Trip to Disneyland

O.K....I know...Finally! Well, since it has been so long since I have updated I will just start with this month. The beginning of October, We took the family to Disneyland over my Fall Break. (Yes, I am still in school!) We flew in on Thursday and flew home on Sunday. We were able to get together with my Dad and his wife for dinner and to celebrate Emily's 9th birthday! This last weekend John and I celebrated our 11th Anniversary! It's pretty amazing to think about that . I know it sounds like a cliche but it really does seem like only yesterday. This Friday is Halloween and we will be doing the usual. John's famous chili! Please come by if you would like to. Here are some pictures from the trip to Cali,

On Father's Day I woke up at 4:00 am so that we could leave and be back in Utah to still spend the day with John my fabulous husband and amazing father to our daughters. We went right from the SLC airport and to brunch at Market Street so it was a long day! Then the next morning my crazy week started. As many of you know, Lauren has been taking the violin for a year or so. She is being taught the Suzuki Method. She is really doing well and is liking it a lot. So every summer the Intermountain Suzuki Assoc. hold an intensive Institute at Juan Diego H.S. here in town. They have teachers from all over the world come and teach. This year Lauren went. She spent last Monday through Friday from 9:00 to about 5:00 in various classes. She had classes in Technique, Music Theory, Repertoire, Music Theater Review, Orchestra, and a Master class. Emily had the chance to take a chorus class and an art class just for fun. They both had a great time. Lauren really learned a lot and improved her playing HUGE. She also got the chance to be exposed to some fabulous musicians and hear some great concerts and to become more familiar with the other classical string instruments. This all meant that all last week I was hanging around Juan Diego from 9-5! Not as much fun for me! I started the week tired and never really recovered. This week the kids are playing with friends and I am catching up on laundry and house cleaning, etc... I am doing NOTHING tiring.

Lauren in her Orchestra Class.

Lauren after her final concert on Saturday morning.

The week after school ended for the girls, I went on a little trip to my Step-mother's family reunion in a little town called Davis, Oklahoma. It was really interesting. Her family settled there when it was still Indian Territory. We had a great time. Oklahoma was nothing like I thought it would be. I think I expected it do be the Dust Bowl, but it was really green and pretty. The earth is really red, even more than So. Utah. We got to see a lot of tarantulas because it was their mating season (uurgh!). Every night at dusk, these hairy monsters crossed the road to do their thing. I was fascinated and terrified at the same time. We also found a bunch of fossils just by the side of one of the roads. If you look enough you can find all sorts of things trapped in the rock. Virginia (my step-mom) has some really fun family too! They made me feel right at home.

The stuff of nightmares!

This is a plaque on the side of the original funeral home building commerating the family contributions in the early days.

Beautiful Oklahoma sunset.

P.S. Don't be jealous but I have driven through Moore, OK, the hometown of Toby Keith! (Don't think that wasn't on about 4o various signs in the area.) and let me just say, WOW do they take their football seriously! The BYU v.s. Utah rivalry has nothing on them!

O.K. I know, I know...It's been forever! We have been so crazy busy! First we had the end of the year with all of the school programs. Of course my super talented kids had big parts and so that meant I was around the school most of the last month of school. It is all worth it when I hear my girls' friends say that they wish their Moms would come to class too. I realize how lucky I am to have a husband who makes it possible for me to spend this special time with our girls. Thank you John. I love you!

Lauren in her part in the 4th grade program, "Are you Smarter than a 4th Grader?", as one of the students. Totally cute!

Lauren and her teacher, Mrs. Winzenreid.

Lauren and Emily with Emily's teacher Mrs. Juarez. (She was Lauren's teacher last year too!)

I spent last weekend in Northern California with Jeannette, one of my friends from back in the day. When I lived in the Bay area, we were best friends but we both got busy after I moved and we haven't seen each other in a few years and I haven't been very good at keeping in touch. A month ago I got an invitation to her baby shower! I didn't even know she was pregnant! How bad a friend am I? She is due at the end of May. She already has a daughter who is right between Lauren and Emily in age. I can't imagine starting again at this point. She is so brave! Well, I spent the weekend with her at her parents house and it was like being 16 all over again! I hope to see her soon. She is having another little girl by the way..everyone I know is having a girl! What's that about?

Yes. I am a totally unfit mother! We had Lauren's 10th Birthday Party and I haven't even blogged about it yet! So here are a couple of pics. We had it at Bouncin' Off the Walls and it was so fun. She invited her entire class and almost everyone showed up and they all seemed to have a great time. (Note to self: do NOT let the children invite the whole class again!) Well, it was fun and great to not have to clean up after but I think a little bit pricey.

My Daddy

I just looked at the date and realized it's been almost two weeks since I posted anything. We have actually had a lot going on. First, my Dad came to visit from sunny California for Easter weekend. He wasn't impressed with the weather we had to offer but hey...it can't be 75 degrees everywhere, right? So we took him to Epic for dinner Thursday after we picked him up at the airport. Then on Friday, the girls and I took him to Hogel Zoo. It was fun. We love our little Zoo. Then John grilled his famous salmon. Yummy! Then Saturday we hosted John's family March Birthday Party. It was crazy but always fun. We had an Easter Egg hunt and everything. Then on Sunday, we went out to Easter brunch at Market Street. Another Yum! (Is it strange that my kids eat oysters-on-the-half-shell?) And then Trio for dinner. Not really a Weight Watchers kinda weekend! Ooh well, my Dad only comes once in a while and we like to show him a good time when he's here.