Me and My Man

Okay so some of you have heard this and some of you haven't. I thought since June 25 is our anniversary I would take a stroll down memory lane. Wanna come with? Here we go: Picture it October 1998 I returned from BYU (graduated) with no MRS. degree (only a BS in Science and a minor in Spanish lit). And I was a return missionary, so there was no other goals on the horizon except career and love. I worked at both. I dated and was consequently dumped by the Ugliest Dude you have ever seen. (See post titled: "Where I was 10 years ago". ) One of my dearest friends while growing up needed a favor and I had agreed to help out. Billy Jensen had just turned 31 and was not supposed to be going to the Young Adult Activities anymore, but he really didn't like the Single Adult stuff because most of the ladies were widowed grandma's. There was a BIG Young Adult Weekend Conference in San Diego that he had gotten tickets for but he needed a "date" to take him who fell into the 18-30 years old range. He also needed someone who was only a friend so he could troll for chicks without it getting weird. He asked me like a month or more before to go and I had said yes, but when the time came I was still reeling from being dogged. I had spent a few months man hating and was NOT in the hair flipping, flirting, coy, party girl mode. I did NOT want to go. I told Billy that I was sure no one would say anything about him being there and that I really didn't want to go. He threw a little temper tantrum and guilted me into keeping my end of the bargain. So I went to Fallbrook where he lived and stayed the weekend to attend a YA lame conference.

Friday night was the get to know you games. You know the ones. The kissing one, the have you ever? one, the remembering everyone in the circle name one, the limbo (check out my boobs one), the pass the orange without your hands one, well, you get the picture. So Billy and I have about a half hour in the car before we get there and he is desperately trying to make me have a good time. He decides to set a goal for himself. He wants to pick out a girl and see if he can get to know her by the end of the conference. He wants me to do the same. You had to give or get a phone number to be successful. We arrive and all the games are already going on and we stand at the double doors to the cultural hall taking it all in. He spots his prey, she is tiny and blonde and has sparkly eyes. He asks me who I will be hunting this weekend and I pick out a tall smiley guy with curly hair laying in the middle of the Kissing game with his lips puckered. Apparently he was supposed to be trying not to get caught and the girl who was trying to catch him was baffled about what to do next. Then she kissed him on the cheek and he smiled like a stupid 14 year old. He was The Player. The Unattainable. The Notorious Bachelor. He was my victim. I watched him for most of the night and met up with some of my long lost dorm room buddies, ate some refreshments and hid from the pre-mission kid who was following me around wanting to talk about his band. (agggh)

I went home with Billy after having a refreshingly fun time. The plan was to come back the next morning for the "Special Olympics". This is the put your face in pudding, put on all the clothes, pop a dozen balloons relay race one. I played but didn't see HIM. Billy made his goal and decided she was a little vapid for his taste. We went home for lunch and to clean up for the broadcast of the Padres Playoff Game. What I didn't know is that most of the people there were going to the stadium to watch it there not to the church. When we showed up to the church there were only about 20 people there and HE was one of them! Yes! The stars were aligning. So about 10 minutes before the game he came over to me and smiled. I melted and fluttered, and the song "In your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel started playing in my head. He said, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" . The music screeched to a stop, and I thought to myself can't you come up with anything better than that?! But he was even more handsome in person so I had a hard time processing his cheeziness. We tried to figure out where he knew me from. (I didn't think that I had ever seen him before, I would have remembered.) Then he left with some little just-out-of -highschool girls. Ahhh, the chase begins. I went home with Billy to get ready for the Dance that night. This was my time to get him. Dim lights do wonders for my looks, and dances were a favorable spot to prowl. I knew a few tricks.

1. Don't stand in a pack of girls-to hard to ask one to dance.


2. Don't let one guy monopolize your time unless you want him-it says we're together so don't bother asking


3. Make GOOD eye contact when the slow song starts so he knows you want him


4. Be a little coy but not over the top-you'll look desperate


5. If he talks to you touch him-it says I'm warm and issue free

Anyway, we danced and talked and at the end of the night he asked if I wanted to go with him to the gas lamp district of San Diego. Actually, he teased me about being old and staying out past my bedtime so that I would go. I did. He drove me around in a pedi-cab and we talked and visited nearly all night. He did not however ask for my phone number nor try to get frisky with me.

