5th and 6th Days of Valentines:

For the 5th Day of Valentines I gave 

to my Sweettart!

For the 6th Day of Valentines I gave to my true love:

to tell him that "Life gave me Lemonade when Life gave me you!"

(Inspired by the Lemonade song he sent me over 2 yrs ago by Chris Rice Listen to it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2-rKgGnx34  )

Welcome 2011

Things I'm looking forward to this year:

Marrying Travis Michael Payton!  The love of my life!

Taking a Ballet Class

Getting my Medical Assisting Certificate so I'll be a CMA

Getting my Associates of Applied Science in Medical Assisting

Taking Cello Lessons

Seeing Family and Friends at my wedding :)  (hint hint-you should all come!)

My Resolutions:

Be 10 mins early to classes

Go to the Gym at least 3 times a week

Read my Scriptures and Say my prayers more consistently (as in everyday!)

Take asthma medicine more consistently (as in everyday-come on Mel, this is your health!)

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2010!  Thank you for these wonderful memories:

Visiting Utah and Idaho!
Seeing Grampa 2 times!
Meeting Grampa's family over Memorial Day weekend!
Nannying Cousin Alex and enjoying triple digit temperatures in California pools
Weekends with Travis in San Fransisco
Jedi Academy (for Travis)
Redwood Forrest!
Arthur Murray dance lessons
Really good Fall semester grades!
Teaching Ballroom Dance
I'm ENGAGED!
Business Licence  for my company:  Magic Rhythms Dance
First Credit Card
IPhone 4!
Roommates with Liam
Kitties new homes had a happy ending
Mom and Rulon bought the Property
NEW NIECE!  YAY CLARA!
Robin bought a car
Robin went on a Mission

My Christmas Highlight

(Photo Thanks to Adam Baxter)

There are many legends about the moon. A full moon is said to be a symbol of love and romance.  On that, 

I must agree.

There was a total Lunar Eclipse on Solstice this year, visible in Alaska on the Eve of Winter Solstice. 

My dear wonderful Travis took the special night, December 20th, 2010 to propose :)  

Yes, we are engaged!  

I think there is some special symbolism in it.  

Just as the celestial bodies aligned that night, 

Travis and I aligned our hearts in a promise of celestial significance.  

I love that man!

Merry Christmas!

It has been a wonderful season.  Its now Christmas morning, 10 am, and we still havn't opened out presents.  Lysie isn't even awake.  But Yesterday was great, I got up and went to Breakfast with my dear sweet Abbey, and then we did a little bit of last minute shopping, and then I headed out to Northpole.

 In Northpole, I helped Travis and his Mom put Christmas Eve Dinner on the Table-we even used the fine china!  It was all delicious!  His mom makes delicious moist Turkey, and yummy green bean casserole, and the BEST sweet potatoes-oh, they're like dessert!

Then I came home and with my Family we read the Christmas story and used a nativity set to act it out (usually we do a big theatric production with the Hulls, but they are Utah cuz Tyler just got Married!)  And then did our traditional caroling around the piano-mom accompnying.  Really makes me want to learn Piano so I can continue the tradition with my own family.  I decided last nigh singing around the cd player or Ipod wouldn't be the same....

Then this morning, I got up, finnished wrapping a few presents, and now we're just lazing around till Breakfast is ready.  Rulon brought the genious tradition of eating a big fancy breakfast before Christmas Presents. I love it because it makes the Christmas magic last a little long in the day, the anticipation with the presents builds up a bit more, and beacuse we have our bellies full of breakfast we don't get grouchy because we're hungry and tired.  And we don't fill up so much on candy....   I LOVE the Breakfast tradition.

Usually I'm more excited about Christmas morning and getting to the presents sooner rather than later, but I must confess, Santa got me a few presents early.  More on that coming soon.

Merry Christmas everyone!

December!!!!

So, I don't know where the year went-but its now December so the greif I should feel at yet another year gone is  overwhelmed by the excitement of the Holiday Season!  I'm SO excited, it hit me in class when I went to write the date and it was 12/1/2010 that it was December.  Just 25 days till Christmas!  And my Birthday is on Friday.  Which let me tell you, I'm not too happy about only being 21 and having forehead wrinkles already.  I blame the fun I had in the California Sun this summer.  I got a few really good sunburns, and the Ultraviolet light did its toll.  :P  Bleh.  But, still, 21 eh?  I could go rent a car, I could not go to bar-they both rhyme but they wouldn't be a crime!  HAH!  Jk, I won't ever be going to a bar, and I don't have the money to rent a car.  But don't worry, I will be celebrating.  Travis is taking the evening off from work and we'll go to dinner (probably with my family too) and then I talked him into going to the Newest Harry Potter with me, and get this, hehe-dressing up as Wizards!  I'm also opening the invite to any who wish to come, just you have to dress like a wizard too!  So, spread the word and dust off your wands!  I'll update on Facebook what time we'll go to the movie, I'm thinking Imax at 7pm Friday, the 3rd.  YAY!  (PS, Travis is gonna be Harry and I'm gonna be Ginny! hehehehe)

