Snow Fun

Mikey taking a ride

The view at the ski lodge
Marshall and Abby


Mark and me

This is us on Christmas Eve

These pictures are of the view along the road on the way to Snow Bunny

I hope everyone had a perfectly lovely Christmas. We really missed everyone, so I thought I'd share some of our latest pictures with you. We are getting into the groove again, boy! moving takes it out of ya! I think I'm back on a normal chore schedule, the kids like school, although they don't go back until the 7th. Mark is getting a handle on work,(what a mess that is!!) so we're doing fine. It is pretty grey and gloomy most of the time, but the beauty makes up for that. We are anxious to see what 2008 holds for us, and all of you. May we all be worthy of the Lords richest blessings this coming year and always. We love you all and pray for your safety and success daily. Hugs!!!!!

Here is a Picture of the group at Aunt Party's house taken by Grandpa on his new digital camera.
Merry Christmas everyone, we missed all who were not there. Love You.

Happy Festivus!

Here we are with our traditional aluminum pole! Also, it's Joseph Smith's birthday--celebrate with us (AFTER the Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength, of course) by reading 3 Nephi chapter one, Christmas in America (because there's no better way to celebrate Joseph smith's birth than reading about the Savior's birht in the Book of Mormon!).

May all your Festivus dreams come true!
Have fun at Aunt Marti's tomorrow, AZ peeps...we'll REEEEEALLY be missing you!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to All who is born In December

Steve!

Scott and Steve, back in the day. They OWNED the 2nd ward primary.


Steve in Mexico, October 2007.


Doin' the happy dance. Rend Lake, Ill., November 2007.

I just wanted to give mad props (a good deal of recognition for all those who don't speak the "lingo") to Steve for reaching the pinnacle of Scouting: advancing to the rank of Eagle. I'm proud of you, kid!

Oh, and happy "I'm now an adult" birthday! I love you!

Merry Christmas

from the Melins, Lehmans, & Posts in Montana!

(Jacob Post, Heidi Melin, Gabriel Lehman, Addie Melin, James Melin, Jared Lehman, & Sam Post)

A Christmas wish

"This Christmas, Mend A quarrel, Seek out a forgotten friend, Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust, Write a letter, Give a soft answer. Encourage youth, Manifest your loyalty in word and deed, Keep a promise, Forgo a grudge, Forgive an enemy, Apologize, Try to understand, Examine your demands on others, Think first of someone else, Be kind, Be gentle, Laugh a little more, Express your gratitude, Welcome a stranger, Gladden the heart of a child, Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth, Speak your love and then speak it again." Howard W. Hunter Have a beautiful Christmas Season, I love you all!!!!

Has Anybody Seen This?

I just read about a pilot ad campaign from the church. It looks beautiful. Click HERE to check it out (you may have to click play). The whole story is HERE.

The spirit testifies of truth, even through the TV!

I love and miss you all!

We are having so much fun preparing for Christmas! Hooray for new family traditions and a whole month to be thankful for Jesus! I will have new pix soon at my blog.

Josh Groban Noel (O Come All Ye Faithful) Jesus Slideshow i

Amy

MIKE

Take a Look

Take a look

25 Things You'd Know If You Have Boys

A friend of mine sent this to me and Matt and I just about DIED laughing! Enjoy!

Aim



1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.

2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

3. A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tie d to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.

5. You should not throw baseballs up! when the ceiling fan is on . When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have ! to thro w the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.

8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9. A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.

10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4- year old Boy.

11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

12. Super glue is forever.

13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15. VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17. Marbles! in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

20. The fire department in Austin , TX has a 5-minute response time.

21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24. 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.

25 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

Halloween 2007

Heidi-Bug, Addie-Bee, and James "Roly-Poly-Ole" Pumpkin wish you a Happy All Souls Day!

Grandpa Bill as a Boy

Marti asked me to scan these photos to enlarge them and I thought the rest of you might like a look. I believe they are all of the young Grandpa Bill...but he'll have to do all the history narration!

THANK YOU

I just wanted to thank My Wonderful Mother and Father and my wonderful Sisters Laura and Jamie and My wonderful brother and his wife Matt and Amie and my wonderful Cousin for calling or writing to me wishing me a happy Birthday! It really made my day really good. I appreciate it so much!

Happy Birthday Sam

We just wanted to share a few pictures from Sam's birthday. It was so fun to see everyone!

Mike Week

This past week we had Mike come up and visit. Hip Hip Hurray! We had such a good time! Most of the activities we did, Amie posted on our family home page so I'll let you check out the pics and funny stories there in your spare time. These are just a few pics from Mike and I building the bathroom and going out to Amie's work to celebrate Mike's birthday early since he wouldn't be here on the actual day.

