Got favs?

Just to clear things up here... Sean has wound up on my blog considerably more than Reilly; yes. However, this doesn't mean anything more than he's the squeaky wheel! He's not the favorite... they both have strengths and weaknesses; they both are favorites for a variety of differences!!
Here are their top 5 strengths ... no weaknesses because that's just mean!

Reilly #5 - She's the most helpful around the house. She cleans really well for a 5 year old!
Sean #5 - He's super entertaining; mad or happy, it doesn't matter!

Reilly #4 - She's easy going. She goes with the flow - even if she doesn't really want to.
Sean #4 - He knows what he wants and isn't afraid to fight for it.

Reilly #3 - She can make a friend anywhere she goes! Wish I could do that!
Sean #3 - He's my buddy. No matter who is around, he'll always cuddle with me.

Reilly #2 - She's exactly like her daddy! It's so cute that they have similar quirks!
Sean #2 - He learns so quickly and especially on his own... I've got to add pics of him and his violin... all self-taught (almost)!!

Reilly #1 - She can do a backward somersault on the trampoline! (That's what she thinks is the coolest thing about her.)
Sean #1 - He's such a boy!! He loves camping, playing with cars, riding the 4-wheeler, wrestling with the dog, etc. He's so fun to play with!

I'm bipolar... no, I'm not!

Funniest video EVER!!

Stop telling me!

Cranky-Sean had a hard day of whinning and playing... also, I taught him to say, "I'm bipolar... No, I'm not!" It's hilarious! Anyway, Peyton and I were trying to get him to say or do something - I can't remember what - and this is what he said back! Hahahah!

Rock it!

Today, I played Rock Band for the first time. I could've played it ALLL day! It was loads of fun and I rocked out on everything. Singing was the easiest, but definately the most fun. Danielle rocks for letting us do it! Thanks, Dani!

I'm so vain... I probably think this blog is about me!

This past week, I tried out a teeth whitener thingy from Crest. It's the coolest thing. $20.00 got me seven trays with this whitening gel in them - for top and bottom. Afer three days, I could see a differnce, but the seventh day was AWESOME! It's just the right amount of white now. If I went to the dentist to have them whitened, it would've cost me money and agony (because of the taste). Not to mention having UNNATURALLY white teeth! I'm sorry for those of you who have had the procedure done, but it's really crazy to see stark white teeth... it's obvious that they're not naturally that white. So, here's my after... Can you tell?

New favorite YouTube find!

Randomly, I ran across these guy's BBQ song and loved it! Then, I saw they're song about Wal-Mart and ... holy crap... they're hilarious!! Look them up!

Michigan or bust!

We're leaving for Michigan on Saturday. I've got a whole list of things to do before we can roll out, so my week's full! Besides finishing up lessons for the month, I've got a house to clean, a quartet to practice with, laundry and packing to do, and ... well, whatever else comes up along the way! So, I was thinking about it today, and I decided that vacations aren't relaxing! People who go on vacation to relax are RETARDED! There's no way. Between the preparation for going and the clean-up upon return, that's enough to make it stressful. But then, add all the stress from actually being ON vacation and you're screwed! I'm relaxing today because I know the next three weeks of my life are going to be *BEEP*!

Typical Lauren

Our barbeque went really well! Even after all of my worrying and panicing... it happened, people showed up and we had fun. We started late, but had a blast! We got to know the newest people on our corner and the kids played and played. The bad news was that our fireworks got rained out. We kept looking at the clouds thinking that it would pass right over us, but it just kept getting worse and worse. After trying to wait it out in the house, we gave up and went home. Still, all in all, it was a great night! If we're still here next summer, I'll be excited to do it again. :)

1st Annual Neighborhood Barbeque

A few years ago, we accidentally crashed a neighborhood barbecue in the cul-de-sac behind us. It was so much fun that we decided to do one of our own. So, last year, I asked around about available times, but there was NO interest among the tenants at the time. This year I tried something different. I picked a date and invited everyone. About a month ago, I told everyone about it and passed out invitations. Everyone seemed excited about it (new tenants this year), so that encouraged me to continue.

It's today... and it's not going very well. I went around this morning to ask about grills (because no one called to volunteer any) and to give a time to have them at the backyard we're holding it at. Well, I got one grill... and one confirmation. SAD! It's going to start in an hour and I'm worried that it'll just be me, my neighbor to the south and the family whose backyard we're using.

I am excited about the food. We're bringing steaks and dutch oven potatoes. :) Mmmm! I'll let you know how it goes, but don't hold your breath!

I need a new book.

I took Beth's suggestions about The Kite Runner and loved it, so I'm looking for more. If you have suggestions for a good read, please let me know! It's not that I don't have too much to do, but I miss sitting in bed at the end of the day reading a good book... it's lazy and FUN!

