Melarky

Happy Anniversary Marky, I love you so much!!! I’m a lucky gal, the past 6 years have been great! I’m glad that you picked me! You really are my best friend and I love just being with you no matter what were doing.

Mark and I sledding on Christmas Eve.

I really wanted to visit the Temple this year on our anniversary. Mark and I were married in the Logan temple, and going back was a fun way to remember the promises we made to each other and to God.

Great video on temples and eternal marriage.

I’m super thankful for Marky, I love you baby and Happy Anniversary.

P.S. Another thing that totally rocks about Mark is; he wears his knitted bee hat like nobody’s business.

Merry Christmas everyone. I’ve been banned to the upstairs for a bit while Mark wraps my presents. He used to be able to con someone else to wrap them all for him (Heidi), but no luck this year. So While he is doing that I made this for Wellington. I thought he’d enjoy it. I know it’s been done before (like a million times) but it’s still fun.

Hilly and Welly

I’m really excited for Christmas this year! We even had our Christmas tree up before Nov. 15th this year. We’ve been watching all sorts of x-mas shows, listening to music, doing x-mas crafts, and baking. Christmas is so much funner with kids and even better when they are old enough to enjoy it (opening presents, visiting Santa, watching x-mas shows).

We took Welly to see Santa last year and he was pretty un-interested, but this year he thought it was more fun. We told him Santa was at the grocery store looking for presents and we could maybe see him there. Santa asked Welly what he wanted for Christmas, Welly said, “a truck”. After we were done seeing Santa we were getting our coats on and Welly looked kinda upset and said to me, “Where’s my truck?” like he just got jipped or something.

Hilly did okay on Santa’s lap, we made it quick so he wouldn’t start crying.

Plans for Christmas…finish wrapping presents, some sewing, more baking, spending time with husband and kids, sledding, and spend time with both sides of the family on Christmas day, luckily both of our families live here in Logan so visiting both Christmas day is easy.

Merry Christmas all!

Hilyard is crawling and pulling himself up. My house is not baby proof anymore, like right now as I’m typing this he’s going back and forth between chewing on a shoe and the gas bill.

Here are the movies I have left for sale. I decided to make a new list of the ones left instead of crossing more off, I was getting confused.

$1 DVD’s;
Gremlins
Sneakers
Home Fries
Million Dollar Baby
Quigley Down Under
Teletubbies: Look! Playful Patterns and Simple Shapes
Teletubbies: Go! Excerise with the Teletubbies
Deceived
Gattaca
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (edited)
The Rainmaker
Foul Play
American Beauty (edited)
Ocean’s Eleven
The Glass House
Mission Impossible 3
Shanghi Knitghts
Shanghi Noon
Best of Adam Sandler
The Rundown
Silverado
Casino Royale
Her Alibi
Secret Window
9 to 5
St. Bilko
Love Potion #9
The Haunting
The Movie Batman
Benders Big Score

$5 Boxed Sets, TV series
Sienfeld Season 6
Ghostbusters Set (movies 1 and 2)
Aqua Teen Hunger Force V.4
Aqua Teen Hunger Force V. 1
The Critic, the Complete series
Sledge Hammer Season 1
Sledge Hammer Season 2 (un-opened)
The Larry Sanders Show season 1
Arrested Development Season 3
The 4400 Season 1
The 4400 Season 2
Lost Season 1
CSI: Las Vegas, Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 (I think I lent out 5, I’ll have to track that down)
Kenny Vs. Spenny Season 1

We’re selling the bulk of our DVD collection! Mark and I decided last night we just don’t use or buy DVD’s anymore. We mainly use our computer to store movies then we stream them over our wireless connection to our xbox, anyway, long story short we have over 100 DVD’s that we’d like to sell. I think it’s a good deal, but keep in mind they are used so some might have scratches or skips so buy at your own risk.

Don’t worry, the Pirates of The Caribbean moive was saved from baby, I just had to post this one, cause his baby hand was so cute.

