New Years is approching

Whew! I don't know about you, but I am sooo glad that Christmas is over. I do enjoy this time of year, but for some reason the stress of not being able to get my kids what they want has weighed on me this year. Normally, it doesn't, but this year......I have been very heavy hearted. I look forward to their faces and smiles on Christmas day, but I just didn' feel that this year I would get them. I tried to find things they would enjoy within our budget. I finally just gave up and accepted the disappointment I thought I would feel. Christmas morning came and all I got was smiles, words of appreciation, surprise, and tons of love from our kids. I truly have the best kids in the world. Bryan and Thomas apparently had been awake for awhile, but just sat at the fireplace reading books waiting for us to come down. Since I had to work on Christmas day, we got up and downstairs at about 7:30. I saw the two boys sitting there and my heart just filled with joy because they were so pleased to just fill the spirit of home instead of the mayhem that seems to come with "Christmas day". We got the girls down and all 4 kids just waited by their trees patiently. I have the best kids. Did I mention...not any presents were wrapped, so it was all out there to see and no one touched a thing!! How blessed I was on Christmas morning to have 4 children who were so awesome and grateful for what they received. Now, the day after, they are still great!! I feel so blessed, truly. I have great family, great husband, great job, great home, great church members, great extended family....BLESSED I TELL YOU, BLESSED!

Christmas is here!!

My sweet children can't wait to set up Christmas. Last night 3 of them got their trees out. From the time we had each kid we bought a 3 or 4 ft lodge pole tree for them to decorate. It is soooo nice when the trees go up. The living room is literally a forest of different designs. Since I'm charge of the Christmas party this year, my tree goes to the back of the priority line. I am however a little jealous of the kids and the happiness they get everyday when they come home from school to "redecorate" their tree!! I told them last night that tonight, yes I committed to tonight, I would go into the garage, climb up the ladder and get Christmas down!! I am a little giddy about this. There was a huge snow storm that happened this afternoon, so the spirit to throw up the tinsel is here!! May your Christmas decorating come quickly and may you feel the sparkle of Christ today.

Monday thru Friday

Have you ever wanted something so bad, and then you get it. You wonder what you were thinking? I have a bitter sweet moment. I will now officially be working Monday - Friday. I wanted this so bad, thinking that it would be so nice to have the weekends with the kids, always able to go to church. Well....now I realized that it was nice having a day off during the week to have the peace and quiet that comes with 4 kids being in school. It was so nice to have John and I with no kids. NOW, we won't have that. Now, we will be home with the kids without the peace and quiet. Now, I can't surprise the kids with cookies when they come home from school. Now, I can't sleep in because it's so quiet. Now, when I need some intimate time alone with the hubs, it's not there!! Now, I will be able to do the "saturday" chores along with the rest of the family. Now, I will be able to know what is going on in the ward. Now, I won't be asked if I'm the new lady at church. I will be able to be there for every sunday! I will now be able to not request weekends off. I will now be able to have the consistency of a weekday job. I guess it's not so bad. Hey, at least I have a job!! I am in a unbalanced state right now. Happy vs not happy because of my work schedule.

Winter is coming.....

I find myself mourning the loss of summer. Fall just seemed to jump right in with the snow, so I want a big bag, comforting leather, nice straps, lots of pockets, and something I didn't buy at Kohls or Ross. Soooo....I found the PERFECT BAG!!

Now, I know that the economy sucks right now. I am fully aware that all my kids need snow boots, gloves, coats, and Christmas. If I just bought this bag, I wonder if it would be like Mary Poppins. Heck, if I'm going to spend...(insert drum roll) $450.00 on a bag it should, shouldn't it?? I wonder if John would notice my paycheck missing from the bank account. Since that is about how much it would take, a whole paycheck!!! I want this bag sooooo bad. It's me, screams Melissa Dunn I need you!! I'll just paste a picture of it here so I can look at it all the time :)

Canning, canning, and more canning

I know in my mind that I look forward to this time of year. We plant the garden wondering if those seeds will sprout. Then we weed around those delicate roots giving the plants the best possible conditions to grow. We water and weed, water and weed. Then we start to see the blossoms on the plants (this is where I get all giddy inside). We can't wait to see the fruit of our labors! Then the fruit comes on, and comes again, and then there is more production!! I have picked, peeled, pickled, squeezed, cut, chopped, sliced, diced, shreeded, freezed, canned, steamed, presured and done it all again and again! I am so worn out!!

