Friday, February 27, 2009

Angel Mother


My mom in law, Wanee had her birthday party on Saturday, and it was shared with her twin sister Wanda. It's always great to get together with Wanda's family. Wanda and Wanee-- they are quite the pair. When they are together there is always laughter-- giggly laughter.

Whenever I go to the temple with Wanee, and sit by her, there is laughter too. We can't seem to get through a session together without giggling about something. A stomach growling, a sleepy nod, not getting dressed right...something will set us off.

I love Wanee so much. She is the perfect mom in law....I can't tell any bad mother in law jokes-- because she is so great. She has always let us ( me and Wayne) do our thing and never interfered. She lets us know what is going on, then we choose. No pressure , only love and kindness.

She was our number one baby sitter with Addison and Laila, every other day, while I taught school. Wanee was so willing to do this. I always felt so blessed that my babies were with her
and Grandpa Tom.

Wanee is a fabulous seamstress. She can look at a pattern and make sense out of it. She made baby quilts for all of mine and all of the grand kids and great grand kids. She can fix a tear in jeans or sew a torn pocket. She can make a costume or a baptism dress. She really knows her way with a needle and thread. She is great at all handi crafts.

Wanee is an empathetic listener. She has had her own set of challenges: health issues, tight finances, struggling children. She has 9 kids-- all wonderful. Her last born is Holly-- born with Down Syndrome. Holly and Wanee gave us a picture of the two of them for Christmas...it is just darling. Holly is Wanee's buddy now that Tom has passed away. Wanee also lives with her 40 year old schizophrenic son and she raised her grand daughter, Lindsey, from 2 years old to 18. She is an amazing example of unconditional love and patience.

If I could grow up to be just a little bit like her, that would be enough. I would be enough.

I'm grateful I get to count her as my mom and that I get to have her love me.
Happy Birthday Wanee....... and Wanda.

"Wanda and Wanee" I always hear it announced as some sort of circus high-wire act.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Thankful Thursday


1. I'm thankful for my Sister Angela. She is the baby in our family. She celebrated a birthday yesterday. Angela is a great mother, teacher and friend. Angela is such a hard worker. She gets up early, every morning, to make it to her high school teaching job. She is a drama teacher, which is fun and exhausting all at the same time. I know. I used to be one. She is very good at this. She is creative and has a lot of patience. Angela is also a great mother to her son, Preston- and her 3 step sons. This is a challenge all by itself, but one she embraces. Angela is a great friend to me. She is always there when I need her, and she is positive and fun to be with. I'm glad she's my sister.

2. I'm thankful for grass in my front yard instead of snow.

3. I'm thankful for Louise Epperson. She is an older lady in my neighborhood that passed away this week. She was always loving, funny, artistic, and so sweet to me. I will miss her, but I know she has just moved to another place. I'll see her soon. Louise would always pipe up in church with the most random comments. I loved it. She made me laugh, and many times, gave me new perspective on things. Yeah for Louise. "On your knees or on your feet, but never, never on you seat." That's her advice on how to pray.

4. I'm thankful for flowers on my kitchen counter.

5. I'm thankful I get to do my show tonight.

6. I'm thankful.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Books by Laila

Laila is a budding author.
She brought home two books that she wrote and illustrated in school. I want to share them. I wish you could see the funny drawings--and her creative, phonetic spelling, but the words are also good.

ME - written by Laila
I love myself.
My favorite color is pink, it is a pretty color.
I sleep in my own bed. Some people do not sleep in their own bed.
My favorite food is beef jerky.
I like me, no I love me, no I like me, no I love me.
So do my friends
And my mom and Dad.
The End.

I think she has pretty good self esteem going on , and I like it, no I love it, no I like it.....

The next book is about me-- her mom.

My MOM- written by Laila
My mom is funny.
My mom is silly.
My mom is married to my dad.
My mom's favorite dessert is cake. She loves it and she loves my dad too.
My mom smiles all day.
She is beautiful to me and my dad thinks so too.
I love my mom as much as I can,
and my dad does too.
The end.