What I'm thankful for this year: (in no particular order)

Adorable little Brother Liam
Adorable Little Sister Elyse
My mommy
Rulon
Robin
Amanda
Jordan
Clara
Travis
Kimmie
Rhea
Oppourtunities to go visit Grampa, Grama's Elmer and Johnson, and Dad's site.
The oppoutunity I had to work for Uncle Sid in California nannying Alex
Human Anatomy-its cool stuff!
Medical Assisting Program/knowing what I'm doing with my education and career!!
Modern Medicine (allergy shots, Liam's hospital visits) and the health care team!
Ballroom Dance Club of Fairbanks
Artisans Courtyard teaching oppourtunity (even though it didn't really work out, I learned alot while using the space for teaching shelly)
Stefani Borrego
Melody Debenham
Abbey Tsigonis
Ariel Cheney
Jennifer Kendall
Krystal Duval
Brittani Sunderlund
Wendy Madsen
Randi Ellingson
Missionaries
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Temples
The Preisthood
Sealing Ordinance
Uncle Dennis getting sealed to his family
Roses
Pres Duval, Pres Olsen, Bro Maynes and all other church leadership
Lori Moser
Scriptures
Red Wood Forrests
LaMyrl Sandholtz
Family History
Good Music
Dance
Baking
Balloons
Christmas Lights
Mountains
Vehicles
Good Shoes
Warm Clothes
Friends near and far (I love you even if your name was not specifically mentioned.)
Family Near and Far (Again, I love you even if you were not individually named)
Federal Student Loans
The Dividend
Pumpkins
Airplanes
Pools on Hot Days
Indexing
Good Books
Good Movies
Visiting Teaching
Munch n Mingle
Church Choir
Cousins
Family Home Evening
People who adopt Kitties
Sherry Wolf
Penny Tibbs
Christa Barttlet
I love you notes on my bed
Health
Excersise Facitlities
Hot Water
Technology
Pumpkin Pie
Beautiful Weather
Family Recipes
Instant Recipes
Warm House
Alaska
Patch Adams
Old Roommates
Stephanie Quintana



Theres lots more-but I'm getting sleepy.  So, Goodnight!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Independance Day Party!

So, for the 4th of July Weekend, I went to San Fran again.  Saturday, Travis and I went to His Work Party.  For those who might still be in the dark (I don't know how you would be, I just want to brag again), Travis' work This summer is an internship at Lucas Film.  As in the company owned ad crated by George Lucas-the man who created Star Wars, Indiana Jones-His company included Industrial Lights and Magic-which is the place that does the special effects for ummmm....Practically EVERY awesome movies you've seen in the last 32 years (it was the 32 annual picnic).

Anyways, with that as an Intro-now lets talk about the picnic.

The Company has rules about taking photos, and that we can't post photos....but I can tell you about them! I can tell you about picture we took with a bright red shiney Skywalker Ranch Firetruck-I just can't show you on the internet.  I can tell you about the picture of us in front of Ewok Lake, where we had raft races, but you'll have to ask me sometime to see it. And no, I didn't win the raft races, but our team did get first place in a relay race.  The one where you have to hurry put the clothes on run around the cone then take the goofy clothes off so the next person in your team can do the same.  We did it the fastest out of about 8 or more teams-we were pretty happy with ourselves.  We got fancy blue ribbons and everything.

After the relay races, we got to kick back by the pool, and we ate more food.  They had this field set up like you would picture a county fair-with the big tents and rows and rows of picnic tables, and a tent for getting the food, a tent for getting the drinks.  There was an Ice cream truck-with really yummy ice cream, and the weather was soo hot I was having a hard time eating the ice cream before it melted.  That was a new expirience.

Other things there were to do that we didn't get around to, they had horseback/pony rides, lots of relays we didn't make time for, they had little hiking trails, they had wagon rides around the ranch (we tried to do that, but when we were waiting the horses must have been taking a break or getting switched out-and we went to go swimming in the pool) they had a volley ball court, a field people were playing soccer in-all sorts of stuff.  It was awesome!

