My husband needs

His name is a lot more common then mine so I think these are very funny.

• new characters (for his game maybe?)
• money (like everyone else)
• Manager's Opinion
• 2 cook 4 client (yeah, his wife)
• to learn how to bargain with thieves (who has he been dealing with?!?)
• female penpals for friendship (oh no he doesn't)
• pat-down searches (he already goes through a security check for work, now this)
• No Title (because he is the man)
• innovative thinker (he's got one, me)
• brother (he's already got 2, does he need more?)
• Assessment
• air conditioning repair (we just got the van AC fix, I hope that is it)
• insurance (we have health, dental, eye (military), life, car, and house, whatelse do we need)
• to consider certain points to plan your move (wahoo, we're going to move)
• You! (is he going to be Uncle Sam)
• Protection (what kind?)
• an exit interview (maybe he will get that job when it opens up)
• a top-performing pre-owned electric fork lift truck (will come handy in the move)
• someone who wants to WIN (what are we going to give away)
• to Know (probably true)
• to be a member of Smaller Indiana (we're moving to Indiana?)
• to consolidate with another school district (maybe a future school board member)
• a family that will be able to provide him with a safe and stable home (he's got one)
• technical support (he provides that at work)
• a point guard (wahoo, are we going to own a basketball team)
• a professional contractor (I see a move and a new home in our future)
• a much nicer hotel with a beach (and a vacation besides our cruise)
• A NEW HOME (I'm psychic)
• to reinvent our education system (wow, he's going to do that all by himself?)
• to move in a bigger home (like I said, I'm a pyschic)

Melynda's needs

Okay, Tiffany, so I tried this. I was confused at first because a bunch of real estate came up. Bu then I saw where it said needs and that is what I followed. Mine weren't as specific but they were pretty funny. Any one else that wants to try this type in (your first name) needs and google it.

Here are my needs

• a boyfriend (oh, no I don't. A husband is enough)
• read some Harlan Ellison (I had to look him up. He writes science fiction and also some movies. Maybe I will read his stuff sometime.)
• to do something sometime (don't we all.)
• lexapro (do I have depression?)
• a group to run with (true since all my friends are either in Idaho/Utah or moving away. This too can help with the depression.)
• to sign up first (for what)
• the perfect Japanese tattoo (no thanks!)
• it now (use your imagination)
• at least one (what?)
• to reduce I/O lines coming out of enclosure (huh?)
• more (doesn't everybody)
• more explanation (because I am a little slow)
• full time child care (maybe I would stop pulling out my hair)
• the funds to do it (money! money! money! To do what?)
• to get Soulfrost already (huh?)
• to accept one FACT (probably true)
• to be put in place (again, probably true)
• to grow (physically, no way! spiritually, academically of course)
• to be done tuning (do I tune that much?)
• to be notified (of all the money that I just won!?)
• 4-year-old daughter (seeing I have a 3 year old daughter this probably will come true first.)

Pool Party

We were invited to a pool party this morning. I forgot my digital camera so sorry no pictures. But I probably would not have gotten any anyway. I had gotten them in their suits and sunblocked lathered on before we even left. We picked up my friend and her 3 kids. Oh and She-girl actually let me braid her hair in two braids. It looked so cute.

At the pool party there are 4 mom's and 9 kids (2 infants.) My friend's daughter and She-girl are the only girls. I blew up the little animal floating devices we got the kids a few months back. They are for 2 or 3-5 year olds. Anyway She-girl picked out the yellow bear so T-man got the pink pig. But anyway I was so surprised when the kids happily climbed in them and let me pull them all over the pool. The pool was just a small round one so I could have easily gotten to any of the children if they needed me. They had a good time floating around. After awhile She-girl wanted out. She got her arm wings on and held onto my hands (I had T-man's floaty tied around my wrist.) She couldn't reach the bottom but she had a blast kicking her feet and bobbing up and down. After awhile she just sat on the steps.

T-man also wanted out of his floaty and he just held onto me as we swirled around the pool. Afterwards we went inside and had a snack and the kids played for a little bit until T-man was about to nod off. We loaded the kids back up in the van and drove home. By the time I got home both my kids were down for naps. T-man stayed asleep when I put him in his crib but She-girl woke up (thank goodness since if she gets a nap she will stay up all night.) Now I could use a nap too.

