TGIF.....1200 South

Melinda, Liz, Angela, Adam, Momma Sheri and Daddy Lyle...1971

This was taken outside our home on 1200 South in Bountiful.  Marcie was the photographer, and that's why she is not in the shot.  I am in the 4th grade....same as Laila.  
 I remember the tiny garage was always packed with stuff, never a car.  I remember mixing up dirt shakes in the back yard til it looked like foamy root beer and then trying to get the neighbor kid to drink it.  That big cherry tree over the drive way was so much fun to climb and play in. I remember picking all of the ripe cherries, without my mom knowing and putting them in our red wagon, then going door to door selling them.  Mom was not happy.  I remember the "sexy" inside closet door in my parent's bedroom.  It was a life size painting of a 1940's style pin up girl.  It was there when we bought the house.  My dad hung his ties over it to try to hide it.  I remember the dirt cellar where we kept our potatoes, onions and carrots.  I always hoped I wouldn't have to go in there and get them for dinner.  It was stinky and scary.  I remember the huge lilac bush on the east side of the house.  It was our fort.  We would put blankets between the bushes and hide in there with our transistor radio hooked on a branch and sing  "bye bye Miss American Pie...." and "Jeremiah was a bullfrog...."  I even remember the layout of the house. 
 Happy memories.  

Welch World... Welch World

What's happening in our Welch world?

I got to play assistant at Si Foster's cooking class. I really love doing this but.........well,  She's the serious cook, and I am the comic relief.  I was particularly comical during her Baby and Bridal shower foods class.  I told her I would wear a wedding dress and cry like a baby  to add to the motif, but she said no, just chop and stir and clean.  While I was doing my  assistant duties, I  had just finished stirring some orange glaze on the stove top when I turned to check the rolls in the oven, then turned back to explain the oven situation to Si, when I hit the pan filled with sugary orange glaze for the rolls, and it flipped up land all over everything...the grill, me, and mostly the floor.  We grabbed the pan quickly to save a bit of drizzle for each roll, but it was a sugary mess.   We all gasped, then laughed and I explained this is normal for me in the kitchen.  I just put paper towels on it, and really wanted to get a picture of it, but knew I had to forge on with frosting the cupcakes.  I was standing on sticky paper towels, they were sticking to my feet.  I really wanted to grab my camera, so I could show the mess here.... but I finally just had to clean it up because my shoes were stuck to the floor.
 This is why I won't ever be on the food network.
This, and my lack of cooking knowledge.

Addison and Bre had their Final for Directing and Choreography scenes.  I had been hearing so many good things about a "Turkey Lurkey" Dance that Addison choreographed for his final that I was excited to see it.  It features 3 girls dancing their guts out.  I understand it's even better if you can get Addison to dance it with his tall, angle-y frame.  Anyway,  we were able to watch scene after scene with Addison, Bre and  Landon featured in them or having directed them  or choreographed them.  It was very impressive.  Bre and Addison are such a perfect match.   Bre is sooooo good in South Pacific as well. It opens next week at Center Point theatre.

Truman went to an Epic Jazz Game Monday night.  4th row center right by Pres. Uchtdorf.   It had triple overtime and the Jazz won.  He had a nice friend girl take him, and he was definitely spoiled.  He has 4 more days with us then he is off to California for summer pest control sales til Aug 22.  I just like looking at his face.... so I'm sad it will be going away again.

Truman was so sweet and powerful during his homecoming talk this past Sunday.  The spirit was  strong and you could just feel the love pouring out of him for the gospel and for the British people.  We had way too many people at our home afterwards to feed...and not enough food.  I loved having all of  family and friends support, but I needed to plan better.   We ran out of everything except meatballs.....

Landon and I are starting a Green Smoothie/ Raw food/ Salad  way of eating for 30 days.  We are getting all of the processed foods out of our system, and hopefully in the mean time, lose a little weight, but more importantly help Landon with his headaches.   Processed foods could really be the culprit here.  We are going to find out, and get healthier too.  We have been reading up on it, watching DVD's and talking to my cousin, Laurie Drean to help us get off to a good start.
How to make a Green smoothie

Laila has 3 shows going on this week.  Her Creative Arts Dance show, where she is in a Michael Jackson dance routine and an Autumn contemporary one.    She also has South Pacific final dress rehearsals this week, and rehearsals for Joseph at BHS  for April 28th.  IT's a wild ride right now. Late nights and little homework time.

Monson has been out 3 months with two different companions already.  He  is on his 3rd transfer this week, heading to Owosso, Michigan to be a Trainer with a new companion in a new area....totally white washed.  I hope he has learned enough in his short time out to be of value to this new missionary.  Monson has always had the confidence, now he just needs to stay humble.  He sent a funny drawing of himself.  HE says, " Brother Thompson our branch mission leader here is the best and craziest grandpa ever! haha and this is his cartoon of me after I showed him the McSnitch. I'm not sure why he thinks I have pink and gray hair but he does."  Monson's McSnitch is a McDonald's double burger and a McChicken sandwich all together in one sandwich.  

Wayne and Bob are in China for 10 days... I love facetime and I love skype.  These days are a lot easier to have him gone, than when I had lots of little boys driving me nuts but I still miss him.....immensely!

