happiness is having something to look forward to...

1. "LOST" must be coming back on television soon. I miss it and need to know what is going to happen to those poor people.
2. nexst week will be a huge cooking day with my friendie to create some meals to stick in the freezer. I'm not a big fan of cooking, so I welcome the company and help.
3. When we took our little family trip in May, we snuck on to a movie set that was filming outside our hotel in Santa Fe. It was "Did you hear about the Morgans?", with Sara jessica Parker and Hugh Grant. I want to go see that movie and look for that scene. Not to mention I think this will be an "in" for me to become friends with those two.
4. want to get back to my zumba class. I miss it.
5. I was hoping to take freckles skiing. Neither she nor I have ever been. Not sure if we will make it with her ankle hurt....
6. I watched "Julie and Julia" and loved the parts about Julia Child. I started wearing my pearls and am thinking maybe I should try beef bourginon. maybe I will.
7. Reading the Redemption book recommended by B. It is addictive. looking forward to reading number 2 in the series.
8. I am writing again. Looking forward to having time to write and cohesive thoughts to string together.
9. We bought an adorable play kitchen for cookie in Louisville. I am looking forward to my parents bringing it out to us. I miss them.
10. I am looking forward to March 1. -am tired of this winter business... come on springtime. (Yes I am from Colorado and know that winter doesn't end until after Easter, but a girl can hope...)

that darn list

Well, I made this list exactly one year ago today. A list of things I hoped to do in 2009. Let's see how I did...


melodie notes: January 2009: "list

1. finish my book -not even close. In fact it feels further away than before... hope to change that
2. learn some painting technique-nope
3. have a kentucky Derby party -We went to J and J's house for party and I made derby pie...
4. Read 6 books -done. If you count the books I read with Freckles,which I totally do.
5. knit a hat with my new pattern knitted 4 actually. yea me.
6. renew my teaching license -done. wouldn't have finished teaching last year without it.
7. ride a horse not yet
8. ice skate with M - no, but going to take her this weekend.
9. sing in public - yes. and played guitar
10. volunteer my time - not as much as I would have liked, but did volunteer at church and school
11. plan 4 romantic dates with D - 2 romantic and several just fun. looking forward to more.
12. Read a book everyday to C -most days we read, but not every day.
13. organize my paperwork- get new system - Yikes. not even
14. Post that box of stuff on Craigs list-nope
15. Write a letter on Sundays - wrote about 17. hope to do better.
16. make a big picture plan with D - not yet
17. capture some memories of his mom for D to keep -still hope to do
18. learn to take a good picture -ha.
19. get a new camera - We did, but its not a good one. still hoping...
20. ride my mountain bike on a trail -nope
21. dance with D - did. he's a good dancer.
22. Dance in the rain with the girls -forgot about this one.
23. pick people over tasks -always room for improvement here too.
24. read my Bible - again there is always room for improvement.
25. camp in the backyard ( maybe not the whole night) -no but we did camp in living room...
26. decorate guest room not yet
27. finish project lists --no end in sight.
28. take some violin lessons maybe this year.
29. go bird watching nope
30. climb another fourteener nope
31. celebrate my sister's birthday with her- it's a big one. yes! it was super fun. H B Lesley
32. decide that I don't have to always be right a constant stuggle
33. start my masters nope
34. plant a tree -gave a blue spruce to parents to plant on their property.
35. stick to our budget -ha. maybe 2010.

changes in 2010

It's a new year...a fresh start... a clean slate. Monk would be pleased with 2010. It is so even perfect and ten is Monk's favorite number. I am ready for change. Ready for hope. Ready to FEEL better...ready to DO better... ready to BE better. I am shaking the dust from my shoes in 2009 and stepping into 2010 with a hopeful heart.

CHANGE.

The first and most obvious change of 2010 is that my sweet homeschooled fifth grader will be starting public school at our local elementary school. After much discussion she is excited about the possiblities. She already knows a few kids who go there and looks forward to joining the choir and enrichment groups. Her BFF is there and the two of them are looking forward to lunch discussions and together time at recess. I am excited that M will have other things and people in her life. She and I are so close that sometimes I feel that she takes on my grown-up worries. I think she will do better if she has other things going on in her life.

CHANGE.