It went so well and so much better than I expected that I may try to take them over next week. This lady lives so close to us and my kids need to start getting more comfortable in the water. I plan on taking She-girl to swim lessons next summer.

Sick of looking at it

We have lived in our house for 4 years and I am already sick of looking at the walls. The builder used the crappiest paint ever. He went on and on about how easy flat paint was to wash. I have not found that to be the case. I have stopped trying to keep up with the spot upkeep. Everything shows up. I am going to paint the house starting this fall (when it is cool enough to open the windows to let it ventilate.) I think I will start in the dining room and kitchen since I know about the color schemes I want in there. I know I want to use red and a sand color and maybe one other accent color. I also would like to tile the back splash above the counter and below the cupboards. Our counters are blue and our cabinets are oak (I think.) Most of my decorations are light houses and they are mostly red, blue, and white or sand colors so those colors should go nicely. I will also replace the drapes in the dining room since ours are so faded and I want something that will hang nicer.

But the paint is not the only thing I am sick of. I am sick of our carpet. we just got the standard carpet since we got upgrades other places in the house. It was probably a smart move in the long run since our kids spill everything on it. But right now it looks horrible. We are going to steam clean it soon but as soon as I can I will replace the carpet as well. My husband chose carpet in our dining room and I tried to talk him out of it. Now he wishes I had succeeded. At the time we could only afford carpet or vinyl and I only like vinyl in smaller rooms (although our kitchen has it but it is a real nice vinyl that looks like tile.) I would like to replace the carpet in the dining room with hard wood floors. I think that will look nicer and easier to keep clean then carpet but also easier to clean than tile since I won't have to worry about stuff getting stuck in the grout.

We have almost got all the furniture we will need (just need more for the kids rooms as we have more and they get bigger) so now we can focus on upgrading things in our home and I hardly can wait to get started.

Pioneer Day

We had our ward pioneer day celebration Saturday.

I made my apple pie for the pie baking contest. I didn't win or even place but there were a lot of good pies there. My crust (homemade) didn't have the best flavor like it usually does. The young woman that usually babysits for us won first prize for her blackberry pie.

There was ponies to ride and a cart that was pulled by miniature horses. The kids liked the ponies and horses but wouldn't ride the ponies. However, they screamed when their turn was up in the cart. They had lots of turns riding with mommy, daddy, and grandma.

T-man really enjoyed the watermelon. He ate this piece down to the white and ate half of another piece. We had a blast even if it was over 100 degrees and that wasn't counting the humidity factor.

The Science of Potty Training

Who would have guessed that we would have more success potty training our 18 month old son over our 3 1/2 year old daughter? I have tried everything to get my daughter to potty trained short of punishing her. So a few weeks ago we decided to get T-man his own potty since they fought over the other one. We thought maybe if we had them sit together it would encourage our daughter. Yesterday and today our son has told us he wants to pee-pee in the potty. We take him in there (his sister did sit with him yesterday) and both times he has told us he has pee-peed in the potty. My son might be out of diapers before my daughter. I still hope that seeing him do it and the praise he gets for it that it will encourage her but not yet.

Helping to vaccuum

She-girl wanted to help daddy vaccuum today. It was so cute to see them vaccuum side by side.

If I had a Million Dollars

I probably will never win or receive a million dollars except for hard work and investing for retirement (and then I might not reach that much) but sometimes I like to think of what I would do if I was to receive, win, or inherit a million dollars (or any amount for that matter.)

Now I know a lot of people would be saying things like, "I would give half to this or that charity." "I would start a scholarship in so and so's name." Blah. Blah. Blah. But really who would really do that if they win a million. Sure some people would but I have a different philosphy. Before I can enrich the lives of complete strangers, I need to enrich the lives of my family.

The first thing we would do is pay tithing of one tenth to the Church. Plus we would probably give a large fast offering and maybe donate to 1 or 2 of the other church funds. I know the church would make sure it got to the people that needed it.

