Almost 3 months...

OH HEAVENS....

It has been almost 3 months since I last wrote and boy things have been a whirlwind around here. The Fall brought more activities than I can imagine, then November we had our huge work conference that WE host and that takes up soooooooo much of my time. So I am finally sitting down here in December to start blogging again. GAH!!!! I didn't realize how hard this can be to keep up with.

So let me give some updates with our family. Umm... let's see... Elle first - she is the oldest you know - LOL - okay we visited kindergarten's for her and started that whole process. She turns 5 August 17th so she misses the cut off to start kindergarten in the public school next year - however we could get her tested into kindergarten in private school early. So after long talks and round and round about - we decided to keep her in daycare an extra year and she will start private school the Fall 2013. She will be one of the oldest in her class - but who is to say that is a "bad" thing - right? Eric and I feel happy with our decision and are excited to see her in her little uniform.. YAY!!! She has grown leaps and bounds this year - she knows all of her letters and writes them all too - she is starting to sound out words and spell them. She really is becoming more of a little girl than are baby girl. GAH!!!!!!! Love her:)

Okay Wesley... let's see - he had a few illnesses over the fall and winter - boo:( Scared the bejeezus out of us but he recoups so well - he is such a little fighter. He is ALL boy - hits, throws, kicks, and loves to destroy things. He is REALLY into books and banging on things with sticks and wands - LOL.. He is REALLY starting to talk now - he says pretty many words and is now starting to try and put two words together. Like this morning - it is St. Nick's Day and he TRIED to say St. Nick - sounded more like Sa Ne - but it works for me! His little jaws make me want to kiss him a million times a day:)

Onto Eric - he is doing well, working HARD and still working out and watching movies - his two freakin passions. BLAH... HAHAHA:) He has started to READ - I know can you believe it.. He reads books - not two pages but WHOLE BOOKS! He loves business success stories and "how to be" books. He just read "Crunch Point" and is onto something else like that now. Who knows? He is done with the yard now that winter is here - so he has extra time on his hands.. HAHAHAHA. Love him!

Okay Me - well me.... let's see I finally feel myself coming up for air. Work has been CRAZY these past few months and home life seems just as crazy. November conference consumed about 6 months of my life - prepping, planning, having it, and then recouping from. Oh and my laptop was stolen there - NOT COOL!!! So on the tail end of that... I host Thanksgiving - a 20+ person holiday at my house. FUN HUH? No it is and when I look back - it makes me happy but all leading up to is CRAZY... With Wes's few illnesses and then Elle's dance every week - the weekends were spent visiting family, cleaning, laundering, getting Christmas shopping going, and soaking up my family.

Oh and all the while I have been eating OUT OF CONTROL. It truthfully is REDONKULOUS!!!!!! So Monday I woke up and thought NO MORE!!! I am finished - I need to take control of my life again and keeping my body healthy is just one part of it. So I woke my bum up at 4am worked out and ran and have been eating well. SO YAY!!! It is a start right? Now to keep this up until Christmas - then Christmas I will indulge again.. Then January it is "on like donkey kong". I vow by March I will be back to my normal size - if not smaller.. AND I will be training for a half marathon in April - so excited about that:) If you are wondering why March is so important? I will be heading back to sunny San Diego for work and guess who is coming with - ERIC!!!!! YAY.. our first little get-a-way since Eric's brother got married 2 years ago. GAH!!!!!!! I am so excited.

Oh... new pic of the kids daily occurrence

Okay I have rambled enough now - that is what is up these days and please keep my nephew in your prayers he goes into the hospital today (He has Cystic Fibrosis) and his PFT showed a decline - so we are praying and hoping all the testing and surgeries this week have him home for Christmas. Auntie Mel loves you Jake...

Seasons greetings to all - and I WILL be posting more:)

Felt the need...

Well I am freaking down with a nasty cold. I will recap what is up with the kids, Eric, and I and then I feel the need to share this with you all.

So let's start...