How is that for a great big boost in my self esteem?
It was a great day yesterday when she came home from school and was so excited to share these books. Laila read them out loud, over and over again.
What a sweetie.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Opening Night

Opening Night was fabulous!
I loved every minute of it.
I loved being back on stage after almost 5 years.
I loved the audience feedback-- the applause.
I loved getting in costume and makeup.
I loved singing my guts out.
I loved being a diva character on stage.
I loved the Good Luck flowers my Wayne gave me.
I loved chatting back stage with all of the other actors.
I loved the after show get together.
I even loved my wig headache.

It's so much fun for me.

My family and some friends came to support me on opening. They were all so sweet and appropriately admiring. One said, "Thoroughly Modern Millie should be renamed, Thoroughly Modern Muzzy!" (The part I play is Muzzy.)

I realize there are sacrifices made when I'm in a show. My family has to step up at dinner time and helping with Laila. I miss out on some other really good things too: Baby showers, Enrichment nights, kids concerts, American Idol, ball games. But it feels good to be doing something for me; something that's so much a part of who I am.

Here is the good news in relationship to my BLOG-- I didn't think about my chub one time while on stage or getting ready or after.

I'm good enough....Heck I'm great!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

When pigs fly....


A first happened yesterday!
Did anyone notice a crack in the universe?
Did anyone see a pig fly?
or
was it a cold day in...... "H"?

I actually went to a Movie at the Gateway and DID NOT order a drink or a bucket of popcorn. I was with my Wayne and he even gave me a 20 to go get some.....but I resisted and so did he.
Yeah for Me!
and... I didn't come home after the theatre and pig out on food in my kitchen....wow
I know this doesn't seem like a very big deal to most people... but it's huge for me.
Maybe I do have a modicum of self control after all.
Atleast I did on a Friday night in 2009.
It may be one for the record books.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Welch Weirdness

I started thinking about this family that Wayne and I have created and it's kind of weird. For a Welch, weird is a compliment. "Anyone can be normal," I tell my kids.
This is my first installment to prove my point.

I teach my kids to sign my name. I want them to make sure my signature looks authentic. I don't like signing all of the school papers and miscellaneous stuff that come my way. The boys sign them. It's lovely. We actually have had practice time, ( Family night?) where I give them pointers on how to make my signature look good. Good times. I look at this as an exercise in trust.

We love our Maltese dog. Her name is "Baby Girl." We call her "Baby"-- but mostly, the boys call her "Kitty." She actually meows like a cat. She sleeps on the top of the couch cushion, just like a cat.. stretches like a cat .... and we have trained her to go potty in a litter box--- ( do I need to say it again?) Our Maltese is very Cat-like....

We name our cars...
Currently we have a blue Prius named "Master P"-- I opted for" Miss Peacock" but the boys quickly vetoed that. Even though I kept trying to call her "Miss Peacock", the name that ultimately stuck was "Master P!"

We have our 12 year old blue Dodge truck. It's name is "the Truck"-- not very original. We keep trying for other names like ol' blue.... but nothing takes, just "the Truck".

Addison has a red Toyota Corolla. It's name is "Pam" in honor of the red car that Jim on the TV show , The Office drives. Jim loves Pam hence the car is named Pam.

Landon drives a taupe colored Honda...it's name is "Honey"....appropriately

We also have a big red Expedition that we named "Gunther." This is the car that sports my UMOZ license plate. Lucky Car!

I'm not really good with knowing types and makes of cars. I know colors of cars and I can differentiate between cars, vans, and trucks, but that's about it.

