Our First Blogg Ever

Well, I only learned how to use e-mail a year or so ago, but the wife keeps telling me I need to participate in this blogg... I have a bone to pick with the world traveler Katy. She was in Vegas a few weeks back and was supposed to come over on Sunday night to say howdy, but stood us up. Oh, well, We'll forgive ya.

Costa Rica sounds fun, maybe one day Stephanie will get me out of the house on a cool vacation again. I have been so busy with work, but now that I have made detective I think I will start using up some of my vacation. Maybe I'll go down to Arizona and visit Katy. This picture is us at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon back in September. We went to Kanab Utah on a weekend to visit Steph's best bud Starla and while we were there took a drive up to the Grand Canyon.

So by the time this posts Kim will be having her own little girl. I swear it was only yesterday we were all piling into the back of my parents old beat up green truck so they could drive us to the dollar theater to see a movie. I turn 30 in March!!! We all grew up, what the crap! All of us except Katy, but I hear she has a man so maybe soon she'll be "blogging" about having a baby soon.

Our Shelby turned two in August and is a handful like all two year olds. She is a tuff little cookie. The nursery leaders keep telling me that she is a bully and beats up the biggest of the three year olds every Sunday when they won't give her the toys they are playing with. She doesn't believe in sharing. She needs a sibling, but we have issues in that department so we have started thinking seriously about adopting or invitro or maybe both. Time will tell. It took four years of trying to get Shelby so maybe well just wait. Who knows, but we are grateful just to have Shelby. She is the sweetest prettiest greatest little miracle ever.

Steph is enjoying being a stay at home mommy. She gets to go to the gym and play volleyball just about every day. She stays so busy she is home less then when she worked full time. As for me I'm always busy with work. I went up to narcotics as a Detective in October then in November they sent me to Robbery for 90 days for a holiday enforcement thing. Every night I dress up in my old Big O Tires clothes, put $20.00 in my shirt pocket, carry around a beer and some cigarettes and wait for some idiot to rob me. It's pretty funny. I think we are going to film a few of the operations so next time yall are around I'll show you what I do. In February I'll go back to narcotics and chase drug dealers again. I enjoy that much more then this robbery gig. Who would of thought that when I grew up I would be going around Vegas buying dope, picking up hookers, and trying to get robbed. All while having a small arsenal of guns at my disposal. Sometimes it is a little surreal. It's a fun job and pays the bills.

Anyways, life is good at the Melvin's. Around March 7th (my b-day) we will be throwing a big bash for the big 30. So those of you that are elsewhere if you could make it that would be sweet. Also, my in laws have a giant cabin up in Brian Head. We should all plan a weekend to have a little get together up there. So now I've joined the Vegas Times Bloggers. We'll try to put new ones up a bit more regular.

3 Week Count Down

Here I am posting my first blog message ever! Melissa, I am finally posting something! So y'all have heard by now that I am pregnant. (I put in a picture of me 7 months pregnant. I'm a little bigger than that now.) I am actually only 3 weeks away from my due date and I'm feeling larger than life. We are having a girl. We are going to name her Kira Olivia. We are really excited to have our first. We are still living in Kentucky which we love. Kentucky's a good ol' place to live. We miss everybody though and wish we could see everyone more often! I am excited to be done teaching though. I'm going to take the rest of the year off after the baby's born. Hope everyone is well and has a fabulous Christmas!

Costa RIca trip

VIVA COSTA RICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO pretty much, I want to move to Costa Rica. I have been there a couple times, and I really think that I could live my life happily in Central America. The lifestyle is so chill and relaxed, I would fit right in.

I spent my Thanksgiving vacation in Costa Rica and had a blast. We went hiking, cliff jumping, surfing (lets be honest, I laid out during this activity), and zip lining through the rain forest. I could not have asked for a better vacation. We even rolled our car down the side of a mountain, walked out okay from it, and ran into Melinda Edwards from the Alta ward, and her husband Heath Bailey, some of you might remember the Baileys from the Harmony ward, you know the ones with all the HOT boys in the family. Anyway, they picked us up off the side of the road in Costa Rica after our car was rolled. It was such a blessing and a wonderful vacation. In fact, I have decided to put together a trip for my students to Costa Rica at the end of May. I have already gotten several studdents to sign up. I met a man out there who leads trips, so I am using his company. We will river raft, rock climb, hike, kayak, and do some splunking. It is going to be so AWESOME!!!!!! I cannot wait.

This is my buds and I at a Thanksgiving dinner. It was a beautiful restaurant right on the beach.

Here is the rolled car at the bottom of the slight hill we rolled down. HAHA. It really makes for a good story. Especially since, I could not stop laughing and giggling, while my roommies were weeping. You know me, laughing is my defense mechanism. Alas, my roommies started to get really mad at me, but I could not control it, so I had to walk away. It was just soooo funny.

Anyway, that is my update. I am pretty busy with end of the year grading and finals for grad. school. I cannot wait till this semester is over with.

