A Newborn.....

Well people, I am starting to believe I have the lung capacity of a newborn.  I have been trying really hard to do something about my health (*cough*weight*cough*) and so I have been trying to use the things around me to help out with getting my body healthier.  I have been walking on the treadmill, doing push-ups, planks and I even have been working a little on arm exercises whenever I am sitting.  I was thinking about something I could do to help streghthen my legs a little more than just walk/jogging on the treadmill and I thought about stuff they do on the Biggest Loser which they do a lot of stairs, easy enough right, I have stairs right in my very own home, YAY me!!!  14 is the number of stairs I have, you know, not to many, not to little, just right.  I figured I could do 50 reps of going up and down the stairs No Problem, sounds a little "under-achiever" if I do say so myself, phssh, I got this is the bag!!  I seriously could not have been more W.R.O.N.G., as if my ego hasn't suffered a lot lately as it is, I only did 7 reps, yes you read it right 7 measley times of going up and down.......my heart hurts, my ego is shattered and my lungs I swear are filling up with blood as I am writing this because I over worked them, pathetic :(  I am thinking there is only one explanation for this and it is not that I need to exercise more.....it must be that my lungs are the size of a newborns, I would google my symptons but the last time I did that I found out I had leprosy, so before I go to the dr. with my ailments, could all of you go do some stairs and let me know that I am not a loser, that I am just one of you, and that maybe with a little more hard work I can make my goal of being more Healthy a reality.........please!!!

The Wrong Way

So as I was driving home from work tonight, on the slushy, crappy, snowy roads, it conjured up a long lost forgotten memory, and so I must share;

Scott and I had been married only a week or so and with me being a country small city girl, I was slowly learning how to navigate my way through Salt Lake, I however did not like to drive anywhere by myself, in the dark or without being told in "countryfied" directions; ie. go down the street turn left at the blue house, past the field of cows, turn right at the big rock....you get it right, and Scott being the newly married, wanting to keep his new bride happy, was soooo good at helping me even though he got (still gets) frustrated with my being seriously directionally challenged.  Scott at this time was working out by the Airport and since we only had one car it was my responsibility to make sure he was picked up from work if I needed to use the car while he was away.  Oh the days before Cell phones, I know most of you cannot even remember such a time and my kids ask me if grew up with the dinosaurs, since I was around BEFORE cells, Ipods, internet, and such.  But I just tell them, No, your grandparents grew up with the dinosaurs so I am way Modern :)  On this particular night I headed off to pick up Scott at around 11:30 pm, his shift ended at midnight and I wanted to give myself a little cushion.  I remember seeing all the signs that pointed me in the right direction and I was getting so excited to show Scott just how big I was and that I could find places on my own (now remember this is even before GPS), I only had one more exit to take and then I would be at the International Center by the Airport, but somehow I missed seeing that exit, as I was driving I thought that I had gone to far but I couldn't remember exactly, so I kept driving hoping that I would recognize something that either told me I was still on the right road or that I had gone too far, now looking back and remembering this, I realized that I didn't know what was past that exit because I had never been past, so everything should have looked foreign, but it was dark and I knew I wouldn't be able to tell if it was familiar or not.  I found myself alone, in the dark, on the wrong road and scared because I didn't know where to go from there.  I was getting so stressed because it was well past midnight and I started getting a migraine from the thoughts of disappointing my husband and feeling completely stupid that I couldn't find where I needed to be even though I had been there multiple times.  I pulled over to the side of the road and prayed, I prayed hard that I would be able to get to home safely and that my headache would stay at bay long enough to get me back home, I also prayed that Scott would find a way home and that he wouldn't be mad at me when he did.  When I was done with my prayer I remembered "oh yeah, Scott works by the airport" the airport is all lit up so it was very easy to navigate my way back towards it, and once I made it back there I was able to finally see the signs that would take me back to the safety of my apartment and Scott.  I finally got home around 1 ish and Scott was not there but I had the feeling that he was okay and that he would soon be home, he came bursting through the door about 15 min. later, frantic and happy that I was home, he then asked what had happened and I just commenced to crying, I was so grateful that he was home, I was happy that he wasn't mad and I was so thankful that the Lord had answered my prayers and brought us both back home safely.  I think the really funny part in all this is that the wrong turn I made actually had me heading out to Tooele, maybe subconsciously I was already heading home I just didn't know it then......  I hate to admit it but I am still so directionally challenged but thankfully for Scott's sanity, I now have a cell phone, with a car charger :), I have a GPS system in my van and on my phone and I have 17 years of living out here under my belt, so I can drive anywhere with confidence, okay maybe that was too strong  a word, but I am getting better!!!  And I have driven across the country with my Mom and Sister, so I think I am pretty awesome!!! I am pretty lucky that my husband has stuck with me and is very mindful on my "one" flaw and I love it when my Dad is giving me directions, using words like east and west, Scott is right behind him saying, left and right and turn by the big rock.   I so Love him!!!

