Which Witch?

Family Reunion?  A Cousin's party?

My school's faculty?

Miss Frankenstina is in the house.....

The one day I don't put on makeup I get my picture taken over and over again.....

I don't know who this is.... most likely an ancestor of mine.

I am Monson's football Ghoulfriend.

It was great when he got his name announced because of an awesome tackle, I followed up loudly with, "I hear his mother is a real witch!"

It brought the house down.....so much chuckling, so little time.

Like Mother, Like Daughter........(loud cackle!!!)

 I passed out Top Ramen to all of the trick or treaters at my house.  Not to the littlest ones...just the kids I thought could handle it.  It made my night!  I told them it was "instant brains" ....ooooo.......in a very moody voice.  They bought it.  

Laila LOVES candy!  More Halloween Pics:

Add and Bre 

Monson and Landon being Monson

and

It's a bird, it's a plane, no...it's Super Missionary!

1.  I am thankful that wedding plans are coming along.  We are all looking forward to Dec. 13th around here.  We are crafting boutinere's, cake toppers, ruffle aprons and trying to find stripey socks for the men.  Addison has even created the wedding announcement.  We are still waiting for the 3 piece wedding suit to be ready at the tailors so Add and Bre can get their bridals and groomals taken.....pray for sooner rather than later.

2.  I am thankful for the end of the first term.  45 days into Monson's senior year. He sang in the Fall choir concert these past two nights, and he was a joy to watch.  He loves to sing and it shows. 

                                                        (Monson 3rd in from the left, top row)

 His choir sang one of my favorite spirituals, "Lord, I know I've been Changed."  I gave my own standing ovation when it ended. The concert made Laila sick.....literally.  

3.  I am thankful that BHS took first  place in Region football.  So exciting!  Not excited for the rainy game scheduled on Saturday against Orem.

4.  I am thankful Wayne is being safe and having a good China trip.  He didn't lose his luggage, Bob did.

5.  I am thankful I REMEMBERED to get my mammogram done.  Boob-squishing is not fun, but it's worth it....and Lakeview gave me a pink water bottle for my efforts.  I like doing this in October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, because I get prizes!

6.  I am thankful for  living prophets, past and present day....Pres Monson, and his willingness to act in the name of the Lord.  

 I will close with these words:  "You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice"

- Gordon B. Hinckley

WARNING: Puke

THIS IS A DISGUSTING POST.......perfect for Halloween.....

I found Laila in the lobby at Bountiful High School with her head in a red trash can....throwing up.  It was like  cartoon character throw up....it just  kept going and going.
 I was enjoying Monson's choir concert.  Laila was not.
She puked on the floor, she puked in the garbage can, and in the cup I gave her to hold in our car so we could get home before she had another violent attack.
What happened?
When did this bug get my little girl?
Needless to say, we had a rough night.  She puked 5 more times throughout the night, never and I mean NEVER hitting the puke bowl or the toilet bowl.  Not.  Even.  Once. 
I have been doing laundry all day, spraying and disinfecting the house.
I hope no one else gets it.

How to recover?
It's been a couple of hours and of course she is starving.  She wants ice cream, cold cereal, cheese bread.....all milk products that I am not going to give her.  She wasn't the one cleaning up in the wee hours.
She can have sips of sprite, toast and crackers.
Nothing else.
She is begging for "raw" Froot Loops...this evidently means without milk.

As Laila was tossing her goodies in the garbage can at BHS... I had a flash back of me doing the same thing, in probably the same garbage can, when I was pregnant with Addison and Landon.  I taught at BHS up until Landon was born.  They were both summer babies, so my first trimester was always during the beginnings of school.  The bathroom stalls and garbage cans were my friends.  The custodians were not.   Let me give a belated "I'm so sorry" to them. 

 I had other pregnant spews.  I  remember driving to a New Years party up in North Logan.  We had to pull over twice and I did the technicolor yawn all over the high way.   I don't miss being sick and preggo.


I have one really vivid memory of children throwing up when Addison was four  and Landon, two. They were in new bunk beds, sharing a room.  Truman had just been born and was enjoying his pink "girl" bunny nursery. ( But I digress.....)  It was a sick night at the Welch house.  Addison threw up in the middle of the night  all over the wall, from the top bunk bed.  It was our spaghetti dinner from hours earlier.  It pretty much looked the same coming back up as it did on his plate.  Ok.  It was definitely worse...but you get the idea.  It hit the wall 7 feet up and ran all of the way down splattering on Landon and bedding, bunk rails and carpet all the way to the mauve carpeted floor.
Oh yes.
Good times.
I remember looking at it incredulously.
Did this really just happen?
Is this a nightmare?
Wayne and I did the divide and conquer thing.  He cleaned up Addison and Landon and comforted them, while I did the bed room.   There was no comforting me.

