Family Vacation

We went on a family vacation to Disneyland. It was great. My kids are the perfect ages. Josh finally worked up enough courage to go on the matterhorn. It was great. Miriam was all for it. Miriam even puts her hands up on all the roller coasters. and Miss Miriam, my little dare devil, went on THE TOWER OF TERROR! I bought her a shirt that says, "I survived the tower of terror." I normally think those shirts are stupid, but never has it seemed more appropriate. We let her pick what we did for the rest of the day. We mostly played in Bugs Land after that. Happy, happy, happy place. :)

We ran the Neverland Family 5k. It was really great! The race course weaved in and out of Disneyland and California adventure, but it also went behind the scenes where they store the trains at night and where they repair and build ride cars, etc. And they had all the warehouse doors open so we could see inside as we ran by. It was really cool. We saw all three Disneyland trains parked in their storage area, we saw a tea cup saucer being repainted, we saw space mountain cars being built, pirates of the carribean boats being repaired, etc. We ran by all the horses they use on Main Street and in Toon Town. They told us the horses work 9 hours a week, Three hours a day for three days in a row, then they get four days off. So they have A LOT of horses. All Clydesdales. It was really neat to see.

When we got to Main street to start the race, which began in front of the castle, they did a little fireworks show for the runners and tinker bell flew across the sky as well. My kids loved it! Garren told us where to meet up in case he left us "in the dust." I laughed at him thinking, "yeah right!" But he ran with Miriam all the way to It's A Small World, then he picked up and put her on his shoulders and did, in fact, leave us in the dust. It was funny to watch Miriam bobbing up and down in the crowd as Garren ran ahead of us. (Pictures and video of that on FB, hilarious). Me, Ashley and Josh ran the rest of the way on our own. Josh ran and skipped and galloped and did a great job. The funniest part was when we got to the road that connects Dland and DCA and I asked Josh if he thought it was neat to see this part f the parks. He said, "I think it's easier to just buy a ticket." haha.

We did cars land. We got there an hour before rope drop because we didn't want to have to wait in line as it is a very popular place right now. They had mater and lightening McQueen (actual cars) at the lead of the crowd to set the pace. Apparantly people were getting hurt and trampled trying to get to cars land. So they had a gas dispenser rope thing and then about six workers that made sure everyone stayed behind it and we all had to walk into cars land behind that and behind the two cars until we got to the racers. The racers is an awesome ride. Really well done. ALl of cars land is really well done. They take your picture on the racers and ours was hilarious (can be seen on my FB). Oh my gosh, it was too funny. We were one of the first people in line since we were there so early and didnd't have to wait at all.

Then we went to meet mater and lightening. It was really neat because they had a bunch of different sayings. One boy went up to mater and was wearing a birthday button and mater started singing happy birthday. it was a really special experience for that boy, I'm sure. And one of the employees asked mater to turn off his engine for Josh (Josh has some sound and sensory sensitivities because of his EDS, he also couldn't get the hand stamp when we left the park because of this). So mater was nice and quiet while we took our picture. As we walked away josh turned and waved at him then mater said, "Pleased to meet you!" It was nice. Made josh happy.

All of cars land was so well done. It was just really neat. All the rides were  blast. The cozy cone was a great place to stop for ice cream and churros. It was just really great.

We did a lot of kid swap passes which was nice. So Garren and I would go on a ride and then they'd give my sister and I passes to the front of the line for when we did the kid swap. We did this on space mountain, among many others. But I went through with Ashley and our picture (on FB) was SO funny. I don't know if the flash scared me or what but the look on my face is sheer terror. Then Garren and I went on right after that and Garren's face in the picture is like sheer joy and I look like I'm driving in rush hour traffic. So funny! It was a lot of fun.

My brother in law, Bryant, got to come for one day with us. It was good to spend some time with him. Ashley is leaving for boot camp next week, so it was nice that we could all spend the day together at Disneyland.

My favorite memories, other than the ones already listed, are Miriam meeting Minnie Mouse, her hero. It was such a precious moment I CRIED! (pictures on FB). Ashley told me that the Disneyland characters are taught in training to never be the first to let go in a hug. And we found that to be true with both Minnie and Daisy. I had to step in and tell Miriam to take a picture. They hugged forever. It was precious (both pics on FB). Then we went to meet goofy and Miriam was so precious waiting in line with her autograph book opened (on fb). Just waiting patiently. It was darn cute.
-riding in the front of the monorail is always a special moment with my kids.
- driving on the autopia with josh and crashing into Garren because we were focusing on how to steer instead of what was in front of us.
- Going on pirates, turning around to check on Miriam and seeing her with both hands in the air waiting for a drop.
- Waiting at starting line for the race while my kids watched the fireworks, the looks on their faces were priceless. Magical.
-The canoes with my kids. Miriam can row like no ones business! Not kidding!
-Shopping with my sister. Got new Disney cook books (I get one every time I go). My favorite purchase though, was in New Orleans square. I got Minnie and mickey mouse cups at the crystal shop and I had them engrave our names on them.  I also went a little too far and bought a bunch of Mickey mouse shaped pasta. :) Never spent so much on a pasta product in my life. :)

And so many more. My kids were real troopers and were happy almost the whole time. It made the trip a lot of fun and made every moment special.

