to celebrate Eart Day by planting trees, conserve electricity, shop at the Farmer’s Market (for local organic produce free of harmful chemicals), and recycle all manner of things. I admit that I don’t often go out of my way to do these things, but I think it’s a part of my consciousness. And I think being a wise steward is an essential part of being a good Mormon. Reverence should be part of my character if I am striving to be Christlike, and I’m not talking about folding my arms at church. I am talking about recognizing God’s hand in all things and out of respect for Him, showing reverence and love for said things.
I realize that there are a lot of things that need to change in order for us to become our most efficient and responsible. Like Tom, I marvel that we don’t use all the alternative forms of energy available to us. I marvel that The Man makes it so difficult to make them part of daily life. For example, while we were building our house, we attended not one, but TWO sustainability fairs learning about green building and alternative power, among other things. My husband got all excited about wind and solar power, but the initial investment was more that we could hope to come up with, so we’re on the grid, slaves to Northwest Energy…but our house is wired for alternative power, and we even have a spot for a battery bank someday. Same goes for our car. We went into the Honda dealership to buy a Civic Hybrid, but they were so pricey, we ended up buying our minivan instead. I think there a re a lot of people in our shoes, too. The upfront investment in alternative energy and earth friendly products is sometimes over the average American’s head. And sadly, I don’t expect our government to make it any easier for us because no matter who is in power in Washington, tradition and big lobbies are in charge. They make going green very expensive.
And I can sympathize with one aspect of the government’s stance---I don’t know what would happen to our economy if we didn’t use traditional fuels. I mean, how many families would end up unemployed if we didn’t need as many coal mines, oil rigs, refineries, tankers, gas stations, or power companies? I don’t feel as sorry when oil companies post record profits because I am sure it rarely trickles down to the rig worker or the gas truck driver. But I just don’t know how to make the shift without hurting people on an individual family basis.
My personal environmentalism has its parameters, and the boundary for me is not putting the interests of the environment above the interests of human beings. It infuriates me to no end to listen to one of our crunchy-granola locals whine and complain about the war and the blood for oil , and then see them hop into an SUV (and I get more annoyed with that SUV when the driver lives IN TOWN—gimme a break!). You can’t have it both ways. I can respect and environmentalists argument when he or she is LIVING IT and understands the whole picture. I don’t think Al Gore’s home or lifestyle reflects any special reverence for mother earth, and that’s why he gets under my skin. It’s the same reason why I hate Oprah getting up on her moral high horse and asking her viewers to do something about a cause, to send money or make sacrifices when she is the one who has the most to give. I mean—her viewers are usually sitting at home in the middle of the day, which means they are usually not employed and don’t have two dimes to rub together. I’d like to see Oprah match the percentage of income that her viewers donate to certain causes—if I sent in $1,000 this month, which is around 20-something percent of my monthly income, she’d have to put up 20% of HER monthly income. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Put up or shut up, Oprah and Al. They do good things, but they are out of touch.
I think it is morally wrong to drive a gas guzzler unless you live in the country and have 5 kids—THEN you need a four-wheel drive that seats seven. But people have the right to buy and drive them, and when they do, they should stop complaining about the environment and the war. You are contributing to the demise of the earth and the war is being fought, at least in part, to allow you to keep filling up that beast you drive. One of the issues where environmentalists just slay me is oil drilling in Alaska. People, why do you think we bought that freaking wasteland? Of course I value arctic wildlife, but not above the lives of thousands young men who died to keep our government’s fingers in the Middle Eastern oil pie. If our society is not ready to give up its oil, then let’s find ways to support our oil habit with our own supplies. There is no reason our country should be beholden to anyone else. Those caribou can move to Canada; it’s nice there.
I know these remarks are somewhat disconnected, trite, and ignorant of the intricacies of the economy, foreign policy, natural resources, etc. But to be honest, that’s what we are dealing with in this debate. The average Joe isn’t researching issues—he’s basing his opinions on what he is spoon fed by the media and by his peers. I like to think I haven’t been spoon fed, but I do tend to subscribe to three very basic principles:
If you read this blog, you know that I am no fan of Albert Gore, Jr. for a lot of reasons—mostly because he is annoying and pompous. And I stated before that I didn’t think his movie deserved an Oscar because it was hella boring. But Tom’s post made me want to take a kinder, gentler approach, lest I seem like an earth-hater.
When I was at BYU about 15 years ago, I frequently read and contributed to the Student Review, and I remember one particular issue about environmentalism based mostly upon the Discourses of Brigham Young and, if I am not mistaken, some insights from Brother Hugh Nibley, who was very much alive and kicking at the time. In a nutshell, I was moved to honor the earth as my father’s creation regardless of political or economic issues.