We don't have bed times in our house. This works okay for the older boys. It doesn't work so well with a 7 year old. Laila can sleep just about any where. She tells everyone her bedtime is 11:00. I just laugh and correct her, "No it's not..." I don't want people to think I'm a "bad " mother, but basically her bedtime is when ours is. Our house is always up and our lights are always on.
It drives Wayne and me a little nuts....especially years ago when we wanted everyone asleep before "you know what." Now we just lock the door and don't care.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Thankful Thursday

I'm taking today's cue from some blogger friends. Every Thursday is a day to list life's blessings.
Here Goes:

1. I'm thankful I'm back on stage in a show. It was been a long time for me. I have enjoyed every bit of it. I love the friendships, the laughs, the mistakes, the music, the costumes, the makeup and the long hours. I love how Laila loves that I am in a show. She is so proud of me.

2. I'm thankful for the snow. I don't have to shovel. My boys and my Wayne take care of that. I do have to sit inside and look at it and admire our beautiful world. Laila calls the snow on the trees-- Heavenly Father's Decorations.

3. I'm thankful for computers. I am doing my best to embrace technology and make it a part of my world. I actually love being connected and sharing my thoughts with my blogger friends.

4. I'm thankful the painting in the living room is finally done and it finally looks good. It's amazing what a difference it made to paint out all of my dark wood trim and base boards to a creamy white. Now on to the rest of the house.

5. I'm thankful I have a body to move and exercise with...even though I don't love it, and I'm sore and extremely tired.......

6. I'm thankful for my online teacher job. I get to work from home and be in charge of my own schedule. I"m off to state testing in SLC today....but I get to go with a teacher friend who I love.

Well...that's all I got for today.
I think I'll make Thankful Thursday a new tradition on my blog.
SMILE

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Confessions of a Food Addict

I am Melinda Welch and I am a food-aholic!
There I've said it...must I say it again?

I went to Marie Callendars -- Wayne was out of town-- and got a rhubarb pie that I ate all by myself....well Addison did sneak one piece--but basically it was all mine.

I ate a full bucket of popcorn, by myself, at the movies the other day-- got refills, so I could share some, and then ate that too when I got home.

I constantly eat hand fulls of semi sweet chocolate chips. I have worked my way through a 10 pound bag.

HELP ME!!!!

Disappointed with ME

I've disappointed myself again.
You would think I could get my act together and lose weight for the past 8 weeks. That's how long I've known I have a show coming up.
I started exercising in earnest. I even wake up at 5:30 atleast 3 days a week to make sure I fit the gym in.
I ate "good" for 3 weeks.
But.........
I sat in the theatre last night and watched the other Muzzy on stage, (Muzzy is the part I'm playing) and came to the realization that I'm the chubby one.
It hurt.
I don't know why I didn't see it before....I'm good at living in denial.
I just thought I could get on board the diet train and lose one or two pounds a week and be 15 pounds lighter by opening night.
Didn't happen.
Is not happening.
Why do I care?
I'm so vain..... I know I think that song is about me.
We have to share costumes, and what are loose on her are tight and revealing on me.....AARGH!
What to do?
Every morning I wake up with great resolve and by 10:00am..... I have a chocolate or other sweetie in my mouth
Even as I am crying writing this, I'm munching on Laila's valentine candy.
What is wrong with me?

One day I will start keeping the promises I keep making to myself.
One day seems very far away right now.

I'm going to stop beating up on myself and just move forward.
If you come to see me in the show....just tell me how great I look.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Life is Too Short

Life is Too Short!
Break the Rules,
Forgive Quickly,
Kiss Slowly,
Love Truly,
Laugh Uncontrollably,
And Never Regret
Anything
That Made You SMILE.
Life May Not
Be The Party
We Hoped For,
But While We're Here,
We Should
Dance....

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Love Fest 2009


The day after Valentine's and all through the house,
We are on a sugar high and I love my spouse.
We had a great weekend, even though it was snowy
We spent many hours in the car, wading through the ice and wind-blowy!