Here's one picture I can show-after the day at the ranch, Travis and his roommates all crashed.  I tried to take a nap, but it just didn't happen.  I don't think trying to take a nap works very well.  Anyways, poor guys just had too much fun, and came home and crashed.  Look closely, theres 3 of them!


Other than that, here's what I've been doing:

Scavenger Hunts
Pool parties
Playing on Beaches
Exploring San Fran
Movie dates with Travis
Thursday Night Salsa/Bolero series classes @ Arthur Murray
BART and your there
Softball games
Walks with Travis-one was a 6 mile round trip walk to/From Church!

Here's a few pics:

After the Beasts Lost again-we celebrated the season at a sports place that has awesome sized apetizers half off on Tuesdays

After Touring Lucas FilmOffices where Travis works daily, we explored the area, and saw this place!

Sid and Alex with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Me and Alex went on a Scavenger Hunt-and looked for 10 different flowers (we found like 50 different types) but this Rose was SO pretty!

Part of the scavenger Hunt was find 4 vinyards, I like the vinyards!

To Utah and Back again-A Travel Log.

Ok, travel Log since Temple square:

   Went to Grama E's briefly then went to Logan with Wendy bird where we went country swing dancing-and I was told I have a commodity, and that "as far as girls go, you're a premium." Compliment came from the buisness major who likes redheads.  Made my night.  Also, saw the beautiful and Talented Erica Colvin, whom I danced with in Idaho.  We were on the Colligiate team together-totally forgot that she was in Logan and starting her own dance studio.  Awesome possum!

   Friday:  Went with Wendy as a volunteer where she works-a Spanish speaking headstart school.  3 yr old Jocelyn is my new best friend, and I fell in love with the troublesome Jose and charming Santiago.  Afterwards, went to the temple for baptisms-and spent the evening back in Tremonton.  I got grampa to Talk. About alot of things, his time in the airforce, where he went, how he also was in the Navy, but best of all what how he met Grama.  :D  He proposed to Grama while they were dancing!  :D  Made my life!

  Saturday, I made cinnamon rolls with Grama Elmer, then Grama Johnson came and got me, and we went to the Ogden Cemetary.  She had the most Beautiful Pink Tulips in her yard, made me kinda sad to pick them because they were SO pretty, but happy at the same time that I could put them in a place to special and share them with him in the way that I could.  Really a bittersweet expirience.  I was actually really glad to have Grama Johnson up there with me-even though she can be frustrating some times, and though I sobbed, having her shoulder there felt right.   

  Sunday, Sacrament with Grama J, then dinner with Elmers.  I met Grampa's Siblings for the first time, The Greats: uncle Delos, Aunt Reva, and Aunt Rada +Dels wife Leslie-whom I love!  She's so awesome! More discovery-Grampa talked alot about the house, how he tried to do a chin up on the bar at the hospitol when he was 10 and had an infection behind his ear-but fell.  Ammusing story.   

  Monday: Porterville Cemetary, where many of my ancesters; the Porters, Kershaws, Elmers, and Deardens are burried.  It was weird, I'd never seen a cemetary where they have mounds over the place where they're burried, and it kinda weirded me out at first, but then we cleaned up Grampa's family's plots, and reshaped the mounds and stuff, and I found out that it has a practical purpose, so, it wasn't so weird.  I also met Rada's hubby Boyce, who is a hoot, and Uncle George, and his wife Joyce, and daughter Lisa.  Then we had a good lunch at Rada/Boyce's house.  Met my mom's cousin Mike, that makes us 1st cousins once removed.  Weird.  

 

Then we (Sid, Alex and Me) drove to Wendover Nevada, stayed the night with Sids friend, and then Tuesday morning Drove the rest of the way to Cali.  Made it through Donner Pass (fun fun fun road!  I got to drive from Winnemucca NV to Sacramento Cali, NV not fun, Donner pass=Much fun!  Steep grades ~7% at one point, and winding roads-SO FUN!  I love driving!)   Then 7:30-9 I had two dance lessons back to back-very awesome.  Learned SO much!  Can't wait till tomorrows!

Today, me and Alex played at the park, made a calendar, found the pool, made copies of some keys, and played a few rounds of Bingo.  He's such a patient kid, which I'm really grateful for.  Tomorrow is his day to choose our lunch though, and he picked Hot Dogs...any creative ideas so they're not so boring?  I think we'll be having them alot....