Something funny happened on the way to the forum...

Even though they were born 12 years apart, Melanie and Kirsten are officially TWINS! Let me explain...

So, we all know that when it comes to birthday cards, I am not the best one at sending them out; however, Melanie and Kirsten are--and I wanted you all to know they have reached the pinnacle, the plateau of card sending. If you open the two attachments, you will find two different cards and a shocking revelation. Card #1 is from Kirsten in Colorado. Card #2 is from Melanie in Milford.

Go ahead and look! I think you will either laugh, or sit there in disbelief. 

Thanks Sis #1 and Sis #3 for a moment I will never forget. I love you both!

Love, 

Todd

Gift Cards

Thank you for resending Mikaela's birthday card. She is so excited about the money and she has a list going on in her head already. We would have spent it, but she has been sick with asthma for the past week. The past three days have been tough for her. 

The washing machine is out again, and won't be fixed until Monday, next week. Mikaela threw up two different times on her bed. Needless to say, I spent many hours at the laundry mat. Howard is home for all of this, and it makes it a lot easier, but still it has been tough. Mikaela threw up on the carpet. I wish I had hardwood floors. So much easier to take care of than cleaning the carpet at one in the morning. 

Siovhan will be home on Saturday. She is so funny. She has finals all week, and her last is late Friday. She can't wait to come home and sleep. But, I know for a fact that she hasn't been hurting for sleep there. It seems every time I call, she is taking a nap. 

I bought you and Dad some things for Christmas. They will arrive in different packages at different times. 

I hope that you have a good week. When does Dad get back from California? I thought that they were all done with the bees for a while. Did something happen that required an emergency trip?

I will talk with you later. I need to see if I can get Sleeping Beauty ready for school. She has missed two days this week and it has been tough for her. She loves school, but last night was the first night that she really slept well. 

Love, Melanie


From Mom: You are always welcome. If after the Christmas mess for the post office, you get another check would you let me know? Love, Mom

Trevyn Smith

In yesterday's Herald was a list of the All-Valley football player of the year. Gordon Smith (Richard's cousin - Aunt Pearle's son) had a grandson on the list. He was the one from Springville High. It said:

Trevyn Smith, senior, RB, Springville. Smith led Utah County in rushing with 2,1-3 yards, a school record, and scored 26 touchdowns. He averaged 9.1 yards per carry. In Springville's first-round loss to Logan, Smith rushed for 269 yards and five touchdowns. He piled up 301 yards against Mountain View.
  

Mom/Donnette Smith

Sorry I made a typo. He rushed 2,103 yards

So I wonder what college has recruited him. BYU needs a good QB and a RB like him.
CINDY (Cynthia Allred)

Melanie's Jokes of the Month

I read these in this months Reader's Digest. If you have read it, then don't read further. They just seemed too funny to not pass on.

My sister Darlene has the courage--but not always the skills--to tackle any home repair project. For example, in her garage are pieces of a lawn mower that she once tried to fix. So I wasn't surprised the day my other sister, Jesse, and I found Darlene attacking her vacuum cleaner with a screwdriver. "I can't get this thing to cooperate," she explained. "Why don't you drag it out to the garage and show it the lawnmower?" Jesse suggested. 

Doug was leaving church after Christmas services when Father McCarthy took him aside. "Douglas, my son," he said, "it's time you joined the Army of the Lord. We need to see you every Sunday."  "I'm already in the army of the Lord Father," Doug replied. "Then why do we only see you on Christmas and Easter?" Doug looked to the left, and then leaned over to whisper in Father McCarthy's ear. "I'm in the Secret Service."

Photos Project for Melanie

You've done a great job helping with my photo request. I think I might have enough to do what I want. Thank you very much. If I need more, I will let you know as soon as possible.

Thank you for taking care of Siovhan. She had a great time with you. AnnMarie played Mom to her over the weekend, which was a great comfort to me as well. I am glad that my siblings care so much for my children, it gives me peace of mind.

We have our Activity Night at church tonight and I have a meeting after that, so maybe we will call you sometime this week. Mikaela got the message that you had called, but we were out on her birthday. We have an answering machine on our computer, so if it is on, it will take the messages, that is why it sounded different when you called.

Love, Mel

Kenilworth Photo from Todd

From Todd:

tI found this photo on the state's web-site today. They have a new
photograph section and I started popping in names to see how far back they
went. I thought you all might want to see it and see if you can recognize
the location.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Re: Photo

Mom, I have that one already (the one you sent). I need to have a few of Julie doing some things that she did at home. I am trying to put a small photo album together with a story in it. That is why I need some of her in Elementary School, Middle School, High School. I still need to know if the wedding date was the 2nd or the 3rd of August. 

You gave us a disk with a bunch of photos on it, but not too many of them had Julie in the formative years. They were either as a baby or with Jim later on. 

Thank you. Mel

A Favor

Could I ask you to do me a favor? Could you scan some pictures of Julie for me and send them to me. I need a baby picture, a couple from when she was in her Elementary school years (ones taken at home would be preferable), a couple from Middle School years, one playing basketball, some from college and a couple with Jim.

Didn't they get married on the 3rd of August or was it the 2nd of August?

If you have some newer photos of Mary that would be nice as well.

Do you have Jim's parents email address? It would be nice if I could get that from you, because I need them to send me some pictures as well.

I don't know if Holly will be coming to Nephi with Siovhan this coming week Siovhan will be needing a ride as well, because Howard's trip was canceled, so we won't have a car for her until next month it seems. I am a little worried about Howard driving it from New Mexico to Utah after his Australia trip. He always comes home so tired from that 22 hour flight. We will let you know more as soon as we find out. We didn't even find out until yesterday that he wouldn't be flying out tomorrow. I think that is cutting it a little close.

I will talk with you later. I need to go to Worcester to do a food order. It is an hour drive and then I need to do the shopping loading and then take it to the Sister that needs it. I will be gone most to the day.

Love you! Mel

About Turkey Day

From: Siovhan Lorelle Bolton

Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 21:25:57 -0800 (PST)

can holly still come for turkey day? because she wants to and i told her she could. i'll call you about it later. i think we're going to come down with annmarie or if she doesn't have room we'll need someone to pick us up.(that is if i don't get my car)  i'll call with more details later. 

love, siovhan

Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 00:35:12 -0800 (PST)

your granddaughter [me] is alive but not so well. she has the bug (aka cold-thingy) that is going around her ward, but she is a trooper. and holly begged her [again me] to be able to come. 

and you would be proud. i just did my neighbor's dishes. and i know it doesn't seem like a lot but it would have been around 4 loads had i done them all in the dishwasher. i only did one load in the machine and the rest by hand. teehee. all while they were protesting. i guess i'm a lot more like my mom than i thought. she'd do the same thing. and along with doing theirs i did my own too. 2 loads. haha. i was a dishwashing machine. yes! i love you. 

love, siovhan

Dane, Dane, Dane--in a cast. Dane, Dane, Dane.

Kimberly wrote: Dane was goofing around in his carpool ride home yesterday with a couple of kids. It ended in pain and misery--for Dane, rather than fun. He ended up with a buckle fracture on his left radius.  He sported a nice new blue cast at school today.

Toren's friend birthday party was today and he had his party at the swimming pool.  Dane was quite sad that he couldn't swim--and he misses his last two swim lessons.

Myrna wrote (Nov. 29): For some reason, this just came through. Is Dane OK? How long does he have to wear the cast? We love him and feel bad about his arm and his swimming lessons. Love, Grammy and Grandpa

Kimberly wrote: Dec 15th, he's doing good.