We also visited with Garren's grandparents. It was a nice and pleasant visit, as always. We went to dinner and went to the cemetery. I went for a bit, but sat in the car with my sister for a while. I've lost too many people in my life to not have cemeteries mess with my head a little too much if I'm there too long.

My kids love visiting Garren's grandparents. They really like their house and their backyard. And their cats.

Now we're back and the kids have off of school. So we are unpacking and getting adjusted to both time and climate change. We are getting a big snow storm tomorrow, so it isn't likely the kids will be going to school tomorrow either.

When we got off the plane Miriam said, "I want to do that whole exact trip AGAIN! I can't wait!" Me too Mims, me too. Good times had by all.

New years resolutions and upcoming projects.

UPDATE: We nixed the move out of the country idea and decided to save for a vacation home in Ireland instead. Figured it would be too hard on the kids to do homeschooling in another country, etc.

New years resolutions. I don't like New Year's Resolutions. I think they are for people who can't make and keep goals. Anyone who can make and keep goals does so on a daily, weekly, monthly basis and doesn't need the new year to tell them to do it. In short, I have no resolutions except those I have already been working on. Here are a few of them:

1) I've been exercising a lot. I feel stronger and better when my joints don't fall out :) I am running a ragnar relay with my high school friend, Adam, in June. I am feeling ready, though I hear it's one of the more difficult relays. We are also running a family 5k at Disneyland next week :) Hoping to teach my children not to let EDS get them down. And we have a four year plan. We would like to do a family hike in the alps. We've picked an 8 day trek in the alps and are giving ourselves 4 years to prepare. haha! Don't underestimate me. It sounds like a long time away and like it might never happen, but don't underestimate me. I think I've come through on just about everything I've said I'd do up to now :)

1a) eat better.  . . this one's a struggle. All my racing books tell me to cut crabs and blabbidy blee blabbidy bloo. I will just have to have a slow race time. I'm sorry, but I am just not willing to compromise on my carbs :) Other than that, I eat pretty well. But I suppose I could cut back on the carbs a bit. . .  just smidgin.

2) Business. I've been spending the last year slowing down on business. I have been successful, for the most part, with the help of my seven wonderful seamstresses. Where would I be without them?! I now just do specialty items in the shop, like ribbon shades, etc. But it still gets crazy every once in a while because sometime people order 8 ribbon shades then upgrade to expedited production. :) So I'm not entirely slowed down, but I'm pleased with where things are at with the business. We're more successful than ever! I am very blessed to have had such great business professors in college and the wonderful example of my father and even my siblings. My siblings and I sometimes just sit around thinking up new businesses. It's a lot of fun to be in a creative family that follows through with ideas.

2a) New business??? ANNOUNCEMENT!! I am starting a new business (I know, so much for slowing down. . .). I have been blessed with a tremendous capacity to manage time and use my time very wisely. Well, some might argue that "Henry Cavill o'clock" is not the best use of my time, but you have to some kind of break, right? So, I am starting to build inventory for my new business: Miriam's closet, by Melissa: Special Occasion Children's Clothing Rental. I have created several dress patterns, and also cumberbunds, ties and bow ties for boys. The neat thing about my patterns is that the dresses have pieces. The dress will not arrive to the person in pieces, it will be assembled and they probably won't even know it can be taken apart. This is so that if a portion of the dress gets ripped or stained or anything else, I can just replace that portion of the dress and not the entire thing. Most are in three pieces, but the tulle dresses are in two parts because with the tulle I am likely to only have to replace a few pieces of it instead of an entire portion. I hope to launch April 1! In time for wedding season. We will also be providing accessories. Unfortunately for me, tulle and hair pieces are foreign to me. So I might need some more practice time with those. I have my "in house counsel" working on terms and policies. :)

3) personal. The last half of last year was great and it just keeps getting better and better. After my bishop explained to me how being sealed to a family works, I just really turned around. Now that I understand I am only sealed to Garren and not necessarily to other members of his family, I just really got the closure I needed. I struggle for a long time with that and let myself go over a year without a temple recommend and it has been 3 and a half years since I've actually been in the temple. But I now have my recommend back and it will be a beautiful day at my next temple trip.