Happy Pioneer Day... ya moron!

In Utah, there is a religious holiday that is recognized by almost every employer here - Pioneer Day, the day the first Mormon pioneers made it to Salt Lake Valley. There is also a big 'to-do' in each city... either a festival or a fireworks display. So, everyone takes the day and goes about town celebrating how they please. The irony of it is that everyone is NOT LDS; some are completely anti-mormon. That the holiday is recognized at all anymore is beyond me, however, what makes it worse, is that some of the non-LDS people celebrate with beer. I have nothing against that, but if you know anything about the LDS faith, you know that they don't drink alchoholic beverages... so the thought of celebrating an LDS holiday with something very against the religious is baffling... and, frankly, laughable. The first time I saw someone coming out of the grocery store loaded up with booze for Pioneer Day, I laughed the rest of the day. Actually, another thing that's funny about the holiday is that it's a huge LDS thing in Utah, but almost nothing anywhere else. Hmm... :)

Zoombinis

When I was a kid, we had this game and then when Beth (kis4kay.wordpress.com) was living with me, she bought it. It is seriously the coolest game EVER! I just got it for my kids... even though they're supposed to be 8+ to play it. Reilly can get through the first zoombinis okay already, so she'll love it! It's a keeper!

Trampoline Fun

It only took a few days, but Sean's really getting quite good at jumping on the trampoline; and even learned this trick! He's such a toughy.

Remember Slip 'N' Slides?

Man, did they hurt! Reilly tried her knees...



Then, her tummy...



Finally, her bum, but NEVER got very far, skinned her knee, and swore to never to it again.

Sean, on the other hand, just ran straight down it.

Then, plopped in the puddle at the bottom. That's the way!

Winter's coming...

I'm already feeling the depression of winter setting in. I HATE being stuck inside and freezing my butt off all day. I really look forward to and enjoy warm weather and outside activities. So, because of my extremely sad depressions, I've tried to spend more time outside with the kids. On Saturday, I bought a trampoline. I bought it more for me than the kids, but they can jump on it, too. Sean was freaked out at first, but quickly got into it and even tests the safety net. He mostly runs back and forth and pretends to jump out the net. :) Cute! Reilly jumps a lot more, but wouldn't do it when I had the camera... she kept complaining that I NEVER let her play with her friends or do fun things... what a whiner!

Crazy Eights Victory!

When we play cards, Reilly has bipolar disease. If she loses, then she pouts and throws a fit, but if she wins, she does the craziest victory dances!

Oh, and that's the same swimming suit she's been wearing for two days straight... including last night!

Sean's Post

hheueu ye88ery r8y yrfr ey98w 8eur4e89y reu r seruoerh8e eyyyy74y74 ry 44474744 y47 76876474747t476t4 7t47t4t4764 44r7t7y37 3g347t7g4ryt

7ey 7r64 yg764ry 76reye7 6 r786re67t7 6re76yy yrey7yter 7rt67rt76rt7r7 39urf78 y7 8ar9yf 8c378ry73 6 b6b63333333 33447346322

ufhyghyg8y rt78 h 87tr87try 987ty r987t97867 89t 687yyt78t 8 79t u888ur 88r89u9 8rt u9rrr9 8 7r yr 78r7y8rf78y rf87rhn rrtrt 78tr90t5u 40rii i rjrui tui5rt

rhuit rhui rhur ihr5uu5 4rh54 7845 ut 4785 t874 5t78 457 8y57 8 4y7 y7y 78y 87437 8487 y78y kkk o uu4 uj u8945 9r4 e98 459 4y9 47574y5 r7y457y4u4 3u984579 8u4598u

Notice both of his hands on the keyboard, and his eyes glued to the screen... he's in a whole new generation!! :)

Picnic In A Basket

I know what you're thinking... you picnic WITH a basket, not in a basket... that's what I thought, too, but my kids are far more interesting than you and I are.

Since Sean typed something on the last post, it's Reilly's turn:

please come to my birthday

She started slow trying to find the keys, but learned really quickly and, by the end, was wizzing through it! She's such a smarty pants!!

Bed business...

Lately, we've had problems with the kids sleeping in their beds all night. They'll start out in bed, but somehow end up in my bed 'scared.' Their door is child-locked, so they really have to convince us to get them out. Threatening to pee their pants in the newest excuse, and it seems to be working. They wait until about 2am and cry and whine until Dustin comes to get them. Once they're out, and he's too tired to deal with getting them back to bed, they make their way to my bed... >:( I DO NOT share well. Well, last night was one of the rare occasions that they stayed in their room all night... this is what I saw when I went in.

What you probably can't tell is that he's on the floor between the beds, with a flashlight to shine on 'scarey shadows.'

Reilly's just cute when she's asleep, but what you can't tell with her picture is that she's wearing her swimming suit under her pajamas.

