Early Christmas Celebration

My group of friends and I had a gift exchange today. Check out our tiny little Christmas tree.

Christmas Shopping Woes

Okay, I'm grateful for our family's tradition of drawing names so that we only have to buy for one person. It makes the shopping easier on my creative juices and wallet. But I always seem to be stuck with the hardest people to shop for. This year is NO exception. Not only that, but I have had boys as my people for the last 4 years. Joel, Dan, Adam, and then Aaron. Isn't that funny? ;) Some say boys are easier to shop for because they are more easily contented, but I find it easier to give gifts to girls because I relate to them better.

I was thinking back to past Christmases and some of my favorite gifts that have come as a result of the name-drawing. I came up with a few classics:

*Michelle's leather pants from Aaron-the subsequent tears that resulted
*When Dan had me and gave me ONE SHOE.
*When Dan had Michelle and gave her a can of applesauce from the food storage. (I believe he gave her a real gift later.)
*When Dan had me (wow, dan! you've made the classics three times) and gave me a box of dollar-tree treasures, including a baseball calendar, a rubber mallet, those stones you stick in fishtanks, and a huge plastic doorbell in the shape of red lips. I took those to spanish 1 class with senior landers and they were confiscated.
*When I gave Aaron a rugby ball last year but he didn't read the nametag so he assumed it was from our parents and said "Thanks, Mom and Dad!". Kind of awkward, because I didn't want to say "umm...actually..."
*That Christmas when Marie and Adam were first married and exchanged a great plenty of gifts
*Joel's cute cardboard constructions...tender!

Can't think of any more at the moment...does anyone else have input?

Quotes

Recently I've been introduced to the quotes of a stand-up comedian named Mitch Hedberg. Disclaimer: My friends have only told me his good jokes and I believe the rest of his stuff is full of language, but I would like to share some of my favorite squeaky-clean quotes with you! (Sorry to Celeste, Jen, Nathan, and Michelle, they've heard these possibly a million times.)

"Once I had a parrot that talked, but it did not say 'I am hungry,' so it died."

"I was walking by a dry cleaner at 3 a.m., and it said "Sorry, we're closed." You don't have to be sorry. It's 3 a.m., and you're a dry cleaner. It would be ridiculous for me to expect you to be open. I'm not gonna walk by at ten and say, "Hey, I walked by at three, you guys were closed. Someone owes me an apology. This jacket would be halfway done!"

"Vending machines are big part of my life, I like when you reach into the vending machine to grab your candy bar and that flap goes up to block you from reaching up, that's a good invention, before that it was hard times for the vending machine owners, "What candy bar are you getting?", "That one, and every one on the bottom row!"

"When I was a boy I used to lay in my twin sized bed at night, wondering where my brother was."

"I got a king sized bed. I don't know any kings, but if one came over, I guess he'd be comfortable. "Oh, you're a king, you say? Well you won't believe what I have in store for you! It's to your exact specifications!"

"I think Bigfoot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Bigfoot is blurry, and that's extra scary to me. There's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside. Look out, he's fuzzy, let's get out of here."

"I order the club sandwich all the time, but I'm not even a member, man. I don't know how I get away with it."

"The worst way to get killed would be with an arrow. Think about it, the cops would walk by, see the arrow sticking out of my chest, and say 'Hey look at that dead guy. Let's go this way.' "

Again, these are the few quotes of his that are clean, but I sure think they're funny.

:)

The Good Times at College

Hey All! Here are some pictures of my crazy fun adventures at the Y! In no particular chronological order because I had a difficult enough time uploading the pictures anyway.


Breann and I getting ready for the Halloween dance. I was Barbie's best friend Theresa (kind of a stretch...you could also call me "ethnically diverse barbie" or "culturally aware barbie") and Bre was scary spice.

A group of us at the MIDNIGHT PREMIERE OF TWILIGHT. I have no idea how we convinced those guys to come with us.


Homecoming! My date and Bre's, looking oh so dandy. The sliver of face in the corner belongs to Jeff.

Bre and I at the dance.

Dinner beforehand- we had something like eighteen people in our group.


Bre, her roomie Megan and I at a Volleyball game.

So far- the latest I've stayed up has been four in the morning and I don't think I'll ever push past that. Some of my friends have been up till 8 am...I don't think so.

LOVE YOU!

Birthday!!!

