This is from the LYF (Lutheran Youth Fellowship) Alumni reunion. This was the Missouri District Youth Board that I served on my junior and senior year of highschool. I was involved with it before then also. These are my dear friends Alaina, Christy, Rachel and Kara! Yea! It was awesome to see everyone and laugh at old memories... I promised an old picture of us... I will get one on here...promise!

This is my Godson Luke on Christmas night... this is the puzzle step stool that I gave him... he was way more into his trains... but hey I am aok with that!

This is a Chandelier from the 1904 world's fair....

inside of the last stage of brewing process ( I think) no one in the house remembers right now.... We think this is where they add the hops, barley and rice.... (there are only 5 ingredients in the beer--the yeast and the water are in stage one with the beachwood chips)

These are more pictures from the brewery.... if you haven't been there, this is a great place to go!

MMMMM Gotta love good ole Anheuser Bush... this is grandma mary and my bro and sister in law in the hospitality room after the tour. They have a new beer coming out that I tried that is real good. Its called Front Range Hops... look for it to come to a store near you soon!

Good bye 2005

Its so incredibly hard for me to believe that 2005 is about done. Its been a whirlwind of a year, with ups and downs, experiences I will never forget, things I already can't remember and memories to last a lifetime.

This past week has been awesome and busy, tiring and energize. I got to St. Louis on Christmas day at about 3 PM. My family greeted me at the airport and we came straight home. We like to open gifts one at a time here and see what the other person got. With 6 of us here and not starting til close to 4 we had extended family members arriving to our house before we were done, we had to do away with the Scheer way of things and dive in a little faster. It was great to see the extended fam. I went over to the Borgmann's house later that night. It was great to see all of them as well. My Godchildren keep growing and I can't believe that the kids are as old as they are. Jessie, my Goddaughter, is 9 years old. She is very into fashion and wearing matching earrings with all of her outfits. She got a pug for Christmas and his name is Jelly Bean. Luke is a year and a half now! He warmed up to me pretty quickly. I hate that I am not in his life as much as I would love to be. He is very into trains right now so that was fun to watch him climb all over his train table and play with his new trains.

I went to the Blues game this week. They are really bad this year but I went with my friend Katie and we never get to see each other! We had so much fun! Tuesday the fam went to AB (aka the Brewery)... you can't pass up free beer right? We went to Gus' Pretzel's afterwards and to Crown Candy to eat lunch. For those of you who don't live in St. Louis those places prob mean nothing to you, but they are fantastic places! We also had a girl named Yoshiko with us this whole past week. She is an intern at my home church from Japan. We did a lot of dance dance revolution. I am getting real good... so watch out Katy B....I am taking you down!

Tuesday Rachel and I went to the LYF alumni reunion! Holy cow. I didn't realize how much I missed the MO district until I went to that. I saw soo many incredible friends. The memories are endless. I will put pictures on here of me then and stuff... there was a slideshow that almost made me cry remembering all of our memories. Sigh. We had the Scheer/DiMercurio/Ehrhard Christmas Wednesday the Toettcher/Wilson one on Thursday. Brandon and Carole and I took Yoshiko to the arch and to Union Station Yesterday.

I finally got to see Kendra today! We had a good ole reunion with Chinese food which is also appropriate for us. Tonight my family and I went to the Ameristar Casino and then to Applebee's for appetizers and a Bud! I also went to the funeral home. A classmate of my brothers, someone I remember playing in their treehouse with and helping out with his baby brother, died on Tuesday. He was 26 and had some sort of cancer. Please keep the Hellman Family and David's fiance' in your prayers as they go through this tough time.

Well its almost 3 am here and this is a looooong entry. I will write more of my favorites of 2005 later on. God Bless you all! Happy New Year to you... May you ring in the new year knowing that Jesus Christ brings us new beginnings each and every day!

there is no title.

Well what to say, what to say...? I haven't posted in a couple of days because I wanted to see how long we could get the comments going about the misletoe dude... he needs a name... let's open this up for naming the misletoe dude.

I had my junior high Christmas party last night and to be quite honest with you it was great yet insane at the same time. You know how just a couple of people can change the whole dynamic of the group... yeah we had that. It's ashame too because it was really funny and fun, but we wouldn't let them ruin it all!