Sean wants to ttype so5mething and has been bothering me this whole time... okay, here he is,

376ytghhyhgbgthy hbghgjhnyuju9oj89jh7iojhy8o---lhgfbbyhuyu7jujbggrf5t ggbbhghyht5ttt65re3rggrrr5565tddxvcvbnnhhygvvhy hgbbv hbb hytiy78 yt75656yy9856y5tyop y8y 77y7y7 8 9t8t7y77[[[[[[ gyh7y7yryrey7 r47pppppppppppp

New Look... same great blog!

I found this site that creates the cutest blog backgrounds! I love it! How cute is this??

Yard Nonsense!

It's that time of year again... when the stupid weeds and bugs come back! It seems that no matter what I do, they destroy my yard! It hasn't been a terribly hot summer, but it has been hard to keep on top of my yard... so, as a result of stupid nature, I've got crunchy grass! Aaahhh!

Allergy Boogie!

This stupid thing was hilarious! I'm not deleting it because when it works, you're going to laugh out loud!!!

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Reilly's dentist excursion!

Reilly's first trip to the dentist. She had three cavities and needed two teeth pulled, but was such a good girl! After all of her appointments, her dentist said that she's been one of the best kids to work with... probably because of how she reacts to the gas. HILARIOUS!! She can't stay still, she talks and sings REALLY painfully loud and just acts like a goof. They always tease her and laugh through her whole appointment. It's really funny. She's almost never that goofy, but it's good to see her put on a show and love it!

More Sean stuff...

Maya really is Sean's dog! He's so funny with her. They're always playing, but not fetch or tug of war, they really go at it! Sean will even wrestle with her.

She loves it and he doesn't ever cry... okay, so funny story, if you push him or nudge him gently, he'll cry like a little girl, but if Maya bites or scratches him while they're playing, it doesn't even phase him! What a boy!

Sean-isms

Tonight, while putting the kids to bed, we had DRAMA!! Sean is such a control freak sometimes... I tell you what! He picked two stories and, usually, I let them each pick one, so we read two total every night. Since he picked two, Reilly got all worked up because she couldn't pick one... We, every once in a while, have to remind the kids (especially Sean) who's in charge. Reilly got pouty - a new thing - and wouldn't listen to me when I told her that she could pick one and I would deal with Sean, so she took a time-out for a bit while Sean freaked out... at least they take turns, right?

Sean's freak-out was the FUNNIEST thing ever! I tried sooo hard not to laugh, but did crack a smile every once in a while. He said things like, 'I don't like Reilly's books cause they're boring for me!' or 'I hate Reilly picking big books, I only like little bit big ones.' or 'I'm in charge cause you said that I'm in charge when Reilly's bad.' Man, I wish I could be sly enough to get a freak-out on video! Seriously!

Recently he was yelling at me at the store, so I took him to the car - a common occurence. He kept yelling at me until he realized that he had to go to the bathroom. Then he started yelling, "I have to go super-bad!" Hilarious!!!!!

Oh, and the 'little bit' thing is funny, too. He was wearing long sleeves, a sweatshirt and pants two weeks ago, so I told him it's too hot for all those clothes. He told me, 'it's a little bit cold.' I could NOT change his mind. He got SOOOO mad at me and kept yelling that over and over again. :) Funny, boy!

P.S. The photo is not of this exact freak-out.

Change is hard...

A couple of years ago, I had an epiphany about how lame I am/was. I don't like being told that I can't do stuff (it just makes me want it that much more), but I have NO problem telling myself that I can't do other things. For example, I can't seem to improv on songs that my band is working on (especially on the fiddle - my primary instrument). I don't think that I can't do it... as in, be creative enough to come up with something, it's just that I'm talking myself out of even trying!

So, my epiphany was that I won't say that I can't do it. If met with a task that seems over my head, I will say, 'I'll do it!' whether I can or not. In place of that thinking, I will put my best foot forward, give an honest effort and when or if I fall on my face, I will try again and again! The bad news is that I'm still struggling with it.

This past Tuesday, I was playing an intro on my mandolin to a song that had four bars (I think) to fill. I was filling like three and a half (with a whole lot of practice to learn just that), but couldn't come up with that last two beats for the life of me! I don't think I gave it my all on the mandolin, I over-thought it and internally talked myself out of it. I didn't want to further embarrass myself, so I gave up.

How lame am I?? I haven't gotten over it!! I know life is an on-going battle of change, but holy crap! You'd think I could have mastered something along the way! Ggggrrrroooooowwwllllll!!!

In flight movies... off the table!

I just saw a clip about airlines taking movies, ice, drinks, and even plates off flights so that they can save on gas. They're desperate to save money so that they don't have to go out of business. So, there were a lot of people saying how lame it was that they couldn't watch a movie... but... don't most of us have laptops or portable DVD players anyway?? And... why the heck is this such a deal breaker? Think of the alternatives!

