Who Ever Knows What The Weekend Will Bring?

2009 has been an interesting year for the Melnick's. We started in January with a huge blessing, baby #5 ,Priscilla. We then had the excitement of selling a house, renting 2 and having a fire change our lives. Since then things have been quiet around here . Just the everyday chaos of fun family life.

Pete decided to get his name in the headlines of 2009. Last night he started having stomach pain. Being the tough ex-quarterback helicopter pilot that he is he tried to shake it off. He decided he was not going to let it hurt. After an agonizing night in awful pain he decided he should haul himself in to the ER. We packed up the kids and I had to drop him off at the door of the ER. It was about 7:30 on Sunday morning. I had to leave him there alone as I drove off not knowing what was wrong. The nurse took one look at him and rushed him off to the secret confines of the ER where only the lucky get to go...or the unlucky. Driving away I panicked! What was I going to do? How was I going to take care of him when I had no one to help me take care of these 5 scared little ones? Seeing daddy sick was pretty hard on them.

I called my friends and got some babysitters to come over right away. I rushed back to the hospital and Pete announced he an Acute Appendicidis. They ran some further tests and found that his appendices had ruptured and he needed immediate emergency surgery. My adorable, happy, charming husband who has never had more than the sniffles in 15 years looked awful and felt worse than that. Phone calls were made, prayers were prayed and he went in for his surgery. The Dr. came out and said he was full of infection. He is pretty sick but he will be OK. Pete's mom came as soon as she heard her baby was in the hospital. When I told him his mom was coming he was so greatful. I don't think it matters how old you are, when you are sick you just want your mom.

What Else Can I Say, This Is Fun!!

My kids have no trouble having fun. They enjoy life and never wonder who might be looking. My Molly will dance and sing just about anywhere. I am sure you have already gathered that Lucy will have fun anywhere, anytime and at any one's expense.

I also have no trouble having fun. Lots of things are fun for me. I have fun when everyone gets into the car without crying. I have fun when someone says, "Mom, can I take Priscilla upstairs while you make dinner?" I have fun when Pete says, "Let's have pizza for dinner." I have fun when I can talk on the phone without putting someone in the corner. I have fun when I can shower alone, or do anything in the bathroom alone.

Having fun for my kids usually involves water especially since we live in Alabama and it is still summer here. It is HOT!! It has been hot since last summer which means we have a lot of water fun. I should clarify, my kids have a lot of fun with water. Even though I am constantly hearing, "Mama come in the water and play, this is so fun" I do not get wet. I stopped getting wet a long time ago. I especially hate getting wet in public. This is not fun to me. I mentioned what was fun up above. Notice no mention of being wet in public.

Who knows if my girls will ever feel this way. As for now, they love every drippy minute!

My Quest for Pie Crust

Now that I am officially a mom I decided I needed to learn a couple of things that I somehow missed in my pre-mom era. One of those things is to make my own pie crust. I am not sure where the urge came from since I do not like pie. I know the most common job of a pie crust is to hold together fruit pies and I have never been a fan of hot fruit. Nevertheless, I decided this mom needed to learn to make a pie crust.

It took me awhile to even know where to begin. Then it became crystal clear. I needed a brand new Kitchen Aid Mixer. How else would I make a homemade pie crust without a $300 mixer. Pete promptly reminded me pie crusts were being made long before Kitchen Aids. After a few promises of homemade cherry pie I got a Kitchen Aid. I had wanted one for about 4 years. When our storage unit caught on fire we lost almost all our kitchen gadgets. So, out of our tragedy and with my new inspiration, I got a new Kitchen Aid Mixer. Bring on the pies!

It takes an additional week to assemble the ingredients. That's how things go around here. I want to make a pie and it takes about 3 weeks for all preperations to be complete. I search all over the internet for a yummy sounding pie recipe. And for someone who doesn't like pie this was a challenge. I finally settle on a recipe from http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ .

I wait all day. I get the kids in bed. I finish cleaning up the kitchen. I pull out my ingedients. I give my Kitchen Aid a pep talk because I want this to be the beginning of a long and fun relationship. I open up the web page to the recipe. I start reading and I realize this recipe does not want you to use a Kitchen Aid mixer. All you need is crisco, flour, salt and a pastry cutter. Guess what? I have no pastry cutter. Bottom line..after all my preperation to make the perfect pie crust with the machine I had been dreaming of for years turns out I did not need. Oh well, now I just get to search for the perfect pastry cutter.

There Is Not Much an M&M Can't Fix Around Here

Here are some facts. I have been pregnant 7 times. I have 5 kids. I homeschool. I have potty trained 3 people and still have 2 more to go. It takes me 30 minutes to blow dry my hair. I bribe my kids with M&m's!! There, I said it, the Melnick secret is out. I pay my children to do things and get results with M&M's. I used to think my kids would do things because they loved me and were greatful for all the sacraficing I was doing. NO! They just love M&M's .

My children are not the only ones who need M&M's. Mamma needs a good handful a couple times of day too. For example, we were trying to go to our Homeschool co-op early Wednesday morning. While getting the baby ready the house had a scary peace to it. I was sticken with fear, as any mother would be. Where is Lucy? Lucy thought she would pitch in and finish up some dishes before we left. I headed right for the M&M's.

If I had less experience with bribery of children I might be sad to think I had to offer 4 M&M's to get my son to kiss me. I know there is a saying "The hand the rocks the cradle rules the world". In this house it's more like "The hand that is handing out M&M's rules the world".

And believe it or not, this sweet face is the one who commands the most M&M's. And now that she is older we have had to up the anty a bit. She is no longer willing to do things for 4 M&M's. Sometimes I miss the days when I could solve all her hurts with some M&M's.

My Constant Lunch Dates

Some people may need to call a friend or pick up a buddy in order to not dine alone.Not here! I have 5 constant breakfast, lunch and dinner dates.The best part is we always have something to talk about.







Here are some Favorites:
1. Don't use your dress as a napkin.
2. No licking the table please.
3. Do not cut your sandwich with a spoon
4. No dipping your pepperoni in your milk.











Lucy just got moved over to the big table.Priscilla is now a full time eater and she needed the high chair. Lucy feels very grown up sitting with the rest of us and always insists upon proving the statement "blondes have more fun" . There is never a quiet moment when Lucy is around.

I Married the High School Star Quarterback!!

Pete and I go way back, we went to High School together. We did not date in High School but I did have a crush on him. How could you not? Since those early days of big hair and late nights we have been married for about 14 years depending on when you begin the counting.

He had to go to San Francisco this morning on a 2 day trip, no big deal. The thing is, I miss this boy whenever he walks out the door. I still have a HUGE crush on him. When the phone rings in the middle of the day I get excited when it's him. When his car is unexpectedly in the driveway my tummy does a little flip.




You see Pete is a celebrity around here. We all adore him! Whenever anyone pays me a compliment I always think that half the credit goes to this guy. He has made me a better person. I could not be the mom I am without him being the man he is. And he makes cute babies!

Running While Wondering

I have been running for about 15 years now. I've never considered myself a runner because I'm not that good at it. I have been motivated to lace up, however, during these past 15 years for a variety of reason . Mostly to lose about 100 pounds of baby weight gained from having 5 babies.

Outside of the weight loss issue, I run for other reasons. Two years ago Pete and I decided to live in the downtown area of Mobile. I must admit that this is a runner's paradise. I love running past the old homes that lie under the big old oak trees. I have to admit that I do not love running...I get bored. So I have to entertain myself and I have found that house gazing and porch watching helps me pass the time. As a result, I have become attached to some of the houses along the way.

Certain houses, particular doors and various entryways has my mind wandering about the family that walks up that walk.

In every placed that we have lived, I have grown attached to certain things along my runs. In Alaska, I used to run past one of the many jewlery stores in the downtown area. I would imagine a life where I could wear some of those pieces. A life where my jewlery did not end up in the dressup box with other priceless household items I could not live without.

Now, I get to imagine living in a house or town for another 3 years and wondering what color I would paint the door!!