My newest thing is going to be peach honey! I helped a lady in the ward canning her peaches, 2 bushels :) I took all the peels and will make peach honey on Monday. I have more beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and onions to deal with. The beets for this year are done!! The peas, done! Peaches, we will be getting in a couple weeks. Tomatoes I want to try this year too. I love filling up my storage room with the harvest. Next year we will be doing this all again!! I really can't wait to get out there in the garden and talk to all my plants today. I am so excited that they have provided for my family. I hope that God lets these living things know of our appreciation, even though I do voice it, I'm not for sure they hear me. I know it's a little weird to be out talking to the cucumber plants. The beets aren't so talkative. The tomatoes are a little stuck up. The carrots are sick, not feeling so well. The green beans are tired but they are willing to keep going. The onions are happy. The peas are done, so they don't talk anymore, they were happy plants. The zucchini are rebellious, but are still doing what they were meant to. The cantaloupe are shy, but coming out a little at a time. My cucumbers are the best communicators. Silly I know, but I do know my plants. There is this one cucumber plant it hasn't branched out so much, but talk about pretty cucs!! I love seeing what blossoms and buds are under it's leaves. The leaves are a deeper green than the rest of the plants. Then there is another cuc plant that is just loves to branch out and stretch all over the place, but doesn't invade the other plants. THANK YOU SWEET GARDEN!!

** this is not my garden **

The Birthday Bash!

What a fun weekend we had! We left Friday morning so we could make it to the Kenny Loggins concert on time. We dropped the kids off at my moms and then headed onto the concert. Sandy Ampitheater is so COOL. What a great concert. Kenny sounds just like he did when he was 18. His stage presence is awesome, and he knows how to work up the crowd. He did quite a few slow songs, which for me was okay because I could hold John's hand or sit between his legs while he gave me hugs!! My awesome sis and bro in law came with us. They bought us Cafe Rio for dinner, which is always good. We were able to sleep in on saturday, putter around, and get ready for the birthday party. We got the cake, black and gold balloons, black and gold placesettings, salads made, lunch at Training Table, and spot picked out at the park. Not as many people came as told me would, but that was okay because I under planned the meat! You know, you never know how much to have if people don't RSVP. Tom and John had fun with the friends that showed up. It was even nice for their kids to show up! These kids are in their 20's but they took the time to come to some friend of their parents. We have good friends. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM AND JOHN

Bodies

We went to see the bodies exhibit with all the kids on Labor Day. I was a little hesitant to take the 8 and 6 year old. It ends up they weren't creaped out by it, but they weren't interested in seeing things from their eye level....can you blame them. The rest of us liked it a lot. Thomas was a little embarassed by the naked bodies, Madison thought it was very educational. John loved seeing all the tendons and how we are all put together. I just loved seeing all the people, the bodies, and the beauty that our Heavenly Father has put together. It took us awhile to get through the exhibit because of all the people. I guess that is what happens when you go on the last night! We had some great discussions about our bodies with the older kids. By the end of the night, Cali and Bryan wanted to go home, Madison and Thomas we done seeing things, John and I wanted to be alone to go through again. Some tidbits that we learned: The uterus can expand to 20 times it's original size with the ability to still contract to deliver a baby!! The brain isn't as big as you think it is. A man's testicles are about the size of a golf ball (thanks Thomas for this tidbit). Madison pointed out all the changes that take place each month on the fetus exhibit. John kept pointing out the amount of tendons that hold us all together, and all the fat that the breasts have. It was a neat family home evening.

