Tax Time

Taxes Shmaxes....we owe a boat load of taxes!!!!!
What's up with that?
Where's my tax stimulus rebate?

Wayne worked on our taxes over the weekend and didn't go crazy, and didn't even swear. Of course, he never swears, but still, it was a good sign.

Someone once said, Mark Twain or Ralph Waldo Emerson, or someone, maybe it was.....me, said, "There's nothing for sure except death and taxes." I don't know why I just thought of this, and I have nothing to really add to this, except I hope I don't die at tax time.
Enough said.

It seems like April 15th comes around quicker and quicker each year, and my bank account get's gouged deeper and deeper.

I guess I should be counting my blessings, that we made enough money that we have to pay taxes...that would be a positive spin.

I guess I should be blessed to live in this great country that I get to pay taxes to....another positive argument.

I guess I should be happy that I get to keep all those IRS people in business during this crazy economy.

Laila assures me that taxes are good, "because it makes us so we can go to school for free." I think someone from school has been spinning this tale for her. Free education. Now that's a joke. But I digress..... where was I?

Oh, yes...Taxes, Schmaxes. We owe a boat load of taxes!

A Hairy Krishna?

Ahhh youth!
To be young again and filled with enthusiasm, passion, craziness and chalk?

This is my Truman and some of his friends who attended the Festival of Color in Spanish Fork at the Hare Krishna temple on Saturday. The fesitval was filled with crazy college aged people who like any reason they can find to run around and throw chalk at each other and get messy.
Calling it a ceremony to welcome in Spring...adds to the ritual. The air was filled with chalk dust and chanting music -- "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna."
What an interesting thing to do.
What an interesting way to celebrate.
Landon has been participating in this for the past 3 years....he remembers when it was a small ceremony that not many people attended-- with plenty of chalk left over to share...now it's over 1,000 strong and finding chalk is hard. (Chalk selling would have been a great scout/yw money maker. We'll keep this in mind for next year.)

Tru was a multi color mess.... a mess that only an after hours hot tub party could adequately clean up. He had chalk everywhere... in his ears, in his spit, in his nose-- he'll be blowing in color for awhile-- and in my car.

I'm trying to remember any of my youthful craziness...but I was pretty driven...and focused on growing up and being an adult...
Did I miss out on my chalk throwing youthful fun?

Do I need to try some wild over forty fun instead? Or should I wait and do almost fifty fun?
Hmmm?
I'm in a quandry.

I'm glad T had fun....
I'm getting some chalk.

Thankful Thursday Marches on

1. I'm thankful for Wayne and his frequent flyer miles. Wayne took Truman with him this past weekend to Chicago for a Housewares show. They got to be together to bond and laugh and eat some great deep dish, Chicago style pizza. They also got to sit on the stage for the Broadway musical, XANADU. Truman LOVED it! He laughed and interacted with the actors and did his wild dancing at the end of the show....on stage! Truman also loved traveling in First Class. Nice dad! The picture is of Truman standing by "the bean" in Chicago.

2. I'm thankful for my big sister, Marcie. Today is her birthday! She has always been such a huge part of my life. We are only 16 months apart in age, and really did everything together. We shared a bedroom and bed for many years. We went through school together, did theatre together and both went to WSU. Now, raising families and living just a few blocks apart, are lives are forever entwined. Marcie is an amazing Martha Stewart type of person. She is so great at all of the homemaking skills. She throws a smashing party and is a wonderful cook. She loves to read, travel, is an amazing artist and a fabulous dresser. She has a strong testimony and loves the gospel. She's a great example to me. I'm proud of her new goal to get fit.
I'm so glad that I'm her sister.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCIE!

3. I'm thankful that we are still having snow. I know I can't control the weather, or the snow, so I better just enjoy it. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my patio furniture out and set the trampoline back up....but the sunshine last week was too enticing. Now I get to look at it all with 8 inches of snow on it. It's a beautiful sight. I also get to put off yard work for a few more weeks, or maybe months. Attitude is everything!

4. I'm thankful for Laila and her explanations.
This is what I overheard her say to her cousin while playing MarioKart.
"If you keep saying, I'm always in first! I'm the best! The wii game can hear you and make it so you take 12th place the next time. It's called showing off and the game doesn't like that. "
I love this reasoning.

5. I'm thankful!

Badonkadonk

My friend has quite "the badonkadonk."
She's got some " junk in her trunk."
Atleast that is according to her hair dresser. Her insane hair dresser. Her big chested, opinionated and controlling hair dresser. I get a big kick out of her stories and wonder why she keeps going back, but her hair looks GREAT! I guess it's worth it, even if you have to be told about your badonkadonk.

I don't have a badonkadonk.

And if anyone says I do, I would just call them a badonkadink!

I've got some "junk" in my .....hood? You know, the front part of my body?
I have a luvatub ( just made that up) belly. It's full like a tub and happened because of love. Love of food and love of Wayne. My belly looks like this because of housing and bearing four boys. It's rubbery and filled with stretch marks. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my luvatub.

I call the upper parts of my body "the girls" and the belly part, "the boys."