I am afraid that little cookie has some food allergies. dairy or nuts...it's hard to tell. she has been breaking out around her mouth and having some digestive issues. I am hoping to get her into a food allergist soon. I also worry about her skin. It seems so dry and has blotchy red spots at times. I am at a loss... Also, please remember little cookies foot in your prayers. We return to orthopedic later this week....

CHANGE.

My parents are moving into their new house in the woods. It is a beautiful new house. I will miss that old house though. I cried last week when I left it for the last time. It is HOME to me. They moved there in 1979 right before my little sister was born. It is a special place, full of (mostly good) memories and hard wood floors. I know that even if I return there (lesley's house?) in the future, it will not be the same. While there is a little melancholy left in my heart about the end of this season of my life, I am embracing the change of a new house, new memories, new home.

CHANGE.

Marriage is hard. Harder than I thought. After a particularly hard 2009, D and I look forward to a fresh start in 2010. I am through with wanting D to fill the misisng parts in my soul that only God can can fill. I want to be a better Me. Am hopeful for this year with my man. We are praying that he can find some answers to some medical problems he has been facing and that he and I will continue to grow closer to each other.

CHANGE. change is good.

i heart fall (a belated tribute to autumn)

Halloween was super. Freckles was Aphrodite and cookie was a cowgirl. We went to the Zoo for their electric safari. it was super fun, but a little chilly after dark.

When we visited the family in October we went to see "where the wild things are" with the cousins all dressed up in costumes... a werewolf, unicorn, Madeline, ballerina princess and Aphrodite.

I have no words for this.
Trick or Treat night. I wore a wig. The girls were freezing. Daddy took freckles to a haunte house, but one of them lost their nerve before they made it to the front of the line.

Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Duh... Its a candy corn out of felt. why not.

A character.

She loves pink. She loves hats and costumes. She answers exclusively to "cookie", She won't go to sleep at night. She insists on playing " hide and see" despite explanations of the word "seek". She can't help but yell out " im over here" when she is hiding. She loves books and babies.
She is learing to indentify her letters. She sings "santa claus is coming to town" at the top of her lungs daily. She asked for a "walker like grandma mary's" in her letter to Santa. She likes to help with dishes One of her favorites is to stick her nose into my coffee in the morning. She pretends to be a kitty that we have to pet. She likes to "nose"you when you aren't paying attention ( stealthily sticking her nose against you until you notice). She hates her carseat and refuses to wear a coat in the car despite the sub zero temperatures.

She gives Freckles fits when she sneaks into her room to take big sissy's treasures. She doesn't eat much. She is like a little heater at night. She likes to give you things she finds around the house to present to me ( candle, book, cup) and when I thank her she says, " I made that for you mommy".

She's a character. We love her.

homeschooling

Friday, we went to the Verhey's for a relaxed homeschool afternoon. We are taking a cultural tour of Africa. Earlier in the week we had studied Northern Africa. We had looked at Egypt and what life might be like there. Freckles found a recipe for an Egyptian desert with honey and breadcrumbs. We decided it tasted a little like pecan pie filling. We moved to Kenya next and took a virtual Safari. We worked with topographical maps and learned some swahili. We went west and just started Western Africa. Hoping Steph will tell us some about her stay in Cameroon over Christmas. We have loved drumming and carrying baskets on our head.

I have been really debating how much we want to look at Africa's sometimes tragic and volatile culture. I am unsure how I want to look at famine and genocide to my naive and tenderhearted 11-year old. Friday we are looking at Rwanda. Been praying that God will continue to develop a love and tenderness for people and that I will be able to give am honest but not overwhelming picture of our world.

the end of a good thing

Well, for 7 years I have watched Adrian, Sottlemeyer, Disher, Sharona and Natalie solve San Francisco's most unsolvable crimes. Friday was a sad day when my favorite show came to an end. I am happy that Monk was able to solve his wife's murder and that he seems emotionally better off than ever. I am also super excited that Disher and Sharona are together ( I always knew that was coming). I will miss seeing Monk obsess about his many phobias, watching my girls do the Monk Dance during the opening theme, and seeing cookie and scurvy say " here's what happened.". I have not missed an episode and have most seasons on DVD, but it will not be the same without "Monk" and pizza on Friday nights. Thank you Adrian for always being crazier than me and for never finding a case or problem that was unsolvable.- you are my hero.

If you love Monk, tell me your favorite episode...Long Live Adrian Monk.