I'll just say this one time, to get it off of my chest..........I HATE PUKE!   The smell totally makes me want to................you know.

This is your chance to share a favorite upchuck story....yours or a loved ones.
Misery loves company.

Laila is demanding a half of an apple, cored, and peeled with absolutely no skin.......I gotta go!  It looks like she is on the mend.

Exploding Service

Pres. Monson always repeats this sweet poem:

I have wept in the night 

for the shortness of sight  

that to somebody's need made me blind;

But I never have yet

 felt a tinge of regret

 for being a little too kind.

We made and gave away cupcakes for family night activity.  It was late when we started (8:00 is late when you are 8) , Laila had homework, was tired and I almost talked us all out of it.  Laila insisted by saying it was the one thing she had looked forward to all day. 
So we muddled through.
We got the chocolate cupcakes out of the oven, quickly frosted them,  sprinkled on some farm animal sprinkles, and  put them on balloon motif paper plates.   
It was now almost 9:00......  
Who to give the cupcakes to?  Laila thought and thought, made some notes and out the door we went.

We gave some to a "broken" family friend who just got in a skateboard accident and had stitches and banged up  body parts.  His sis answered the door. Laila presented the cakes and got a cute squeal of delight.  Laila got in the car and announced, "That was fun!"
Off to the next house.
The Dad answered the door....couldn't believe the thoughtfulness.  Laila was grinning from ear to ear.
The final house....no one was home.  As we were just giving up and pulling away,  the mom van finally appeared full of family.  Laila gave the cupcakes, talked a bit,  got in our car and said,
"I just feel so good...it's like my heart is exploding!  Why does service feel so good?  I bet Jesus' heart felt like this all of the time! ...... Except for that one time when he was on the cross."

I didn't want to make the cupcakes.  I was tired, Laila was tired.  It was inconvenient....but the Spirit said...."DO IT"  So we did.  It's good to be reminded about the value of service. 

Service, real service, is a cure for pretty much everything.

Feel tired? Serve. Feel discouraged? Serve. Feel ugly or fat? Serve.

Don't know who? 
Ask the Man upstairs.
He'll tell you who needs you................and your heart will feel like it's exploding!

(pic taken last year at this time.....cake batter girl....old kitchen)

I am only one; but still am one. 
I cannot do everything, but I still can do something. 

I will not refuse to do the something I can do. --Helen Keller

Mr. Jack o lantern

I am happy that I have atleast one child who still wants to carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns!Even if it is "sicky"

Laila scraped out all of the seeds and ......designed the face.

"Hello in there!"

We are ready for Trick or Treat night.

Dismal Dinner

What is a dismal dinner, you ask....and why couldn't every dinner Melinda makes have this same title? (rude...yes Kdawg, I heard you)

  I got this idea when I looked at the calendar and realized Halloween was on a Sunday.  Sunday dinner then began to take on new meaning for me.  How to make it festive, funny, memorable, themed....but not creepy?
Da, Du, Duh......The Dismal Dinner was born.

Rules:
1.  Everyone had to wear dismal colors.  Black, Gray, Brown.....and a bit of white thrown in.

2.  No one could have any expression.   It started with Gma Sheri coming in the door all slumped over and saying in a bland way.   "Thanks for inviting us... I am so happy"    We all played the "come to Dinner...this looks great!"  game.   All said like we just got botox.

3.  No color table setting.  I borrowed my black cloth, plates and goblets from my friend who LOVES black.  Her every day "happy" china....is my dismal china choice.

4.  Bland colored food.  We opted for black, brown, gray and white food.  Mashed potatoes, cauliflower, grilled onions, gravy, roast, rolls dipped in black butter, gray coconut cake.  It was a boring plate....but it did all taste good.    The only color allowed on the table was the scary bowl of pickles  --- Laila screamed--- and the strawberry jam.

It was all going well....then it turned creeepy as the jam turned to blood, the gravy to puke, the onions to worms and the cauliflower to brains.  We just couldn't help ourselves.  This did make for witty conversation though.  "Pass the cauliflower brain."  "Ok ...but the frontal lobe is gone, so now it's just a vegetable."

I loved how the rolls turned out.















5. Willingness to play the sour puss game.  We got cry baby sour gum balls. You had to chew the gum and keep your face expressionless.  It was hard.  Monson and Landon won.  Bre did good too....come to find out she has a numb tongue and no taste buds on one side of her mouth....thanks to a botched, nerve cutting, wisdom tooth extraction.  So she just puts nasty food on that side of her mouth now.

