Christmas in Bellevue

I have not posted in so long I hope I remember how to do it. we had a very nice Christmas at the Mellor Home. Christmas eve is traditionally our sit down dinner and spiritual time. This year it was a smaller group as we were missing Joel and Sarah but we were blessed to have everyone else home and Rick's 'friend' Karen join us as well as the newest member of our family Stephen. After dinner this year instead of just reading the Christmas story we had our own nativity pageant with costumes and all. Mike and Kayla starred as Joseph and Mary and Jenna was a cranky Baby Jesus who ended up being held by one of the shepherds(Kristina). Rachel was the angel! Stephen played a Christmas carol on his clarinet.




On Christmas Morning we had the family plus Andrew and Elissa Wahlquist (Cousin Johnny's daughter) and their 2 kids, plus 6 missionaries join us for Brunch and carols on the chimes. It was fun if not peaceful




It has been a real change to have a 12 yr old boy in the house again. Stephen is a great kid and seems to be adjusting pretty well. He loves to skateboard and is pretty good at it and he loves to hang out with the older boys. Here he is at the skatebowl down the street. He has also enjoyed the snowboarding lessons that Richard has been giving to him and Karen who is from Costa Rica and seems to be enjoying her time in the snow.

Turkey Day 09 Bear Lake!

I hope this posts ok? I have been having issues with the flip cam. Great time was had by all, I think, at Bear Lake this year. We had 30 for Dinner and Uncle Rich cooked a mean bird! Thanks to all who came and contributed in some way with either food or company! Viva La Nog!

Toddy.

The ultrasound shows . . .

. . . we're having a BOY! Very definitely. No doubt about it.

Nina was disappointed because she really wanted a sister, but she's already getting used to the idea of being harassed by another brother.

At my first doctor's visit they said the due date was April 25, but the ultrasound showed me a week ahead, due April 16. With the other two kids it was the same way. So, if this delivery is like the others, he'll come around April 18th or 20th.

The ultrasounds now are incredibly clear. A lot has changed in the last few years. We even saw some 3-D images of the baby. He was moving all over the place and kept putting his hands up to his face--so sweet. At one point he had this little concerned look on his face and his eyebrows furrowed just like Satchel's.

And now we can start thinking about names . . .

Scarrrry Halloween Pictures

We had a pre-halloween snow storm (ugh), so the kids made mom get out all their snow clothes so they could traipse in the inch of snow.

Nina was very excited about Halloween this year. This is the outfit she wore to all her parties and trick-or-treating. At first she was going to be a princess, but then she decided to be a witch.

Symonie: "Nina, why are you standing like that?"

Nina: "Because it looks good."

Satch was less excited about dressing up. After many false tries we put him in black, painted his face and he went as a "scary wobber".

Here they are standing still and not torturing each other. So we had to take a picture. Grandma please note the ever present white bear. At least it used to be white.

And this is the scariest photo of all. Needless to say we couldn't find a costume small enough.

Halloween Shots

Hope everyone had a nice Halloween--here's a look some of our festivities.

Cute Halloween Girls

In their costumes at Daddy's work

Wearing their dresses I made them to go with some Halloween leggings and bows :)

Pumpkin Carving-

Dad and the girls before dinner.

Stephen carving his pumpkin....he didn't want me to take his picture---but really was having a good time :)

Rick and Karen

Mike, Kayla and Dad

Stephen and Rachel eating dessert

Rick in his Pirate costume

Ward Halloween Party-
If you're not sure---Rachel was a butterfly (princess), Jenna was a ladybug and I was a flower...




Jenna ate most of the night---She'd walk around with some kind of food in her hand and then just plop down on the floor somewhere and start eating....that's my girl :)

Park and Trick-or-Treating

More Delicious Recipes for special occasions

Since our blog is not very active I thought I would post four more absolutely delicious recipes. Be careful, very careful, as these are not for the feint of heart or those who are carefully watching their calorie intake.

This from our great temple missionary couple from Canada. A very moist and chocolate cake without the sweetness of the frosting.

POLKA-DATERS
1 1/2 cups of chopped dates
1 cup water
Cook these until soft, then cool

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
Beat these together

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add these to the butter mixture

Add dates, 1/2 pkg chocolate chips and 1/2 cup nuts [optional]
Pour into a greased 9X13 pan
Sprinkle rest of chocolate chips and more nuts [optional] on top. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes.

CARAMEL BARS
3/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup evaporated milk
German Chocolate Cake Mix
Mix, pat 1/2 mixture into a 9X13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips, mixture of 1 lb.bag of carmels melted with 1/2 cup evaporated milk, and 1 cup chopped nuts. Pat on rest of dough. [It will be very sticky, pat on in sections' Bake 15-19 minutes longer.
This is deadly delicious

BLACK BOTTOM COCONUT BARS
For chocolate base:
1/2 cup [1 stick] butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup flour
Preheat oven to 375. Line a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang; butter bottom and sides of foil [not overhang]
Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; melt in microwave. Add sugar and salt, whisk to combine. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth. Spred butter in prepared pan. Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping. Keep oven on for topping.

Coconut topping:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 package sweetened shredded coconut [7 oz.]

In medium bowl whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut [except 1/2 -3/4 cup reserved for sprinkling on top.]
Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base; spread and pat in gently and evenly with moistened fingers. Sprinkle with reserved coconut.

Bake until golden brown - 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Life cake from pan, peel off foil and cut into bars.