( You try and rhyme something with snowy....it's difficult)

Our Valentine weekend was good.
Wayne surprised Laila and I with amazing roses and assorted flowers. He asked us to officially be his Valentine and we accepted. He's so sweet and romantic. Then....
We headed to the Aspen Grove/BYU center on Friday after noon for the marriage seminar and it was crazy. We had to race out get out of town. Forgot money, forgot to leave stuff for the kids, forgot Wayne's computer at his work....we went back and forth a couple of times and finally left at 5:00.
We missed Monson's last home basketball game....and he played like a "bansheee" according to my sister and dad. We got play by plays over text messaging.
We checked in to the center and got to eat dinner with 100 strangers. Whatevs. It was okay to extend our selves and get out of our comfort zones and meet people...but a bit awkward too.
The Buffet plates were all little dessert plates. We had a lot to eat if we wanted to go back and get in line, time and again to fill your little plate. IT was odd. I'm sure the buffet people have learned that a small plate equals portion control automatically. Wayne and I went through 8 or 9 plates each. We aren't shy.
The food was good-- the prime rib-- juicy
The Seminar was.......... dry.
I had such a hard time staying awake. I started doing the lines from my upcoming show in my head to keep me from falling asleep and embarrassing my Wayne. Wayne dutifully took notes.
I was so happy when the "talking" portion of the evening was over and we could escape back to our room. We didn't do talking in our room....we did something else.........
It was a lovely evening.
Aspen Grove is up Provo Canyon, and then up the Alpine Loop-- it was very snowy.
The snow started as we got to Aspen Grove and didn't stop--by morning we easily had a foot of snow on our car. We sat in a big-windowed lodge and looked out to the scenery. It felt like we were in a giant snow globe.
We took our Prius (Master P) because Addison needed the Expedition(Gunther) to make it to Idaho. Master P is not so great in the snow and was a huge mistake.
After breakfast--( big plates this time), we met new friendly strangers, and had another workshop with the same boring speaker. We packed our bags and decided to leave a lot earlier than previously intended....not because of the boring/analytical speaker...no that wasn't it AT ALL....we left because the snow was piling up outside.

We had to dig Master P out and try our best to go the 4.6 miles down the hill to finally find a plowed road. It took us an hour to go that far. We had the river on one side, snow banks on the other, and ice in the middle. It was a wild ride. Just like our marriage!

We made it home just in time for me to go to my tech rehearsal for MILLIE-- I said Goodbye to Wayne and hello to a dark theatre.

On Valentines night we had a friend party with a lovely dinner and games and a lot of laughing. It was fun. Finally.
Wayne and I hit the sack around 10:30, totally exhausted. ( No ....and something else.... this night.) I did wake myself up around midnight to dutifully yell at the boys to "turn the DVD off and go to sleep. " I was just sharing the love.
And .... that's my Valentine's report.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

It's coming.....

Valentine's day.
I love this love day.

We had the Valentine's concert at BHS to kick this love week off. It's a fun night with the show choirs and some soloists and duets etc. ... I loved watching Truman sing and fake-flirt with his Chamber partner. This same partner sang a solo-- "Taylor the Latte boy"-- It was very cute. Her boyfriend came on stage and presented her with a dozen roses and a hug. I totally teared up and cried over this. I was weepy.
I am a hopeless romantic.
I am also a hopeful romantic.
This year Wayne and I are off to a stay over at the BYU marriage retreat in Aspen Grove. I'm really looking forward to this. The food should be good, the workshop/lecture should be funny even with a roomful of strangers, and being with my Wayne is always wonderful.
Wayne is a great husband.
He is a snuggle bug in bed. I love having him warm me up when I get in the sheets at night.
He is a wonderful masseuse and very caring.
He really adores me and I send this adoration right back at him.
Wayne has always given me very thoughtful gifts, cards, notes, poems and flowers.
Examples:
He's given me a treasure chest filled with 100 pennies. On each penny he had a sticker with writing on it. They each had a reason why he loved me. My elbows, my wit and smile-- to name a few. He is a sweetheart. He included the scripture about"Where your treasure is , there is your heart also." and just really made my day.

