(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.

Check out the Home page on this site.  I have added a playable scrapbook with lots of pictures.  Oh yeah, and you'll have to silence the dang playlist at the bottom of the page.

Got no pics.  Just had an urge to BLOG!  I am reading the Twilight Series.  Again.  I'm on the fourth book and it is killing me to put it down and be a part of the festivities.  Devri is reading it too, but I'm further in the book than she is, and I am dying to gab about it with her.  Harumph!

Update.  I have been deemed the second worst blogger in the world.  Yep.  It happened.  At the Frandsen family table.  Apparently Mom wins the blue ribbon.  What?  You have to KEEP WRITING on these things to make people happy?

New topic.  It is so great to be with both of our families right now.  We have had some really neat times these past few days. 

1.  On Christmas Day after opening presents, Sam whispered, "Thanks, Santa" in Dan's ear. When Dan asked, "What?  Where's Santa?"  Sam hugged him around the neck and tapped him on the shoulder.  

2.  We survived "The Drifting Snow Storm from H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks" on our way to Utah.  We vowed that next time we make a 7-hour road trip, we'll go somewhere that actually IS seven hours away.  Seriously.  It is very strenuous to be so agitated.  We were freaking out in the car, no visibility, crawling along not knowing if we were on the road, and yelling at the kids any time they tried to get our attention.  Tense times.  Survival is such a relief! 

3.  We have had a blast with Frandsen sibs and grandkids.  All the new babies are so fun to hold, and smell, and watch, and coo at.  It's so fun to watch my brothers with my kids.  Sam's new favorite word is PIPSQUEAK.  Dan's parents have been so sweet too.  Jeanne looks so good!  She may be on to a new way to control her pain.

4.  Tonight, Dan's sister Leisa sent gifts over for the kids.  Sam got a really cool Crash Car, and the girls each got two mini Webkins plush animals.  Amelia was having a crying fit because she couldn't convince Macie to trade the coveted beagle and elephant for her lion and panda.  She asked, pleaded, bargained, cried, carried on, made me mad, and nearly had Grandma calling Leisa to exchange them at the store.  Crocodile tears!  Real ones, not the contrived kind.  Out of nowhere, Macie just turned around and said, "Here Millia."  The trade was made, and both were happy.  Everyone in the room had a soft little heart for Macie.  We knew she didn't really want to trade.  What a sweetie.

5.  Later we sat in the Hamilton's living room and watched the kids dance around, showing us their best moves.  It has been determined that Macie has a "natural grace" and I should get her into some dance lessons.  Sam's Kick-back Dance is nothing to scoff at, either.

Long entry, eh?  This one feels more like a journal entry than something that other people would be interested in reading, but I'm in a mode so I'm going with it.  Deal. ;)

Sam and Macie had their 3-year wellness checkup with Dr. Stevens today.  We left the house at about 10:00 and left Dan and Amelia behind to get ready for school.  On the way, I chatted with Sam and Macie about what Dr. Stevens would do and say when she saw them.  I kinda prepped them for the fact that they were going to get shots.  They understood that it would hurt, only a little, and not for long.  And best of all, they'd get a cool bandaid and a sucker if they were good!  The second they met the doctor, Macie started acting timid and saying she didn't want to hurt.  Everything went pretty well, but Sam really cried hard and LONG when Nurse Sara gave him the shots first.  Macie was next and really scared by then, but she recovered quickly.  After all was said and done, Sam (still crying) pulled his tear-streaked face into a bitter grimace and shouted at Nurse Sara, "You did this to me!"  I thought it was pretty funny, but I think she felt kinda bad... she kept trying to explain that she was only doing it so he could be healthy.  Please.  He's three.  He doesn't care about his health.  :)

