Blogger's Casserole

This recipe is actually quite delicious:

1. Be running really behind with stuff. Like so behind, it becomes a mental exercise in trying to remember it all.

2. Take all good and fun stuff from your short and long term memory and dump in a blogger "New Post Draft" till boiling. Let simmer.

3. Add pictures that you obtain by visiting all your friend's blogs. Right click on all of the relevant pictures you need and then hit, "Save Picture As."

4. Mix in a dash of guilt and a dollop of sarcasm.

5. Bake at 350 until cheese bubbles or it "looks done."

Yummy! Let's dig in...

Anyone else having summer whiplash? It's June! Oh wait, nope, it's September! How did that happen? It's hard to believe everything we did happened in these quick blurs of months, but I guess they did. After YW Camp, (which seems years ago somehow) I got called as the Personal Progress Specialist in our ward and it immediately stopped my spiraling depression about not being able to be with the girls anymore. I'm a total nerd, but somehow they love me and I certainly love them so, you know... A-Woo-hoo!

After camp, a really crazy thing happened at the end of June. I somehow now have an 11 year old. It's like every year I keep getting older and older. What is up with that?? He is old and kind, and sweet, and old and fun loving, and old...


On the heels of Justin's birthday, we went to Utah for our annual trip to visit Rhett's family. It's so great to go back, especially in the Summer. I am always reminded that summer is actually a great season, and that one can even go so far as to enjoy it. A fact that I forget as I can usually be found shaking my fist at the Texas sun and yelling, "Why??? Why must you torture me???"

I admit it's a tad melodramatic, but I like to think the neighbors enjoy it.

This summer was definitely the year of the family. While enjoying Rhett's family, a house full of cousins, and nights out on the patio eating awesome BBQ, my lil brother Daniel was getting married to the woman of his dreams while we were out there, also referred to as: Natalie. So how is this for a Freaky Friday episode...not only do we love Natalie to pieces. (She couldn't be more adorable and well suited for our D Money) But get this:

She also comes from a family of 7 kids with the same ratio, 4 boys and 3 girls. They are a tight knit family, much like our own, and if that wasn't enough, we believe that our Dad and Natalie's dad are twin spirits of some sort. From their open and outgoing personalities, to their shared and much loved corny jokes. Needless to say, it proved for a fun and amazing time, combining the Anderson and Johnston families for a week.














Four brothers at a wedding, or the New Moon movie poster? You decide.






Amidst the family fun, and through the miracle of reconnecting through Facebook...I got to see one of my dear friends who will always be family to me. We laughed, we ate, we caught up on each other's lives, and of course, we took pictures of ourselves. Love and hugs Tara!!


After two weeks of wedding festivities, visiting with family, a trip to Vernal and a sweet visit with all the grand kids to "Trisha's Spot," we loaded up the car and headed back home. Oh yes. You read that right. The car. We braved the drive this year, and despite my whining that we wouldn't, we did in fact survive it. Thank you DVD player. Thank you IPod. Thank you Dramamine.

Texas greeted us with a sweltering 105 degrees, but the fun was just getting started. Not only was Caroline home for the summer, but Will's wife Jamie was able to come out with their darling little girl Ellie, who was soon followed by Stephanie and her four kids, who was soon followed by Daniel, Natalie and Natalie's parents, followed in a few weeks by Eric home from school. If you just pictured one of those Russian dolls that keep opening up to more and more dolls, that was more or less what it seemed like. So many people, and so much fun. We had a successful Open House for D and Natalie, and between UT and TX, I got all my sisters for the summer. A-Woo-Hoo!

I could have ended the summer there and been one happy camper, but wait, there's more....

So earlier in the post I think I mentioned that I am a bit of a nerd. But, I have always been fortunate enough to have amazing friends who for reasons of their own, love me anyway, and High School was no exception. In August I went back to Indiana to visit some of my very best friends growing up. It's so weird to me that I have now lived in Texas longer than I have lived anywhere. I have long considered the Chicago region as "home." My good friend Melinda has since moved from "The Region" (as Region-its can call it) to Indianapolis. I flew into the Indianapolis airport, and as we were descending, the man next to me said,

"You from here?"

His question caught me off guard and made me a tad emotional, and I said,

"Not anymore, but I grew up here." In my mind I was just thinking he meant Indiana but then he points out the window and asks,

"So, is that the Indianapolis Speedway?" I realized: Hey dummy. He meant were you from Indianapolis. Usually going home meant flying into Chicago. I knew nothing of Indianapolis. I think I have been to Indy once before for a choir competition when I was 16. So I gave him the only answer that seemed logical. "Oh yes, it is. Isn't it awesome??" Oh well.

Upon being picked up and safely locked into Melinda's car, she carefully chose that moment to break two vital pieces of information to me.

One: She had dial up Internet....

and Two: She didn't have cable or Tivo.

I cannot even recreate the conversation. I just remember laughing until my sides ached, and phrases like, "Do they even still have that?" being thrown around. I told her it was all good. I could just pretend I was camping. Besides, I had come for girly time. Facebook could surely survive without my updates for a few days.

Two of my other friends, Stephanie and Tiffany also came down to Indy and made it a weekend I will never forget. Just name something totally random and I'll bet you we did it.

Ate out? Did that.

Shopped? Done.

Pedicure/Facials? Done and done.

Semi trespassed at a Condo pool? We're such rebels.


Volunteered at a soup kitchen in downtown Indy? Naturally.

Found out that among other things, I want to be a Latin/hip hop dancer when I grow up? Yep.

Had my first fried Snickers? Oh yes. Glorious fried State Fair Food, how I love you.

Hiked at the State Park? My calves are still sore.

Saw Kelly Clarkson in concert? The girl can sing folks.




Ate shrimp marinated in, oh, I don't know, fire?? Most assuredly.

And let's not forget: Talked, watched movies, talked, organize a garage sale, talked, and I think ate some more. Love and miss you guys!!

I have to also make mention of our awesome Ward party my friend Beth organized.


Complete with an actual erupting volcano,


Tongan dancers,


Throw in a Hula Hoop contest and a hilarious Hawaiian Singing Bee, it wrapped the summer up nicely. I got to be in charge of the music, where my DJ name was, wait for it...DJ Gangsta Midnight. It was sweet.
And last but not least this summer, Rhett and I celebrated our 12, got that, 12 year anniversary. I love this Homer Simpson quote:

Marge: Homer, is this how you pictured married life?
Homer: Yeah, pretty much, except we drove around in a van solving mysteries.

There is much I could say about the past twelve years...that we have some amazingly cool kids, my gratitude that long ago he just finally put "Melanie's Extras" on the budget spreadsheet, that he admits I'm funnier than he is, that he still dates me, that he loves our kids something fierce, that because of him I know a ridiculous amount of sports knowledge that I have been promised will come in handy one day...I could go on, but I am afraid if this post gets any longer there is a real chance I may explode Blogger....Hope you all had a fantastic summer!