I am so tired and I am thinking to myself why did I come into work at 9:30 this morning. I worked a good 13 hours yesterday and didn't get home til 10ish, I could havce waiting til lunch to come in, because I am getting so much done right now! ;)

I got some interesting news last night that just makes me sad. Some people that have helped me out a lot in life, have gone through a lot. Someone who I respected sooo much, has done some very disrespectful things to his family. I just don't get it. I have heard of so many situations lately of unfaithful spouses, why did you stop working at it, why did you give up, how could you do that to your children, what gives a person the thought that its ok for them to do what they are doing?

On a happier note. I am heading home in just 3 days!!!! YEAH! There is still a lot to do before then, but it will get done, the holiday's will be great, and the Joy of Jesus this brings great joy to me which makes icky stuff a lot less icky! Thank you God for sending your Son to be born in such a way that helps me to understand how powerful and Almighty you are!

I have this as the wallpaper on my computer... it makes me laugh, want to cry and just think of how funny some "traditions" are. I kinda feel bad for this guy... but at least he is putting himself out there which is more than many can say. No names, no finger pointing, no nothing on that one.

Christmas and birthday's and the Nutcracker Oh My!

Ok this has to be quick cause I have some serious time constraints today!

Yesterday, December 16th is My Oldest Brother's Birthday. He would have been 28 Yesterday! I can't believe it! Its a family tradition to do things to still honor and remember him on his birthday! One thing we started the year after he died was to decorate the Christmas Tree on His birthday. The other big tradition is to order Pizza Hut Pizza (his favorite) and chow down. I am so thankful that through my time in college and now even further away from home, that I have friends who understand the importance of me being able to do these things. Kendra would make sure we celebrated the right way when we had to be in school during the 16th. Grace has been awesome about it as well and for the past two December we have had pizza hut at St. Peter to celebrate. I put a few ornaments on my tree yesterday as well. It looks pretty cute. It was fun for my to put my childhood ornaments up and remember what Christmas' I got them and why. The mice ones because of my encounters, Montana and wine ones, Disney, panda's, veggie tales, my Brian ornament and of course a couple Cinderella's :) There is at least one ornament from every year. Some people decorate their tree with a theme like all silver and gold or silver and read or only pastels. I commend you who do that, your tree is beautiful! I can't though. I can't let go of those ornaments that have so many memories, that are such a part of our family tradition, that help me feel like I am home.

Change of subject. Last night was the Christmas party at the Hovatter's! We had an awesome time. There were a ton of people there and great food, music and company. It was fun to see so many people all dolled up and to see them out of there usual surroundings. I didn't know everyone there, lots of their people from work and other friends were there but it didn't matter the house was filled with laughter, piano music (they can't set their piano up to be a player piano and it plays their son's music on it that he prerecorded.... it was great), people shocked that their church worker had a drink, people who you could tell hadn't been out alone with their spouse in a long time, people full of cheer and love. It was great. Thank you Hovatters for your generosity!

Today Grace and I are heading to Sacramento to see the Nutcracker. One of our 5th graders is in it. It should be nice and another reason to get all dressed up. We are heading straight from there to the Baptist church here in town where my dear friend Katy will be in a Christmas Concert that is suppose to be fabulous. Speaking of, I bought her a shirt yesterday for it and I forgot to take it to her this morning, I have to run!

I hope you are all having a wonderful day and enjoying the season. I can't believe Christmas eve is a week away... wow!

the life of a rock star

I discovered something today, its tough being a rock star. People want to see you and talk to you and don't give you a minute alone, they either love the way you look or hate it, they feel free to critique your every move. Man this is rough stuff.

So I dressed up as a "rock star" today for 39 forever. The people thought it was hilarious. We had more people than we had ever had! About 56. We usually are more around the 40-45 people mark. Irene a dear old woman did a puppet show about the 12 days of Christmas and how they fit with Christian beliefs and things of the Bible. Then the 1st and 2nd graders came in and sang a bunch of songs to us. Leslie and I did a lot of dancing and I was told I should consider that being a second job, I must say I didn't really know what to think of that ha ha ha.

