Funny Lysie

All this, just Today:  

First, Lysie is getting dressed for the day.  I got her two shirts for Christmas (and a tea set, I'm not all boring).  One was Faded Glory Brand, and the other L.E.I. Brand.  Didn't think anything of it, but Elyse did.  She comes in with the grumpy face on and shows me the shirt with the L.E.I. tag and says "This isn't my Shirt.  Thats not my name!  My name is Elyse, E-L-Y-S-E not L.E.I."  And then threw a tantrum for a bit cuz the pants mom tried to get her to wear didn't quite fit right.  Oh joys of being 4 going on 14.

Then, in the evening, she's getting ready for bed, and is hounding me to listen, I keep telling her "just a minute" cuz I'm preoccupied.  Eventually, my attention is freed and so I turn to her and ask "WHAT?" Kinda exhasperated, and she says with a big grin- "You and Travis are gonna get married, and when your married I can have sleep overs at your house"  OH REALLY?  I can't say no to her though, so I told her she'll have to ask Travis cuz it'll be his house too.  She's hilarious.  Se wouhe's so smart, she figured out getting married means I'm gonna move-I think cuz Amanda moved. But then I asked lysie where she would stay when she came for sleep overs at my house (her and robin have "sleep overs" here but just sleep on the floor on a blanket in lysie's room) and if she was going to sleep on the floor, or on the couch, and she asked "Will you have a bed?" I Said yes, and she said she'd just sleep there with me-hahaha, no.  Then I asked her what color dress she wanted when I get married, and she answered "white"  hahaha, no again!  I explained that I'm getting married so I get to wear white and that she needs to pick a color. Started suggesting blue, green, yellow-and she piped up "Black"  hahaha, no. I kept trying to explain the idea of color and get her to pick green but she wouldn't have it.  She's pretty set on black, but I'll turn her-don't worry.  I'll turn her!

Mr Turkey

Elyse taught me a new song today, sing it to the tune of  "Frère Jacques"

Mister Turkey (Mister Turkey)

Big and Fat (Big and Fat)

I am gonna eat you (I am gonna eat you)

Just like that (Just like that)

Patch Adams

What an Inspiring Guy.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to his -lecture? today, but it was amazing.  I was in tears in a few spots.  Just overwhelmed with a sense of caring for his cause and the people he meets.  You could tell he was genuine-and his ideas are so idealistic.  He really beleives in his cause and labors for it, its a labor of love.  I think Robin Williams did an excellent portrayal of his essence-his sense of curiosity and love and compassion for other humans.  He's not immune to reality-he just sees the world through a broader lens that allows him to care for the individual.  I wrote so much of what he said down-I wish I had a recording of the evening.  I hope that whenever I start my career-and that whomever I come into contact with, I can share a sense of love and concern for them.

Patch said he never said "Laughter is the best medicine"  But that "Friendship is the best medicine-and laughter, humor is a means to make that friendship."  It was wonderful.  And I will forever cherish his wisdom in my heart, and strive to be a little more positive, a little more happy, a little more concerned and a little more caring with everyone I meet.  Thank you Mr Adams!

Other Than that, today was also fun, because we had our first real snow (didn't stick around much, but it was definately there.)  On my lunch break from Classes I went home to find lysie in her snowcoat, boots, snowpants, mittens, the whole regalia.  So I joined her and we tossed some small, puny snowballs around, but had oh so much fun!  

Home again Home again

I've been home for a grand total of 4 days, so I figured its time to write

Coming home always has this odd feeling about it, because it always changes....yet somehow maintains this sense of home.

Somethings never change-like the clutter, or the never ceasing jokes from Rulon, or mom's exhaustion, or my desire to get stuff done and my total lack of motivation to get stuff done upon arrival back home...

And other things change, like gaining a roommate(at home I haven't had to share a room since we moved into the remodeled house when I was in 5th grade!) and that roommate being tall enough to climb out of the crib

Its always amazing to me to discover things such as Elyse's nonstop chatter flourishing into big kid conversations-or how pathetic the cats look when we have to shave their fur off due to Liam's and my allergies...

And hard to adjust to things such as Robin stealing my bathroom shelf and space in the medicine cabinet-or being roommates with a 1 yr old who can climb out of the crib....  (Have you caught on to how blown away I am that he can do that!  That little guy is so strong!)

But then there is always still that sense of home, and that special way that we come closer after returning and reuniting.  Today Robin, Elyse, Liam, and I went out side and danced in the rain.  This morning I woke up and took Elyse walking around the block so she could splash in every puddle she could find.  I was soaking wet, and muddy, but its those simple things that bring us close.  I don't know if Elyse will remember that 10 years from now, but I will.  Last time I came home from a trip, Elyse was splashing in puddles (to my dismay) and she feel and ripped a hole in her pants.  I picked her up and told her she'd be okay, and forgot about it, till 2 months later Elyse reminded me "Melanie do you remember I fell and you picked me up?"  Now I'll remember that always.  Those little things are what make our lives with our families special.  That we know we can count on them and that they can come to us is what its about.  And that trust and love is built in the little moments that bring us a ray of sunshine each day, no matter how wet or how heavy the downpour.

