Just For Fun

Not sure how they figure this out, it's probably just random, but I'll take it as a compliment.

Movie Reviews

Senior Recital

Rachel's Senior Recital at CSUN was our reason, or should I say excuse, for going out to California. She did a fabulous job! I am so proud of my sister. I remember the days when she would sing in her room and would drive me crazy because she was always flat. Not so much anymore. She has come a long way!

These two lovely ladies sang "The Flower Duet." Gorgeous! It made me cry, seriously.

This picture is purely to show off the back of her dress. I should have taken a full length shot, but wasn't thinking about it at the time. Anyway, I loved it!

Sisters, sisters . . .

The whole fam damily (haha), or at least everybody that was there. William was hanging out with a babysitter. There was no way his two-year-old energy would make it through an hour long recital. It was kind of strange because I used to baby-sit his baby-sitter. She is 14 years old now and I used to watch her when she was 18 months! I can't believe I am that old.

Bridal Shower!

While I was in California, some of Rachel's favorite ladies from the ward threw her a bridal shower. It was super fun. I just love weddings and all the fun stuff that comes with them. Rachel got some great some really great gifts, including an absolutely beautiful hand-made quilt. I passed down a cute bag that my sister's gave me at my bridal shower. We look forward to passing it on to Becca and Sara one day. Besides that, it was so great to catch up with so many wonderful people that I don't get to see very often.

The Quilt . . . love it!

This is me, four years ago, modeling the bag my sisters gave me. Sorry for the poor quality. This is a scanned picture. I only had a 35mm camera back then ... and dinosaurs roamed the earth and I walked to school in the snow barefoot, both ways ... yada, yada, yada.

The new owner of "the bag." She looks surprised, doesn't she?

Um, pretty much, if you don't know who all of these people are, you probably don't care. Let's just say, it is lots of fun ladies who know how to throw a super fun party!

We had to give a shout-out to Becca, we missed having here there that night. So, that is why my arm is up. Just imagine that it is around Becca's shoulders.

Lovely ladies. Mother and bride-to-be.

Beach!

I went to this park countless times growing up and I don't think I ever noticed how cool it is. The ocean looked gorgeous and it smelled so good. Isn't it funny how much we take for granted the things that are around us everyday and it isn't until they aren't around us that we truly appreciate them? Now that I live in Utah and spring still hasn't really sprung (hello, it's almost May!), I definitely appreciated the beauty of the California weather last week.

This is the best family picture we could get. At least in this one William is looking at the camera. Just ignore the wind tossing my hair every which way, please.

Of course, now he is being cute. Pill.

He wasn't quite sure what to think about that water. I am sure he will love it in June though, when it is a lot warmer there.

It looks like a precious moment, but really William is about to burst into hysterics because, *gasp*, the water touched his feet!

Marie wasn't too sure about this windy beach business. She was just content to snuggle with Mommy.

I love my Mom!

Eee Cree Cone ... Mmmm Nummy

Translation: Ice Cream Cone ... Mmmm Yummy





This is William's first very own ice cream cone. He insisted on having a spoon, but didn't use it very much and he was way to busy enjoying his dessert to smile for the camera.

Because I'm a Music Major Nerd

I found great pleasure in watching this video.

Duck Park

I am visiting my parents in California. There are flowers. Green leaves. Sunshine. It is heavenly. The only thing that will make it better is when the hubby joins me on Thursday.

Today my mom and I took the kids to the"Duck Park." William was absolutely amazed. While my mom and I fed them with bird seed (bread isn't allowed anymore) William just stood there. He didn't talk. He didn't move. He just watched.

I know he looks like he isn't having fun, but don't be fooled. That is his, "I have never seen anything like this before and I am trying to take it all in" face.

Marie, on the other hand, was not nearly as impressed. This is what she did during the duck adventure. . . .

After the ducks we went over to the playground. By then Marie was awake so I put her in the swing for the first time. She loved it. It was so different from William's first adventure in the swing. He just fell asleep. Marie giggled and smiled and had a ball!

Simple Pleasure Tag

Just list at least 5 simple pleasures that you couldn't live without in your daily life!


Diet Coke with Lime: I don't have a Diet Coke each day, but I sure would like to. Money and health cause me to limit it to no more than 1 a week.


Red KitchenAid Stand Mixer: Even though I don't use it every day, just seeing it in my kitchen makes me happy.


Nap Time: Seriously, I can't live without my kids' naps. I need that break each day. I think that nap time will exist in my house forever! I get it from my mom. I remember as a kid that even if we had friends over, nap time was still in force. If we didn't want to nap we had to have quiet time. Side note: This isn't normal how Marie takes a nap. I couldn't resist posting this picture when I found it though. I had forgotten about it. One night I set Marie down to go get her blanket so that I could swaddle her and put her to sleep. She was obviously very tired, because when I got back to the couch this is what I found.


