My new sign

  My friend, Erin, doesn't even know this is what she got me from Hip and Humble.  Landon went shopping with me and we laughed so hard at this sign, we just had to take it home.
 Thanks for the birthday present!

Have you ever?

There is a funny party game called , "Would you rather?" It is filled with difficult, painful and gross choices. 

 "Would you rather have no neck or no knees?"

  "Would you rather eat an entire boa constrictor or make out with a bunny?"
"Would you rather be electrocuted or sit in your car, in stand still traffic, after eating 2 bran muffins and drinking 64 oz of Mt.Dew?

 You get the idea.  

The girls at camp...LOOOOVVE it. 

I came up with a new version........

"Have you ever?"   

The following may or may not be true ...........

Have you ever walked down to Wingers from your home, had lunch and walked back?

Have you ever left the burner on your gas stove on for 2 days?

Have you ever eaten alone at a restaurant?

Have you ever cried during gutter fireworks?

Have you ever fallen asleep while riding on the back of a motorcycle?

Have you ever sluffed an important meeting?

Have you ever been driving home and your daughter says, "I feel like a swiss roll" so you just pull into Dicks and buy them for her, much to her amazement?

Have you ever eaten a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in one sitting?

Have you ever been to a movie by your self?

Have you ever faked sick as an adult?

Have you ever read a book for an entire day?

Have you ever been to five LDS temples in one day?

Well............have you?

3 Hearts.........art class

A woman has three hearts, one she shares with the world, one she shares with her family and one she shares only with herself.

Chinese Proverb......

I have started an online art class.  I am  learning about mixed media collage and art journaling.

I am really excited to do this.  

I used to do paper/picture/sticker  scrapbooks.  I loved getting together with like minded women and scrapping and chatting and eating and laughing and talking about memories that the different photos would evoke.  It was like monthly therapy.  I  have 15 books  on my office shelves as a testament to my cropping legacy.

I haven't done that for 3 years now.  I do every book  digitally now.  It's quick, but not nearly as satisfying artistically or socially.

I need a creative outlet and this online art class seems to fit.

The theme is the Chinese proverb about three hearts.

I am beginning with the heart that I show and share with the world. 

 I need some help. 

How is this "Melinda" different from my "family Melinda" or "personal Melinda"?   

What are words or events that you would use to describe me?

I would really appreciate your help  with my budding artistry.

You can leave a comment, or email me

And maybe one day I will share my art work with all of you...............

Loving Truman's Letters..............

But.............Monson was giving me a preview of what his mission emails are going  to be like while he is on his mission.

"This week is the same as last week'  Send
"I met some one this week who may or may not get baptized."  Send
"I am not dead."  Send

Well I told him two can play that game.

"Took everyone to Hawaii without you."  Send
"Bought season tickets to Michigan football."  Send
"Eating choco chip cookie dough."  Send

We'll see who gets the last laugh!

Bear Lake's Top 10

1.  Doing the Cole/ Butters ancestor trivia game.  Mom and Dad made up questions and the grandkids tried to answer. If they weren't successful then we, children, got a chance.  It ended up being a great story telling time and we learned some new things about our parents and grandparents along the way.

2.  Tubing with Laila.  She laughs and tells stories and talks your ear off.  It was a birthday gift that she gave to me.  I am glad I cashed in on this experience.

3.  Wave Runners... the boys love them and Laila got to drive a wave runner by herself this year.

4.  Walking to LeBeaus for shakes and fries......Wayne and I walked and everyone else drove in for the feast.

5.  Climbing the coconut trees and mini golf

6.  Being in 3 condos.  Enough beds for all and room to spread out.

7.  Playing SCUM  card games on the beach and late at night.  Monson was the KING most of the time.

8.  Singing with Adam and Monson as they played the guitar after dinner.

9.  Having Gma Sheri and Gpa Lyle reward Laila and Preston with ice cream cones for digging a hole and then filling it in.  (They were finding ice cream reasons at the drop of a hat.)

10.  Watching Wayne water ski.  He acted like he was young and not dizzy for about 10 minutes.  It was awesome to watch him cut across the wake and ski like a wild man.  I am so sad I don't have pictures of this.

BONUS:  Family Tree picture.  We added Bre this year.  Yeah!  We are missing Truman and Lindsey.

Baby S'mores

What is Addison holding up?  A baby S'more...either that or it's a regular size S'more and Addison just became a GIANT.

 For our dessert at Bear Lake I thought it would be fun to give everyone a candle, toothpick, mini- marshmallow, chocolate chip and 2 pieces of Golden Graham cereal.

 We laughed and created s'more after s'more! It would take about a hundred of these to actually feel satisfied.

 Almost everyone got into the action.........

 .............although at the end of the crazy experience, we were mostly still hungry for dessert.

 We were all mini pyro's too............playing with fire is fun!

 Some  got tired of the mini bites and just ate handfuls of  s'more stuff instead-- ok-- that's what I did.

It ended up being a perfect night for LeBeau Raspberry Shakes......

I am 49!

I have spent most of my birthdays in a swimming suit, usually at Bear Lake.  If that isn't an age reality check, I don't know what is.

Today
I will do what I love to do and usually do on my birthday.....wake up in a strange bed with relatives sleeping all around me.  Go on a walk with my hubby.  Get loves from my children.  Set up a beach camp where I will sit in the sun and read and play in the sand all day.  I will open a few presents and do my annual "Can I pick Monson up?" picture.  I will go waterskiing, just to prove I can still get up.  I will have an ice cream and play card games.  Perfect.

I couldn't pick up Monson...first time in 18 years...so now I will start picking up my baby girl instead

I asked some family members their thoughts if they were turning 49.....some were helpful, most were not.
Rachel said....."Time to die."
Jenna:  "I've lived to 24 1/2 twice."
Becca:  "Better than 50."
Angela:  "I didn't realize you were THAT old, you'll always be young to me."
Lyle:  "That's a lot younger than me-- almost by half."
Landon: "I'm almost 50 and i'm still sexy."
Monson:  "Meow."
Addison:  " Where did my life go?"
Wayne:  "This is my year to become a millionaire."
Bre:  "I'm so super young."
Jordan:  "I'm how old?"
Hayden:  "When I am 49, Jordan will be 60..now that's old!"

I have been trying to be a little more active and a little more service minded lately.  I told myself I could have as many raspberry shakes as I wanted while here, I just had to walk ( 3.2 miles) to Le Beaus each time to get it.  I have had 2 shakes.    My big goal for this week was to do 49 random acts of service for my family in honor of my turning 49. I don't know if anyone noticed, but it felt good to have this in my mind and heart.

Life is good.  I am looking forward to this next year.

As I was walking out of the Ideal Beach compound this morning, I noticed the "Do not back up severe tire damage" sign and told Wayne, "Now,  that's a good motto for this coming year."

This is a picture of all of the Cole Clan on the beach at Bear Lake.  These are the people that love and infuriate me the most.  Ahhhhh.......family!

Cole Family  ( missing 5 members)