Is There a Dr. in the House?

Here it is. My self-dilating pupil. It's been happening for years, but in the past few weeks it happens several times a day. Most doctors shrug, ask me if I'm on drugs, then refer me to someone else. Let's hear it - what do you think I have?

Pay It Forward

So, here's how this game works-the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or be lazy and copy and paste like I did). Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift!
Won't this be fun?

(I stole this from Jodi, because I got to her blog and only two people had commented. My comment - being the third, entitles me to a Jodi gift...which will be AWESOME!)

Johnny Five, ALIVE!

Congratulations to my new sister in law, Sierra, for being accepted to Purdue Pharmacy School. From what I hear, it's the best in the nation and very hard to get into. Here's a visual treat for all of your hard work. Apparently no one ever made a song called, 'Who's Sierra?" So I figured Johnny would be the next best thing. I realize that I'm totally dating myself when I mention that I honestly loved this song when it first came out. And, um, still kinda do...

I'm fairly sure that the cardboard, jailbird cutout of Steve Guttenberg is my favorite part. Looks like the fame of Short Circuit really got to him. I mean, why else would he refuse to be in an El DeBarge video?

I Kid You Not

While at the grocery store on Saturday, there was a woman who apparently decided she had a lot to do that day, and not enough time to get it done. When I am placed in this situation I generally do whatever seems most important at the time. Not her. She does it all. If there ever was a super-mom, it would be her. Instead of giving up her afternoon jog in order to get all the shopping done - she just decided to combine the two. Dressed from head to toe in jogging apparel, and Ipod strapped to her upper arm - this woman ran from item to item. She'd toss it in (without coming to a complete stop) and dash on to the next item. It would have made more sense if she had used a basket rather than a cart - but she had a lot to buy, so I really can't blame her.

I thought it was unbelievably funny, so the second I left the store I called Rob so we could share a good laugh. He didn't laugh like I figured he would, instead he very seriously said, " Maybe she was practicing for Supermarket Sweep."

And Then There Were Two

Within minutes of meeting someone new I almost always hear, "OH MY GOSH! You totally remind me of (insert random name here)." Then they turn to whomever they are with and say, "Doesn't she totally remind you of (again, insert name here)?" They then usually try to explain to me how they know that person and why I remind them so much of them. It really doesn't bother me, because I've decided that it makes the new people I meet feel more comfortable. Once that conversation is over I generally never think of (insert random name here) again. It's been happening consistently for years.

There is, however, one (insert random name here) that I have been dealing with for quite some time. It all started about two years ago when I was in Chicago visiting with my family. My little brother, Johnny, was talking about his best friend's girlfriend. I remember laughing and saying "Ryan has a girlfriend?" (No offense Ryan, it's just that up to this point I assumed you and Johnny were involved.) Johnny gave me the confused look and said, "Apparently!? I had no idea either. It's kind of weird though, because you guys look a lot alike." My dad then walked into the room and said, "Yeah, it was really weird, because I saw them together today and asked Johnny, 'What's Ryan doing with Melissa?' " Now I was intrigued.

Ryan's girlfriend and I got sick of hearing how much we looked and acted alike, so we decided to become friends on our own (aka, added each other on Facebook). But this past week, Helen and I were able to meet face to face at Johnny's wedding.

Luckily the world did not blow up when we met as many had predicted.

Within a few minutes of meeting eachother, Helen asked me where I got my dress. She then got a sly smile and mentioned that not only did she HAVE that dress, but that she had tried it on for the wedding - but then changed her mind. Fate. We sat by eachother at the reception dinner, and realized that we REALLY are a lot alike. So much so, that even my husband was a little bit creeped out.

Helen, I must say that I had so much fun getting to know you better, and hope that in the future we can end up at the same summer camp, get matching hair cuts, and then switch parents when the summer is over.

The nice thing about this whole experience is that when people say, "Would YOU be friends with you?" I can honestly say, "I already am."

Day 4: Hidden Talents

I always knew Greg was a soul-sista, but Mandy came as a complete shock. Rob is OBVIOUSLY overjoyed with our karaoke.

Day 2: The Reception

I was watching Maddie so closely - that I didn't notice Abby waiting for her picture to be taken. I LOVE how long she just stands there. Sorry, Abs!

I kid you not, Maddie twirled for at least fifteen minutes straight.

Day 2: The Wedding, Part 1

John and Sierra Kopp

March 7, 2009

These are two of my favorite moments from this trip: my flower girl, and watching Johnny cry as Sierra walked up the aisle.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation, by Melissa Wilson

We're home! And much to my surprise, I took 160 pictures while in Chicago. I'll do my best do limit my daily photo posting, but I hope my other follower (my brother Dan let me know that he was one of my two followers) can forgive the mass amount of Kopp family fun they missed out on.

Day 1: Semi-Frozen Lake Michigan

The Funk

I've been in a bit of a funk lately. My mind hasn't been in blogging mode - which is okay because nothing has been happening anyway. I was blaming my blech mood on my still-yucky-post-baby-body, and starting to get really down on myself. I'm not one of those people that bounce back quickly with my weight. Even though I don't gain a ton while pregnant, I still hold on to a few extra pounds for months. As a general rule, my body likes to be back to normal one month before I get pregnant again...not a good cycle. However, new light has been shed on my miserable state. Apparently it's not all hormones - it's (wait for it....) Mononucleosis. Yep, somehow I managed to NOT get Mono in high school (the ideal time for laziness and missing school) but when I'm tied up with three kids, a husband who's always gone, and the ONLY week I'm traveling for the next seven months. JUST. MY. LUCK.