The next day Sunday was my last to secure my man. Here is the problem, I was taught that a girl does NOT call boys, or give them their phone numbers unsolicited, or chase boys in general... so if he didn't ask for my number I figured he didn't want it and that was it. They should chase you my mom always said. On Sunday he met me at the doors of the Chapel and sat with me during the testimony meeting. He smelled heavenly. Then it was time to go and so I said my goodbye and left the building with Billy. I was totally disappointed, but I was not going to throw myself at him. Then the music starts up again and there He is giving me a business card from his pocket with his number (pre-written) on the back. He did like me. The beeeeautiful full lipped blonde liked me too. Billy was happy for me and he predicted that we would get married and live happily ever after. And we have. And I CHOSE him out of the crowd to be MY MAN.

Melinda Mea

I loved to memorize Shel Silverstein poems when I was a kid and this project reminds me of little Melinda Mea who ate the monstrous whale. Some days I don't even know if I am going to finish but I do little things and I keep plugging along. If you don't know the story Melinda took little bites and chewed very slow and in 89 years she ate the monsterous whale because she said she would.. I hope that it dosen't take me 89 years to finish. Every day I do something little.

As you can see things are changing

For those of you who don't know the poem.

"Melinda Mae"

Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae,Who ate a monstrous whale?She thought she could,She said she would,So she started in right at the tail.
And everyone said,"You're much too small,"But that didn't bother Melinda at all,She took little bites and she chewed very slow,Just like a little girl should...
...and in eighty-nine years, she ate that whaleBecause she said she would!!!

We love our Daddy

Dave is an amazing dad. There aren't words to say how proud I am of him and our little family. The kids enjoyed making and giving him his presents this year.

All four of the little monsters


Willow wrote this card for her hero. I couldn't have said it any better.



Phoenix is so proud of his.... present. (I think it's a pencil holder.) We had to replace the erasers on the pencils because he ate the first ones.


We knew he had to have the "MOUNTAIN DUDE" hat and shirt when we saw them. Dave's two favorite things combined Dew and Nascar.

Easy Smelly Playdough

Homemade PlayDough (NOT EDIBLE, actually it is, but it tastes terrible!)

Here's a picture of the ingredients most of which you keep in your pantry.

2 TBS Cream of Tartar
1 cup flour
1 TBS oil
1/4 cup salt
1 cup water
1 packet unsweetened Kool Aid (or a few drops of food coloring)

*Cream of Tartar is a spice used to make meringue. You can buy it at all the major grocery stores or in bulk at Costco.

In a sauce pan combine all the ingredients and stir on med heat until it forms a dough ball. It takes about 3-4 minutes. The plop it out and knead it until it's really smooth and cooled down. ¡Vióla playdough! If you don't have koolaide you can mix food coloring instead of koolaide (or both to make different colors). The koolaide makes it smell good, but then little kids are more tempted to taste it. It's not toxic, but I wouldn't let them eat it anyways. Store it in a ziplock when your done.

Fun with Friends

One day last week we had a full house. The kids enjoyed having their friends over and the house was already a mess (as usual), so I thought what the heck, let's get out the PLAYDOUGH. I know you moms are thinking, "WHAT?? THAT'S LIKE CLEANING SUICIDE!" and you're right but the kids had a really great time. Mom you might want to wash the cookie cutters before you use them next time! Tee Hee.
Eli and Phoenix


Emma and Poppy


Elias hard at work.


Phoenix pounding...I don't think thats what the hammer is for son.


Dave trying to kiss Preston Minor...at the Mary Bono fundraiser. Should I worry? Nahhhh Preston's not interested his cute wife is going to have a baby girl soon. Dave's not his type.

Sweet Expressions Photography

I got these today! Aren't they beautiful! This is Lily in her blessing dress. It was made specially for her by her Mimi. The purple blanket underneath her was knitted by Uncle Gene's sister, and the white blanket was crocheted by Grandma Margaret. I don't think there is anything more beautiful than a sleeping baby. (Especially when they're mine). It reminds me of when they were in heaven. They seem so peaceful. I wonder if they dream about the life they left to come here? I hope so.

Michele Tolley of Sweet Expressions took the photos! If you want to look at her blog/web site its at http://sweetexpressionsphotography.blogspot.com/ If you click on the title of the post it will take you there!
You should see some of the stuff she's done. If she can make all those old time Corona people look that good then you can count me in. Thanks Michele! Last year she took photos of Poppy for dance and Poppy has never looked so good!





I love this one of her hand and mine. It makes my heart flutter.

I wish you could hear her talk. It's too cute. It's almost like we're carrying on a conversation with OOOo's and Ahhhh's.