Next we ran a bunch of errands to prepare for Matt's wedding.  By the time we got to Millie's bus stop, Sam had an accident in his big boy underwear.  (He's only been wearing them for about three days.)  We still had to go to Costco, so we stopped at home to change and realized we were locked out of the house!  Great.  Pee pants and no way to clean up.  Dan had a key, but he was in Nampa...  Fortunately I had just purchased more undies, so after a wet-wipe bath Sam had clean undies, but no pants AND WE STILL HAD TO GO TO COSTCO!  Looking at an hour round-trip drive to get a house key, we decided to go to our neighbor's to go potty just in case.  Lucky us, a guy in our ward was there and he had his 3-year-old son, Adrian along.  We tried to get Adrian to donate his pants to Sam, but he would have none of that!  Instead, we followed them to their house, and they loaned us a pair.  Sheesh!  In the end, we didn't have to drive to Nampa, and we still made our trip to Costco. 

You might recognize the following from what used to be Melissa's page.  I am getting rid of it, and replacing it completely with "Mel's Blog".  So here's the stuff from the old page: 

 

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. 

10 Years Ago:
Dan and I were living in Logan, going to school.  We spent every free moment either at work, or at Holly's playing with Megan.

5 Things on my To Do List today:
1) Get a sitter for tonight
2) Play the piano for Opera Idaho's Children's Choruses
3) Pick up music at St. Michael's
4) Go to rehearsal
5) Help Milly with her "schoolwork"

Snacks I enjoy:
peanut M&M's
any kind of ice cream sandwich
Diet Coke

3 Bad Habits:-
1) picking my mascara off when I'm bored
2) talking about my kids- in front of them
3) waiting till the last minute to get ready to go places

5 Places I've Lived:-
1) Boise, ID
2) Salt Lake City, UT
3) Plano, TX
4) Logan, UT
5) Ogden, UT- I figure you all know about good ole' B.C.

Jobs I've Had:-
vacuum salesman, swimming teacher, receptionist, cherry picker, florist, wedding planner

5 Things you Don't know about me:-
1) All I have on my iPod are a few show tunes, a ton of opera music, and random books on cd that I download from the library
2) I obsess over keeping my eyebrows plucked.  Eyebrow stubble grosses me out!
3) I have to keep myself from cracking jokes at inappropriate times.
4) My favorite thing to do is PLAN!
5) I hate it when people leave things on the wrong shelf at the store.  Seriously!  You picked it up, put it back if you don't want it.  Sheesh!

People I Admire:-
Ardeth G. Kapp, my parents, anyone who can gracefully juggle little kids and a busy schedule, Sarah Worthington, Trisch Taylor

3 Favorite Movies: Music & Lyrics, Singin' In The Rain, The Wedding Singer
 

I tag the Worthingtons, Lyndsi, Mom.

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!

I found a website that has really cute patterns.  www.montessoribyhand.net

 

Here's a good one.  We are finally blocking scenes in "Singin' in the Rain" and I am loving the other principal actors.  I mostly work with Bradley, who is playing my love interest, and he's good!  A good tapper, a good singer, and he's really funny.  He's freaking out about how much he is supposed to kiss me.  Also, the script always has someone interrupting the kisses, so if they miss a cue or just wan to play a joke, these "sessions" could go on and on.  Great. 

Actually, I feel sorry for the guy.  After all, he has to get over so many issues.   You know, the husband, the kids, and I'm older than he is.  We were joking around about it and I was reassuring him that Dan understands, and will not be one bit mad.  Poor Bradley exclaimed, "Tell him I'm gay!  I'm a homo!"  Uhhhhhhh..... Well... it's true.  He is.  I've just never known anyone to call themselves a homo.  Isn't that a bad word?  An insult?  Kinda like the "N" word?  Unsayable?  I laughed really hard about that.  With him, not at him.

Anyway, here's the clencher.  Not only does the guy have to get over my husband, my three little kids, and the repulsive idea of kissing a female, but now I find out that the HE'S 18!  Yessssindeedee.  Count 'em, I am se-ven-teen years older than he is.  Nice.  On a happy note, he guessed that I was only 28, so now I like him even more.  :)