I have been known to celebrate Eart Day by planting trees, conserve electricity, shop at the Farmer’s Market (for local organic produce free of harmful chemicals), and recycle all manner of things. I admit that I don’t often go out of my way to do these things, but I think it’s a part of my consciousness. And I think being a wise steward is an essential part of being a good Mormon. Reverence should be part of my character if I am striving to be Christlike, and I’m not talking about folding my arms at church. I am talking about recognizing God’s hand in all things and out of respect for Him, showing reverence and love for said things.
I realize that there are a lot of things that need to change in order for us to become our most efficient and responsible. Like Tom, I marvel that we don’t use all the alternative forms of energy available to us. I marvel that The Man makes it so difficult to make them part of daily life. For example, while we were building our house, we attended not one, but TWO sustainability fairs learning about green building and alternative power, among other things. My husband got all excited about wind and solar power, but the initial investment was more that we could hope to come up with, so we’re on the grid, slaves to Northwest Energy…but our house is wired for alternative power, and we even have a spot for a battery bank someday. Same goes for our car. We went into the Honda dealership to buy a Civic Hybrid, but they were so pricey, we ended up buying our minivan instead. I think there a re a lot of people in our shoes, too. The upfront investment in alternative energy and earth friendly products is sometimes over the average American’s head. And sadly, I don’t expect our government to make it any easier for us because no matter who is in power in Washington, tradition and big lobbies are in charge. They make going green very expensive.
And I can sympathize with one aspect of the government’s stance---I don’t know what would happen to our economy if we didn’t use traditional fuels. I mean, how many families would end up unemployed if we didn’t need as many coal mines, oil rigs, refineries, tankers, gas stations, or power companies? I don’t feel as sorry when oil companies post record profits because I am sure it rarely trickles down to the rig worker or the gas truck driver. But I just don’t know how to make the shift without hurting people on an individual family basis.
My personal environmentalism has its parameters, and the boundary for me is not putting the interests of the environment above the interests of human beings. It infuriates me to no end to listen to one of our crunchy-granola locals whine and complain about the war and the blood for oil , and then see them hop into an SUV (and I get more annoyed with that SUV when the driver lives IN TOWN—gimme a break!). You can’t have it both ways. I can respect and environmentalists argument when he or she is LIVING IT and understands the whole picture. I don’t think Al Gore’s home or lifestyle reflects any special reverence for mother earth, and that’s why he gets under my skin. It’s the same reason why I hate Oprah getting up on her moral high horse and asking her viewers to do something about a cause, to send money or make sacrifices when she is the one who has the most to give. I mean—her viewers are usually sitting at home in the middle of the day, which means they are usually not employed and don’t have two dimes to rub together. I’d like to see Oprah match the percentage of income that her viewers donate to certain causes—if I sent in $1,000 this month, which is around 20-something percent of my monthly income, she’d have to put up 20% of HER monthly income. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Put up or shut up, Oprah and Al. They do good things, but they are out of touch.
I think it is morally wrong to drive a gas guzzler unless you live in the country and have 5 kids—THEN you need a four-wheel drive that seats seven. But people have the right to buy and drive them, and when they do, they should stop complaining about the environment and the war. You are contributing to the demise of the earth and the war is being fought, at least in part, to allow you to keep filling up that beast you drive. One of the issues where environmentalists just slay me is oil drilling in Alaska. People, why do you think we bought that freaking wasteland? Of course I value arctic wildlife, but not above the lives of thousands young men who died to keep our government’s fingers in the Middle Eastern oil pie. If our society is not ready to give up its oil, then let’s find ways to support our oil habit with our own supplies. There is no reason our country should be beholden to anyone else. Those caribou can move to Canada; it’s nice there.
I know these remarks are somewhat disconnected, trite, and ignorant of the intricacies of the economy, foreign policy, natural resources, etc. But to be honest, that’s what we are dealing with in this debate. The average Joe isn’t researching issues—he’s basing his opinions on what he is spoon fed by the media and by his peers. I like to think I haven’t been spoon fed, but I do tend to subscribe to three very basic principles:
(1) Yes, the earth is a gift from God and should be reverenced as such, to the best of our abilities(that included financial abilities).
(2) BUT the environment should not come before human life and livelihood
(3) AND we all know how it’s going to end and we can’t ultimately stop The Burning…I just don’t think we need to add to it.
Simple. Maybe even trite. But that’s where I am coming from. I’d like to do all my consuming on the moral high ground, but as long as we are middle class, trying to raise a family, and tying to live the gospel—doing all of it mostly paycheck to paycheck, I’m gonna have to drive my inexpensive (but really awesome) American minivan, use electricity provided by a less-than-honest or green power company, and shop at Walmart.
I know, I know…how do I live with myself!?
Tell us where you’re coming from, either here or over at Tom’s hapdaddy.
