Kelli Menelly Bug

Seems like I have been doing a lot of birthday blogs but I have to do one more-- (actually I am sure this won't be the last). But I have to give a shout out to my "older" sister Kelli-- even though she is the smallest and apparently younger looking of the three of us. (Many people mistake her for the youngest.) Anyway, she is turning a whopping 37! I just want her to know what a great person I think she is. I love having a great sounding board in my life. Always full of advice and always there for us. She is a great mom and friend. I am so proud of her. Some highlights I want to share:

• First, it is because of her and her family that we are all disney nuts now. We thought they were crazy for wanting to spend five days there and then we tried it once and were hooked! Hopefully we can plan to go again-- soon!
• Of course, who could forget Baltimore-- some of us liked it better then others but the stand out in my mind right now is when we were trying to keep up with Aunt Bobbie and John in their car and somehow we lost them but ended up tailing another white car similar all over and getting lost and realizing it wasn't Bobbie but two very scared people who had been trying to get rid of the strange van following them.
• Some not so great moments of growing up and you beating me up and pinching me with your LONG nails-- and Marcie too scared to help me fight back. (For such a petite girl she is not to be messed with!)
• Watching your family get sealed in the temple was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
• All the many shopping trips we take. You are always sure to find the lowest price bargains around and you have the greatest fashion sense around! Too bad you never got that girl! (By the way this includes you dragging all of us to the all nighter Thanksgiving sales!)
• All the sporting events attended or watched with you are a blast as well. Top of the list is when you and I and Randy and Lance drove up to SLC airport the night John Stockton sent the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals and attending the midnight welcome home bash! That was a blast.

Basically, if Kelli is in the right mood she can be the most spontaneous person willing to try anything and I love that! She is such a great older sister and I love her! Thanks for being there for me and I love you!

Too cute to get bugged!

So lately I am finding a little annoyance in the fact that every time we go to get a juice box none of them have straws. Can you see by the pictures where the end up? It is just too creative and imaginative to get annoyed though. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Oh and by the way-- the wrappers that the straws come in are usually everywhere as well-- and that is annoying!

Happy Bird-day girls!

The good old days!
One of our many Host a Murder Parties-- we need to bring those back-- somehow my character always was the murderer and somehow there was a scene or two that needed some editing!
Had to include the classic short overalls! Shannon always the in-style one! (By the way this was when we were giving Callie her honeymoon night outfit-- love the pink and the feathers!)

Debbie and Quincy in Costa Rica!
All of us at the famous edible pizzeria!
Kodiaks first time on Splash-- Debbie was promising all along it wasn't scary-- I wonder if he was scared.

One of our many 4th of July races-- I miss that tradish!

Debbie with Chelsey who's now 16!

Debbie posing with her new "do"
Debbie and Shell some r&r in Lake Powell-- it was either on that or the tin shed!
Bryce Canyon!

The longer haired Deb with her mom and dad! This was a while ago because besides how much they have changed the tree in the background is now HUGE! Crazy!

So this week two of some of my bestest buddies are having birthdays and I thought I would take a minute to honor them and let them know what they mean to me.

First, today is my sister in-law Debbie's birthday. She hacked into my blog to wish me happy birthday but I didn't think enough ahead to see if Quincy could help me return the favor so hopefully this will suffice as payback.I am just learning to use my scanner so bare with me as you look at these photos.I tried to find any photos I had of Debbie in costume but to no avail. Debbie is the queen of the dress-up and is not afraid to cut loose. She is spunky and always fun to be around. I feel so lucky to have her as a sister-in-law. She is definitely one of my best friends and I look up to her in so many ways. She is the greatest mom always teaching me it is about quality time with them. She is a great wife-- always thinking about his needs before her own which is such a beautiful example to me to try harder. She is a hard worker. I don't think she knows the meaning of rest or "veg"-- (I think it is an Ohran trait because Randy has a hard time doing it too.) But most of all she is a fun friend. I love our little playdates and our family trips-- getting to spend time together is a treat for me. I am especially looking forward to our annual Primm trip-- what we save in "great deals" we spend in gas but it is all worth it for the girls tip getaway! All in all I just want Debbie to know how much I love her and am soooooo grateful to her. Thanks for being such a great friend! Love you tons!