Wayne knows I love jewelry. He has given me rings or bracelets, earrings or necklaces on all of the major anniversaries, and minor holidays as well. He knows I will wear all of this jewelry too. I wear rings on all of my fingers, except one, every day....I look like a pirate.

Wayne gave me a little cork topped bottle filled with pink sand. In the cork he stuck a pin that had a single grain of sand glued on it. He wrote a poem that talked about our love being as expansive as all of the sand in the sea. It was beautiful.

He wrote a poem that went with a picture of a Lady knighting a Knight. I think it 's a famous painting called , "the Ascension." ( I could be wrong) The poem talked about my children being born to me-- a noble woman-- and I was to raise them up, and they were to look to me as royalty - their "Earthly Queen."
How sweet is that?
I feel a tear coming on.
Really.
Okay.... I cry easily.

I am helping Laila with her Valentine's and the obligatory grade school Valentine box. I have fond memories of a robot I made in 5th grade of shiny foil and heart pieces as my Valentine box. Laila's box is foiled, feathered and she is putting foamy conversation hearts all over it. She is totally avoiding the conversation hearts that say "Hugs" or "Kiss me" or "love you" because she "doesn't want the boys in her class to get the wrong idea." I'm getting a kick out of the hearts that say "text me."
Who knew?
She is giving out Barbie or Hannah Montana cards this year.
"The boys will hate them, but they'll like the starbursts."
She has reasoned this entire thing out.

One of my favorite parts about this holiday is my sister Marcie's fabulous dipped-chocolate sugar cookies. MMMM Hint Hint

Ahhhh, Valentine's day.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Service Club

I ran away to the afternoon movie today. I have a to-do list a mile long, but I'm really good at tossing the "to-do's" and doing my "want-to's" instead.
A bunch of us went and saw He's just not that into you. I just wasn't that into this movie-- so no review from me.
But.
While there, I was reminiscing about another run-away-to-a-matinee day.
The movie was "Fever Pitch" with Drew Barrymore.
This was a "Service club" day--- we give service to each other by supporting our need to get away and see a movie and eat gobs of popcorn.
Service is the best!
The group, I was with, was running late--as usual. (Evidently service does not run on a schedule.)
This was before assigned seats-- so part of the group went in to get seats and the rest stood in line for treats.
I was in charge of getting the meal deal of a huge popcorn and 2 gigantic drinks. I put it in one of those nifty carriers to get into the dark theatre.
The theatre was packed.
It was disconcerting.
Why were all of these people here? Come to find out a company had bought out most of the seats as a spiff for their people-- There were a lot of business men and women there sitting in suits.
We had our seats almost at the back row of the Gateway in SLC.
It was hard to see-- the previews were almost over.
Truth be known-- previews are one of my favorite parts about going to a movie. I was trying to watch the end of the preview as I was balancing the tray and finding my peeps and my seat.
It was a struggle.
As I found the crowded row-- I had to step over a number of people to get to my "assigned" seat. My foot got caught in something, or I lost my balance, I can't remember, but -- I lunged forward, the popcorn began to spill. Laura went to grab the drinks from the tray and stop them from falling. She succeeded but she squeezed them so hard the lids popped off and half of the pop spilled. At the same time I adjusted the tray and the popcorn flew off and exploded all over the backs and the laps of the row in front of us. The drinks missed most people and wound up all over our feet, purses and on some jackets.
I started laughing. What else could I do.
Laura started laughing.
We actually laughed through the entire movie and not because it was funny.
Oh my goodness-- even now I'm laughing just thinking about this huge mess we made. People screamed, jumped up, it was mayhem.
The movie was starting and I had a dilemma-- I had spilled my popcorn all over everyone-- my feet were wet and sticky but I was hungry. What good is a movie with out popcorn?
I excused and pardoned me back out of the theatre, ran to the snack bar and tried this trick all over again.
This time I had success, although, I think I heard an audible gasp when I reentered the theatre.