The second thing I would do is pay off our house and cars. That is the only debt we currently have. Yah, for us. We worked hard since when we got married I had student loans and Ray had credit cards. After we paid the house and cars off we would probably trade in our van for a newer model with more bells and whistles. We would also put our house on the market and buy a slightly larger one (I wouldn't mind just two more rooms) with some upgrades and a much larger lot.

Third we would put a big chunk to retirement. Make sure that we would not have to work in our golden years and would be able to travel and serve missions like we want.

Fourth, set up college, wedding, and mission funds for our children. They could use it for all of those things. I still think children value college more if they pay their own way. I remember how good it felt my last two years when I paid for everything myself with out the help of grants, scholarships, or loans. My parents never helped me pay for my college although they did help with my mission and wedding.

Fifth, I would make sure my parents and my inlaws were able to retire comfortably. Both my parents and my husband's parents have struggled throughout their lives and may still struggle through retirement.

Sixth, I would go visit Jerusalem or some big trip like that.

Then I would like to give some kind of gift to all my siblings and my husbands siblings that need it. Either pay off some/all of their debt or help with a down payment on a house.

With the rest I would like to start or donate to some program that gave homeless people a chance to get off the street by teaching them a skill to help them get a job and get a place to stay. When I was younger I had these visions of teaching homeless people how to build apartment buildings and when they finished that would be their homes and then maybe start a factory or second hand store and hire only homeless people and those needing a second chance so they can build their resumes and they would own part of the business so the success of that business would greatly benefit them.

So there you have it. That is what I would do with a million dollars.

Finis

I shut down my ebay store today. It was a hard and easy decision. Easy because my time with my children was being sacrificed but hard because even though I had that debacle in May, I had an awesome sales month in June. But I think it will be nice to scale it down and enjoy my free time doing other things I need to and want to do. I will still do auctions but only 1-2 weeks every month. I will also still do special orders for my return customers.

New Phone

After nearly two years of a phone my husband hated we went in today and upgraded our cell phones. We got LG shines. Mine is red and Ray's is gray. So far we really like them. It has a mirrored face when it isn't activated that you can use. Then it also has a nicer camera on it. We extended our contract and also going to get the rebates so that will help pay for them.

Fridays Feast

Appetizer
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?

I haven't had it professionally cut in years. My husband trims it for me and he did so about 2 weeks ago. I trim my bangs about once a month.

Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.

Not having any adult worries. If I had realized that back then I would have enjoyed it more.

Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.

Country crock, so I guess margarine. But between the stick version, butter.

Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?

I would pick Spanish since that is the one I would probably use the most. Although I have always thought Russian would be cool.

Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…

Done having children. Two more is what we plan. Plus hopefully my husband will be a tech sergeant and we can upgrade our house to a slightly larger one with a much bigger yard.

Why do I have a garbage can lid?

That is the question I am pondering today. It is my kitchen garbage can. I put it on the can but it ends up on the floor next to it. It gets filthy with flour, ketchup, crumbs, and whatever else falls on it. When it is on the can it often falls in and I have to dig it out. Yet, I do not just discard it. I wash it up and stick it back on knowing that tomorrow it will be on the floor again.

Nothing like good old PB

My kids love PB sandwiches for lunch. But they sure get messy with them.

More 4th of July fun

After spending the morning at the beach and having pizza at Beach Pizza. We spent the afternoon getting ready for a barbecue with some friends.
Here is our daughter with another little boy setting off snappers.
T-man liked the snappers too.
But he really liked the sparklers. He thought they were candles and tried to blow it out.
The darn thing just wouldn't blow out no matter how hard he blew. After the sparklers we set off some fireworks. She-girl and her one friend remained in the house and watched from the window. The rest of us enjoyed them outside.

The next evening we had a barbecue with Papa and Gaga (that is the lovely name my daughter gave grandma and it has stuck) at our house but because of the weather we ended up inside.

Our 4th of July So Far

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Tag Your It

The rules are as follows: List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

This is my first time being tagged.