Home Lunch....

I am having a raging debate, mostly with myself, about the pros and cons of home lunch.  Most everyday this school year, Zachary has been taking a home lunch which he gets up and makes himself, my job in this whole thing is to make sure he has what he needs and never run out.  But this week he has taken it to a whole new level, let me explain; his lunch consists of:

PB & J sandwich (PB has to be a certain brand, jam has to be my freezer strawberry jam and his white bread is that cheap sandwich bread, that makes me shudder each time I put it in my cart.)

Chips (doesn't matter what kind as long as there is an extensive selection)

Grapes (he doesn't care how much they cost in the winter)

Capri Sun

There really isn't much to complain about there except for the fact that he is so specific and I can rarely get him to see that substitutions are okay, oh and did I mention that at promptly 7:45 am every morning he calls Zane to verify the lunch plans and they pack their lunches while on the phone with each other, so keep in mind I am making sure that not only 1 but 2 kids are satisfied with their lunch requirements, and I always have to keep spares of everything on the off chance that Zane's Mom has run out of something and she does the same for Zach.

So this past week as I have been weighing the cost of groceries vs. school lunch, Zach kindly reminded me that he has a field trip on Thurs. which of course requires a Lunchable (I refuse to let them eat them any other time), and also since Zane's mom has now purhased Twinkies for Zane's lunch I had to get them too, so for his lunch tomorrow he will pack his disgusting lunchable, chips, a twinkie and a Kool-aid Jammer (they were cheaper than Capri-Sun), so as I am buying this stuff keeping in mind that I am also trying so hard to eat better and healthier I find myself thinking, "what in the heck kind of lunch is this, there is absolutely no nutritional value in it whatsoever, yet I am buying this stuff and then I am saying to my son, go ahead pack the lunch that is suppose to sustain you through school hours and have a great day!!!  I feel like a great mom!!!

Despite my knowledge of good vs. evil foods, I have to say that for whatever reason his making his own lunch empowers him and so for that reason and that reason alone, I will still continue to let him pack his lunches and hopefully my buying a box of twinkies doesn't come back to bite me in the butt!!!

(I really must love them!!!)

the Big 1-0

3 of my 4 kids have now entered double digits.....................................aughhhhhh!!!

Okay well he did actually have his birthday in Nov. but hey, I am a mom and a busy mom at that so sometimes you have to celebrate the birthday in Nov. and then blog about it in Jan.

I usually let my kids decide what they want their birthday cake to be but this year for Zach I decided for him, only because my idea was so super fantastic and I knew he would love it!!!  Zach is such an artist, he loves to draw, color, paint and doodle, so I thought it would be so fun to have him decorate his own cake!!  I rolled out some white fondant for him and then let him use some edible markers to color his cake with.  And although the markers were really hard to work with he still had fun and his cake turned out cute!!!

I love that he had to sign his cake!!

One year older and wiser too, Happy Birthday..to you!!

(what a bunch of posers!!)



A Birthday Girl!!

You have to fight for the right to

PaRtY!!!

Or at least turn "12" so you can have an awesome party!!! 

