A new accessory-at least it's purple!

My foot has been hurting for months. I tried ignoring it, popping advil, rest, and wore arch supports for a month. No real healing occurred. Today I saw the Podiatrist. I thought he'd give me exercises and pills, or maybe a brace--but not my purple foot! My tibial tendon has issues. Usually this occurs from "overuse". Since I cannot come up with an actual moment of injury--the "overuse" theory seems to have some value. The tendon is "pulling at the fibers of the bone" whatever that means thus it can potentially harm my foot function for life if not cared for now.

With other tendons you can brace them and fully rest them. But when it's in your foot (the bottom of your foot) you cannot adequately rest it without casting it. UGH! I like cute shoes (heels!), exercise, and fun--this cast will not positively contribute to those causes. I'm disappointed beyond words. As if cutting back my cardio wasn't torture enough! Now I'm disabled.

Life is just full of surprises! I guess whatever gets me back to kickball, step class and playing with the kids is worth it!

The Sugar Pumpkin

Last week in the midst of my crazy schedule, the following blog entry was read to me. I later looked up this person's blog as it was passed from another MOPS leader who is her friend. The author of this entry is Lorri and she is fighting breast cancer at just 39 years of age. She has three children, her youngest just turned five. Her blog address is: http://lorriscancerupdates.blogspot.com/ if you are interested further.

Lorri says,

"Cancer changes things. For instance, this morning, the first thing Livi and I did was carve a pumpkin. We didn't eat breakfast, have a shower, get dressed or anything. We sat at the kitchen bar and carved the sugar pumpkin she brought home from preschool yesterday (a farmer visited their class and brought them all pumpkins.) He's really cute...she loves him. We carved him with a grapefruit knife. She keeps hugging him. Before, I never would have carved a pumpkin on a Tuesday morning so many days before Halloween in my pajamas, but cancer changes things. I'm kind of glad it does."

Such a good thought --we live in such a hurry. We do not accept idle time. We expect each day to be driven, to produce something, to find success in the completion of projects and crossed off lists. It is so sad that it takes terminal illness to slow us down, whether it's ours or someone else's. I love this picture of a mom and her child! Her equipment didn't matter (it wasn't the perfect pumpkin or the "right" carving tool), her apron rested in the drawer, she didn't waste time in preparation of self (I can see flannel pajama pants), and her concern for time was a non-factor. Pure living in the moment!

I just had to share!

For the Sake of the Cause

Sunday marked the big game between the Cowboys and the Vikings. This meant the Weitzel family team (our friends) vs. the Kern family team. We had the chips and salsa, the team garb and an open afternoon. For the Kern's it was a treat just to get to view the Vikings--as usually we do not get to watch their games. Cincinnati Bengals fan Karly, decided to support her Daddy's team and created her own Minnesota franchise merchandise--a headband with a M and a V (Minnesota Vikings). While we knew our Vikings would likely fall to the talents of the Cowboys--it was an entertaining game at least during the first three quarters. I just got a kick out of Karly's instinct to create her own support for the Vikings cause!

Post game, Karly and Kyle (along with some neighborhood friends) decided to do something for a more valid cause. They cut up cheese sticks in small chunks and placed them on toothpicks and also baked cupcakes and decorated them with frosting to create a "Bake Sale". Their "Bake Sale" goal was to donate money to the Placer County SPCA. They paraded about the neighborhood selling their goods and raised $12! Very cute and totally their own original idea. I love it when they get creative and think beyond themselves. Sure they scored a cupcake or two, but they were also proud to help their four legged freinds!

What a week!

Some weeks just take more of us than we have the time for. The hours pass so fast, I miss some. Yet the days slug by with tasks that need completion. This mama just had one of these weeks! Everything happening at once with little grace.