Having slowed down on work I am more focused on my kids. I was always able to just work while they were at school or in bed at night, but when I was with them I was always thinking about work. But now, their time with me is so much better because I can completely focus 100% on them knowing that my business is in the hands of my loyal, trustworthy and talented seamstresses. I have a passion for science and bought a few science experiment books at my kids school book fair. This week we are doing experiments from the "Candy Experiments" book. So much fun. This past month with my kids has been great. I just really feel like they are awesome kids and so fun to hang out with! We're going to Disneyland next week and I can hardly wait! Disneyland with kids is the best! We've also continued with piano lessons. Miriam just started and I am surprised at how much she can pay attention to. I'm thinking she might do well on the harp.

AND FINALLY, the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT for this year. . . actually, it might be many years. . .  I am finally writing my book! Ever since writing in college I knew I wanted to write a book. I spent a summer in Las Vegas working on my writing, but nothing felt right. I have started projects a thousand times and every time it just didn't feel like "my story." The last time I saw my grandma, she was walking me and my kids out to our car. She grabbed my shoulders firmly and said, "It's time for you to write your Harry Potter." I had been thinking about that for a long time and it frustrated me sometimes. Every idea I had just didn't feel like it was my story. They were okay ideas and the writing was great, but I just wanted to enter the writing world with a bang. And nothing I had composed felt like it would accomplish that. Then one day, out of the blue, it came to me. Garren and I were watching a movie. I can't even remember what it was. It was something where someone didn't think their promise to their spouse was worth fighting for, or even living for, and just let their family dissolve into nothing. I was feeling so sick and tired of these movies being put out with the idea that, "Oh, sometimes it just doesn't work out." And I thought to myself, "Is there anyone left that thinks family is worth fighting for?" And finally, it felt right. That was my story. And I can't give away too many more details because I don't want anyone to steal my idea. But I am very excited to share this with everyone and create heroes and heroines that my children can look up to. And fortunately, I had Orson Scott Card as my fiction writing professor in college and he promises all his students that as his students he will consider any of our works for publication under his publishing company. One year he liked a story a workshopped and said if I could make it novel length he'd publish it as a YA novel. But I just didn't want to enter the writing world with that one. But this one? This is my story. I found my "Harry Potter," Gram!

So there is my upcoming year :)

Birthday!

My birthday was on Saturday. Since my kids have fifth's disease we mostly just hung out at home. But since they have their rashes they aren't contagious anymore. So we went ahead and went bowling and just tried to keep them from being in close proximity to other people. Even though they aren't contagious, I've still kept them home from church and school because they look like they got in a fight with a swarm of killer bees.

I am so excited to be done with work, but I am moving so slowly! I think I just got used to pretending I didn't work anymore and liked that life better :)

Also, I get very distracted when we talk about all the fun places we want to move. We've talked about:

1) Sydney, Australia:

Pros:

1) Another country with lots of culture (that's the #1 thing we're going for. Just, change. . . .)

2) Their dollar is $.94 of our dollar ;)

3) Warm! Should make the joints feel good.

4) Surrounded by water, we can swim OFTEN, another plus for joints

5) Plane tickets are only $500.

 

Cons:

1) 19 hour Plane ride. . .

2) Snakes

3) Home to hundreds of species of sharks

4) no Disneyland in driving distance ;) But I suppose if we only go for a year we'll live.

 

Dublin, Ireland

 

Pros:

1) We've already been and know WE LOVE IT

2) we would rent or buy a condo where we stayed last time because it was in a perfect location: walking distance to DART and train, walking distance to St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College, and three different fabric stores ;)

3) Speak English, sort of. Ha!

4) easy to navigate, no vehicle necessary

 

Cons:

1) Expensive plane tickets

2) Rent is a tad bit expensive

3) Chilly all year long

4) RIGHT in the middle of the city. We were in a nice quiet place, but I was sometimes concerned about muggings or middle of the night craziness.

 

Cork, Ireland

Pros:

1) A little less crazy than Dublin

2) No car required

3) A little less expensive than Dublin

4) Lots of fabric stores :)

5) bike friendly

 

Cons:

1) Plane ticket cost

2) Overcast all the time

3) Chilly

4) 2 hour train ride from airport

 

 

In another post I'll talk about other places we're considering

1) London, England, 2) Oxford, England, 3) Bath, England 4) The Channel Islands (dream. . . )

 

 

 

Fifth's disease

Josh and Miriam are home from school because they have fifth's disease. Crappidy crap!