Driving??

Trains?? ... um... no!

The bus?? Gross! ... There is one more... my all-time favorite method of transportation... ?

Hot-Air Balloons!

... I think I'll drive ...

P.S. Most of these pictures were taken from Michigan websites... woot! woot!

Old Maid

We just got done playing Old Maid for the first time. Nina and I were remembering how we would play it as kids. Spread the cards and put the Old Maid up a little taller than the rest of the cards. Then, it would get picked. It's hilarious how we replayed it! Those kids kept doing it every time they got her! Funny!!

P.S. For those of you who haven't seen our b-e-a-utiful carpet, the colors in my photo-art are a tribute to our gray with teal and purple polkadot carpet! May you forever remain!!!!

Happy Fourth!!

It's late, but you had it coming! Every July 4th, we do something fun. Last year we went to the community pool, the festival in Provo, and fireworks from the Stadium of Fire. It was way fun and I was excited to do something fun this year... We started late because Dustin's been trying to finish up some summer classes before our trip to Michigan. So, around 4pm, we thought we'd better figure out what we were going to do. I really wanted to go up to Squaw Peak for the fireworks. Seriously, how cool would that be? Seeing fireworks from above them? Waaaay above them! What we didn't expect was that it would be crowded (even that early) and the wind would be about 20 mph faster than in the valley.

So, the bad news... Dustin and I had severe allergy attacks from being up on the mountain... We decided that we'd better get the heck outta there and we went to the place we went last year... across from the MTC and the Provo Temple. It was great once we got there. We bought cotton candy and glow-in-the-dark bracelets for the kids and made fun of the people that applauded the fireworks. "Hooray, sulfur!! Way to be launched into the air and explode into fancy colors!"

After everything was over, and we finally got home, we really got to see what happened to Dustin from the allergies! Outrageous!

Prison Break!

I just got back from our youth activity and - wow - was it cool! We visited the prison and got to meet five of the inmates... er.. uh.. residents. They were way cool... not as in, I want to be them, but you get it. They gave us short stories as to how and why they came to reside in the prison and then let us ask questions. Any questions we wanted. They were very articulate and, surprising to me, very willing to give out the details to their crimes. One guy was intoxicated with meth when he blacked out at the wheel and killed a local teacher. He was extremely resentful of his decisions starting back when he was a teenager and it was great to see that the system hadn't hardened him, but made him a better person. He's religious, educated and quite the leader among his peers. The program that the prison does is centered around taking responsibility, staying sober and contributing to society in a positive way. So, they all have classes that they take; from sober living, to community college classes. It was great to see how they were benefiting from it. All five guys we met were great motivational speakers and it was good for our youth to see how making one or two 'small' mistakes can easily (and without notice) turn into horrible lifestyles.

If you're in Utah, you should check it out. The prison here is a great resource that we should be using regularly. If you're not, look into it in your state and find out if they have similar programs.

New pictures!

My band's name is officially Bittersweet Bluegrass (www.BittersweetBluegrass.blogspot.com) and we had our first band photo shoot. I love these because I always get a great picture of me. Not that I look great, but that it's interesting. This one's my favorite so far.

Update!

I haven't taken a picture lately because my foot's been so swollen. It's still a bit fat, but starting to look normal... especially in the morning. I seriously don't recognize my old foot pictures. It's weird to think that it looked like the left one two months ago. :) Hooray!

Nuns Park

My grandparents-in-law are the sweetest people ever!! Every year they host a park up Provo Canyon called Nuns Park. This is going to be their last year doing it and we're trying to take advantage of them being so close. We spend every Sunday evening with them when they're at the park, but, during the winter, when they go home, we only visit every other or so. We miss more because it's kinda far, the roads aren't friendly over the point of the mountain during the winter and that's when they travel. So, this summer's it! They're not doing so well because they were in a terrible car crash last fall. They're fully recovered, as in, they can walk and function okay, but because the park is so demanding, they're not as on top of it as they were.

The kids love going to the park and playing with Princess, throwing rocks in the river, and otherwise just being kids. I don't actually think they care that grandma and grandpa are there, but whatever. We'll miss going to the park.

Nostalgia at Shopko!

Dustin and I went to a movie last weekend and had some time to kill before the movie started. While we waited, we decided to go into Shopko, the store right next to the theater. They always have candy on sale, so I thought I'd get some Junior Mints or something for the movie... save myself some money, too.. .right? It was then, that we saw it - the opened bag of Big League Chew!! (Someone else must have been reminscing, too.) Oh, the flash back! We used to ride our bikes and rollerblades, or walk to Rexalls and the State Street Mercantile to return pop bottles/cans for cheap candy. Those were the days... probably the best of my life! :)