Elle - she is great - sassy as ever but turning into such a sweet girl. We went in to the ENT to check her tubes (she had ear tubes put in at 9 months and they should have fallen out by now). One tube has fallen out and the other we are going to "help" work out - it is almost out. So some Hydrogen Peroxide and some good pushin on the ear - will help this. Elle started Dance class at Studio C and is LOVING IT!!!!

She can write her name and can identify all the letters in the alphabet. She is learning to write all the letters at school (and we help her at home). Memory is her favorite game and we play it ALL the time - she is quite good. She keeps asking when she is going to "lose a tooth" and has figured out that pretty much she ROCKS Daddy and my world. She knows she owns it - and guess what.. I don't mind - her personality makes her who she is and I love her for it:) Our sassy sweetie.

Wes - he is doing awesome. Growing like a weed. He is such a boy - he throws things, hits things, eats dirt, plays rough, and flirts with the ladies:) He says "uh-oh", "da da", "ma ma", "ou ide" (outside), and pretty much talks his own gibberish - but he is SUCH a blabber mouth. I think we have another one who will never stop talking:) He can follow directions and understands WAY more than he says. He loves to "put things in the trash" and "put his shoes on". He is my love-bug - such a cuddly bumpkin and he melts my heart. LOVE HIM!!!!

He is such a joy to be around and so fun - our little (well big now) Wes man...

Eric and I - Eric is fine - same ole same ole. Loves to do his yard and enjoying the fall. We are enjoying our football and keeping the "faith alive" that the Cards will make the wild card slot "You gotta believe"! So our weekends are filled with sports to watch, kids to chase and play with, and fun to be had. Our patio covering starts today - agh!!!!!!!! I am excited but the mess - gah.... Oh well - will post pics when it is finished:)

Man I wish I had some fun things to report between us - but we are just hanging in there and doing the "family" thing. Fun stuff - right? LOL...

Anyways - wanted to post this as Nirvana is one of my fav's - Check it out - 20 Most Awesome - I "felt the need" to let you know:)

Well gotta run - hope you all are fab. What have you been up to these days - with fall approaching I am super motivated to get myself in shape and get playing "outside" - how about you?

Thoughts for the day...

Today I have few words to spare. Just some random thoughts/opinions and a few pictures that will explain better.

Melanie's quotes for the day:

- I don't like secrets - secrets, secrets, are no fun - secrets, secrets ALWAYS hurt someone.

- Don't judge someone until you have walked in their shoes - all that shows is ignorance.

- Communication is the "key" to any relationship - and not from an email or txt - pick up the phone or face to face is even better. What has technology done to our verbal communication skills?

-  When in doubt - ask? Don't assume...

-  Trying to push your views, opinions, morals from your era on another one - won't do. Times change and so does everything with it. So the best way to deal with "time" is by embracing the changes - or if you can't embrace them - at least "try" to understand them.

-  Don't hold grudges - when you are gone...what have you truly proved?

-  Forgive those in past - it really helps you to be fully open to the future.

-  Dancing can take ANY bad/sad thought out of my mind and singing in the car is a MUST!

-  Pick your battles wisely.. I have REALLY learned from this one - if anyone knows me well, you know this is HARD for me, but through the years I have gotten better. (Shhh.. Don't ask Eric this one - he might think otherwise - LOL)

- Love our youth (teenagers) - even when it is hard - they are OUR children's future.

- Sometimes keeping your opinions to yourself is better than boasting them so non-eloquently. There is a time and place for everything.

and finally....

-  At the end of the day - hug the one's you are with and love - life ISN'T always greener on the other side. Sometimes wanting for different/more/better doesn't = what is going to make you the happiest....

Today's "a picture can say a thousand words":

What brings you back?

I am sitting here listening to my music and working away and things from the past keep popping in my head... I find it very interesting that certain songs, smells, tastes, pictures, etc... can take you back to your past. I thought it would be fitting to reminisce and disclose some things that "bring me back".

-  "The Toadies" - yes the good ole band and anything from their "Rubberneck" album. You could play any song off there and I pretty much head back to high-school.

- "Candlebox" - listening to this band for hours in my room turned up super loud - crying to songs that resonated with me and jamming out to others - and an honorable mention to No Doubt - man.. "Just a Girl" was one always on "repeat"!!!