Happy Holidays everyone, and I will see you in a week...hopefully.

Katy.

Blogging

I am not good at the Blogging stuff either, but I really do enjoy blog surfing! I hate trying new stuff but I just need to conquer that fear and attempt it. I will try to set time aside next week to let everyone know what is going on with the Melvin Family!

Look at this picture I Found

So.............I am still unpacking, It's never ending. I found this picture in a box. So does anyone remember this special night? I thought it was way cute and just thought it would be fun to bring back some fun memories of the good old days. Hope this brings a smile.

Also I talked to Kimmy this week. She says she is as big as a house, but I don't believe her. She is due on the 9th of January. She's having a girl and she has a name picked out, hopefully she will blog........... so I won't spoil the surprise. Just wanted everyone to know she was doing great!

Star Wars Halloween

I have always wanted the whole family to dress up in the same theme for halloween. Two and three yers ago, I wanted the family to dress up as Harry potter characters. Last year it was Star Wars. I was going to be Princess Leia and Andy was going to be Han Solo. It never happened. This year, I atleast got all the kids to agree on Star Wars, so maybe next year Andy and I can join them. Drew is Jengo Fett, Sara is Yoda (obviously), Jace is a Clone Trooper and Nate is Boba Fett. Drew got his costume a week before halloween and he wore it everyday. He has worn a costume (he has several) everyday since then. My boys constantly "play" Star Wars. It is their favorite movie, their favorite video game, and their favorite pretend imagination game. Sara joins in now and again, but she prefers to stick with her "pretties", her purses, bracelets, shoes...anything that makes her pretty.

Leave your calendars open!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that I have not posted anything yet. I am still trying to learn this whole blog thing. I am moving and it has been crazy, not to mention my computer is not hooked up yet.

Kevin and I went to AZ last weekend for our anniversary. We are trying to go to a new temple every year on our anniversary for fun. I didn't to see Katy because she has started a relationship with this guy, however I did speak with her. We are going to plan a friends get-together for the 21st of December. We will have dinner at my house, visit, and, Marc, bring encore. As I remember the GIRLS always won, because we are the ones that listened to country music so we had the advantage. I can't wait to have Steph and Holly play with us to bring back the good old days.

Look for an invitation to come in the mail in December, but I wanted to give you all a heads up. The 21st is the ONLY day Katy will be cable to be with us.

Our family is doing well, hopefully we can stay put for a little while, but who knows. I hope all of you are well and I totally miss you all. We really should see each other more. Love ya and I will try to learn this whole blog thing and when I get my computer up I will post some pics and be a better blogger.

Well, this idea has not worked as well as I thought it might. I know that we all get really busy, so I am not that shocked. But, I thought that I would write a little update.

Since moving to Arizona, I have started a new job, gained a new roommate, restarted school, and started a relationship. I am so tired. I want to have a normal life back where I just go to work and come home and socialize till one in the morning. I want my boring redundant life back

I am posting some pictures of my recent getaways. the first one is of my visit back home to DC. Here I am with my buds at a fall festival. I love the fall in the East.

The other picture is of my nephew, Zaks kid, and I went trick or treating this year as Hermione and Draco-Harry Potter characters. I am a nerd.

Okay, I am going to try and post more often. I would love to virtually here from all of you, especially see pictures of your cute kids.

Love You

RAFTING ON THE CHEAT RIVER IN WV

Right before the trip.

Just thought I would show you a couple of photos of my friends and I doing our favorite summer past time, rafting. I actually was in a raft for half of the trip and a duckie for the other half. I love the summer!

Oh the dreams of grandeur who have

Mark, I am pretty sure there were many times that you boys lost. In fact, I distinctly remember you boys getting pretty upset because of our truimphant defeat. Sorry, but blocking the bad memories do not make them less true.

Arizona State University, 4 hours from Vegas, What the Heck am I thinking?????
I havent been back there in ages.

Kimberly, I see that you have joined. I want to see pictures, news, and all other things you have to share.

I love you all and miss you!

Encore, The Game Was Encore

You may have been trying to block the memory Kierra, but the game we always used to beat you guys at was Encore. (now available in deluxe version...finally)




Holly and I are here in Vegas still. We see Winston and Suzanne quite a bit, Jeremy a couple of times a year, and Josh pretty much just when he gets married. I also recently (at Josh's wedding) saw Wesley Johnson. He looks a lot like Dog the Bounty Hunter now. (I would normally feel bad about saying that about someone behind their back, but the first thing I said when I saw him was " Man, you look just like Dog the Bounty Hunter.) We even saw Jared not too long ago. It's good to hear form you ladies since you're scattered all over the country. Has anyone heard from Heather or Kim? I believe they may be dead.










Here are some pics of my family. Enjoy.













Jaren is 5 Kyle is 2 1/2 and Nathan will be one next month.
Holly has a blog all about our family and what we are up to.



I'll have to look for a shameful picture from the past to post on this blog.