There is ONE positive thing about this so-called-Mono. Apparently, I'm not allowed to exercise with this virus because it tends to enlarge the spleen. It may sound backwards, but at least while feeling like crap I can make excuses for the still-yucky-post-baby-body that I am so frustrated with. I can think things like, "It's okay that you look like this; you have mono and there's REALLY nothing you can do." Then I'll satisfy my angst with, "You'd look great if you didn't have mono. You'd have the energy to exercise EVERY day."

With this new revelation, I no longer feel guilty about my absence in the blogging world. And ask that anyone that follows this blog (and yes, I mean both of you) will forgive me for leaving you out of my daily grind. I promise to start again soon.

I ask that in lieu of flowers and donations, you send me comments filled with links of great online shopping. I heart online window shopping.

Maddie was dying to wear Jessica's scarf to dinner, so we tried to tide her over with, "You can't have a scarf AND a necklace..." Madelyn immediately took off her necklace and gave it to Jessica. Being the great aunt that she is, she happily made the trade and wore Maddie's homemade necklace to dinner. You're the best, Jess.

Random Hilarities

Here are a few random things that I have seen/heard/experienced over the past week. I'm still secretly laughing at all of them.

1. As Rob and I were getting our kids seated at McDonald's last weekend, I overheard the tail end of the conversation from the table behind us. Eight very different men (from suits to toothless) were having this conversation:
"I don't know....I don't think mail order brides are so bad. I mean, I know this guy who has a mail order bride - and she makes the best fruit salad."

2. While watching THIS story on TLC, the doctor mentioned that his patient had gained a little bit of weight. She (being only eight) was distressed, and asked her doctor what foods she shouldn't eat. The doctor said that he wasn't going to tell her what she couldn't eat, but what she needed to add to her diet. He told her to add five servings of fruit, and five servings of vegetables to her diet. Her father, in ALL honesty (which explains some of the problem) asks the doctor, "Is popcorn considered a vegetable?" The doctor somewhat baffled responds, "Uh, no, I probably wouldn't consider that a vegetable."

3. Rob and I spent the weekend in Park City. Upon arrival we stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some junk food, which included a seven layer bean dip. When we got home, I pulled out a chip and dug in. The dip tasted AWFUL. I made Rob try it, and he agreed that something wasn't right with the dip. We sat there making that "what is that taste?" face and lip smack, and came to the conclusion that it tasted like wasabi. I thought it was a little ridiculous that the store would add Wasabi to the bean dip and not mention it on the label, so I decided to take it back. When I mentioned the problem to the lady at the service desk, she rolled her eyes, and explained that there was a "new guy" working at the Deli. She took the dip over to him, handed him a chip, and said, "Try your guacamole." Apparently the man took a big old scoop - and then ran to the sink to wash out his mouth. The entire green layer was wasabi. They happily refunded our $12.

4. While at the salad bar of another restaurant a little boy ran up to his mother and yelled, "MOM!!! My friend is here!" His mother was very kind - and humored his excitement with questions like, "Who is it?" and "How do you know him?" I didn't really pay attention to the conversation, but when I walked back to my table - the boy (probably eight years old) was hovering over our table and talking to Jude. Jude (along with the rest of us) was staring at him with total confusion. From our table he yells, "MOM! Here's my friend!!" The mom asks him, "Does he go to your school?" I shake my head and say, "Um, he's only two." She again asks her son again how he knows him, and his response was, "I saw his face once before. I'll never forget that face."

5. Last night our friend Brandon went to introduce himself to Rob's sister and got ahead of his words. Rather than saying, "Hi, I'm Brandon - nice to meet you," he said, "Hi, I'm nice."

What a week.

Blessed.

Rob vs. Dad

For Christmas this year, my dad sent all of his kids/kids-in-law/grand kids gift cards to their place of choice. The kids and I needed clothes, so we asked for Gap gift cards. Rob is always looking for electronics of any sort, so he asked for a Best Buy gift card. On Christmas Eve we opened the package from my dad, and to much surprise - there was no gift card inside of Rob's Best Buy envelope. I went back and forth on whether or not I should mention it to my dad, but I finally decided that he'd be much happier knowing it was lost than finding out that his gift was spent by someone else on something awful (ie a Celine Dion album). I called up my dad, and Best Buy sent him a replacement card which he then forwarded to us. We received it today - with NINE pieces of tape holding it to the letter. That doesn't include the glue that was already on the back of the card.

Thanks, Dad, it arrived safely this time.

Since receiving his very well adhered gift card, I've been comparing my dad and Rob in my head (this is because Rob is really the only other person I can see taping a card down SOOOO well). I wrote a post a while back on how much Rob reminded me of my father which can be viewed HERE. Both are perfectionists. Both are ridiculously organized, and both are very efficient. All in all, I have always felt they had a lot in common. That was until Rob said, "I've been reading a lot lately, and I think I'm a communist." And I, in absolute seriousness said, "I think you're probably right." Sorry, Dad. I guess I didn't marry my father after all.