On a side note... did you know that if you wear fishnet stockings that the little diamonds dig into your skin. That with boots... Holy cow... My dogs were/still are barking from that. Here is another funny thing. Everyone wanted to know where I got some of the items I was wearing and a few asked me if I had to go to a second hand store.... The scary this is that I didn't! HA HA HA! Ah. I love these days.

My phone broke when I was helping the Sr. Highers on their video scavenger hunt. I can still talk on it you just can't see who is calling or texting or anything. So I am currently on hold with verizon to see if I can check my text messages somehow because the new phone that was sent to me was broke as well. Oh right, I am on hold because someone sent me a txt message and I can't read it. Thats frustrating. Like I could just let it go but there is that voice inside of me that keeps thinking I wonder who that was and what the message was about. It will probably be one from verizon saying your bill is due or something.

Oh back to the rock star.. I totally had 80's make-up on. I am real sad you all couldn't see this personally. Then I had to be presentable to the public and I didn't have the required make-up remover with me so I had to cover make up with make up so I could not look like a total fool. Just a partial one!

OK I have to go sit with the 2nd graders at the Christmas program tonight because their teacher is the organist and pianist.... So off I go to the soup supper and that and I really just want to go home, have a brewski and not think about work and what I have to get done by tomorrow or what I won't have done by the end of tomorrow. grrrrrrr.

Oh and a quick shout out to Rachel who I made promise that she would say something nice about me on her blog cause she wants to vent about others who haven't been as nice. I love you rach. I can't wait til we are both in St. Louis in like a week and a half holy cow!

A note to my other 3 or 4 readers... ha ha ha .

Hi Kendra! I am still laughing about our conversation last night. I have to tell you about what I bought last night.

Chris--hope your meeting went well. And see here is an update, and I haven't updated cause work has kept me busy.... so I don't think you can throw that back in my face... but since you did... here is an entry and a picture... yadda yadda

Mark--- I danced with old people today... how jealous are you?

Anne and Anna--the United States miss you.

Anyone else.... leave me comments then I will leave you notes~

We had 39 Forever today and dressed as Jingle Bell Rock. Can you figure us out? I am thinking about dying my hair after this episode! :)

I heart Starbucks

So I have staff devotions this week. This simply means that I have to be to work by 7:30AM. For some this seems like heaven.... Some... You know the other place. Quite frankly its more like purgatory for me. Because I don't do mornings, but I would like to.... I wish I could get up all happy go lucky, go do my walk or run, feel wonderful and refreshed and go on with my day and an awesome start, but I can't. As it is, I am setting 2 alarms and occasionally the 3 on my phone as well. Yeah add that up... Sometimes it takes 5 alarms to get me out of bed. Right now 2 are doing it though because I went to the store and bought the one that says "EXTRA LOUD" and set it across my room so I would have to get out of my warm cozy bed to turn it off. Worse yet, I set it 30 to 45 minutes before I have to get up so I have 9 minutes in-between getting up to slam the snooze and run back into my warm bed. This is really annoying I have come to decide and I seriously just don't know what to do. I went to bed early (10:30) this is very early for me. And I woke up at 5:45 freaking out that I was late. When I finally realized I wasn't I slept and slept and when I woke up for real I felt so miserable. My eyes hurt. My body is running at like 30%. Tasks are taking me a very long time today and just thinking about doing what I should be doing takes a lot of energy from me. I feel pretty pathetic. My secretaries sent me to starbucks to see if that would help. When does starbucks not help really? It did help but my eye lids still ache, the teachers still made fun of me this morning for looking so alive and having a man voice as I like to call it... But whatever.

On a happier note.... I have been talking to the Rivercats. They are the minor league baseball team in Sacramento. I have a meeting with some executives there (that kind of scares me.... Hello people I work with junior highers... not a big suit and tie kinda girl) on Monday and we are talking about having the team come down and do a clinic for the kids in Lodi... how stinking cool is that? It just so happens that we have a baseball field here so hopefully we could have people come here and then it is getting them onto our church property. So prayers for a positive meeting would be awesome. (ha ha I just spelt awesome outloud in my head and did it via a cheerleading cheer from 7th and 8th grade....)