PUMPKIN COOKIES
1/2 cup butter - softened
1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add chocolate chips and nuts if desired

Cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg, pumpkin and vanilla, mix well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt, mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 oven for 10-12 minutes

FROSTING FOR PUMPKIN COOKIES:
3 Tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup brown sugar

Cook until dissolved. Cool and add "
1 cup powdered sugar [or as much as you like for the desired consistency]
1 Teaspoon vanilla

Spread on cookies - it will be like a glaze.

Be grateful!

Last week as I was making my way through the Tulsa Airport, I noticed most of the foot traffic was stopped and the majority of people in the terminal were standing at the large windows on the East side of the terminal. So, despite being late for a meeting with the Boise State team, which was in town to play Tulsa, I stopped to see what was so interesting? I am glad I did. If you get the opportunity please rent the film, "Taking Chance", and remember this photo which I took standing alongside other grateful travelers. It was sad, but inspiring at the same time to see the care and honor they give these deserving soldiers making their final trip home. The precision of the honor guard, and the care in which they handle the casket was touching. And what really made it such an moving experience for me was watching all the ground crew, the pilots, baggage handlers and fellow passengers, like myself, who took just a few minutes to pause and pay our respect. All I could think about was some family was coming to the Tulsa Airport this day, and this was how they would have to welcome home their loved one.

Be grateful.

-toddy.

Recipes from the DR

You should all know that this is recipes from La Republica Dominica not the Doctor.
I have these two recipes that I love and want to share with you. The first is
TACO SOUP
And it is best made the day before you want to serve it.
Brown, cook and drain 1 lb. hamburger and 2 big onions

Mix the following ingredients in a large pan and bring to a boil:
2 can tomato sauce
2 cans black beans
2 can corn [or fresh frozen corn]
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 packets taco seasoning
3 1/2 cups water

Add hamburger and onions and simmer for 10-15 minutes, but I sometimes let it simmer for over an hour. Garnish with corn tortilla chips, sour cream, avacado, and shredded cheese.

Note: olives also go good with this as do green chilies. It freezes really well.

The second recipe is a favorite of ours and was given to us by one of our senior missionaries originally from Mexico.

Tinga

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups finely chopped tomatoes
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 cooked whole chicken breast, shredded
1/3 can chipotle peppers

In a small amount of hot oil saute garlic and onion, add tomatoes. It should make a soupy sauce. add the chipotles. Depending on how spicy you want it chopped the chipotles otherwise leave them whole and just mix them in, the flavor will be there. Add the meat. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Serve with white rice, refried beans and avocados.
You can also use pork loin, cooked and shredded. It will even be a bit more flavorful.

The A's Pinky

If you don't like looking at broken fingers, read no more.

On Monday Annette visited the doctor and they took off the cast and gave her a small splint. During that time I thought it would be memorable to take a picture, complete with the pin still sticking out of the end of her finger.

After they pulled out a few stitches she looked down and got a little light headed. She asked me to distract her, so she could forget about her finger. I said something like, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?" She replied, "you need to do a lot better than that."

So I quickly thought, what is really distracting? What takes your mind off the here and now? Of course, a conversation with one of my brothers! The old flibbing of the flab (as I think Michael used to phrase it).

So I pulled out my cell phone and thought--Lee's at work and usually screens my calls; Matt's either working feverishly on some movie set or taking a nap; Mike's uncharacteristically serious when he's at work; and then Todd, yes Todd is the answer. It's Monday so he'll be home. I called Todd and put him on speaker phone and it worked better than vicodin.

As hoped he was highly entertaining and soon had Annette laughing. He hammered on Notre Dame football, the US Treasury, the skimpy number of little marshmellow bits in his morning bowl of Lucky Charms, etc. It was classic Todd. Thank you Todd.

For those who want to know, the pin stays in Annette's finger for another week. And the odd angle of her finger is to make sure it heals properly. It won't stay that way after the pin comes out.

Kathryn

Kathryn was kind enough to be my subject so I could test out some new favorite spots I found to take photos in Portland.

After hours of trying to post these pictures I finally got them up!

Here are some pictures of my dorm at BYUI!

This is my bed and it is probably the most dangerous bed ever. I hit my head almost every time I get up from my desk. It is almost impossible to climb up and down my bed without falling. I have not fallen of the bed yet but just wait it will happen.

Here is my dad trying to connect my computer to the internet... be was unsuccessful but it was a good effort:)

Yep! That's it for now.

Over and out from Rexburg!

:D

The girls get to school

So the last Big event of the Mellor summer is done. Joel and I dropped our baby off at BYUI. Surprisingly enough I did not cry - which (mom you may remember) is a far different story than when I dropped off Kristina. I don't think this reflects at all on the different personalities of my daughters but on the fact that I am really trying to learn to keep my emotions under control. I will admit to having very lonely feelings without my friend Alyssa but I am so excited for her and this new adventure! I am also glad that my other friends Kristina, Rachel and Jenna live near by :).
It was fun to meet up with Stuart and Hannah and share this adventure with them. When Joel and I left Rexburg on Tuesday afternoon we left both girls with blizzards and smiles after a final trip to Walmart! I was able to take some pictures of Alyssa and her new digs (sorry I did not get any of Hannah's room she said she would post those)








Joel and I were able to get to the beautiful Rexburg temple and we took the girls up for pictures before we left. The field they are in front of is across the street from the temple and is a field of plowed barley. I love barley but apparently in Idaho it is causing some controversy because all of that barley that has been planted (and there is a lot of it!) is being sold to Budwieser for the making of beer.
The temple is gorgeous as it presides over the school and the entire valley. It is very white and vertical and the interior is so bright and beautiful too!




Sorry I have not figured out how to turn my photos :(