Now, when I say I'm taking the theatre popcorn home to "the boys," you know my secret. .... I'm just going to eat it later.

Monday's random ramblings...

We celebrated out 26th Anniversary on Saturday. We slept in, took a long walk in the glorious weather and went to a matinee movie. We ate popcorn for lunch. Not very dazzling....but romantic, nonetheless. I pondered on 26 years of marriage plus 5 dating years with my Wayne. We have gone through ups and downs and circles ( that's because he is dizzy) and still love each other deeply. I am hopelessly devoted to my Wayne and he adores me. We've been a good fit. I always tease him that we are about the same height, so we fit just like a puzzle piece. Our noses touch, our hands clasp and our parts line up.
Wayne showed up at my closing night with a dozen long stemmed red roses "on the fat side..plump." He was very impressive to all of the girls in the cast, and especially to me.


The Draper Temple dedication was lovely. So happy to be there with my Monson and Addison. I have to confess, we got there an hour early to get a soft seat, and by the time it started I was so sleepy, I pretty much snapped, napped and gapped through the first two speakers. I enjoyed Elder Nelson's and Pres. Monson's talks immensely though. I was touched with the thoughts of how immense the sealing powers of the temple are.... I cried through their talks. Then...closed my eyes for the dedicatory prayer and , you guessed it, nodded off and about fell off the bench..Monson saved me though and nudged me to wake up. I'm glad I participated in this great event. 129 Temples and counting.


Millie is officially over and Muzzy has been put away. Another diva down. It was so fun and such a blessing to be on stage again. I enjoyed putting on the blond wig and looking like my mother every night. Her sparkly jewelry helped the transformation. I was so touched by all of the family , friends and neighbors who came to see the show. I even got a prize from the theatre for the cast member with the most mentions when customers bought tickets. I am popular.
It will be good to have my evenings back and maybe even finish the painting project I started in February. It was good to prove to myself that I could be on stage and not be the "thin" one. Even though I drove myself nuts. I know, you are all getting sick of my "crazy", but I really haven't gotten on a scale since opening night. I didn't want to break my fake reality and acknowledge that I never did lose that 15 pounds I promised myself I would from the beginning of Jan. One day I won't even mention my chub...but that's not today. One day I will keep the promises I make to myself too.


Landon moved out last Friday. I helped him haul all of his stuff and some of my old stuff too, in to Salt Lake and up three flights of stairs. I am proud of him for taking this step. I was proud of me for walking up all those steps. I miss him already. By Sunday he was sick and missing his mommy. We got Addison a new mattress set and Landon took his bed. It was a compromise. Addison's room is clean without all of Landon's stuff hanging around. Now onto my next set of projects, this time in the basement...oh, wait, that's right. I need to FINISH PAINTING THE ENTRY FIRST!!!

Guess what I'll be doing today?

Play Mess-ups

My friend, Just-Linda ( this is what Laila called Linda to separate her name from mine, Melinda-- but there is no Just about Linda, just to clarify) , reminded me of more theater bloopers after reading my blog; one she was actually in attendance at, that I must share.

SHOW:Steel Magnolias

Part: Truvy the hair dresser ( Dolly Parton part)

We were at the point in the play where we are hearing about Shelby's death and how sad and mad her mother, M'Lin is. It's all very dramatic and quite a tear jerker-- or it should be. I had been sitting on a table that had a spiral bound notebook on it listening. As I stood up to go over and comfort M'lin, this same notebook got hooked onto my silky leopard pants, and was swinging off of my bu tt. I was like a dog chasing it's tail. The more I turned to see what was on my behind, the more it evaded me. I looked between my legs just as the notebook came swinging through I said,
"Hey I have a notebook stuck on my butt!" And I did.
I couldn't get it off myself-- I had to have another character help me. It was so funny and so memorable.
I had someone else remind me of this same blooper after a Millie performance. I guess really good gaffes never fade from our collective memories.

Thanks Linda.

Thankful Thursday

I'm counting my blessings once more.

1. I am thankful for Spring.
I love this spring weather we are having. I actually went on TWO long walks yesterday, because I just wanted to be outside. I didn't want to be outside doing yard work--- no, that can wait til May.

2. I am thankful that I talked my kids ( Addison, Truman and Lindsey) into painting railings with me. Of course, I had to promise hourly pay, but I always say, " paid help is better than no help at all." The painting saga continues. The new yellow in the entry way is lovely though.

3. I am thankful that Laila WON her school class "who can wear the most green" contest. She got a big sack of Laffy taffy and bragging rights. She was almost beat out by a boy who painted his face green and had on a green shirt.
"He only had on 2 things, mom, and I had on 12."
We have an entire year to prep for this again.

4. I am thankful Landon is moving out. It's been two long years, with his health and personal issues, but he has his "act" together and is ready to take it on the road. He is excited about living in SLC-- closer to his work. I'm excited that he can take this step and the next step is back into school to finish his education. He really is a sweetheart, and a wonderful friend to me. I will miss his singing around the house. I will miss his sweet ways with Laila. I will miss his willingness to help. I will miss his crazy stories. I will miss his long body sleeping on the family room couch.
I will miss him.

5. I am thankful.