DVD’s are $1 and boxed sets or television seasons are $5 (that’s where the good deal comes in, for example our Seinfeld season that we bought for like $30 was opened but never watched).

Here is the list I have so far…If you see one or two, or ten you’d like, email me and let me know at mel@melarky.com.

$1 DVD’s;
Spiderman 1
Spiderman 2
Spiderman 3
Goonies
Gremlins
Sneakers
Three Amigos
Dr. Suess’s How The Grinch Stole Chirsmtas
Mary Poppins
Big Top Pee Wee
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Batman Begins
50 First Dates
October Sky
Dumb and Dumber
Home Fries
Meet the Robinsons
Million Dollar Baby
Big Fish
Popeye (the live action movie)
Babe: Pig in the City
Napoleon Dynamite
Wallace and Gromitt
Quigley Down Under
Superman Returns
Teletubbies: Look! Playful Patterns and Simple Shapes
Teletubbies: Go! Excerise with the Teletubbies
Deceived
Gattaca
The Burbs
Rush Hour
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (edited)
The Italian Job
The Rainmaker
Forget Paris
Foul Play
American Sweethearts
The Saint
American Beauty (edited)
Stuart Little
Antz
Ocean’s Eleven
What lies Beaneath
The Others collectors edition
The Glass House
Mission Impossible 3
The Village
Shrek
IRobot
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Notting Hill
Shanghi Knitghts
Shanghi Noon
Gone in 60 Seconds
Master and Commander
Best of Adam Sandler
Hancock (un-opened)
The Rundown
Silverado
Raising Arizona
The Golden Child
Casino Royale
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Her Alibi
Hulk
About a boy
Bedazzled
Secret Window
9 to 5
St. Bilko
Never Been Kissed
Love Potion #9
School of Rock
Pirates of the Carribean 1
Armageddon
The Haunting
Muppet’s take Manhattan
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Movie Batman
Benders Big Score

$5 Boxed Sets, TV series
Sienfeld Season 6
Lord of the Rings; Two Towers (this is the set with the extened/directors cut)
Lord of the Rings; Return of the King (this is the set with the extened/directors cut)
Lord of the Rings; Fellowship of the Ring (this is the set with the extened/directors cut)
Ghostbusters Set (movies 1 and 2)
30 Rock Season One
Aqua Teen Hunger Force V.4
Aqua Teen Hunger Force V. 1
The Office Season 1
The Critic, the Complete series
Sledge Hammer Season 1
Sledge Hammer Season 2 (un-opened)
The Larry Sanders Show season 1
The Office (British version) Series 1 +2 + the Special
Arrested Development Season 1
Arrested Development Season 2
Arrested Development Season 3
The 4400 Season 1
The 4400 Season 2
Lost Season 1
CSI: Las Vegas, Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 (I think I lent out 5, I’ll have to track that down)
Indiana Jones Movie collection
Extras Season 2
Extras Season 1
Kenny Vs. Spenny Season 1
Narnia: the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Futurama Season 1

I actually have a bunch more to list, so if you didn’t see anything you want check back for the next list. I’m going to list these on KSL classifieds soon, so let me know soon what you want!

P.S. If you want some and you don’t live nearby, like you need them mailed to you, just know that I can’t pay for shipping and I’m kind of a procrastinator, but I’ll do my best.

One of my favorites things to do is to turn on some music and dance with my kids. My kids happen to be the only ones that have REALLY seen all my moves, and It will probably stay that way. When Welly was younger I would hold him and dance with him in the kitchen. He’s a little heavy to hold up now but we hold hands sometimes and dance. Welly has always loved music too and even at a young age would bop his head to the beat, raise the roof, or do a little jazz hands move. Lately he’s obsessed with knowing what the song is called or who sings it. In the car he’ll ask, “What’s this song called?” and if you don’t happen to know he gets kinda ticked. He also sometimes demands that “Everybody dance now” he used to just say “Everybody dance” but we helped him add the “now” part cause of a line from the Show “30 Rock”. Anyway, Welly is my little music baby and I love it.

