December Update:
Sophie has been getting into everything lately. She is very familiar with the word "no" and doesn't seem to have much of a problem with the negativity of the word. She usually stops doing the bad thing she is doing...and moves onto another adventure. Melia gets a real kick out of it. She loves to see someone else getting the heat, for a change.
It has been nice to have David around. He is just a great guy. Looks like he will be heading to SUU for school in January. He landed a scholarship there. Way to go, Dave!
Melia lets me do her hair lately. This do was for Grandpa Bob. She called it her Thumbelina hair and it lasted for 5 days. It reminded me of Candy and my mom-- two moms who are really good at hair.
Thanksgiving Weekend was WONDERFUL. We spent a lot of time with the Hydes and the Knudsens, which was a lot of fun. We loved to see Christie and Cameron, Wendy and Mark, and the Kelcie and Jake. We ate, played games, went bowling, and got to go see Australia while Anne and Wendy watched all our kids. Fun! Danny's been "singing me to him" ever since. PLUS- my dear old DAD came to see us for a couple of days! It was sooo good to have him here! We fixed him protein steel-cut oatmeal with cranberries and almonds and he said he liked it better than his own oatmeal concoction he is famous for in my side of the family! I didn't get any good pictures this weekend though.
I was raised doing but had forgotten about. Here is Melia and I, cleaning and dancing together. You know she always sticks crowns and stuff on my head and I forget I am wearing it. I have been known to answer the door many times with funny bows and crowns in my hair. I purchased new tires last month that way. How do I not notice people's funny looks???
And here is my new furniture. I think it is snappier and cuter than our other couch set. It is more us. Although, though the chairs are keepers in cuteness...they aren't very comfortable! 
and then gave it a home for the night.
Sophie has learned to pose and smile for the camera. She is starting to actually play a few big kid games with Melia and seems less baby every day. She is starting to care for baby dolls, play kitchen, look at more books, color, and play pretend. Her vocabulary consists of four words: Dah (dad), Daw (dog), muh (more), and haah (hot). I think she is pretty slow to talk but I don't care, I know she will do it eventually. I just love her stage in life right now. It is my favorite!!! She is a total doll!
Melia has been quite obedient and a good listener lately when I tell her what to do and not do. The other morning she woke me up, wide awake, at 5 am. I told her to sit and watch her show and that she musn't dare wake me up again. So when I was still sleeping (in) at 8 am, she asked Danny to make her some strawberry milk and then whispered in his ear("because I'm not supposed to wake up Mommy"). She eagerly attends any social event, particularly the cowbus preschool or trips to the library for books. She took a nap the other day, it was heaven. Both girls ASLEEP...simultaneously...during the afternoon...for almost two hours!
Danny is so bright and creative. He is so fun to talk to. He has many ideas about business and artwork and music. And he doesn't just think about it, he does it! Life with Danny is very exciting. He discusses news with me because he follows it so much better than I, and he really enjoys doing his blog. It is very much him. He and his brothers have a good thing going with that. As for his side business ventures, still pending. Success is awaiting closely, I know. He is liking our three-month long P90X bootcamp workout program, and is amazed that he hasn't gained any weight, even by doubling his calories over the last six weeks, including a 500-calorie milkshake right before bed each night. He is as handsome to me as ever, and I love cuddling up to him at night.
Let's see...it is my turn. I have been enjoying my perfect eye sight, cooking a lot and eating well, and taking it easy with my children. They are so fun. Our lives are quiet, simple, at times too quiet (I need to call friends more!), but very rich and wonderful. I know that sounds overly colorful and happy, but I really feel that way right now as I type this. I feel really good. I have purchased some vegan cookbooks to help me make family meals we all can eat, without any meat or dairy. I am sick of so much meat; it is unnecessary, a waste, and expensive. Sophie is still as allergic as ever to any hint of dairy. I am working to complete my interior house decor, at last (well, for the most part). I've swapped stuff out, rearranged, repainted a couple of places, and stayed up late a few times. I've done it for cheap, too. Maybe I'll post pics in the next couple of weeks. I wear high heels more often and apply makeup every day. I wear my cute shirts on average days and put my t-shirts away in a drawer, only to be worn when working or exercising. And exercising! We are rounding out week 5. It can be such a pain, especially when we start working out at 11:30 pm, but it doesn't matter. It is great fun to do this together, we don't usually work out that late, and we both feel quite healthy.
You are all very nice friends...but really, the reason I want to give that certificate away is because I am going to Hawaii with Danny (no kids) next month for 7 days! So we are getting our away time, believe me!
This is a river running in the Hyde's back yard, the one that Danny and his siblings grew up playing in over the fun-filled years of their Tom Sawyer-like childhood. He says he used to ice skate on it, and I am sure he did. It is a fairly shallow river and the winters in Fallon can be quite cold, though I do think the weather is slightly milder than in Utah. The biggest difference between Northern Nevada's winters and those of the Wasatch Front is how we will we get weather that is relentlessly overcast and gray for weeks at a time, with no sun at all. Each day, the "pogo nip," (or "white death" or "cloud," as dubbed by the Shoshone Indians) grows thicker and heavier upon every blade and branch. The pogo nip pictured above is only moderate. So, as you can see, though the long spells of gray can be dreary, they are still very beautiful.I have been looking for changes in my life lately...For example, in the last couple months I did Lasik on my eyes, changed my living room, started eating healthier, and I work out every day now. I also changed my hair.
First I got shorter layers cut in, which looks fantastic, but I also got highlights, which didn't work for me. I guess I just didn't know what else to do. I knew, as I was asking her to do them, that I didn't want to have her color my hair in any way that day. I had a bad feeling about it. But because she had reserved two hours for me, I felt like it was unfair to her to change my mind, only get the haircut, and walk out over an hour earlier than had been planned. So I just went ahead with it. I haven't really colored my hair before and figured it was a mild way to go anyway. The highlights weren't so bad, Danny liked the blonde with my complexion, but they just turned out a little bronzey along the top of my head, and too chunky, which bugged me, because I like natural looking hair on myself. So I asked my stylist to try her best to change it back. Now my ends look rich and fantastic and I love them...but my roots and the top three inches of my head are, well, RED! I am not comfortable with this! NOW I HAVE TWO TONE HAIR THAT IS FAKE RED AND DARK BROWN! I might as well start dressing gothic and put purple highlights all over in it, with a strip of scarlet down the front, too! I hate it! And I no longer trust my hair lady and am not sure who to turn to!
I know this is whiney and vain and ridiculous, but I have been mourning for my old hair for days now. I had decided two weeks ago that I wanted to keep my long hair into my thirties...now I am worried sick that I must cut it, short, which is the last thing I want to do! (deep breath, sniffle) This is why I have stayed away from coloring it all my life! Oooh, I just want to cry! What do I do?! Help!
Grammy gave these little kicks to Sophie awhile back. Sophie loves them. We love her.
messy messy messy