It was FUNNY.....especially Gpa Lyle and Gma Sheri.  They had no idea that they would get to play sour puss as part of the Dismal Dinner.

Yep.....it was make-me-want-to-cackle fun.

I did cackle.

Over and over again, very loudly.  

Well..... our first ever dismal dinner was a success.    "Cake anyone?"

VL CLub

Monson is back in the VL club.
That's  Virgin Lip Club....in case you are out of the initial lingo- loop.
How did this happen?
Monson has been smoochin up a storm for years now.
Apparently the VL club takes honorary members.....Just like getting an honorary diploma from Harvard  because you are the commencement speaker.....
Also, apparently, it only takes one weekend of non-smooching and you can have a fresh start.
Monson says they needed some "cool kids" in the group....so they gave him a shirt.

Who made up all of these rules?
He is looking mean in this picture..... I wouldn't want to kiss him.

Legendary

My Bladder is legendary!!!!
Legendary like.....Michael Jackson's thriller, Elvis's Blue suede shoes, and Triple Crown winner, Secretariat...
Speaking of Secretariat...














My bladder is as big as a horse's.
Ask Kimi....
Ask Wayne....
Ask my family....
I can drink a 54 ouncer and not blink an eye, or be nervous if a potty is no where to be found.
Sit in the bathroom stall next to mine and prepare to be amazed.
It's a talent......
I'm just sayin......

Pres. Monson story from RS meeting

Love this Story told at the General Relief Society meeting by Pres. Monson. 
."A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.

“That laundry’s not clean!” Lisa exclaimed. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to get clothes clean!”
John looked on but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments.

A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor’s yard. She said to her husband, “Look, John—she’s finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it.”
John replied, “Well, dear, I have the answer for you. You’ll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!”

Tonight I’d like to share with you a few thoughts concerning how we view each other. Are we looking through a window which needs cleaning?
Are we making judgments when we don’t have all the facts?
What do we see when we look at others?
What judgments do we make about them?

Said the Savior, “Judge not.”1 He continued, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”2 Or, to paraphrase, why beholdest thou what you think is dirty laundry at your neighbor’s house but considerest not the soiled window in your own house?...." Thomas S. Monson

Random Thoughts....and I am outta here!

I had to speak on humor last night in Enrichment....Relief Society meeting....a  20 minute class that would cheer people up and help them look on the sunny side of life.  I am usually good at this.  I don't have much of a worry bone in my body, but  I was asked last minute and felt inadequate in my preparation.  I told my embarrassing moments, (we all know I have plenty), in an effort to preach about not taking ourselves so seriously. I did it with a taped up nose.....looking like a pig-girl.  This is always good for a laugh. I also shared some thoughts about a cancer survivor lady- Linda May Hill- who now makes funny t-shirts, the sale of which goes to cancer research.  She has lost her colon, breasts, thyroid, uterus, appendix all to cancer.   My two fav shirts are;  

 "Of course they're fake, my other ones tried to kill me."    

"I lost my colon, but I'm still full of crap."  

 This is my back garage door.  I love Red Doors.   It's the "main" door at my house. (I had to strategically take this picture so you couldn't see all of the junk that surrounds it.)   I found this great Wiz of Oz sign to hang on it.  It makes me smile everytime I open the door.  There is no place like home.

 Wayne is still feeding some of the football boys on Saturday mornings. After they work out and watch film, Monson invites a group to our house for Wayne's "famous hash."
  Hashbrowns, sausage, eggs, and cheese all cooked together, served with ketchup and salsa.....mmmm......It's turned into a fun tradition. It's been nice the weather has held good, so this can keep happening.  Laila jumps right in with the boys as well--we have to keep reminding her that they aren't here to see her.

 My fall/halloween table scape.  Under the dome, the tomb stone reads...."Beware of Black Widows."   The orange sign at the base of the pitcher reads, "EEK."   I have had fun getting this put together.

 Monson has thigh or butt split , three pairs of his levi's in the past 2 weeks.  I tell you, his thighs must be getting massive.   It's all of that football work out...or all of the food that he continually eats.  First dinner, second dinner and an after 10 nightly pizza.    One pair was beyond fixing.  Laila and I cut the top pocket half off and immediately sewed it into a fun bag. She decorated it with glitter glue, markers and stickers.  Laila totally rocks the funky!!!

 Monson had a great Homecoming dance.  He took a cute girl and rocked the night away.  Now we are prepping for Halloween girls dance.   I wonder what the costumes will be?  Monson says that it's always groups of Nerds, Old People or  hobos.  I told him he could shake it up a bit and go as a Geeky, old Hobo!  I have lots of good ideas.