-  The smell of "Gus's Pretzels" - reminds me of grade school and the days they would bring in the pretzels and you could buy them for a quarter. YUM!!!!!

-  Just seeing any kid in an uniform brings back my "private school" memories of waking up in the morning - throwing on my jumper/skirt, brushing my hair and teeth and running out the door - not worrying about what other's thought about my looks. Oh and making sure my skirt was "finger tip length" - LOL... I was sent home once for that - thanks Sr. Maureen!!!

- The smell of our high-school gym during one of our dances. I can vividly remember the smell of the decorations, the wood floor, and sweat all rolled into one - ahhhh the good ole times. I love dressing up!

-  When I see a Blue Pontiac Sunbird - reminds me of soccer practice - not sure where that connection is made but my mind goes there. My first car was fun:)

-  The smell of fried chicken takes me back to my first job (when I was 15 1/2) at Lemmons Restaurant - it might have been a blue haired establishment but the chicken and lemon meringue pie were FABULOUS!!! Man.. I really wish I could still get that chicken. I remember being he hostess and watching everyone out the window in the front - still love to "people watch".

- Purple Passion - nuff said.. LOL

-  The smell of snow always takes me back to Beth's mom's house on New Years Eve and drinking champagne for the 1st time - ummm thanks Tony!!!! LOL.. Good sweet bubbly..

- I can remember the smell of Carondelet Park - walking many nights through there... to/from Beth's house and many, many, many other memories there - some pleasant and some not so much.

- Bridget's basement/pool - just that thought puts a smile on my face. Wonderful memories there!!!

- Any big square pizza (not IMOS) brings me back to PIZZA DAY in high school - my favorite day in the cafeteria.

- The smell of fingernail polish (formaldehyde) reminds me of dissecting that frog/sheeps eye/and pig - I know sick and it is hard for me to go into nail shop because of it. LOL

-  I can still remember the smell of The Offsets - water/beer/trash all rolled into one - hahaha:) Good times.. good times... Ohhhh someone burning a hole in my backseat - ha ha ha:)

- Every time I see a holey green backpack - brings me back to college and meeting Eric riding his bike with his backpack on. SWEET!!!!

- Dirty mop/cigarette smell brings me back to the Star Bar and college nights waiting for Eric to get off after his "bouncing" gig... HA HA HA

- I can still remember the smell of Ellis Dorm - weird... and doing Tae Bo in the halls - ba ha ha...

- Clinque Happy has Beth's name written ALL over it. Never fails every time I smell it - Beth is in my head.

- Oh and the smell and feel the morning of "breakfast of champions" - I loved that morning!!! GO MULES!

Okay Okay Okay.. I could go on for years.... So what brings you back?

My favorite part...

Okay today's post is going to be random and something that is "on my mind". I know... I bet you  will know what I have been thinking about all day - after reading this. So I pose the question - what do you LOVE most about your other half/boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife, etc? So I am going to break this down into the "physical" and the "not physical". Then I will end with my LEAST favorite..

Okay my favorite physical part would have to be the neck - the good ole fashion Traps. I love a good thick trap on a man - hahahahaha:) Okay that was sick... BUT I do. When those neck muscles flare up like a big peacock - OMG sick again - I am on a roll today. I love a good neck that when you hug, you can feel, and it makes you feel safe. The upper back and trapezoids on a guy - will make me melt all the time. I love big upper bodies. Look at SWEET ole Goldberg (oh you didn't know I LOVED wrestling - well add that to the list of Mel surprises - hehehe). Yep he has a great neck - face well that is another story.



Okay "non-physical" part - I am big on a guy being able to go out and be-friend others. I am very much into a man who can "fend for himself" in social situations. I love to be out with my family/friends, and having a guy sit next to me the ENTIRE time and go everywhere I go - "yeah not gonna happen". I admire a guy who is confident enough to strike up a conversation with strangers - yet glance and wink at me from the other side of the room. I really admire confidence but in a sweet gentle way. Yes that is a HUGE plus for me.