TGIF....Nunsense

This is Sister Liz, Maryann Loveless, Me, Sister Angela and Sister Marcie in Nunsense for the Bountiful Community Theatre, 1997.
 Really, they ARE my sisters in real life too.
 My mom directed the show and LindaJo Whitman played the piano.
   We had a riot playing Nuns...singing and dancing our guts out.  We laughed at  and with each other a lot.   It was in the summer time, and boy, were those habits hot.
 I don't know how real nuns can stand it. 

Our children were amazed by us.  (This is the back of Monson's head.) 

I still have people in grocery stores and at church meetings talk to me about Nunsense and what fun it was  to have the "family" in it and "when are we going to perform it again?"
   Good times.

I'm in show mode right now as well.

I can't wait for South Pacific to open at Center Point theatre, April 24. I've been watching a few rehearsals.  I know I'm biased, but my crew... Bre, Landon, Laila and Rob....are doing great. It's fun to see them on stage sharing in what I love sooooo much.......

 Theatre.  

I really think South Pacific is a gem of a show. The music is lovely and soaring.   The message of racism  is timeless, and there is enough funny to help with the serious moments.  It's just lovely.  

Landon as Lt. Joe Cable and Bre as Nurse Nellie Forbush

Now what show can I be in....?

College Grad Announcment

Addison created this Graduation Announcement.... Look at the cartoon faces of him and Bre.... I LOVE IT!.. This came in a map envelope that Bre created-- plus she picks all of the fonts and gives the final okay.   They are perfect for each other!

Addison and Bre are graduating from Weber State!!!  I am so proud of both of them.  Addison was an on again/off again student for the last 8 years.... 2 of those years were on a mission.  He did a year of school before his mission.  The general ed classes about killed him.  (You put a right brained kid in a  left brained-- read the book--and test-- type classes and no learning is happening!)

He came off his mission determined to be a business major or something  he could make money in so he could get married... or Plan B... don't go to school just generate money..... somehow, and get married.   

When he finally came to his senses and  got into his Musical Theatre major courses-- he has loved it and has excelled with acting, dancing, singing, directing, choreography and costume and set design.  (All of the design teachers are wondering why this isn't his emphasis.)  AND.... along with his Musical Theatre major, he found the girl  of his dreams and got married!  Bre has been right by his side-- and has done just as well in school.   

They are excited to  be out of school and onto their next big adventure.  This includes summer stock at West Yellowstone, the Playmill Theatre, from May to Labor Day.  Then.....who knows?  

 Like the card says,

"I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring

back to normal?

People keep asking Truman if he's "back to Normal?"
What's that about?
Truman has spent two years moving to a new place spiritually and emotionally....why would he want to go back to who he was at 19?
Or why do I want to be where I was at 30 or 40?
Life happens.
Change is good.

I like the new Truman.
We need to allow each other to grow and change and accept the new people in our lives.

Easter Eggs with my chickens....

We love to color eggs every year. 

 The colors , the vinegar smell,  the waiting for the eggs to dye so we listen to cheesy Here comes peter cotton tail music.   

 Ahhhhhhhh...... Spring is in the air!

The Welch cousins always get together on the Saturday before Easter for an Egg-Throw in the park.  It began as an egg roll when Wayne was little with his own siblings... but rolling eggs didn't break them quick enough.  The Cousins love to throw the eggs, have them break open and see how many seagulls we can attract.  It's a funny tradition.

TGIF ..............Easter 1991

Addison, Grandma Sheri, Melinda, Baby Truman, Landon

Tuesday Bits and Bobs...... that's Brittish for Tidbits

GOOD NEWS--- Mom's Doctor told her they can't find any more cancer markers in her blood or tumors or fluid in her abdomen area!  They are not saying "Cancer Free" for 6 more months....but it looks really good.  We are celebrating!!!!   Now if the chemo effects will just leave her body, life will be good.  Truman brought her home a UK red, white and blue wig to add to her collection.

We had our April Fools- no plates or utensils- Spaghetti dinner on April 2nd for Family night.    Laila thought I had forgotten, but I tricked her.  April Fools!!  We spent the night at Addison and Bre's apartment working on our Mormon.org profiles...  ( we all should have one to share online, according to our latest returned missionary) ...playing games and eating with our fingers.

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I lo--huh--ved Conference.  I especially liked Holland's talk on Envy, Uchtdorf's talk on Judging, Eyring's talk on Trials  and Anderson's talk on being Christians. They all  made me think.....and hopefully recommit to be a little better and to try a little harder to be more Christlike in my day to day inter actions.
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We are having a stay-cation for Spring break.  We are  trying to do something family oriented each day and not just work.   We are going to the new City Creek Center, Movies, on walks, shopping, out to eat.... all things we would do on a " real" vacation.  Landon and Laila have school off and Truman is waiting around til his new work adventure begins.  Truman is going to do summer sales in California.  He leaves on April 22nd to sell pest control in San Jose, California, with a buddy.   It feels like he just got home and now he's leaving again...oh, that's right, he did just get home.  Oh, well.  My babies grow up and leave me.  I have enjoyed his being around for a bit.  He was reading to Laila in her bed last night.  I peaked in on them.  It was sweet.