I just wanted to say thank you for all the calls and happy birthday wishes from yesterday! It was great to talk to all of you. Celeste, the message your class left on my phone was PRECIOUS. And Marie, when I heard you and Spencer singing I almost cried it was so cute and made me miss him so much. Emma sounds like she is becoming quite the little lady!

Anyway, thanks again!

Painting

My friend sent me this painting he did of me with a cougar and BYU. For my birthday. Kind of...well, it's a really cool painting, I just have no idea what to do with it now. I kind of don't want to hang a painting of myself up on the wall. Any ideas of what I should do with it?

Can You Tell This Is A Girl's Freezer?

4 cartons of ice cream. Whoa.

I Still Have a Sister!

I ran into Michelle by chance between classes today. It never ceases to amaze me how out of the 30,000 students at BYU, I randomly see my sister and recognize her. It's a real treat to chat with her nowadays, because she NEVER answers her cell phone and we're both so busy with school. I think she and I are going to have a sister's night with Celeste this Saturday...that should be a lot of fun.

I'll try to post some Homecoming pictures soon, Love you all!

Misdeeds

Two nights ago my friends and I were walking outside of our apartment building when we heard a huge "BOOM!!!" and saw a large amount of smoke billowing from between two buildings across the street. Everyone froze, and then (intelligently) ran to the place where it had happened. Using the light from our cell phones, we ascertained that nothing had caught fire. No damage had been done at all, it seemed, and the only thing we could find was the remains of a plastic bottle.

About a half hour earlier my friend and I had seen 4 guys driving around the parking lot. They were older and didn't look like they went to BYU, if you know what I mean. One of them was wearing a trenchcoat. My friend said that she had seen those guys hanging out in between the buildings before the explosion occurred. When the police came, she and I were called to testify.

Apparently the explosion was a dry ice bomb. It was pretty scary. No one was hurt, but it's freaky that someone would do that. Last month someone lit a bush on fire. Gee whiz, I'm glad I know karate.

I love College #2

Living in Wyview Park, I have a 30 minute walk to and from campus. I like the walking, actually. It helps me feel good to be getting that exercise since I'm not running or doing sit-ups or anything. I enjoy being far away from campus. Although I don't have easy access to classes or the cannon center, I like feeling that my school and social/home life are separate. It's nice to be able to finish class and walk home, taking that half hour to relax and clear my head before dinner and games begin! I'm told people that commute to work enjoy the separation as well, as long as the commute is a reasonable length.

I've really been enjoying listening to my ipod on these walks. I feel like my songs are a soundtrack to my life. It's funny how much my mood is lifted when I start listening and walking with the beautiful mountains in front and around me. Sounds sappy, I know. But I really love it. I was listening to MoTab's "The Spirit of God" and thinking of the pioneers crossing the mountains was really moving. It is so beautiful here, with the trees turning color and the air so cool with slight breezes.

The music helps me keep up my pace and not lag, as long as I choose the right playlist to listen from. Hairspray and High School Musical soundtracks: Great if you're running late. Very upbeat, you can't help but walk in time. Celtic Woman and Sara Mclachlan: Bad. I was a full ten minutes late to class because I chose that one morning.

So Dad, you can stop trying to get me to move to Helaman. I love Wyview! Thanks for trying , though. Love you guys!

Trina Story

Yes, even at college I discover Trina stories.

I have a roommate named Ariel who has sort of reddish hair. When I called Trina and told her this, she asked in all seriousness, "Does she have fins?"

:)

Oh Trina.

Hurray!

I made the BYU Women's Chorus! I am VERY excited about this. I heard them at a concert last November and it was like nothing I had ever heard before. The audition process was pretty...hmm...long. (Chuckle) I almost walked out of my call-back because it was taking FOREVER and I had a 30 min walk home and hadn't eaten dinner. I'm glad I stayed!

I love you all!

Melinda

Favorite Spot On Campus #1

My new favorite part of campus is the Memorial Hall in the Wilk. It's this hidden-away room full of couches and pictures of BYU students that have died in war. It's SO quiet in there, and it's a great place to take a nap.

Yesterday I slept there in between classes, which was much-needed because the night before I had stayed up late talking to some friends and playing sardines. Bad idea at night in a huge complex, by the way. We just gave up. Poor Ariel.

GO COUGARS!!!