Oh did I mention that my husband has BOTH of these qualities - hehehehe - I think I struck gold. Oh except for my LEAST favorite attribute - crusty feet. HAHAHAHAHA. Ya know the runner/work out/work out in the yard/walk a ton barefoot/wear boots/etc.. kind of feet. The scaley gross kind with sweet "hair toes". HAHAHAHA - YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep he has this one too. HAHAHA. At least he tries and puts lotion on them once in awhile. SICK!!!!!!! I think I just don't like feet in general - they are all so sick. Well I have to take that back - I love baby feet - Wes's are so cute right now - Eric's NOT SO MUCH!!!!!

Well those were some random things for today - yep LOVE traps and gentle confidence - don't really care for feet - hehehehe - "What up Monday?"!!!

Somethings NEVER get old...

Yes as the title states - Somethings never get old.... and that would be ROCK MUSIC!!!! I had the privilege to attend the Heart/Def Leppard concert last night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre with my DAD - and let me tell you - BEST.CONCERT.EVER (well besides when I saw Stevie Nicks). The Wilson sisters can belt it out like no other and they still sound as PURE PERFECTION as they did in the 70's. Look at how GORGEOUS these ladies are...

 THEN...

                                                                           
NOW...

                                  

These ladies are still  magnificient and can ROCK a song like NO-OTHER!!!!! "Magic Man" , "These Dreams", "What about love" were three of my fav's from the night. I also REALLY enjoyed their renditions and covers of Led Zepplin and The Who. Ann certainly has one of the MOST amazing voices ever and Nancy rocks the guitar. She has NOT slowed down one bit. ROCK ON LADIES.. Check out the amazing band Heart

Okay so next was the big performance of the night - Def Leppard. Okay I am not going to lie - still makes me so excited to see these men hit the stage - YEP it does!!!!!!! LOL.. I am still in LURVE with the Joe Elliott and Rick Allen (drummer) still puts a BIG SMILE on my face. The stage performance was stellar - loved the lights, screens, etc... it really was in TRUE ROCK STYLE. "Photograph", "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Foolin", "Animal", and "Love Bites" were just a few of my top fav's of the night. I couldn't help it, but I had to scream the ENTIRE time - yes I am hoarse today - but all for a GREAT night..

THEN...

 NOW...

                                                                          

See not so shabby huh?????? Looking good guys after all these years!!!!!

Okay they look older - LOL... BA HA HA!!! I loved people watching and seeing the 45-60 year old women in their tight pants, Def Leppard band shirts, and rocking boots!!!!!! Lots of PUFFED hair too. It was epic... If you haven't been exposed to Def Leppard (ummm take my advice you should) - check them out Def Leppard

After a night of sipping Rum and Diet Coke, sitting in our great VIP box (thanks Fred Weber, Inc...), listening to my Dad tell me all about his concert experience as a "young lad", watching the AWESOME people around me, and soaking up the ROCK - I would have to say BEST.NIGHT.EVER!!!!

Poundage help...

Okay peeps - I am on a mission to lose these last 8-10 lbs - they SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! I am eating right and running/working out - BUT I think I need something to boost my weight loss. Okay typical day:

4:30 a.m. - weights for upper body and stretching - do this in the basement before waking the kids.
8:00 a.m. - breakfast / wheat english muffin with NO FAT butter, Weight Watchers string cheese, and a banana
10:30 a.m. - walk a mile with my boss around the parking lot
11:00 a.m. - lunch / salad with low fat dressing, low fat yogurt, and Fiber One bar
2:30 p.m. - snack / fruit and Weight Watchers string cheese
5:30 p.m. - dinner / small portions of whatever I make for the family / dessert - handful of chocolate chips - hahaha (can't go a day without my chocolate).
7:00 p.m. - run my neighborhood and drink a ton of water
7:30 p.m. - low fat Popsicle

Okay so this looks good and all - but HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't lose these last 10 - and I can't STAND IT!! Should I take a supplement, cut out something, starve myself, etc..? WTH should I do? I am on a mission to lose these last 10 lbs by October 17th - my step sisters wedding. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - give me so advice - oh and Jenn your Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies are not helping me.. LOL

Holla...