hiking with the family

Nice to get outside and go for a walk with the family... cookie wasn't cooperating, but this is pretty much right on target for us. We are ready to get outside-come on Springtime...

looking back

ok. I know it's not right, but sometimes I look back at this post , cookie on the stool, and just laugh. Does that make me a mean mommy?

We heart the Howes

Mendy, Monet, and Mylen came to visit last weekend. It was super fun. We miss them. We went to the St. Patty's day parade downtown and had a great time. Wish they would come back and be our neighbors again....

the little guys at Mr. Biggs....

2010 Melodie's new finds and old favorites.

Here are my picks for 2010 so far ----new things that I love and old favorites. yes, it is kinda random, but I am kinda random I guess.

Best new gift:

Iphone case and wallet. Mine is red and beloved. Merry Christmas to me.




Best new read:



This is a Christian Fiction book. This genre is new to me, but I loved the "realness" of the emotions and the continuing references to trusting God in all things.




Best way to eat my veggies- makato ginger dressing.

I always loved the salads at the Japanese steak houses, but other ginger dressings weren't quite right. this is heaven. Pour on salads or use as dip with carrots. yum.


Best place for lunch in town: Shugas

This trendy little cafe, Shugas, has the best ambiance and food around. I love the hundreds of paper cranes hanging from the ceiling and the coconut shrimp soup.

Best Dinner in town: B & E filling station

B & E filling station in Palmer Lake is to die for. I had a fantastic dinner with a charming friend with a glass of wine and delicious dinner. I had the almond encusted salmon with sun dried tomato, she had the bacon wrapped tenerloin.... and then we had desert-- chocolate torte. yum.

Best thing on my TiVO: LOST

It's cliche'

It's confusing

It's the final season

Best place to eat with kids: Chick -fil- A

A new restaurant opened by my house. I like the clean playground and breakfast menu--chicken nuggets and biscuits and gravy. We have already had many playdates there.

Best Workout: Zumba

I started going to zumba this summer. It is aerobic exercise disguised as latin dance and hip hop. Love love love to go. I go Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to classes at the YMCA. When I first started I was winded after about 15 minutes. Now I love love going and feel exhilerated afterwards! click on the icon to learn more...

Favorite restaurant: jack n grill

Jack N Grill is the family favorite. I like the vaquero ( bbq) beef tacos. The calabacitas and queso are to die for and pretty much everything is delicious. It has totally been worth the hour drive to Denver every time. However, I am pleased to anounce that they have opened a new location on Denver's south side that is about 15 minutes closer. Yum. click on the pic to see the menu

Favorite treat that I like to make: caramel pull aparts

If you have stayed at my house, you have probably had these. I love making them and really love eating them. If you haven't had them, come visit. I am also happy to pass along the simple recipe... I am pretty sure they are zero calorie and zero fat.

Favorite new Snack: Dry roasted Edamame from my new favorite store sunflower market.

Favorite Dirty Little Secret: Desperate Housewives

The obsession started when I was invited to a DHW party and was totally confused on what was happening. I promptly went to blockbuster and got season 1. I am now finishing the 4th season and am an unofficial neighbor on Wisteria Lane. (Stop judging me)

Best new Coffee Shop-- coffee and Tea zone- rockrimmon

We first went there with our dear friends, the Elders, but since have met many friends there for after school treats. Our newest favorite is the BOBA tea. We get the Almond chai boba. YUM. Those big black bubbles ( they are tapioca) took a while to get used to the first time we started chewing, but are a super fun treat now.

Favorites on the IPOD: podcast

This show, for those of you who may not know, is a current events comedy show. The first one I ever heard had the speical guest Tony Shaloub ( Monk). I was immediately hooked. I am trying to get on the show, but am not having luck. I want to win Carl Castle's voice on my answering machine. The whole thing makes me laugh.

Favorite new song to take to gym:

REPLAY- Iyaz

( ok so I like songs with my name in them...)

Favorite CD: click the album cover to see her website.

Francesca Battistelli: Free to be me

'Cause I got a couple dents in my fender

got a couple rips in my jeans

try to fit the pieces together
but perfection is my enemy

on my own I'm so clumsy

but on YOUR shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

I have been slowly adding to my Listography site.

listography

dream for an insomniac

I've watched this "Dream for an Insomniac"at least a hundred times. Nobody really gets why I like it so much. It's not as though it is particularly well written or insightful, it just makes me feel kind of warm inside. Frankie and David Shrader. she is hopeless, negative, overly sensitive and romantic. He is perfect for her- what's not to like? Frankie's world is full of sleepless nights, Frank Sinatra music and black and white monotany. When David comes in to her store, her world is full of color. quotes that I like:


David Shrader: "Life can only be understood backwards."
( a quote by Soren Kilkegaard... true nonetheless)

Frankie "Sometimes I study the trivial pursuit cards."
( I like this bc I do this too. ssshhhh)

David Shrader: "There are too many mediocre things in life to deal with, love shouldn't be one of them."
( so true, David, so true.)

Frankie " Anything less than mad passionate extraordinary love is a waste of your time"
(Ah Frankie... you romantic. )


Its' cheesy, it's predictable, it takes me to a happy place.

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is my favorite poet. My roomate, Bethany and I read her poetry in college and loved her immediately. Bethany read this poem to me again when I found out I was pregnant with my first born. I was alone. I was scared. I was young.

At first, I believed him. I believed him when he said that he cared about me. I believed that he was single. I believed that he would help me. I believed that my story would not end in me going alone. At first... but as the months passed and my belly grew I stopped believing in him and put my trust in God. I remember the day it happened- I picture it in my head. I was waiting for him to pick me up. He had promised to go with me to the ultra-sound to see our baby. Though he had stood me up before, I still waited for him to come. I stood there with my back pack, in the parking lot of my apartment waiting. I missed the appointment. From that day on it was clear--Don't put your faith in him. He will always let you down. I hated the thought of my unborn child growing up and waiting for daddy to come and being as disappointed as I was that day.

God is the only one I can count on.God is my Rock, my shelter, my shield. Since that day, God has blessed me in many ways. My sister, friends and parents walked beside me where Freckles' biological father should have been. I met D who fell in love with us both and adopted Freckles as his very own. I have developed and amazing and unbreakable bond with that little girl. What blessings!

I have forgiven him for his lies, his fading out, his abandonment and his selfishness. God made me stronger through this. He created me as a Phenomenal Woman. I am proud to have made it through some of the early days that were so hard emotionally and financially. I am thankful that I had a clear break from him and that they have never met. I am thankful that God gave her D, a daddy who loves her. I am thankful that I had those friends who loved me during the dark ages. I am thankful that God gave freckles, cookie for a sister. I am thankful that I have let go of bitterness and anger. God is writing a new chapter for me.