Three Joys:

1. My children

2. My husband

3. The Gospel


Three Fears

1. Spiders

2. Falling

3. Failure


Three Goals

1. Publish a Novel
2. Visit the Holy Land

3. Be a better mother


Three Obsessions/Collections

1. Die cutting machines and dies

2. Fantasy Books

3. Crocheting


Three Random Surprising Facts

1. I hate using the telephone. I am terrible at calling people. I worked at a call center for 3 weeks and two of those weeks were during my two week notice. I had to give surveys and I did horrible. The only ones I did well at was when I had to call old farmers about pest control products. Those old men like to talk.

2. I have thought about this all night and really can't think of any random surprising facts. I am pretty much an open book and don't keep many secrets.

3. I am a distant cousin of Thomas S. Monson. It's like 2nd cousin 3 times removed or something like that.


Five people (sorry only three) to tag

1. Tiffany

2. Cher

3. Holly

100 Things and Places to See and Do

I got this idea from one of Tiffany's friends blogs ( I changed it up a bit). I was coming up on my 100 blog entry and thought this might be fun to do for the 100th blog. Now these are not in any particular order and it may be very long so hope you have some time to read.

1. Attend the launching of the space shuttle. I live across the state from Cape Canaveral so maybe this one is doable.

2. Go up in the space shuttle.

3. Publish a novel. I have written stories for years. I have very few that are finished. I write mostly young LDS fiction (like Jack Weyland) but am also working on a fantasy book.

4. Be a New York best seller.


5. Visit the Statue of Liberty.

6. Attend a Broadway musical.

7. Star in a play. I was in the Music Man in 8th grade for the Church's annual musical back when they did those. But I was only a girl in the library and an extra. After my mission I played a more major role in the Church's road shows but I have always wanted to have a part in a major play.

8. Attend the Oprah show. I would particularly like it if I was able to go to the "My Favorite Things" show.

9. Visit all the temples. Okay, this will be a tough one since there is 100+ temples already. I think I do have a head start on this one since I have been to about 20. I need to count them out again. I would love to attend a dedication in person. Maybe we will get a temple near here some day.
10. Witness all my children being married in the temple.
11. Visit the Sacred Grove and Palmyra. Nauvoo would be on this list too but I have already fulfilled that one.

12. Meet the prophet. Right now that is Thomas S. Monson and I haven't met him. But if L. Tom Perry, Richard G. Scott, or Henry B. Eyering ever become the prophet I have met them.

13. Attend the Tulip Festival in Mt. Vernon, Washington. I missed it while I was there on my mission. Tulips are my favorite flowers after white daisies and yellow roses. I love all colors of tulips and wished they grew better here in Florida.

14. While I'm on things I missed while serving my mission I would also like to go back to the San Juan Islands and visit them all, not just Friday Harbor.

15.I'd also like to take the Ferry from Anacortes out to Victoria/Sidney B.C. I hear they have beautiful gardens there and some beautiful sights.

16. I would like to visit all 50 states. I am about half way through with this mostly thanks to moving from Idaho to Florida.

17. See Niagra Falls. Something is awe inspiring about the power of water falling several feet.

18. Visit every continent. I have only been to North America.

19. Go on a cruise. Will be fulfilling this in October. For our 5th anniversary Ray and I are going on a cruise to Mexico. I have never been to Mexico and look forward to it. We are going to see some Mayan Ruins while there.

20. Be a contestant on the Wheel of Fortune. Everyone says I should be on that show since I can solve the puzzles fairly quickly.

21. I don't care if this makes me seem like a nerd. I am an adult now and can admit the truth. I am a huge NKOTB fan. I was way back at age 13 but never got to go to a concert because I was too poor. But they were the only concert I wanted to go to. So when I heard about the reunion tour I had to go. I will be attending the concert in October in Atlanta. I am very excited. My lovely husband will be tagging along.

22. Learn to tat. I have learned in the past but need to practice.

23. Get a Cricut expression machine. I have a regular Cricut machine but I want the big one.

24. Get the 75-300 lens for my 35 mm camera and develop my photography talent. I will find a way to get it before my cruise. 25. Attend the Olympics. I missed out when they came to Salt Lake. If I can go to the winter olympics I would attend the figure skating and speed skating. If I went to the Summer I would attend gymnastics and swimming.