Kierra's Happenings

Wow. Ten years from graduation has gone by in a snap for me! I used to be cute! I loved looking through my old photos and remembering all the great times we had together as friends...I know I am being totally sappy, but its true! It doesn't help that I have zero friends here, so reminiscing is something I do quite often lately. My heart aches for you guys!


Andy has two more years-oh excuse me, 1 year 11 months and 1 day-until we say goodbye to South Carolina and military life as we know it. We like it here so far, but like I said I have no friends with the exception of a very pregnant girl in my ward who is moving in 2 months. She is totally limited, mentally and physically, on what she can do, so I am limited to playdates once a week at the park in the very hot and humid weather that I am supposedly going to learn to appreciate someday. (What the crap are they talking about? Give me Vegas ANY day!) It is miserable in the summer. And they say the worst is yet to come. YIKES! Since it is so miserable to be outside, me and my sweet little lovely, darling, and never rascally or crazy children, stay inside the house. All day. ALL DANG day. Sigh...I can't wait for school to start.


Here is a recent pic of my kids at the park (of course at the park, where else is there to go in a town where the biggest store is the local Wal-Mart?) and this is how they all look, with the exception of Sara who now has a gash in the middle of her forehead from running into the corner of a wall and getting three stitches. They have all had stitches except for Drew, and with him it is completely inevitable because he is the wildest of the bunch. That being said, they are all really cute, aren't they?

Drew (3), Nate (6), Jace (4), and Pretty Princess Sara Katy (1)

Here's to old times...when there was always something fun to do (and if there wasn't we made our own fun)...like when Winston tried on a dress in the mall for the first time (was there other times aside from the first time?)...or when we would go to a school yard and and play truth or dare (which always meant dare, and if we didn't do it we would make up stupid punishments like getting kicked hard in the rear. I still have a dent in my butt from JEREMY!)...or when we always played that singing board game whatsitcalled and the boys got sooo mad when the girls won they couldn't even think of anything else but having a go at the next game? Oooooh, I love you guys! If for nothing else, the memories!

When and Where? #1

Here are some pictures I came across the other day...I have to say they are my all time favorite as far as friend pictures go! Can you remember when and where? I know some of you weren't present during this occasion, but everyone will enjoy taking a peek! They are really fun! My scanner isn't in the best shape so the quality isn't great, but you get the idea...

Whats Happening in my life

I guess I will be the first one to blog considering I am creating it at a time when most of you are still in your warm beds-except for Kierra and Kimmy who have moved out to the East with me.

Just to give you a little update on my life. I have just finished my 4th year of teaching. I know it is hard to believe that they allow me to teach our youth, but they do, and I love it. I currently live in Washington DC still, but I will be moving back to the West in a couple of weeks, where I will start my Masters-it is about time-in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Interdisciplinary Studies and Social Studies. I will be attending ASU. It really is hard to believe that I will be moving so close to Las Vegas...in fact I am not that pumped about it. I love the East Coast and the green vegetation, not to mention the four seasons, but I know that I need to be closer to my family and my roots, so I make the long trek home. I actually will be in Vegas the end of July if anyone would like to go to dinner, or lunch, or whatever. Let me know.

I have attached a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasures.

THis one is of 10-15 of my students from 2005-2006 who decided to bombard my classroom the last day of this school year 2006-2007 in order to say goodbye. They had heard I was moving back West. It was an emotional day.

These next two are of my family. First one is us before Tyler's mission-which he gets back from in January.

Second one is during Suzy's wedding last March. We are with the Spilsbury's in this picture.

Anyway, that is pretty much me in a nut shell. I hope that everyone with update the rest of us on your lives. I am excited to hear, and see pictures of all the little ones.

By the way, Congratulations Winston! I have not been able to say that to you since your wedding.

Actually come to think of it, I don't think Winston's email was added to this blog. DOes anyone have that address?

Hello everyone! So, Kierra and I were talking the other day-okay maybe the other month-which is good for us considering we only talk, on average, once a year, which is a lot more than I can say for some of the rest of us. Anyway, enough rambling, Kierra and I were talking, and we decided because of our consistent and constant lack of communication, we needed to come up with a way to communicate with eachother indirectly-without ten hour phone calls or through voicemails. That is where this blog comes in. I do not know if any of you are bloggers, but I certainly have started to revel in this vast world of technology, and by doing so, have taken apart of blogging. I love it. I have been lured by many other profile pages such as, MySpace and Facebook, but those are expansive worlds that are open and free to anyone and everyone to view-including past and present students, which definitely makes everything awkward.

Okay, enough of the rambling. We decided that we should create a blog for "us". You know, the Vegas crew, the harmony goupies, the Barney Fyfe sycophants, whatever you want to call us. This way we can keep abreast on eachothers lives. We can share pictures of our family-in many cases your children and spouses, in mine, my parents, siblings, and students-they are family, right? We will be able to let people know whatever we deem is important or not important.

So, I hope that all of you will except my invitation to join this group. Please blog, write, send pictures, whatever it is that you can do with your free time.

I love you and miss you all.

Katy