Birthday prep

It's that time of year again....wait....It's John's birthday!! YEAH!! After my huge FUBAR 4 years ago, I will not forget. Let's visit that day oh so long ago. I remember telling John how excited I was for his birthday cake the next day, this was on Saturday. It was Sunday, he was busy with meetings and such, I was busy with kids and such.....so we decide to take a "sunday drive". Along our drive the phone kept ringing. I was getting irritated because our family time was getting cut into by someone on the line. After about the 4th phone call, I asked John who it was that kept calling. He told me it was his family, just calling to talk. They were having a family party and passed the phone around. I started to giggle because it wasn't like his family to just call out of the blue to talk. So I let it slide as we continued on our adventure. I remember now thinking how weird for his family to have a party and just call out of the blue and talk for like ever. LA, LA, LA on our way we go. We get home, get the kids in bed, I get ready and go to tell John to come up, because he had been on the phone AGAIN! It's about 10:30 and the phone rings. If you don't know me, I loath the phone ringing after 9:45. It better be dang good to call past 9:30 pm. I answer the phone all rudely and it's his sister Chris. I ask her whats wrong, and why is she calling so late. She sheepishly said "I'm calling because I didn't talk to John, it's his birthday!" I proceeded to go crawling on my knees into the office cement floor begging for forgiveness. This is why his family was calling and he was on the phone all day. They kept calling to see if I had remembered!! Not once did they call or text to give me the heads up. I was so ashamed. SOOOOO, because of this blessed event, we never forget Johns birthday. This birthday we are going to the Kenny Loggins concert at the Sandy Amphitheater. I am so excited to go. Then on Saturday we are having a birthday party for him and Tom. Brothers with the same birthday, same hour, a year apart! It wasn't even planned that way. Here I am now planning a kinda surprise birthday party on a budget. It's potluck, because I don't know how many people are coming. It's at a park, because I don't know how many are coming. I have sent out an event through facebook, but no one has RSVP yet, so I'm not sure if it's worked. Anyway, here we go birthday #49!

Working Weekend

It is a working weekend, which means I don't get a lot done around the house. I know that I have to pickle some cucumbers when I get home, and some laundry. I went to the movies with my daughter last night, we saw The Help. What a great movie. I did infact read the book before the movie came out, so it was fun to see the directors interpretation of the characters. SPOT ON!!

School Days

I'm very excited for school to start! BTW the bedroom furniture is still in the garage with the stain but no polyuritane. I'm excited for the kids to wake up early, go to bed early, homework and peace will abound in our home. I have many random thoughts today.
* Lagoon - John and I went to Lagoon for our anniversary! We love to ride rollercoasters. We went on Wicked twice.

We had so much fun. Just waiting in line, talking, eating a snow cone without any kids wanting to share! I love tiger blood snow cones.

We drove down and back the same day. What a fun date for our anniversary of 16 years.

* Canning/Gardening book - I have been asked to teach canning the the sisters in our ward for a mini class. Now, if you have done any canning, you know that this cannot be taught in a 15 min lesson.

I had this bright idea to organize myself and make a canning/gardening binder. I spent last night scrapbooking a binder to put all my random handouts I have gotten over the years, recipes, and gardening planner all in one place. I have to admit it is super cute and I can't wait for that area of my life to be organized. I usually turn to my recipe box, scramble for my canning recipes and then just do it. I haven't been keeping track of my garden plans for the last few years, but this is the year to compile all the random stuff I have written down. I know that we need to expand next year, so I need to keep track of what we have done and the yeilds so we can plan better next year. A great example of this is John planted two zucchini plants. Our yield has been great on those!!

* Diet - I need to get my weight down. That's all I'm going to say about that. I don't feel so fat and ugly, but then I see a picture of myself and go "What the crap kinda whale jumped into my picture?" Well duh, it's me and it has to change!!

* Scouting - Our bishop of the ward wants to have a ward scout camp next year. You know men.....wait till the last minute. I told him that if I had anything to do with it I wanted to start planning now. I want all the ducks in a row so I can order class B uniform, get the merit badge counselors ready, find a spot, and make it the best camp ever!!

Yesterday I thought to myself "If Sister So and So can refinish furniture 8 months pregnant than you can do it too" Sometimes I just shouldnt listen to myself. I got one night stand top sanded and stained. The second was a no go. I had somekind of varnish meltdown on the belt sander. Now I have stuff from two nigh stands all over the floor! No place for my lamp, it's fallen over on the floor. The alarm clock is out of reach, now I have to move to turn it off, and there is no place to find my glasses because I cant see what is on the floor! Today is a new day though. I'm taking John to work by 6, Bryan to therapy at 9, summer kid movie at 12, bake a cake at 3, go to the hardware store to buy a new belt for the sander and polyurithane, then on my way! Oh wait, it's Bryans birthday.......I need to fit in a celebration in somewhere. Life of a working mom who tries to fit it all in on her days off.

