Melissa's Favorite Things

Oprah has her favorite things show. Many of my fellow blogging friends have done a "my favorite" blog. It's my turn. I came up with 9 things that either make my life easier or completely spoil me to death. I love them all (in no particular order).

Who doesn't love Costco? I get everything from food to diapers to electronics at this one stop shop. Our local Costco is about 30 minutes from our house, which I used to complain about. Now I relish the fact that it is so close knowing that there is no Costco in Japan (but there is always Costco.com!)

You don't realize how much you dislike AM/FM until you taste XM. We got it for free in our car when we first bought it. Then it ran out and we got so sick of listening to commercials on FM. I think there were more commercials than music. We got it again for a roadtrip and I love it. I mostly listen to the love music channels (22-25) and the clean comedy (151), along with the occasional Oprah (156) and Fox News (?). There is always something on worth listening to.

Nothing satisfies me like a glass of ice cold milk and 3-4 double stuf oreos. I think I'm going to go get some right now. Thankfully I will probably be able to get this at the commissary in Okinawa.

I bought a cookie sheet from Pampered Chef a few years ago and it was been wonderful. It is stoneware, which definitely takes some getting used to, but it makes cookies and rolls that turn out beautifully. It cooks so evenly and nothing ever gets burned. I highly recommend getting one.

Even though we don't have cable, we have Tivo. It's basically like having google on your TV and you can also pause/rewind live TV. We tried the DVR from the cable company. NOT THE SAME! Tivo is so much more user friendly. We bought our Tivo box when they had the lifetime service option so we don't even pay for it anymore. Plus, you can record TV shows onto a DVD. Pretty cool for kid stuff or roadtrips. Extra plus...their logo is so cool.

I have been dreaming of a BOB stroller ever since our friends Tracey and Tom showed us theirs. I checked Craigslist like 3 times a day trying to find one that wasn't an arm and a leg (they retail for around $530). Today is my glorious day that I got to go pick my baby up. I found one in my price range and pounced. We got the Revolution with the swivel front wheel. Basically you can turn on a dime in a shopping mall, but also lock the wheel for some serious off road adventure. It even goes through sand with ease. I'm so giddy to have BOB part of our family. Check out their website at www.bobaround.com . I only wish I would have gotten it sooner.

This car is the only other thing that I will truly miss when we move. I love our Honda Odessey. I love the navigational system that tells me to turn right here and how much time I have left until my destination. I love that I can look up a phone number or always find the closest McDonald's. I love that there are 16 cup holders and that the back seats folds one third or two thirds. I love the built in DVD player for trips and that we have XM radio in it. It's so familiar and comfy (my parents even have one). I highly recommend it.

We coverted to Mac about 5 years ago. We were pretty die hard PC users, but after carefully weighing the things we wanted with what each company offered, we decided that the Mac was a better fit for us. It has been so easy to switch. Again, this computer is extremely user friendly and has so many built in conveniences that when I use a PC it feels like I'm a cavewoman. It's archaic. I love Photobooth and iChat, along with their address book and calendar. iPhoto and iTunes come standard. There are too many wonderful things about the good old Apple computer to mention. Go get one.

Lastly, we love our Nikon D50 camera. I know there are better models out there, but ours is almost a couple years old. First of all, I think digital cameras are the best thing ever invented. I look at the pictures of me growing up and there are some good ones, but the majority of pictures "just miss" that special moment. With a digital camera you not only get that great shot, but 20 others with it. Granted I do overdo it. I take WAY too many pictures (esp now that I blog and need to take a picture of ever mundane thing we do). I've regressed... This camera is my first really nice one and I've even learned how to use the f-stop and all about shutter speeds. I rarely put it on automatic. It's just super fun.

There you have it. My top 9 favorite things. If we had money, I'd buy each of you each thing just like Oprah. But, alas, I don't. What are some of your favorite things? Do we have any favorites in common?

Santa Cruz road trip

Rob has been in Texas for some sort of field training for the past 9 days. I knew I would get really bored so I called up my old mission companion Katrine Kruger (aka Sister Rosaker) and asked if we could come up to crash at her house for a few days. We hadn't seen each other since my wedding almost 6 years ago. We have 6 kids now (technically 7 counting her stepdaughter), but we still got along like we did on our missions. It was so great to meet her adorable children and to see Peter, her husband, again. Tanya McKibben (aka Sister Howard) also came up one evening with her sweet daughter. Here are some pics of us chillin' on her couch and walking the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. We also made it down to the aquarium in Monterrey...what a cool town. I loved it.

If any of you know Katrine you know how super amazingly talented she is at everything. She had a business awhile back that sold hair clips and accessories for little girls. She let me rummage through her supplies and we made hair clips for Issy one evening. So cute. I also found out that she is quite the accomplished artist when I admired a painting on the wall. I looked to see who had painted it (I seriously expected to see Van Gogh's name) and saw that Katrine painted it when she was in high school! I admire Katrine on so many levels. Thanks for letting us crash and for being such a great friend!

