(Hey!  I found this post in my DRAFTS folder.  Apparently I started to post and didn't finish.  This would have surfaced in Yippee!  It happened!  I survived my return to musical theater after a decade of operas only! I had so much fun doing "Singin' in the Rain" and I am missing my friends there- terribly!  I have received so much positive feedback, I am floating on Cloud 9.  

Everyone was convinced that I had cut my hair for the role.  Nope.  Just a good wig.

Everyday life at home.

February 2008 -- In this pic, the kids are perched at their favorite spot.  The bar in our kitchen!  (Macie and Sam are dressed as Jesse and Woody from "Toy Story", and Amelia is Tigger.)

You may have guessed that as the mom I spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen.  Sadly, the time is not spent doing much quality cooking.  Mostly I fetch drinks, pick up and sometimes rinse dropped silverware, swab countertops, and load or empty the dishwasher. 
Since the kitchen seems to be the hub of our home, my observances of our home life mostly occur there.  Things I have noticed:
     1.  Playdough is a hit while I am making lunch.  It keeps the kidlinks close, yet a little distracted until food is ready.  How I hate the sound of three whiny voices crying for food!
     2.  Those cheap vinyl placemats help prevent messes in a number of ways.  No question about who sits where- Sam gets the Diego placemat, Macie gets the Dora placemat, and Amelia gets the Care Bears placemat.  No exceptions!  Also, the mats grip the plates and bowls just enough to keep them from whizzing through the air when elbowy tousles happen.
     3.  Everyone wants to be Super!  I'll explain later.
     4.  We love CAKES!  (pancakes)
     5.  Hamilton kids love to be puppies.  Sam and Macie are especially fond of panting and licking people.  Long, slow, wet licks.  We see lots of hopping around on hands and knees.  Amelia can actually run on her hands and feet!  It is no wonder she is so dang skinny.
     6.  Sam and Macie are very obedient children.  If Amelia is giving the orders, that is.  Recently she taught the twins how to use a fantastic tool.  It's called a barstool, or height elevator if you are of the short persuasion.  Now all of them can reach anything in the kitchen, bathroom, or any bedroom closet.  Now it's official, nothing is off limits anymore...until you get caught!

Melissa's Singin'!

February 2008 -- Melissa is playing a principal role in Boise Music Week's production of "Singin' In The Rain".  She's playing the part that Debbie Reynolds played in the movie version, Kathy Seldon -the love interest.  So far Mel has dusted off the tap shoes, learned a couple of dance numbers, and attended a handful of chorus rehearsals.   The schedule is supposed to get hairy near the end.  Wish her luck in keeping house and home together on top of it all!

The show will be mounted at the Morrison Center, and will run for five performances starting April 30.  Boise Music Week provides for every audience member to attend for free.  We think it is a pretty neat way to keep the arts alive in Boise.

By the way, Amelia was pretty impressed when she learned that MOM has tap shoes. 

March 2-3, 2008
Amela and I went on a road trip to Sun Valley to visit friends.  Amelia was super-giggly-excited to go, since she believed we were going to the mountains to cover the snow with footprints.  (Our snow in Boise doesn't usually last very long.)  I tried to make myself believe that I was going to "help" Melodie with her unpacking, since they just moved there.  After a weekend of food, fun, and general merriment, I have to admit that I unpacked exactly ONE box of cookbooks for her.  Oh well, she didn't seem to mind.

Isn't Melodie cute?! 

We went to see her husband perform in "Forever Plaid" and had a little time beforehand to see the sights and goof around on some snow sculptures.

It's a little precarious up there in Santa's lap.  Slippery!  I just HAD TO whisper my wishes to him... well, to his beard.

I got to go up on stage during the performance.  They said I was the most willing volunteer they'd ever had.  Surprised?

    I just love this picture.  Amelia had a great time playing with Luke and his brothers.  She wasted no time with girly hesitations.  She played swords, a cool Star Wars video game, bouncy ball on hardwood floors, dinosaurs, and she never got tired of watching Luke on his GameBoy.  She kept snuggling close to see better, and he just let her do it.  I think he kinda likes her. ;)

A family favorite and a decadent breakfast: stuffed french toast w/ berries.

We did all sorts of fun stuff in Sun Valley.  We shopped in a neat bookstore, watched ducks and swans in a heated pond, climbed all over snow sculptures, visited Kole's school to watch him give a presentation, and we got to eat lunch in a restaurant.

Luke taught Amelia how do to "cheers".

Santa's sleigh!