Ahhhh, Good times.

I love matinee movies. Even a bad movie is better than cleaning my house, I always say.
I love popcorn and I love service.

Joy of Flowers


I have had a bouquet of flowers on my kitchen table for almost two weeks now. I love it. There is something about seeing them and being reminded of nature and the spring/summer yet to come, while it's snowy and cold outside.

I love getting flowers from my Wayne too. He is really good at this....he brings them home for celebrations and just because.

FLOWERS are WONDERFUL!!

I found this piece on the internet and found it so enlightening. I just wanted to share it. Maybe I'll even pick up those Costco flower bunches more often.

“The morning blahs, it turns out, is a real phenomenon, with positive moods – happiness, friendliness and warmth, for example – manifesting much later in the day,”

That's what lead researcher Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D. from Harvard University has found to be true. She went on to say,

“Interestingly, when we placed a small bouquet of flowers into their morning routines, people perked up.”

Dr. Etcoff is referencing the fact that participants in the study responded to the flowers, which had been placed in rooms they frequented in the morning. Overall, the participants reported they liked to look at the blooms first thing in the morning, particularly in the Kitchen.

The final study results demonstrate that flowers impact people emotionally at home, causing them to feel less anxious and more compassionate. They even reported a boost of energy that lasted through their day.

“What I find interesting is that by starting the day in a more positive mood, you are likely to transfer those happier feelings to others – it’s what is called mood contagion,” says Etcoff. “And, the kitchen is the place where families tend to gather in the morning – imagine how big a difference a better morning mood can make.”

New York City floral and garden designer Rebecca Cole, (I also have a niece named this-- but this is not her-- I just thought I would clarify) host of Discovery Channel’s Surprise by Design, is not surprised by these findings.

“I grew up with a kitchen often decorated with flowers,” says Cole. “My family knew instinctively that flowers brought joy to the people who came in contact with them – and now there is scientific proof."

Flowers are a great pick me up when we still have winter all around us. More snow all this week--blast that ground hog!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Too Tired

Man I'm tired.

I think it's the getting up at 5:30 to exercise and the going to bed late routine that I'm in.
I sat in the movie with Laila the other night, and fell asleep over and over again as I tried to watch Madagascar 2. What I saw of it I really enjoyed. Very funny. I hope to see it again one day, when I'm more awake.

I was at the temple last week doing Sealings and I could not make it through. Just walking into the Temple makes me sleepy. It's so peaceful. I totally had the snaps, naps and gaps going. It was difficult. I was shaking my leg, pinching my arm, rubbing my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Finally I stood up on the edge of the room, so I wouldn't be such a sleepy embarrassment to Wayne.

I remember being at a fireside on a Sunday night when I was in the Young Women's Presidency-- this was years ago. I was sooooooo tired.
The speaker was talking about surviving a bear attack while running in Yellow Stone. It was riveting. It was riveting to everyone except me. I was too tired.
I was seated on the front row of the chapel, being a good YW leader example. As the speaker began I could feel myself nodding off. I couldn't keep my eyes open. Why were my eyes closed? They were so heavy. It felt like hypnosis..
"The bear"......you are going deeper....
"running through the trees"......you can't open your eyes......
" I was being attacked!"....... You are falling on the floor!
WHAT?
I was falling on the floor.
I fell on the floor!!!!
I did a nose plant and woke myself up-- luckily. It would be bad if I was still curled up under the front pew.
It was all very Mr. Bean-like.
You see people in cartoons or in bad sit-coms who fall asleep and fall onto the floor...but that doesn't happen in real life, right?
It happens in my real life.

Church and sleep just seem to go together.

While Wayne was in the Bishopric, we had a "deal" with all those on the stand. Whoever fell asleep first-- while on the stand, owed the other members and their wives a dinner! We never got a dinner-- I was suspicious of G-rant a couple of times, but he says he "was just resting his eyes."

