Helluuuu.... You are just about the last person I expected to see today! So glad you could stop in though! The maid just left, so it's all nice clean! LOL! *snort* Maid! *ha!* ( i crack myself up sometimes... ) Don't trip over the dog, huh? *brushes fur off the couch* Have a seat!!! Cookie? *eyes it warily* heh heh heh... Kitty probly only licked it once...

Soooo... What's new? Well... For starters Kryst, Derek and I went to TEXAS for 3 weeks this summer! Contrary to the belief of sOme members of my family - a 3 week vacation in Texas is quite fun! Derek only stayed for 10 days - cuz he's not a beach person and Krysti and I spent the last 10 days in South Padre' soakin' up sun! It was HEAVEN! Hopefully soon I'll make some pages about our trip and you can see...

Right now, I think I hear Dennis comin'...


You remember my hubby don'tcha? This is Dennis. Faithful husband, loving father, and conqueror of clogged drains and broken hot water heaters! The problem hasn't been invented that Dennis can't fix! I swear it! He's a magician! (sometimes we cover our ears when he utters his "incantations", but believe me, he gets the job done!) Dennis is a Sheetmetal Worker by trade -- and that's great for about 60 hours a week! But he needs something to fill the REST of the time and this time of year the lawn mower is responsible for that task! Yes, indeed ... A man and his tractor... how's that song go? *she thinks my tractor's SEXY!!!* Yea, baby!

      Dennis is multi-talented and while he works with metal for a living, his special hobby is WOODWORK! He would love for you to visit his Wood Shop - otherwise known as our garage.

      Here lately we refer to him as the Engineer! His latest hobby is a train set he got LAST year for Christmas. I thought he would just set it up on the ping pong table and let it grow over the years,but... that's NOT the way it works! Seems I was misunderstanding things. Dennis would LOVE you to come down to the basement and see HIS idea of how a brand new train set oughta be treated!To The Basement

His OTHER special hobby is his motorcycle. Excuse me. His HARLEY. For if it's NOT a Harley, it's NOT a motorcycle! Just ask him! He stores it in the garage too. And if you'd like, you may SEE it! But don't touch. He JUST got his "historic" tags for it! It became "officially" an antique this year! I think I qualify as an antique too -- but nobody's gettin' all EXCITED about it!






Here they are! Our 4 WONDERFUL children! Amanda, Mathew, Krysti and Derek. I'll just tell you a weeee little bit about each of them and then you can visit their sites and get to know them better if you wish!

      Amanda's life has been a bit roller-coasterish the last couple of years. She lives in Colorado - but she's lived at home a coupla times too. At this moment she's in Colorado... with my half dozen grand-fish... and we'll see what happens next! I think her moon is aligned with ... the cow jumping over it or something right now! She'll get things worked out though - I always have faith in Amanda! She works for TMobile, so if you happen to have their phone service and you call for HELLLP - ya might get to talk to her! Unfortunately, I have Verizon and have a hard time getting her ... ever. LOL!

      A miracle happend this year... Mathew celebrated his 18th birthday. See? He DID live that long! And in May he moved into a little house with his girlfriend, Tyfany and they have adopted a kitty who is my Grand-kitty! They named her Bad-Fish, which is why if they ever give me a grandbaby I'M gonna name it! We're hoping they hold off on THAT though for awhile! ;) So anyway... it's really amazing, because ever since Mathew moved out - and he only lives just down the road - a few miles is all - but ever since he moved out he's become easier to live with! His room stays clean... I don't smell dirty socks... And from what I hear he gets up to an ALARM CLOCK now! Lots of miracles happening in the neighborhood! *G* Really... he's doing very well! I'm quite proud of that young man! But I DO like to give him a hard time!