Wrong shoes

I feel that there comes a time in everyones life where they eat crow and just have to apologize for their behavior. Yesterday....I actually did apologize to my family. This is how it all started (duh, dunt, duh)....I was at work, called home and specifically asked John to make sure this kids were dressed, hair combed, correct shoes (this was meant for Bryan), teeth brushed so we didn't look like neglectful parents on our family outing. Our intention was to go SCHOOL SHOPPING!! I know I made a point of the shoes because usually we have Bryan showing up with cowboy boots and shorts, or pink dora crocks and his sunday best. One time he was dressed up and had on spiderman slippers!! I don't know why Bryan just seems to be forgotten in the shoe arena. Anyhow, John picked me up, he forgot the gift card to Walmart, so we went to Sams for dog food. No school shopping, but we did need to stock up on stuff from Sam's. We get out of the car, walking in the parking lot and I notice that Bryan has on 2 totally different sizes and colors of flip flops. One was brown, was too small and the other was too big and camo! I made a big deal reminding John and everyone else that we need to pay more attention to Bryans shoe problem. This little guy just wears whatever is available. I had to throw the too small snow boots out because he would wear them down to the ditch to swim. Anyway, we all laughed, I was a little embarassed, but John reminded me that Bryan was happy and everyone was getting along. Now lets flash forward oh...about 4 hours. John wanted to go to the grocery store for milk and other stuff, I was tired, and so I slipped on my cute sage green mules, and headed out the door. We pulled up to the store, got out and stood in line for about 20 min trying to return the redbox, did that, now onto the store. I was walking and then had to wait for John to catch up when my foot itched. I noticed my sage green mule felt a little different, when I looked down and saw my dark brown penny loafer!! I could have sworn I put on my green shoes!! I then looked at my other shoe and would you believe it....my sage green mule!! I had two totally different shoes on!! I started to laugh, John caught up and asked what was so funny. I told him that I needed to apologize for Bryans shoes earlier because (here is where I point down to my shoes) I too am wearing the wrong shoes. He laughed and said that he now knows where Bryan gets his shoe problem. If you know me at all I do have a shoe fettish. I can no longer fit shoes in my closet. I do have room under my bed though. I will reinact the shoe problem and post a picture so you can get the full effect. I do want to make clear that today I am wearing the same shoes :)

Anticipation of school

I know that it must seem a bit weird to others, but I cannot wait till school is in!! I am counting down the days. What this means for me is no kids calling me at work asking for candy or sweets. No more children calling to see if they can watch a netflix movie. No more children sitting around waiting to finish their chores until 4:30 when I should be arriving at home from work. No more kids going through 3 different towels (I have 4 kids...add how many towels) each day that are wet and dropped on the floor. No more fighting, no more teenager getting upset because she couldn't sleep in even though it was here choice to stay up reading until the wee hours or morn. No more "can I go to so and so's house". I am looking forward to the orginazation, cleanliness, orderliness, rest, sleep, and peace we seem to have when school is in session. We say our daily prayers, scriptures, and daily thought. I am looking forward to studying, parent teacher conference, school plays, school lunch, teacher gifts, emails, powerschool, buses, backpacks, and all the cool things that come with kids being in school. Most of all, which is weird out of all those things....I look forward to children getting ready for bed at 7:30 so John and I can spend some time alone without children! Someone is always up during the summer. I hate it. During school....everyone is scheduled and in bed at 8:00!!

The cheesecake and avacado egg roll appetizer. I had the chichen madera for lunch. Holy crumb it was sooooo good!