I just want to echo the words of John Bowring who said "A happy family is but an earlier heaven."  And add that I know its the truth.  I love my family and I love being home.  I wish Amanda and Jordan were here with us more often, but look forward to their big adventures-including the family expansion this October!  


With that, I'm off-to mingle with mother!  :)

Little Sisters are the best.

It was an interesting night.  

To start off, me and Elyse were playing just before dinner, so there was a fight to get her to the table to eat.  But then when Kimmie put noodles on her plate, and she started eating before prayer I just told her "you get to pray because you ate first"  So without a fight (which lately prayers have been a struggle...she'll go off and be loud and we just ignore her) she asked for help and said a wonderful prayer.  It was word for word what her daddy said, but hey, she prayed.  Well, then we had FHE, and she wouldn't listen to the lesson and almost went to bed.  We had a very quick distracted lesson by mommy, but made it through.  Then it was a fight to get out the door for activity (which was go look at birds).  Then at Creamers feild it was a fiht to get out of the car, then back to the car-after finally getting home we had dessert, and she calmed down till she was done.  So, I decided lets burn off energy and go on the trampoline.  She was having a ball but then wouldn't listen to come inside for prayer, so she had time out in her room while we said the closing prayer because Kimmie had to leave.  Then, I went to check on her, and she was on the toilet sobbing.  So I talked to her, and then conversation eventually went this direction:

Me: When we love mommy and daddy do we tell them?  

Elyse:  Yea

Me:  Well, Heavenly Father Loves you, Thats why we say prayers, so we can tell him!

Then after some hugs and goofyness it went this direction:

Me: Where did Daddy come from?
Elyse: I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Mommy come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Robin Come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Liam come from?
I don't know
HEavenly Father
Where did Melanie come from?
I don't know
Heavenly Father
Where did Lysie Come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Thats right!
Where did Daddy come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Yeas!
Where did mommy come from?
I don't know
Where do you think?
Jesus!
Where did Robin come from?
Jesus!
Where did Melanie come from?
Jesus!
Where did Lysie come from?
Jesus!
Where did Liam come from?
Jesus!
Thats right Elyse you are so smart!
You forgot Jordan and Travis!



Then still a little later, I grabbed the big fanc family version book of mormon (has lots of pictures and definitions...cool book) And Then my mom was about to send Elyse to bed but I gave her the option to sit and read with me or to go straight to bed, she chose to sit w/me.  So, starting with the testimonies of the witnesses at the beggining of the book, we read.  When we came to Joseph Smiths she was getting distracted so I asked her some questions:

Do you know who Joseph Smith is?
Yea
Who is he?
A prophet!
Thats right!
Who told you that?  was is at church or did mommy tell you?
Mommy told me

What is a testimony?

  It keeps us safe

Thats right!

Then I had her read, I would read a little and then she'd repeat.   Slow going, but good stuff!  After a little of that she got antsy and went to help mommy, then it was time to go to bed, so she came back to sit with me.  I had started reading towards the back of the book because I think we're there for institute, and I was reading about the Brother of Jared.  She read with me only a little part, but heres what was soo cool about all of it, my mom asked me to take her to bed, so we go up there (had to dare her she couldn't beat me upstairs to get her to go) and I say its time for a goodnight prayer, and she protested just once, but then said the prayer all by herself:

Heavenly Father thank you for this day, thank you for family, and thank you for light,  please keep Robin safe, thank you that Jesus Loves me, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.


I love that little girl SO stinkin much.

So we write Robin weekly...

My mom has started asking Elyse what she wants to tell Robin, and kinda encourages her as she goes.  Today it went like this:

Mom:  "Elyse what do you want to tell Robin?"
       She rambled off something about school (pre)  and her Best friend Ella and friends Troy and Alex and Arianna and Ethan.
Mom then asks Elyse an open ended question, "What about Melanie, Melanie loves you and...?"
"And puts me into TIME OUT!"

Thanks Elyse.  Thanks.

My Family is Selling Me

So, today, as I was doing my hair in the bathroom I hear Rulon coming up the stairs.  He says "I'll just stay home and be a house Husband"

Confused cuz I obviously came in at the wrong part of the Convo, I said "Huh"

Noticing me Rulon quickly says "We'll put Melanie to work."

Being funny I say "I don't wanna work."

"We can sell Melanie!" Rulon responds (with out missing a beat).  "She's a redhead, she go for a good rate" ...or something along the lines of price...which should be comforting right?  They think I'm worth something yeah?

By the time I come home from institute many hours later-the situation drastically changed.  Rulon coming down the stair see's me, and the first thing out of his mouth is "I thought we were selling her."

Thanks.  Love you too.  Then they said that someone on facebook *coughcoughCarloscoughcough* said they'd buy me for a dollar.  My family thank goodness is kind enough to hold out for $4.50 though the asking price is $5.00.  Mhmmm.  And to Top it off Rulon got Elyse to agree to the sale.  When the three year old says sell her-you know something is wrong.

They make me laugh.