Amie and I have been so impressed with seeing Mike this visit. He is different. In a very good way. He is grown up I guess which sounds kinda funny to say since thats what naturally happens with most normal people and time. Mike has matured by leaps and bounds though. He was a very well rounded pleasent person before he left for his mission but he carries himself with a different sense of self confidance and direction now. You can tell that he knows where he is going and what he wants out of life. He helped magnify the Sprit in our home and we realized again how much we really enjoy his company.

The next morning after Mike left, Amie and I were eating breakfast and the first conversation of the day went something like this:

Matt: "Will you pass the salt?"
Amie: "Yup, here ya go."
Matt: "....I miss Mike."
Amie: "Me too honey... me to."

We bought a house

We got the house Mark put an offer in os last Thursday night before he came home on Friday. We got word yesterday that they excepted our offer. (yeah! i think....I haven't seen it...I had an audio tour with the realtor while she was waiting for Mark to get there. She was great, she told me all the room colors, how many shelves in the storage areas, what kind of plants are in the yard etc.) It is a foreclosure, but it is cute in the pictures.....we have to have the whole house painted and the carpet taken out and new stuff put in, before we move in) The timetable is looking like we will leave here on the 10th of Nov. with our stuff getting there on the 15 or 16th. Yeah, I know...Happy Thanksgiving.......I think we'll not be cooking dinner!

continued

for some reason I couldn't get any photos to download with what I just typed!? so I'm trying again. ok its not working......I'll do it later!!!

The last Day

Since yesterday was Mom and Dads last day here at the slave labor camp, I took them down to the Arch, and riverfront Lecledes Landing. We had lunch at Jakes' Steaks and on the way home we stopped at the Lewis and Clark boathouse museum and old town St. Charles. It was a quick trip, mom doesn't like to walk around much. I hope they know how much I love and appreciate all their hard work while they were here. Things have settled down a lot since we listed the house on Friday evening and all the inspections are done. They flyer pictures have been taken and the sign goes up today, and it should be on the coldwell banker/gundaker listings on the net.
Mark is in Portland again this week and isn't coming home until Saturday afternoon :( We put in an offer on a house on Thursday night before Mark came home last week....no news yet.

The Mac Grill

Most of you know that I started training at Macaroni Grill a while back. My first week went alright. The only thing I don’t like is having to share my nights with all my coworkers and not with Matt and the boys. It really didn’t bother me THAT much until I invited Matt and the boys, Laura, Darrin, Gabe and Jared to come into the restaurant for our first opening days (which you could only come to by invitation only). It was fun. Matt brought me flowers and I got to show off my handsome husband and 2 adorable kids to all my coworkers.

They hired me as a waitress and a singer so I get to run food all night and stop every once in a while and sing people songs in Italian. I told my manager though that the very first song I sung in the restaurant would be to my husband. They gave me permission to bring in my guitar and I sung part of an Andrea Brocelli song. It was surprisingly romantic despite the noisy kitchen in the background and the clanging of plates and silverware. As the night went on though I found myself getting more and more frustrated that I was too busy to go spend time with my family. I wanted to be sitting WITH them enjoying their company, not stopping by for 2 second intervals. I came home bawling that night cause I missed them so much. I spent a good while in Jake and Sam’s room rocking them while they slept and the rest of it snuggling with Matt. We decided that it wasn’t a good idea for them to come into the restaurant while I was working but we could go in together when I wasn’t on. As long as I don’t have to see what I’m missing while I’m working then I really enjoy being there. It’s nice to get time out of the house and enjoy adult conversation and make some extra money. It's a great diet plan too by the way. If anybody wants to lose weight...be a waitress! You spend so much of the night looking at dinners that by the time you eat, you are repulsed by food. Plus it's extremely high paced so you are constantly moving.

I start week two today and we’ll see how that goes. I wrote about one of my first week horror stories on my page (www.halabalou.blogspot.com) and would love to hear some work horror stories of your own on there too!

my flowers

For all the Birthday Girls

Today is just a terriffic day. Need a little help from Chrolette.. Anyway. A kiss to wake me up and phone calls from all my kids and the ability to go to work and feel well. Man it is just a wonderful day. To Abby , Happy birthday! This is a verry special day for you. You are turning 8 and that is such an important day. You are now ready to make a promise to Heavenly Father that you will follow Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. Awesome. To Jamie, You were the sweetest B-day present I have ever gotten! Have just the best day. Thank you every one for your cards and letters,and gifts. I appreciate them all. Love you so much. Marti

Hey everyone Please check out my new blog: mdrews1985.blogspot.com also please leave a comment. I will try and stay on it so you can look at it all the time! Love you all. Love Michael

Guess who is at MY house!?

Just so you know, Mom and Dad got here safely. It is still hot and sticky....not at all like vacation weather.....The rep from the moving co. came this morning and we walked the house...he thinks we have about 23,000 lbs of stuff to move :) looks like the 3rd week of October. Love Ya'll notice Mark is not in the picture, he was in Ohio doing his old job,,,,putting cigarettes in the Save- A-Lot stores.