Tell us where you’re coming from, either here or over at Tom’s hapdaddy.
PS: Ladies & Gentlemen, let me introduce my beloved friend, Tom Hapgood. Tom was my sidekick at the end of my college days. He came home from his mission to Rome, already in possession of a BA in photojournalism (talk about awesome mission pix), and I was serving in our single’s ward as Relief Society President. I dated one of his friends for a while then realized that Tom was the coolest guy in all the ward. We never dated, but we were most excellent amigos. He was soon called as Elders Quorum President and we were the Wondertwins of the ward leadership, sharing a love of Seinfeld, hummus, A Wedding Story, and (fatefully) the lovely and talented Miss Adriane Parry. Luckily, Tom got to MARRY Adriane and I was his best man (though I am clearly and ever have been, a woman). Now they live in Arkansas with their three lovely daughters where Tom is a professor of Digital Arts or something like that and Adriane is her sparkly self—music teacher, decorator, mom, silly pants. I miss them tons, can you tell?
Thursday, March 29, 2007
It's the THIRD DAY of GRANDPA...
...and it's his ACTUAL birthday!
Happy 82nd Birthday, Papa Bill!
I had planned on posting a movie of the girls singing Happy Birthday to You, but since your sound isn't working, we'll have to send you a DVD later. At any rate, we hope you have (had) a great day and that you feel all the love from your posterity! (I chose this birthday card because it reminds me of Willie and Ett).Here's how we celebrated your birthday:
7am: Shower, Dress, Breakfast for all 5 family members
8:30am: Daddy & Addie leave for school & work
9:00-10:15am: Mommy, Heidi, & James head to Heidi's pre school
10:30-11:30am: James gets his 6 month check up and immunizations from Dr. O'Hara; Heidi sneaks about 5 Dum-Dum lollipops in the course fo the visit.
12 noon: Special kick-off-of-Spring-Break linch at Addie's school, where the kids have created "The Big Kids Restaurant." They made french bread pizzas and salad for their families and we all had a yummy lunch (Rich came, too).
1-1:30pm: drive over to Bozeman, make a return at Target
2-3:00pm: Meeting at the HRDC office to get ready for Headstart Preschool's federal audit next month
3-3:4opm: pick up a few things at Walmart and meet up with a girl from freecycle.com who was in need of items for baby boy (I gave her clothes, bottles, blankets and a swing)
3:50: picked up (from another freecycler at MSU) a baby's "fish eye" mirror that allows a driving mom to see a rear-facing baby in his carseat
4:30pm: arrived home, checked message, felt relieved that my friend called and said I did not need to lead the Youth Choir for her tonight at the Easter fireside--she could do it, which meant no getting into Sunday dress, throwing dinner on the table, and running up to the church at 6:30: Instead, I got the girls some juice, a bottle for James, and we all went downstaurs and snuggled on my bed unitl Dad got home because we were TIRED!!!!
And I kept snuggling poor immunized James while Dad and the girls ate dinner and weeded the flower beds (still moist from the snow and rain yesterday). A very beautiful, busy day!
Hope yours was even better! Love, Jamie & Gang
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
"On the second Day of Grandpa, My Blogger gave to me..."
...A story about the best Grandpa in the world.
Gramp & Heidi 2004My Grandpa (along with his wife, my Grandma) is probably my best friend in the whole world. He single-handedly saved me (time and again) from succumbing to The Natural Man side of myself (selfish, worldly, self-destructive, judgmental, obsessive, etc...). He also nurtured my talents and interests in small but significant ways. For instance, one time in 1984 we were riding in his car and listening to a tape of Strauss waltzes. I told him I loved this music, and when he dropped me off, he gave me the tape. It was the same for books, maps, sheet music, food... every time I showed an interest, he presented me an opportunity. I have tried to follow that example with my girls so they will pursue their interests and have full and well-rounded lives, and TONS of self-confidence and self-respect.
Another great lesson I learned from my Grandpa through actions, not words, was the Dr. Phil-ism "Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?" Growing up, I had, as my dad put it, an "over-developed sens of justice," meaning things were pretty black-and-white/wrong-or-right on my little world. I could cry "NOT FAIR" and be pretty merciless at times because Being Right was so important to me.
Once I got into a disagreement with my grandma and I knew that I was right. So rather than respecting her and considering her feelings and wishes rather than facts and my own self, I argued with her. Grandpa talked to me about it later, not in a scolding way, but in an adult conversation. He said, "You should have listened to your Grandma and respected her wishes. Not because she was right but because she is your Grandma and because you love her." I felt like a tiny, bratty little ant at that point. I watched my Grandpa and reflected on his past behavior and realized that he lived that principle all the time, and not just with Grandma. The facts are that Grandpa is probably right about stuff 99% of the time, but he goes with the flow and lets people learn things by themselves, gently SHOWING or nudging us in the right direction, but never in a very didactic way...just out of LOVE...love for us and love for God.