All day today we've been talking about what the next thing we will cross off our bucket list will be. Drum roll, please. . . . .

We are going to hike a 14 day hike in the Alps. From Chamonix to Zermatt and probably a short few day hike on the Matterhorn.

They advise that you know German or French. I already speak conversational French and will try to teach the kids and we will be learning German. We are going to give ourselves four years to prepare physically, financially and. . . verbally, I guess you would say. . . ???  We're going to do one several day long hike a year to prepare and several shorter challenging hikes in the weeks between.

We are also taking four years to prepare so our kids can get older. Ha!

Garren is also closing in on taking over to his bosses practice at which time we can both work remotely. We are toying with the idea of living in another country. But I would likely have to homeschool if we planned on only being there for a year or two and I just don't know if I have the patience for that. And we would definitely going to limit ourselves to an English speaking country.

Life is so fun! I am having so much fun living my adventures with Garren and my kids!

I am so grateful that I have a successful business that will help us live out our dreams and am grateful for all my business knowledge that I gained from the best of the best: my dad and professor Ellessy! Couldn't have asked for better business mentors.

I love my life and I love planning fun adventures way in the future. It gives us something to focus on each day we live until that moment. Each day we have something to think about and something to focus our efforts on. So fun!

They wanted me to go to rehab. . . .

So I have been spending lots of time every day asking myself questions like, "How can I be a better mom, sister, daughter, friend?" etc. . . . And then acting on my answers. I finally feel like a whole person again. A person that has something to offer others. A person who can help and be there for others.

. . . . and I finally feel like I have reconnected with my old self, my more talented self, in tune self, productive self, etc. When I got married I feel like I lost myself completely. I became self conscious, I became a people pleaser. I became. . . someone else. A lesser person. But in trying to rehabilitate, I have found a way to live in the present. And it has been liberating. And living in the present keeps you from focusing too much on who others want you to be or what you think might be better. And you are forced to be whoever you are!

I forgot how much I loved life before I was married. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I don't like my married life. I just don't like who I became after I got married. I had so much love and zest for life and I have found that again!

My long lost love and talent has been writing. The last time I saw my grandmother was in May of this year. As I was leaving her house, she grabbed me by the arms, firmly, and said, "Melissa, it's time for you to write your Harry Potter." Every once in a while I'd think about that and just think, "Nah, that was another life, another time. . . " Every once in a while I would sit down to write a story. It was good writing and all, but it just wasn't "my story." I kept shutting myself down and saying, "This isn't MY story." But it finally happened. I found my story. I am quitting the window treatments business and I am going to write my book. Well, books, actually. It's going to be a series.

My last day of work should be about December 16th, give or take a few days. And then I am going to start writing. I can hardly wait.

As a student of Orson Scott Card's, he promised us that he would always consider our writing for publishing. He teaches at SVU in the Spring, and I hope to get a meeting with him next semester to discuss my ideas with him and have him be my mentor.

I am loving everything happening in my life right now. I will be running in Ragnar WV Appalachian in June, I am running a 5k at Disneyland with my husband and kids in January. My business is extremely successful and currently employing seven women!  My children are thriving in school and are successful in everything they pursue.

I was supposed to be done with work this week, but I started living life like I already quit :) We went camping, then to Busch Gardens, then I went to Las Vegas to help my mother in law empty her condo, and we have just been doing TONS of stuff together as a family. I am really loving life right now.

For a long time I wasn't living in the present. I was letting things that happened in the past get to me. I let my temple recommend expire because I didn't want to be sealed to Laymons. But I met with my stake president and he taught me a little more about how sealings work and who exactly I am sealed to. While that brought me some relief, I also found a great dal of peace within myself just by committing myself to live in the present. And I have been feeling a great deal of peace and comfort in my life. And so. . . . . drum roll. . . . . I have half a temple recommend! ;) I have one more interview to go. Then, after three years, I will finally be able to enter the temple again. I didn't want to go because I always had negative thoughts and feelings about my husband's family. But I am finally at peace because I realize how much it doesn't matter when you just live in the present. Nothing that happened affects what is going on right now at this second, so it doesn't matter. It's been great because I ask myself every day, several times a day, what can I do today to be a better sister? And when I think of them I feel good feelings, genuine feelings, and positive peaceful feelings. I asked myself that one day and was prompted to purchase a dress from his sister's small business to promote and uplift her. I know that when I return to the temple that I will be able to go in there and I will think about each and every one of his family members and feel love and peace.