The key chunk of my time was spent at the school it was our big community event week. Book Fairs each day at lunch ending with a big carnival style event last evening. I spent hours coordinating people, writing letters and keeping the lines of communication open. Hours --okay let's say DAYS at the school. The weather was a huge issue with our event. Rain pending for days, but never materializing into much kept plans in "undecided" zone. My least favorite place to be. It just hangs over you, and then requires instant action when you may not have the time for the action. Add to this a daughter who is almost sick (running fever of 99.5) all week. Add then a dose of panic with a stolen wallet, wedding ring and watch for Kent. The one night I had time to make a real dinner was ruined as it sat idle while we called credit bureaus and filled out police reports. {Note: We had a crook with a concience who later called and returned the wallet and ring--we were only out some cash and a nice watch.} Then we cannot forget the kids had Wednesday off. No school--teacher work day. My time instantly cut in half as we sped around town for haircuts, groceries, and stopped by the dentist for a filling (for me). Inject practicing theater songs and lines for the two plays Karly is working on, helping teachers with troubled readers in the classroom, a modem that is finicky and only wants to work when IT decides, and a little boy who wants you to watch every replay of the great offensive tactics on Madden 2007-- and my hourglass is empty. The laundry is piled, my floors have dog hair on them, my tub needs scrubbing and it took me three days to get Kent's shirts to the dry cleaners. They sat in my car for days! Now that's bad! Of course I also managed to spill drinks, nearly run out of gas, forget items and drop the ball on my "paid" job. What craziness!

It's amazing how even when we think we are in control of our time, when we think we've got it all managed--life still happens and adds (or subtracts) to/from it.

Next week, I think my hourglass should flow a little slower! Maybe not in real time, but in Melinda time!

Apple treats and a few great pumpkins!

Fall would not be complete without some sticky apple fun and a few cute pumpkins--off to Apple Hill the Kern team went! The kids couldn't wait to get their face painted --so we made High Hill our first stop. It's the busiest of locations, so we went early to try to beat the crowds--but the crowds were also early. Nonetheless the weather was beautiful and the trees just starting to turn their colors--we couldn't have asked for a more lovely day. The traffic headed up the hill as we were leaving confirmed that even though we had seen a large group, we had still made a wise choice with our timing--early was best!


A shout out to Meredith (a dear friend from high school--and occasional blog reader) and the rest of the entire Ramey, Pringle crew! So great to see you all in the most unlikely of places! It's always amazing when you run into a friend who lives in another state without planning it!


The kids enjoyed a hay bale maze, corn maze and even a few farm animals. We were also sure to wander through the pumpkin patch and find a few great pumpkins! I just love grabbing them right off the vine and watching the kids wander through the shades of green and orange! We said goodbye to apple hill with some "walkin" apple pies from Kids Incorporated. A favorite with the cinnamon sauce and for Daddy and the kids a la mode was a must.

The chocolate covered caramellows and carmel apples are here now-- next to the fruit bowl --in a pretty white bag, we're saving those for dessert!

Angel Kisses!

I love this picture of Karly! All those angel kisses and the personality to go right along with them!

The gig is up!

"Whoever wishes to keep a secret must hide the fact that he possesses one" --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Sometimes surprises and the secrets that go along with them place a person in a quandary. To tell or not to tell--such was my internal debate.

I've been working on Kent's 40th birthday surprise for sometime. Orchestrating a trip to fulfill a life dream for Kent--his desire to band with the brethren of Purple People Eaters and attend a Minnesota Vikings game at the Metrodome. Would you believe that the very moment I was scheduling flights for our trip, my dear husband calls--he's been given tickets to a December San Francisco game (their opponents, the Vikings). Just eight days difference between the date on my tickets. He was thrilled to say the least and was quick to tell me that tickets near the 50-yard line were ideal (something I already knew having researched tickets myself--but I played dumb), and to remind me how cool it would be for he and Kyle to go.

My stomach became one big knot. I felt like the wind was repelled right out of my sail. He's only been to one professional game in 39 years and now two in 8 days? What are the odds? Grrr.....as my stomach churned, my mind went into overload--should I spend all this $$ to go, if he just saw his team play? I chose not to click "confirm" and did not purchase that airfare.

After lots of thought, I decided I'd be miserable for the next three months if I didn't tell him. I was too bummed and I didn't think I'd hide my disappointment well. I put together a surprise package, set the scene under the stars in the hot tub, and I then told my purple people eater husband the secret I possessed.

You'll be happy to know that I am told that an away game doesn't even compare to the excitement of the Metrodome--especially a night game. "IT'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, babe" was his grinning reply. He couldn't sleep last night he was so pumped up and we talked about it again first thing this morning.

Thanks to those of you who were in cahoots with me, but the gig is up!