Next, bird-day girl is my girl Shannon! I call it bird day because if you know Shannon-- that is how she says it-- kind of a weird lisp thing she picked up or something but whenever I think of birthdays I think of Shannon-- I am a diva with birthdays and Shannon is too-- she is the original "pretty princess". What would I do without Shannon. She is so fun. Always laughing at my jokes and making me feel pretty important in her life. She is such a great friend. I know I can always count on Shan to cheer me up if I am down. She is ALWAYS there for me! I often refer to her as wonder woman because she can do everything and all at once too. She is the most crafty person-- she puts Martha to shame. She cooks, she sews, she scrapbooks, she builds bookcases by scratch then paints it strips it paints it again and then carries it up three flights of stairs all the while kids are in an activity she put together while dinner is on the stove and Jared is watching WWF (jk Jared). I have done many a crafts with Shan and they are all some of my proudest moments! Anyway, Shan-- I want you to know what you mean to me. I love you and am grateful that I have been blessed with such a great friend. You are the epitome of strength and poise and laughter. Thanks for being in my life!

*Sorry about the photos-- I uploaded them funny and then I could not get them to go where I wanted and I am too tired to try to figure it out!

1st Day of Preschool

Chase had his first day of preschool today. We went and met his teacher and he got to see his classroom and meet the other kids in his class and play with toys while mom got to have a little orientation with the other moms. We are so excited for this next phase in his life. I am wondering what I will be doing with the four hours a week that I now have and I am a little nervous about how well he'll do. He is still three so I am worried his attention span might not be ready for this structure yet but I am praying he'll learn it-- right?

*By the way-- did you notice? Got a new camera! Hip hip hooray!

Overrated

Okay, so I have read all the books from the Twilight series (books about vampires) and I have never been a big fan. I have not really enjoyed them. They are usually a couple hundred pages too long and then they don't really end because she has to set you u p for the next sequel. I felt like Stephanie Meyers (author) was trying to be the next JK Rowling or something and I just was not sold. Now, I know I am in the rare minority on this one-- for some reason, almost everyone I know has enjoyed the series and on top of that find themselves in love with Edward (the romantic interest of the main character Bella). Needless to say, I have not really rooted for him either-- I rooted for her "other interest" Jacob. Well, to make a long rant short-- I am gearing up to read her fourth and supposed final installment of the series Breaking Dawn. It is 700 or so pages and I am dreading the read. From early reports of friends who have already finished it-- some are giving me the same review-- a little long but good-- and these are fans! Yikes I am in for it. Why read it you ask? Well, for one I would like to have an ending to the story and two-- if you know me at all, you know that I like to have and share my opinion and to be able to keep up with "the latest". So here goes. Wish me well. I will maybe give you a review after I am finished but keep in mind due to the lack of interest and length of book-- it may take a while! I will say that after thinking more and more about the characters and who I root for etc-- my bottom line is I don't like Bella. I also think both Jacob and Edward are to good for her-- and Edward is a vampire. We'll see if these thoughts change!

Congrats!

Oh how I will miss my show! But yeah for Joshua and Twitch-- you entertained us 'til the end!

Big Happenings!

So a little while ago I set my brother-in-law Dave up with a friend of mine that plays on my softball team, Roxanne. They have hit it off and just announced the other day that they are getting married January 16th! Everyone is so excited-- they are both nearly 40 so this is HUGE! I will post pictures once I get a new camera. I must say it is so weird adding Roxanne to the family. I feel like in Seinfeld when Georges worlds collide-- but in my case I am happy about it. So way to go guys!

On another note Randy's sister fell down her steps and broke her foot in a few places, needing surgery to put some screws/ and plates, the whole bit. She is on bed rest for 10 days and supposedly out for 6 weeks minimum. However, she is recovering. She is hanging in there and doing a lot better with her exile then we have all thought-- granted it has only been a few days so we'll see how things go by day 10. My niece Chelsey is a trooper-- she is stepping it up becoming the new chauffeur and care taker. Anyway, I hope Shell continues her recovery and that we all can take time to appreciate our health-- I know I am!