What could be better than lots of girls, getting their hair done, nails done, playing games, playing Just Dance on the Wii, giggling uncontrollably at nothing, making their own cupcakes, watching the series ending of Wizards of Waverly Place and then giggling more.............Nothing!!!

I asked Kennadee how she thought her party had gone and with the biggest, brightest smile she said, "Best. party. EVER!!!  And I think that says it all...............well except for maybe these:

(Apples to Apples Jr. one of K's faves)

Our Stylists, McKenna H., Bailey M. & Elysa M., they were awesome and so fun to have there, Kennadee did not want her haircut until after her party because she wanted Elysa to do it!!!

She wanted a Strawberry Shortcake Cake AND cupcakes to decorate, the cake was Delish!!

she was Dared to put her face in her cupcake and hard to believe but she did it!!!

Yay, she finally got her I-pod, she asked for it for Christmas and when she didn't get it she said, "Well good thing my birthday is soon, so I have another chance!!!"

Kennadee is such a JOY to have as a daughter, I love seeing her grow up and even though she is small in stature she is huge in love and kindness.  I love everything about this young woman and I cannot wait for all the wonderful things that are just around the corner for her.  It seems so hard to believe that it has been 12 years since the Dr. placed this little girl in my arms, and I feel so lucky that I get to be her Mom.   

CHRISTmas Season!!!

When contemplating what I wanted to do for the annual Christmas blog entry, I thought just doing the normal update of my family would be sufficient, but needless to say I have had the hardest time writing it, call it writers block or whatever, but I have started this entry about 12 times (maybe more).  So here I go again and hopefully this will be the winner..............

I have been thinking a lot about being a Christlike example and when I think about it, the one thing that comes to mind is very personal, yet something that I have wanted to write down and save for my kids to read later. So this entry is going to focus on the very meaning of being Christlike and the wonderful person I chose to marry.