I would finish these thoughts on sleep....
....but You guessed it, I'm going to bed.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Failed ordering

I've been out of town for the past four days.
I like getting away from my regular routine and I like not cooking.
Oh, wait...strike that previous comment, I don't cook anyway....let's just say...I like getting away.

I'm really bad at ordering at restaurants lately.
I can't get it right.
As I peruse the menu everything sounds so yummy...then when the waiter finally shows up, I go from ordering a BLT croissant to a tasteless weight watchers something, or an uninspiring salad for the umpteenth time.

The problem is, I'm not satisfied. I sit in my pity- food- party while people all around me are moaning over their food choices. "Yummy!" "This is so good!"
When I get home I just need that something.....sweet? salty? savory? Something.
I get out the Captain Crunch and continue my love affair with him, or feed my face fistfuls of chocolate chips, trying to get that satisfied feeling.

Finally after three days of failed restaurant experiences, I had had enough. At 8:00 at night I flew into an In and Out Burger and ordered a hamburger, fries and chocolate shake. YUMMY!
I said, "I love you" to my food before I ate it, so it would know how much I truly appreciated it, and maybe then it would slide right through me, and not hang around for too long.

I was satisfied. I enjoyed every mouthful.

I need to get better at ordering what I want, then not feel like I have to eat the entire serving. If I can slow down, love what I'm eating, and feel satisfied, then maybe my splurging when I get home will cease.

It's a thought.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

25 random things about me

25 Random things about Melinda

1. I only listened to Musical Theatre show tunes while growing up. I
had a transistor radio for a very brief period and memorized and sang the
Osmond's "One Bad Apple" and "Jeremiah was a Bull Frog," but other than
that....only show tunes.

2. I won a couple's dance competition, with a guy I didn't even know,
while on a Bear Lake Vacation when I was 12 years old.

3. I got straight A's all through school, except for an 8th grade Home
Economics class (B), an 11th grade Driver's Ed course ( A-) and a
Parliamentary law class during my freshman year in college. ( B+) It's funny how I have no recollection of any of the classes I got A's in, but I know every class I was less than perfect in. Hmmm.

4. I still struggle knowing which is my right hand and which is my
left hand. It's such a mental block now, that, "not knowing it" is totally
ingrained in my brain.

5. I love to try new foods. I'm quite an adventurous eater. This is
interesting, because I was a very PICKY child. I wouldn't put ketchup or
anything on my hamburgers. I wouldn't even dip my fries in ketchup. I
didn't have salad dressing until I was in College.

6. I first met Wayne doing Scenes from Plays in a sophomore Drama
class. We performed Plaza Suite with Joel LaSalle and Marilyn Mills. The
great part was, we competed at the State competition at BYU. Our only set
piece was a bed. We found a rolling, fold up, portable bed. We got quite
the looks rolling it around BYU. We would stop and open it and rest on it ,
then be on our way again. Good times!

7. I was in Summer Stock theatre the 2 summers Wayne was on his
mission. I did 3 shows each summer.

8. I don't like any kind of computer/video/nintento/wii gaming system.
WASTE OF TIME. The only game I even sort of play is computer Freecell.

9. I can fall asleep while riding on the back of a motorcycle.

10. I have never received a speeding ticket

11. I can ride in the back of a car, backwards, and read too. I don't get car sick.

12. I’ve vacationed at Bear Lake every summer for the past 36 years.

13. Entrenched at Bountiful High School. My mother went to Bountiful High. I went to Bountiful High and met Wayne there my Sophomore year. I did my student teaching at Bountiful High. I taught school at Bountiful High School…all of my kids go to Bountiful High School.