Recently I’ve been on a Neil Diamond kick (okay really it’s just like two or three songs, but they are so darn catchy) and the other day I happened to be watching a video of a song of his called, “Cherry, Cherry” when Welly asked, “Who’s that guy?” I replied, “That’s Neil Diamond”, and came back with, “He’s a cool guy huh?”

Yes Welly. He is a cool guy.

I put together a little video of my boys dancing, set to the music of “Cherry, Cherry” because that song makes ME want to dance (but sorry none of me dancing in this video, only my nonjudgmental kids should be subjected to that) and because maybe watching this video a bunch will help me get this song out of my head. I really made this video though because nothing makes me happier than to see my kids dancing and having fun.

TURN IT UP!!!!!!(there’s nothing like blasting some Neil Diamond)

Wondering what the boys are Really dancing to on the video’s? Ratatouille DVD menu, Defontes, Pitbull, Led Zepplin, the Ren and Stimpy opening theme music, a weird music player with like 5 nursery rhyme songs on it, BTO, and Great Heights by the Postal Service (that dance was pretty funny because he came running in my room where I was listening to it, and he stood and danced for the entire song, unprovoked with his little up and down bouncing and he had a serious look on his face the whole time like he was a robot programmed to dance, he kept dancing till the very last note and then when the song finished he ran off).

I wanted to share this picture with everyone cause it shows just what a patient Dad Mark is. Not only is he patient but he’s a fun Dad as you can see by this picture of Wellington putting a laundry basket on his Dad’s head while he’s trying to work on the computer. I just wanted to tell Mark thank you for all you for us and all the help you give me although your busy with work and school.

Mark took his last final for this semester today and I just wanted to tell him that I’m proud of him for working so hard this semester. Biology is behind you now and you can move on (and I can help you study for a test without wanting to poke my eyes out with boredom)! It always amazes me how you can work so little in class and get such good grades, you just must be a genius! (Okay, that sounds kinda bad, he does work at it, but he makes it seem effortless) I love you baby, you rock my world!

It’s hard for me to think rationally at 5:00 in the morning. I went to bed late and now Hilyard was up screaming. I was sure it was his teething. I try to nurse him, pat his back and his bum (he likes it), rock him back to sleep, walk around with him, leave him to cry it out. None of it was working. I was getting frustrated. I had to go to the bathroom so he came along with me as to not wake up his Dad. We went into the bathroom and turned on the lights and the fan, he instantly was quiet and happier. I sat him on the floor. I looked at him and he had one eye closed, kinda like a pirate. It was closed shut with whatever goo was coming out of his eye. I felt bad. I couldn’t see in the dark that his eye was closed over, no wonder he was crying. I lifted him up to wash it off with a warm wash cloth. He hated it of course but I held him against my shoulder and got him all cleaned up, then I felt something wet on my arm where his right ear had been against my shoulder. I looked at his ear and could see stuff rapidly draining from his ear, it was slightly alarming (slightly because we were told when he had his tubes placed in his ears 6 months ago that there might be some drainage, but in all the six months it had never happened so I was a bit surprised). It was time to wake up his Dad.

Hilly that morning.

My husband is going into Audiology and he’s beginning to be our very own ear expert. He currently is a hearing instrument specialist intern (we’re just waiting on him to take his practical exam and finish up the hours required for the certification) and he’s also going up to USU working towards his Communicative Disorders degree, and then onto audiology grad school to become an Audiologist like his dad, if they’ll have him. Anyway, he reassured me it was fine and that the tubes were just doing their job, that it was probably an ear infection and that we would get it checked out that day. Mark took him downstairs, gave him a priesthood blessing and rocked him to sleep. Daddies are great! And I’m ever grateful for the powerful and comforting blessings of the priesthood.

