Meg is 19!

So, nineteen years ago I was feeling pretty crappy. I couldn't walk, couldn't eat anything, couldn't bend over, couldn't sleep...well, you get the idea. I had been to a picnic with the Moores on Saturday, June 23 and was playing on the swings. I got STUCK in the tire swing! (how embarrassing)

I had had a pretty good day (all the "couldn't"s aside) and then woke Jeff up at about 3:00 Sunday morning. I couldn't move my leg very well. This thing was sitting so low in my body I think it was cutting the circulation off in my leg. We drove to the hospital and Dr. D came to see me. I told him I wasn't leaving until I was carrying something fun in my arms! He was in a good mood and said, "OK!"

About 12 hours later I was holding this thing which was by now, thank goodness, a little pink baby girl! We were going to call her Meg Anne (Meg after a cute little girl in the movie "Three Fugitives" and Anne for Anne Shirley of "Anne of Green Gables".) We put the two names together and it was perfect!

I had ALWAYS wanted to my first baby to be a girl and just knew that I would. When I had been dating Jeff a few months, his dad said to me "You know, if you marry Jeff, your first child will have to be a boy. Jeff is the firstborn son of a firstborn son of a firstborn son of a firstborn son of a firstborn son." (is that 5 generations?) I told him sorry but my first baby would be a girl. When I was pregnant, we would tease each other and I even found a button that said "It's A Girl!" and wore it when I was with Don.

When Meg was born she was the first grandchild on both sides of the family and the grandparents came to the hospital to get a peek. Wouldn't you know it, Don took her and hogged her longer than anyone else. I didn't even get her back for over an hour!

Meg has been a very busy girl since that first Sunday she arrived. She has been involved in theater, choirs, student government, family, jobs, friends and church. We love to hear her sing and watch her act. She loves her Sunbeam class and loves her little cousins.

I love Meg and all she does for us. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEG!

This is my sister Melody. She was born on Flag Day! How cool is that?

I was three when she was born. We lived in Alabama and flew to Utah so Mom could have her baby in Bountiful. Mom said she was afraid to have her babies in Alabama (she thought she would die)...(which she almost did when she had the next baby, Bryce, but that's another story).

I believe that I had my first remembrance when Mel was born. It was a life changing experience for me when I got a sister. Don't get me wrong, I had fun with Arden. But he really only wanted to chop stuff up and tear things apart, but a SISTER! Now, that had some great possiblity!

So, I remember the airports and being at Grandma Bishop's house. I took a nap in the front room behind Grandpa's big green chair and when I woke up, Mom was gone and we went to the hospital to see my new sister with the bright red hair. The nurse held her up to the window so we could see her.

Mel and I played dolls together all the time. Mom made us the coolest little beds for our dolls and cute little doll clothes. She made our dresses too that matched but were different colors. It was almost like being a twin!

Melody has three cute little kids and a nice husband. They bought Grandma's house (yes, the same one I mentioned before) which I think is very cool because Mel has Grandma's flowers and plants that Grandma loved! (And she shares them with me!)

I am glad Melody is my sister. We have a long history that only we can appreciate! She is organized and wise. Maybe one day I can be like her just a little!

Love you, Mel. I am glad we are good friends! Happy Birthday!

HE'S EMPLOYED!

Jeff went back for a second interview today and he was offered a job to teach History and Geography! Of course he accepted! YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laurel's Birthday

We had Laurel's name for her birthday this year. I wanted to give her something that wouldn't break or be outgrown. Melody and I thought she might like to learn to use a sewing machine. I got her some easy patterns for capris and a skirt. I took her to the fabric store and she chose some really cute animal print fabric.

We cut out the patterns for capris and Laurel sewed the side seams and the inner leg seams. (You have to say "Inner leg" reverently while doing a Buddha pose) I sewed the waistband and hemmed the bottoms. We made two pair in just about 5 hours. Laurel loves the new capris and wanted to wear them to church the next day.

Good job, Laurel! Now you can help me with costumes for the next show! (hee hee, that was a great gift to give me, huh? Ummm...I mean "give her"!

What can you do with 2 Master's?

Jeff graduated from U of Phoenix this month. He has his second Master's and has already looked into getting a doctorate! He has already told the kids that when he gets his doctorate they can no longer call him "Dad". They have to call him "DOCTOR Moore"!