I am so excited to get started on my book. It's going to take a long time, though. I have to create an entire world with events, leaders, a history, a society before I can even begin. But I am excited to do it. I think it will change lives!!

On a sadder note, the husband of a former college roommate died last Sunday and it has had me in a funk. Then my kids' babysitter's grandson die on Monday. Then I made plans yesterday to attend the murder trial of an SVU girl who is presumed to have been murdered by her husband. Such is life.

I'm loving life right now! I love my family! I wish my mom would get back into the swing of things after my grandma's passing and join my fun! And I wish my husband's siblings would choose to live in the present so we can all move forward and be a part of each other's lives again. But, that isn't happening right now, so I guess I'll just keep going. Just keep asking myself every day how I can be a better daughter, a better sister. And then do it.

Going Private

Hi all,

I am going to be posting a lot of pictures of my children, especially from the wedding last weekend and our trip to San Diego and Placentia, CA. And our upcoming trips this summer. So I am going to set my blog to private from now on. Facebook me or email me your email adresses please. I know those who couldn't make it to the wedding are wanting to see the girls dresses! I'm going to post tonight.

Yah, right.

So I fired everyone in the fall thinking I was going to slow down on work. I have failed miserably at accomplishing this.

In addition to my one seamstress that I kept I have added two seamstresses, one to do roman shades and one to do lined curtains, and an assistant. We are currently a team of five, but I think I'd like to get one more for all the "filler" orders we get on the website. The website brings in tons of unlined standard rod pocket curtains. I think I'd like someone for all those. And pillow covers, maybe. When I decided to slow down on work there were 11 of us! I think 6 would be a good number. 11 was a lot to manage.

Last time it was hard because I would correct everyone's mistakes. But this time I think I am going to require that the mistakes be fixed by the seamstress and doc the shipping cost for the return from their pay for that project. That is in our new contract. I like having my assistant, Cyndie, because everyone can just tell her on our private FB page when an order is complete, etc and then Cyndie sends along the instructions, shipping notifications, etc. I don't have to do any of it! And when a client wants an update Cyndie can ask them via the FB page and I don't have to deal with all that. Having Cyndie makes it more like I'm just another subcontractor. it's nice. I think this is going to be good.

My friend is a film maker and doing his first solo project. The business is going to fund one of the two short films and in exchange he is going to credit the business as the producer of the movie and we will be on IMDB, mentioned at all the press events and be written everywhere like on the signs for production, etc and it will be in the credits and mentioned at the Sun Dance film festival and whatever other film festivals his movies get into. He is also going to do a few commercials for our business. He's going to be doing a commercial as well (aside from one for my business) that he said he might be able to use me for! He said it would have children in it and I'm trying to convince him now to use my kids :) It's so fun to have such talented friends! I seriously am so proud of so man of my friends for getting out there and making things happen! My kids and I get to go to the film set at the end of May. We're very excited.

I told him in the future we'd be happy to design sets for him as far as decor goes. He said he'd definitely use the business! We're super excited. This is huge! So much for slowing down, right? Holy crap! I told him if he'd make me a part of his team I'd move to Florida. Garren is taking over one of his partners jobs that he can do remotely. So I told him my friend to get well known by 2015 and I'll move to Orlando. Garren said he isn't wild about the idea of hurricaines, but that he would go if I got the job.

I'm just so thrilled! And I love that my business is helping mom's with young kids stay in their homes instead of leaving the home to work. I just love everything about it! I couldn't say that last year. You see, I always felt inspired about everyone I hired. And when my own sisters turned on me after I felt inspired to hire them I just couldn't deal with that. It was just like, why would God want me to hire them if they were just going vomit their selfishness all over me? But I understand now that I did what I was supposed to do and they are responsible for their own behavior and made their own choices. God didn't have anything to do with it. And of the eleven other people I've worked with and felt inspired to hire I've never had anyone else treat me as poorly as them. Everyone has been very grateful. So I am glad I am in a good place now where I can be happy with what I am doing and take pride in the fact that we are helping moms stay at home with their kids. One of the girls I hired this week is a rehire. She's super smart and will leave us in the fall to teach physics at randolph college. But in the mean time it will be great o have her back! She's good at everything she does!

And we will also be getting back into our sponsor families. We stopped in January while I tried to figure out switching over completely to the website. So many good things coming from this. I'm so excited.

I have such talented friends and family! I'm so happy for everyone! I'm excited about singing next month with my friend from Write This Down. Though I haven't sang in many years and told him I'll probably emberass him. So excited! So many great things happening this year! I just love it! And I love that I get to take my kids along for all of it! ANd they even get to be a part of it!