Master Closet

Ed spent the last two weekends renovating our master closet. It was big enough, but with only one bar around the perimeter, it didn't offer a good way of organizing our clothes.   I'm posting before and after pictures. My side of the closet is first, then Ed's side. 

I designed the new closet in Coreldraw, and I also helped paint the shelf supports. Other than that I tried not to get in the way too much.

I'm thrilled with the results! I'm hoping that when Ed's aching body recovers from the rigors of construction work, he'll also be able to relax, look on his handiwork and contemplate the joys of having a place for everything and everything in its place! Thank you Ed!

Powerless

We're without power this morning. Now that it's light outside I'm considering attacking the driveway. That ought to warm me up! It looks like we got about 10 inches of snow yesterday. Too bad Ed isn't here to enjoy it withme!

House Concert with Ken Perlman and Alan Jabbour

We're hosting a house concert February 24th, Thursday, at 7:30 for Ken Perlman and Alan Jabbour. We first met them 10 years ago at Rocky Mountain Fiddle camp and have loved their music ever since. Their joint album, Southern Summits is really terrific. Let me know if you'd like to attend the concert, and we'll save you a seat!

Snow Day

It's snowing today, and Ed is out of town! However, he left me with a full tank of gas in the snowblower! Perhaps I'll crank it up later and see if I remember how to use it. Sadly, we had to cancel band practice, but I can use the time to stay home and get caught up on things.

It's quite beautiful outside. When I need a break from working on the computer I'll just snuggle up with Coda in the conservatory and watch the snow fall.

Peregoy Cousin

While I was in Utah last week I was going over some genealogy with my mother. When we came across the name Peregoy I remembered June Crue, my visiting teaching partner, telling me a story about her Peregoy ancestors. So, I came home and did a little research with June. It turns out we are related through the Peregoys, the Coles, and possibly a few other Baltimore lines! It is amazing to me to be related to her! She is a convert to the church, and has no family in Utah! I'm so happy to have family in Baltimore, and I couldn't be happier that June is my cousin.

It gets even better, as we both descend from George Calvert, Lord Baltimore himself!  I didn't realize I would be coming home when we moved to Maryland!

Amanda Goes to the MTC

We took Amanda to the Mission Training Center today. Ed Melzer got up early and fed Ed Bush before he went to the airport. He (Ed Bush) had stopped over in Utah for the day, and continued on to his business trip to California this morning. Amanda got out of bed early to give her dad a hug and share a few tears. Amanda said goodby to Grandma and Grandpa, and we left to run a few last errands before dropping her off at the MTC.

We had to return to Jdawgs to enjoy a polish dog together before dropping Amanda off. We last went there with Crystal the day she went to the MTC. We have started a tradition. Too bad we've run out our daughters!

Brittany and I got our last hugs and shed a few tears at curbside, where Amanda and her luggage was whisked away by the elders who met our car. We're sitting around tonight wondering what she is doing, who her new companion is, and even what she had for dinner! I guess we'll have to wait till next week to find out!

Last Supper

We had a family dinner last night, which was a real Thanksgiving feast! Nikki cooked the turkey, and Annette brought the sweet potatoes. Grandma made a great oatmeal cake for dessert. Amanda, here with her Aunt Annette, is looking at Nikki's award winning photo.

Eli and Isaac, our Colorado cousins, also came. It's nice they live in Utah now so they could drop in! I'm sure they'll feed Amanda well in the Mission Training Center, but good food and the company of loving family members is a warm memory for Amanda to take to the MTC this afternoon!

What Price Beauty?

Amanda was fortunate to have her picture taken yesterday by her cousin Nikki, who is a world class photographer! She had just come home to Provo after receiving an award in Texas the night before from the Professional Photographers of America. She is very creative and really understands how to work with light. This photo shoot involved some sitting out in the cold with no coat in the middle of a snowbank. The beautiful photos she took were well worth the sacrifice!

What's for Lunch?

Hot Pot! Brittany and John took us to their favorite restaurant in Provo. John likes to talk Chinese to his friend, the proprieter. They give you a boiling pot of broth and spices. Then, you put in your meat and vegetables and wait for them to cook. It was delicious and adventurous at the same time. Despite my love for adventure we didn't add any of the squid to our pot!

What's for Breakfast?

Omelette! Ed made us a delicious omelette for breakfast. It's nice to be here and be able to visit with him and Mom. Their lives are anything but dull! It is good to be back in the dry west. Amanda and I had fun flapping our blankets at night. The static in them made sparks all over the bed! We had never experienced that before. It was just like fireflies in the bedroom!

Coda Goes to the Airport

Coda accompanied us to the airport yesterday. Amanda will miss her dog when she goes on her mission. She's afraid Ed and I will spoil Coda rotten while she's gone. It might happen. We'll try to review her tricks now and then to make sure she doesn't forget.

Amanda and I made it safely to Utah last night. Brittany picked us up at the airport and drove us to Grandma's house in a rainstorm. It was 12:45 a.m. when we arrived, and Mom and Ed (Melzer) were still waiting up for us! They must love us a lot!

Coda's New Bed

With Amanda leaving for Provo today, we're faced with the dilemma of who's going to sleep with the dog. In an attempt to make sure it's not us, we bought Coda her own luxury bed. Hopefully, if we let her sleep in the same room with us that will be enough. We bought it at Costco and for some reason it smells like cedar. Are dogs supposed to like the smell of cedar?

Don't Run in the House!