Apparently I need to work now... so hopefully that will happen.

his banner over me is love

Tonight for advent service our 70+ year old pastor had us sing, "his banner over me is love." how entertaining... he even taught us the actions! My junior highers were dying cause I was singing the echo in a deep voice and I don't think they thought you could do stuff like that in a church service.

side note: my lips hurt real bad

side side note: i also have dishpan hands.

I think I have to go running tonight... that sounds cold and painful to be perfectly honest with you. But I will do it... beauty is pain right... or is pain beauty. or is beauty just in the eye of the beholder and forget the whole pain thing.

I get to go to a Blues game over Christmas break. I know I know they suck right now but hey I haven't ever been to a professional game just minor granted those are awesome (Thanks to Greg P for taking me to my first game in college).

Ok, I'm done.
check ya later

Slacker

Ok--so sorry about this Mel slacking on the blog thing. Its been CRAZY since I got back from Washington. I can't believe its only been a week since I have been back, it seems like its been 2 or 3, there has just been that much going on.

When I got back I had to finish moving. I also had a "lock-in" Friday night and I didn't get home til 3:30AM (lock-in's are weird here.... they are like from 7:30-11:30...Not that I am complaining) Saturday I saw Rent--it was awesome. Sunday was church, Sunday school, church, confirmation, Christmas shopping, running, and of course the Sunday night line-up on TV that I refuse to miss out on!

I have been trying to get back in the saddle of work. It was real challenging last week but I feel like I am doing ok now. I have a ton to do and figure out and plan for and make long term plans and goals for---I am so frustrated yet so excited about some of it.

I am planning a junior high district youth gathering. I really don't have any words for that right now, but I can see it making me feel overwhelmed so I am done talking about it. :)

My bestest friend Kendra is in love with Brian and that makes me happy... I love them together....sigh....

Fitness/weightloss wise.... I am finally feeling back in the swing of things. I didn't do bad over Thanksgiving, I just could have done better ha ha. Katy and I are back to running (I did do that on Vacation :) ) I have even walked a couple of miles each day the last two days. Tonight I am going to go to a gym in town and see how expensive it is and if they actually have classes that people who work weird hours can go to... Imagine that idea! :)

Ok I need to get back to the working world. More about more lata!

sleepless in seattle

HEY THERE! There are a ton of things to put into this blog... but they are going to have to wait until I have more time to write. I have had an awesome time with the fam. Carole's family is all here as well! We have been playing a ton of cards and games and just really enjoying one anothers company. There are endless amounts of stories that have caused laughter and tears because of laughter and of course snorting because that's how I laugh best!:) I am in a "speed war" with Carole's brother Kendall. We have played 60 something games so far. The game officially ends at midnight tonight and I am down a few hands so I best get my game face on.

Today we drove to Seattle. I drove here with Carole's bro Connor. Mom and dad fly out tomorrow morning so thats why we are here in Seattle. Today we all walked to the Market place. It was fun! My bro and I got a Starbucks at the ORIGINAL Starbucks... that grat times folks! Tonight we are going to eat at Red Robin and then going up in the Space Needle.

There are a ton of pictures and stories that I will share soon... Til then I still have a few days left in Vacation and I am going to enjoy every second of them!

Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

Til next time... mel here signing off from Holiday Inn in Seattle, WA...

blasted tired

I am so tired. As many of you know I am moving tomorrow. I have to be out of my place by the 30th but I am leaving town for 8 days starting Monday morning. Today my alarm went off at 4:20AM. The girls had to get up to be at swim practice at 4:45AM. That's right AM. Note to self... "I shalt never let my child be involved in a sport that reqiures getting up at the butt-crack of dawn." Ok now that I have that out of my system...

I painted all day which was a bit of an interesting time. The room needed a ton of help before I could paint. I eventually got to it. I still need to get some trim finished. I should repaint the ceiling, I am just running out of time and energy.

Right now I am sitting in the parents room of the place I am watching. The 17 year old girl is in the den watching a movie with her boyfriend so I am technically the chaperone or something like that. He has to leave in 37 minutes. Not that I am counting down or anything, but see note above about 4:20AM.

Ok-my body aches, I am tired and I am going to go watch TV and see if there is anything good on to keep me awake. Have a great one folks!

