amen!

I thought this was TOTALLY funny.
Probably because it was TOTALLY me too.

I found this on "My Happy Little Life" blog, which is great. Click title or the image to go to her blog.
This is too great.

confession :: i miss saved by the bell

books. books. books.

Okay, I know. It's been a while. But, I have a great list of excuses. One of which involved the continual Feng Shui/Clearing Clutter situation. (I keep making lists of things I WANT/SHOULD do BEFORE I turn on the computer to check/create posts)... hence, the reason for my delay.

Another excuse involves this special lady. She came to Texas to dance the Two Step---oh, and to play with Tillie (who, by the way is doing MUCH better in the "stranger anxiety" department!).

And, why post when you have FANTASTIC friends that do such a good job at it?! My darling friend, Jandee, per my request, did a post about how to find and purchase "screamin' deals" (no, she didn't use that phrase, but I thought it was appropriate). She is the MASTER at finding wonderful reads, and I thought she could tutor us all on how to build our libraries. Which, I too, fully support.

So, feel free to learn! Click HERE for the link. Thank you, JANDEE! You are the bomb diggity. Seriously.

and about our life? well, I just downloaded 403 new pictures from my camera. I have to play catch up again... sometime... in the... near... future...

just think, when it happens, you'll be SUPER surprised!!! exciting, i know! here's a sneak peak!

see you on that one day at that time we decided on...

p.s. for all you google reader people, i did a new header.

shout out.

Just wanted to give a shout out to a jerk-face dryer repairman.

Don't worry, he tried to tell me off on the phone---but, I stayed cool calm and collected (thanks to my extensive training in customer service. (yhe Mipp is to thank)) and, in the process, put him in his place. He's toast. And, not getting any more money from me. No sir.

What he will be getting, however, is a pretty nasty letter. In my first draft I used profanity like, "butt" and "butt head"---words that were banned from the Snyder household. But, yes, I was THAT mad.

Now, I have cooled off. I deleted those words. And, still have a broken dryer.

So, anyone know a good dryer repairman in the area? We're definitely looking. hA!





But, in other news, I think these peonies look nice and cheery. Here's to new spring time drawings.

Hey, can you blame me? It is like 80 degrees here.

he made it.

27 years of lots of awesome.

don't believe me?
fine.
i'll prove it.

darling baby. awesome.

curious even then?! double awesome.

doing the Chinese squat, even before you knew you'd be speaking Chinese as an adult? triple awesome.


Riding solo with the training wheels? Quadruple awesome. Leaving Steph in dust--about to fall? Not so awesome. Please deduct one awesome from your score.

always a friend. 5 awesomes.

I'm not sure if he is strapped in funny with the seat belt, or if that is Lederhosen.
Either way, this deserves 6 awesomes.

super sporty at such a young age? 7 awesomes.


I know you've seen this Jenga picture a million times, but it is SO great every time.
I STILL love this one. So, it's in the list again. 8 awesomes.

9 awesomes in the new roller hockey gear. yeah! Good form!

the sunglasses? hmm... that is MINUS 3 "awesomes". Sorry, babe.
But, you are still an adorable 17 year old.

The thigh high waders? I'll have to deduct another "awesome" but, because you are so happy and fun in this pose,
you have earned a 10 awesomes.

here you are in your dream state... Alaska. Because you love it so much there, I'll give you 12 awesomes.


As a missionary in San Jose WITH darling children adorning you? Yes, that is worth a lot. 13 awesomes.

in Tahiti posing it up BY YOURSELF? That deserves 14 awesomes.

the temple in the photo automatically adds 15 awesomes to your score. Good work.

Posing next to the scary lion in China on your solo adventure? 16 awesomes.


letting me paint your face? 17 awesomes. Were we dating then? Yes.
Would you let me do that NOW? hmmm... maybe not.

again, posing somewhere you wouldn't have normally chosen, but did it for me in front of the yellow rose bush?
That deserves 18 awesomes.

Being so darn cute? 19 awesomes.

Pretending you are a raptor of some sort? Well, for the dorky-ness of it all, I will have to deduct ONE awesome,
but because it endears you EVEN MORE to me, I will add 20 awesomes to your score.

having the idea to tandem bike across the Golden Gate Bridge? 21 awesomes.

Speaking Chinese in China Town, San Fran when they didn't expect it? 22 awesomes.

Taming the wild jungle that was our back yard? 23 awesomes.

Being a rad dad, darling husband, and OH! SO MUCH MORE!!---that adds 27 awesomes to your total score (sorry, I ran out of steam and didn't have the energy to find four more photos). So... since you are so good with numbers--- you figure out the total.

Lots of love to the big birthday boy.
xoxo,
melis

little miss 9 month smarty pants.

what a nut.
this blog has been lacking in the Little Miss department. So, without further adieu, may I present, Tillie Mae. (I was thinking that I would write, "for her aunts, uncles and mostly her grandparents" but really, you will all benefit from these smiles. So, I won't apologize that there are A LOT of pictures).
Thanks.

this next one you will see her concentration face. She does this with her lips when she is really focused.
It kills me. So funny.

A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE for this little dear. You couldn't tell, could you? Nope. Didn't think so.

you don't know what you have...

The old adage is true: You don't know what you have, until it's gone.