I went to my first official football game yesterday and it was a BLAST. The team is so good. Of course we won. Poor Northern Iowa. It was the neatest experience to look around at the screaming fans and think that I am a part of this. I love BYU already. The people are so nice and friendly, and I feel so secure in an environment where most everybody believes the same things I do.

I love you all and miss you, but I am fortunately not too homesick because I have family out here, Breann Baldwin as my next door neighbor, and many good friends. I'm really pretty lucky. :)

God bless!

Melinda

Wisdom Teeth

This past Monday I got my wisdom teeth removed. I have been really nervous about this for a long time, and my anxiety was not helped by the horrible dreams I experienced the night before my surgery. I drempt that I was in Sarah's room on a rickety stretcher, awaiting the arrival of my doctor. A short, blustery japanese woman entered bearing no surgical tools. In my dream I was very upset, because I was told my doctor was a man. The woman then told me that I would have to be awake for the procedure because she didn't know how to anaesthetize. I began shouting and crying passionately "give me the drugs! You are NOT my doctor."

That morning I got up and headed to the car. I was really quiet the whole ride to Landsdowne hospital. Mom kept looking at me anxiously, I think trying to figure out if I was mad at her. It really wasn't her fault. I needed to have this done, I knew that.

The doc and I took a look at my X-Rays. He was young and had a brooklyn accent. Craig Vigilante. Doctor Vigilante? Needless to say, I was still a little apprehensive.

The surgical room was this sterile octagon of menacing-looking instruments and machines. I had to look away for the IV insertion. Sorry, I'm a wimp. I started to feel really heavy, like I was sinking within myself, and then they were done. Whoa.

I don't remember getting home, but I do recall driving by the shell and remarking to mom that gas had gone down to 3.89 a gallon. As my whole face had been numbed, it must have sounded something like "gatfh wennndun." Sweet mommy just smiled and nodded, having no idea what I had just said.

Two hours later I woke up with a big face and a lip that felt like brotwurst. (sp?)

The next few days I lived off of pudding, ice cream, yoghurt, and the occasional jell-o cup. I slept with bags of peas next to my face and endured the taunts of my family as I wrapped a white ice pack around my head and was compared to Jacob Marley.

But I am now fully recovered in body and spirit, though I have gaping holes in my gums and can safely promise that I will not swish with saltwater for a good many years.

Thanks to all who made me soup and cheered me up. :)

Hacker--Haha!

So Melinda, unsuspecting, left me alone while I was adding my link to her blog. She doesn't think that I am this sneaky. She even just walked by and declared, "Samsonite!" in a ferocious tone (the name of her new luggage for college." She also just said a most profound statement. "Look at our walls; with our lights on, they are yellow." Um...hate to break it to you, but yes. We did, indeed, paint the walls yellow two years ago. Well, a little scoop on Melinda, and a little dose of her own good medicine. Gotta keep things real here at the Cummings' house. Speaking of keeping it real--it's time to clean the bathrooms.
--Sneaky Celeste

As Youth Conference approaches and we get ready to go to Palmyra, I've been reflecting a lot on the prophet Joseph Smith and his life. Mom, Heather and I are singing in the YC choir and there is a lot of beautiful music about the restoration. My two favorite songs are "O How Great the Goodness of Our God" (mom has a solo in this song) and "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee." That last one is my favorite, because it is based on the scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants when Joseph is in jail. The words are so comforting.

You can listen to clips of them here.

I Love Trina

She can be hyper, but she can also be incredibly funny without realizing it.

I was looking for a movie to watch this afternoon while I pieced together my college quilt. Trina was allowed to join in the movie-watching fun if she vacuumed the family room first.

Trina: (done vacuuming) Don't worry, Melinda, I'll read off titles of the grown-up movies that I actually like.

Melinda smiles.

Trina: Harry Potter?

Melinda: No.

Trina: Cheaper by the Dozen?

Melinda: No.

Trina: Care Bears?

Melinda and Jenny: NO!

Melinda: Stardust? It's new, but I think it might be PG-13.

Trina: (Solemnly) Oh, then I don't think I could see it. PG-13 stands for parents and grown-ups over thirteen.

Jenny: (laughing) Do you know how many PG-13 movies you've seen? Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...

Melinda: Yeah, Trina, those are scary.

Trina: For you, not for me. I'm scared of the dark, but I'm just not afraid of any DARK LORDS.

A Moment of Silence, Please

Oh, precious van of navy blue,
With seats so wide and space so great,
We fondly do remember you,
As this Monday thou didst finally break.