My junior high girls dressed me as a Turkey at youth group last night! Gobble Gobble

Momma Mel and my dearest Kendra

So I am "momma Mel" for the next few days! I am house-sitting and kid sitting some people from church. That's right I am getting up at 6AM to get kids ready (4:45AM tomorrow) and taking them to school, swimming, driving school, etc. etc. in the momma mobile of Lodi aka a Suburban.

My bestest friend Kendra is in love and I am so happy for her. Kendra I love you and Brian (you more of course) and I love the two of you together. God has blessed you incredibly and wait anxiously for the future of the two of you...enjoying the present as well. For those of you who do not know the one and only Kendra Sype.... she is amazing. She has been such a good and faithful friend. She calls my bluff, she can read my mind, she knows how to make me laugh, cry, scream and get her a soda from the vending machine while she sits on her butt in our room. She can make up songs about anything and everything... and when I say everything I mean it....I seem to remember a late night the night before surgery and I just won't say anymore. Except for three words: guitar, bathroom, e_ _ _ _ ! :) I miss being roommates with you and I miss seeing you every day for many hours a day.... 2000 miles apart is about 1999 to many but we have survived and we will continue to, I just know it. Ok more meldra (Mel and kendra combined) stories to come.... I love you Kendra.... about 5 weeks til we see each other!

This one is for Rae Rae--Riding the Pine!

"I named my dog Rachel, even though the name on its name tag said "Hi my name is Scruffy"
I named my Child Rachel, Even though he was a boy.
When I look in the mirror and my face causes the mirror to break so I take the mirror down and there's a hole in the wall and there's a face in the hole, guess who's face it is.... RACHEL'S!"

Ha ha, that brings back so many fun memories. Girl you wanted stories and such... I promise to keep updating... I was away this weekend at the Quake and then I have been playing catch up and packing to move and taking care of my precious belly button... HA HA! I had to go to Target before I came to work on Monday to buy Goucho pants or however you spell it because I can't have anything confining on my BB. So I had to find elastic waisted stuff.... mmmmm, kinda makes me want to break out hammer pants.

My parents and Rachel's parents go to Pirone's every week. It's the best pizzaria ever... don't try to argue because its the best for the food, the company and tons and tons and tons of hilarious memories... like our table... his name was Norm. Oh how I miss him. Anyway, I called our parents there last night so I could buy momma and poppa's dinner for their anniversary (HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!! WHOOOO 31 YEARS!) It made me miss home, well I have been homesick for a while now, but we always know where we can find our family and friends on Tuesday nights (hail to Wednesdays at Pirones) and I like that!

BY THE WAY I GET TO SEE MY FAMILY IN 5 DAYS! Oh and I have I mentioned that before I do I have to get everything moved out of my condo and over to the hosue I will be living in and then paint my bedroom on Friday and clean and all while I am house sitting and babysitting 2 high school girls and a junior high boy?! I am stinking insane!

This is me leading a chapel lesson about the Christian Pumpkin

Here I am folks! :)

Belly Buttons are funny things

Ok, So the funniest thing that has happened to me in a while happened this past weekend. That's right folks, I have an infected belly button!! AH HA HA HA... Seriously it is ok to laugh at me because I have been laughing at myself for the past several days.

I didn't know a BB could be infected, though I am now intrigued by this. Anyway I had to go to a couple's house on Sunday night and they are both nurses. This guy practically did surgery on my BB to try to get it better. I now have to blow dry my BB after a shower and then put some stuff in it to help heal it. I also have to take massive amounts of antibiotics so it doesn't get into my system. Apparently I have the swimmers ear of the belly button. If I wouldn't have gotten it taken care of Sunday night I probably would have had to of gone to the ER or doctors office and they would have had to dilate my BB and use a scalpel on it. OUCH!

working on the blogspot

Hey, I signed up for this so I could post a note for my friend Rae rae on her blog... because she hasn't mentioned me in and I was feeling left out ha ha... just kidding Rachel.. I love you a ton...

Ok I will try to do this whole blog thing... see how it works out for me, but until then it is back to my massive amount of laundry, working out and playing some DDR on playstation!