Scott had to do something this year that I hope to not repeat for a very, very, very long time.  He had to say good-bye to his father.  I hope Scott won't mind me talking about this on here for all to read, especially since I will not let him proof-read my posts and he usually doesn't get a say in what I post, so forgive me honey if this is to personal.  Scott and his Dad were not really in a good place at the time we learned of his sickness, and sadly it was not for lack of trying.  Scott's Dad was an alcoholic, and it was hard for me to watch Scott try and try and try again to help his Dad only to be refused or let down because of a relapse.  It finally came to the point where the only relationship Scott had with his Dad was the check he (and his brothers) sent every month to pay for his apartment room and other neccessities that kept Tom from being homeless.  I don't want to go into much more detail but their relationship was basically non-existent for about a year before his passing but in saying this I know it brought great comfort to Scott knowing that Tom lived really close to his brothers and his brothers would check up on him and invite him over for Sunday Football.  It was late Mon. evening in early March 2011 when Scott got the call from his brother saying that he was taking their Dad to the ER, because something was wrong.  I called the hospital the next day to find out how Tom was doing and from what they could tell me I knew it wasn't good.  I asked Scott to tell me what exactly the Dr. had said to his brother when they took him in and that is when I found out he had Scirosis of the Liver and the level at which he was at was extremely critical, Scott had chosen not to go to the hospital and I was very concerned that it would be to late when he finally went, so I did some research online (I know, I know but it was the only thing I could do at the time), and it made me even more nervous that waiting was the wrong thing to do, Scott just wanted to wait and see.  I have always felt like I had to walk on pins and needles concerning matters with his Dad and it was hard for me to see time slipping away, I felt the pressure but I think Scott was a little in denial about how critical his Dad really was.  Thurs. that same week I went into work and to my relief Scott asked if I would go to the hospital with him to visit his Dad, we went to the IHC hospital on Redwood and 56th So. and the only thing I can say is that when we first saw Tom it was shocking, here was a man who was only 55 yet looked 85, his scirosis was so bad that he had a very hard time communicating and really had to think about anything you asked him.  But the more miraculous thing that happened was Scott, I saw a man who had been so hurt by his Dad's alcoholism, look into the eyes of this man and it was as if nothing else mattered but making him better.  Scott went into a "doing" mode, if there was something that needed to be done for his dad, whether it be paperwork, legal stuff, making sure he had his glasses, comforting him, watching tv with him or just reminiscing about hunting and fishing, Scott was right there.  I think the most precious moment for me came as we were leaving and Scott looked at his Dad and said "I Love you Dad!" I knew it took a lot for him to say it, especially not knowing if his Dad understood him and not knowing if it would even matter to his Dad. Scott called his Grandma and Uncle Mike who live in Mesquite, NV and told them that they should come up and visit and so they came and spent the weekend up in SL, to our surprise Tom seemed to be doing so much better and the time that Grandma and Mike got to spend with him was really wonderful.  Tom was doing so good in fact that the hospital was ready to talk about releasing him but only to a facility that provided nursing care 24 hrs. a day, because even at his very best he would never be able to live without constant nursing care.  Scott and his brothers searched until they found a sutible place for their father to go after they released him from the hospital.  He was released midday Mar. 22, Scott was not able to visit that day or on the 23rd but thrus. the 24th we went together to see his Dad, as we went into the room the nurse was with him and she began talking to us about some concerns she was having and it seemed that Tom was not doing so well, in fact it seemed like he had gone backwards, as we were visiting him, he asked if Scott would put him back in his bed because he was cold, Scott is really not a nurturer but as I watched him put his Dad in bed careful to make sure that he was comfortable, and covering him up with the blanket and then making sure that everything he needed was in arms legth, I got goosebumps!  The sweetest thing and the thing that to this day brings tears to my eyes is when Tom asked for some water and Scott poured him a glass and seeing how weak and shakey Tom was, Scott didn't think twice nor ask me to step in as he helped his Dad take a sip of water, I wish that that exact moment could have been recorded so my kids could see and know how incredible their father is, they are far to young to grasp the whole reality of what took place in those precious few weeks.  That was the last time we would visit Tom there, we no sooner had arrived back at work then we got a call saying Tom had gone from bad to worse and they were sending his to St. Marks Hospital and that we needed to get there as quick as we could.  Long story short we told Scott's brothers to meet us there and with the sons who meant the world to him surrounding him, Tom departed this life.  I cannot even begin to describe what it is like when you are with someone who is dying, there is almost a paulpible reverence.  I knew then just like I know now, Scott was a Christlike example, he saw the poor and he gave, he saw the sick and he tried to heal, he saw the weary and he carried, he saw the broken hearted and he loved, he held the hand of his father as he passed promising to take care of those who still lived, he let go of hurt and anger and replaced it with kindness and compassion, there has never been a time I have felt so priviledged to be a part of something as I was in watching my husband grow as a person.  I hope in this Christmas Season you all have a little time to reflect on the Christlike examples that filled your life this year, and be grateful for the experiences to learn and grow closer to our Savior.  We love you all and are so grateful for each and everyone of you and the example you are to us.  Merry Christmas and May your New Year be filled with the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

With Love,
Scott and Melanie
Bradley, Kennadee, Zachary and Lainee

The 4K that nearly killed me!

I was working on getting Christmas Cards out today and I came across the cards that came in our mail today and right there just waiting for me to open, was a card from my Grandma and Grandpa Harvey (my moms, mom and dad), inside the card was another card, a thank you card, on which Grandma started it by writing "Melly", that simple word just brings the biggest, goofiest, smile and the warmest sensation of love to me, she is the only person on this earth who calls me that (or I should say who is allowed to get away with calling me that!!).  She just sent a cute little thank you for our help with putting together our Harvey family reunion.  Reading her note made me think back to that family reunion and how we Merkley's all came together and put on one heck of a reunion!!!  But there was 1 thing that we did that nearly took me out, literally!!!