26. Learn to use my serger. I got it over a year ago and it still sits in the box. I just haven't had time to watch the video and figure out how to thread it.

27. Develop my quilting talent. I love to quilt but am not very good currently. Maybe someday.

28. Take best of fair at the fair. I did get Best in show for knitting once and about died of the shock since I don't knit very often. 29. Learn to play the piano. So far I can only play a few songs with the right hand.

30. Take up the flute again and be better at it.

31. Learn to play the violin. My friend Mike from my mission makes beautiful instruments and maybe I can look him up and have him make me one.

32. Write my own cookbook. It will be more of a collection of my favorite recipes. I have several thought out for it. Most will be just taken from other books but I have enhanced a few to make my own recipes. I would like to make it like a scrapbook and then maybe some day duplicate it for my family and friends. 33. These are the shoshone falls in Idaho. I have been here but I do not remember them and I am a sucker for waterfalls. I saw these ones on the History channel and that got me thinking about them.

34. Fly in a helicopter. I think over Hawaii or some scenic area would be cool. I don't care to fly over a big city.

35. Learn to dive. I would love to see the Reef in Australia. But I would also love to dive on a shipwreck.

36. Cenote snorkel. Ray and I wanted to do this in Cozumel while there with our cruise but we had to choose between this or seeing the Mayan Ruins. The ruins won out.

37. Fly in a hot air balloon.
38. Take a train across the country. It would be fun to take the kids and get a big family bedroom so they can play and not just sit there. Trains go places cars do not.
39. Catch up on my projects. Now this could take a life time. I have scrapbooks, sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, writing....
40. I hate the paint in the inside of our house. The builder used the crappiest stuff. I would love to paint the whole inside. With paint that washes off easily and does not mark up easy.

41. Learn to figure skate. Probably impossible since I never got roller skating/blading down. When I was a girl I use to watch the figure skaters and dream of doing that.

42. Landscape my yard. I would like to get some fruit trees for the back yard, garden on the side, and then redo our walk way and landscape the front yard better.

43. Get a fence.

44. Pay off the mortgage. If I was ever to win money that is the first thing I would do after paying tithing.

45. Move back to the "Motherland." I miss Idaho and would love to live and be buried there.
46. Help my parents retire and not have to worry about things in their golden years.

47. Get my law degree.

48. Become a judge. I wish I could get there without being a lawyer first since I will be in my 40s before I get that law degree.

49. Tour Jerusalem. Walk where the Savior walked. I planned on doing this after I graduated from college and starting saving but then I met the love of my life and planned a wedding instead.

50. Finish the Old Testament. I have read the other books numerous times but I am still plodding along in the old testament. I think I have read Genesis at least a dozen times. Currently I am in Joshua.

51. Lose 10 pounds. 20 pounds would be awesome but I am trying to keep it real. I have really struggled with this because I am use to being active in the summer and here in Florida it's too hot in the summer to go out and do much. I am starting to jump rope again and that burns over 600 calories per hour.

52. Refinish my mother's vanity and give it to my daughter. We have to buy a new mirror since my husband broke it on the last move.

53. Visit Mt. Rushmore.

54. Build my dream home. It would be in Idaho Falls, Idaho or Logan, Utah. I would love a two story home with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a family room, living room, dining room, laundry room, kitchen, pantry, breakfast nook, and office. Bay windows and large windows with hard wood floors also a must.

55. Own a yellow Ford mustang convertible.

56. Learn to speak fluently in Spanish. I can read a little. Two years in high school and that is all I can do.

57. Ride an elephant.
58. Learn to speak/read Latin.
59. Read all my books. I am working on that but there are a few I love to reread so some have been put on the back burner.
60. Have a successful garden. When going to school at USU my roommate and I had a beautiful garden. It felt good to see my hard work turn out into beautiful plants with things to eat.
61. Hike a glacier.
62. Be on the Amazing Race. Okay. I have to get in shape big time before I attempt that one. But of all the reality/game shows out there that would be the one I would most enjoy.
63. Take Ray to an Auto show.
64. Be an extra in a movie.