14. Enjoy painting my house….love lots of color.

15. DHEA is a lifesaver and keeps my PMS at bay.

16. Lover of Dark Chocolate!

17. Fell in love with Wayne at 16 years old, only one boyfriend ever ( him) …and one kisser (him)!

18. I love Karaoke and singing at the top of my lungs in the car.

19. I’ve sat on the bottom of the ocean with Manta Rays swimming all around me and over my head.

20. I was attacked by Sting Rays while in the Caribbean.

21. I got my tonsils out at 25 years old…so painful.

22. Love PIE!!! 4 kinds……round, whole, hot and cold.

23. Learned to knit when I was 40.

24. Love to go to afternoon movies and eat a bucket of popcorn all by myself.

25. Have done 2 Half Marathons!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Happy Meal?

I went through McDonald's the other day and drove away with a Happy Meal, that didn’t make me happy.
I wanted a hamburger and came away with a crispy chicken something. It reminded my of another non Happy meal moment.

I was in my van with all of my kids. We ordered our food and drove up to the first window to pay. I paid my money ( too much money for the quality of food) and proceeded to the next window to pick up our food. We pulled up to the window and the guy leaned out with our food. His lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear a thing he was saying. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how awesome McDonald’s was to hire a deaf person. I turned to explain this to my children. How impressed I was—and look you can work at McDonald’s with a disability.
WOW.
I turned back around to get my food and smashed my face right into my closed window. Between the time I paid my money at the first window and went to get my food at the second window, I had rolled it up, and forgot that I rolled it up.
So there I was in a major face plant on the window….. My nose was hurting. I started laughing. I rolled down the window. The food guy was looking at me with wild eyes, not understanding what was happening. My kids were laughing, embarrassingly. Through my giggles, I was trying to explain to the guy how I thought he was deaf ( I know this makes no sense, and that people who are deaf, are not necessarily dumb) and I was impressed by his working there…I was laughing…and my kids were begging me to just "go…go."
I really couldn’t stop laughing. The only one with a disability that day, was me.
We drove off.
I didn’t check my order, and by the time we thought about the food, and stopped laughing, we had someone's food, not ours.
I wasn’t going back to fix the order.
I only go back in disguise, now, as it is.
OH, Happy Day.......OH, Happy Meals!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Painting Fever

I spent all day Saturday painting my living room.
I've been thinking about doing this for about a year. I loved my yellow living room, but the rug didn't match it and had to go.... I shopped around for a new rug, and to get the size I need found out I would be spending around a thousand dollars. Are you kidding me? My next choice was to embrace the blue and brown rug with hits of other dusty colors....and get rid of the yellow.
I chose to go with rust walls on the bottom wall, a milk chocolate color on the top and a light blue on the vaulted ceiling.
I painted all day on Saturday.
Wayne helped with the ceiling, until he got too dizzy and was pretty much wiped out for the rest of the day. He did great on blue ceiling though.
I cleared out the room, and was ready by 9:00am....then I had to stop and help Truman with a scholarship app, that was due at 2:00 this same day....back to painting....another potty crisis with Laila....cleaned her up....back to painting. I actually started at 1:00 pm.....
I painted for the next 8 hours. I went to bed with an achy body. I needed some ibuprofen, but when I fell in bed at 10:30-- I couldn't move to get downstairs and take any. Wayne was already passed out. Oh well. I tossed for a bit, then fell into a deep sleep.

I'm now trying to love the new walls. I loved the yellow. Now I'm deciding to love the color of a Wendy's frosty too. The entire time I was painting the brown, I kept having visions of a chocolate frosty. Yum. It's what kept me painting.

I went to put the living room back together, and all of the yellow or gold frames, accessories etc....look completely out of place. It's a snowball effect, now I need new frames, new pictures, new....new...new....

I've decided to put the yellow, maybe a bit lighter, in my entry way to make the tile look better. Yellow and cream I think. That will be lovely. Currently it's an apple green. The green wall looking into the new living room, is just not cutting it. Change is in the air.

More painting. More achy body. More new accessories. It's a good thing.
I figure if I hate it, I can always just repaint it again.