A made bed: It just makes me feel better. Especially when my house is in disarray. I feel like I actually have accomplished something when I make my bed. Another side note: Our house isn't made out of cinder blocks. This picture is from our first apartment up in Logan. The bed is the same though, with the addition of some decorative pillows.


I'm so glad when Daddy comes home: I never fail to get excited to hear that garage door opening in the afternoon. I miss my sweet hubby when he is gone during the day!

I tag: Michelle, Kim, Becca P., Sherri, Rebecca W., and anybody else that wants to play along!

Food Glorious Food (I think)

On Easter Sunday, after all the festivities, we decided to finally introduce Marie to the world of "solid" foods. I was SO not looking forward to this milestone in Marie's life. Two reasons. First, when we introduced solids to William, solid was the right word for it. In other words, constipation. Not fun. Marie had already had problems with "the C word" even before we put rice in her diet. So I knew a fussy baby was inevitable. Second, William still eats his fruits and veggies in baby food form (its either that or nothing). I was not looking forward to buying the stuff for 2 kids. Alas, with her 6-month well baby visit fast approaching I figured I had better suck it up and start solids so I could prove to the doctor that I am a good mom. So, here is documentation of the milestone. And for the record, I was right. Marie had a horrible week following the introduction of rice cereal. The week consisted of very little sleep for Mommy, Daddy, and Baby, and a couple of glycerin suppositories. She is now eating oatmeal instead of rice and everybody is happier! I have vowed to never buy rice cereal again. Whenever I feel crazy enough to have Baby #3 I am starting him/her on oatmeal.


She wasn't too sure about it at first, but when she got the hang of it she decided that this food business is pretty darn exciting. Despite my reservations regarding what the food would do to her insides, I was pretty confident that she would love the stuff. I was right. My chunky monkey loves to eat.

The Laundry Room {Loads of Fun!}

Instead of actually conquering the mountains of both dirty and clean laundry in my house, I thought I would be idol and post a blog about laundry. Productive, right?

I think I have mentioned before that I will always be behind on my laundry. It was in my 100 facts about me post, so if you don't remember reading that, I don't blame you. I wouldn't either, except that I wrote it.

ANYWAY

Whilst I was sitting here listening to my washer chugging away (yes, I have at least started a load, that's progress!) I was pondering laundry. You see, after I moved away for college in 1999 until the blessed day in June of 2005, when Brandon and I bought a washer and dryer, I had to use a laundromat. So, I did what any normal young adult woman would do. I just bought enough underwear that I could go about 3 weeks without having to do my laundry. Then, after I got married in 2004, laundry became more of a weekly thing. We were poor. We couldn't afford that much underwear for Brandon. {Alright now that I have officially embarrassed my husband I will continue} Each week we would load the laundry in the car, take it to the laundromat, wash it, dry it, bring it home, dump it on our guest bed and there it would sit until it got folded or until we had worn all the clothes in the pile. Generally, the latter was the first to happen. I always told Brandon that if we had a washer and dryer of our own I would be so much better about doing laundry. Then came that blessed day in June 2005 that I mentioned before, a month after we found out that we were pregnant with William. {There was no way I was bringing a baby home to a washer and dryer-less home} That blessed day we bought a washer and dryer and it was then that our laundry situation was solved. Not really. Because then a baby came into our world and I was working full-time and Brandon was going to school full-time. More excuses, more mountains of laundry. The next step in our life was our move to a new home, Brandon starting a new job, and me becoming a stay-at-home mom. Finally I could get a system down and get this laundry under control. Not.

I mean, the fact of the matter is, I don't like doing laundry. It takes so long and it is, well, never ending! Maybe we should all start wearing the same clothes for, say, 2-3 days at a time. That way for at least 2-3 days of my life I won't have any clothes waiting to be washed. Wouldn't that be nice? Or I could hire somebody to do my laundry for me. Yes, when I am rich, that is what I will do.

Until then, I need another excuse for not doing my laundry. This is what I decided on. Once I have a laundry room that looks like these pictures, I will totally LOVE doing laundry. Who wouldn't?

I like the blue and white. It is a very calm room. It would counteract the stress that laundry causes me. Of course, the small TV would not do. I think I would put a large flat panel plasma on the wall.

Nothing says clean laundry like a white laundry room!

Look at all the cupboard space?! What does one do with that much cupboard space in their laundry room? I mean, I don't even have that much cupboard space in my kitchen.

Springtime in the Rockies . . . I'm Over It!

No, this is not my house, but it might as well be. OK, I exaggerate. It isn't snowing, but again, it might as well be! Mother Nature, I don't like your April Fools' Joke! I need some sunshine.