He had his first interview today at Roy Jr High. A small drive but nothing he can't handle. We are still hoping for a Davis County position but are not holding our breaths.

"Congraduations!"

Duct Tape and Chewing Gum, Anyone?

OH MY HECK! I loved Mother's Day this year! Jeff and Hunter gave me season 1 and 2 of MACGYVER! And Maddie gave me season 3! I need some duct tape!

MacGyver...what a hunk! Old tv, quick thinking cute guy and NO commercials. Awesome!

Meg got me a cute purse which I love. (It's the perfect size to carry some gum, tape, paper clip and a pocket knife.)

Thanks everyone!

One more...

The Baa-Studs of Wales-Amazing!

Happy Anniversary!

I just found these two commercials for the LDS Church. (see previous posts) They are so cute. We have not seen them at our house. This month marks the two year anniversary that our tv has been unplugged from the antenna.

We watch dvds and old videos. The kids think they are horribly picked on and can't carry on a conversation with anyone at school because they do not know what happened last night on ... (whatever the latest show is). Poor things.

I lived without a tv at our house from the time I was born until the middle of 6th grade. Our neighbors gave us a little 10" black and white tv for Christmas. Wow, were they rich! We didn't have videos or dvds and forget about renting them. They did not exist.

I don't miss the news, crappy sitcoms that make everyone look like idiots, or blood and guts shows with murder and more.

I do miss the old tv shows like the Brady Bunch, Little House, Andy Griffith, Perry Mason and The Amazing Race.

I would love to have tv with only uplifting shows and commercials. Since we don't have that, we boycott!

Swashbucklers

Runaway Stage

Hee Hee!

I first thought of Crystl when I saw this! Love you and all your little craft projects!

Laughter is Sweetness to the Ears

So, the girls and I have found this great website all about cake decorating. I thought Meg could get some really great ideas from it. She works at the bakery at the local grocery store. Anyway, we decided it is NOT the best place to find great ideas.

This website is pretty much all about "Wreckorators" who work at bakeries around the world. Some of their creations are hilarious, some make you shudder, and most of them leave you wondering...WHY?????

The hostess does post some wonderful ones on her "Sunday Sweets" and we ooh and awe and sometimes drool (sorry about that).

I thought you might enjoy some good laughs. The girls and I have been staying up too late at night to see all these. We aren't through them all yet. Happy looking!

"Show Boat" March 2009

Maddie opened "Show Boat" last night and it sounded great. I was in the box office for the first half and only got to see her at the ending.

These are two of the costumes I made. They are my favorites and only took me 6 weeks to make! I think she loves these dresses as much as I do. The plaid is a black and white taffeta. The fabric was fairly easy to sew on but I am no good matching plaids. I used a Civil War pattern and just moved the shoulder seams to the top of the shoulder instead of the side of the shoulder, the way it would have been worn in the 1860's. It has an under bustle pillow, huge petticoat, skirt and top.

The other dress is navy blue with small orange stripes and dark orange accents. It has an under bustle pillow, huge petticoat, skirt, back bustle, front apron and the top. I only needed 4 different patterns to make that outfit. Maddie has a great figure and looks wonderful in these dresses. Don't you think?

What?

Okay, so I know it's not Easter yet, but since all the stores are decked out with candy, etc. it must be time to put this up now.

It makes me laugh every time I see it. Happy Easter. (I'm looking forward to Spring)

This is my sister, Lori. She is a great friend to me and yesterday was her birthday. She is very busy with her five kids and husband but would help you with anything if you asked.

She keeps up with politics, helps at her kids schools, reads anything she can, has the patience of Job, (from what I've read; I never met the man), has funny kids who keep us all laughing, loves my kids, has more kids at her house at any one time than the zoo does on "free kids day" (hey! kids...zoo...lori's house...!)

I love Lori. She always makes me smile. Happy Birthday!

My friend, Lance

Last night I got a phone call from my little friend, Lance. He is 7. He said he needed to tell me "some stuff". First, though, he wanted to know if I like the DS or the WII better. I have never played with either one, so I wasn't much help. He told me how to turn them on and play with them, just in case I ever got a chance. I asked him why he wanted to know. He said that his big brother Ben had to do a survey for school and so he wanted to do a survey of his own.