65. Ride a Gondola in Venice, Italy. Very romantic I hear.

66. Tour Europe. Too many places to list that I want to see there.

67. Learn to ballroom dance with Ray. Then Ray and I can attend a second chance prom and be able to dance the night away. (He never went to his prom.)

68. Drive across America from coast to coast. Sure I can see several of these places on that trip.

69. Hike the Grand Canyon. Ray and I were planning on doing these next Spring when we drove from Florida to Idaho but with the price of gas this will probably be put off for a few more years. Probably be a good thing since I plan on being pregnant again next spring.

70. Ride every rollar coaster in the United States.

71. Volunteer in my children's classroom.

72. Tutor children in math. I have done this several times in the past and it is very rewarding.

73. Visit the Hawaii Volcano. On our honeymoon we went to the Island of Kauai. For our 10th anniversary we plan on going back and visiting two islands. Ray's choice is Maui. I want to go to the Big Island and see the volcano.

74. Visit a concentration camp. We must never forget that tragedy or it will come again.

75. Work at the polls.

76. Volunteer for a political campaign. Maybe next time Mitt Romney runs again I can volunteer then.

77. Hike the Grand Tetons. I have been to Yellowstone a number of times but never south to the tetons. Next time...Next time...
78. Become a better rock climber. I learned in college from an ex. I really enjoyed it but I have to get in shape again. Also I have to get over my fear of falling.
79. Gold mine.
80. Find a pearl. Make it into a necklace to hand down through the generations of women in the family.

81. This is my castle. Okay, not really. But this is Castle Dudley in the United Kingdom. My family comes from here. My 13 great grandfather was Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester during Queen Elizabeth 1 era.

82. Finish writing my personal history. I have to about mid mission done.

83. Start my family history. Or rather add to it. My father, mother, and grandparents have done a lot on it.

84. Make the pioneer trek from Nauvoo to Salt Lake just like the pioneers. 85. Ride a camel in the desert.

86. Take the children on a Disney World Vacation. Will probably try to do this in 2-3 years when our daughter is 5 or 6.

87. Drive down to Key West. It would be really cool to drive over that long bridge but a little scary too. Definitely won't do it during a hurricane.

88. Learn to decorate cakes. A friend from my mission taught me while there. I did a Cathy cake with my companion. I have made some of my children's cakes but I would love to learn how to do them so they look professional. 89. Add to the family by getting a dog. My first choice would be a golden retriever and then a golden lab. We have to get a fence first so the dog can have some where to run. It would be better to have a little bigger yard too.

90. Break my bad habits. I know what they are and I will not divulge that information at this time.

91. Learn sign language. I can sign most of the letters and some words. I was able to participate in singing a song in sign language while on my mission. That is the only way I will sing in public.

92. Attend a mission reunion. Now I live far away it may be awhile before I get there. I would love to see all my companions, some of the Elders, and President Oaks again and see what everyone is up to.

93. Swim with the dolphins. My favorite part of my honeymoon was taking the dolphin cruise and standing at the front of the ship and having the dolphins swim along. I wish I could swim better because I think I was supposed to be a mermaid since I love the ocean so much.

94. Have a makeover. This scares me because I love my long hair. But I would like another hair do that is fast (just run a brush through) besides my long straight hair. I don't do curling irons, or hairspray, or a lot of makeup. (Must still be long though.)

95. Wear an expensive evening gown and jewelry for one night. Every girl needs to feel glamorous once.

96. Teach my daughter to sew, crochet, and knit. I will teach my son too if would like to learn.

97. See my children graduate from college in whatever field they would like to do. I really would like them to get an education and have the opportunity to.

98. See all my grandchildren be born into this world. I would like to live that long at least.

99. Go on a mission with Ray. It will be his first and my second. At least I will know who my companion is at all times although all my companions from the first time were great. I am glad I am still in touch with some of them (Tiffany and Cher.)

100. Have my children think I am a great mom. If I do not get to do anything else on my list this is the one I hope to fulfill. I fear I have much to desire at being a mother and I am continuing to learn and grow.

Well, there it is. Took me long enough. Thinking of all 100 was a chore and a half. I borrowed some from a list I found on line but I am proud to say I thought of the majority myself.