I'm ashamed to admit that I did in fact buy the watermelon, we did go to the Jefferson County fireworks, and yep we had the hamburgers. However, I did not buy t-shirts or make potato salad! To admit, I really had Howard Jones on my mind. My little brother, Blake texted me to let me know that he bought HoJo tickets!! Now I will admit this because I am adult enough to realize that everyone has some closet obsession. I am a closet Howard Jones groupie. I love his music, love his concerts, and if I lived in London my kids would take piano from him...no matter what the cost!! The 4th shouldn't have taken a "back seat" but it did. I was ready to go Friday night, rode to SLC with my older brother who went with us! I stayed the night at my moms house, slept in, watched my nephews, swam at the pool, went to lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, and went to the concert!! We were third in line WHOOT WHOOT. My awesome brothers got the best seats in the house WHOOT WHOOT! First order of business was buying the coveted concert t-shirt. Now in reality where in the heck would I wear a concert t-shirt? I have been known to wear it to church (that was the last HoJo concert). I work full time, I go home get into my PJ's and usually just stay there. I'm not going to wear it in the garden, it might get dirty. I would not wear it to a "church function" (Sunday church is different). I will fold it up, put it in my closet and keep it there. Anyway......I bought the t-shirt went into the bathroom and changed before you could blink. We sat down, had dinner and then the miracle of July 9th started!! (I still get giddy in my tummy). As the concert proceeded the girls behind us were a little, okay, well on their way to intoxication. They were talking about rushing the stage. I was not intoxicated, but Clint told me that if I didn't do it, it would be something I would regret it the rest of my life. I sat for a few songs and then it happened. I realized that I would indeed regret this, I would sit back and ponder the concert and wish that I had "rushed the stage". In that moment of a haze I turned around told the ladies behind me "come on, we're going up"! I don't know what happened but a huge smile appeared and I was grooving to the music leading the ladies like the pied piper of HoJo!! We passed all the duds in their seats, sitting down and started to dance right in front of the stage :0 I turned around, waved my arms at my bros. and danced until the song ended. I can truly say that Howard was so happy, he looked right into my eyes and I could tell at that moment we had a connection. After the song was over, he took an intermission. I ran back to my bros and jumped for joy as I realized that I didn't sit back and let someone else "lead the group". It was me, all on my own, I decide to get off my butt and do it. Now I can go really deep, but I realized that I didn't need to be intoxicated, no one else knew who I was and lots of people were smiling when we came back to our seats. Maybe, just maybe I inspired some other woman in the crowd to get off her duff and do something. I know I'm more motivated to get off the duff and do more, do something, want more, do more. Thank you HoJo, I would not have come to this realization had it not been for you.

Ponderings

I don't know why, but this year the 4th of July just seems like a dud. We haven't done the annual firework trip to Wyoming. I haven't bought the watermelon, doesn't everyone have watermelon on the 4th. I don't have the hamburger thawed for the BBQ, I haven't gone to the store to buy chips, drinks, stuff for homemade potato salad. I don't even have lemonade for a cool refreshing drink. I don't have sunscreen, my knees can attest to that (they are fried from mowing the lawn)! I haven't even taken out the decorations (I still have Easter up....shhh). No flags, no sparklers, no t-shirts from Old Navy, doesn't everyone get their $5 shirt there? Then I sit and ponder that the 4th is not about all of these things. I think this year we are going to pull out the free booklet that has the Declaration of Independece, Bill of Rights and the documents that continue to make our country the best in the world! I think this year I will make a turkey and stuffing, kinda like Thanksgiving and teach my children how blessed they are to live in a country that allows our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms! I think I'll go buy a box of ammo and set up a target in the pasture, just because I can!! I think I will write on a piece of cardboard box and stake it in the front yard with a message about freedom, just because I can!! Forget the darn t-shirt, sparklers, fireworks, pop and chips. This year we will let freedom ring by doing what we want to do, because we can, within the limits of the law. Maybe we will get all the books we don't want and take them to the county jail and donate them. I have learned that there is a library in the county jail. Books are allowed to come in from friends and family, but once there, they stay. I am sure you can realize that there aren't a lot of books in the library. In our county jail, there is no TV. Can you imagine sitting in a cell for 23 hours without anything to do but read, write letters, and sleep. I need to clean out the bookshelf anyway. This year we're going to stay at home, protect it, take care of it, thank the Lord we have it, and we will enjoy every minute of it. I still might make the potato salad though!! Enjoy your 4th of July and don't let the stuff take over why we really are celebrating the 4th.