Ain't it the truth?
Health, childhood bliss, and for me--a dryer. Yes, team, we have been fortunate enough to own a washer and dryer these past three years. And, boy, I have LOVED them fiercely. I spend almost every day with one of them.

Well, I hate to report that the dryer has stopped drying. Apparently, Aaron is going to try his hand repairing it this Saturday. He thinks that the "Heating Element" is broken. Now, does he know much about dryers? Nope. Has he ever fixed one? Nope. Should we start praying for our dryer? Yes. (no offense, hon).

No, really, I am glad that HE is going to give it a whirl, because I hear that these repair people could charge a hefty amount---so, I say, "Get out those tools, babe."

The BIG problem is this---I need clean clothes... ASAP. Luckily/Unluckily, I am caught up in my laundering, except for the WHITES. This is a problem. A big problem.

So, I guess I'm gonna do what our forefathers did, back in the day. Hang them on "the line" to dry. Now, I don't know if me OR my neighbors are going to love seeing our "unmentionables", but what-cha-gonna-do? ---------- No. I can't. I guess I'm going to go ahead and just put to use all of my hangers around the house.

That is a better idea, for everyone involved, I'm sure.

Thanks for helping me think that one through.

Here are the pictures from our 4th Anniversary Date. We decided we'd go "casual" and hit up the old ChaChos, which we love. After these pictures, I know you'll love it too. Thank you TexMexAwesome. Oh, and we let Matilda come too. She begged and begged, so we caved in. She loves a good quesadilla (just kidding, she only is acquainted with Gerber products, so quit stressin').

I'm doing a 4 with my fingers. Clever. Sheesh, I know.

Good times.

P.S. On the Christmas post, my lovely sister, Becca, mentioned that I wrote about Adam's single-ness and she'd also like to post that SHE, TOO, IS AVAILABLE. :) Here's a picture, in case you want to take her out on the town. Oh, and did I mention, she LOVES to cook.

the MOTHAH load.

"It's Christmas time and time for a carol..." oh wait! yeah, that was a WHILE back, wasn't it?
oh well.
I'm posting pictures NOW. And, for most of you, you won't care. And, that's okay, because I don't care about a lot of your Christmas family pictures either. :) hA! There I said it!

But, because we have a darling sibling in North Carolina who wasn't a part of this year's festivities, AND our family loves to see pictures of themselves---here we go!

These are NOT in reverse order of when they happened... so, you will literally be REWINDING when you see them.

Enjoy.

The annual Snyder family Christmas picture.

Matilda in my my mom's new craft room. She was gutsy and painted the walls LIME green
and I helped her make these darling pillows. Pretty fun, eh?

hanging at the Snyder home.

Notice Matilda's big konk on her forehead. The day before she lost her balance and tipped right into the molding of the laundry room door. I, of course, was terrified, thought I should rush her to the E.R., b/c it created a HUGE goose-egg right away and turned purple within 30 seconds... but, I had my mom come home from a meeting and she helped me check it out. We have a feeling that the incident was the first of many bonks. Sad day. What a dolly!

hanging with friends. we love adam and ashley. too bad I look like I just woke up.

Tillie chillin' in the SIT UP position. Good girl. And, playing with Aunty Becca.

Baby Shower for Rachy Roo! (who has now given birth to a darling little COHEN!!!)
Look at this crazy bunch of girls, all of whom I love so much!
These group shots seem to change a bunch over the years?! :)

chillin with the snyder family at winger's (a utah county stand-by). I HATE that sign in the back.
It makes me gag every time I read it.

got to chill with our favorite washitonians...chris-face and kem-sters! holla!

aaron and I went on a "real" date by ourselves and this was the decor at the restaurant.
Don't worry the lovely stetson featured below has REAL SHADES on.
Truly, the dark sunglasses are REAL. Glued on. Looking awesome.

My reaction to the awesome portrait. Perhaps i can commission the artist to do a rendering of me!!? Aaron looks drugged in this shot, but, I assure you, he is on a NATURAL high from the beautiful painting.

Christmas at the Wood's!!
The senior portrait is in loving memory of our favorite missionary who is currently in North Carolina.
HOLLA to TYLER! I love that someone brought that out.

Caden showcasing his new monster beanie that yours truly made. All the little cousins got one.

our attempt to get a group shot. Lydia and Matilda's hats had a bow and puckered lips...
you know, to make them a bit more feminine.

Matilda didn't really care about the presents this year. But, she did, however, LOVE the wrapping paper.

Gotta love Klinton's reaction to his "creeper seat". Now, if that isn't sheer joy, I don't know what is.

Playing with the goods.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. These two played GREAT together! Max and Matilda... about 10 months apart,
but they look so similar in these pictures! Too cute. How fun to have such darling cousins!

The Wood house at night! Good job capturing this, Aaron.

Grandpa Wood's birthday is on Christmas Eve. Look how excited he is to blow out his candles!

Random Christmas shots we love.

Mr. Adam featured below. Yes, ladies, he is single. :)

Caden and I whoopin' it up at Ping Pong. I acted like I was a champion, but I'm not THAT great.

Tillie Mae with Grandma Petty. We sure do love that lady!

More of the darling duo...

Grandma Wood and the kiddos.

***Okay, you made it through all the Christmas fun. Good work.
You deserve some sort of prize. Look at how grateful Matilda is.

The end.