My brother Matt, who is a beast, was put in charge of doing a family fun 4K (nobody is fessing up to me as to who put him in charge), he mapped it out, ran it first to make sure it was what he wanted and then showed everybody the way to go on the day of the race.  I had to be coaxed into participating because I am not a runner, Cassie did you read that, I am not a runner.  I can walk, I can even walk fast, but something happens to me when I run and my body rebels.  But I found some buddies and off I went, I can't remember how many participants we had but it was a pretty good size group, I want to say around 35-40 but I could be wrong.  My sweet Grandma decided that she would give it a try as well, so when I expressed concern for her being able to complete it, being that it was on dirt road and Matt had said there were some steep places, she just waved off my concern and said she will walk it until she thought she couldn't do it anymore and then she would turn around and come back, besides she was walking with Aunt Pam and Aunt Dawn, so all was good.  I started out by running, which didn't last very long but hey at least I was doing it, the first little bit was fine but then we started on a down hill slope which slope does not descibe it very well, it was steep, I kept slipping and had to just settle for slowly walking with my peeps which consisted of Sienna, Ian, Hunter and Big Aiden (not to be confused with little Aiden), Kennadee, Morgan and Makayla, all of these kids were 13 and under, I was just happy I was keeping up with them :)  Just about the time I was beginning to wonder if we were even on the right path, we saw Justin just ahead of us, and thankfully soon after found the path that was supposed to lead us back to the top of the mountain.  Through this narrow path in the forest, I found myself gulping for air, each time I passed a spot that even remotely looked like it could be a place to rest I took advantage, and I found myself acting like a child that had been cooped up in a car for hours upon hours and hollering to Kennadee, "Are we there yet?, can you see the end?, how much farther??????"  The only thing that kept me going was the fact that it was shorter to continue rather than turning back.  We didn't ever really run into anybody else and only caught the voices of those that were behind us every once in a while.  The best moment came when Kennadee announced she could see the end, we had reached the top of the moutain and were now headed back to the finish line, which sadly enough was still about 1/4 mile.  As we came out of the forest into the clearing, I was just near the passing out stage, I was slowly trudging along when I saw my boys (who had already completed the 4K) riding a bike towards me, when they got within ear shot they started cheering me on, saying "c'mon mom, you can do it!, just a little farther, mom!, you are almost there!"  Their chants lifted what little energy I had and propelled me to at least walk/jog.  Justin had passed me a while ago and I was finally catching back up to him with just a little over 20 yards to go, when Bradley said "Mom, this is it, you are almost done, just sprint to the finish, do it Mom!!!"  And with that I was off, I passed Justin who immediately put it in gear himself as we were coming to the end, neck and neck, I gave one more short burst of energy (or Justin let up a little) and I took the lead and finished the 4K, still alive, still breathing (although barely), and excited beyond belief that I did it!!!  About 20 min. passed and we were still cheering on people as they came back, when I saw my Grandma, and she was jogging!  I smiled and thought to myself "only grandma", she is such a wonder to behold sometimes, I felt a little chastized at the thought that I had to be talked into this and grumbled most of the way, and couldn't wait for it to be over so I could sit back and relax (after I strangled Matt) and here was my 70+ grandma with a smile on her face and excitement in her step and I could just imagine that she sang her way through the hard trails and danced up the mountain just because she was surrounded by her family.  I love her and I feel honored to be named after such a great woman, and I hope I will live up to that name, and be the kind of example to others as she is to me!!    I love being her Melly!!!

As for a couple other stats from the race: Bradley finished 1st (what a stud), Sophie finished 4th (she ran the whole thing all by herself, which I thought was pretty cool), Scott finished 5th or 6th (??), I can't remember any places after Scott, but Zachary finished shortly after Scott, I finished a little under 1 hr., Kennadee shortly after me and then Lainee came in about 15 min. after that and to her credit she walked the whole thing with Cassie in her flip-flops (I didn't know she was coming or I would have made sure she had proper footwear, but this is Lainee and flip-flops in the summer months are just molded to her feet!!)

Oh and don't worry Matt, I have forgiven you, it took a couple of months but you can now sleep without keeping one eye open ;p