We reminisce of car trips past,
Of sleepless sleeps in the narrow footwell,
Of the stuffy back where no AC didst blast,
and Aaron's "rosy," footish smell.

Thou hast carried us to Disneyworld, Utah, and Kansas
Withstood wood, boy scouts, and bandits,
Surely no other car has merit
To compare with that of thee, Oh V-8 chariot.

Mother says that this is our last 15 passenger,
All we can say, is thanks for the ride.
You will be missed by all who have ridden thee,
And by the squirrels which in your vents did abide.

And so, valiant warrior, we bid thee adieu,
With tears for the "blue bullet," that will no longer run,
But though thine earthly travels are now over,
Thy greatest journey has just begun!

A little Eulogy for our sadly out-of-commission van. It's engine was going, and it broke towing 15 scouts to camp.

Trina Story

Trina: I'm bored! There's just nothing I like to do but play on the computer.

Melinda: How about you go play outside?

Trina: No, it rained last night, and I would slip and fall.

Melinda: Why don't you call up a friend to play with you?

Trina: (evasively) No, they're all busy for the next three weeks.

Melinda: Well, why don't you read a book.

Trina: (Really frustrated by this point) No, because you just can't learn anything from them and plus, it's NON-FICTION.

Oh, the woes of a seven-year-old in the summertime.

PITH day

Trina came up to me, her mouth covered in chocolate from a hershey's syrup-and-milk concoction, and stated quite solemnly "Tomorrow is pith day."

"Pith day?"

"You know. P.I.T.H. day."

"What is P.I.T.H. day?"

(Rolling her eyes) "The fourth of July, 'party in the house' day, of course!"

Oh, of course.

Happy PITH day, everyone!

Baby Monitor

So Jen and Nathan are living with us for the summer. It has been totally awesome to have them and their son Isaac here. But it has given rise to some potentially awkward moments around the house. Firstly, there is the fact that from the side if you squint and are standing on your head, I look slightly like Jenny and have almost, but not quite been mistaken for her by Nathan. Luckily, those mistakes are few and far in between. Adam hugged me once because he thought I was Marie. I guess I'm getting used to it. Thankfully, Katy has never once mistaken me for Aaron. Silly in-laws!

Once I was up in the middle of the night because I had to go to the bathroom. I never turn on the bathroom light in such cases because it is very bright and makes a loud "whirrr" noise that wakes one up more than one wants to be woken up. This particular night, I heard eerie noises and voices issuing from what seemed to be the bathroom walls. This happened a couple of nights, until I finally realized that the noises were coming from the vent on the floor, right above the basement where Nathan and Jenny are living. They were probably just up giving Isaac a feeding. Phew!

Lastly, there is the baby monitor. It sits conveniently up on our kitchen counter so Jenny can hear Isaac cry downstairs. Today while Michelle and I were in the kitchen, we heard some loud singing come over the monitor. We recognized Nathan's voice in a passionate rendition of "Hello, Jenny" in true Louis Armstrong style. Nathan loves singing songs and substituting his wife's name in for any portion of lyric that would fit. Example: "Jenny, oh Jenny, don't listen to them...how can they say they're your friends?" or "Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Jenny...Jenny makes your heart so light."

Don't you wish your significant other would do such things? :)

The Last Gallon

Today I woke up and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast before church. I'm not a huge fan of cereal, particularly because in my family, the good and sugary ones (lucky charms, cocoa puffs) are usually inhaled by the younger ones before you have time to get out a bowl and spoon. True to form, today's box of Apple Jacks was no more than a disappointing spread of crumbs with the occasional cereal fragment. Turns out that didn't really matter...when I opened up the fridge I came upon a gallon of milk covered with the ominous, black-sharpied message: "The Last Gallon!" I shuddered in horror. One gallon of milk. To get through the entire day.

My mom usually buys about 6 gallons of milk when she goes to the store. Do you know what it means when you only have one gallon of milk for the whole family? Bowls of cereal only half-full of milk and therefore an unpleasant mixture of soggy and bone-dry cheerios. That is not good.

Here we go!

Having come to the realization that our family is sadly underrepresented in the blogosphere, I'm experimenting with this blog. I figure we need to have a tangible record of the hilarious moments in this family that too often go untold. Also, this will be a great way for us college kids (that will be me in the fall...go cougars!) to have a way to connect with the goings-on at home. I know I'll be homesick!