      The twins are Juniors in High School this year. Both have just completed drivers education training and have been driving me cRaZy! They've also been driving me everywhere else. And if you think it's scary have ONE teenager learning to drive -- try twins! I feel soooooooooo sorry for people with trips, quints or quads! I'd be shipping them off to relatives and saying "okay ... everybody gets one!" *whew!* They're doing pretty well now -- but I had some real "hair raising" moments in the beginning! Krysti wasn't sure what the yellow line in the middle was for - sorta thought she owned both sides. And Derek has already managed to side-swipe one of his friend's mom's cars! I guess I should be thankful it WAS a friend... they went easy on us! Let Derek buff it out... So, if you pass me on the street, don't kid yourself - this "sane" look is just a mask! I put it on fresh each morning! Behind it I'm a raving lunatic! They get their drivers licenses in December and I am counting the minutes! Okay... they each have other news. I guess.

      Krysti continues with her Horseback Riding this year. She's starting to work on Barrel Racing! Monday nights are dedicated riding time -- nothing else interferes with that! In addition to that she has a job "scooping poo" at one of the local stables, annnnnd about 27 after-school activities she's juggling around. Let me think... she's a Big Sister to an elementary school child, she's "House director" for the Autumn play at school - she decided not to try out for a part this year in favor of doing all this other stuff! She's on the Academic Team, and she's president of TGAL (Think Globally, Act Locally) and she just announced that she's running for Vice President of the Student Body. She also has a 2nd job as a receptionist for a local realtor on weekends. Oh... and then of course she's taking four AP classes - so she only has a little homework... LOL! All I can think is it's not "in" to sleep this year?! *shrug* We say she's just practicing for college.

      Derek is now the MAIN skateboarder in the house... matter of fact, since Mathew moved out, he's the ONLY skateboarder in the house! And we are the PROUD owners of a new HALF-PIPE! In our backyard! Yea... ( you see how excited I am don't you? ) Actually, he still spends nearly every day at the skatepark - and uses OUR halfpipe only for Friday nights when he has bon fires in the back yard and invites his friends to come skate here! The skatepark will be coming to a screeching halt soon though... Next week Derek turns 16 and he's hoping to get a job at Safeway. If not there - SOMEwhere! Which leads us back to driver's licenses... he needs money to pay for insurance... and gas! (don't we all?)


      We recently took a little hop down to Luray, Virginia. It was a beautiful trip through the Shenandoah's. If you'd like to check it out, click Yogi!

We found him searching for a picnic basket!




      And that brings us to ME! And here I am! Now, all my friends and family are going to scream and shout and say "Melli, That is NOT you!" -- because you see, it is a former version of myself! Somebody's mama once said "always put your BEST foot forward" -- and so I am! It is not my fault if my best feet happen to be 30 years younger than the rest of me! But if you INSIST... click here and you can see the REAL me! But you do so at your OWN RISK!!! This SKINNY one is the me inside!

School just started back up, and I am subbing again this year. This is my 5th year at the High School and I think I'm pretty well hooked! Everyone thinks High School kids are scary - but most of them are just "much younger than me adults". You do have an occassional overgrown middle-schooler -- for them I recommend a large dose of "miracle grow"! But the kids are NOT the biggest problem at school! The biggest problem is the parents who say "not myyyyyy kid"... "myyyyyyyy kid would never do that"... "don't you DARE discipline myyyyyyyy kid"... And as a sub, I don't have to deal with the parents! *BIG SMILE* ... But I guess the thing that I like MOST about subbing is... Summer Vacation! (see? This is why the kids and I get along!) *S*

      So, I guess you've probably already figured out that I am IN to Teddy Bears and Americana. I have made several of my teddy bears, and MANY of the decorations around the house. I also have a Friendship Teddy Bear Quilt! Wanna see it? Just Click! Ya know, I could just sit here and tell you everything I like and make - but why don't I just take you on a tour? Have you finished your drink? It's okay. You can bring it with you.

Click HERE to come with me.


Or, If you'd like, you may just wander on a 'self-tour'.



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I used to have a long list of "links" on this page to take you to the artists who created some of my graphics -- but as of today, they were all dead links, so I removed them. If any of this is YOUR creation, please let me know so I can put up a good link!
(actually, MOST of it now was made by me!)