I could make a list a mile long of what he has taught me, and back it all up with stories and quotes and scriptures, but right now in my life, this is the lesson that means the most. It helps me in so many relationships. It's a lesson I have to refresh for myself over and over again, but I need look no further than my Papi (Poppy) to remember how to let it all go.
Elrey Family 1975 (that's me and my Pops on the left)Happy Birthday, Grandpa!
I love you!
Love, Jamie
We're Street Legal...
...Rich's Photography yellow page ad came out today and so did the "beta version" (heh heh) of Melin Studio.com (we are trying to figure out html and stuff from scratch--great fun). Check it out (and see if your'e photo is up)!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
The First Day of Grandpa
I've decided to celebrate GRANDPA BILL'S 82nd BIRTHDAY (March 29th) with (a) the card we mailed off yesterday and (b) and THREE-PART blog-a-thon. So, Poppy, here's your first special birthday wish from Heidi...
Heidi Loves You on Vimeo
Heidi Loves You on Vimeo
Monday, March 26, 2007
Pictures of a Monday
Heidi went on a date with Grandma Rosalie this morning and she came home with these daffodils for me...what a great way to start the week!
Tonight, James sat in hs chair and kept me company while I cooked up the stir fry we had for dinner (the girls also helped me make Crab Rangoon wontons like we had the Arakawas last week)
Look at my cutie pie in his highchair!
Here's the yummy dinner I made for mi familia for Family Night
Rich used a power raker to liven up our lawn and then he cleaned up the garage for FHE.
The girls were outside "helping" dad while I made dinner. Do you LOVE Heidi's dirt-n-snot Hitler mustache? That girl...ugh! Nothin' like a little mudpie appetizer.Sunday Night Ballet
Here are Rich and James on Sunday night
Rich always makes that weird face when he's saying CHEESE)
--MY BOYZ--
--MY BOYZ--While the girls were getting ready for bed last night, they wanted to dance along to their music box that plays "Silent Night." It was hysterical.
The Dancers.
The Picture of Grace
Addie jete's
Heidi pirouettes...
The Dancers.
The Picture of Grace
Addie jete's
Heidi pirouettes......and Mommy and Daddy snicker silently and applaud their ballerinas!
Sunday Evening at the Ranch
On Sunday at about 5:30pm, we went out to see how the ranch looked after they removed all the rubble from the barn fire. The kids enjoyed the swing and looking at the river. Addie took lots more pictures and they are posted on her blog.
Addie swinging
Addie with Heidi doing a Run DMC pose
James Ole loved watching the trees in the wind! That wind blew in a rain storm that watered all our grass and flowers over night and gave a fresh and sunny Monday.
Addie swinging
Addie with Heidi doing a Run DMC pose
James Ole loved watching the trees in the wind! That wind blew in a rain storm that watered all our grass and flowers over night and gave a fresh and sunny Monday. Heads Up
Good Monday Morning to you all. I was just doing a quick e-mail check and went off on a tangent researching a comment made on last nights post by Mike Gilmore regarding yet another "historical fiction" movie about the church, this time about the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The movie is called September Dawn and the trailer made me sick with it's crazy portrayal of Brigham Young and scenes that look like temple ordinances. Scary. And lame.
Anyway, here are some links you might want to look at to brush up on your MMM history, because it looks like some poo is gonna hit some fans.
From Nauvoo.com
From a blog with good links
From a FAIR address
For my non-LDS friends, you know me and you know I am not a crazed fanatic, so when you see things like this, please give us the benefit of the doubt. In our culture, anyone devout is seen as a fanatic, which is just sad. You can be a sports fanatic, you can be a celebrity worshipper, you can be a drug addict--all with less disdain in our culture than being committed to your religion.
(PS: but I just want to go on record as saying that from the trailer, the movie looks false and BY looks demonized, and that's just bad news--and there is a big difference between being a violent zealot and a devout Mormon).
Anyway, here are some links you might want to look at to brush up on your MMM history, because it looks like some poo is gonna hit some fans.
From Nauvoo.com
From a blog with good links
From a FAIR address
For my non-LDS friends, you know me and you know I am not a crazed fanatic, so when you see things like this, please give us the benefit of the doubt. In our culture, anyone devout is seen as a fanatic, which is just sad. You can be a sports fanatic, you can be a celebrity worshipper, you can be a drug addict--all with less disdain in our culture than being committed to your religion.
(PS: but I just want to go on record as saying that from the trailer, the movie looks false and BY looks demonized, and that's just bad news--and there is a big difference between being a violent zealot and a devout Mormon).
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