Later that day, about 4p.m. we took him in to see his ENT. Dr. Bennion was the doctor who placed his tubes in when Hilly was 2 months old. He’s been a great ENT and very helpful. He confirmed the ear infection and wrote us a prescription for some drops. He said that the tubes were still in place (they are known to fall out about now and if they did we would’ve had to get them surgically re-done. That would have sucked! So thankfully they were still in). He also said there was a lot of build up of (Ewww! here comes the really gross part) wax, puss, blood and what-not and that he could flush that out for us.

Hilly when he was two months old and going in for surgery.

He took us into a room with an exam table, a large overhead light, and lots of tools. They had me hold Hilly’s arms over his chest and kinda lean on top of him so he couldn’t move his body. The nurse held onto his head while the Doctor inserted a sort of funnel into his ear. He filled a syringe with antibiotics and shot it down in his ear. It didn’t hurt, but Hilly was screaming at the top of his lungs because he HATES being restrained (what baby doesn’t?). The scariest for him was the suction part, its really loud in your ear, it didn’t hurt but Mark said it probably sounded like a tornado in his ear. At one point the Doctor told the nurse she wasn’t holding his head still enough. I understand because one slight wrong bump or move could really hurt his ears, but it must have been really tight because Hilly came away with finger marks on his forehead and temple as well as a slight bruise that is just starting to go away.

We were most surprised by the golden ear drops he was prescribed. Golden you ask? No the weren’t a golden color, but they just might have well been real gold cause they cost as much as gold. Yikes! Even with insurance they were $102.00 for the tiniest bottle. Crazy! We asked if there was a generic brand for that, but there wasn’t.

He’s almost done with his run of antibiotics, and he’s doing better. He’s been irritable but I’m chalking that up to his teething. His Dad has taken special care of his ears, cleaning them carefully when they get ooky, putting his drops in for me while I distract him. Mark has been a big help. Mark’s Dad has also been very helpful, towards the end of the course of anitbiotics the draninage got pretty thick (ewe I know) and plugged up his ears pretty bad, so with his experincend skilled hand cleaned them out for us.

Hilly’s Dad and Pappy cleaning out his ears.

When this whole thing began, I was really worried that having a baby with tubes in his ears would really be hard, but it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. I’m just a little careful in the tub. I don’t pour water over his head to rinse out the shampoo. We don’t get too crazy or splashy with water. Over the summer we took him to the swimming pool with us and we just let him put his feet in (sorry bud). We’re hoping it continues to be easy and that the tubes stay in place as long as there supposed to.

We have a new favorite recipe site, BigOven.com. Mark actually got me on to it. He kept talking about it but I didn’t really check it out until (I hate to admit this) he said it was like Facebook for recipes (nerd!).

I finally got on and started looking through the recipes and now I love it. We’ve been submitting recipes, pictures, updating our “what’s for dinner status” (like leaving a facebook status…) and leaving our reviews and comments to recipes we’ve tried. They have a handy app for the iphone that I use pretty often when I can’t think of what to fix for supper, but they have the same thing on the main site too. You just input one, two or three ingredients and it will come up with recipes that include those ingredients. The other day I did just that and after telling it I had chicken and bisquick it came up with this recipe, which turned out to be easy (even the cooking challenged could do this one), fast and yummy.

My husband and three year old liked it, so that’s always a good sign. I’d make it again. The recipe didn’t have a picture, I hate that, I like to see what I’m making, so we submitted this picture to the bigoven site for them.

We served it with Cheese Garlic Biscuits, mashed potatoes and country gravy. I know, no veggies, my mother-in-law is so disappointed in me right now.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Bisquick
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine melted

Preparation
Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray (I used a 8×8 baking dish because the pieces of chicken were on the small side).
In shallow dish, mix Bisquick mix and pepper (we used our homemade bisquick mix). Into another shallow dish, pour the ranch dressing. Coat chicken with dressing, then coat with Bisquick mixture, pressing so coating sticks to chicken. Place in pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes.

You can also check out the Ranch Chicken Recipe on BigOven.

Sign up with bigoven and start sharing your recipes. Others can review and rate them. You can keep track of your favorite recipes, and ones you’d like to try. You can even win money by entering their food photo of the month contest.