I was running in the kitchen yesterday, and tripped (for no reason) and fell into one of the columns in the family room. As you can see from my scrape and bruise, it was very painful! Miss Carol took us out to dinner last night with Kay, Lenny and Alice (Carol's sister). It was a lovely, fond farewell dinner for Amanda. I had almost forgotten my earlier mishap when the waitress enthusiastically patted me on the arm. Ouch!

Book of Mormon Stickers

I got a Silhouette cutting machine for Christmas and have had fun this week figuring out how to use it. I made some Book of Mormon Action figure stickers for Crystal. She said people in El Salvodor like stickers. My favorite is Ammon, because I like his sheep. I also made Captain Moroni, and

Nephi (the names are written in Spanish),
and Lehi! Ed is too busy to do the artwork for me, so I had to do it myself in CorelDraw. I'm working on Mormon now. Let me know who your favorite figure is, and perhaps I will draw him or her, too! The stickers printed out great on label paper. They even will cut partially through, so they stayed on the backing paper, making them easier to peel. The machine does vinyl and many other things as well! It's pretty amazing!

You Call This Snow?

We got a few inches of snow on Monday. I'm feeling a little jealous of Colorado now, which got 8 inches Sunday. However, the kids here got out of school early on Monday and had no school at all on Tuesday!  And Colorado had business as usual!

As minor as our snow was, we had to shovel it for Ed when he got home Monday evening. His car couldn't make it down the slick driveway! Fortunately, we have a great snowblower, which is worthy of any Colorado storm!

Happy Early Birthday Amanda

We celebrated Amanda's birthday this afternoon with a flan cake. Amanda held the candles, as she didn't want any wax desecrating her precious flan! She'll turn 24 on Tuesday! We're happy to have her home with us one more week before we take her to the Mission Training Center in Provo! In the meantime we'd like to wish her a fröhlicher Geburtstag!

Say What?

Ed and I went to Stake Conference today, but didn't get a word out of it! The video at our building was fine, but the audio only worked intermittently. It was almost noon when we realized they would not be able to get it fixed. Ed asked if I wanted to leave (as had half the congregation). I said if I had stuck it out this long I could last another 10 minutes!

Amanda, who had attended at the Stake Center, told us the Stake President encouraged us to develop charity. We were not feeling the love this morning, sitting quietly in the dark for 45 minutes before anyone informed us what was going on! This ranks right up there with the week the fire alarm went off during Sacrament meeting--just as memorable, but not nearly as much fun!

Some of Amanda's Friends

Amanda's friends threw her a goodbye party last night. Ed and I were invited to the first part. This was convenient, as the party was at our house. Those that had been on missions told a story and shared a picture or two from their missions. It was a very sweet idea and personal for Amanda as she prepares to leave on her mission. I enjoyed hearing their testimonies and sharing a story of my own as well. Afterwards they ate deserts, played games, talked and stayed till midnight. It's hard to imagine how Amanda has formed such good friendships in the short amount of time she's been in Maryland. It's been a great blessing in her life, although it makes parting a little more sorrowful.

David Visit

My brother David, who lives in North Carolina, was the second sibling to stop by to visit us in Maryland. Both my brothers have been here, but none of my 4 sisters! Go figure!

We walked the fire road before dinner. Fortunately, as we walked through the farm next door Lenny thought to lend us a little flashlight. By the time we climbed up the hill to cut home through the Maisel's back yard it was very dark (and spooky). Without the flashlight we might still be wandering aimlessly in the woods!

Ed and Coda sit and visit as David cuts tomatoes for our Tuscan Shrimp on Cannelloni (white beans). It was fun catching up with David. We can't wait to visit his two homes (one in the city, and one on the water) and go boating in one of his fleet of 11 boats!

Cleaning up Christmas

As much as I love Christmas, it always feels good to pack it away in the basement for another year. As I take down the Christmas decorations I really don't remember what was there before, so it's like redecorating!

I put out two of my favorite Christmas presents on the sideboard this morning--the beautiful table runner (with Maryland cardinals on it) that Tina Bush quilted for us and the Maryland crab fan Amanda and Brittany gave me for Christmas. The crab is artistic and useful at the same time. When it gets hot this summer it will be nice to cool off with a crabby breeze.

New Year's Walk

After we slept in from our late night vigil on New Year's Eve, we worked up some energy to walk the fire road. What a great way to start the new year. Here is a great picture of Coda posing on Whale Rock.

I got everyone else to pose in the abandoned house we passed along the way. Amanda and Coda got the view from the front door.

I liked the light and different colors of the wood. in this picture of Brittany and John.

I'll bet this reminds Ed of the months we spent with our kitchen torn apart after we moved to Maryland.

I'm thinking we could use this lake cabin for our summer retreat.

Happy New Year

We rang in 2011 last night with friends and family playing ping pong, foosball, pool, Mario Cart, Disney Dance Revolution, Fives are Dead Dice and Bouncy Ball.  

Our unfinished basement was somewhat rustic, but still serviceable. Ryan and Ed played the ping pong championship with a background of quilts made by my mother and grandmother.

Mary and Mark take a relaxing moment here shortly before midnight (and way past their bedtime)!

We broke out the blowers in time to see the ball drop in Times Square (which we saw in real time this year). Kim, Joanie and Amanda get in a little practice on the horns.

Carrie and Heather prepare to celebrate the arrival of another year. 

Even Grandpa Shumway (between Mary and Ryan) woke up in time to toot his horn.

As 2010 comes to a close, our hearts are full of gratitude and memories. We think of each of you that has celebrated the new year with us in the past. We are grateful for the blessings of wonderful friendships that have blessed our lives. We are also grateful for new friends that have found room in their hearts to share their lives with us. We love you all.