My friend's mom died.  Elen Belnap.  I have always loved her.  I have known her my whole life. She was always gracious and loving.  

My senior year, I was on the debate Nationals trip  to Huntsville, Alabama, with Elen as the chaperone.
I remember driving in the car and a fellow student saying to  Elen....”My you have big nose holes.  Do you need all of that to breathe?” 

 I was shocked at this girl’s audacity.  I thought that was kind of rude. 

 But, Elen, just really considered the question.....”Well let me see.” 

 She covered half of her nostril with her fingers and took some deep breaths, then concluded.  “I do need all of my nostril to breathe...it’s a good thing they are so big.”
She just laughed and diffused an otherwise awkward situation.  I am sure she never gave it another moment’s though.
I have never forgotten this...and think about it often.  What a great lady.. 




..........I am off to play with my sisters, nieces and mom at our annual Sisters Weekend!!!!

What are you scared of?

I just sent a package to Truman and filled it with the most scary thing I could think of to wish him a Happy Halloween...
....a black crow .....from all a dollar.

This got us talking about what we are all afraid of....or "ascared" of......as Laila puts it....


Addison is scared of rats and mice.  Laila recalls a time last year when we had mice in our old kitchen.  A trap was set behind the fridge. When it snapped shut, Addison went leaping over the back of the couch screaming.  I chalk it up to his mission days when he lived in a "holey" trailer with giant Nutria-rats eating at his cereal boxes every night.





Monson is scared of every one dying but him......we think he is also afraid of eating vegetables, because he never does.

Landon is afraid of being left alone....or just being left.  This comes from being lost twice while growing up..once at Disneyland and once at Universal.    I know.....I can see that what-a-bad-parent-eye-roll.
Bre is afraid of being with out Addison....but this sounded too lovey dovey and was making every one puke...so she changed it to the dark.  ( and spiders)
Wayne is afraid of being late to a meeting.  Laila brought this one up.  She knows how he loves to be early....Being late bugs him something fierce.

Laila said that I  ( mom) was afraid of my children getting bad grades.  Hee hee

I remember being afraid of the sad eyed child-clown pictures that were in a bedroom at my Grandma Butters house when I was a child.  I dreaded sleeping in that room.  I knew those clowns NEVER SLEPT!  Why is a clown sad anyway?

Laila thought about all of the things we listed that we were scared of , then she chimed in, "For me it would have to be pickles!!"

The girl is scared of pickles?

What are you afraid of?

Homecoming 2010

Ahhhhhh......Bountiful High Homecoming time, once again.   Monson's senior year.   It was a gorgeous 90 degree day, green grass, blue sky, amazing mountain scenery, view of the temple.....ahhhh Bountiful. We, the Welch and Cole family and friends, gathered at the BHS stadium to watch the annual Homecoming Football game.  

I have been doing this for almost 40 years. 

I love the red painted fans, the helicopter dropping the game ball, the friendly ticket takers, the parents working concessions, the band and cheerleaders, the red and white balloons and the home town atmosphere.....where everybody knows your name.

Remember when you could count on  masked "underwear" boys or streakers charging across the field at half time EVERY SINGLE Homecoming?

Ahhhh...........I miss that......okay maybe not......

Monson #42 charging onto the field to DESTROY East.  TheDefense was on fire!

  East came in undefeated with a 6-0 record and we just came off of a devastating loss to Viewmont.  

Monson had energy to spare.  He was pacing the side lines waiting for his turn to get into the game.  He was taunting his 300 pound opponent every play. 

 "You want a piece of me?  You want more of that? I'll show you more of that...."  He would yell this at his opponent on the field in front of him.  ( No meowing this time) 

 Monson's nick name is" Money"...and in Tongan it's said, "Seniti"  He would hit his chest and scream "seniti" to the tongan offensive line.  

It was sweet hearing Swanee-- our announcer say....... "The tackle was made by Monson Money Welch," and then having our family cheering section erupt with applause.

BHS came out victorious 21 to 0.  

  I love what this fan wrote in to Deseret News after the game: 

Last night I figured out the key to Bountiful High football. All they need is a undefeated team to come to town, taunt them on their own home field prior to the game, throw them a bunch of slash throat signs etc and get them and their coaching staff all fired up, then the real Bountiful team will show up. Thanks East for helping us figure it out. And now you know how good that Bountiful defense is. Good job boys, I knew you had it in ya!!

This is  Monson sacking East's quarterback...he is pulling him down onto his lap.

Love the traditional fireworks....the fired-up "B" brings tears to my eyes and alumni shivers up my spine.
"Oh Bountiful we're proud of you.......and of your red and gray!"