He said he got in trouble at school and "lost" his friends. He was not looking forward to today. He also fell and got a big hole in his knee. He was not having a good week, I guess.

We talked for about ten minutes and he told me he got to talk to Ann Ann. He is patiently waiting for her to get back to his house!

A funny thing about Lance. When he was a baby, he and his parents and big brother, Ben, lived with us for a few months. They lived downstairs. He would crawl up the stairs every chance he got and just play quietly with me or whoever was home. I say quietly because when his mom realized he was gone, she would always come get him and take him back home! One day Ben got some fruit snacks and somehow Lance got them and started running away with the little bag held high above his head. I guess he thought that if they were up high, Ben couldn't get them! Funny boy! (Ben was a lot taller than Lance! But Lance was pretty fast!)

Thanks for calling me, Lancey-boy. I hope we get to talk again.

Maddie is 17!

So, Maddie is 17 as of two days ago. She is having a birthday party and I am hiding in the bedroom. I am very proud of her. She has a lot of good friends and loves to be with them. She is a happy girl most of the time and has a great sense of humor.

For the last few months she will get into bed and then call, "Mom." "Mo-om." "Moooo-oooom."
Then I am supposed to say "WHAT?"
Her: "I can't go to sleep until I get tucked in."
Me: I'm not tucking you in."
Her: "I promise I will go right to sleep if I get tucked in."
Me: (I tuck her into her blankets and she lays there and grins with her arms sticking out of her blankets--when I reach over her to tuck in the other side she tickles me and says "TICKLE FIGHT! TICKLE FIGHT!") (we both laugh but I am not supposed to)
Me: (flustered)"Good night."
Her: "I love you."
Me: "OK" and then I walk away

Maddie: "Meg." "Me-eg." "Meeee-eeeeg." and so on.

EVERY NIGHT! Of course we all laugh and roll our eyes. What a funny tradition! (It's from the movie "ELF" if you think it sound familiar)

Happy Birthday, Maddie! Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. She got on the high honor roll at school this last quarter! Way to go.

That took longer than I thought!

I made three costumes for Maddie and just need to do touch up on a couple more. They look great on Maddie and I am very happy to be finished. I will post pictures soon.

This month and a half has been quite eventful (and not all fun). Meg wrecked her little Ford Escort. She hit the back of a school bus (no one was hurt) and crunched the front of her car. It folded like a taco. The bus has a little skid red skid mark and that's it. She and Jeff went to the junk yard and got parts to fix her car back up. Meganne actually LIKED that!

Maddie got a date to Valentine's Dance at LHS. She found her dress at a consignment shop for 1/2 the marked price of $80. What a bargain shopper. It brings tears to my eyes! She looks great in this dress. It is dark brown and is very modest, too. I didn't need to do anything to fix it for her to wear it! BONUS!!!

Jeff has two more classes to go until he is DONE with school and then he will have his teaching degree. I am so excited for him and look forward to him being a member of faculty somewhere and having health insurance!

Hunter has been working very hard on his Merit Badges for Scouts. He loves checking stuff off and accomplishing new things. He has done a Family Home Evening lesson on the Word of Wisdom and even drew his own pictures for an activity. He made his Valentine box for his school class and won first place! It is a bank safe and looks good! He even started TWO of his own companies called: S.J.B.Co. & M.E.S.S. SJBCo stands for Sisters Job Break Company and his ad says: "Ever have parents nagging you to actually DO you JOB??? Don't worry, we understand. Just give us a call and we will help! Contact us for prices." He actually made $5 off Meg one day!

MESS stands for Meganne's Emergency Straightener Service "Ever have a friend coming over last minute? We can help! With quick and effective service, we get the job done." (fine print at the bottom says "Prices will vary with shorter notices")

Oh, yeah. Jeff and I were in a car crash on Monday. It was snowing and a young guy ran a stop sign. We spun in the snow and ice and ended up facing the way we had just come. We tore up a few layers of sod in the median. We were shaken up and bumped around some but we are ok. Our Outback is in the body shop getting the left back door fixed, the rear axle straightened and I don't know what else. Damages were around $4300. Glad the other guy had insurance. We are in a rental for the next few weeks. Also glad the kids were not with us. One of them would have been in that seat by the back door.

Happy Valentine's Day!