Kindergarten start dates

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions about Noah's sleeping. While we were visiting my dear mission companion, Katrine, in Santa Cruz this past weekend we found something that helped him. She had some hardcover children's Book of Mormon books. One night as he was going to bed he said that if he just had those with him that he would feel better. I think the name of the book was My First Book of Mormon Stories. Anyway, I ordered it online today with him and he accepted the Distribution Center's version of it for tonight. If he lapses, I will for sure try many of the methods you all suggested.

On to another Noah dilemma. Since he's my first child my questions are usually about him because I have no clue what I am doing. Anyway do any of you have children that are near the cutoff start date for kindergarten in your respective states? California and DOD schools (like in Okinawa) have a Dec 1st cutoff, but Utah and others are as early as Sept 1st. Here is my dilemma...Noah's birthday is Sept 25th. It makes the DOD cutoff, but not the Utah one (where we may end up). Since we would love him to be the oldest in his class for a number of reasons (dating, driver's license, sports, maturity, leaving on his mission closer to his graduation, etc) I have always thought of holding him back and just putting him in a 5 day a week preschool next year. However, with Rob being in Texas for the past week I have had it up to here with having 3 kids at home. Can I do it another year? Just to be clear, the plan was to hold him back and keep all 3 kids home next year (with preschool for Ben and Noah). Not only is preschool expensive, but I have to pick him up in the middle of the day (vs kindergarten full day). Anyway, I was thinking that I could just put him in K and have him repeat it for two years. Or, I could make him do K, 1st and 2nd in Japan and then repeat 2nd wherever we move next (he'd be in a new school and no one would tease him for repeating for a second year). What do you think? What have you done? Can I even let him repeat (ie: will the schools let me?) Help!

Noah's afraid to go to sleep

I need some help! The last few nights Noah has complained about being scared to go to sleep. He says there are monsters in his closet and he has "nightmare dreams". What should I do? We've tried telling him there are no such things are monsters. We've turned on the light and looked in the closet with a flashlight to show him there's nothing in there. We've told him he can pray/sing church songs to make him feel better. He actually does feel better then, but a few minutes later his mind starts wandering and he's scared again. He's been wandering into our bedroom too after he gets scared (sometimes at 2am, sometimes 7am). Anyone else dealt with this? Please share your parenting secrets. I want to nip this in the bud before it becomes a big issue. Oh we also read "There is a Nightmare in my Closet" and he went to bed with a gun so he could shoot his nightmare.

Cruise anyone?

I just thought I'd throw this out there...

There are 10 of us in Rob's family that are going on a cruise in May. We booked space for 14 of us, but only 10 are going. Does anyone want to come along? You can spend as little or as much time with us as you want (but I can promise you that Rob's family is all like Rob--tons of fun to be around). Email me if you are interested. It's a five day/six night cruise out of San Diego for $520/per person which includes all meals, taxes and fees. We'll be heading to Mexico. C'mon all you California friends...leave the kids with your parents and party with the Kisers!

just some fun pics

These are just some fun pics from our trip to SLC for Amy's wedding. Missing are Joseph and Maddie. There is one of all the gorgeous girls, one of the 3 youngest Kiser kids still living at home and 2 of the whole group (goofy of course...those are my favorites).

Gneiting wedding and misc stuff

Seriously, they are soooo cute. Last week before church...

Rob's sister Amy got married to Scott Gneiting on Friday. We flew to SLC and then drove up to Rexburg for the wedding. They live in Newport Beach, CA so it's been fun getting to know Scott and seeing them get ready for marriage. Super duper cute couple. Here is Amy with her brothers/brother-in-laws and a pic with cousins (minus Noah who was still cranky from the cast hurting and Maddie who was in CA).


Issy and her Daddy.

Josh was definitely going for broke catching the bouquet. Who knew he wanted to get married so badly?

Noah and Ben were adorable dancing with each other. They noticed that everyone had partners so they became each other's partner. They were getting DOWN!

Rob's favorite mission companion, Ray, stopped by with his cute wife, Tapia and their daughter Sierra. Ray made Rob's mission totally worth while (Long Beach, CA Cambodian speaking).

Sunday morning back in SLC Rob got to go up to the Capitol to see his dad's office. His dad is in the State Legislature and is about to run for his 4th term.

We got to visit our dental school friends the Dansie's in Idaho and the Larson's and Jone's in Utah. Super duper fun to catch up with them and see how life after school was treating them (awesome!) The next reunion for us won't be until after Japan as this was the last trip to UT.

I'm growing Noah's hair out (since I can't control Rob's I figure I can control my son's). I love it because it kinda curls up on the end and has a really nice wave. Basically, I'm jealous of his locks. Anyway, Noah loves making it stand up after a bathtub.


Rob's cute sister, Micaela, is visiting from UT. The oldest(30) and youngest(12) Kiser siblings had a bonfire tonight and it's fun to see them interact. Mickey, Josh, Justin and the Kiser parents are in town for our brother, Joseph's, graduation tomorrow. Congrats Joseph!